H10 Grissom’s Animal Training
Druid of Obad-Hai & Master of Beasts
Just south of Verbobonc, where fenced pastures meet the Low Road, stands Grissom’s Animal Training—a sprawling, dusty ranch where horses, hounds, and stranger beasts learn discipline under the watchful eye of a half-elven druid of Obad-Hai, the Shalm.
To locals, this is the place to send unruly mounts and guard animals. To adventurers, it’s where you go when you want a warhorse that doesn’t bolt at the first owlbear roar, or a hawk that returns even after seeing battle.
Grissom’s work is steeped in the Old Faith: he treats training as a pact between animal, handler, and the wild will of Obad-Hai—who teaches balance between civilization and the unbroken world.
Approaching the Ranch
From the road, you can see:
- Fenced lots and paddocks of various sizes for different animals.
- Cages and kennels along one side for hounds, birds, and more exotic creatures.
- Training obstacles—ladders, hurdles, poles, and mock barricades—for desensitizing mounts to noise, crowds, and combat.
Obad-Hai’s Mark on the Ranch
Grissom’s training grounds quietly function as a working shrine of Obad-Hai:
- A small oaken post near the main gate bears the carved leaf-and-acorn mask of the Shalm.
- Grissom begins each day with a simple prayer, thanking Obad-Hai for the beasts in his care and asking for balance between their wild nature and the needs of their riders.
- Wild birds, foxes, and stray dogs often linger near the ranch; they are never driven off and occasionally seem to “help” with training, responding to Grissom’s whistles as if they understood every word.
If you wish, you can allow:
- PCs who honor Obad-Hai (or the Old Faith) to gain advantage on Animal Handling checks related to beasts trained here, once per session.
- Grissom to cast minor druidic spells (like speak with animals or animal friendship) in front of the party, lightly showing his connection to the Shalm without full mechanical detail.
Using Grissom’s in Your Campaign
Why send the PCs here?
- Mount & Companion Upgrades:
- They want battle-ready horses, better guard dogs, or help taming a captured beast.
- Side Work:
- Between adventures, they can earn coin as helpers, guards, or “attack dummies” while building rapport with Grissom.
- Old Faith Contact:
- Grissom can serve as a lower-profile druidic contact than Resheph, offering rumors about the Gnarley, nature spirits, or Obad-Hai’s worship in the region.
Adventure Hooks
- Missing Stock: Several animals under training go missing overnight. Grissom suspects poachers or cultists and asks the PCs to track them.
- The Wild in the Blood: An animal shows signs of unnatural aggression or corruption, hinting at nearby blight, demonic influence, or elemental taint.
- Favor of the Shalm: Grissom offers to perform a special rite of Obad-Hai over the party’s mounts before a dangerous journey, granting a one-time bonus if they assist him in a small task for the Old Faith.
Location & First Impressions
- Location: South of Verbobonc, just off the Low Road, on a broad piece of land marked by post-and-rail fences, exercise yards, and a rambling timber barn.
- The house is a modest, somewhat unkempt cabin tucked against the main barn; most of the “business” happens outdoors among dust, hay, and barking dogs.
Notable Person
Grissom, a Druid of Obad-Hai, is a half-elf renowned for his unparalleled skill in animal training. Despite his disheveled appearance and the animal-like scent that clings to him, his ability to communicate with and train animals is unmatched. Grissom is supported by staff who assist in caring for the animals during their stay.
Services Offered
Grissom specializes in a broad range of animal training services, from simple tricks for pets to complex training for creatures like domestic griffons. His methods are so effective that training time is halved compared to standard practices.
- Pricing: The cost of training is remarkably affordable, with rates based on the size of the animal: 1 cp/day for small, 1 sp/day for medium, and 1 gp/day for large animals. Flying animals incur double fees. These rates cover all expenses, including food and boarding.
- Additional Notes: Grissom's farmstead is occasionally visited by the city's militia members who seek to earn extra money by acting as "attack dummies" for the animals' training sessions. This unique service provides valuable experience for both the animals and the militia.
Grissom 5th level Druid Obad-Hai
Grissom, Druid of Obad-Hai
Grissom is a half-elf, 5th-level Druid of Obad-Hai and the sole master of this establishment.
- Appearance: Disheveled hair, weather-cracked skin, and clothing that smells faintly of horses, wet dog, and woodsmoke.
- Manner: Quiet, patient, and blunt. He prefers speaking to animals first, people second.
- Faith: A devout follower of Obad-Hai, The Shalm—seeing animals not as tools, but as partners who must be respected and understood.
Grissom’s Old Faith outlook shows in his work:
- He refuses to train animals for cruelty or needless suffering; he’ll turn away customers who want beasts tortured into obedience.
- He favors natural methods—body language, scent, and druidic magic—over brute force.
- On holy days tied to Obad-Hai’s cycle (notably Midsummer’s Night), training slows or stops entirely while Grissom and a few fellow druids hold simple rites in the fields.
Grissom employs a small staff of stablehands and assistants to feed, groom, and exercise animals, but all serious training passes through his hands.
Services & Training Rates
Grissom’s Animal Training offers a wide range of services:
- Basic Training:
- Obedience, leading, loading, and desensitization to noise, crowds, and simple combat.
- Guard & War Training:
- Teaching animals to hold ground, respond to commands during battle, and attack on order.
- Exotic Training:
- Has experience with more unusual creatures such as domesticated griffons and other flying mounts, treating them as fellow children of Obad-Hai.
His methods are highly effective:
- Training time is halved compared to normal rules—Grissom combines druidic magic, keen observation, and Obad-Hai’s favor to speed the process.
Standard Rates (per day of training; includes boarding & feed):
- Small animals: 1 cp/day
- Medium animals: 1 sp/day
- Large animals: 1 gp/day
- Flying animals: Double the above (due to extra risk and complexity)
These prices are all-inclusive; Grissom feeds, houses, and cares for the animal for the duration.
Militia “Attack Dummies”
Verbobonc’s militia and Wardens occasionally send eager recruits to Grissom’s ranch to earn extra coin as “attack dummies”:
- Recruits don padded gambesons and shields while trained hounds, war-dogs, or mounts practice charges and controlled bites.
- This gives both beasts and soldiers valuable experience—and offers a fun visual for the PCs: a line of nervous militia bracing for the next “training bite.”
PCs might:
- Volunteer for hazard pay,
- Step in to demonstrate “how real adventurers handle a charge,” or
- Rescue a flustered recruit from an over-enthusiastic boar.
Comments