The path broadened a little; cobblestones were now easily visible. “See, because it was so isolated, Mystic mostly attracted hardy ponies who knew full well how tough life out here could be. But once the Empire was back, Mystic suddenly wasn’t far from a major trading hub. And that meant a lot of stupid ponies looked at small mining towns like this and immediately saw bit signs. They swamped Mystic, so sure they’d strike it rich. Rapid expansion and bad business practices meant the mines weren’t always well-maintained, and there was a cave-in within months. Almost two dozen ponies killed.”