Xeresgate

You begin you trek northwards toward the Xeres Mountains and through the beautiful Xeres Forest to the immediate west of town.

It is but a few hours before you come across a great tree - possibly your entire height across and soaring toward the sky to a point that you cannot even discern in the noonday sun! At the base of this tree, you see a gnarled, weather-beaten old man. His hair is long and grey, his clothes are rags, and he is calmly smoking from a long, black pipe. The smoke from the pipe is sweet, and makes you feel like relaxing... perhaps even a little more happy and hopeful about your plight.

The old man strains his eyes at the horizon in your direction. "Hello? Anybody there? I certainly hope so, because I'm ever so lost and I haven't had anyone to talk to for days!" He obviously heard you approach, even though his eyesight is probably too poor to see you were you even visible.

The kindly old tone in his voice makes you want to help him, but you can never be too sure what dangers there are in the world. Perhaps he preys on strangers in the forest - there's certainly no one to help you for as far as you can see.

What will you do?