Wander Into the Bog
Pick Your Peril: The Hero of Mudtown
(This is part of a series of choose-your-own-adventure articles. If you want to start from the beginning, click here.)
A sense of evil radiates from the bog.
If anything was responsible for the disappearance of Mudtown, surely it came from the swamp. You decide to ignore the feeling of dread that lingers, and wander into the marsh. You look for footprints and other clues, hoping to find some sign of where your family went. Strange noises coming from the fog give you pause, but you continue forward. If your family was anywhere in this cursed place, it was best to find them and leave as fast as you could.
The bog is muddy, misty and mostly impenetrable. You realize that navigating the swamp will be a lot more difficult than you thought. You struggle through the muck, shoes sinking into the soft earth with every step, and within a short time, you are completely exhausted. A small glimmering light catches your eye, and you see a building in the distance, windows glowing softly.
A large manor sits in the middle of a huge vineyard. You approach the estate, and begin to wonder if anyone is home. The manor itself and the grounds surrounding it are extravagant and well-maintained, but the vineyard is covered in the twisted brown tangles of dead vines. It appears as though nothing has grown there for quite some time. As you near the gatehouse at the edge of the estate, you get the distinct feeling that you are being watched.
The sun is setting quickly, obscured by the fog, and the thought of being caught wandering around the swamp at night terrifies you. The manor may be foreboding, but it might be a source of shelter for the night. Or you could take your chances spending the night out in the bog.
What will you do?