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Hobb Merrow

Adversaries Designed by Ben Farbus

Adversary overview

A surprisingly tidy little pig farm well outside Dunlow’s palisade. Several healthy pigs, fenced paddocks, smokehouse, butcher’s shed and farmhouse. It smells strongly of woodsmoke, mud and cured meat

– He’s had almost no trouble with whatever is attacking livestock.
– Claims pigs are mean enough that wolves generally leave them alone.
– Has heard howling farther north.
– Thinks Bertram is overreacting.
– Supplies Marn with most of his pork.
– Happily points them toward woodland trails and nearby farms.
Most of this is true.

Things that can feel slightly wrong
Don’t give all of these automatically.
– His meat output seems high for the number of pigs visible.
– His smokehouse is kept locked.
– Hobb is very particular about nobody wandering into the butchery uninvited.
– There are assorted travellers’ trinkets around the house that don’t seem to belong to him.
– He knows more about missing travellers than he probably should.
– Despite living isolated, he seems remarkably unconcerned about the supposed predator.

Stat block

Tier
2
Type
Solo
Difficulty
13
HP
7
Stress
5
Attack mod
0
Damage thresholds
Minor Damage — Mark 1 HP Minor
Mark 1 HP
10
Major Damage — Mark 2 HP Major
Mark 2 HP
20
Severe Damage — Mark 3 HP Severe
Mark 3 HP

Standard attack

Butchers Cleaver
Range: Melee
Damage: 2d6+3
Attack Mod: 0
Damage Type: Physical

Features

Passives

  • Relentless (2)

    This adversary can be spotlighted up to 2 times per GM turn. Spend Fear as usual to spotlight them.

Actions

  • Meat Hook

    Mark a Stress and make an attack against a target within Very Close range. On a success, deal 2d6+2 physical damage and pull the target into Melee range. They become Restrained by the hook until they break free or another character frees them.

  • For the chop!

    Spend a Fear when Hobb is in Melee with a Vulnerable or Restrained target. Make a Cleaver attack. On a success, deal 2d10+3 physical damage instead of his normal damage.

  • Look Around

    Critical: spot two strong inconsistencies and identify somewhere Hobb clearly doesn’t want them going.
    Success with Hope: notice one useful oddity.
    Success with Fear: notice something, but Hobb notices them snooping.
    Failure with Fear: Hobb becomes quietly suspicious and starts steering them toward food/drink.

Reactions

  • Cornered pig

    When Hobb marks his 4th HP, clear 2 Stress and immediately spotlight him without spending Fear. He overturns a table, cuts down hanging meat, kicks over a brazier and escapes.

Evolutions

—

Motives & tactics

Separate prey disable weapons drag victims into bad positions survive at any cost.

Experiences

  • Butchery +2
  • Farmhand +2

Hobb Merrow

Tier 2 solo

A surprisingly tidy little pig farm well outside Dunlow’s palisade. Several healthy pigs, fenced paddocks, smokehouse, butcher’s shed and farmhouse. It smells strongly of woodsmoke, mud and cured meat

Motives & Tactics: Separate prey, disable weapons, drag victims into bad positions, survive at any cost.

Difficulty: 13 | Thresholds: 10/20 | HP: 7 | Stress: 5

ATK: 0 | Butchers Cleaver: Melee | 2d6+3 Physical

Experience: Butchery +2, Farmhand +2

HP:

STRESS:

Features

Relentless (2) - Passive: This adversary can be spotlighted up to 2 times per GM turn. Spend Fear as usual to spotlight them.
Meat Hook - Action: Mark a Stress and make an attack against a target within Very Close range. On a success, deal 2d6+2 physical damage and pull the target into Melee range. They become Restrained by the hook until they break free or another character frees them.
For the chop! - Action: Spend a Fear when Hobb is in Melee with a Vulnerable or Restrained target. Make a Cleaver attack. On a success, deal 2d10+3 physical damage instead of his normal damage.
Look Around - Action: Critical: spot two strong inconsistencies and identify somewhere Hobb clearly doesn’t want them going.
Success with Hope: notice one useful oddity.
Success with Fear: notice something, but Hobb notices them snooping.
Failure with Fear: Hobb becomes quietly suspicious and starts steering them toward food/drink.
Cornered pig - Reaction: When Hobb marks his 4th HP, clear 2 Stress and immediately spotlight him without spending Fear. He overturns a table, cuts down hanging meat, kicks over a brazier and escapes.

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