Your next step is to check out the abandoned mine south of the village.

Your sleep was restful. There were almost no dreams. Only vague fleeting images that you don’t remember at all after waking up. You managed to sleep and regain your strength after a stressful and exhausting journey along the mountain paths.

However, there is an annoying problem: in the morning you feel an unpleasant headache, thirst and dry mouth.

These are obvious signs of a hangover.

So, you woke up later than usual. It's probably about 10 o'clock in the morning.

You, suffering a headache, are thinking about what you should do now: “It seems like yesterday one of the peasants mentioned that one of the wolf attacks was in the south... There is an old abandoned mine there... One of the local peasant hunters tried to trap a wolf there and kill it. But this guy failed and the beast tore him to pieces. Strange... Why did the wolf even end up in this mine? This is not typical for wolves... I need to go and check this place!”

Your hands are shaking, you get dressed and go to innkeeper Durlen. After the usual greetings, polite chatter, drinking water (you refused breakfast - your appetite is weakened), you will learn from Durlen Gruy information about the location of an old abandoned mine near which one of the victims of the beast was killed.

Durlen is surprised by your desire to explore the abandoned mine. Perhaps you can discern some irritation and concern in his gaze. However, innkeeper tells you the information you need about where to go.

He tells you in a pleading tone: “Please, dear Raul, try not to go deeper into this abandoned mine... There are possible collapses there... This is simply an unjustified risk... I am sure that the wolf will not organize his lair in this place! The conditions there are too dangerous and uncomfortable even for a wolf: humidity, risk of rock collapse, mustiness and mold... If you want to check this place, it’s better to do it quickly and not waste too much time.”

You thank innkeeper for the information. You check your armor and weapons, after which you leave the inn.

So, it’s morning, the sun’s rays illuminate the ground, which is covered in snow. The air is cold, the snow is not melting. This is quite common for this area. In this high mountain area it was always much cooler than in the lowland areas. You wrap yourself in your fur cloak. Luckily, your fur clothing is designed for traveling in this cold weather.

However, you still feel cold, the frosty breeze has an unpleasant effect on your cheeks.

You are walking through the village and you see some local peasants.

Most of the local residents are currently busy and rushing about their usual routine affairs. Life in the village always requires regular and hard work. And now your gaze notices peasants who are carrying logs (probably to repair some building), peasant women who are carrying sheaves of twigs and branches from the forest (obviously, this is fuel for the stoves that warm the huts). You also see peasant children carrying containers of pet food.

Soon you leave the village and begin to move in a southerly direction.

You are walking along narrow mountain paths. Unfortunately, there is no normal road to the mine for a long time (you remember that one of the peasants mentioned yesterday that this road was blocked with stones due to a powerful mudflow that occurred a couple of years ago).

Thanks to the innkeeper's explanations, after a couple of hours you reach an abandoned mine.

Before your eyes appears the entrance to an abandoned mine, in the depths of which only darkness is visible. Around the entrance to the mine you see only piles of stones that are covered with snow and frozen and a couple of stunted spruce trees, whose branches sway in the wind.

Taking a closer look, you notice on the ground traces that this mine was once used for mining: you see the dilapidated foundation of a building, which is difficult to notice because of the snow.

You look again into the darkness, which hides from your view what is in the mine.

The feeling of growing anxiety in your mind indicates that what you are about to do will be a risky step.

You take out the flint and tinder from your bag. You also take out a blank for a torch (a small piece of wood and an oiled cloth).

A minute of effort and you strike sparks of fire. The torch is ready.

Sighing, you go inside the mine.

In your left hand you hold a torch that lights your path.

In your right hand you hold your steel sword.

In just a minute, the sun's rays disappear from your line of sight.

You move along the main shaft of the mine, which comes to the surface of the earth.

There is only darkness ahead.

The light from your torch provides you with only the minimum required visibility.