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Description
In regions of constant warfare or
lawlessness, former soldiers and civilians alike often turn to
banditry to make a living.
Bandits roam every clime from
temperate to subtropical. They travel in groups (20 to 200),
generally led by experienced leaders. Those encountered in dungeons
will be far fewer in number and often cooperating with thieves. For
every 20 bandits encountered there will be a leader (sergeant); for
every 30 there will be an additional leader (senior sergeant); for
every 40 there will be an officer (2nd Lieutenant), and for every 50
there will be an additional officer (1st Lieutenant).
Bandits will always be led by a
(self-styled) senior officer or lord, with 6 guards and a
lieutenant. These eight bandits are also in addition to the number
indicated by the dice.
For every 50 bandits there is a
25 percent chance that there will be an empath.
For every 50 bandits there is a
15 percent chance that there will be a cleric with an assistant
(empathic mystics) in addition.
Bandit lairs will be informal
camps 80 percent of the time, but 10 percent will be cave complexes
with a secret entrance, and 10 percent will be regular fortresses
(well-defended camps) with 1-4 pieces of light artillery
(appropriate for the tech level) for defense.
Bandits will have from 2-20
important prisoners in their lair, as well as 5-30 camp
followers/slaves.
Terrain will vary the percentage
of mounted bandits. In hilly and mountainous terrain no more than 10
percent of the total would be mounted (either vehicles or animals),
while in open country 90 percent of the force would be mounted. They
have normal chances for having empathically-endowed leader-types
with a party.
Bandits can readily be hired as
mercenaries if the price is right. Indeed, most are former
mercenaries.
Brigands:
Brigands are bandits who have given up on working as mercenaries and
instead make their living solely by wanton looting and pillaging.
They conform to the characteristics of bandits in general. The
brigands will have a cave complex lair 20 percent of the time and a
fortress (well-defended camp) 30 percent of the time. They will have
only 1-10 important prisoners, but there will be 20-50 camp
followers/slaves.
Bandits and Brigands typically
have up-to-date weaponry and armor. The leaders will always be
the most experienced members.
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