Dragon’s Ridge: The Spine of the East

The Dragon’s Ridge is a long, jagged line of dark granite peaks that march down the eastern coast of Aranthaes Island, separating the fertile Geldcrass Plains from the endless sea. Lower than the main Black Mountains, the Ridge is no less dramatic – its cliffs plunge sheer into the waves, and in sunlight its stone glimmers gold, streaked with veins of mica and pyrite that catch the light like molten scales. Sailors claim the Ridge is the petrified body of a dragon, slain at the dawn of time, its spine now the island’s eastern wall.
 

Setting & First Impressions

The Ridge stretches for miles along the eastern seaboard, a chain of sharp ridgelines, broken towers of stone, and treacherous coastal inlets. At its southern end the Ridge thrusts far into the sea, forming the eastern edge of Geldpont Bay and sheltering the great ports of New Haven and Geldpont. To the north it climbs toward the Geldfray Mountains, the two ranges locking together like the jaws of some vast stone beast.
 

Legends & Beliefs

Every village near the eastern coast keeps tales of the dragon that birthed the Ridge. Some say it was struck down by the Mother’s wrath, others that it chose to lay its body across the sea to protect Aranthaes from storms. The veins of golden shimmer are believed to be its last breath made stone. Fishermen leave offerings of salt, oil, and coins on cliff shrines, asking the dragon’s spirit for calm seas and safe passage.
 

Hazards & Opportunities

Travel along the Ridge is perilous. Trails wind along narrow ledges, while sudden rockfalls and sheer drops test even the sure-footed. Smugglers make use of hidden coves where sea caves pierce the granite, and wreckers are whispered to light false beacons on stormy nights to lure ships onto the rocks. Yet adventurers are drawn here by rumors of untouched ruins in the cliff-faces, strange fossils embedded in the stone, and veins of true gold.
 

Notable Places

The Dragon’s Fang: A solitary sea stack rising like a tooth from the surf, riddled with caves that fill with roaring water at high tide.
Cliffshrines of the Dragon: Weathered stone altars on the high cliffs, tended by hermits and fisher-priests who honor the Ridge’s guardian spirit.
The Golden Ledge: A long escarpment where the mica veins are especially bright, shimmering like fire at sunset – a place smugglers use as a navigation aid.
 

Rhythms & Customs

Once each year, in midsummer, processions from Bim, Geldpont and New Haven climb the cliffs with banners shaped like wings, honoring the petrified dragon who guards the coast.
 

For the Storyteller

The Dragon’s Ridge is a place of awe and danger. Its caves may hide smugglers’ caches, forgotten ruins, or the treasure of ancient dragons. The golden glimmer in its cliffs can spark greed, leading adventurers into perilous climbs or confrontations with those who exploit the Ridge’s legends for their own gain. Whether encountered from a ship rounding its shadowed cliffs or a cliff-top trail whipped by sea wind, the Ridge looms with myth and menace.
 

Encounters

When traveling along or beneath Dragon’s Ridge, roll d10 for possible encounters…

  1. A nest of 2 (1d2) giant eagles circling the cliffs, swooping at intruders.
    Giant Eagles: AC 13, HP 26, talons (2d6+3).
  2. A group of 3 (1d4) smugglers unloading cargo in a hidden cove.
    Smugglers: AC 12, HP 11, short sword (1d6), leather armor.
  3. A sudden rockslide from the cliffside. All within 20ft must make DC 13 Dex save or take 2d6 bludgeoning.
  4. A fisher-priest making offerings at a cliffshrine, who warns of storms.
    Priest: AC 11, HP 22, spells as cleric (level 3).
  5. A wrecked longboat smashed on the rocks, with a 50% chance of salvageable cargo.
  6. A hermit living in a cave, painting dragon murals on the walls.
    Hermit: AC 10, HP 12, staff (1d6).
  7. A pod of dolphins leaping in the surf below, a good omen for sailors watching from the cliffs.
  8. 1 (1d2) giant crabs hauling themselves from the tide pools to attack.
    Giant Crab: AC 15, HP 13, claw (1d6+1).
  9. A false beacon lit by wreckers on a stormy night, luring a ship toward the rocks. 1d4+2 wreckers on hand to “salvage.”
    Wreckers: AC 13, HP 14, daggers (1d4), leather armor.
  10. A shimmering vein of pyrite in the cliff, mistaken for true gold, with pick marks showing someone else sought it recently.
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