Regaining the casual function of her leg had been a more tedious task than she had anticipated. Fluid movement was beginning to come much easier, but she still did have a noticeable limp- it wasn’t necessarily the weight that hurt her joint as it was the rage of motion. While the progress was encouraging, in the end, it was spite that drove her. Her walks through the territory were never too long and were relatively slow going. But each step behind her was chalked out to a win.

Even still, her momentum never lasted for very long- frequent rests were necessary. Collecting herself near the edge of the valley, she slowly reclined herself to her haunches with her injured leg kicked out to the side. What a pain in the ass!

"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

Three wolfish borzoi stand before you, shifting with anticipation. Their glowing green eyes flitter and dance with an ethereal excitement. To your left, a pale and excitable wolf beckons, their tail wagging fervently behind them. In the center, a mournful wolf who's coat is such a pure slate, it seems as if she's tinged blue. To your right stands a dark abrasive looking wolf who's eyes are barely visible under his furrowed brow as he impatiently awaits your decision. In fact, it seems they are all waiting for you to make a choice between the three.

Who do you choose?

Easy Route: The Gleeful Guide

This route poses minimal risk, but also lesser rewards.
Risks: Scarring, small loss of gems/skill points

Medium Route: The Sorrowful Guide

This route poses some risk and moderate rewards.
Risks: Scarring, cosmetic disfigurement, temporary disabilities, moderate loss of gems/skill points

Hard Route: The Irascible Guide

This route poses the most risk and greater rewards.
Risks: Scarring, cosmetic disfigurement, permanent disabilities, higher loss of gems/skill points

As she settled in for a short rest, Aurelia allowed her attention to settle on the ground in front of her paws. It was a casual glance- nothing too fast. But when she picked her head back up to reorient herself and her surroundings, she immediately came face to face with three wolves that just manifested out of nowhere. “What the hell?!” She looked at them with sudden surprise clearly written across her expression. Even still, all three remained silent- looking at her with a certain expectation as if they were waiting on an indication from her. Did she really owe them a response? “What do you want from me?” She asked, allowing her attention to settle on the wolf in the center. “Hello?” She prompted again when she didn’t get an immediate answer.

OOC. Aurelia chose the medium path.
"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

The tearful wolf seems almost surprised you chose her. She does not answer your words, but smiles softly. After sniffling back some tears, she turns and motions for you to follow.

Quietly, the woman leads you into a perpetual fog. Your senses are blocked and it is impossible to know where you are going. Your only lead is the salty scent of the woman you follow and the brief grey blue flash of her tail in front of you, her body obscured by the mists.

When the shroud thins, you find yourself in a small clearing surrounded by the largest weeping willows you have ever seen. In the center of the clearing, a mirror-like pond awaits, completely still except for a small swirling whirlpool in the middle. A thin path of stepping stones trail towards the center of the lake then stop. The sad wolf sits, and motions you towards the lake, tear-filled eyes brimming with anticipation.

What do you do?

Strength: Swim into the whirlpool.

You're probably stronger than some water, right? You can just swim over and see what's up.

Charisma: Ask the guide for a hint.

The guide seems nice enough. Maybe she will help you.

Dexterity: Use the stepping stones.

There are perfectly good stepping stones here for you to use!

Wisdom: Inspect the water.

Something is amiss with the water... Maybe you can figure out what.

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

As she was meant with the friendly grin of the sniffling fae, Aurelia couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Her inquiry wasn’t answered with words, but rather a gesture. An invitation to follow. And reluctantly, she would.

As the fog overtook them, and eventually cleared, a small pond came into view in the heart of a small clearing surrounded by willows. Her attention was immediately drawn to the swirling in the center of the pool, but the movement of her guide’s gesture sent her forward. There were stepping stones that protruded from the mirror-like surface. But before taking them, Aurelia hesitated at the water’s edge. Leaning down to inspect it, sniffing it, and trying to focus on what might lay beneath the fluid barrier.

OOC. Aurelia chose Wisdom.
"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

You inspect the water and the unnatural whirlpool in the center. You see something gleaming and pick up 57 Gems. As you look closer, you think you see an opening in the middle. The guide is already on her way down, wet but unbothered. You decide to follow.

Under the whirlpool, a waterfall floats you into an underground lake. As you pull yourself from the frigid pool, an icy palace opens before your eyes. Thick layers of ice coat the cave's interior and ornate carvings decorate the walls. Your guide stands on the shore, shaking out her fur. She inspects the surroundings, and you do the same. You realize there is no discernible exit, though some of the ice looks thin and even cracked in some spots along the walls.

What do you do?

Strength: Break through one of the weak spots.

The ice looks thin enough, and you feel strong enough to burst through.

Charisma: Ask the guide where to go.

The room seems directionless... Maybe the guide knows something.

Dexterity: Try to squeeze through one of the larger cracks.

Some of the cracks and cervices look large enough for you to squeeze through.

Wisdom: Inspect the drawings on the wall.

The drawings are intricate, they must mean something.

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

The water was much colder than Aurelia had cared to endure, chilling her to the bone as she pulled herself out of it. Shaking the excess water from her coat, she took a moment to inspect her surroundings. Taking a steadying breath, she looked around in awe at the sight she had tumbled into. The icy palace was like something from a dream, its walls adorned with remarkable carvings that seemed almost alive in the light of the underground spring. Despite how beautiful it all was, Aurelia still felt as if they were caught in an elaborate trap, one so glorious and inviting it could never let them leave. Even still, she approached the carvings to take a closer look.

OOC. Aurelia chose Wisdom.
"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

You look at the carvings, but can't discern anything. They're very pretty and very complex, but they don't seem to mean anything, at least not to you.

Under the whirlpool, a waterfall floats you into an underground lake. As you pull yourself from the frigid pool, an icy palace opens before your eyes. Thick layers of ice coat the cave's interior and ornate carvings decorate the walls. Your guide stands on the shore, shaking out her fur. She inspects the surroundings, and you do the same. You realize there is no discernible exit, though some of the ice looks thin and even cracked in some spots along the walls.

What do you do?

Strength: Break through one of the weak spots.

The ice looks thin enough, and you feel strong enough to burst through.

Charisma: Ask the guide where to go.

The room seems directionless... Maybe the guide knows something.

Dexterity: Try to squeeze through one of the larger cracks.

Some of the cracks and cervices look large enough for you to squeeze through.

Wisdom: Inspect the drawings on the wall.

You have already tried this.

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

Aurelia cautiously steps forward, examining the cracks in the ice as she goes. Some of them appear wide enough to accommodate her body if she were able to squeeze through. She takes a deep breath, steeling her nerves against the frigid water and decides that this is her only way forward. Taking a deep breath, trying to ignore the biting cold of the surrounding water, she spotted the largest gap and headed towards it. Placing a paw against either side of the jagged edges, Aurelia pushed her way through with a grunt of effort. The passage was a difficult one, but whether it was easy or not- she was going through to the next room.

OOC. Aurelia chose Dexterity
"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

You try to squeeze through and almost make it. You can see the other room! One problem being... you're stuck. It takes the guide several moments before she's able to push you through, a sharp piece of ice scraping into the left side of your jaw as you plop out the other side, leaving a small scar.

On the other side of the ice wall, what was once a neat hallway has been utterly destroyed. Carved pillars lay broken and elaborate art shattered.

The tunnel ahead looks a little unstable, and proceeding further may be very dangerous. You know if you go on now, you may not return in the same condition you entered.

What do you do?

Strength: Charge through the tunnel.

If you're plenty quick, the tunnel won't have a chance to collapse!

Charisma: Convince your guide to lead the way.

One wrong step could lead to the tunnel failing. Perhaps the guide knows a better way.

Dexterity: Carefully tread down the hallway.

If you go slow and carefully, you can leave the tunnel undisturbed.

Wisdom: Study the cave and find the safest path.

If you look closely, you can see where the cracks and freshly broken ice are.

LAST CHANCE TO LEAVE.

If you proceed further, you will not be able to leave. Abandoned threads may result in failed rolls.
Risks: Scarring, cosmetic disfigurement, temporary disabilities, moderate loss of gems/skill points

The freshly earned  scar on her jaw stung with pain. As she rubbed it with the back of her paws, she takes a moment to contemplate the path going forward. Once she came to the conclusion to move forward, she accepted that there was no going back. And she would advance as carefully as she could. She navigates the shattered pillars and broken art with a mix of determination and wariness. Every step echoes in the silence of the desolate space, the ominous aura heightened by the unstable tunnel ahead.

Aurelia moves deliberately, a dance of calculated movements, hoping to evade any disturbance. The faint glow around her paws casts a soft radiance, revealing glimpses of the devastation. As she progresses, the air thickens with tension, her path uncertain but her resolve unwavering.

OOC. Aurelia chose Dexterity
"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

Slowly you start working your way down the hallway, though you take far too long to traverse it and you hear the tunnel beginning to crack and splinter around you.

As the tunnel behind you begins to collapse, you find yourself  getting battered and bruised by a multitude of ice shards, their blades cutting through your fur and smashing onto the ground below. You begin to falter, but with a final push from your guide, you make it to a more stable part of the tunnel. You notice an injury on left front outer leg that's sure to leave a scar.

At the end of the collapsed tunnel, what appears to have once been an elaborate shrine at some point in time lays demolished. A part of the wall carves out and opens to an open room full of jagged ice floating in deathly waters. In the center, a large, flat expanse is frozen, and on the other side, what look like daylight shines through a small opening.

What do you do?

Strength: Break through the jagged ice to the exit.

The ice doesn't look so tough, you can probably break through the tips and clear a path.

Charisma: Convince your guide to lead the way.

The guide may know how to get through the treacherous cave.

Dexterity: Jump from jagged peak to peak towards the exit.

If you time your jumps just right, you think you'll be able to use them as stepping stones.

Wisdom: Look for the safest path to the exit.

Looking ahead, there has to be one safe path... if only you can spot it.

Aurelia’s breath quickened as she surveyed the broken shrine and the treacherous waters beyond. Gingerly stepping onto the frozen expanse, her paws slipping momentarily before finding purchase. The ice crackled beneath her weight, a warning of imminent danger. She took a cautious step onto the frozen surface, feeling the cold seep into her paws. But it was the small opening on the other side that captured her attention. The glimmer of daylight shining through spoke of a world beyond this frozen prison. Aurelia felt a renewed sense of determination as she gazed at the world ahead, filled with warmth and life. She was driven to move forward and make progress. The ice didn't seem too formidable; she believed she could easily break through its surface and create a path to continue on.

OOC. Aurelia chose Strength
"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

You bash through the ice and the cold soothes and numbs your skin. It is halfway through the room you feel woozy and look down, seeing the ice below you stained with blood. Behind you, now spinning, you see the streaks of your own blood melting down the broken and jagged ice. As your vision tunnels, the guide runs to your side and all you can think about is how warm her tears are.

You awaken out by the lake, battered and beaten and so. so cold. A familiar form kneels beside you, tending your wounds. It takes several blurry moments to realize this is not your guide, but a cluster of fireflies in a cloak the same color as your guide's fur. Your injuries ache, but you will heal fine; you can tell somehow by the way the fireflies buzz around you.

You realize loosely how little sense that makes and you wonder if this is real, but a warm force closes your eyes and bids you to think of home, of safety. When you awake next, you are in a safe place, one which you might have imagined.

You've made it out alive, though not without injury. You notice a lightness to your tail, the very tip of it gone and bleeding freely. Likewise you feel you've lost some knowledge along the way, losing 4 Intellect skill points. Any items you've found lay beside you, and will be revealed later.

Three wolfish borzoi bow their heads in appreciation. Thank you for playing the Halloween 2023 event! All is calm as you look out, but there's no telling what's on the horizon... or perhaps even under it...

Look forward to peeks into the event, hiccups, and maybe some hints into the next adventure!

You Gained This Along the Way...

• 57 Gems
  

You Lost These Along the Way...

• Minor scar - left jaw
  
• Minor left front outer leg scar
  
• Major injury - loss of tip of tail
  
• -4 Intellect Skill points