Encounter Overview
Setting: The encounter takes place in Nighthollow, a small, remote village nestled in a forest clearing. The village is encircled by thick woods, and dense fog blankets the ground at night. The villagers are fearful, speaking of strange howls and sightings of ghostly figures among the trees after sundown.
Party Size & Level: Suitable for a party of 4-5 Level 1 characters.
Encounter Description
As dusk falls, the party arrives in Nighthollow, greeted by the eerie silence that blankets the village. The villagers, a group of wary and haggard folk, tell tales of a recent scourge: each night, spectral wolves, their forms half-material, roam the outskirts, their howls chilling the soul. These ethereal beasts are led by a larger, more menacing figure—a Direwolf Wraith, a creature bound by undead magic, haunting the living as a ghastly echo of its former self.
Encounter Details
Creatures:
- 3 Spectral Wolves
- 1 Direwolf Wraith
Environment:
- The village is eerily quiet, with thick fog limiting visibility to 20 feet.
- Small houses are scattered around, providing cover and potential hazards or traps (e.g., unstable structures, locked doors).
- The dense forest surrounding the village features narrow paths and thickets that obscure vision and movement.
Encounter Objectives:
- Survive the Night: The party must protect the villagers and themselves from the spectral attack.
- Uncover the Source: Optional side quest to investigate the origin of the Direwolf Wraith, possibly involving a cursed item or a villager’s dark past.
Dynamic Elements:
- As the battle unfolds, the fog may thicken or suddenly clear in areas, altering visibility.
- Villagers might unexpectedly turn into temporary allies or additional victims needing protection.
- Environmental hazards, like a sudden fire or a collapsing building, could add chaos to the fight.
Rewards:
- Experience: Defeating the spectral wolves and the Direwolf Wraith provides valuable combat experience.
- Gear: Discovering and breaking the curse yields a +1 silver dagger.
- Alliance: Saving the village could earn the party a safe haven or a reliable contact in this remote region.
Map Concept
To visualize this encounter, I’ll create a simple top-down map of the village with positions for key elements like houses, paths, the surrounding forest, and areas where the spectral wolves are likely to appear.
Creature Stat Blocks
Direwolf Wraith
Creature Type: Undead
Challenge Rating (CR): 2
Characteristics
- Description: The Direwolf Wraith is a ghastly apparition of a once-mighty direwolf. Its form is semi-transparent, shifting between shades of chilling gray and midnight black. Its eyes glow with a malevolent red light, and its movements are accompanied by a soft, menacing growl.
- Behavior: This creature haunts the forests where it once roamed as a living beast. It is driven by a relentless hunger for life force and the desire to instill terror in the living.
Stats
- Armor Class: 14
- Hit Points: 37 (5d10 + 10)
- Speed: 50 ft.
Abilities
- Strength: 17
- Dexterity: 15
- Constitution: 15
- Intelligence: 3
- Wisdom: 12
- Charisma: 8
Skills
- Perception: +5
- Stealth: +6
Damage Resistances
- Resistances: Nonmagical attacks (bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing)
Condition Immunities
- Immunities: Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses
- Darkvision: 60 ft.
- Passive Perception: 15
Languages
- Understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speak
Special Traits
- Incorporeal Movement: The Direwolf Wraith can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Actions
- Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
Bonus Actions
- Terrifying Howl: The Direwolf Wraith can unleash a chilling howl that frightens those who hear it. All creatures within 30 feet that can hear the wraith must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. This howl can only be used once every three rounds.
The Direwolf Wraith is a formidable adversary for a party of adventurers, blending its predatory instincts with the malevolent force of an undead spirit. Its ability to sow terror and its resistance to nonmagical attacks make it a challenging foe, especially suitable for thematic encounters involving the supernatural and the undead.
Spectral Wolf
Creature Type: Beast
Challenge Rating (CR): 1
Characteristics
- Description: The Spectral Wolf appears as a ghostly, translucent version of a normal wolf, its form shimmering with a faint, eerie glow. Its eyes burn with an unnatural light, and it moves silently except for the chilling echo of its howls.
- Behavior: The Spectral Wolf hunts in packs and uses its ghostly traits to surprise and corner prey. It shows intelligence in its tactics, often flanking and retreating through solid objects to confuse and wear down its enemies.
Stats
- Armor Class: 13
- Hit Points: 22 (4d8 + 4)
- Speed: 50 ft., can move through objects (ghostly movement up to its speed as a bonus action)
Abilities
- Strength: 12
- Dexterity: 15
- Constitution: 12
- Intelligence: 3
- Wisdom: 12
- Charisma: 6
Skills
- Perception: +3
- Stealth: +4
Damage Resistances
- Resistances: Nonmagical attacks (bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing)
Condition Immunities
- Immunities: Frightened, Paralyzed
Senses
- Passive Perception: 13
Languages
- Understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speak
Special Traits
- Ethereal Sight: The Spectral Wolf can see 60 ft. into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
- Ghostly Movement: Once per turn, the Spectral Wolf can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Actions
- Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Reactions
- Ethereal Escape: When the Spectral Wolf takes damage, it can use its reaction to move up to its speed into the Ethereal Plane, becoming invisible and intangible until the start of its next turn.
The Spectral Wolf is a versatile and eerie foe, ideal for creating a haunting encounter in a location with connections to the ethereal or undead. Its abilities to move through objects and shift briefly into the Ethereal Plane can lead to dynamic and surprising combat scenarios, perfect for testing a Level 1 party’s mettle.
