You think to yourself that with the rumors of a new mine opening that it might be best to catch this group up and see if they know anything about it. You set off at a fast pace to catch them up.


By mid morning you see a dust cloud ahead of you on the road so you keep your fast pace up till you get close enough to make out the group.


Its getting close to midday before you get close enough to realize who it is your chasing. Its a group of miners! You quickly conclude that they must be the hired hands sent to get the mine up and running so you approach them to see if you can find out more.


As you catch up to the rear of the pack some of them hail you. You respond in kind then fall in beside the rear couple and start chatting. You learn that there are about 50 of them in the group including all the skilled workers the mine needs but that they would be happy to have you along as an unskilled hand. Its not going to be as much money but they tell you that they have sent their mine guards off ahead to make the area ahead safe so there isn't any way to get ahead and get a better job.

You it's not worth it, Start your journey south

Having decided to head back south you set off back the way you came. As you near the turn off to you old camp you see a new sign has been erected pointing the way to the new mine, a sure indicator that new guards and an official are there now. That means no easy nights rest there as they are always careful to keep hangers on and travelers well away from the mines "to keep them from getting any ideas about the silver" as you were once told.


You camp off the other side of the road  then continue south in the morning.

The South Road

As you start down the southern road you think to yourself that it's been such a long time since you were back in the city that you're not sure that you'll even recognize it. Yet, despite all the supposed changes and improvements, one thing that would never change is the Old Quarter on the south bank where the river joins the sea. For as long as anyone could remember, the wooden buildings had stood virtually unchanged as the rest of the city rose and fell with the economy and rulers of the time. The Old Quarter was filled with dock-side housing, markets and way-stations for travellers; and it had been your home before you left to find work.


Having done your time in the mines and come away with a reasonably full purse you don't feel the need to hurry as you walk, so you are enjoying the experience of not having to rush to get to your next job. You don't see any signs of other travellers until early evening when a mid-sized group of workers and a few guards pass, marching double time to the north.


You carry on till it"s nearly dark and set up camp in some woods beside the road.

You morning on the south road

You quickly pack up your camp and set off south just as dawn reaches over the horizon, then realize ruefully that you could have slept in.  As you walk, you think on other habits you've picked up in the mines. Most were useful but getting up at dawn and sleeping at dusk would be pointless in the city where everyone rises late...


You are so engrossed in your thoughts that you barely notice the two figures on horseback when they join the road not far ahead of you and start moving south at a slightly slower pace than yourself.


You come out of your thoughts with a start as you notice them barely twenty paces ahead of you. Reflexively, your hand drifts down to your knife, just in case. But just as quickly you realize they are dressed as local land owners and one is a woman so you relax and hail them.


"Hey there, heading down to the city?"


They turn back to you and both smile before the man replies "Of course, there isn't too much else this way but we would be happy for some company if you'd like to join us?"


You quickly catch up then fall in with them. You pass the time in conversation and learn that they are indeed local land owners heading to their house in the city for a few weeks. You tell them that you're just out from the mines and heading back for a well-earned rest. The day passes with you trading minor pleasantries and you agree to share a camp near the road for the evening. 


It's just unfortunate that as you take out your sleeping roll the man clubs you behind the head and rides back north with the woman and almost all your belongings as you lie unconscious on the ground beside the fire.

A Painful Morning

You wake beside the cold ashes of the small fire only wearing your shirt, trousers and boots. Everything else, including all your coin, has been taken. You curse yourself for trusting the couple from the night before simply because one was a woman and try to take stock.


You can't head North again, as in your current state you probably won't find another job for weeks and you can't even feed yourself so you're left with three choices: tightening your belt (well holding your trousers tight as your belt has been taken too) and heading to the city as fast as you can to hope for work/food there; hunting after the people that robbed you; or looking for the first trail off the road that might lead to a farm where you can ask for help or some work in exchange for food.

You go After The Robbers

You think to yourself  "Screw this, I worked too hard to give up all that money so easily!"  You head north after the robbers, keeping just off the road in the trees in case they are waiting for you. 


You follow their trail north for nearly the whole day until you find them leading off towards where the couple had first entered the road. You know since they were on horseback that they probably made it back the same evening, so you hope that after a whole day they would have become complacent.


You decide that:

You they are going to be complacent and you are a decent fighter, straight down the track after them!

You think you could take them in a clean fight as the woman seemed small and the man didn't seem like much of a fighter - He had just taken you by surprise before. You start quickly down the trail after the marks left by the horse and after half an hour you see signs of smoke ahead


Looking through the trees, you see the woman grooming her mount and the man sitting by the fire, both completely unaware. You stride out into the small clearing and walk purposefully towards the sitting man.


The woman looks over at you and you hear her say "Oh dear, this isn't very good, is it?". The man glances up at you as you approach and says, "Not good at all," as he starts to rise to his feet.


You laugh and say "You're right! It's not very good for you. You picked the wrong man to rob!" You smile and start to take the last steps towards the man, but as you raise your fists you feel a strange sensation, like being pushed from the side. You hear the woman saying "Oh honey, we meant 'not good for you'. Bandits never just work in twos and this trap was intended for someone else. Since you don't have anything more of value we just need you out of the way fast".


You look down at the crossbow bolt planted firmly in your side just in time to see a second one appearing in your chest with a dull thud. You sink to the ground. It all goes dark as you feel yourself hoisted up and carried into the trees.