Your next step is to check the area east of the village.

Your sleep was quite peaceful. You had almost no dreams. Just vague, fleeting images that you don't remember after waking up.

So, you managed to sleep and regain your strength after a long and exhausting journey along the mountain trails.

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

It is easy for you to understand that these are symptoms of a hangover.

Another important nuance: you woke up later than usual. It's probably about 10 o'clock in the morning.

You, suffering from a headache, are thinking about what to do now: "Yesterday the peasants talked so much... There was so much all sorts of chatter... My head is pounding with pain! Was there anything useful in the words of the peasants? Something that will help me track and kill the wolf? It seems that the innkeeper mentioned that traces of the beast were seen east of the village... He constantly chatted about this place... What was it called? Old Dickman's Gorge? No... Somehow differently... Ah! I remembered! Old Ditmar's Gorge!"

Your hands shake as you get dressed. Then you go to innkeeper Durlen. After the usual greetings, polite chatting, drinking water (you refused breakfast - you have no appetite), you will ask Durlen Gruy for information about where to go to get to Old Ditmar's Gorge.

Durlen is happy to provide you with as much detail as possible about the route.

You thank innkeeper Durlen 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. Sometimes the sun's rays get into your eyes - because of this, you squint and cover your eyes with your palm. The air is cold now, the snow is not melting. This is quite normal for this area. In such high mountain areas it was always much cooler than in the lowland areas. You wrap yourself in your fur cloak. Luckily, your fur clothing is comfortable for traveling in this cold weather.

However, you still feel cold, a frosty breeze blows unpleasantly into your face.

You walk through the village and you see some local people.

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 an easterly direction.

As you walk, you remember the information you heard during yesterday's conversations.

The place you need to explore is Old Ditmar's Gorge (this place is named after the great-grandfather of the innkeeper). This is a mountainous area about two hours' journey in the east from the village of Olinsford. Durlen explained to you that a small stream flows through the gorge, along the banks of which, in the warmer seasons, rare herbs grow. Some villagers use these herbs to make healing solutions. Until recently, in Old Ditmar's Gorge it was possible to hunt mountain goats that came to drink. However, the events of the last month have changed the situation for the worse. Three villagers died at Old Ditmar's Gorge. The wolf brutally tore their bodies into bloody pieces, despite any precautions on their part. Now, this is dangerous terrain.

You continue to walk along narrow mountain paths.

Cumulus clouds cover the sky. These clouds move slowly near the tops of the highest of the local mountains.

You think, “This area will require me to exert all my strength. Hunting here will probably be the most challenging thing I've ever done."

After a couple of hours you reach your goal: you come to the gorge.

You see a small winding mountain stream flowing along the ground. The water is frozen on the surface of the stream, but you can see that the ice is easy enough to break to get to the water. You break the ice and make a small hole in the ice. Clear water that is perfectly drinkable.

The ground around is covered with snow. No plants are visible under the snow cover. But it is quite obvious to you that in the warmer seasons there will be many herbs and flowers growing along the stream. You become convinced of the truth of what you have been told: this place is clearly very useful both for the villagers and for the local wild animals that might come to drink.

Then you explore the area near the stream. A small number of fir trees whose branches are covered with snow. You use your tracking skills to determine who has recently been present in the area. This is difficult, because the constant snowfalls of recent weeks are hiding old tracks on the ground.

Unfortunately, you can't find almost anything. Only the remains of some traces, which are almost completely hidden due to the snowfall. These tracks could very well be the tracks of a wolf. But it is not possible for you to understand where these traces are coming from and where they lead.

You think with annoyance: “I woke up too late today! If I had come here early in the morning, I would have had a better chance of studying these tracks better - perhaps I would have found something before the snowfall!”

You look around in search of at least something useful.

At first you don't see anything remarkable.

However, then you notice the stone ruins of an old watchtower, which rises above the gorge on one of the hills. None of the peasants told you about the ruins of this tower.

You think: "Damn! Will I really not be able to find anything useful?!"

Your frustration is quite logical. Wild animals usually do not like buildings, rooms that are enclosed by walls, and the like. Animals try to avoid such areas. It is very unlikely that the wolf made his lair in these ruins.

So, you have to make a decision.

The first option: you simply return to the village to get more information and try to choose a better area to track the beast. This will basically be an admission that you wasted your time exploring fucking Old Ditmar's Gorge!

Second option: you will prefer to climb the winding mountain path and explore the ruins of an old stone watchtower. It is highly unlikely that this will be useful for your hunting. But there is still a chance. Should you try?