12

The first light of dawn brings with it a dramatic change in the weather. The storm has ended and the sky is now bright and clear, but on the distant horizon you can still see flashes of lightning and hear thunder rumbling in the mountains.

After drying out your equipment and tending to the minor cuts and abrasions that Bracer sustained last night, you climb into the saddle and set off along the muddy track, most of which you discover has been washed away by the flood. The damp earth is steaming in the unusual heat of the morning sun, and the air crackles with an eerie residue of static electricity.

You continue your ride through the hills without stopping until, shortly after midday, you come to a derelict hovel which stands at the edge of a marshy peat bog. Your Kai senses inform you that there is somebody inside and, spurred on by curiosity, you resolve to find out who they are. You dismount and leave Bracer to feed on the marsh grass while you go forward to investigate the hovel on foot. You are six yards away from its rotting wooden door when suddenly it creaks open and you see an old man standing in the doorway. He is smiling at you.

If you have ever visited the city of Varetta, the city of Tahou, or a hut on the Ruanon Pike in a previous Lone Wolf adventure, turn to 220.

If you have never visited any of these places, turn to 53.