I'm a new player to the game. I am trying to make the 5000 to buy the home in Riverwood. TWICE in a row now I have picked up the woodcutter's axe (with no stolen flag) and began chopping wood. Both times, on the second time chopping again, I have been attacked by three men for no reason. They killed me both times. I know one of them is an orc, why is this happening?!?

There's a home in Riverwood?

Didn't they say why? Is there a note on one of them?

It's not too uncommon for some thugs to be sent after you by someone who thinks you wronged them. Heck I've even had city guards send thugs after me. And yes, at low level they are very difficult.

Sorry Whiterun home. The abuse is happening in Riverwood though.

It's a random encounter. The hired thugs appear after you steal an item or murder someone, even if you weren't seen. They often show up early in the game and are difficult to defeat, as you already discovered - I usually run for my life when I see them I don't think it's connected to the axe, you probably just picked an apple or something and it was tagged as stolen. Check the statistics tab, I think it counts the number of stolen items and assaults.

did you mean the house in Whiterun dear? Sounds like the game is triggering you as stealing the axe, really that is the only thing I can think of why you would be attacked.

If there's three of them, and they're armored, someone hired some thugs on you. I've had a dead woman do it to me. Who I also received inheritance from. That was a weird day in the life of Anazi The Hood.

I haven't killed them yet to find out, I'm gonna fire the game up here soon. It is odd.

could be the bandits disgusing themselfs as imperials. Because i know one of them is an orc

yeah it is but this time BE ready for them Deathclaw-get them!!!!

Well I wasn't expecting that, that is kinda awesome. I haven't stolen anything important for sure, and it doesn't happen when I take the axe, it happens after I start a second animation to chop wood again. I'm gonna try killing them again, I'll be back.

I can almost guarantee that this is the case.

Did you kill Anise? Or did a Bunny see you steal something?

It is not tied to the axe at all. It just happens to take that long for them to walk over there from where they spawned. Most likely the West gate.

Well, you'll know when you kill them - one of them carries a note explaining who wants you dead

haha yeah kill them all make them an example...