Lone Wolf: Reborn - Episode 3: The Murky Cave

C'mon, what self-respecting hero is going to pass up the opportunity to explore a nice, dark, scary cave? Into the cave we go!

In case you've missed past episodes, see these links...
Lone Wolf: Reborn - Episodes 1, 2

Feeling your way deeper into the darkness, you feet stir tiny bones and the sick droppings of some beast. The stale odor of rotting flesh wafts from the depths of the cavern. Rather than trip over your death, you pause and wait for your eyes to adjust.

In the half-light, you can make out a shallow cave littered with the bones and fur of small animals. It seems to be the cave of some large animal, perhaps a mountain cat. Against the far wall, you see what looks like human bones. Just as you are about to turn away in disgust, your eye falls on a leather pouch by the side of the long-dead man.

Hurrying to the pouch, you find it still tied. You quickly unlash it, feeling coins jingle inside. The leather all but disintigrates in your hand--the pouch is no good. But from the remains you pull three bright golden coins.

Feeling a small triumph, you decide to take your gains and clear out before the cat comes back.

Blinking into the light of day as you exit the cave, you peer around, but you can find no sign of the servants of the Darklords nearby. You descend the rocky hill and continue your journey. After some time time, you come to an old forest track running north and east. You follow it to the east, hoping to meet up with the main road which will take you south to Holmgard.

Several times during your trek, you see dark wings passing overhead, but each time you duck between the trees and are not spotted. You take your lunch on a pleasant boulder overlooking a small lake--but your repast is spoiled by smoke rising on the horizon.

Your appetite souring, you force down the last of your food. With nothing but crumbs remaining, you are not sure where your next meal will come from. You clear the rock of signs of your stay, and continue along the trail, resisting a desire to stop and sleep.

As the afternoon draws on, your forest path opens into a large clearing.

In the centre of the clearing is a tree much taller and wider than any others you have seen in the forest.

Looking up through the massive branches you can see a large treehouse some twenty-five to thirty feet above the ground. There is no ladder, but the gnarled bark of the tree offers many footholds.

If you wish to climb the tree and search the treehouse, turn to 307.

If you would rather press on, turn to 213.

[Save Point: Section 96. {Edit: Save Point 13} We've gained three gold but lost our only meal. Presumably we may need to rest soon, though the book has not required it yet. Curious about this tree house. An intriguing encounter!]