Kraugg's Brigands
Welcome again to Masters and Minions, where I strive to give you interesting NPCs and encounters that can be placed easily into your game. As you all should know by now we recently released The War of the Goblin King adventure, so in honor of this, this week’s encounter is with Kraugg and his band of goblin brigands, fleshing out one of the alternate adventure hooks. Kraugg’s band of brigands consists of eight regular goblins. Kraugg and his band stole a ballista from a local armory.
As the PCs travel along the road one day, they are accosted by a band of goblin brigands, who demand that the PCs pay tribute to “King Yarrick,” and that they “bow down and serve the goblins as the master-race they are.” The bandits, led by Kraugg, an idealistic young goblin drunk on tales of Yarrick’s exploits, are not actually affiliated with the goblin king, but have been making their way towards Springdale in order to join up with Yarrick’s horde. They have been making stops along the way to waylay travelers in the hopes of gaining money or slaves. Kraugg carries a grubby and worn map on him. It is crude and difficult to read, but with a DC 12 Linguistics check the PCs can use the map to reach the keep outside Springdale.”
– Excerpt from War of the Goblin King
Kraugg’s ambush consists of a ballista blocking a patch of road that is flanked by two trees. Kraugg and two other goblins man the ballista while the other six hide 20 ft up in the trees that flank the area in front of the ballista. A net trap is set between the two trees. Depending on which siege weapon rules you are using, Kraugg either gets -1 to attack (Pathfinder) or +1 to attack (Into the Armory). With the rules from ItA Kraugg fires the ballista on average every two rounds.
Net Trap CR 1
Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
Trigger manual*; Reset manual
Effect Grappled (cannot use two-handed weapons) and are lifted 20 ft into the air; DC 20 Reflex avoids; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft-square area)
*The trap is activated by one of the goblins in the trees when either at least two PCs are on the net or if the most impressive-looking fighter is on the net.
Kraugg |
CR 1 |
XP 135
Male goblin fighter 2
NE Small humanoid (goblinoid)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Perception +1
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +3 Dex, +1 shield, +1 size)
hp 19 (2d10+4)
Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft
Melee short sword +4 (1d4/19–20)
Ranged light crossbow +6 (1d6/19-20)
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 12
Feats Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Skills Ride +11, Stealth +11, Swim +4; Racial Modifiers +4 Ride, +4 Stealth
Languages Goblin
Treasure NPC gear (leather armor, light wooden shield, masterwork short sword, masterwork short bow with 20 bolts, other treasure)