“A dynamic lair is a small dungeon or lair, created in advance like a point of interest, which includes 1-3 encounters.” ACKS page 236.

Continuing the series of Dynamic Lairs. Last week were the Blink Dogs; this week, an entire village of Bugbears (you can always substitute these for a variant bugbear if you wish).

The Dragonskull Tribe

A village of Bugbears, the Dragonskull tribe, that dwell in a series of caves with a palisade fence protecting the settlement.

The village consists of 7 warbands (17 gangs in total), and associated females and young, champions, sub-chiefs, and their chieftain and his advisors, a shaman and a witch-doctor.

Bugbears x 41 [AC 4, Move 90' (30'), HD 3+1, #ATS 1 (weapon), Dmg 2d4 or weapon +1, SV F3, ML +2, AL C, XP 65; ACKS page 157]: shields, morning stars (1d10), throwing axes (1d6) and spears (1d6).

Bugbear females x 20 [AC 3, Move 90' (30'), HD 1+1, #ATS 1 (weapon), Dmg 1d6, SV F1, ML 0, AL C, XP 15]: long knives.

Bugbear young x 20 [AC 2, Move 60' (20'), HD 1/2, #ATS 1 (bite), Dmg 1d4, SV 0 level, ML -2, AL C, XP 5].

Bugbear Champion x 17 [as bugbear, except: AC 5, HD 4+1, hps 25 each, +2 damage, XP 140]: shields, great axe (1d10), throwing axes (1d6).

Bugbear Sub-Chieftain x 7 [as bugbear, except: AC 6, HD 5+1, hps 29 each, +3 damage, XP 260]: shields, two-handed axe (1d10), spears (1d6).

Bugbear Shaman x 1 ”Hydre” [as bugbear sub-chief, except AC 9, Level 2 Cleric, with a single 1st Level spell (usually Cause Fear), XP 460]: has a potion of Clairaudience, and is wearing a wrought silver necklace (worth 300 gp). She wears a magical suit of lamellar +2, and a shield +2 as well, and is currently the chief’s mistress.

Hydre is in a powerful position as Droog’s mistress and Shaman to the tribe, but she knows her power only lasts as long as Droog is in charge.

Bugbear Witch-Doctor x 1 ”Grush” [as bugbear champion, Level 3 Mage with the following spells: 1st x 2 Sleep and Magic Missile, signature = smoke & fire, XP 215]: has a potion of ESP, and is wearing a silver feathered headdress studded with moonstones (worth 3,000 gp). He also has two scrolls, one holding a spell of Magic Rope; the other two spells, Hold Portal and Detect Magic, in a bone case.

Grush is a manipulative and cunning bugbear, using his role as advisor to further his own power. He is grooming a couple of the sub-chiefs to replace Droog when the time is right.

Bugbear Chieftain x 1 ”Droog” as bugbear, except:[ AC 9, HD 7+2, hps 37, +4 damage, XP 500]: silver studded shield with dragon skull silhouette (worth 50 gp), a patchwork suit of plate mail +2, a magic two-handed sword +1 (1d10+1),  and two throwing axes (1d6); dragon-skull helmet plated in gold and silver with rubies in the eye sockets (worth 3,100 gp in total); also carries a potion of Flying, and has a shield +2 in his lair.

Droog is getting old and is worried that sometime within the next year or so, the sub-chieftains will be making a play for his position.

In the chieftain’s lair is the tribe’s accumulated treasure:

• Locked iron chest (needle trap, save versus poison or die) holding three glass bottles, labelled with bugbear runes, which are a potion of Flying, Levitation and Growth. Also a total of 17 gemstones, in a leather satchel: Jade (worth 100 gp), Topaz x 5 (500 gp each), Ruby x 2 (1,000 gp each), Bloodstone x 4 (50 gp each), a piece of Obsidian (10 gp), a Zircon (75 gp), and a Tiger Eye (25 gp);
• Large, locked oaken chest, trapped with an acid spray (save versus paralysis or take 1d6 damage in the first round, 1d4 in the second), which holds 16,000 silver pieces, and 39,000 electrum pieces;
• A barrel holding 9,000 coppers;
• A silver casket (worth 1,100 gp) holdings 6 pieces of jewellery: an elaborate silver necklace studded with pearls (worth 6,000 gp), a silver set of armbands studded with moonstones (worth 3,000 gp), a wrough platinum brooch (worth 1,200 gp), a wrought gold bracelet (worth 600 gp), a wrought silver scabbard (worth 500 gp), and a copper bracelet with leaf design (worth 150 gp);
• a suit of cursed banded armour -1;
• a cursed shield -2, and another cursed shield AC 0.

Mixed in amongst the lairs, are the following items of value:

• 8d6 bricks of salt (1/2 stone each, worth 7 sp each);
• 4d3 cords of hardwood logs (8 stone each, worth 5 gp apiece);
• 3d3 barrels of beer (8 stone and 10 gp each);
• 4d3 woollen rugs (2 stone each, worth 5 gp each);
• 3d3 rolls of cloth (4 stone and 10 gp each);
• 2d3 barrels of preserved fish (8 stone and 5 gp each);
• 2d4 galleons of lamp oil in leather flasks (1 stone each, worth 2 gp apiece);
• 2d6 ingots of iron (1/2 stone and 1 gp each);
• 1d3 crates of pottery (5 stone and 100 gp each);
• 2d100 animal horns (1 stone per 5 horns, 20 gp each);
• 4d6 bundles of fur pelts (3 stone and 15 gp each);
• 2d3 large jars of red and black pigments (5 stone and 50 gp each);
• 4d6 jars of lamp oil (6 stone and 20 gp each);
• 6d6 rolls of bright yellow-dyed cloth (4 stone and 10 gp each);
• 5d4 crates of glassware (goblets, window panes, vases, all looted; 5 stone and 500 gp apiece);
• 3d3 crates of chain mail, leather tunics. shields, morning stars and throwing axes (10 stone and 225 gp each);
• 7d4 sacks holding monsters parts (dragon scales, wyvern stingers, teeth and assorted bones; 5 stone and 300 gp per sack);
• 1d4 barrels of brandy (16 stone and 200 gp each).

Village Map

1. Lairs (bugbears, females, and young)
2. Chieftain’s lair, plus treasure
3. Gate (always 2d6 bugbears on watch, with 1d4 champions)

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