The blond man had introduced himself as Straw, a traveling adventurer who had had the good fortune of acquiring a map to a ruin of a great castle some 5 days travel north, in the middle of what was once a glorious kingdom, but was now untamed and dangerous wilderness.

Could those ruins still contain lost, shiny treasures of precious metals and rare gems? Although he claimed competence with a sword, Straw said it was not smart to make that journey alone. And so he needed to recruit a few able bodied adventurers that would be willing to make the trek, promising equal shares of whatever wealth was found.

And so, for dreams of riches, fame, or reasons of your own, you have accepted. The members of the small party are to meet outside the town gate in the morning, packed and ready to depart.

-- 

Straw arrived early and tied his packhorse to a hitching post. Then plopped himself down on a large rock nearby and hummed to himself as he waited for his recruits to show up.