The Hangman Trap

The road through the waterlogged forest curves slightly, yielding to a small cliff. A solitary tree in the bend towers high above the surrounding shrubbery. Dangling from its branches is a hanged knight, the toes of his sabatons just out of reach for a person standing underneath. You enter in the low-right corner.

Target 11

X = Dead knight, hanged from a large tree. A great helm covers his face and shield and tabard is missing, preventing identification w/o first lowering the body. A golden necklace gleams from the broken neck.

- - = Pit trap, meticulously hidden, covering area under knight and 2" radius (1d6 damage, no armour).

o = Bandits. 2HD, leather armour (2) & shield (1d4 / +2 defense), axes 1d8+deadly: reroll ones, bow 1d6. No real interest in fighting, only in taking things.

:: = waterlogged shrubbery, small trees, reed. Movement halved, provides half cover (full cover if crawling)

TT = cliff, STR to climb

Timer: 1d4, reinforcement. 2 more bandits arrive from the shrubbery, responding to a secret signal.

Bandit tactics (in order of preference): 

1. Hope PCs fall into pit, demand ransom for their lives

2. Reveal themselves, demand PCs surrender and give up their equipment for safe passage

3. Fire arrows from cliff to draw PCs there, signal to reinforcement to steal anything left behind (such as pack animals), then flee with the loot

4. Fight!