TEXT: LEG1001SW
  LEG1001SW
  
  LP1001SW
  THE HUNT
  Published by
  CREDITS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  Written by: Simon Lucas
  Editing: Matthew Harffy, Kirsty Crabb & Robin Elliott
  Illustrations:  Pawel Kłopotowski
  Graphic Design: Robin Elliott
  Savaged By: The Savage Crabb and Judge Savage
  www.legionpublishing.co.uk 
  First Published 2003
  This Edition 2005
  Legion Publishing, Critical Hits, the Legion Publishing logo, Legionnaire, and all 
  related characters and elements are trademarks of Legion Publishing.
  Savage Worlds created by Shane Lacy Hensley
  This game uses the Savage Worlds game system, available from Great White Games 
  (www.greatwhitegames.com). Savage Worlds, Smiling Jack, and all associated logos and 
  trademarks are Copyright 2004, Great White Games. Used with permission.
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  CRITICAL HITS 01
  2
  INTRODUCTION
  Greetings traveler and welcome to 
  Critical Hits –  a new series of fantasy Savage 
  Worlds adventures from Legion Publishing. 
  Each Critical Hit is a complete encounter 
  that can be dropped into any fantasy cam-
  paign, used to provide a distraction from 
  the main storyline of the campaign, or to 
  break the monotony of a long journey. The 
  encounters are little gems of ideas built 
  around a single situation, person, location, 
  creature, or object the heroes stumble 
  across in their travels. Each Critical Hit pro-
  vides all the GM needs to use the encounter 
  with very little preparation needed. Many 
  contain elements or locations that can be 
  extended or reused over and again to cre-
  ate longer scenarios or recurring themes in 
  your fantasy games.
  Whether used as a disposable diversion 
  or the springboard for adventure, Critical 
  Hits help the GM keep the fun coming fast 
  and furious, and give the players memo-
  rable encounters that encourage creative 
  role-playing. In The Hunt the characters 
  are doing what they spend much of their 
  time doing: traveling. As the heroes pass 
  through a wood one night, they become 
  embroiled in a local drama: a nearby village 
  has been horriﬁcally attack and the peas-
  ants, believing a werewolf to be responsi-
  ble, are out for blood.
  We have placed this encounter in a 
  mountainous pine forest, but it will work 
  equally well in any climate and any ter-
  rain with only minor modiﬁcations to the 
  descriptions. Text inside a border should 
  be read aloud to the players (unless you 
  have modiﬁed the setting, in which case 
  you’re on your own!).
  A TREK INTO THE FOREST
  The encounter opens as night falls with 
  the characters coming to the edge of a 
  pine forest seeking shelter from a worsen-
  ing snow storm. Reluctant players could be 
  reminded that snow counts as difﬁcult ter-
  rain and their heroes’ movement is reduced 
  by half. The biting wind cuts through them 
  out here in the open, and moving in such 
  low temperatures and at such a slow pace 
  means they could freeze to death! The 
  forest extends for miles in each direction 
  and going through it is much quicker than 
  struggling around it through the fast fall-
  ing snow at night. The result is the play-
  ers should be cheerful enough to shelter in 
  the forest, and eventually make camp and 
  light a warming ﬁre.
  You entered the thick pine forest to 
  get out of the driving snow and the 
  respite from the bitter chill of the bliz-
  zard is certainly welcome. Picking 
  your way through the heavy under-
  growth has slowed your progress, but 
  the thick canopy overhead has pro-
  tected the forest ﬂoor from all but the 
  lightest dusting of snow. Bright moon-
  light ﬁlters through the boughs of the 
  mammoth pines, their upper branches 
  laden with snow, and picks out frozen 
  highlights on the forest ﬂoor, giving 
  the night a magical glow. 
  As they make their way into the under-
  growth, the temperature is dropping rap-
  idly and darkness is descending on the 
  land. 
  THE PATH LESS TROD
  After a slow beginning to the journey 
  through the forest, the characters eventu-
  ally ﬁnd a path.
  
  THE HUNT
  3
  It seems your luck is in tonight, as 
  suddenly the thick bushes and thorny 
  shrubs give way to a well-trod path 
  cut through the undergrowth at right 
  angles to your current direction of 
  travel. 
  The encounter does not hinge of the 
  players’ decision here, they can take any 
  path they choose (or they may even sus-
  pect a GM trap and plough on through the 
  undergrowth). It’s always fun to toy with 
  your players’ expectations, however, so 
  whichever direction the players choose, 
  roll some dice and make some “notes”—
  just to keep them guessing.
  The temperature continues to drop as 
  night settles in and, assuming the heroes 
  are well equipped and wearing warm cloth-
  ing, they should make a Vigor roll every 4 
  hours or gain a Fatigue level from the icy 
  conditions. 
  MAKING CAMP
  As the temperature plummets and the 
  wind begins to whip through the trees, 
  exposure to the cold should be a threat, 
  even though the characters are out of the 
  thick snow. The prospect of pushing on in 
  the cold is a grim one. If the cold weather 
  has left the heroes Fatigued, remind the 
  players that recovery is only allowed once 
  they ﬁnd warmth. If they insist on push-
  ing on through the forest, the tempera-
  ture keeps dropping until the heroes are 
  rolling Vigor (-4) to resist the bitter chill. 
  Eventually, it should occur to the players 
  that a good ﬁre is the ideal way to fend off 
  the elements and that perhaps they had bet-
  ter stop and camp. Finding sufﬁcient dry 
  wood for a ﬁre takes a couple of hours, but 
  once a ﬁre is lit and the characters begin 
  to warm up they are out of danger from 
  the cold. Of course the ﬁre light attracts all 
  passers-by, including the beast at large in 
  the woods and the villagers hunting it. 
  SOUNDS IN THE NIGHT
  Assuming the heroes make camp, they 
  are out of danger from the elements.
  As you settle down for the night, the 
  forest is alive with the sounds of ani-
  mals and insects, of snapping and 
  rustling in the distance and of the 
  trees creaking in the wind. Drawing 
  in close around the ﬁre you feel the 
  warmth gradually spreading through 
  your nu   mbed ﬁngers, but you can’t 
  tear your eyes away from the dark for-
  est that surrounds you and you can’t 
  shake the nagging feeling that some-
  thing is out there. 
  There is a beast roaming the forest and it 
  can smell the characters, but is old enough 
  and wise enough to stay clear of the ﬁre. If 
  the ﬁre burns low, the beast circles closer 
  and closer to size up the heroes and deter-
  mine if it can grab a quick bite. Any hero 
  on guard duty can make a Notice roll (– 1) 
  to hear the beast circling the campsite. 
  Any loud noise or bright light deters the 
  beast for an hour or so, but it continues to 
  watch the group, waiting for a chance to 
  attack. A second Notice check (– 2) affords 
  a character a ﬂeeting glimpse of something 
  large and hairy moving through the under-
  growth beyond the light of the ﬁre.
  The villagers out looking for the crea-
  ture are far easier to detect. They planned 
  to spread out in a line, the idea being they 
  could cover a great deal of ground through 
  the forest. In actuality, they are so scared 
  that they are barely further than arm’s 
  length apart. No Notice roll is necessary to 
  detect their none-too-stealthy approach. 
  Eventually their presence becomes obvi-
  ous as they are carrying torches and their 
  
  CRITICAL HITS 01
  4
  ragged line starts to bunch when they see a 
  campﬁre in the cold, dark forest. 
  If the players decide not to camp for the 
  night, not only do they continue to suffer 
  the effects of exposure but, in addition, 
  they are stalked by the beast (see page 11 
  for the creature’s stats). Give them plenty 
  of chances to realize they are being fol-
  lowed, and that their pursuer is closing in, 
  until they are pretty sure they are going to 
  be attacked. 
  THE VILLAGERS
  At the point the heroes decide to stand 
  and ﬁght, the villagers come crashing 
  through the forest. The beast backs off, and 
  the scene is set for a tense meeting.
  Emerging from the darkness of the for-
  est is a ragged group of peasant-folk. 
  They carry burning torches and are 
  eyeing you suspiciously. All the new-
  comers are dressed in the shabby garb 
  of commoners except one who wears 
  the robes of a monk and a well-dressed 
  young man, who appears barely old 
  enough to be out this late at night. 
  The frightened villagers crowd into the 
  camp and huddle around the heroes’ ﬁre 
  to begin with, before remembering their 
  suspicions and beginning to interrogate 
  the strangers in their forest. 
  One of the shabbier peasants steps 
  forward and demands to know what 
  your business is in these woods.
  This unlikely band is led by the fear-
  less Kezra, who addresses the characters, 
  and the parson of the village of Badmin, 
  Brother Abbott. The village, which lies on 
  the far side of the forest, has been the sub-
  ject to several attacks by what the villagers 
  believe to be a werewolf. They have come 
  out to ﬁnd the beast and destroy it. Anyone 
  they ﬁnd in their hunt is a suspect and they 
  have some questions for the Heroes.
  GM’s Note: Unless the characters are really 
  suffering from the cold, the villagers are not 
  up to combat with the party of heroes, who 
  are considerably more able in a ﬁght—this 
  is predominantly a role-playing rather than 
  a combat encounter. Having said that, the 
  mob has greater numbers and the zeal of 
  the parson may be enough to spur them to 
  attack if the encounter turns sour. 
  Kezra 
  Kezra is the organizer of the hunt and 
  very self-important. He feels that he should 
  be shown the respect a leader deserves and 
  is angered that many of the others don’t 
  seem to take their quest seriously. 
  Attributes: Agilty d4, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, 
  Strength d6, Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d6, Knowledge 
  (Cobbling) d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d4 
  Charisma: 
  +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; 
  Toughness: 5
  Gear: Quarterstaff (Str +1, Parry +1, Reach 
  1, 2 handed)
  Edges:
  Charismatic
  Brother Abbott
  A devout (if lowly) cleric, Brother Abbott 
  sees the recent attacks as a sign that the 
  village has turned to sin; the beast that 
  plagues them is a punishment and only 
  by ridding the village of the evil can it be 
  redeemed. Consequently, he insists every 
  test is applied and his is the voice of author-
  ity in the mob, so they tend to do as he 
  tells them. 
  Attributes: Agilty d4, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, 
  Strength d4, Vigor d4
  Skills: Faith d8, Guts d6, Healing d8, 
  Knowledge (Religion) d6 
  Charisma: 
  0; 
  Pace: 
  6; 
  Parry: 
  2; 
  Toughness: 4
  
  THE HUNT
  5
  Gear: Holy symbol
  Edges:
  Arcane Background (Miracles): Brother 
  Abbott has 10 Power Points and can use 
  the following powers: Healing (laying on 
  hands), Light (bright halo of light)
  Andrew MacAllister (son of Baron 
  Hugo MacAllister) 
  Andrew is the son of the nearest noble-
  man and was sent by his father to oversee 
  the hunt. The whole thing was taken very 
  lightly, which is why Baron Hugo sent a boy 
  to do a man’s job, but Andrew sees this as 
  his chance to prove himself. None of the 
  villagers know much about him; and he is 
  loathing their company. There is a chance 
  he will latch on to any character who dis-
  plays manners or breeding, but deﬁnitely 
  anybody with the Noble Edge.
  Attributes: Agilty d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, 
  Strength d6, Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d4, Intimidaton d6, 
  Investigation d6, Knowledge (Etiquette) d6, 
  Notice d4, Riding d8, Shooting d4 
  Charisma: 
  0; 
  Pace: 
  6; 
  Parry: 
  5; 
  Toughness: 5
  Gear: Silver Dagger (Str +1)
  Edges:
  Noble
  Villagers 
  The other members of the hunt use the 
  villager stats presented below. The names 
  of the various peasants follow the stat block 
  along with any pertinent information, and 
  skills or Edges that will help you to play 
  them as interesting individuals. Feel free to 
  add more villagers if needed. Try and think 
  of some distinguishing feature that will 
  make them memorable for the players, like 
  a rare skin disorder or strange affectation. 
  Attributes: Agilty d4, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, 
  Strength d6, Vigor d6
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d4, Knowledge 
  (Farming) d6, Notice d4, Survival d4
  Charisma: 
  0; 
  Pace: 
  6; 
  Parry: 
  4; 
  Toughness: 5
  Gear: Farm implements (Str+1)
  Edges: See below
  Goodman Brown
  Smarts d6
  A thoughtful man, Goodman is uncertain 
  about the likelihood of a werewolf coming 
  to Badmin. He is likely to be the charac-
  ter’s best ally as he is the voice of reason 
  in the mob. He is not a strong-willed man, 
  however and is easily shouted down.
  Dren
  Strength d8, Tracking d8
  Dren is a tough lumberjack and knows 
  these woods well. He has seen all kinds 
  of creatures pass through these lands and 
  wouldn’t be surprised if there were a hun-
  dred werewolves out here. He’s always 
  wanted to see what one tastes like.
  Alfo
  Yellow
  One of the most cowardly men anyone 
  is likely to meet, Alfo turns and ﬂees at the 
  ﬁrst sign of danger.
  Whether or not the hunt comes across 
  his mutilated corpse later in the encounter 
  is entirely up to the GM!
  Frip & Jethro
  Taunt d10, Brawny (Toughness +1)
  The twins, Frip and Jethro are burly farm 
  hands with an earthy sense of humor. Their 
  constant needling of all the other hunters 
  has caused tempers to become quite frayed. 
  They particularly enjoy ribbing Kezra about 
  his attractive wife, Reena.
  Large Dez
  Obese (+1 Toughness, – 1 Pace, d4 run-
  ning die)
  
  CRITICAL HITS 01
  6
  A huge, dirty man who is also largely 
  responsible for the foul odor that hangs 
  around the peasants. Dez has brought a 
  ready supply of food with him in a satchel, 
  the strap of which is stretched tight across 
  from his ﬂabby frame.
  Merrin
  Delusional (minor)
  Merrin is a layabout who fancies himself 
  as an adventurer. He is full of tall tales and 
  half-baked theories about the beast the vil-
  lagers are hunting. Many of the ideas for 
  the tests started with Merrin and were 
  developed by the rest of the mob.
  Black Jake
  Strength d12, Lame (– 2 Pace)
  Jake is a one-legged blacksmith and is 
  consequently ﬁnding moving through the 
  forest to be very difﬁcult. He is incredibly 
  strong, however and has been brought 
  along for his brawn rather than his speed.
  Cavin Brikkle
  Spirit d4
  The youngest of the peasants, Cavin 
  is only seventeen and was thrilled to be 
  allowed out with the men-folk. He starts 
  crying and begging to be allowed home, 
  however, as soon as anything unpleasant 
  happens.
  Jorge
  Clueless
  Jorge is startlingly stupid and really has 
  no idea what he is doing in the woods at 
  night. He is a liability with a weapon and 
  has had his club taken away from him.
  Old Magden
  Elderly 
  (Strength 
  d4, 
  Vigor 
  d4, 
  Toughness 4)
  Deaf and very aged, Old Magden needs 
  constant attention and his presence on the 
  hunt has slowed the whole affair drasti-
  cally. As the eldest of all the village elders, 
  though, he insisted on coming and com-
  plains bitterly about how the “whipper-
  snappers” are mismanaging proceedings.
  The Two Bens
  These two have been friends almost 
  from birth and are always seen together. 
  In the village they are always referred to as 
  a single entity. They are not too bright but 
  they mean well.
  A FOOLPROOF TEST?
  The interrogation is the major part of 
  this encounter and should take some time. 
  Each of the following tests is believed by 
  the villagers to demonstrate in some way 
  whether or not a suspect is in fact a were-
  wolf. There is much discussion between 
  the peasants as to the veracity of each test 
  and how, precisely, it should be applied. 
  Feel free to add to the list below as the 
  encounter develops. All the heroes are sus-
  pects and all should have to endure at least 
  one of the tests. Keep going until all the 
  tests have been tried or a character refuses 
  to submit. There should be some debate 
  between the villagers and the heroes as 
  they try to deter the simple folk from try-
  ing out their various theories.
  Each test is described below (with the 
  effects the villagers expect from a werewolf 
  underneath). If these results are not forth-
  coming, they are more likely to take it as a 
  sign the test has been botched or cheated 
  rather than a sign of innocence.
  The party must talk fast and withstand 
  some pain to get out of this situation with-
  out killing the poor villagers or inadver-
  tently testing positive for lycanthropy.
  Proofs of Lycanthropy
  Test: Branding
  Reasoning: A werewolf won’t scar when 
  a hot iron is pressed into its skin. 
  
  THE HUNT
  7
  Application: Black Jake has fashioned a 
  metal poker into a wolf-shaped brand for 
  this test. The poker is heated in the ﬁre 
  until red-hot and then pressed onto the 
  exposed ﬂesh of the chosen suspect. The 
  poker inﬂicts Str+2 damage and the vic-
  tim is permanently scarred (make sure the 
  player adds it to their character sheet so 
  they remember this encounter). Of course, 
  in many places branding is a punishment 
  for a crime, so the characters may ﬁnd 
  themselves victimized in later scenarios 
  as a result of this unfortunate encounter. 
  In other places, the wolf’s head brand is 
  certain to arouse suspicion and muttering 
  about “bearing the mark” will follow the 
  character everywhere they go.
  When the heated poker inevitably scars a 
  hero, the villagers are puzzled. A plausible 
  argument and a successful Persuasion (-4) 
  roll convinces them that the test is ﬂawed. 
  Otherwise, they resolve to ‘Have another 
  bash at it.’
  Test: Singed hair
  Reasoning: A werewolf’s hair won’t 
  burn.
  Application: No one is too sure how 
  this theory came about but it is 
  easy to administer so they’ll give 
  it a go. The villagers bring their 
  torches close to the suspect’s 
  head until their hair sizzles and 
  singes. The smell of burning hair 
  is very pungent and may attract 
  the natural (and supernatural) 
  predators of the forest.
  Draw a card from the deck 
  each time the test is applied. If 
  the result is a face card, a for-
  est-dwelling predator sniffs the 
  group out and attacks. On a 
  Joker, the beast attacks (see page 
  11)!
  Test: Eat pepper
  Reasoning: A werewolf will be sick or 
  sneeze
  Application: Kezra has a big pouch of 
  pepper which he brought with him for this 
  test. A character subjected to this test must 
  make a Spirit roll (– 2) to avoid retching 
  and sneezing, giving the villagers a reason 
  to consider the test a success. If a character 
  botches this roll (rolls a 1 on the Spirit die 
  and the Wild die), he gains a Fatigue level 
  for the next hour.
  Test: Blood on silver
  Reasoning: A werewolf’s blood will boil 
  on contact with silver
  Application: All the villagers know that 
  a werewolf can’t tolerate silver, but only 
  Andrew MacAllister has any silver. The sus-
  pect is cut somewhere visible and the blood 
  allowed to drip onto the silver blade. When 
  there is no reaction the peasants start to 
  speculate that maybe the blade has to be 
  stuck into the suspect (“ere Jethro, that’s 
  not a big enough cut—let me”). Some 
  fast-talking may be required!
  Test: Raw meat test.
  
  CRITICAL HITS 01
  8
  Reasoning: Any werewolf will start to 
  drool at, or be driven mad by, the smell of 
  raw meat.
  Application: This unlikely test is the 
  bright idea of the two Bens who have 
  brought a slab of bloody meat with them. 
  They brought wolf meat with the ingenious 
  idea that no wolfman could be able to eat 
  his own. One of the Bens keeps the slab of 
  meat down his very disgusting, unwashed 
  breeches. He claims this is to stop it freez-
  ing in the cold, but Frip has speculated 
  that maybe he just likes it down there (and 
  some of Jethro’s comments have made the 
  parson blush). The meat has fallen out a 
  couple of times so it is a bit grubby, but the 
  test involves rubbing it in the face of the 
  accused and watching carefully for a reac-
  tion. A Spirit check (– 1) avoids reacting in 
  a way that could be construed by the villag-
  ers as proof of lycanthropy.
  If all the heroes pass this test, the villag-
  ers fall to bickering about whose big idea 
  it had been in the ﬁrst place. All the vil-
  lagers deny any involvement in developing 
  the stupid test until, when Frip and Jethro 
  start making lewd meat jokes at Kezra’s 
  wife’s expense, a small ﬁght breaks out and 
  Borther Abbott steps in to remind them of 
  their original purpose!
  Test: Shoot a dog.
  Reasoning: A werewolf will be angered 
  by the slaying of its kin.
  Application: The peasants are not 
  trained with ranged weapons and only have 
  a single bow and ﬁve arrows between them. 
  After a few practice shots, they feel ready to 
  attempt the test. Unfortunately, the test is 
  brought to a premature end when the vil-
  lagers realize they don’t have a dog with 
  them. After some disgruntled discussion 
  about possibly killing pigeons or badgers, 
  Jorge emerges from the undergrowth tri-
  umphantly clutching a dead squirrel which 
  he holds out solemnly. The test is immedi-
  ately abandoned.
   Test: Bright light test.
  Reasoning: A werewolf will ﬂinch if a 
  light is shone in its eyes.
  Application: The parson has his shut-
  tered lantern with him and this test employs 
  it as a means of gauging the suspect’s reac-
  tion to light. A successful Spirit check (– 2) 
  allows the victim to remain still in the face 
  of the sudden ﬂash of light when the shut-
  ter is opened Otherwise the villagers will 
  take a ﬂinch as a sign of guilt. Of course, 
  if a character can persuade them to try the 
  test on each other, they can be convinced 
  that it is a poor indicator.
  Every time the shutter is opened the 
  light is blown out and, with great effort in 
  the gusting wind, the parson struggles with 
  tinder and ﬂint to re-light the lantern. The 
  peasants never learn, however and keep 
  opening the shuttered lantern. It is pitiful. 
  Test: Eat garlic.
  Reasoning: The suspected werewolf 
  won’t like it.
  Application: An easy mistake to make, 
  the villagers have become a little con-
  fused with their folklore and are all wear-
  ing strings of garlic to ward off the beast. 
  They select a suspect and force the hero to 
  eat clove after clove, carefully watching for 
  obvious “signs” (whatever they might be). 
  A failed Vigor roll (– 1 for every ﬁve cloves 
  eaten) reduces the hero’s Vigor by one die 
  type for the next two hours, and provides 
  conclusive proof to the villagers that the 
  hero is, indeed, cursed. If the character 
  makes three successful Vigor checks, how-
  ever, the villagers give up on this test. 
  Fortunately for the other heroes, Large Dez 
  eats most of the garlic while the test is being 
  
  THE HUNT
  9
  administered, leaving insufﬁcient quantities 
  to the same test on another victim. 
  Test: River test.
  Reasoning: Werewolves can only doggy 
  paddle.
  Application: If the characters did not 
  pitch camp close to the fast-ﬂowing river 
  running through the forest, the villagers 
  start to discuss the possibility of ﬁnding 
  it and throwing the suspect in. Although 
  Dren can easily lead them to the river, this 
  is an ill-conceived plan and the simple peas-
  ants can quickly be convinced that it is not 
  their strongest test. If no attempt is made 
  to dissuade them, however, they attempt it 
  and any character immersed must make a 
  successful Swim check (– 1) each minute or 
  gain a Fatigue level as the character starts 
  to drown.
  In addition, the unfortunate hero must 
  make a Vigor check (– 1) each round or gain 
  a Fatigue level from being plunged into the 
  freezing water. Remember that a hero only 
  has a single Fatigue track, so the effects of 
  the cold water are combined with that of 
  any earlier Fatigue from cold, drowning, 
  or any other source. Being thrown into the 
  river is very dangerous! 
  What Next?
  If the players have been uncooperative 
  or have failed to convince the villagers they 
  aren’t werewolves, they will be overpow-
  ered (if possible) and taken back to the vil-
  lage bound to a long pole like an animal 
  carcass, there to be tied to a stake until the 
  next full moon when the villagers will have 
  their proof. If the Heroes are on a tight 
  schedule, this could be a major delay.
  If, on the other hand, the players man-
  age to successfully satisfy the villagers (by 
  passing every test, which is very unlikely, 
  or by persuading them that their methods 
  are ﬂawed), they are hailed as werewolf 
  experts and pressed to join the hunt and 
  save their village from the terror. The vil-
  lagers turn very nasty if they are refused, 
  taking the reluctance of the characters to 
  join the hunt as the clearest possible evi-
  dence that the heroes are wolf-kin! 
  Having survived the tests of the villagers, 
  the characters must now make it through 
  the night alive. The players should have 
  little choice but to take to the woods in the 
  hunt for the beast of Badmin. 
  THE HUNTER OR THE HUNTED?
  As you all set off on the hunt the villag-
  ers discuss a development of their tests.
  “’Ere Jethro, I got an idea. My dog runs 
  for a stick when I throws it.”
  “So does your missus Kezra!”
  “I’m warning you, Jethro, do that agin, 
  an’ I’ll have ye!”
  “Funny, s’what she said too.”
  Another ﬁght erupts between Jethro and 
  Kezra.
  After a couple of hours another poor 
  traveler is found and the feeble tests start 
  all over again. The heroes must decide how 
  much longer they can allow this farce to 
  continue. Regardless, just when the hunt 
  seems a waste of time, as the band reaches 
  the deepest, darkest part of the wood, the 
  beast makes an appearance. Away from the 
  ﬁre at their camp, the characters are once 
  again the prey of the animal they hunt and 
  the beast starts to stalk the villagers, pick-
  ing them off one at a time as they spread 
  out or become separated. The beast lies in 
  wait in the branches and pounces; lies still 
  in the dense undergrowth, tripping and 
  biting; or dashes past the ﬂanks using its 
  cold breath to weaken its victims.
  
  CRITICAL HITS 01
  10
  Try to play up the creepy situation: poor 
  visibility, lack of adequate illumination, 
  noises in the night, and difﬁcult terrain. 
  Each death is punctuated by vicious growl-
  ing sounds and the loud, terriﬁed screams 
  of the unfortunate villager. When the 
  others arrive on the scene, there is noth-
  ing but the grisly remains of their former 
  friend. As the hunters gradually start to get 
  picked off, it should become apparent to 
  all that they are, in fact, the hunted. When 
  this is explicitly stated for the ﬁrst time, the 
  villagers drop all pretence and look to the 
  heroes to save them. The players are going 
  to have to make some sort of plan to pro-
  tect them from the beast.
  If more than half the villagers are killed 
  or Incapacitated, they decide to retreat. 
  The hunt must make the two-hour return 
  journey, empty-handed, to the village, 
  bearing the dead and wounded. If anyone 
  is left behind (alive or dead) the villagers 
  offer 17 pieces of gold and 33 pieces of sil-
  ver (the sum total of their wealth) if the 
  heroes will return the individual to the vil-
  lage. If Andrew MacAllister is the missing 
  party, his noble father offers an additional 
  100 pieces of gold for his return. To claim 
  the money, the heroes must set off this very 
  night—straight back into the forest and the 
  waiting creature that lurks in the night.
  THE BEAST OF BADMIN
  The villagers’ “proof” that there even is 
  a werewolf is as shaky as their means of 
  testing for one. Some livestock has gone 
  missing and a baby has died, oh and of 
  course there is a full moon. The clinching 
  piece of evidence is that the miller heard 
  a wolf howling. However, all this evidence 
  has led them to a false conclusion. There is 
  a beast in the forest tonight, but it is not a 
  werewolf. 
  An aging Midwinter Wolf has killed a 
  younger rival and expanded his territory, 
  including the village within the bounds of 
  his patch. The beast is old and has seen 
  many winters up here in the mountains. 
  He has grown wily and is well-used to 
  the ways of men. When food is abundant, 
  he stays clear of them but, as winter has 
  started to draw in he has stolen their cattle 
  and their young for his food. He knows the 
  men are out in the forest, but he has been 
  hunted before and still has his skin. The 
  moon is bright and his senses are keen; he 
  knows he will eat well tonight.
  Midwinter Wolf
  Native to the Midwinter Mountains 
  region, the Midwinter Wolf is a huge beast 
  with a fearsome frozen breath and is 
  ﬁercely territorial. Its white fur is streaked 
  with brown, making it blend easily with 
  the snowy forests of the area.
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6(A), Spirit 
  d8, Strength d12, Vigor d10
  Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d6, 
  Intimidation d8, Stealth d8, Tracking d6
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  • Bite: Str+3.
  • Claws: Str+2.
  • Go for the Throat: Wolves instinctively go 
  for an opponent’s soft spots. With a raise 
  on its attack roll, the Midwinter Wolf hits 
  the target’s most weakly-armored loca-
  tion.
  • Icy Breath: The Midwinter Wolf can 
  breathe an icy blast in a Cone Template. 
  Every target within the cone must make 
  an Agility roll at – 2 or be hit by the blast. 
  Those who fail must make a Vigor check 
  (– 2) or gain a Fatigue level from the fro-
  zen blast.
  
  THE HUNT
  11
  • Improved Frenzy: A Midwinter Wolf 
  may make two attacks each round with 
  no penalty.
  • Pounce: Winter Wolves often pounce on 
  their prey to best bring their mass and 
  teeth to bear. They can leap 1d6” to gain 
  +4 to its attack and damage. The crea-
  ture’s Parry is reduced by – 2 until its next 
  action when performing the maneuver, 
  however.
  • Size +2: Winter Wolves are large enough 
  to take down a fully grown bull.
  THE BEAST WITHIN
  (Optional Ending)
  The Hunt is a short scenario, based 
  around the actions of the poor, hopeless 
  unprepared, and terribly misguided peas-
  ants. The heroes are drawn into their local 
  drama and can help them slay the beast, 
  providing a straightforward little adven-
  ture for a relatively inexperienced party.
  If you want to complicate matters some-
  what, one of the villagers can really turn 
  out to be a lycanthrope. The guilty secret 
  is buried far back in the family’s past and 
  ‘the trouble’ has been with the village for 
  centuries. Every few generations another 
  ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ is born to bring 
  disgrace to the family name. Which of the 
  peasants suffers from this disorder is left 
  for you to decide but there should be some 
  mystery, a number of possible suspects and 
  the wolfman should eventually turn and 
  eat all his erstwhile neighbors.
  Whoever the culprit is, have him be 
  one of the ﬁrst few villagers to die, some-
  where where he may be abandoned. When 
  the heroes return for him (either while 
  searching for him after his disappearance 
  is noticed, or after returning to the vil-
  lage and accepting the peasants offer of 
  money), all they ﬁnd is a bloody trail lead-
  ing off into the undergrowth. Eventually, 
  the trail peters out (as the werewolf regen-
  erates) leaving the heroes in the middle of 
  the forest again. The werewolf attacks as 
  soon as the heroes relax their guard.
  Werewolf
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, 
  Strength d12+2, Vigor d10
  Skills: Climb d8, Fighting d12+2, Guts d10, 
  Intimidation d10, Notice d12, Swimming 
  d10, Stealth d10, Tracking d10
  Pace: 8; Parry: 9; Toughness: 7
  Special Abilities
  • Claws: Str+3.
  • Fear -2: Werewolves chill the blood of 
  all who see them.
  • Infection: Anyone slain by a werewolf 
  has a 50% chance of rising as a werewolf 
  themselves. The character involuntarily 
  transforms every full moon. He gains 
  control of his lycanthropy only after 1d6 
  years as a werewolf.
  • Immunity: Werewolves can only be 
  Shaken by weapons that are not silver—
  not wounded.
  • Infravision: Werewolves can see heat 
  and halve penalties for bad lighting 
  when attacking living targets.
  • Weakness: Werewolves suffer normal 
  damage from silver weapons.
  Note: attacking the party with both the 
  werewolf and the Midwinter Wolf at the 
  same time is extremely unkind, and is a 
  recipe for some serious character inju-
  ries… so feel free! IF things get too grue-
  some, the two creatures could ﬁght it out 
  for a few rounds while the heroes regroup 
  and plan their next move. Unless they are 
  really struggling, however (in which case 
  they should run away), the heroes should 
  have to dispatch both creatures or die try-
  ing. Nobody said being a hero was easy! ❖
  
  Novice
   Arik of Aranthea
  Human
  -
  
  
  
  Fighting
  Gambling
  Guts
  Notice
  Persuasion
  Shooting
  Stealth
  Survival
  Taunt
  Arrogant, Loyal, Mean
  Alertness
  Brawny
  Quick
  Leather armor
  Dagger  
   
   
   
   
  (Str+1) 
  1 
  Long Sword   
   
   
   
  (Str+3) 
  8
  Backpack
  Bedroll
  Blanket
  Canteen
  Flint and Steel
  Trail Rations
  22 Gold
  Novice
  15
  2 
  4 
  4 
  1 
  1 
  5
  41 lbs
  48 lbs
  
  Novice
  
  Herran Graibayn
  Elf
  -
  
  
  
  Fighting
  Guts
  Shooting
  Stealth
  Survival
  Tracking
  All 
  Thumbs, 
  Loyal, 
  Overconﬁ dent, 
  Outsider
  Low Light Vision
  Quick Draw
  Trademark Weapon (elf bow)
  Leather armor 
   
   
   
   
          15
  Dagger  
   
   
   
   
  Str+1         1
  Elf Bow  
   
  30/60/120  
   
  2d6+2        5
  50 Arrows
  Backpack
  Bedroll
  Blanket
  Canteen
  Flint and Steel
  Trail Rations
  7 Gold
   Is owed 90 gold by Grimm Strongax 
  Novice
  10 
  2 
  4 
  4 
  1 
  1
  5
  48 lbs
  20 lbs
  -1
  
  Novice
  Human
  Darius Melbeân
  
  
  
  
  
  Fighting
  Gambling
  Guts
  Intimidation
  Knowledge (folklore
  Notice
  Shooting
  Spellcasting
  Survival
  Greedy, Poverty
  Quirk (compulsive gambler)
  Arcane Backgrou nd: 
  Magic
  Power Points
  Armor
  Bolt
  Stun
  Dagger  
   
   
   
   
  Str+1           1
  Backpack
  Bedroll
  Blanket
  Canteen
  Flint and Steel
  Trail Rations
  2    
  Is owed 120 gold by Grimm Strongax
  Novice
  2
  4 
  4 
  1 
  1
  5
  18 lbs
  20 lbs
  
  Novice
  
  Grimm Strongax
  Dwarf
  -
  
  
  
  Fighting
  Guts
  Intimidation
  Notice
  Throwing
  Delusional (everyone is out to get him)
  Heroic, Mean, Slow
  Ambidextrous
  Low Light Vision
  Tough
  Two-Fisted
  Leather armor 
   
   
   
   
           15
  2 axes   
   
   
   
   
  Str+2          4
  2 throwing axes 
  3/6/12  
   
  Str+2          4
  Backpack
  Bedroll
  Blanket
  Canteen
  Flint and Steel
  Trail Rations
  Notes - Owes Darius Melbeân 120 gold
  Owes Herran Graibayn 90 gold
  40 lbs
  50 lbs
  2
  4 
  4 
  1 
  1
  5
  
  In All That Glisters the heroes must deal with 
  the simple traders and a host of strange goings-on 
  in a small market town, before it shuts for its weird 
  religious festival. But what’s happening? And who 
  is the dark and mysterious stranger that seems to 
  shadow their every move?
  Neveredge Falls pit the unstoppable force of the party 
  against the immoveable object of the majestic Neveredge 
  Falls. Reaching the top of a stupendous waterfall, the 
  heroes realize the only way is down. But the way is hard 
  and death lurks at every step. What are the denizens of the 
  falls? And who made the spectacular ruins they inhabit?
  meet a mysterious stranger
  “In a tavern, you
  who tells you...”
  TIRED OF THE SAME OLD STORY?
  Critical Hits are short adventures that ﬂ ip worn-out conventions on their head and show your 
  players something different from the usual fantasy fare. They are compatable with any Savage 
  Worlds fantasy setting and can be dropped into any campaign with a minimum of work.
  OFFICIAL SAVAGE WORLDS
  tm LICENSED PRODUCTS FROM LEGION PUBLISHING
  Time to go CRITICAL! in the world of MERIDIANtm
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  Legion Publishing, the Legion Publishing logo, Legionnaire, and all related characters 
  and elements are trademarks of Legion Publishing.
  and elements are trademarks of Legion Publishing.
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  WELCOME TO
  WELCOME TO 
  CRITICAL HITS!
  CRITICAL HITS!
  Critical Hits
  Critical Hits are a series of short adventures suitable
   are a series of short adventures suitable 
  for one or two sessions of play and focusing on the
  for one or two sessions of play and focusing on the 
  kinds of situations often overlooked in traditional
  kinds of situations often overlooked in traditional 
  fantasy stories. Each adventure is complete and
  fantasy stories. Each adventure is complete and 
  contains a selection of sample characters to make
  contains a selection of sample characters to make 
  the perfect one-shot package. Alternatively, with
  the perfect one-shot package. Alternatively, with 
  little or no work, these snappy little scenarios
  little or no work, these snappy little scenarios 
  can be dropped into almost any existing fantasy
  can be dropped into almost any existing fantasy 
  campaign.
  So spice-up your players’ fantasy experience with
  So spice-up your players’ fantasy experience with 
  something a little different. Take a look at the
  something a little different. Take a look at the 
  ever-growing range of adventures from Legion
  ever-growing range of adventures from Legion 
  Publishing and let your campaign go Critical!
  Publishing and let your campaign go Critical!
  The Hunt
  The Hunt pits your party against a group of frightened yokels who are searching
   pits your party against a group of frightened yokels who are searching 
  the forest at night for the terror that has plagued their village. Can the heroes
  the forest at night for the terror that has plagued their village. Can the heroes 
  prove they are not the culprits? And is there something more dangerous in the
  prove they are not the culprits? And is there something more dangerous in the 
  woods than peasant superstition?
  woods than peasant superstition? 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Savage Worlds System (SWADE) [multi]/Fantasy/Savage Worlds - Fantasy - The Hunt.pdf