Not many come; the bird wouldn’t be so surprised if he wasn’t so utterly new to the area, and oblivious as to how out of the way their current venue was. However, he is only slightly miffed by the small nature of the gathering, and, instead, lifts his beak proudly, continuing on as soon as he’s (relatively, anyway) sure that no one else is due to arrive.

Strutting back and forth across his rock platform, the gaily colored macaw makes wild gestures with his wings as he talks, his talons tap tapping on the stone beneath him at an erratic pace.

Free magical rocks aren’t easy to come by, folks, at least if you’re not magical, too! Lucky for you, I just so happen to be able to procure these fantastic trinkets, and lucky too, that I like games so much, huh? These islands are riddled with tunnels! proclaims the parrot, there is the opening to a chain of them there. Your free rocks are hidden inside – but, be warned, there are several paths, and some were, uh... well there is a reason I didn’t hide any rocks in those ones.

Nodding, and flying over to the entrance of the cavern he speaks of, those who follow him will discover a line of shells and rocks clearly denoting a starting line. Standing at the right side of this line, is the parrot. By leaning forward slightly, you can see that there are three tunnels branching out from this cave. Looking at the gathered individuals and flapping his wings excitedly (more glitter and pigment scattered to the sand), he asks them:

AREEEE YOUUUU READYYYYYY?! before asserting that they are, indeed; when he’s sure, one of his wings flutters down, and he screeches an incredibly loud note (you assume means to go) before he shrilly adds, GO-GO-GO-GOOOOOOO!!!

[ A scavenger's race? Through potentially dangerous cave labyrinths?! This parrot has gotta be kidding me…

Choose path A, B, or C, and please clearly denote this at the bottom of your post in an enlarged or otherwise obvious font. One path will be safe, one path will be dangerous, and one path will have an obstacle (chosen by an RNG).

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. ]

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. ]

Sure enough, as each Helovian makes their way into the final stretch of the tunnels, a light shines in from the outside world beyond each unique exit, and with it the fresh smell of air, and the chirrup of birds. For some, however, the way out isn’t as easily attained as others.

Amaris seems to be rewarded for her hard work; the right tunnel she has chosen leads her directly to the sunlit world, the glimmering, colorful parrot flapping his wings nearby to give her praise for making it through. She doesn’t seem to have the stone, however, and with a clatter of his beak and a nervous parrot laugh, he wonders if maybe he hid it a bit too well…

Yael, facing the giant serpent, manages to force it back long enough with her fire to make a clear run for the ledge. Nearly making it without being struck, the snake, enraged and slightly singed from the dragon-mare’s spouts of flame, lashes out desperately at her receding haunches. Missing her with its venomous fangs, the snakes large head instead slams into the overhanging stone, dazing the creature and forcing it to reel back into the safety of its cavern to gather its baring; the force of the impact, however, knocks a large chunk of stone in the old tunnel loose, which strikes Yael as she flees and makes her way down the remaining length of tunnel. Winding and weaving, the path leads out into the open air, and the cajoling parrot.

Coming to the three way divide before them, the elder stallion and the gray mare make different choices in which path to go down. Both of them chose paths that wind and weave, and have a mostly downward slope, but only one of them comes across one of the more dangerous inhabitants of the island tunnel system.

As Wessex comes into a narrow, dimly lit cavern, she is presented with quite the predicament; the mouth which leads to the sound of the parrot calls and oceanic roar is completely sealed up by a funnel web. Like many funnels, at its tapered base is a spider, but unlike regular spiders, this jet-black one is a quarter the size of the stout warrior mare, with bulbous, beady eyes, and pinchers which clatter as it takes notice of the intruder in its lair. Instantaneously defensive, because it is currently trapped in the narrow end of its funnel, the spider quickly sets to ripping away the strands of its web, eagerly clattering its desire to dine on such a sizeable meal. Those who know their spiders will also notice this one seems to be built much like a jumping spider. Perhaps it would be wise to kill it before it starts springing about the cavern…

Albrecht, however, is more fortunate than his herd-mate, and proves that with old age, comes wisdom. Arriving in a water filled cavern, the subterranean pool is some fifteen feet across, and ringed around its edge by a four to five foot stone ledge, which has crumbled to a measly foot in some places, making it impossible to reach the exit via this safe path. At the heart of the pool is a large stalagmite, its companion having long since fallen from the roof of the cavern into the water below, creating a shoddy bridge, where it leans against the crystal encrusted stalagmite. In the middle of this makeshift, half hazard stone ledge is a peculiar, faintly glowing rock, which is slightly smaller than a child’s fist. Is that the magic rock that parrot was prattling on about? Sure looks magical enough. Regardless, the only way to the exit is to cross the fallen stalactite, and clear the small jump from its leaning tip to the ledge several feet below.

[ Rolls

Amaris finds nothing on her remaining path. Wessex is met with the challenge of a giant jumping spider. Yael is struck by a sizeable rock as she narrowly evades the snake. Albrecht finds the path with the magic rock, but must also make his way across a dangerous pseudo-bridge to make it out of the caverns with his prize.

Congratulations Albrecht! You have won the VotG chat. Please include a link to this thread in your opening Veins post in lieu of a VotG pass; the rock will not be added to your records as it will vanish as soon as you attend the VotG meeting.

All others have had a refusal added to their records and are welcome to continue posting if they so desire! ]