It has been a peaceful ride through the woods, with the sun shining bright. Birds are singing, and the gurgle of gently flowing water can be heard up ahead. The old bridge over the river has seen its days, but looks sturdy enough to hold.
As you begin crossing, you hear something up ahead… are those voices you hear?
Unfortunately for your players, this area belongs to a group of brigands guarding the road – the Blackthorn Brigands! How the party finds themselves here is up to you. If you’d like to set the stage with some flair, you can find a collection of quest card handouts that can be used to introduce this as a small adventure to your group.
The Blackthorn Brigands
Making camp near the river are the Blackthorn Brigands. Laying in wait, they monitor traffic along the road and look to strike at any easy mark that passes by. While these small raids help to keep an ample stock of coin and basic supplies, the Brigands sometimes find a need for a bigger score. Staying close to civilization affords them plenty opportunity to set up a score to hold them over for a longer run.
If you’d like to include the brigands with this encounter map, you can use the brief description provided for each member.
Grivak the Red
Grivak serves as the leader of the Blackthorn Brigands and is as sharp with a blade as he is with his tongue. He stands tall with an aura of authority and confidence like few others. This roguish charm often finds him on the better end of negotiations, earning him the reputation of a smooth talking scoundrel.
Wearing fancy clothes and a set of light leather armor, Grivak’s talent in battle is easy to overlook. His long and lithe frame serves his combat style well – choosing speed over strength and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Tactic: Counter Strike – When an enemy within 5 ft. Misses Grivak with a melee attack, expend his reaction to perform a counter strike. Grivak makes one melee attack against the attacker with a bonus +1 to hit.
Susie Heartless
Susie and Grivak have a long history together, and cannot be more opposite in mannerisms. Where Grivak looks to his wit and cunning, Susie prefers a much more direct approach. Standing nearly as tall as her companion with a well built and imposing physique, she often sees force and strength as the ultimate decider.
Susie has developed her combat skills to become adept in many forms of combat. She prides herself in her ability to adapt in the heat of battle using her environment to grant her any advantage possible.
Tactic: Improvised Distraction (Recharge 5-6) – Susie’s skills of improvisation have given her a decided edge in combat. She may expend a bonus action to use her surroundings to her advantage granting advantage on her next attack.
Francis Alabaster
Once a devout priest, Francis is now under the employ of Grivak and seemingly turned against his faith. In his eyes though, he is now working towards the greater good and it is the high society that are the wrong doers.
Francis met with the Blackthorn Brigands some years ago during his time as a field medic and priest of the military. During this time, he saw what lies he and the church were sowing as their forces attacked and displaced innocent villagers. Francis now lends his skills to the group and tries to right the wrongs of his past.
Annie Cutlass
Once a pirate, Annie has given up a life of robbery on the seas for a life of highway robbery. A brigand through and through, it might be kind to say that Annie is a crude and cruel lady. Nevertheless her talents are anything but – nimble fingers and a keen eye make her an excellent thief and infiltrator that Grivak has used fully on many a job.
Even though she is often at odds with Francis over morals and ethics, she is a welcome addition to the crew. Her keen eyes and ability to go unnoticed has gotten them all out of some impossible situations more often than any of them would like to admit to.
