Foul bandits and terrible beasts

Before I could start the Tale of the Wandering Slayer, I needed a few more pieces.

Since my AA order arrived I have been painting and fixing, getting ready to play the first part of the story.

First we have some giant scorpions. How these oversized arachnids grew to such size is not known, but they plague many parts of the deserts. Deceptively stealthy for their size, many a traveller have met their end by the claws or stinger of the beasts.

With a bandit standing in for scale, you get a real sense of who unpleasant it would be to face such a creature.

Wherever wealth and opportunity arises, conflict is inevitable. Bandits are a ever-present threat along the rich trade routes and long unguarded streches of roads thoughout the central deserts. 

These bandits are no different. Thieves, desertes and other outlaws, they band together in loose groups to take whatever coin and goods they can until they are caught or fall to infighting.

Leading the band is usually the most ruthless and deadly among the group. Fear and brutality is the tools that keeps his fellows in check and as long as they coin and drink keep flowing he stays on top. If fortune was ever to desert him, it won't take the rest of the band long to replace him.

Under the boss is usually a right-hand man. These rogues are usually loyal to the boss personally, more often then not being friends or former subordinates from whatever life they sought to escape. His stern hand enforces the bosses rule.

 The rest of the band is comprised of all manner of rogues, cutpurses and outlaws. Poorly armed and often without any armor, the danger comes not from might or strenght in arms but their desperate ferocity like that of a starving wolf. The description is apt, as many of the outlaws are underfed and mangy unless they happen to belong to a successful band.

The scorpions and bandits will allow me to play out the first few tales I had in mind and I will add more beasts and men as the story progresses.

Til next time!