Thoughts on a Werewolf as a 1st level Big Bad

[johnbragg]

I've started running a campaign with my kids, and they're either done or almost done with their first dungeon. Eldest (10 yo) and Sister (7 yo) are girls playing elven druids, with a wolf and a homebrewed bobcat as Animal Companions. Brother (7 yo) is playing a dwarven two-weapon fighter (two d6 weapons) with an eagle as a Wild Cohort.

It's very much D&D with training wheels on--I'm houseruling a lot of stuff in the interests of making sure they have fun and aren't miserable. (The druids cast 3 spells a day from a list of 4, fighter has the Wild Cohort because of both family and class balance issues.) There's also a DMPC who is probably a 5th level thief, who hired them as adventurers when they got to town. He may or may not betray the party to a local Big Bad after the kids get their feet under them.

The first dungeon was the small dungeon from the old Red Box player's handbook. I have ample plans for the dungeon from the Red Box DMG, with old Bargle lurking in its depths. (DMPC may be a charmed agent of Bargle.)

When they got to town, I improvised a complaint by one of the townspeople about wolf activity preying on the flock. So I'm thinking that a good antagonist for the next phase of the campaign could be a Werewolf. At CR 3 it's the right power level.

Any thoughts on hints to drop about werewolf activity? The nature of a hick town werewolf's plans? Also, DR 10 is *very* steep, for a party currently without silver.

[Albions_Angel]

Have the wolf take a child next. Doesnt have to be made too dark (obvs), but while they are in town, there is a commotion and a local farmers wife ends up crying and trying to beat up the sheriff (obvs doesnt get very far). Your kids, being kids (and knowing a little about them from the campaign log you have been posting) should want to find out whats wrong. (Perhaps your wife could play the part for a bit, if appropriate) Turns out her son, 12 or so, out looking after the sheep, never came home, and they found his cloak in the field. The Sheriff doesnt want to investigate (probably ran away from home), but the woman is adamant she saw a wolf figure later that night, an outline against the dusk sky, on its hind legs.

Even if your kids arnt ready to go out and fight the werewolf, thats a good plot hook, and it can get the towns folk talking. Over a couple of days, the towns folk start becoming more and more fearful and distrustful of each other, little fights breaking out, and all the time, more sheep, cows, and sometimes people, are going missing. Eventually the Sheriff himself asks your kids to go drive off the "wolf pack to show these peasants there is nothing to fear". Your thief, or another DMPC or NPC has a little more faith in the stories and suggests taking some silver swords just in case, or at least a bag of silver dust (refluffed holy water perhaps?).

[tiercel]

You definitely want your PCs to get some inkling of what they're up against, so at least Silversheen can come into play. Depending on your kids' subtlety level:

- shepherd tried to drive off an attacking wolf, but his hitting it "just didn't do anything"
- as above, only shepherd was bitten for his trouble as well
- PCs track/drive off a wolf pack attack, but the werewolf is,for the first attack, directing the pack rather than attacking directly; PCs note that a smart, unusual wolf is giving orders, but BBEG also knows about PCs now