The Tiger of Hart's Pass

"If you want to take Hart's Pass, take a couple extra people with you. It won't help keep Old Saber from hunting you, but you can run away while she's busy."

— Aradell, Caravan Mistress

  To the south of the Broken Spine is more of the mountain range dividing Helenic, and many roads leading parallel to its course. Aside from Breakwater Crossing, and the northern road between Northrun and Glistel, the only popular path is skirting the southern end of the mountain range. A few small passes and tunnels remain, but there are few who keep them reliably safe to travel. One of these is Hart's Pass, which winds through a canyon which is sparsely wooded and not too rough on wagons. There is a saying which is all too familiar to experienced caravan masters: "The way which looks easier possibly is too hard." In this case, it is true due to the infamous tiger of Hart's Pass: "Old Saber".

Old Saber is an old, battle-scarred tiger who uses the watering hole in the middle of Hart's Pass as a hunting ground. The other notable feature of Old Saber is her namesake, a fang which is longer than average and quite sharp. Rumors say it can pierce steel plates, though the only credible reports are of it slipping through mail to the flesh underneath. She also is quite at home in the terrain, using tall grass to hide her presence and choosing her time to attack carefully. Over the last two decades, there have been several hundred deaths attributed to Old Saber, usually taken during the overnight watch - and usually from those left to do it alone. Scholars insist it cannot be the same tiger, as they normally only live for ten to fifteen years. But evidence has shown differently, leading some scholars to theorize this is not a normal tiger. She has shown more intelligence and judgment than other wild animals, recognizing when the danger of an ambush is too great and avoiding moments when traps have been prepared. Her usual method of attack is a quick pounce, leading with forepaws, and then dragging off the victim while holding them by the throat to keep them silenced. She also shows a preference for humanoid targets over animals, so leaving out "bait" has a history of not working. The Allied Adventurers' Guild has established protocols for traveling Hart's Pass which include what would seem to be an excessive amount of caution and reckless choices: resting at one mouth of the pass and then trying to clear the whole distance without stopping.

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