The Black Mountains: The Dragon’s Teeth

The Black Mountains dominate the southeastern quarter of Aranthaes Island, a jagged expanse of dark granite peaks and barren ridges. Their inhospitable slopes form a barrier between the fertile Geldcrass Plains to the north and the great ports of New Haven and Geldpont to the south. Few dare venture far beyond the passes, for the mountains are treacherous, storm-wracked, and steeped in myth.
 

Setting & First Impressions

The Black Mountains rise like a wall of obsidian against the horizon, their slopes fractured into knife-like ridges. Valleys are choked with scree and avalanche scars, and trails vanish into cliffs that seem to shift in the mist. To the north, they cast shadows over Bim and the Geldcrass Plains; to the south, they plunge toward the harbors of Geldpont and New Haven, looming as if to crush the very towns beneath them. Even in sunlight, the rock glimmers darkly, as though holding the last memories of prehistory.
 

Geology & Form

Forged of hard, ancient granite, the Black Mountains are among the oldest features of the island. Their cliffs tear weather systems apart, creating storms that can batter the southern coast. Landslides are frequent, streams vanish into sinkholes, and jagged ridges block all but the most determined explorers. Small veins of iron and copper have been found in sheltered valleys, though few mines remain active – the mountains are considered cursed ground.
 

Dragon’s Ridge

To the far east, the mountains curve into a colossal spine that drops sheer into the sea: the Dragon’s Ridge. From offshore, its silhouette resembles the serrated back of a great beast. Legend tells that it was once a stone dragon, slain in the dawn age of the world, its petrified body now the very bones of the island. Fishermen swear that when storms crash against the ridge, a dragon’s roar can be heard in the thunder. Some adventurers hunt for “dragon bones” along its cliffs – shards of pale stone flecked with crystals, sold as relics in Geldcrass markets.
 

Notable Places

The Shattered Peaks: Towering granite summits where lightning storms strike so often that trees cannot grow.
The Hollow Mines: Deep shafts deep in the mountains, rumored to connect to caverns where miners vanished without trace.
Black Tower: A long-abandoned watchtower at the peak of the mountains, rumored to have been home to a religious sect.
The Widow’s Balcony: A high overhang above New Haven where merchants make a perilous climb, leaving offerings to stave off rockslides.
 

Rhythms & Customs

Locals believe the mountains themselves demand respect. Caravans pause and give offerings to the land before entering the passes. Shepherds in the foothills avoid whistling at night, saying it awakens the mountain winds. In Geldpont and New Haven, sailors drink to the Dragon’s Ridge before long voyages, believing its shadow guards them against storms at sea.
 

For the Storyteller

The Black Mountains are more than backdrop. Their cliffs shelter outlaw camps, their caves hide ancient structures, and their storms mask the passage of darker things. A campaign set here could uncover forgotten mining colonies, secret cults worshipping the “stone dragon,” or fissures leading to a deep world beneath Aranthaes. They are a place of mystery, danger, and legend, ripe for adventures of survival and discovery.
 

Encounters

When traveling through the Black Mountains, roll d10 for possible encounters…

  1. 1d4+2 mountain bandits lying in wait on a high ridge.
    Bandits: AC 13, HP 16, short sword (1d6), leather armor.
  2. A sudden landslide tears down the slope – characters must save or be buried under rock and debris.
  3. 2d6 wild goats scatter across the path, pursued by wolves.
    Wolves: AC 13, HP 11, bite (1d6+2), pack tactics.
  4. A strange shard of pale stone, humming faintly, embedded in a cliff – could it be part of the “dragon”?
  5. A patrol of deserters from Aranthaes City Guard, turned brigands.
    Deserters (4): AC 15, HP 20, longsword (1d8+2), chain mail.
  6. 1d4 giant eagles wheeling above, territorial and aggressive if approached.
    Eagles: AC 13, HP 26, talons (2d6).
  7. A weather-beaten shrine carved into the rock, offerings of copper and salt left by passing shepherds.
  8. A lone hermit in a cliffside cave, claiming visions of a dragon beneath the ridge.
    Hermit: AC 10, HP 12, staff (1d6), no armor.
  9. A rainstorm hits suddenly, cutting visibility to near zero and threatening to sweep travelers from the ledge.
  10. An ancient, black-stone doorway half-buried in scree, marked with strange runes – its origin unmistakably prehistory.
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