Dragon Lands - The Dragon Mountains

[Vutall]

The Dragon Mountains
If a person ever wishes to be humbled, they can stand at the base of the Dragon mountains. Compared to these gargantuan peaks, everything seems small. Many would-be mountaineers return home after sim-ply looking up, embarrassed for entertaining such lofty ambitions. Undeterred hikers begin their trek in the forests that encircle the range’s base. Accompanied by the chattering of birds, climbers ascend ancient paths made stair-like by tree roots and the occasional well-placed boulder. These woods are teeming with wildlife: deer, macaques, pheasants, hares, boars, and leopards, all of them robust and brave. Suddenly, it all stops. The trees thin, and the freezing northern air slices across the barren landscape, leaving the hikers with nothing but stone, mist, and cold. If they press on, the path becomes more treacherous. A single misstep could result in death, and depending on the time of year, there may be torrents of snowmelt or brittle ice. If they can avoid the effects of vertigo and altitude sickness, their efforts are rewarded with unsurpassed views: deep green valleys, waterfalls, and the whole of Rokugan stretching out to the horizon.

Trail Talk
There is a colony of kitsu in one of the secluded northern valleys. They shape-shift into humans to conduct trade.

Hunters have spied a large apelike creature, but they are unsure what type of monster they’re dealing with. If the beast is a hihi, the ape will have huge lips that curl over its eyes when it laughs, giving its victims a chance to escape. However, if it is a satori, it will quietly stalk travelers and read their thoughts. Satori will not attack if their prey maintain a clear mind.

There is an evil spirit called a yuki-nobō masquerading as a benevolent yuki-onna, a snow maiden. This spirit approaches travelers asking for water, then kills them once the request is fulfilled. A person can survive this encounter if they give the spirit hot tea instead.

The Great Tengu named Sōjōbō lives atop one of the tallest Dragon mountains. If anyone ever finds him, he will take them as his pupil