Encounter Difficulty: Hard Victories Awarded: 2 Expected Party: Five heroes at level 1 with 4 Victories each, and one retainer (Ireena)
Enemies:
Group
Creatures
1
Werewolf packmate
2
Werewolf packmate
3
Dire wolf
4
Two wolves
5
Two wolves
6
Two wolves
Balancing:
If you have fewer or more than 5 heroes, modify the encounter in the following ways:
Number of heroes
Modification
3
Remove the dire wolf from the encounter.
4
Remove two wolves from the encounter.
6
Add two wolves (in their own initiative group) to the encounter.
Terrain
The bottom of the ravine is 6 squares below the path. A creature force moved off the edge of the cliff falls, as normal, to the bottom of the ravine.
A creature at the bottom of the ravine has cover from creatures atop the ravine.
The mountainside above and to the west of the path is only 2 squares higher than the path. The mountainside is 6 squares west of the cliff's edge; the path is 2 squares west of the cliff's edge.
There are two large patches of brambles on the encounter map (illustrated below in light green): one to the west of the path below the mountainside, and one covering the bottom of the ravine immediately below the cliff's edge.
Trees, whose branches provide concealment and whose trunks provide cover, are abundant on the mountainside and in the eastern half of the bottom of the ravine. The trunk of a tree (in its central square) has 3 Stamina.
Tactics
Four wolves, the dire wolf, and one werewolf packmate start on the mountainside, with the heroes between them and the ravine. The remaining two wolves and werewolf packmate begin combat at the bottom of the ravine.
In combat, the wolves target a single hero at a time with their bite attacks, hoping to knock the heroes prone, then use Grab to drag the hero closer to the edge or Knockback to push them into the ravine. If any heroes seem likely to have low Might and low Presence, the wolves attempt to separate them from the party first.
Once the wolves have dragged a grabbed character away from the party, the nearest werewolf shifts their attention to target them with their Accursed Bite, preferring heroes with low Presence first. The first character targeted in this way notices that the werewolves are slightly larger than the other wolves and have disturbingly human eyes. Each werewolf continues to bite their chosen target until the hero is infected with lycanthropy, using Brutal Effectiveness to increase the potency of their bite if they have Malice to spare.
The werewolves and wolves ignore difficult terrain, and thus freely jump and shift into and out of the brambles to avoid their damaging effects.
Any heroes reduced to their negative winded value who would die (or otherwise become inert, turn to rubble, etc) are instead left unconscious. Strahd's goal in sending the werewolves after the heroes isn't to kill them, but to test them, frighten them, turn them against each other, and make them a threat to the ordinary people of Barovia.
Ending the Encounter
A werewolf flees if they begin their turn with 15 Stamina or fewer and don’t regenerate, or if they begin their turn with 0 Stamina on two turns in a row. Any surviving wolves follow soon after.
Statblocks
Werebeast Malice
At the start of any werebeast's turn, you can spend Malice to activate one of the following features.
Pack Tactics (3 Malice)
Each werebeast acting this turn has a double edge on abilities.
Pounce (5 Malice)
Until the end of the round, each werebeast gains a +3 bonus to speed, and can shift up to their speed as a move action.
Deafening Howls (7 Malice)
Until the end of the encounter, the encounter map is encased in a soundscape of howling or ravens chattering. Each enemy takes a bane on the first power roll they make each round. Whenever a werebeast is killed, this effect is suppressed until the start of the next round.
Werewolf Packmate
Accursed, Humanoid, Werebeast
Level 3 Platoon Brute
EV 10
Size
Speed
Stamina
Stability
Free Strike
1M
7
60
0
5
Immunity —
Weakness —
Movement —
Might
Agility
Reason
Intuition
Presence
+2
+2
-1
+1
-1
Accursed Rage
The werewolf packmate's ferocity is expressed through rage, and their abilities can inflict rage points on any enemy except a stormwight fury. A creature who starts their turn with 10 or more rage expends their rage. Then before taking their turn, they must shift up to their speed toward the nearest creature and make a melee free strike against them. A creature who takes damage from this free strike gains 1 rage. Accumulated rage disappears after a character finishes a respite.
Regeneration
The werewolf packmate gains 5 temporary Stamina at the start of each of their turns unless they've taken corruption damage or damage from a silver weapon since the start of their last turn. The werewolf packmate dies only if they start their turn with 0 Stamina and don't regenerate.
Shapeshifter
The werewolf packmate enters combat in their hybrid humanoid form. Their shape can't be changed by any external effect.
Vukenstep
The werewolf packmate ignores difficult terrain.
Accursed Bite 2d10+2
Signature Ability
Charge, Melee, Strike, Weapon
Main Action
Melee 1
One creature or object
≤ 11: 7 damage; the target gains 1 rage
12-16: 11 damage; the target gains 2 rage
17+: 14 damage; the target gains 3 rage
(2 Malice): If the target has P < 0, they are afflicted with lycanthropy. Each time the target is unaffected by the potency effect, the potency increases by 1 the next time the werewolf packmate uses the ability against the same target. A creature afflicted with lycanthropy gains the Serious Case of Lycanthropy complication.
Berserker Slash (3 Malice) 2d10+2
Area, Weapon
Main Action
1 burst
Each enemy and object in the area
≤ 11: 4 damage; push 2
12-16: 6 damage; push 3; the target gains 1 rage
17+: 7 damage; slide 3; the target gains 2 rage
Effect: The werewolf packmate shifts up to their speed before using this ability.
Wall Leap
—
Maneuver
Self
Self
Effect: The werewolf packmate jumps up to 3 squares. If they end this jump at a wall, tree, or similarly tall sturdy object, the werewolf packmate jumps off the wall up to 3 squares and can make a melee free strike. If the target of the free strike has M < 1, they are knocked prone.
Dire Wolf
Animal
Level 2 Elite Brute
EV 16
Size
Speed
Stamina
Stability
Free Strike
3
7
100
2
5
Immunity —
Weakness —
Movement —
Might
Agility
Reason
Intuition
Presence
2
1
-1
1
0
Lunging Bite 2d10+2
Signature Ability
Melee, Strike, Weapon
Main Action
Melee 2
Two creatures or objects
≤ 11: 7 damage
12-16: 11 damage; push 1; M < 1 prone
17+: 14 damage; push 2; M < 2 prone
Wild Claws 2d10+2
Area, Weapon
Main Action
1 burst
Each enemy and object in the area
≤ 11: 3 damage
12-16: 6 damage
17+: 8 damage; A < 2 bleeding (save ends)
Vengeful Bite
Melee
Triggered Action
Melee 1
The triggering creature or object
Trigger: A creature or object within distance deals damage to the dire wolf.
Effect: The dire wolf makes a free strike against the target.
Trample
The dire wolf can move through enemies' and objects' spaces at their usual speed. Any mundane size 2 or smaller object whose space they move through is destroyed. When the dire wolf enters a creature's space for the first time on a turn, that creature takes 3 damage.
Nature's Spirit
While outdoors or in a natural environment, the dire wolf can negate a bane on their abilities or turn a double bane into a bane.
Swift Hunter
The dire wolf ignores difficult terrain and concealment.
Pack
While adjacent to an ally, the dire wolf can’t be flanked or be made frightened.
Wolf
Animal
Level 1 Horde Brute
EV 3
Size
Speed
Stamina
Stability
Free Strike
1M
7
20
0
2
Immunity —
Weakness —
Movement —
Might
Agility
Reason
Intuition
Presence
+1
+2
-2
+1
+1
Bite 2d10+2
Signature Ability
Melee, Strike, Weapon
Main Action
Melee 1
One creature or object
≤ 11: 4 damage
12-16: 6 damage; M < 1 prone
17+: 7 damage; M < 1 prone
Ready to Strike
—
Maneuver
Self
Self
Effect: The wolf sniffs the air and gains an edge on their next strike.
Quick Strike
Melee, Strike, Weapon
Triggered Action
Melee 1
The triggering creature or object
Trigger: A creature or object comes within distance.
Effect: The wolf makes a free strike against the target. If the wolf was hidden from the target, the strike deals an extra 2 damage.
Nature's Spirit
While outdoors or in a natural environment, the wolf can negate a bane on their abilities or turn a double bane into a bane.
Swift Hunter
The wolf ignores difficult terrain and concealment.
Pack
While adjacent to an ally, the wolf can’t be flanked or be made frightened.
Brambles
Level 1 Hazard Defender
EV 1 per 10 x 10 patch
This thicket features close-growing vines tipped with sharp thorns.
Stamina: 3 per square
Size: One or more squares of difficult terrain
Deactivate
Each square of brambles must be individually destroyed.
Activate
A creature enters a square of brambles without shifting.
Effect: A creature takes 1 damage per square of brambles they enter.
Poisonous Thorns (+1 EV)
The brambles are poisonous. Any creature who takes damage from brambles is also bleeding (save ends).
