A Ford Across the Skunk River: South Narlmarches

First things first, from your capital, just head west, and then west again. This will put you right in the vicinity of "A Ford Across the Skunk River." Don't expect to be crossing any rivers here, but it's definitely worth a quick look around.

If you're exploring this area early in the game, before the "Troll Invasion" event kicks off, it'll be pretty quiet. Start from the southeastern corner of the map and make your way west. As you get closer to the southwestern corner, you'll run into a pack of Ferocious Wolves. There will be about three of them initially, but a few more will join in from the north. They shouldn't be much of a challenge for you at this point, so take them all down.

After dealing with the wolves, head north until you reach the river. Follow it east until you spot a pretty ruined wall. You'll need to pass a Perception check (DC 7) here. If you succeed, you'll find a stone you can search. Inside, you'll discover a Shard of Knight’s Bracers.

Now, head east until you find a trail heading north. Follow this trail, and it'll lead you to a part of the river you can actually cross. Once you're across, keep following the trail. You'll eventually find a section of forest to your west; head into the wilderness there, going west.

Keep pushing west until you stumble upon a scene: three Ferocious Wolves are attacking two Kobold Sentinels. Jump in and make sure both groups are eliminated. The Kobolds were guarding a chest, so loot it to get some goodies, including the Recipe: Galt Ragout.

From that chest, turn south. You'll need to make another Perception check (DC 19). If you pass, you'll find a container hidden behind a tree. Inside, you'll find a Torag’s Pendant. This is another item you'll want to give to the Storyteller later on.

Feeling like you've had enough of wolves? Good, because we're heading back east to the road. Continue east into another patch of wilderness. Here, you'll find three more Ferocious Wolves, and this time they've got an Alpha Wolf leading them. The good news is that the nearby foliage can act as a choke point, helping you manage how many wolves can attack you at once. While they aren't the toughest enemies, groups of them, especially with the Alpha Wolf's trip attacks, can be dangerous. Once you've defeated them, keep heading east. You'll find a tree stump, and hidden inside is a Ring of Protection +1.