Orc Raiders

Raiding orcs are the major hazard in the Buffer Zone. The ‘DM may wish to use specially designed orc warbands in planned encounters for PCs adventuring here. However, in the Encounter Tables for this area (Reference Card 14), entries are given for “Orcs, raiders” and “Orcs, small warband”; these are comprised as follows:

Raiders: A raiding party will consist of 12-34 orcs (2d12 + 10) outfitted in leather armor and shield, with weaponry distributed as per the Monstrous Compendium entry. The group will have a leader with AC 4, 11 hp, THACO 19, and + 1 to damage rolls. The leader‘s ld2 guards have the same stats. There is a 10% chance such a group has, in addition, a priest of Gruumsh of level 1-3, with ld8 hp per level. If the priest is 3rd level, he will have a retinue of ld4 + 2 skeletons that he commands as a 1 st-level cleric (clerics of Gruumsh command undead as if two levels lower than their actual level-see Monster Mythology for details).

Small Warband: This requires 35-80 (5d10 +30) orcs, 3 sub-chiefs (stats as above) and a leader with AC 3, 18 hp, THACO 18, and +3 to damage rolls. The group will include ld4 + 1 orog and a priest of Gruumsh of level 2-5 (with a skeleton retinue if of level 3 +). The orogs have a 5% chance each for a suitable +1 magical weapon. The orcish leader is 30% likely to possess a broadsword + 1. The group is 50% likely to have ld6 human slaves captured during their raid, although the orcs are unlikely to use them as hostages for bargaining, since they have learned that, given the evil nature of most Wild Coast folk, this rarely works. The orcs would rather eat them anyway.