Wolf Sculpture

This is a **Forest** exploration event. It can occur once per play through and offers the chance to acquire  Kola Nuts,  Odin's Raven,  Orichalcum Bead,  Raw Meat and  Sage Powder.

## Inspect

You See a superb sculpture of a howling wolf. The craftsmanship is outstanding, even more so in a supposedly uninhabited island like this. Maybe a remnant of another civilization that lived here long ago? Two ravens are resting on the sculpture, looking at you with nasty red eyes. A rune is carved in the sculpture.

## Check The Rune

Relevant Skills: **Wisdom**

At the base of the statue, the rune stands out, carved into a brownish stone. It's not the first time you see this rune, but what does it mean?

* **Try to remember.** (**Wisdom**)

Failure
You have absolutely no clue... Your best bet would be that this rune is related to what's depicted by the statue so either arms or wolves.
+  Depression
Success
The rune reminds you of a poem: "Óss is aged Gautr and prince of Ásgarđr and lord of Vallhalla." You are facing the rune of Æsirs, the rune of Odin, the source of all language, a comfort to the wise, the rune of the skàlds: \*ANSUZ. Looks like just watching the rune inspires you. Must be Bragi's work.
+ Wisdom Experience
## Examine the Ravens (x2)

Relevant Skills: **Constitution**, **Charisma**

The black birds are perched on the hands on each side of the statues. They are not paying attention to you, too busy grooming their plumage.

* **Feed The Ravens.** (Requires at least 1  Fresh Fruit)

You get some fruit from your pouch, tear it in half and present the fruit to them. They go still as you come near, eyeing your every movement. The left raven looks at the fruit, then at its bird friend and croaks. The right raven looks at you then at its friend and croaks back. Mirroring one another, they retrieve the fruit and eat it in one bite. Both shrewd birds tilt their head at the same time, croak in unison and take flight. You watch the majestic beasts fly away over the foliage, they come back a few seconds later, carrying something in their talons. They drop it on the ground in front of you and go back to their perch. Did they really thank you for the food with a gift?
-  Fresh Fruit
+  Kola Nuts
* **Frighten the birds.**

You shout and clap your hands to make some noise and frighten the ravens. The shrewd birds tilt their head at the same time, puzzled...
* **Throw pebbles**

You take some pebbles and throw them at the birds. The moment a projectile hits it, the left bird croaks. At this signal, the right one takes off and... shits on you. Both ravens breaks into what looks like a laugh.... Damn creatures! They even have the nerve to mock you!
+  Depression
+ The survivor gains the negative trait Smelly temporarily.
* **Leave the birds alone.**

The birds are too clever... You decide to leave them alone... for now.
* **Attack the birds.**

You take your bow out. Before you have the time to notch an arrow, the left raven menacingly croaks, watching you in the eye.
* **Try to shoot one.**

Yeah, yeah... Croak all you want birdie, you will end up in our belly tonight. You notch an arrow, aim at the raven that was croaking at you and... The right raven lunges at you, hitting your temple with its large beak. you drop your bow, in pain. Your attacker flies back to its perch and croaks again. You're pretty sure it means "Try nevermore". You've been warned now.
+  Injury
* **Leave the birds alone.**

The birds are too clever... You decide to leave them alone... for now.
## Examine the Pendants

Relevant Skills: **Wisdom**

When you approach the pendants, the ravens stop their grooming and study your every movement. You extend your hand to reach one of the pendants but the charcoal coloured birds croak at you. A short and hoarse croak: a warning. No touching then. The pendants seem to be gold coins, pierced in their middle. Each coin seems to have a different musical instrument carved on it. You watch intensely, trying to figure out the instruments carved at a safe distance from the dark falcons of Odin. The more you focus on them, the more you seem to hear a soothing melody. You try to figure out where the melody comes from. You prick up your ears... It's coming from the pendants themselves! Each time the wind brushes past them, the melody resonates. That's amazing! You stay here for a while, eyes closed, enjoying the beautiful sounds of flute, pan pipes, lur, drums and lyre...After some time, the melody ends. You open your eyes. Only a few minutes elapsed but you feel as refreshed as if you had slept a whole night.

-  Depression,  Fatigue
## Examine the Wolf

Relevant Skills: **Wisdom**, **Charisma**, **Courage**

The wolf has been chiseled out of the stone. It stands head toward the sky in a howling posture. Looks like the dog of norns was a noble animal: its paws are circled with golden rings, the kind Norsemen wear when they take an oath. Another jewel decorates the muzzle of the beast. You feel the urge to touch the statue. The contact fills you with kennings and poetic thoughts.

-  Depression

* **Part from the statue.**

You've stayed here long enough, your companions will worry. It's with a heavy heart that you walk away from the statue. You're overwhelmed by an acute sense of loss. Goodbye Imd's steed. The world seems colourless without your beauty.
+  Depression
* **Put your hands in the maw**

Assessing the reaction of the ravens, you slowly lift your hand toward the muzzle of the war-lynx. The birds don't seem to mind. You put your hand into the opening. It's rather deep. You plunge your whole forearm before reaching the bottom. Your fingers brushes against a small hard stone trapped in something sticky and warm. You grab it and pull it outside. You watch your forearms emerge from the wolf's maw with a knot in your stomach: your skin is red with small red clots. Finally, the thing you caught comes out: looks like a skinned rabbit. You're quite relieved: you were expecting some rotten thing or human remains.
+  Depression,  Sickness
* **Leave the meat**

The meat looks like a blót of some sort. Doesn't look wise to take it. You put the thing back into the statue. Your belly growls in protest. When you're done, you notice the birds were very still, eyeing your every movement. As you wipe your forearm free of blood on your tunic, they resume their movement. You gulp. Good choice.
+ Hunger

* **Keep the meat**

Never say no to free meat. You attach the rabbit to your belt. It will be a nice addition to tonight's meal. At that moment, the battle-starlings start croaking. The sound is deafening. You were not expecting such piercing sound from ravens. You put both hands on your ears to try to block the sick sounds but it seems to penetrate your skull, leaving you dizzy. You roll on the ground, writhing in pain. At some point, the birds stop their torture and resume their feather grooming activity. You stand up and realise your ears are bleeding a bit. Well, guess that was your punishment for stealing the meat.
+ Scavenging Experience
+  Raw Meat
+  Injury
+ The survivor gains the negative trait Deaf temporarily.
* **Wonder about its purpose** (**Wisdom**)

Failure
You wonder why someone decided to craft such a magnificent beast in the midst of the wild. Ah, you wish the stone could talk.
Success
The delicate craftsmanship and the presence of the trinkets and the rune make you think this is a shrine to some god. You feel like honoring it; but first, you'd need to know whose shrine it is.
* **The All Father's.**

Odin, Father of man, Lord of the Aesir, Enemy of the Wolf... hum? You are interrupted by the croaks of the ravens. Did you make a mistake? They seem to be... mocking you? Your cheek grow instantly red. You shamefully step away from the shrine, followed by the mocking songs of the swans of Odin.
+  Depression
* **The father of wolves.**

Loki, the Most-cunning, God of deceit and speaker of the most terrible truths, I pray thee... You are interrupted by the croaks of the ravens. Did you make a mistake? They seem to be... mocking you? Your cheek grow instantly red. You shamefully step away from the shrine, followed by the mocking songs of the swans of Odin.
+  Depression
* **The god of the hunt**

Ullr, god of the hunt, may the grant this poor mortal your bless... You are interrupted by the croaks of the ravens. Did you make a mistake? They seem to be... mocking you? Your cheek grow instantly red. You shamefully step away from the shrine, followed by the mocking songs of the swans of Odin.
+  Depression
* **The god of poetry**

If you were to believe the \*ANSUZ rune, this is the shrine of the first maker of poetry, and the long-bearded god and son of Odin, Bragi.
* **Offer poetry**

A poem is worth a million prayers to Bragi. Should you aim for something simple like Eddic poetry or something fancier like skaldic one?
* **Think of it more**

You don't feel ready to perform any poetry right now. Or rather you're too ashamed of yourself to make a fool out of yourself. You decide to think about it more and pray again when you feel you can stand your ground and properly honor the god of poetry.
* **Try an eddic poem.** (See "Offer Mead" section below)
* **Try a skaldic poem.** (See "Offer Mead" section below)

* **Offer mead**

(This significantly increases the odds of success for the "Offer Poetry" checks. Requires at least 1  Mead)

What better gift to honor Bragi than the drink that introduced poetry to mankind! You open a bottle and rinse your mouth with the sweet liquid. You then take a mouthful and share it with the wolf by pouring it into its open maw. Then, in reminder of the sacrifice of Kvasir to create the drink, you shed a few drops of blood into the maw. You feel imbued with Bragi's blessing. Your heart brims with poetry. But which kind should you use?
-  Mead
+ The survivor gains the positive trait Bragi's Blessing temporarily.
Are you feeling like a skald? The famous refined poets who master the most difficult art? Or like the anonymous eddic poets, with simpler words?
* **Try an eddic poem.**

Failure
Son of the Mead, And... uhhh... You never really were good with talking and end up at a loss for words. But why did you have to be so uninspired when it matters? As an answer to your question, the birds start croaking in a funny way. Are they mocking you? Your cheek grow instantly red. You shamefully step away from the shrine, followed by the mocking songs of the swans of Odin.
+  Depression
Success
Son of the Mead, Send us your songs, Sweet as honey and love. Trace your runes Onto tongues and hands, Hallow the hearts of man. You hear the sound of wings fending air and you realise you were closing your eyes the whole poem. When you open them, both ravens are gone, alongside the trinkets hanging on the arms. You feel overwhelmed by a sense of loss, as if the world had lost all colours and appeal. You kneel at the feet of the statue, eyes brimming with tears, when you notice the rune panel is gone. In its stead, a small Orichalcum Bead. You take the proof of the rune blessing and walk back to camp, sobbing.
+  Depression
+  Orichalcum Bead,  Odin's Raven,  Sage Powder
* **Try a skaldic poem.**

Failure
Son of the Mead, And... uhhh... You never really were good with talking and end up at a loss for words. But why did you have to be so uninspired when it matters? As an answer to your question, the birds start croaking in a funny way. Are they mocking you? Your cheek grow instantly red. You shamefully step away from the shrine, followed by the mocking songs of the swans of Odin.
+  Depression
Success
Hrammtangar lætr hanga hrynvirgil mér brynju Höðr á hauki troðnum heiðis vingameiði; As your tongue rolls on the last syllable, you are brimming with confidence. You've impressed the gods. You hear the sound of wings fending air and you realise you were closing your eyes the whole poem. When you open them, both ravens are gone, alongside the trinkets hanging on the arms. You feel overwhelmed by a sense of loss, as if the world had lost all colours and appeal. You kneel at the feet of the statue, eyes brimming with tears, when you notice the rune panel is gone. In its stead, a small Orichalcum Bead. You take the proof of the rune blessing and walk back to camp, sobbing.
+ The survivor gains the positive trait Poet permanently.
+  Depression
+  Orichalcum Bead,  Odin's Raven,  Sage Powder
* **Think of it more**

You don't feel ready to perform any poetry right now. Or rather you're too ashamed of yourself to make a fool out of yourself. You decide to think about it more and pray again when you feel you can stand your ground and properly honor the god of poetry.