[osr Challenge] The Bridge

 

The Bridge: A Get Ready, Get Set, Go! Labyrinth Lord adventure set in the Ashford Valley.

Get Ready:
An old friend approaches the PCs with a job: a vital bridge is in the center of some bandit activity and he needs his caravans protected.

Get Set:
Local merchant and old friend Richard Rich contacts the PCs to get them to guard a small bridge in the Rolling Hils from robbers. Sir Hoel of Tradetown will have his men supplementing the caravan guards but Hoel doesn't think the bridge is an issue. Richard disagrees and has gathered together some other merchants to fund some more guards.

Richard offers them a small reward to guard the bridge and will leave the wolfs head bounty to the PCs on any bandits the PCs capture or kill. The PCs can be at the bridge in about a day of travel, and then are expected to hold the bridge for 5 days.

Go!:
The bridge is maybe 15 feet across and two wagons wide. The bridge spans a deep and wide crack and is made from stone (Dwarf-made) but offers no real protection. There are no trees within 50 or so feet of the bridge but, with a little work, the PCs can build some log defenses on both sides.

Two different bandit groups and a humanoid warband are operating in the area. Dirk and his rabble will probably attack right after the PCs have built defenses. They don't have high morale but they are numerous. Bane's group is more organized and brutal and can show up at any time. They all have horses and use chain and shield in combat. At a distance, they look like a troop of guards and often they wear fake noble livery (70% chance). Bane is very strong and his second-in-command Vimzan the Elf will use his spells as necessary. The humanoid warband is a comprised of Bugbears. They're the wildcards in the deck - they'll attack when Bane's bandits attack (50% chance, also don't forget their 50% chance to surprise enemies), making it a battle of three armies.

Notable NPCs:
Dirk: Thief, Level 4; Alignment: Neutral; Armor Class: ; Hit Dice: 4d6, Hit Points: 16; Attacks: short sword (1d6); Save: T4; morale: 6; Special abilities: thief skills.

Dirk's Crew; No. Encountered: 1d6+9; Alignment: Chaotic; Armor Class: 7; Hit Dice: 1d8; Hit Points: 6, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1; Attacks: axe or short sword or spear or short bow (1d6), dagger (1d4); Save: NM1; morale: 4.

Bane; Fighter, Level 3; Alignment: Chaotic; Armor Class: 4; Hit Dice: 3d8, Hit Points: 20; Attacks: +1 Bugbear longsword (1d8+5), Longbow (1d8); Save: F3; morale: 7, Special abilities: 18 strength.

Vimzan, Bane's 2nd in Command; Elf, Level 3; Alignment: Chaotic; Armor Class: 4; Hit Dice: 3d6, Hit Points: 12; Attacks: longsword (1d8), longbow (1d8); Save: E3; morale: 8, Special abilities: elf abilities, Spells (Sleep*, Charm Person*, Ventriloquism, Web*, * denotes prepared spell).

Bane's Bandits; No. Encountered: 1d4+2; Alignment: Chaotic; Armor Class: 4 (chain and shield); Hit Dice: 1d8; Hit Points: 6, 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, 2, 1; Attacks: longsword (1d8), spear (1d6), dagger (1d4), longbow (1d8); Save: NM1; morale: 6.

Bugbears; No. Encountered: 1d4+4; Alignment: Chaotic; Armor Class: 5; Hit Dice: 3d8+1, Hit Points: 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11; Attacks: longsword (1d8+1), longbow (1d8+1); Save: F3; morale: 7; Special abilities: 50% chance to surprise enemies.