The Stranger

The long gruling task of remembering and writing out this full andventure will be attempted some other time. sorry.

This adventure has been designed for a multi-class campaign of low level PC's, of levels 1-3 in a large group, or levels 1-6 of a smaller and equally inexperienced players.

A pack of dire wolf-weres has been co-existing along the outskirts and forests surounding a small farming village. (common dire wolf were; # appearing: 1-4, Armor Class: 4, move: 15", Hit Dice: 5, # attacks: 1, Damage:2-12, special attack: surprise, special defense: are only hit by silver or +1 or better magic weapons, Magic Resistance: standard, Intelligence: average(8-10), alignment: neutral/evil)They made a point to hunt in the wilderness as much as possible and remain unnoticed by the humans until recently.
About a month ago, the leader of the pack was killed by a hunter's bow, being mistaken for a common wolf. Since then the pack has been in turmoil. The largest and strongest 'were, Randle, took over as lead wolf, but he being not quite as wise or as experienced has been presenting itself as a problem. Randle was the old leader's brother and had lived in hatred of him, because he was able to hold the lead for so long. Now, Randel has the power he has always lusted for. He has not been cautious of the humans, like his brother would have been and has made a few raids on distant farms. The new leader my be Lawful/Evil, but he is by no means stupid. The kills have been clean and carefully covered. Randel's right hand, his strongest son, has been his key aide to keeping the pack in line. For on the most part, the pack agreed with the old leader's methods, but wouldn't dare object to such strong leaders. Even then one headstrong young wolf, Crawol, the old leader's son, had rejected Randel's ways and broke away from the pack. Although he is just as strong as Randel's son, he knows he wouldn't be able to take on the two himself, and no other would have courage enough to help him. He has been living in human form at the local inn under the name Cal, trying in vain to decide how to reclaim the pack himself.

Player's background
This adventure would be easiest linked to an existing campaign, or merely creating one by starting the players in a fairly large, but uneventful town, where they can equip themselves as they see fit. Let the players mill around and realize there's nothing for them to do here. Then, as they job-hunt (a tavern or in would be best, but where ever they hapen to be gathered will work), have a man rush in off the streets, half crazed with shear terror, look them over and notice that they seem to be a "pretty tough lookin' group of fellas" and beg them for assistance from "the CREATURES". At the mere thought of the beasts, the man would be driven into a fit of paranoia and not make sense until comforted and/or offered aid. Then, slightly calmer, the man would explain that his village has been plagued by an unknown beast that tore his family apart. There have been many killings in the last month, but other than the bodies being ripped to shreds and the eerie howling of monsters sounding almost like a language of sorts, there has been no known sightings or other knowledge of what the creatures are. He "aint no coward" but the man will outright refuse to return to the town, the thought of it sending him into another fit of terror, but will happily give the players the directions. The afflicted town is "a ways down the main road" (a direction - north, south, east or west - can be added here how ever best it would fit your campaign).

The Adventure
When the players decide to head to the new town, let them travel uneventfully, making a few false dice roles for encounter checks to keep them on their toes. No matter when they set out on their trek, the party will be (unbeknowst to them) a few minutes travel down the twisting forest trail from the village when dusk settles and a drenching downpoor starts up.
If the PC's decide to make camp here and wait till morning, the rain lasts most the night and through it all, the night cries of the dire wolves can be heard. Here, the false encounter checks become real, and the party has a chance to encounter a scouting pack of the wolves (see stats in DM's info).
If they carry on, the town inn/tavern - one of the only shops still running in the village - will greet the PC's with open arms, being extra simpathetic with the travelers that were caught in the rain, and if they sit around the fire for a few extra turns, the innkeep will be ready to spread some more detailed rumors freely. He may tell of how the villagers are tormented by the creatures from the forest, and how every night that they hear the howling another farmstead is broken into. Or how most people have fled the town, and businesses moved elsewhere. Or how the dark-skinned stranger, with manners as dark as his looks, came to stay at the inn and has been living there ever since this trouble started.

The Village
The few town folk that remained in the village are jumpy and suspicious of anyone new to the town (including the innkeeper if the players came into town the second day). They are eager to be rid of the beasts and would provide any help they can once talked into it. The shops in the town that still run are the inn, a 2nd rate blacksmith with only few weapons and armor to offer the PC's (this should have been taken care of in the first town), and a local temple, the priest being the resident healer and magic supplier. If any information is gathered about the attacks, or the players announce their intent, Crawol will make it his business to know. He would approach the players when they are together and in an area where they are least likely to be overheard (calling them to his back table of the inn one morning would be as good as any). Crawol is a slightly tall man with wild black hair, firey green eyes and dark-tanned skin. He wears well-made black leather armor (AC: 6), a black fur cloak with a hood, and his father's gold medallion around his neck. He appears to have no weapons. (Crawol; Alignment: True Neurtal, Occupation: Fighter, Level: 6, Str: 15, Int: 16, Wis: 14, Dex: 16, Chr: 9, Con: 10, HP: 26) He will tell them that he wants to help them, that he saw the den of these creatures while he was traveling through the woods on his way here and knows that the animals are Dire Wolves (keeping their were capabilities a secret). By this time, the PC's should be some what suspicious of the man, and if asked why he feels so helpful, or why the PC's should even bother with this wild goose chase, he will say that the pelt of the leader of the pack, the largest black wolf with golden eyes, would fetch a fortune if sold to the right trader and he would be willing to reward them handsomely if they brought it to him. If asked to join the adventurers, he refuses, giving the excuse that he had already been near their lair and the wolves would not be pleased to catch his sent again. He also offers the players his dagger as "pre-payment". The dagger is well made with a curved silver blade looking somewhat like a claw, and aided with magic (good quality: +1 damage, magic: +1 To Hit). If the players except, Crawol gives them one more item. he tells the adventurers that the dire wolves' bite is poisonous and that if they are bitten, they will need to drink of this potion. The potion he gives them contains 4 servings of a cure for the early stages of lycanthropy disease (becoming a werewolf). Any rangers or druids or others with knowledge of animal lore should know immediately that dire wolves carry no poison and that something is up. If the potion is taken to the priest, it would be easily identified for what it is. Crawol won't betray the secret of his pack unless he is forced to, for fear the PC's will abandon their quest and he would have no aid. In that case, he will regrettably come clean and tell what is really happening and how all they need to do is get the leader and his son out of the way and it all would go back to normal. In any situation, Crawol gives the players the directions to the wolves' cave, through the woods about a mile or so at a clearing in the foot of a small hill.

The Cave
The path through the woods is thickly overgrown, making it a great burden to attempt to bring horses and before long the way is immpossible for even a man to push through. It takes hours for the players to cut their way through the steadily thickening brush. Every so often the players will catch sight of a patch of black fur slinking through the underbrush or bushes rustling as Crawol follows the party in wolf form, keeping the path clear of his kind.

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