This river forms a natural boundary between the Lion provinces and the region generally associated with the Dragon Clan to the north, although the Dragon do not technically control all the lands in question. From the Lion lands on the southern bank, it is possible to see the Dragonfly lands in the distance, just before the foothills of the Dragon Mountains.Some believe it is only the presence of the river that has protected the Dragonfly from the Lion’s vengeance, since moving an army across the wide river usually takes long enough for the Dragon to bring troops to defend the Dragonfly.
The name of the river comes from an old legend surrounding it. Supposedly, during the dawn of the Empire bandits captured a merchant and his family. The bandits tortured and murdered the family, drowning them in the river. Many believe the vengeful spirit of the merchant still lurks in the water, seeking to punish the guilty. Although educated samurai may dismiss this as superstition, there is no denying that bandits have sometimes been found torn to ribbons with no clear explanation. Peasants claim the merchant’s ghost is responsible.
The intersection with the Three Sides River has resulted in the prosperous, ronin-controlled City of the Rich Frog.