The Old Mountain Road

There was one mystery that always tickled Alfred, one about a strange path off the road to Aidonsburh. He'd heard the travelers and merchants and adventures asking of it. A dirt walk down the lush mountain pass that over which Aidonsburh stoop watch and guard, into the forests below and a few hours ride down the cobbled road there was a dirt path that headed deep into the woods. But every time it was asked, they got the same reply - Or at least different revisions of the same. No one had used it in as long as the people Aidonsburh could remember, and they had left it alone just as long. Even animals were said clear of it. Whenever the old forester was in town , Alfred would ask Jun what he knew about it. He never replied. Well, except once, on his last trip "Lad, I've seen many a sight in my life, but very few times have a felt such a dead-dread as I did seeing that little dirt road" or something to that effect.

Though Alfred wanted to ask more, he had not seen Jun in awhile - He hoped the old man was ok, a life of game hunters could grow dangerous. But even so, If this old path was truly so menacing, then it would be the perfect place for Alfred to first explore and make his name. And honestly what trouble could lurk so close to home and have not attacked by now? Birds call and caw from the verdant trees that crowd either side of the road, a cool breeze rustling the green leaves. He wondered how much farther it could be; He had known riding on horse was faster than traveling by foot, but he hadn't known it would be this long.

It was late by the time Alfred finally arrived, the last of the sun's rays peeking from the far end of the valley to cast the part in the trees before him in shadow. The disquieting idea of the maw of a great beast opening up to swallow him ran through his mind, but Alfred quickly set it aside. Surprisingly, even though it has not been used nor maintained for so long, the way seemed clear of any debris and not one blade of grass or weed sticks out of the dirt between thick rows of trees on either side. Bading his fears rest, Alfred headed down the way. As he walked the off-path, the light around you grew ever dimmer. Part of him said that night should not be so dark, even with the tight weave of branches above his head to block out the stars. His hand brushed the hilt of his sword, making sure he might still draw it at a moments notice. An unearthly stillness grew around him - he heard not one snort of deer, not the chatter of squirrels, nor the song of birds - Only his own booted feet crunching long fallen leaves against hard-packed earth.

A fear gnawed at his innards. A small fear, he told himself. He could deal with it. But perhaps not the groan of his stomach and the ache of his eyes and feet. He needed rest, Alfred knew. And from the ache in his pants, separate from all the others, rest wasn't the only thing he needed. But he wasn't about to stop to open his pack with his dried meat out here in the open, where any bear might smell. Even less was he going to lay down to rest and jerk off in this environment. He needed somewhere safe, somewhere with walls, or at least whatever might pass for walls. He needed-

Just then, almost as if willed into being by his desires, there stood an old stone building. It appeared to have been an inn during it's heyday, but now it's panes of glass were shattered, the strong wooden doors guarding it's courtyard rotted away. No longer obstructed, Alfred looked up to the night sky full of stars and the silver quarter sliver of the moon shining down, providing at last some light. Passing through the former entrance, the young man took a look around, studying the structures that stood before him. The front stone wall appeared to have been the only "wall", the other three sides of the yard protected by a large building in the shape of a U, with the structure divided up into semi-connected sections.

To his right was what appeared to be tenements of two stories, their doors open to a covered walkway. The left being dominated by what was probably the place of residence for the owners, resting some 8 feet above the ground, covering an otherwise open area probably used to house horses. Finally, in front of him and at the back of the complex was windowed room that stretched between both sets of housing on the second floor (a former tavern, he presumed), with a stone base for the first.

Wait... why would he notice something being "stone"? Everything else, save the wall behind him, was made of wattle and daub or beams of wood. How could those structures have survived the march of time? A gust of wind pushes him forward, and Alfred turns around to find sturdy doors that may have once secured the entrance to the courtyard to stand strong and stout in the gap in the wall, and were barred shut.

A cold dread ran up Alfred's spine. There was something here - either causing him to hallucinate or brewing forth some form of magic. If there were indeed anything malicious here, the only way out would be to find it. Drawing his sword, Alfred walked carefully up the stairs to the balcony before the Tavern's door.

Opening it slowly, Alfred peeked through the narrow slat. There were tables, chairs, even a bar - all of which were aged but still sturdy and usable. Entering with gentle tred in order take a better look, the room illuminated by the starlight streaming in through the windows. Watching his step as floorboards creak under his feet, Alfred said a silent prayer to the Gods as as he sought for a door to the connected building...