Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves
Robin Hood leads Merry Men in Sherwood, robbing corrupt nobles and clergy to aid the poor. With bow mastery, guile, and loyalty to King Richard, he defies the Sheriff and champions commoners.
Story beats
- 1) Wronged yeoman/outlaw Robin flees to Sherwood; gathers Little John, Friar Tuck, Much, Will Scarlet, and Maid Marian.
- 2) He ambushes tax caravans, wins archery contests in disguise, and humiliates the Sheriff and Prince John’s men.
- 3) Loyal to King Richard, he aids the rightful king’s return. Depending on versions, he dies at Kirklees or lives free.
Context & symbolism
Robin Hood embodies social banditry: redistributing wealth and resisting corrupt authority. Archery prowess and woodland freedom contrast feudal oppression. Marian and the Merry Men show community beyond class.
Motifs
- Outlaw hero in the greenwood
- Disguise and trickery at contests
- Rob-the-rich generosity
- Loyalty to rightful sovereign
Use it in play
- Forest outlaws as allies; ambush corrupt tax trains.
- Archery contest with hidden stakes.
- Disguised nobles testing loyalty of guards.
- Band of PCs funding rebellion through heists.
Comparative threads
- Social bandits: Zorro, Ned Kelly figures.
Hooks and campaign seeds
- Join or oppose forest outlaws taxing the road.
- Stage a contest to expose a tyrant’s agent.
- Smuggle aid to peasants under watchful sheriffs.