Bandit

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Bandits are a fairly common, and in some cases, accepted sight all across Kahara. Rarely in groups of less than four, Bandits can present either a decent threat to a small group of travelers, or a much greater one to a well laden caravan ripe with goods for the taking. Several key points along The Enchanted Path have bandit operated toll booths which at this point in time are so well armed and well established that many simply opt to pay the fee for passing as part of operation costs. Bandits can be of any sentient race found in Kahara.

Bandit Pets

Sometimes groups or individual bandits will have some form of pet. Most often these will be wolves, large dogs, or even large cats, but can sometimes also range into things like birds. While more apt to listen to commands and adhere to training, a bandit's pet has no advantage in attacking over their wild counterparts.

Common Bandit

Common bandits are just that - a somewhat above average man or woman on the wrong side of the law with a range of combat abilities. Some may have been born into, or absorbed into the lifestyle since youth, while others may be failed mercenaries or from other walks of life with a similar theme of failure who gave up on trying to remain on the straight and narrow to make a living through other means. They are usually garbed in leather armour, with weapons of an average craftsmanship. Common bandits can also use one or two common spells on average.

Bandit Leader

Bandit leaders are, in effect, not much different to their underlings in terms of skill and strength. However, they are often recognizable by a slightly higher quality of weapon and armour, though they too are still most often in leathers of some form, though more likely to be studded than their underlings. If they are lucky, they may have some sort of minorly enchanted weapon and a command of some flashier common spells.

Banditry 101

Methods

Bandits vary in level of organization and cohesion, but at their core they're people who prey on overland travelers. This is often done through ambush or through unofficial tollbooths.

Ambush

Bandits who operate by ambush are often smaller, less well trained and armed groups. They will find travelers along the road in an area they know and use their superior knowledge of the area to trap groups and offer to let them continue in exchange for payment or forcibly relieving travelers of their valuable and portable goods before fading away.

Tollbooths

Tollbooths are the general term for stationary bandit operations which instead of ambushing small groups along the road will set up a blockade of a road and only allow access to those who pay their toll. Some tolls may be determined by guesswork, while longer operating tollbooths may have moved on to rather sophisticated operations and fee schedules for travelers and merchants who wish to use their roads.

Tactics

Most bandits use rather simple tactics, but with area knowledge this often puts them at an advantage over many travelers. Experienced bandit bands often have a range of available tactics to execute in a given situation. Some bandits may have rather advanced tactics enhanced by battlefield altering magic. Almost all bandits have the tactic of fading away rather than fighting to the death, however. They can always set up elsewhere, but they can't bring themselves back to life.

Where Bandits Come From

Bandits come from various walks of life. Some are simply unfortunates who fell into it and can't escape it and others find relieving others of valuables easier than earning those valuables through more conventional methods.

The most dangerous bandits are often the remains of mercenary companies which are no longer large enough to take to the field but are still large enough to conduct ambushes or control a key area of road for a tollbooth. These bandits not only have greater skill than the average bandit group, but fight with better tactics and cohesion, often backed up by those who know battlefield altering magic.

How Bandits Persist

It should be noted most travelers will pay the illicit tax or toll to pass through rather than fight so long as what is asked isn't excessively onerous. Many merchants consider bandit tolls an ordinary expense in their occupation, simply because the cost of fighting and losing would be greater.

In addition, bandits almost never fight to the death, instead preferring to fade away or flee the moment a fight looks lost. As well, bandits tend to possess the common sense to know when they're outclassed, and allow such parties to pass by without harassment.

A particularly dangerous reason for bandits persisting, is that some may be backed by a local noble using the bandits as a means to their own ends.

Using Bandits in Roleplay

If you're running a scene and want to use bandits, keep how banditry works in mind. Bandits rarely fight to the death, rarely pick fights they don't think they can win, and may have additional motivations than simply accumulating treasure.

An additional way to give a bandit group of personality are to give them animals they have trained to assist in their work. These can be as simple as dogs to attack or hunt to birds trained to provide rudimentary reconnaissance of an area to find possible marks.

Then there is the option of a colorful bandit leader. Often they are not only charismatic enough to keep a band together, but also tougher in a fight since in many bandit groups might makes right and the one on top needs to be able to fight well.

What magic a bandit group uses may be indicative of the type of group it is as well. Most bandits use simple magic commonly known, but well organized bands may have a wider range of spells to choose from. From Predict Weather to Gravity, most magic that helps adventurers and travelers will also help a bandit group.