What is a Bugbear Thug in Pathfinder 2e?
What is a Bugbear Thug in Pathfinder 2e? These stealthy and cruel goblinoid creatures delight in spreading fear and tormenting their victims. Bugbears are the monsters lurking in the closet and hiding under the bed. Preying on remote farmsteads, bugbears reveal their presence with thumps in the night or creaks of boards to build lurking dread and arouse suspicion and fear.
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Table of Contents
Bugbear Society
Bugbears live in small gangs that often prowl together, working as a group to sow torment. They keep their lairs in hard-to-find places deep in the forest or hills. Though bugbears don’t have much concern for treasure, they’re prone to keeping gruesome trophies. Some might keep a leather cord strung with ears from their victims, while others collect severed fingers or noses. Bits of valuable jewelry can sometimes remain on these grisly prizes.
Treasure Among Trophies
An infamous bugbear, known as Gnarsh the Cruel, is said to have a gruesome collection of trophies from his victims, including valuable pieces of jewelry. A distraught widow, whose husband was a victim of Gnarsh, pleads with the adventurers to retrieve a priceless heirloom locket that Gnarsh took. She offers all she has in return for this service.
The Whispering Shadows
Residents of the small town of Duskendale are living in a state of constant fear due to a series of night-time burglaries and vandalism. The town’s mayor found a severed finger with a valuable ring still on it near his ransacked office, a grim sign of bugbear activity. The mayor is offering a handsome reward to anyone who can find the bugbears’ lair and eliminate the threat.

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The Beast of Bane Woods
Hikers and hunters have reported eerie occurrences in the Bane Woods. They tell tales of hearing strange noises, the feeling of being watched, and gruesome animal carcasses discovered in the forest. A hunter even found a leather cord strung with animal ears, a telltale sign of bugbears. The local ranger seeks adventurers to investigate and put an end to the terror in the woods.
The Farmer’s Foe
A series of unexplained incidents have plagued the remote farmsteads around the village of Brindlespur. Livestock are going missing, crops are being destroyed, and strange noises are heard in the night. The local farmers are terrified, and many are refusing to leave their homes after dark. The village elder suspects the work of a gang of bugbears and is offering a reward to anyone brave enough to rid them of this menace.
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Adventure Ideas
The Grisly Guard of Goldengrove
A wealthy baron’s daughter disappeared while strolling near Goldengrove forest. A bugbear’s trophy – a necklace the daughter was wearing – was found nearby. The baron is desperate and offers a hefty reward for his daughter’s safe return and the extermination of the bugbear responsible
The Hidden Horror of Hollow Hills
Hollow Hills, known for its serene hiking trails, has become a place of fear. Travelers report being stalked and hearing chilling sounds echoing through the hills. A leather cord with human ears was found near one of the trails, a grim token of bugbear activity. The local council implores adventurers to uncover the bugbear lair and neutralize the threat.
Mystery of the Missing Militia
Several members of the local militia in Fort Hightower have gone missing during their night patrols. Each disappearance was marked by the discovery of a grisly trophy, signifying the work of a bugbear. The Fort’s commander is offering a generous reward for any group of adventurers who can locate the missing men and bring an end to the bugbear’s reign of terror.
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About the Author:
Dwight Scull has been playing tabletop role-playing games (starting with Dungeons and Dragons 3.5) back in 2001. He started being a dungeon master around 2005.
He loves to play many different types of TTRPGs, including Pathfinder, GURPS, Shadowrun, Vampire: The Masquerade, Mage: The Ascension (and other White Wolf Games), Nights Black Agents, and others.
Fan of mysteries, light horror, co-op board games, true crime, sci-fi, and fantasy.