Arthur a Bland — Merry Tanner of Sherwood

Arthur a Bland — the brawny, wisecracking tanner of Sherwood who can trade quarterstaff blows with Robin Hood and still laugh over an ale.

At a Glance

• Alias(es): The Merry Tanner, Staffmaster of Sherwood
• Gender: Male
• Race/Species: Human
• Occupation/Role: Tanner by trade; outlaw quarterstaff champion; mediator among the Merry Men
• Religion/Belief System: Greenwood oaths, household rites, local spirits and the obligations of honest trade
• Key Allies: Robin Hood, Little John, Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck, various Sherwood villagers and craftsmen
• Primary Enemies or Rivals: The Sheriff of Nottingham, corrupt reeves, predatory merchants, abusive tax collectors
• Abode / Base of Operations: Sherwood Forest, often near a tanner’s camp or woodland clearing
• Nationality / Cultural Background: English (Medieval, 12th–13th century outlaw tradition)
• Languages Spoken: Middle English (vernacular), basic Norman French (for trade disputes)
• Moral Alignment: Neutral Good — values fairness and protection of the common folk, willing to defy unjust authority
• Affiliations / Factions: The Merry Men of Sherwood
• Significant Others / Romantic Ties: Varies by telling — sometimes portrayed as unattached, in others with a sweetheart among Sherwood’s craftsfolk

Game Statistics

5.5e / 20245e / 2014Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

5.5e / 2024

Arthur a Bland — CR 7 humanoid; AC 18; HP 98; Speed 30 ft.; Str 20, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 14. Skills Athletics +8, Insight +5, Perception +5, Survival +5. Multiattack: two quarterstaff attacks (+8 to hit, 1d8+5 bludgeoning). Staffmaster: when Arthur hits twice in the same turn, the target must succeed on a Strength save or fall prone. Working Man’s Endurance: advantage on saves against exhaustion caused by forced marches, labour or poor conditions.

Arthur a Bland — 5e / 2014

Medium humanoid (human), neutral good

Armour Class 16 (studded leather and Staff Guard)
Hit Points 110 (fixed encounter total)
Speed 30 ft.
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3

Arthur a Bland — 2014 ability scores

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	15 (+2)	16 (+3)	11 (+0)	13 (+1)	14 (+2)

Saving Throws Str +7, Con +6
Skills Acrobatics +5, Athletics +7, Insight +4, Intimidation +5, Persuasion +5
Tools Tanner’s tools, leatherworker’s kit, carpenter’s tools
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Common (Middle English), simple Norman French

Traits

Staff Guard. While wielding his quarterstaff and not incapacitated, Arthur gains a +2 bonus to AC. This bonus is included above; without it his AC is 14.

Staff Mastery. Arthur’s trained quarterstaff attacks use a d8 one-handed or a d10 two-handed and can use Dexterity instead of Strength. The block uses Strength. These strikes count as magical for overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks. These are Arthur’s custom NPC benefits; an ordinary quarterstaff retains its normal weapon statistics.

Measured Force. When Arthur reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack, he can leave it unconscious and stable.

Craftsman’s Ingenuity (1/Long Rest). With his tools and suitable materials, Arthur can spend 1 minute making a simple improvised weapon or tool. This creates no permanent enchantment.

Folk Hero’s Presence. Allies within 10 feet of Arthur have advantage on saving throws against being frightened while he is not incapacitated.

Actions

Multiattack. Arthur makes two quarterstaff attacks.

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage, or 9 (1d10 + 4) when wielded with two hands.

Sweeping Trip (Recharge 5–6). Each creature within 5 feet of Arthur must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. Standing uses the normal 2014 movement cost.

Tanner’s Grip. Arthur makes a Strength (Athletics) check (+7), contested by one Large or smaller creature’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics), its choice, within 5 feet. On a win, Arthur grapples and restrains that creature. The creature can use its action to repeat the contest and escape on a win. Both conditions end when the grapple ends, including if Arthur is incapacitated, releases the creature or it is moved outside his reach. Arthur needs a free hand; this custom grip does not make ordinary 2014 grapples restrain their targets.

Reactions

Parry. Arthur adds 3 to his AC against one melee attack that would hit him. He must see the attacker and wield his staff.

Counterstaff. After a creature within 5 feet misses Arthur with a melee attack, he can make one quarterstaff attack against it. Parry and Counterstaff compete for his single reaction; he cannot use both against the same attack.

Build Choice and Counterplay

This 2014 adaptation uses the expanded CR 6 staff-fighter profile. The CR 7 summaries in the other panels and the additional illustrated profiles below are separate encounter builds. Choose one whole build. The older illustrated profile’s 13d8 + 39 hit-point expression averages 97; its printed 110 is retained as a fixed tougher encounter total here.

Arthur’s grip needs a free hand and close range. Forced movement beyond his reach ends it, ranged opponents can stay outside his staff’s reach, and knocking him unconscious ends his guard and grip. His woodland camp actions belong to the separate illustrated variant below; they are not automatically added to this CR 6 block.

Original optional NPC adaptation for the 2014 rules; Arthur is not an official SRD creature.

Pathfinder 1e

Arthur a Bland CR 7; human brawler 6/expert 2; hp 82; AC 20; quarterstaff +13/+8 (1d6+6); Str 19, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 14. Key skills: Craft (leather) +14, Diplomacy +11, Perception +11, Profession (tanner) +14, Sense Motive +11.

D&D 3.5e

Arthur a Bland CR 7; human fighter 6/expert 2; hp 71; AC 19; quarterstaff +12/+7 (1d6+6); Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Power Attack and Weapon Focus (quarterstaff); Str 19, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 14.

What Is Arthur a Bland Doing Now?

Arthur a Bland is a tall and sturdy man with a rugged appearance. His weathered face bears the marks of a life spent in the wild, with a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes that reflect his determination. He has a head of unruly dark brown hair that falls just above his shoulders. Arthur’s physique is built for endurance, showcasing well-defined muscles and a broad frame.

Currently, Arthur is standing amidst the ancient trees of Sherwood Forest, his home and sanctuary. The dappled sunlight filters through the leaves, casting a gentle glow on his surroundings. He wears a forest-green tunic and brown leather pants, practical attire that allows him to move swiftly and silently through the dense undergrowth. A quiver of arrows is slung over his back, while a well-crafted longbow is held firmly in his calloused hands.

Arthur’s expression carries a mix of determination and a hint of mischief. He is focused on the task at hand, tracking the movements of a group of oppressive nobles who have been exploiting the common folk. His current mission is to ensure that justice prevails and the downtrodden are protected. The weight of his responsibilities is evident, but there is also a spark of excitement in his eyes, knowing that he and his band of Merry Men can make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.

As Arthur takes a moment to survey his surroundings, the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves fill the air, creating a serene backdrop to his thoughts. He inhales deeply, drawing in the scent of the forest, feeling a sense of belonging and purpose. Despite the challenges that lie ahead, Arthur’s resolve remains unwavering, ready to stand against injustice and fight for a better future for all.

Origins and Early Life

Most tales grant Arthur humble beginnings. He is a tanner by trade—a profession of strong backs, steady hands, and unsentimental mornings. The vats teach patience; the hides teach toughness; the markets teach wit. From this world he brings practical skills to Sherwood: knowledge of the countryside, bargaining savvy, and an instinct for reading people before they read him. In some tellings he has kin among the forest folk, in others he is a wanderer drawn toward the green hush of outlaw freedom. Either way, he enters legend already grounded—feet in mud, eyes on fairness.

First Crossing of Staves: Meeting Robin Hood

The defining scene arrives on a path raked with oak leaves. Robin blocks the way; Arthur answers by planting his staff like a banner. Boasts are traded, blows follow, and the rhythm of wood on wood becomes the rhythm of mutual respect. When Robin tastes defeat—or at least a bruising draw—he does not sulk; he laughs. Arthur laughs back. That’s the hinge of his story: he wins a fight and gains a family. The quarrel ends in ale, and ale ends in allegiance.

Life Among the Merry Men

Once in the band, Arthur’s role is clear. He is the reliable middle: the one who can carry a plan on his shoulders after the cleverest scheme goes sideways. He spars with Little John for sport, bargains with merchants so no poor villager pays a cheat’s price, and serves as the camp’s unofficial quartermaster—mending straps, truing staves, keeping gear honest. When the Sheriff’s riders thunder past, Arthur is the first to step out and the last to step back, a wall between danger and the timid. He is not the poet of the camp, nor its priest, nor its prince—he’s the backbone, and everyone knows it.

Major Events and Exploits

• The Quarterstaff Bout in the Greenwood: Arthur’s famed first encounter with Robin—equal parts contest and courtship of comradeship—cements his place among the Merry Men.
• The Market-Day Ruse: Disguised as an ordinary tanner, Arthur lures corrupt reeves into overcharging him, then flips the ledger—funds returned to the poor, pride docked from the pompous.
• The Bridge Stand-Off: When a narrow crossing pits him against hired swords, Arthur holds the center, turns the blades with his staff, and buys the minutes Robin needs to spirit villagers to safety.
• The Tanners’ Pact: He negotiates quiet support from craftsfolk—leather, thread, and boots at fair cost—creating a supply line that outlasts any single raid.

Key Achievements

• Elevating Craft as Honor: Arthur proves skilled labor is not merely background; it’s a virtue that powers justice.
• Champion of Fair Dealing: He becomes the band’s arbiter in disputes over price, tax, and rightful due, ensuring “rob from the rich” never becomes “cheat the foolish.”
• Master of the Quarterstaff: Not just strength—timing, stance, and mercy. He knows when to bruise a knuckle and when to spare a jaw.
• Keeper of Morale: His humor unclenches fists and steadies nerves; he turns fear into focus with a well-placed jest.

Character Analysis

Strengths

• Pragmatic Courage: Arthur doesn’t seek danger, but he refuses to step aside from it. He acts where others argue.
• Craftsperson’s Mind: He thinks in sequences—soak, scrape, stretch—translating the cadence of work into the cadence of strategy.
• Loyalty Without Blindness: He follows Robin because Robin earns it daily; if a plan smells wrong, Arthur says so.

Flaws and Vulnerabilities

• Stubborn Pride: Insults to his craft or his friends hit hard; he will take a challenge too far rather than leave a slight unanswered.
• Impatience with Pretension: Courtiers, heralds, and paper laws fray his temper; subtle politics can slip past him while he’s busy calling a sham a sham.
• Quiet Burden-Bearing: He absorbs others’ worries, mending problems in silence—until the weight shows in the set of his shoulders.

Fears

• Becoming the Bully He Fights: Power corrupts most when it looks like “help.” Arthur watches himself closely to keep his strength from turning into swagger.
• Letting the Band Down: His deepest dread is failing at the simple, vital task—hold the line, keep the promise.
• Vanishing into a Jest: As the tales grow, he fears being remembered only as “the big tanner with jokes,” not as the conscience who kept the scales balanced.

Motivations

• Fairness in the Small Things: Grand speeches mean little if a widow is still overcharged for a belt. He fights for the receipts, not the rhetoric.
• Dignity of Work: He wants a world where honest labor stands taller than inherited privilege.
• Chosen Family: The Merry Men are more than comrades; they’re the proof that justice can be lived, not merely claimed.

Ultimate Goals

• A Lasting Balance: Not the end of lords, but the end of lording it over—customs and markets that treat common folk squarely.
• A Story That Teaches Straight: If children copy him, let it be in fairness and restraint, not just in staff-swinging bravado.
• A Quiet Return: In some endings he imagines laying down the staff, running a simple shop, and pricing every strap so fairly that no Sheriff’s man can find purchase.

Legacy and Significance

Arthur a Bland stands out because he centers the craftsman within the outlaw myth. He refocuses Robin Hood from a legend of daring nobles and trickster priests to a coalition where skilled hands and honest trades anchor the cause. His presence reminds us that justice isn’t only won in castles or on bridges—it’s also measured at the stall, the workbench, and the handshake. In a chorus of famous names, Arthur provides the harmony line: steady, humane, indispensable.

Suggested Timeline (Traditional Tellings)

1. Early Life as a Tanner: Learns the trade, the markets, and the measure of men.
2. Sherwood Encounter: Duels Robin Hood; earns friendship through grit and good humor.
3. Service in the Band: Mediates prices, leads defenses, and keeps the gear—and the morale—sound.
4. Quiet Heroics: Market justice, bridge stands, and rescuing the overlooked.
5. Enduring Folklore: Remembered as the emblem of working-class honor within the Greenwood.

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Why he matters: Arthur a Bland shows that the strength to strike and the wisdom to stop are two halves of the same virtue—and that the fairest champions of freedom may wear aprons as often as armor.

Additional Illustrated Profiles

The expanded profiles below are alternative builds with their own numbers, equipment and woodland camp abilities. Their original artwork and statistics remain together. Select one build for an encounter; do not add these statistics to the summary profile above.

Encounters

• The Tanner’s Yard: Officers seize a workshop’s stock after accusing its owner of supplying outlaws.
• Staff at the Ford: Arthur challenges a dangerous stranger before allowing them deeper into Sherwood.
• Bad Leather: Someone is selling sabotaged armour under Arthur’s name.

Relationships

Robin Hood: respected captain and friendly rival. Little John: fellow staff-master. Much: shares Arthur’s concern for the practical needs of villages and camps.

Adventure Hooks

• The Tanner’s Tale: A tanner in a nearby village recognizes the party’s association with Arthur a Bland and begs for their assistance. He reveals that Arthur once saved his life from a gang of bandits, and now the tanner’s daughter has gone missing. The party must investigate the disappearance and uncover a plot that threatens to unravel the peace Arthur and his Merry Men fought so hard to achieve.
• The Fabled Bow of Sherwood: Rumors abound of a mythical bow crafted by Arthur a Bland himself, said to possess extraordinary power. The party receives a cryptic message leading them on a quest to recover this legendary weapon, with Arthur providing guidance and advice along the way. However, they soon discover that they are not the only ones seeking the bow, and a race against time ensues to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.
• The Sheriff’s Conspiracy: A trusted informant within Nottingham Castle reveals a sinister plot orchestrated by the Sheriff of Nottingham to frame Arthur a Bland for a series of crimes he did not commit. The party must gather evidence, expose the truth, and clear Arthur’s name, all while evading the relentless pursuit of the Sheriff’s guards and facing deadly challenges set by his henchmen.
• The Lost Lore of Sherwood: A forgotten tome containing valuable knowledge about the history and secrets of Sherwood Forest has resurfaced, attracting the attention of scholars and collectors alike. Arthur enlists the party’s help to retrieve the book, as it contains vital information that could ensure the safety and prosperity of his people. However, they must navigate a labyrinthine library guarded by magical traps and puzzles to claim the lost lore.
• The Ranger’s Test: Arthur challenges a ranger within the party to a series of trials and tests of skill, designed to prove their worth and dedication to the cause of protecting Sherwood Forest. If the ranger succeeds, Arthur offers them an honorary place among his Merry Men and the chance to learn the secrets of their legendary archery.
• The Ghost of Little John: Disturbing reports emerge of a ghostly figure resembling Little John, one of Arthur’s closest companions, haunting the outskirts of Sherwood Forest. The party investigates and discovers a powerful enchantment tied to the restless spirit. They must uncover the truth behind Little John’s lingering presence and find a way to release his soul, bringing peace to both the Merry Men and the forest itself.

Recommended Encounter: The Ambush at Nottingham Bridge

Encounter Level: Medium Environment: Forested area near a bridge

Description: The party is traveling through Sherwood Forest when they come across a seemingly abandoned bridge. Unbeknownst to them, the Sheriff of Nottingham has set up an ambush to capture or eliminate Arthur a Bland and his Merry Men. The encounter takes place in a dense forest, with the bridge serving as the focal point.

Enemies:

• Sheriff’s Guards (x4): Medium humanoid (human), equipped with swords and shields. They are trained soldiers under the command of the Sheriff, skilled in close combat.
• Sheriff’s Archer (x2): Medium humanoid (human), armed with longbows and arrows. They are highly skilled archers and excel at ranged attacks.
• Sheriff’s Lieutenant: Medium humanoid (human), a seasoned warrior who serves as the leader of the group. Equipped with heavy armor, a longsword, and a shield, they are a formidable opponent.

Terrain:

• Forested Area: The encounter takes place in a dense forest with thick undergrowth, providing ample cover for both the party and the enemies.
• Bridge: The bridge spans a small river, creating a bottleneck and forcing the party to cross through a narrow passage. It serves as a strategic point for the enemies to set up an ambush.

Tactics:

• The Sheriff’s Guards engage the party in melee combat, attempting to overwhelm them with their numbers and coordinated attacks.
• The Sheriff’s Archers position themselves strategically to gain a clear line of sight and rain arrows down on the party from a distance.
• The Sheriff’s Lieutenant takes a defensive stance, using their shield to protect against incoming attacks and leading the guards in combat.

Additional Features:

• Surprise Element: The enemies initiate the encounter by springing the ambush, catching the party off guard. The element of surprise gives the enemies an advantage in the early stages of the battle.
• Reinforcements: If the encounter proves too easy, additional Sheriff’s Guards or Archers can be introduced from the surrounding forest, making the fight more challenging.

Objective:

• The party’s objective is to either defeat the Sheriff’s forces or drive them off, ensuring the safety of Arthur a Bland and the Merry Men. This encounter can serve as a crucial moment in the campaign, further establishing the ongoing conflict between the outlaws and the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Related Places and People

• Robin Hood
• Little John
• Nottingham
• British Isles NPCs

Mythical and Historical Context

The tanner’s victory over Robin turns a challenge of status into friendship: practical skill earns a place in the fellowship. Robin Hood and the Tanner, Child Ballad 126, preserves Arthur’s staff-fight and his admission to the band. It is evidence of the ballad tradition, not a surviving biography of a fifteenth-century man. His life among the present Merry Men is a campaign adaptation.

Sources and Adaptation

Adapted from the public-domain Robin Hood tradition, especially the stories in which Arthur a Bland is the formidable tanner who joins the greenwood fellowship. No text is reproduced from modern copyrighted adaptations.

The 2014 rules adaptation includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available through D&D Beyond’s SRD downloads, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Named characters, encounter builds and custom abilities here are original campaign adaptations. Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e retain their separate rules conventions; do not transfer conditions or action costs between panels.