The villagers avoided Todd like he had the plague when he entered the village. Every time Todd would go and try to talk to the villagers they would walk away into one of their tents. Todd was left wandering the village. He hoped that he would reconnect with the old fisherman who led him to the village. The large bonfire in the center attracted Todd like a moth to flames. More people were huddled around the pleasantly warm flames. Fire felt good. It helped dry his somewhat wet and tattered clothes.

Someone came behind Todd as he sat by the fire. It was the old man! He put his arm around Todd’s shoulder. They sat in silence for minutes. Finally Todd mustered enough courage to ask “Where am I?”. Khor said the old man in a gruff voice.” No. No.” Todd awkwardly stuttered. “What country am I in?” Malakor replied the fisherman. “Have you heard of the United States?” Todd whined. He was go by to have a panic attack. The old man snorted. “Are we making up countries now?”

Todd was devastated. He didn’t know if he would see his parents or son again. He wouldn’t be able to go back to his girlfriend or his old job. He was stuck. Months passed as Todd got accustomed to life in the village. He was set as an apprentice farmer under Tannir, one of the village more experienced farmers. Todd was old for an apprentice and felt a little out of place working with the other young helpers. They were about half of Todd’s height. They would always ask Todd if he wanted to play with them when they weren’t working in the fields. He always too embarrassed to take them up on the offer.

Todd liked life in the village. The people were nice and the farm work was rewarding. He had learned a lot since he found himself lost. The world worked different here. Gone were the days of relying on science to make life easier. At first Todd figured the society he was a part just wasn’t as advance as his home. He tried conducting electricity for the village but quickly learned that was a bad idea. The lightning rod he created exploded when he tried to run electrical current through the rod. Clearly the physics of this world operated differently than his old one.

Magical artifacts were scattered throughout the world. The locals said that gods and other mythic beings sent them down to earth. There were many stories about oppressed people and poor farmers finding these objects and building great empires off of the treasure they found. The teens Todd worked with would pretend as if they were magic wielders and dance around slashing each other with their not so magic sticks. They wanted to be adventurers when the got older and seek out treasure. In reality, adventuring was no more than gambling. For every person to hit it rich there were hundreds who died while struggling with beasts and guardians who guarded the spoils of the gods.

“An adventure would be nice” Todd thought to himself. Anything sounded better than spending his life tilling rocks and planting vegetables. Working as an apprentice farmer didn’t give him the funds necessary to travel anyway. Tannir provided room and food. He had only saved up 13 bronze coins since he started working. The village was poor and the cheapest adventurer gear cost around ten silver. It would take him years to save up enough money.

Tonight he would treat himself. It had been awhile since he had escaped the tiresome cycle of work and sleep. He headed down to the nameless local bar. It didn’t have a name but people called it Ivar’s because Ivars owned the dump. The building was in disrepair. The winds would make the walls rattle and creek. The holes in the roof would let in rain soaking the floor from time to time. He rarely bothered to clean up the mess.

Todd entered the dingy shack. I couple of people were chatting in the back of the bar. “What do yeah want” mumbled Ivar as Todd seated himself at the bar. “Bring me an ale” Todd stated. Todd was silent as he waited for his drink. Eavesdropping on the other’s conversations was always more interesting than telling his own story. It was really the best news source in the little village. While the information wasn’t always accurate it was fun to hear about the other kingdoms.

Todd was currently listening to a couple villagers talk by about Humbridge. Apparently the king was facing backlash for being too harsh on the nobles. The king, Artero, had to put down a rebellion instigated by nobles. He was investigating which nobles were involved. So far only the Mydrate family had been caught, a minor merchant family. The king reasoned they didn’t have enough influence to instigate a rebellion of that scale, so he was still looking for other culprits.

“I found a sealed off cave by the hills left of village” Todd heard a man say to his left.

“Wonder what’s in it” his friend grunted

Todd swiveled his head as two men walked into the bar. There are two types of people who drank in this tiny village. Those who came to loudly shout out their joy and those who drowned their sorrows in booze. These newcomers, Todd thought, “Didn’t fit into either of the categories.” One was a small lanky man who fidgeted often. His googly eyes darted in all directions as he nervously scanned his surroundings. His partner was a lumbering ball of lard. He jiggled with every step he took.

He was curious. As the men seated themselves in a booth around the back of the bar, Todd got up and moved to an empty table closer to the newcomers.

“I was searchin the mines. Found a good lookin temple down on third floor”

“Reckon it’s still untouched”

“Thah door is sealed. No way someone's been down their since it was created. I was thinking that two days from now we can get in. I gotta get me self some magic crystal and we can blast are ways in”

‘Where yeah goin to get the crystal?”

“Know a guy who owes me.”

The two strangers got up to leave. Todd let out a sigh of relief as they started to make their way out of the building. Todd watched as they dodged tables and chairs to reach the exit. Meaty hands latched onto Todd’s shoulder causing him to jump up startled. He was promptly pushed back down into his seat.

“Can’t have you snitching on us.” Todd’s hooded captor whispered into Todd’s ear.

His captor tore him from his chair and dragged him out into the dark starless night. He brought him to the back the building and shoved Todd onto the ground between the two strangers Todd met earlier and himself.

“We shull’ skin him” giggled the smaller frail looking man. His bodied bobbed as his brain tried to control his ale filled body.

“You’re as good as dead snitch. We don’t take kindly to people who don’t mind their own business” said the hooded figure

The fat captor grunted in agreement.

A haymaker found its way onto the face of Todd’s scrawny captor. He crumpled over, knocked out cold. If he was going to die, he might as well give one of them a concussion.

A fiery sensation filled Todd’s torso causing him to slump to the ground. The hooded man had plunged his dagger into Todd’s chest numerous times. Warm red blood seeped out the gory holes, turning Todd into a dead man fountain.