miner at the Osel mine, of Kuttenberg
“I hew rock in the deep shafts, coughing dust, and try to keep my head down.”
Things Prokop had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the eve of Pentecost, at Vespers
Heinz Berger asked me again to walk out to his family with a message. Christ almighty, my lungs rattle just climbing the shaft ladder. I am not walking out into the country past the tolls for any man's gossip. Let him find a carter.
Nota scribaeDictated between racking coughs. He spat on the floor.
the Thursday after the Ascension, at None
Tobias gave Alan a barren seam again. The lad curses his luck, but he strikes the rock like a blind mule. You have to read the stone. I kept my head down and took my piece of bread in the dark.
Easy for you to say, old man. There is no silver in that cursed rock.
the Wednesday after Easter, at Compline
The bread is dearer again this spring. They say the soldiers on the roads are taking the grain. A groschen barely buys thin cabbage soup and sour ale anymore. Konrad the Lousy is whining about his boils again, which does not help the ale go down.
If you had these sores on your neck, you would complain too.
the second Tuesday of Lent, at Terce
Christopher the Miner will not shut his mouth about that bone die he lost to Alan on Saint Blaise's day. Saint Barbara give me strength, it is just a bit of bone. The dust in the Osel mine is thick enough without him filling the air with his boasting.
It was a lucky die, Prokop! Alan cheated.
I won it fair, you whoreson.
Nota scribaeHe asked if the Pope truly cares about bone dice. I said he does.
the day after Candlemas, at Vespers
I needed a heavy iron wedge for the lower levels. Rented tools take a quarter of your wage before you even strike, so I borrowed one from Black Veit. I still need it. The rock is hard down there, and my bones ache in the damp. Veit can wait.
You said you needed it for two shifts, Prokop. Give it back, or I will take it from your satchel.
Just a few more days, Veit. The seam is unyielding.
If you leave it lying around, it might walk off on its own.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
It is only a half day's walk, Prokop! They need to know I am well.
A half day for a young man, Heinz. Go yourself.