Gruff

"The name’s Gruff. I like to smoke."Gruff was a resident of Krezk during the Shine Thieves’ adventure in Barovia. He was the spouse of Penelope.

Encounters
Gruff was first encountered by the party during the night of Burgomaster Dimitri Krezkov’s 67th birthday party, when he was smoking outside of the Community Centre. The Shine Thieves solicited Gruff for help whilst attempting to track down a mule for the annual traditional game of “Pin The Tail On The Mule”, necessary in order to satisfy Dimitri and the village of Krezk, to gain footing for their new business venture, KTA.

Despite an unapproachable demeanour, Gruff openly shared his fondness for chain smoking to Selkirk upon their first meeting. However, any inkling that the two would become fast friends was soon dismissed with the revelation that Gruff did not intend to aid the party at all; going so far as to point them in the direction of his partner rather than an actual mule they were seeking.

Death
Gruff was insistent on getting a good look at the mule the Shine Thieves recovered from Old Mr Parker’s yard, going so far as to threaten Selkirk as he tried to enter the Community Centre. Gruff initiated a fight shortly after, unsheathing his trusty knife. Selkirk rose to the challenge, but before he could make a move, Gruff stabbed the Swashbuckler in the gut and forehead, dropping him to 0 hit points instantly.

Selkirk’s sudden demise prompted Bane to cast Calm Emotions in an attempt to settle the situation down. Gruff’s willpower allowed him to resist, but he was damaged emotionally after Sling fired a crossbow bolt straight into the lit cigarette in his mouth.

as Selkirk was stabilised by Bane, Sling attempted to put an end to the violence by stealing Gruff’s remaining cigarettes from his jacket pocket, running away with them. This only served to further enrage Gruff, who pulled out his special spinning knife move, intent on murdering the Aarakocra who took away his only passion.

Despite inflicting grievous wounds onto Selkirk, Gruff was no match for Tarfu, who cleaved the smoker in twain as he tried to chase Sling down and recover his stolen cigarettes. This served as Sling’s initiation into the Shine Thieves’ way of life, with Tarfu stating “we don’t leave them alive” to Sling, through the collapsing halves of Gruff’s body.

Gruff’s corpse emitted puffs of smoke once it settled on the ground, leaving his spouse, Penelope, widowed but not devastated.