Be sure to read the previous chapters!
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII

The night is dark and still.

The endless expanse of space stretches far and wide beyond the deck of your ship. A sea of stars washes around the fleet, swathes of flickering light amidst an eternal night so deep and cold. The silence of the void has pressed through the shields, blanketing the ship and its crew. As you sit on the prow, eyes sightlessly peering through the shadows ahead, you know this same stillness has overcome the entirety of the fleet.

Everything is set. All the preparations made, the new mechanics tested as thoroughly as possible. The jump coordinates have been entered; all that remains is the signal from the Sleipnir.

The massive command ship sits quiet in the midst of the fleet.

For now, in these precious moments before launching into the unknown, it is the time for peace and reflection. Now is the time to pause and consider your life, your choices, your path. To determine the depths of your resolve, to make the choice of whether or not to continue. Each soul aboard must look inside themselves and pursue the calling of their own path.

Ahead lies the ultimate uncertainty - a nigh impossible journey through the unexplored dangers of a black hole. What awaits you, you could never begin to guess. Even the Snake Clan Vikings have no idea what awaits on the other side, if it exists, or what the journey entails.

And so each of you sits in silence, lost in the seas of your mind.

The risk is great, but the reward… is Valhalla.

Welcome back to Chapter VIII of the Epic Quest - Valhalla!

Here’s how the Epic Quest works: I will host an activity each month that plays into the story being told. You’ll earn small prizes for each activity you complete - like points, HPD, or cash shop items. You’ll also earn XP points, and the player with the most XP points at the end of the year - December 2021 - will win the grand prize:
1. This fully coded layout (currently a WIP) and
2. Matching animal CSS and
3. A 1-year upgrade!

Participate in the Epic Quest activity every month of the year, and you’ll earn a special prize:
1. An official HP achievement and
2. A store pair with 100k points.

If you haven't joined yet but would like to, check out Chapter I to figure out how to create your Viking! You need to message me with a clan, a specialty, and a name - then you can join one of the crews below!

If you have any questions about the quest, prizes, or how it works, don’t hesitate to message me!

CONTEMPLATION

Before you begin your journey into the unknown, you must take the time to settle your thoughts and motives, to make peace with the path you’ve chosen to walk. This is something that can only be done alone - there will be no collective crew rewards for this Chapter.

Your task? Reply to this forum thread with something you are thankful for, something that makes you happy, something that brings you contentment. You can reply in character or as yourself, and you can reply up to 10 times a day.

Each reply will earn you 1 XP point.

The catch is that you cannot double post - you must wait until another Viking has posted their contemplative thought before posting another of yours. Also, you cannot post the same thing twice.

You may post your thoughts until 11:59 pm HP time on Sunday, Nov. 28th.

REMINISCENCE

Message me up to two choices you’ve made or events that have happened to you that were very important to you. Make sure these are HP appropriate events/choices that you are ok with other HPers knowing about. 

You can choose events that happened here on HP or in real life. You can also choose to make up these choices or events as things that have happened to your character, rather than real things that happened to you.

For each event/choice you message me, you will earn 5 XP points.

You have until 11:59 pm HP time on Sunday, Nov. 28th to message me.

PRIZES:
Each contemplative reply to this forum thread - 1 XP point.
Each event/choice messaged to me - 5 XP points.
BONUS: Message me the HP animal you are proudest of training for 10k points (that can go on any animal you want, not limited to the one you send me).

FIND YOUR CALM BEFORE THE STORM, VIKINGS

I am thankful for my mother-in-law. She is the only grandparent my kids have who care about them, and she really does, 200%. Even when not feeling well, she goes out of her way to spend time with them and make them feel loved.

It's nice that not all in-laws are the "monster-in-laws" as they call them. 

I am thankful for this blanket today because my house is FREEZING today! Major temperature drop this morning 

I am thankful for my education, and that I was able to get one!

My husband recent job promotion from associate to senior associate. Now he qualifies to apply for management level positions.

I am thankful again for my wife who is navigating all of this crazy insurance mail we keep getting. Home ownership can be tough! 

That my husband fights so hard for me to continue keeping my horse even though he's really not an animal person whatsoever. But he's so sweet! He must love me!

I am thankful for my fish! TV for both the cats and the baby. Swim, swim!

I am thankful for my friend Whitnee. She works in RE with me and it's fun to chit chat during the day about crazy work things and books. 

I am thankful to HP (cough Blitzy) for allowing me to create a Mental Health safe space! 

The second offspring from my Mascot 2021 line, Isla Pena, was born with 306k points (pic coming soon). Not quite as much as her dam which was born with 326k points because my Mascot entry had over 5mil by retirement and her offspring only had over 4mil by retirement. But still very close.

I am thankful for freedom of religion.

Something that brings me contentment is being able to sit and relax with my first cup of coffee in the mornings while things are still quiet-ish outside.

Yesss!
The not having to rush and setting aside worries helps lots!

Something that makes me happy is the color blue! It's been my favorite color for forever and I don't know why haha!

I am thankful for my middle kitty, Ferdie. He seemed so out of place in the house until we brought home his two new brothers this summer. He instantly bonded with them, and now they're inseparable. We call them the triplets. He has settled down (finally) and is such a good kitty.

I am thankful for my friends. Even though we live states apart now we still get to facetime and catch up with all of life's happenings. They help keep me sane and I love listening in on what's going on in their worlds!