Lycanthrope Horror

[Captain Kablam]

Hey writing a mystery based adventure that sorta treats the Werewolf less like an ooh, whatever monster, and more like a serial killer. I have a semblance of an idea for a plot, and the story is set to take place over several months igt.

Thing is, having like one monster makes things boring as hell. I got a few things, dissuading angry mobs, ogres taking some heat, heavy handed thugs from the king/governor/whatever to deal with the situation, but I was wondering if there was anything else I can throw into the mix and was wondering what the forum community had in mind.

Also, I was wondering if there were any adventure modules I can look at that actually treat monsters like, well, actual monsters, something to be feared, rather than this misunderstood pseudo-spiritual native american crap.

[Yogibear41]

You should look at the ravenloft books, also I believe you are confusing Native-Americans with hippy-dippy flower child liberal white children. :smallsmile:

[Captain Kablam]

Eh, Ravenloft's okay for the Castlevania vibe, but the vampires really take the center stage.

And yeah, I aimed the barb more at the Twilight crowd which opened the floodgates to the majority of this "we're not evil, just different and more awesome" crap.

[Dr. Cliché]

Out if interest, is your Werewolf aware of what he's doing as a werewolf, if you see what I mean?

[Azoth]

You could make him a Druid with Deadly Hunter and Druidic Avenger...chain trade Rage for Whirling Frenzy. Only use your spell slots for buffs or summoning wolves.

This gives you Fast Movement, a boost to unarmored AC, Favored enemies (pick common races for the setting), rage (Whirling Frenzy), and Track for what that is worth.

There are a pair of gauntlets in Savage Species that do claw damage +1d8 and allow itteritaves.

Maybe combo that or Wildshape Ranger into Black Blood Cultist or Warshaper.

Unfortunately, no books really drive the feel of a Lycanthrope home as a terror and not an overgrown dog in need of a good hug. The best way to do that, is let the party catch a glimpse of it just utterly and savagely destroying something/someone that they have a clear desire not to mess with like it was nothing.

[Dr. Cliché]

I'll be honest, my thought is that if you want your Werewolf to be a real monster - you should give him the mind of a monster.

But *not* the mind (or lack thereof) of a savage beast. Oh no, make him a real monster - one who understands exactly what they're doing, and perhaps even thinks they're doing right.

For example, perhaps he isn't just killing randomly - perhaps this werewolf believes in social-cleansing, and is methodically removing anyone he believes to be undesirable. But then, why do all the work himself? Have him be intelligent enough to leave false evidence at some of his killings - e.g. something that would implicate Ogres (or some other monsters in town). That way, he doesn't have to remove the ogres himself - he can just sit back and let an angry mob do the work for him.

Alternatively, perhaps his depraved goals only make sense to him. For example, rather than doing his killing as a werewolf, maybe he wants to make them look like the work of a human - one of the townsmen in fact. Depending on who he is, perhaps (after several killings) he could be kind enough to buy all the Blacksmith's weapons and distribute them amongst the townsfolk. Ostensibly, this may appear very generous - and should provide a means for the townsmen to defend themselves against a serial killer. Really though, the werewolf wants to see if he can incite enough paranoia that the townsmen start killing each other out of fear - until he's the only one left standing.

Hell, in either of these cases, he could find someone - maybe even multiple people - to kill in his place. Maybe he just buys their services, or maybe he's charismatic enough to inspire them with his visions - creating a pseudo-cult around him. Perhaps the PCs could spend a few weeks suspecting a particular person (or group), only to then find them dead, having been executed in their own home.

Basically, my suggestion is that you don't have a savage-monster werewolf, but rather a psychopathic one - with the intelligence to frame others, cover his tracks well and enact long-term machinations.

[Captain Kablam]

Unfortunately, no books really drive the feel of a Lycanthrope home as a terror and not an overgrown dog in need of a good hug. The best way to do that, is let the party catch a glimpse of it just utterly and savagely destroying something/someone that they have a clear desire not to mess with like it was nothing.

I know, which is sad. As for savagery, gonna have plenty of that. The area I was gonna have it set in is a rural community. So we have players picking over the aftermath of women and children torn apart with their rib cages hanging open.


I'll be honest, my thought is that if you want your Werewolf to be a real monster - you should give him the mind of a monster.

But *not* the mind (or lack thereof) of a savage beast. Oh no, make him a real monster - one who understands exactly what they're doing, and perhaps even thinks they're doing right.

Basically, my suggestion is that you don't have a savage-monster werewolf, but rather a psychopathic one - with the intelligence to frame others, cover his tracks well and enact long-term machinations.

Hadn't thought of treating the wolf as an intelligent psychopath, more as a pitiable victim. I was already planning on having a scumbag or two who would hide their crimes under the guise of an attack, or manipulating people's fears against a personal rival or two for their own benefit.

It is interesting, intelligence always makes just about any monster that much more dangerous. However, the drawback I see from having the killings be goal oriented rather than just random is that it can lessen the feeling of paranoia, which I really wanted to drive up, since that's where the real terror of such a creature.

A dragon? Big, bad, fire breathing sure. But for the most part you can see 'em coming a mile away, and people unite against it. But a werewolf? It could be anyone, forces you to start asking questions like "How well, do you really know your neighbors?". People get scared, and suspicious, it's all too easy to imagine evidence, and it makes perfect sense because fear makes you stupid and fear spreads. And I think we can all agree there are few forces more destructive and volatile as an entire town full of scared and stupid people.

[Dr. Cliché]

A dragon? Big, bad, fire breathing sure. But for the most part you can see 'em coming a mile away, and people unite against it.

That's where Polymorph/Alter Self comes in handy. :smallbiggrin:


It is interesting, intelligence always makes just about any monster that much more dangerous. However, the drawback I see from having the killings be goal oriented rather than just random is that it can lessen the feeling of paranoia, which I really wanted to drive up, since that's where the real terror of such a creature.

I'm not sure why goal-oriented killings will inspire less paranoia tbh.

The thing is, the killing should appear random - especially at first, unless someone manages to find the connection between them. Also, consider that a killer (especially a werewolf one) may operate under a different logic than most 'normal' people.

Furthermore, one of the motives I suggested was creating paranoia in the town, and eventually getting the townsfolk to kill each other out of fear. But, in this case, the werewolf has the intelligence to know exactly who to target to create the most fear and distress. For example, if all the bodies are found half-eaten, then the implication is that the creature is killing out of hunger - and so can perhaps be lured/trapped using meat as bait. But, what if instead the victims aren't eaten - but are instead mutilated.

A creature that kills out of hunger is an animal and can (to a reasonable degree at least) be understood. But, what about a creature that kills someone in their own home, carves up their body and then hides a piece of said body in every drawer it can find. Or, perhaps he kills the local priest, removes his/her limbs and then places a lit candle atop each one. Hell, perhaps he doesn't even kill all his victims - perhaps he just bites some and turns them into savage werewolves to do some killing for him. So, do these victims reveal who they are (knowing full well that the townsfolk will kill them), or do they try to hide and so keep killing people when they transform?

*Shrugs* Maybe I just see things differently, but to me it seems like there's a lot more you can do with an intelligent werewolf, compared to one that's just a mindless killer.

[Captain Kablam]

That's where Polymorph/Alter Self comes in handy. :smallbiggrin:

True.



*Shrugs* Maybe I just see things differently, but to me it seems like there's a lot more you can do with an intelligent werewolf, compared to one that's just a mindless killer.

No, you're right. But I suppose I just really liked the moral ambiguity brought about by executing one who can't control their actions. See the what I had in mind was for the climax of the story, it's revealed that the reason why it has been so hard to pin down the wolf is that it's been getting help from a local cleric and that the wolf is her son. She's been sowing misdirection and hiding her kid. At the players back is a retired werewolf hunter, good man, often the voice of mercy and reason, who over the course of the story has had his wife and children taken from him by the wolf, and has become consumed by vengeance, having become a bit of an enemy of sorts to the players. So it becomes the morally ambiguous question of what to do.

Problem is, with a villain who's a villain through and through, don't really get to play the same morality games. But you are right, a villain capable of choice is a much more threatening and a lot more impressive. I think I may relook at the plot and see what I want.