Menu Close

the wild hunt

One of the Maleficence was the wild hunt which my sorcerer player rolled.  The Wild Hunt eventually caught up with him and here are the 5e stats. Fiend Folio was my main inspiration. 


The Wild Hunt

The Wild Hunt exists in all the lands where Druids and their deities’ dwell. It is a physical manifestation of “life force” that always takes on the same form. The Hunt is made up of one huge, black-skinned man with antlers growing from his head and his pack of hounds.

The Hunt appears whenever there is evil in the land (as in the case of an evil temple or an evil priest of the 12th level or greater coming into the area, or what the DM decides is a grossly evil I act).

When the Hunt passes, the noise of the howling dogs or the Hunt Master’s horn can be heard for miles in the night. If this noise is actively pursued by any being, they will become part of the Hunt when they sight the pack and its master If the Hunt passes by any given being they must make a magic saving throw (on a 25% chance they will look at the pack) or join the Hunt. When any given being becomes part of the Hunt they may take on one of two roles: they will be the hunters or the hunted!

The Hunt always begins ten miles from the source of evil that “summons” it, and for each mile nearer the source of evil when the Hunt is spotted there is a 10% chance that the observing being will be the object of the Hunt instead of the hunter. The Hunt will always pass close by the source of evil that has created it (never going into a building but going within inches of the building and passing by). After passing by, it will travel on in a random direction for ten more miles.

There will only be one Hunt on the Prime Material Plane on any given night, and it will always be drawn to the greatest evil in the Celtic area (decided upon by the referee). If the Hunt finds a being to hunt before finding the source of evil, it will attack that being to kill it, and then disappear as it reaches its summoning source. If the Hunt does not find a victim before it reaches the source, it will travel on for another ten miles and every being that sees it and does not make their saving throw vs. magic will have a 90% chance of becoming the hunted!

If after ten miles, no being becomes the hunted, the entire pack will turn on the nearest big game creature around (deer, stag, bear or anything partially dangerous and non-intelligent). All during this hunt, the beings that have come along with the Hunt must travel with the Master, and they must attack whatever becomes the hunted, even if it goes against their alignment! Thus, paladins might have to attack helpless women or the like. All beings that have been taken in as hunters will attack the quarry (whatever it may be) and if they do not succeed in killing the being, the Master and his hounds will take over (but only when all other hunters have been incapacitated) and they will either kill or be killed.

The magic of the Hunt will catch up and sweep along any who become part of it, so that, whether mounted or on foot, they will be able to keep up with the fast pace that the hounds set.

The Hunt generally pursues on the ground, but it has the ability to run right into the air to fly over obstacles or especially difficult terrain.

When the hunted being has been run down, there is an instant melee to the death. All participants must fight on to the death to the best of their abilities (no holding back).

The only ways to prevent being killed as the object of the Hunt are to run out of the 10-mile radius of the source of evil, to elude the pack until morning, or to slay the Master and his pack.

All beings that have been in any part of the Hunt have a 50% chance of be- coming ensnared again with every sighting of the Master and his pack.

There have been legends of epic battles between the Master and his hounds and some of the greater heroes of the past. In these legends, the Master and his pack have been slain, only to disappear in the darkness and appear somewhere else the next night, proving that the force that creates the Hunt is eternal.

 

The Wild Hunt Skill Check

You hear the distant horn and the baying of dogs – the Wild Hunt has begun.

Complexity Requires [number of PCs] successes before 3 failures.

Process A skill challenge is a type of scene where the party needs to succeed on a certain number of ability or skill checks before you reach a certain number of failures. We go to each person in turn, and you set up your scene yourself, describe how you try to overcome it, then make a check to see if you are able to succeed. If the party gets enough successes, you reach your destination safely. If the party fails the skill challenge, something bad will happen.

Each character can only use a skill proficiency once. Once [character A] makes a Wisdom (Perception) check during this skill challenge, they cannot use it again until the challenge is over. You can still make a Wisdom (Insight) check, just not another Perception roll. Tell the players the complexity but not the DC of each test.

Victory If the PCs succeed, they escape the Wild Hunt with their lives.  The Witchmother herself appears and grants a boon. She provides each survivor of the Hunt the Boon of the Brownie.  Each character may use the boon on any of their d20 rolls. The result is changed to a natural 1 or 20 – there is 50% of either result. If they succeed perfectly, the Witchmother also grants them either a future favour or a bag of beans.

Defeat The PCs encounter different contingents of the Wild Hunt depending on their failure until they finally face the Huntsman himself.

  • Failure 1A small team of sprites riding on a swarm of bats targets you for harassment. You must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or gain a bane on your next check.
  • Failure 2The Pack of the Wild Hunt – Mob/Swarm.
  • Failure 3The Master of the Hunt. The master will have 1 pack hound per character when encountered.

Success or failure the Huntsman’s horn can be heard getting closer.

EXAMPLE SKILL USES

It is up to each PC to decide what skill he is using and describe the related scene, below are some ideas to help the DM adjudicate the test.

  • Nature/SurvivalDC 15 – The character uses his knowledge of nature and the wilds to identify safe routes, avoid impassable terrain and otherwise find their way.
  • HistoryDC 20 – The character uses his knowledge of the lands both recent and forgotten to find lost short cuts.
  • PerceptionDC 20 – The character looks for clearer passage and possible obstacles to travel, allowing the party to avoid delays.
  • Diplomacy/IntimidateDC 18 – Only useful if there are intelligent inhabitants in the area, can be used to learn of local paths and roads
  • AthleticsDC 20 – You assist the party in overcoming obstacles in your path such as chasms/gorges, steep hills which must be climbed, etc.)
  • Otherskills as appropriate DC 20 – Any reasonable skill use by the player which might lead to either making travel easier or finding a better route to the destination.

 

The Master of the Hunt

The Master has jet black skin and glowing green eyes. His head is crowned by a set of stag antlers, and he wears a suit of black leather. The Master never speaks. He runs a few feet behind his pack of hounds and will sound his horn at every 1-mile increment in his chase.

The Master of the Hunt

Medium fey (sidh), neutral

AC 16, HP 229, Speed 30 ft.

STR +9, DEX +8, CON +8, INT +1, WIS +1, CHA +4

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15

Languages Sidh; Common, Draconic, Dwarvish, Giant, Goblin

CR 12 (8,400 XP); Proficiency Bonus +4

Fey Ancestry. The Huntsman has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put her to sleep.

Indomitable (3/Day). The Huntsman can reroll a saving throw it fails. It must use the new roll.

Magic Resistance. The Huntsman has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects (Bane for attacking spell casters).

Soulbreaker. The Huntsman weapons pierce the targets very soul, each attack does an additional 1d6 psychic damage.  If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target’s soul is separated from its body and is instantly killed.

Survivor. The Huntsman regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point but fewer hit points than half its hit point maximum.

Spellcasting. The Huntsman is a 9th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following ranger spells prepared:

Actions

Multiattack. If available, The Huntsmen blows his Horn of the Hunter. He then casts or moves hunter’s mark and then makes three weapon attacks.

+3 Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + 8 piercing and 1d6 psychic damage (hunter’s mark +1d6 included).

Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 4 piercing damage (hunter’s mark +1d6).

Horn of the Hunter (Recharge 5-6). The Huntsmen blows the Horn of the Hunted, all targets of the hunt who can hear the horn must make a CON saving throw or reduce the die of all damage and to-hit rolls by 1 die level for 1 minute.  For example, a d20 becomes a d16, a d6 becomes a d4 and so on. The first use of the Horn of the Hunter does not allow a save.

Legendary Actions

The Huntsman can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Huntsman regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

  • Weapon Attack.The Huntsman makes a weapon attack.
  • Call to Arms.The Huntsman blows a magical horn, deafening all targets of the Hunt within 30 feet of him for 1 minute. All creatures a part of the hunt that can hear the horn within that can see or hear the Huntsman, can make one weapon attack as a reaction and gains advantage on the attack roll.
  • Frighten Foe (Costs 2 Actions).The Huntsman targets one enemy he can see within 30 feet of him. If the target can see and hear it, the target must succeed on a WIS saving throw or be frightened until the end of The Huntsman’s next turn.

 

The Pack of the Wild Hunt

These huge black hounds have licks of green fire for tongues and green fire for eyes. These flames do no damage, but they make the whole Hunt cast an eerie green glow. The beasts will never attack the hunted until all the beings that have drawn themselves into the Hunt have had their chance to kill. If the pack is killed, the Master will then battle the being. The death of any member of the pack goes unnoticed by the rest and it disappears after the battle is over.

The Pack of the Wild Hunt

Medium fey, neutral

AC 16, HP 45, Speed 50 ft.

STR +3, DEX +1, CON +2, INT –2, WIS +1, CHA-2

Skills Perception +5

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15

Languages Understands sidh but can’t speak it

CR 3 (700 XP); Proficiency Bonus +2

Keen Hearing and Smell. The hound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Magic Resistance. The hound has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects (Bane for attacking spell casters).

Pack Tactics. The hound has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the hound’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

Silent Footfalls.  The hound is completely silent except when it barks or howls.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 3 piercing damage plus 2d8 fire damage.

Infernal Howl. The hounds bay foretells death, targets of the hunt make a WIS saving throw if they can hear the hound. If failed, the character has disadvantage on all saving throws and gains the following flaw: “I am convinced that I am going to die”.  After finishing a long rest, a creature can attempt to overcome the dread with a WIS saving throw.

Baleful Baying. The hound bays magically. Every enemy within 300 feet of the hound that can hear it must succeed on a WIS saving throw or be frightened until the end of the hound’s next turn or until the hound is incapacitated. A frightened target that starts its turn within 30 feet of the hound must use all its movement on that turn to get as far from the hound as possible, must finish the move before taking an action, and must take the most direct route, even if hazards lie that way. A target that successfully saves is immune to the baying of all pack hounds for the next 24 hours.

 

The Pack of the Wild Hunt – Swarm

Huge Swarm of Medium fey, neutral

AC 13, HP 208 (900), Speed 50 ft.

STR +3, DEX +1, CON +2, INT –2, WIS +1, CHA-2

Skills Perception +5

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 16

Languages Understands sidh but can’t speak it

CR 8 (3,900 XP); Proficiency Bonus +3

Keen Hearing and Smell. The hound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Magic Resistance. The hound has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects (Bane for attacking spell casters).

Pack Tactics. The hound has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the hound’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

Silent Footfalls.  The hound is completely silent except when it barks or howls.

Swarm 2.0. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Medium fey. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. A swarm takes half damage from attacks that use an attack roll and double damage from effects that require it to make a saving roll. Creatures that are not swarms are impaired while they remain in the swarm’s space or within 5 feet of it and have disadvantage on attack rolls and Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration. The area of the swarm is considered difficult terrain.

Actions

Swarming Bite.  The swarm attacks all creatures that share a space with it and automatically does 2d8 piercing damage, or 1d8 piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. The target also takes 1 fire damage at the start of its turn until.

Infernal Howl (1/Day). The hounds bay foretells death, targets of the hunt make a WIS saving throw if they can hear the hound. If failed, the character has disadvantage on all saving throws and gains the following flaw: “I am convinced that I am going to die”.  After finishing a long rest, a creature can attempt to overcome the dread with a WIS saving throw.

Baleful Baying. The hound bays magically. Every enemy within 300 feet of the hound that can hear it must succeed on a WIS saving throw or be frightened until the end of the hound’s next turn or until the hound is incapacitated. A frightened target that starts its turn within 30 feet of the hound must use all its movement on that turn to get as far from the hound as possible, must finish the move before taking an action, and must take the most direct route, even if hazards lie that way. A target that successfully saves is immune to the baying of all pack hounds for the next 24 hours.

The Pack of the Wild Hunt – Mob

Or use MOB rules.  There are 20 hounds.

Parties average AC-5 for the d20 Roll Needed column. Damage per creature that hits is 1d8+3 piercing and 1d8 fire.

Posted in 5e, Dungeons & Dragons, OSR 5e

Leave a Reply