If this is based on modern day then you could always say that the players are part of a NGO, ie: Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, etc. While at a village, the villagers are telling stories of a dragon that live on top of a local mountain. Sheep and other livestock grazing nearby are missing, each spring should easily bring thawed water from the mountains but for some reason the wadi's are slowly drying up. Is it propaganda from local insurgents playing off on the ignorance of the locals or is there really a dragon up the mountain.
Another one is that a small cabal of mages have created a haven for their accomplishments near or in the mountains of Bamyan, where the giant Buddhas are. The technocracy, under the guise of CIA, a PMC, etc is trying to get that haven to rid of such a nusance. The locals are supporting the insurgants since they realize that the cabal is a good thing for the area. If it wasn't for the technocracy, no one would have even come near. How do you think the Taliban was coerced to destroying the Buddha statues.
