The Krakens
Bandit Confederation of the Osweg Coast
Overview
- Type: Criminal Bandit Organization
- Region: Coastal and inland Osweg
- Primary Activities: Extortion, raiding, smuggling, protection rackets
- Symbol: A crude black squid or tentacle, often tattooed or painted
- Status: Weakened, but not destroyed
The Krakens are a loose but dangerous bandit confederation operating throughout the lawless reaches of Osweg. Neither a single gang nor a unified army, they are best understood as a shared identity—one adopted by those who profit from fear, isolation, and the absence of authority.
Where the Crown does not reach, the Krakens do.
Organization & Structure
The Krakens operate as a cell-based network:
- Small bands control individual routes, villages, or resources
- Leaders answer to no single master, but follow shared customs
- Profits flow upward through intermediaries whose identities remain unclear
This structure makes the Krakens difficult to eliminate. When one cell is broken, another fills the gap.
Methods & Tactics
The Krakens favor:
- Intimidation over open warfare
- Extortion framed as “protection”
- Violence delivered publicly, but selectively
- Rapid withdrawal when faced with organized resistance
They prefer targets unable—or unwilling—to fight back.
Pacifist communities are ideal.
The Golden Circlet
The Golden Circlet Colony became one of the Krakens’ most reliable sources of tribute. The elves there were coerced into regular payments of food, labor, and supplies, enforced through sporadic violence and the ever-present threat of escalation.
When the Krakens harassed Ellisha, it was not an isolated act, but part of an established pattern meant to remind the colony of its place.
The intervention of the Sea Spray Survivors disrupted this arrangement—violently.
Equipment & Appearance
Krakens typically wear:
- Mismatched armor and scavenged weapons
- Crude squid or tentacle markings
- Tokens taken from victims as proof of dominance
Their arms vary widely, but they favor:
- Short blades
- Nets
- Spears
- Crossbows
Many carry trophies from prior raids.
Reputation
Among coastal settlements, the Krakens are feared as:
- Unpredictable
- Ruthless
- Impossible to fully eradicate
Among merchants and smugglers, they are viewed as:
- Dangerous partners
- Occasionally useful
- Never trustworthy
Among their victims, they are remembered as proof that peace invites predators.
Recent Setbacks
The Krakens have suffered notable losses:
- Multiple cells disrupted by the Sea Spray Survivors
- Exposure of smuggling routes tied to dragonglass
- Loss of key leverage over the Golden Circlet Colony
Despite this, reports indicate the Krakens are regrouping.
They adapt quickly.
Rumors & Whispers
- Some believe the Krakens answer to a hidden patron
- Others claim they are merely one layer of a larger operation
- A few insist the squid symbol is older than the gang itself
What is certain is this:
the Krakens do not forget those who cross them.