Alison was lost. Her map was less than useless so she’d stopped at the Red Dragon tavern for directions. She was listening to the toothless old man as politely as she could but he sounded completely mad.
“So you wants to go left at the Duck Pond,” he was saying. “But watch out for them there krakens, they’ll eat you quick as look at you. Then straight on past the Caves of Forebodin’, or is it right? Here, Grimp, is it right at the Caves of Forebodin’?” He nudged the old codger sitting beside him who grunted something Alison didn’t hear. “Aye, it’s right past the Caves, keep goin’ past the Great Pile o’ Bones and if you come to the Forrest o’ Misery you’ve gone too far.”
“Right, well, thanks very much,” Alison said, wondering if she could ask someone who was still in control of all their faculties.
“No problem. Oh, here, keep away from them there halflings, mind. They’ll nick your magical ring quick as look at you they will.”
“Right,” Alison said. She had a feeling she was never going to get to Death Mountain.