Encampment Encounters: A Special Guest

Our sidequest series titled “Encampment Encounters” continues with a special guest to the party’s camp!

Tags: Entertainment, Ambush, Deception, NPC

Setup: A bard is part of a group of bandits with a different way to assail travelers. Or he or she has been bribed or blackmailed to help the bandits.  The bard could even be a shape-changing monster (such as a doppelganger) in disguise. The bandits may have been contracted by an adversary of the PCs.

Strategy:

• The bard approaches the party as they are setting up camp. He explains it is two days travel between towns where he performs, and because it is dusk he’d like to camp with them for safety.
• He offers song & entertainment or local news or perhaps some bardic knowledge in exchange.  He also volunteers to take (or assist) on a watch.
• Perhaps (if the bard is being blackmailed) the bard confides in the PCs and lets them know what’s up, hoping they can help him.
• If the PCs are all at rest while the bard is the only one on watch, there is a good chance the bandits wake them as they signal each other or trudge about. They are ruffians, not ninjas.
• More likely a PC is on duty with the bard.  If so, the PC may perceive that a couple of nature calls are not natural. The PC may even notice a signal from the bard.
• Upon one of the signals, the bard attempts to take out the PC also on watch as the rest of the bandits storm the camp!

Follow-up Ideas:

• If the bard was bribed, he or she is in the party’s debt.  Perhaps the bard has an item of value, or can set them up with a room at the best hotel in town, join the group for a time, etc.
• On the other hand, perhaps the bandits were part of a guild who will want retribution against the party.