Most of the horses take separate paths, except for the aging stallion, and the spiky gray mare. Watching their wild dash into the caverns, all but one manage to make it in; she seems have dallied too long. Rushing before her with scarlet wings fluttering, the now obviously magical parrot collapses the entrance into the caverns with a shrill shriek that fractures the stone doorway, and forces it to crumble in. With a cackling parrot noise, the sales-bird spreads his wings, and flies over the tunnels hidden beneath a rocky, jungle laden landscape, making his way to where he knows the participants will come out.

Too slow, miss!, he chatters as he drifts away.

Those inside surely hear the gravelly collapse of the stone forbidding Ingrid entrance to the race, but, what good it will do them? The way in is no longer a way out, is all that can be deduced.

The dragon-mare is the first to encounter something as she searches, but it’s not a magical, God summoning rock, at all. Perhaps torn loose by the parrot’s shriek, or perhaps having been so for some time, the way is blocked by a cave in. The debris seems like it could be burrowed through easily enough, with gaps in the stone allowing the mare to peer through to the other side (where the tunnel appears to branch into two), but it will take time. Doubling back to try another route will, though, too. What will Amaris do?

Perhaps old age lends to wisdom, but the path which the elder takes is almost entirely clear. Its good news for the fast and strong Wessex, who moves through the open tunnels like a freight train, but this is a scavenger hunt, after all, not just a race. Maybe being a bit of a dawdler will pay into Albrecht’s favor in the end; it’s harder to see something you’ve rushed by. This thus far unobstructed path suddenly branches into three paths; which one will you take?

Yael is the least fortunate, arriving upon one of the terrors the bird had assured existed in the tunnels. As she moves into a small cavern, ringed with stalagmites and stalactites which actively drip mineral rich water, a very large snake, which had been most miraculously hidden by its dark gray, brown, and black banded scales, lifts up its massive head. The serpent flicks its forked tongue at the large figure which has suddenly appeared in its cavern; some twenty feet long and thick as a sturdy tree branch, the snake’s head is a large, spade shaped thing, sporting long, white fangs. Its eyes, milky white, are obviously no good for seeing, but those who know snakes, also know that they don’t really need their eyes for much at all. That mouth sees her well enough, and with swifter strokes of its fast vibrating, forked tip, the massive snake seeks her out with his tongue.

It doesn’t take long for it to guess where she is.

Striking out occasionally with its very long venomous fangs, a three foot ledge that rises from the stone floor, and which seems to lead further into a single tunnel, can be seen beyond it. Will Yael take time to kill or subdue the serpent, or try her luck at simply making her way passed him?

[ Ingrid posted outside the 72 hour time limit and is disqualified. She may continue to post within the thread, but will not be included in the final roll.

Tunnel Type Roll

Amaris comes upon a cave-in. She can clear the debris and chose between the Right or Left path, or can Double Back to take an alternate route.

Albrecht and Wessex meet no obstacles, and instead come upon a path that branches, again, into three separate paths. You may choose path A, B, or C.

Yael’s tunnel opens into a small cavern, which contains a giant snake. Behind the snake is a ledge, which seems to lead to a single tunnel further into the caverns. Yael has many options, which include hopefully Evading the snake by jumping onto the ledge, Fighting the snake to the death, Subduing the snake through some means (beguiling it, trapping it, rendering it unconscious, ect.), or can simply Double Back to try another path.

Please clearly denote the decision, bolded in the descriptions above, your character made at the bottom of their post.

This is VOTG Chat drop! The winner(s) will receive a single chat with a God of their choice. Characters have 72 hours to respond. ]