The party is paddling canoes up a lazy coastal river valley, enjoying what passes for a quiet afternoon, when they come across a small hamlet on the bank. They pull in to resupply and stretch their legs. The inn is easy enough to find, but the mood inside is wrong. The handful of townsfolk nursing their drinks are jumpy and tight-lipped, and conversation dies when the party walks through the door.
Before long, three of the settlement’s prominent figures make their way over: the mayor, the priest, and the innkeeper. They’re polite but desperate. Trolls have been raiding the hamlet every night, killing livestock and anyone unlucky enough to be outside after dark. It’s already close to supper time, and the light is fading. Would the party be willing to help?
As the group steps outside to discuss the situation, a villager materializes from the shadows and pulls them aside. The warning is quick and delivered just above a whisper. One of those three people who just asked for help is a werewolf. The villager doesn’t know which one. They slip back into the darkness before anyone notices the exchange.
Party Level: 3-6. Trolls are a serious threat at lower levels, and the werewolf complication adds social pressure and paranoia that makes straightforward combat solutions harder to rely on.
World: Any
Rules-set: This was originally played ad-hoc for a group of three 5e players of mid-level, but can be run with any rules-set you choose.
If this made your session better, buying me a coffee keeps the Vault stocked.
