When the sun goes down some just like getting into mischief and general debauchery. Such is the life of the ruffian. Unpredictable and impulsive, self-serving and careless, the ruffian is a great character for chance encounter nonsense. Bully away!
First Impressions
- often come in pairs or small groups, with the smaller guy being the boss 🙂
- scruffy, rough, dirty, tough, tuff, gnarly, gnarled, unshaven, wretched, slick,
- lecherous, lude, rude, dirty, filthy-mouthed, grabby, cat-calling, lustful,
- rotted teeth, bad breath, hoarse voice,
- farting, burping,
- fat, portly, slobbering,
- thin, waif-like, emaciated, starved, ravenous,
- nasty, belligerent, pushy, nosy, provocative, nefarious, malevolent,
- sly, conniving, tricky, underhanded, insincere, untrustworthy, backstabbing
- destitute, decrepit, poor,
- deranged, rambling, nonsensical, moronic, paranoid, off-the-meds,
Environments
- back alleys, dark streets, wayward paths, between buildings,
- fairs, markets, carnivals, festivals, jousting grounds, flea markets, black markets, underground markets,
- tents, hovels, lean-tos, shanties,
- under bridges, bottoms of walls, nestled dens in hedges,
- thieves’ guilds, hideouts, pick pockets’ dens, flop houses,
- beer parlors, taverns, pubs, gaming rooms, casinos, brothels, opium dens, hashish parlours, saloons,
- forests, narrow paths, fords, portages, lonely trade routes, trails, ravines, gullies, arroyos,
- caves,
- outside arenas, opera houses, theatres, places where the rich hang out, weddings, even funerals (the scurvy dogs!),
- train tracks
- train stations, terminals, stagecoach stops, waystations,
Stuff
- dagger, brass knuckles, sap, knife, club, short sword, concealed blade, short axe, spear, spiked club, flail, hammer, war pick, short bow, blow dart, sling and stones, crossbow, throwing knives, poison, acid, torches and oil, clay and oil bombs
- leather pants and jerkin, bracers, helm, steel cap, leather cap or hood, brigandine, light armor, quilted or padded
- armour is thrown together pilfered pieces,
- disguise
- beggar, old man, old lady, royalty, soldier, courtesan
- gorilla suit, donkey suit (two man),
- clown, mime, jester, minstrel (who can neither sing not play an instrument)
- pet or trained animal
- monkey, parrot, owl, hawk, rat, cat, dog
- trinkets and collections
- stones, gems, marbles, pebbles, buttons, pencils, keys, chain, boxes, eggs, business cards
- may ride bicycles, horses, broomsticks, chariots, wagons… or segways,
- beer, wine, rum, heffeweisen, kvas, mead, ale, port, vinegar, mulled cider… but most likely moonshine
- hard tack, jerked meat, dried fish,
- one set of clothes they wear all the time (stinky, for sure! -OR- super fine clothes if they are the debonnairre kind of ruffian (ironic, eh?)
- fake gold coins, fake finery, fake Rolex, fake nails, fake hair, false teeth and a fake smile,
Actions
- pickpocket, steal, shoplift, burgle, rob, lift, pull a heist,
- blackmail, extort, subterfuge,
- organized gang activities
- prostitution, gambling, extortion, “protection”,
- beg, panhandle, badger folks, swindle, trick, finagle, twist,
- parlay, negotiate, lie, deceive, charm, seduce, beguile,
- ambush, waylay, backstab, outnumber,
- bully, beat, attack,
- elude, escape
- cheat, undermine, hustle, work over, manipulate,
- rat, snitch,
Backstory
- born into the life
- just plain nasty so beating others and taking their money seemed like the right thing to do
- kidnapped as a child and raised by a group of petty thieves
- participates in the life as a form of protest against the rich man
- born a noble but decided to “slum it”
- not really a ruffian; actually an undercover agent
- raised in a string of “homes”, orphanages, institutions, asylums,
- grew up in a reservation, slum, cordoned off district, ghetto,
- escaped gang life and now just looks to survive on the streets,
- working their way up through the ranks of the gang
- papa was a ruffian so follow in his footsteps
- fell in with the “wrong” crowd
- mama always warned you to stay away from “that” part of town
- brain damage, lobotomy, operation gone wrong
- dishonorably discharged from a once promising military career
- estranged from family
- desire to get rich quick
- live life by my own rules approach
- idiot, lazy, directionless, slacker,
- needed work, out of work, bad economy, over taxed,
Developments
- a gang of ruffians has kidnapped a friend of the adventuring heroes and holds them for ransom
- a ruffian holds a key to a great secret
- an elderly ruffian is an oracle with great power
- the ruffians guard or prevent access to a magic portal
- there is an underground arena with great rewards given to the champions, but the road there is treacherous and only a ruffian can show you the way
- the “savable” ruffian… are they really savable? (classic “bad boy” with a good heart story)
- a dear friend is in despair as their loved one is hooked into the wrong crowd and headed down a path bound for sorrow… can you save them from their own bad choices?
- there is a giant ogre cyclops ruffian who has clogged up a major trading route between two major cities… go fix this little problem.
- your mother becomes a ruffian, so go set momma straight!
- a foul smell permeates the city as the sewers are being backed up by a gang of nuisance ruffians… get some heroic characters down there in the muck to deal with them.