Dungeon Mastery

Encounter Level: Suitable for a party of 4 adventurers of level 3-5.

Setting: As the party travels through a dense and ancient forest, the trees loom tall, their branches intertwining to create a canopy that blocks out the moonlight. The air is filled with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, and a faint mist clings to the forest floor. The path ahead is barely visible, with gnarled roots and thick underbrush making travel slow and treacherous.

Encounter: The adventurers come upon a small clearing, illuminated by a flickering campfire. Around the fire are three travelers, seemingly resting and sharing a meal. As the party approaches, the travelers stand and reveal themselves to be werewolves, their eyes glowing with a feral light.

Description: One of the werewolves, the leader, steps forward and growls, “Intruders in our territory! Prepare to face the wrath of the Moonclaw Pack!” The other two werewolves let out howls that echo through the forest, sending chills down the spines of the adventurers.

Combat:

• Werewolf Leader: The leader is a formidable foe with heightened strength and cunning. He wields a large, crude axe and has the ability to summon nearby wolves to aid in combat.
  • HP: 90 (12d8 + 36)
  • AC: 11
  • Abilities: Multiattack (Claw and Bite), Summon Wolves (2 wolves arrive after 1d4 rounds), Regeneration, Shapechanger, Keen Hearing and Smell
• Werewolf Minions (2): These werewolves are slightly weaker but still pose a significant threat with their vicious claws and bites.
  • HP: 58 each (9d8 + 18)
  • AC: 11
  • Abilities: Multiattack (Claw and Bite), Regeneration, Shapechanger, Keen Hearing and Smell
• Wolves (Summoned): Normal wolves that can be summoned by the leader.
  • HP: 11 each (2d8 + 2)
  • AC: 13
  • Abilities: Pack Tactics, Keen Hearing and Smell

Tactics: The werewolves will use the terrain to their advantage, attempting to circle around and flank the party. The leader will focus on the most heavily armored character, trying to bring them down quickly. The summoned wolves will target spellcasters and ranged attackers to disrupt their attacks.

Rewards: Upon defeating the werewolves, the party finds a hidden cache near the campfire containing:

• 50 gp
• A silvered shortsword
• A potion of healing
• A journal written in a strange language that hints at a larger werewolf clan operating in the region, setting up future encounters.

Future Hooks:

• Larger Threat: The journal mentions a gathering of werewolf clans, indicating a larger threat that the party might need to address.
• Cursed Villagers: The party learns that a nearby village is plagued by werewolf attacks, and they are asked to investigate and help the villagers.
• Silver Mine: The journal also mentions an old silver mine, which could be a valuable resource for creating weapons to fight the werewolves.