Jackals are Near
Jackalweres tend to terrorize small communities. Especially those with no access to silver fall quickly to the jackalwere’s terror. Before the party encounters the jackalweres, the party may stumble upon the following: A pair of jackals can be found viciously fighting over a piece of meat. Small plucks of Jackal (DC 12 Nature) hair can be found, stuck on the thorns of a rosebush. When using the merchant questline, the party may find an abandoned cart.
Jackalwere As a Side Quest
When you wish to run this encounter as a sidequest instead of a random encounter, you can use the following character hooks; A merchant (a halfling named Shimple Greenfoot) has not returned hauling his new supplies from a nearby city.
He ignored the warnings of recent animal attacks for the reason “I need supplies to grow my business”. He was the richest merchant in town and was rumored to always keep his valuables on his person. A rough and animalistic-looking humanoid in old noble’s clothing (Urishi the Vicious) is calling upon adventurers to solve a set of animal attacks in the
vicinity. A DC 15 wisdom (Insight) check reveals the humanoid is specifically asking weak-looking adventurers. When the party engages this individual, he is not interested in their help and he quickly attempts to flee the town, using invisibility and misty step to escape over the roofs of the town. If the players do not pursue or lose the Jackalwere Deceiver, they may get information about the quest from weak-looking adventurers.
The Encounter Participants
Jackalwere hunt in groups of six; this group in particular hosts four Bravo’s (normal Jackalwere, Monster Manual page 193), One Harrier named Jeriach the Thirsty, and their leader:
Urishi the Vicious
- Jeriach the Thirsty is an impatient jackalwere. He believes in slashing and tearing off his adversaries without much deception. He prefers to abandon tactics and rush in, instead of using his gaze. He, however, does not wish to anger his leader, a female jackalwere Deceiver named Urishi, and thus will act tactically until she is dead.
- Urishi the Vicious makes use of her brain and tongue. Before she settles her ambush party anywhere, the Deceiver shows up in towns and their surroundings to scout possible threats. If she has found a suitable location where silvered weaponry is scarce, she will employ her favorite tactic: Ambush.