A lost scroll fell into the hands of the region's Daimyo. It told of the lost Koji Mines, once the richest in all of Rokugan. Earthquakes and rockslides are common in this mountainous region, and the narrow pass leading into the Mines was blocked long ago. But the scroll told of a second hidden pass, and soon a large expedition was assembled to find the lost Koji Mines.
Many people soon gathered in the city as word spread of the Imperial expedition. Some say secrets do not last long in Rokugan, and rumours of the fabulous wealth to be found grew into legend.
In the city people were caught up in the large procession as it weaved through the streets and over the bridge. The expedition brought together people who had nothing in common, but the lure of gold was something they all shared. Others were miners , guides, surveyors, cartographers, Lords, Ronin, and officers. There was a large well-armed retinue and hundreds of workers.
One of the inner lords has invested a large amount of koku to finance the expedition. The Ronin captain he hired, Musagi, has a much feared band of warriors. The outer lords hope to ambush them, for they know if the Koji mines are found , the owner would have enormous sums of gold to defeat the weaker clans.
The scroll tells of a map hidden in a mountain temple and they set off for the Koji Mines.The warrior monks at the temple are displeased when the caravan arrives, and the map has to be stolen by the Daimyo's spies. Once recovered, the map shows a second pass leading to the lost minesite.
Once the gold is found and mined ,it is quite another matter to leave the Koji Mines alive with it.The skills of bribery ,charm, and Kenjutsu must be applied frequently to thwart the rogues, cutthroats, bandits and officials encountered on the road back to Hida Province.
Use the map of Rokugan to create the story background. You can choose to draw a map of the secret route to the minesite ,or plan an adventure where each player conspires to gain control of the map for themselves. Make a second map which only the Gamemaster knows is a forgery. Players could be given clues as to which one is authentic, or left to compete for them without knowing which one is the fake.
The Iwami Ginzan silver mine's location is shown in this early map of Japan. It was the richest silver mine in Feudal times and pirates and smugglers vied for it's famed riches
