The Mountain King

The Mountain King wanders the mountains of Darval's Spine, telling jokes, spinning riddles, and playing harmless pranks on those he encounters. However behind his sly smile a being of true power lies. It is said that a middle aged sheep herder and his flock crossed paths with the man along the grassy slopes at the base of the mountains. The man, wearing simple garb, approached the herder "Hail fair man, haven't seen you around here before? New to the area or the job mayhaps?". The herder was confused, he was far out from the nearest tribes and there were no mines hearby "Uh, hello, it's the furthest I've travelled with my flock. Who are you?". "Oh don't worry about me, I've lived in these lands many years. Care for a riddle? What has to be broken before you can use it?".

As he spoke his riddle, the ground began to shake and the sounds of cracking branches echoed from the woods behind him. A giant humanoid creature with two heads lumbered out dragging half a tree behind him. The old man didn't so much as flinch as the sheep ran away and the shepard started backing away. "One moment, it seems we have a guest, perhaps he too likes riddles." he said as he turned to face the creature. "Hello friend, would you like to hear a riddle?" he asked. The creature spoke in a gutteral language that the shephard didn't know. The man spoke the same in turn but his voice had changed beyond that, it had deepened and lost it's jovial tone. The monster started to raise his tree club, as he did the man snapped his fingers and the creature stopped mid lift, not even so much as blinking. The man spoke again and a few seconds later snapped his fingers again. The creature looked afraid and turned around, quickling moving back into the woods it came from.

The man turns back to the shephard "Not very polite or interested in riddles unfortunately." he said shaking his head "So do you have an answer?". The shephard looking confused said "What?". "To the riddle of course. Bah, nevermind, the giant oaf ruined the fun. An egg! Anyway, have a good rest of your day good man." And the man wandered off whistling a tune to the wind.