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The Watch: Law & Authority NPCs | 5e Monsters (2024 & 2014)
The Watch is a monster supplement for 5e that presents law and authority as a structured, escalating system rather than a handful of interchangeable guards. Instead of relying on a single generic “city guard” stat block, this book provides multiple interconnected ladders of legal power—from runners, patrols, and wardens to prison officials, magistrates, and realm-level justiciars—each designed to represent a specific role within a functioning justice apparatus.
The intent of this product is consequence-driven play and institutional pressure. Each role supports a distinct style of encounter: arrests, crowd control, pursuit, detention, interrogation, legal escalation, or political fallout. Jurisdictions, legal codes, and loyalties are intentionally undefined, allowing these stat blocks to represent city watches, road wardens, prison authorities, royal courts, or local magistracies in any setting. These NPCs are not obstacles to be fought and forgotten—they are tools of order, leverage, and response. How fair they are, how corrupt they’ve become, and how far their authority reaches is left entirely in the GM’s hands.
The Watch
Watch Runner (CR 0): Messenger and alarm-raiser who signals disturbances and summons reinforcements rather than engaging in combat.
Watch Recruit (CR 1/8): Newly sworn guard with basic training and limited experience, quick to call for backup when threatened.
Watch Patrol (CR 1/4): Standard city guard assigned to streets and gates, trained to restrain suspects and hold ground.
Watch Sergeant (CR 1): Veteran officer who commands patrols, coordinates responses, and stabilizes chaotic situations.
Watch Captain (CR 3): District authority responsible for investigations, warrants, and tactical oversight of watch operations.
Watch Commander (CR 6): Senior city official empowered to declare lockdowns, mobilize forces, and direct large-scale enforcement.
Road Wardens
Road Warden (CR 1/2): Independent lawkeeper who patrols highways and trade routes, skilled in tracking and traveler inspection.
Senior Warden (CR 2): Experienced frontier officer trusted to pursue fugitives across distance and coordinate field operations.
Border Marshal (CR 5): Regional authority overseeing borders and passes, capable of organizing extended manhunts and route closures.
Custodial Authority
Gaoler (CR 1/8): Jail attendant responsible for keys, cells, and prisoner supervision within local holding facilities.
Prison Guard (CR 1/4): Custodial officer trained to escort, restrain, and suppress unrest among detainees.
Iron Warder (CR 1): Hardened containment specialist assigned to dangerous or high-risk prisoners.
Chain Captain (CR 2): Officer overseeing prisoner transports and labor gangs, enforcing discipline through coordination and force.
Black Cell Warden (CR 4): Elite custodian entrusted with political prisoners and confidential detainees in secure facilities.
Legal Authority
Court Clerk (CR 0): Record-keeper who issues summons, maintains legal documentation, and supports formal proceedings.
Magistrate’s Agent (CR 1/4): Investigative officer serving warrants, gathering evidence, and executing judicial orders.
Magistrate (CR 1): Local judicial authority empowered to interpret law, conduct hearings, and authorize arrests.
Crown Justiciar (CR 2): Royal legal representative who overrides local courts and supervises major cases.
High Magistrate (CR 4): Senior judicial authority controlling courts and enforcement within a city or province.
Lord Justiciar (CR 5): Realm-level arbiter whose rulings carry sweeping legal and political consequences.
Compatible Products
These lawkeepers fit naturally into any of our Fantasy Maps.
The Road Wardens are especially suited for Wilderness Encounter Maps.
The custodial authority are especially suited for Fantasy Prison Tower.