TEXT: f ang, Beak, and Claw is a short DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®
  adventure for four characters of about 8th level, one of 
  whom 
  should 
  be 
  a 
  ranger 
  or 
  have 
  some
  skill at tracking. The number of creatures at the end of the adven-
  ture can be increased or decreased to accommodate more or less pow-
  erful characters. 
  Although this adventure was written to be used with the new edi-
  tion of the .FORGOTTEN REALMS® Campaign Setting, it is also suit-
  able for use in most other medieval fantasy settings, including those
  of the Dungeon Master’s own creation.
  Preparation
  To run this adventure, you need the new edition Player’s Handbook, 
  DUNGEON MASTER’S Guide, and Monster Manual.®
  Monster statistics noted in each encounter are abbreviated, but
  provide the Monster Manual page number for full statistics of
  common monsters.
  Background
  Fang, Beak, and Claw involves an evil druid of Malar, his cronies,
  and a tamed owlbear. Living in a sheltered grove altered by the
  druid’s spells, they are using the beast to harass loggers in the woods
  and help in their cruel hunts.
  Two years ago, a druid named Jorren saw his favorite portions of
  the forest become despoiled when settlers moved into the area and
  began felling trees. They ignored his requests to stop and his offers
  of guidance as to how they could acquire wood without causing so
  much damage to the wilderness. Angered, he turned to worshiping
  2
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  Credits
  A FORGOTTEN REALMS CAMPAIGN SETTING ADVENTURE
  BY SEAN K REYNOLDS
  Fa n g ,
  b e a k ,
  a n d
  c l a w
  
  Malar instead of the more benign nature deities, and eventually suc-
  cumbed to evil, nursing his anger with plots of revenge upon the
  encroaching towns.
  After liberating an owlbear egg from a nest deep within the forest,
  he raised the chick-cub and managed to tamed it somewhat. Now,
  from the shelter of his forest home, he sends his pet to kill small
  groups of loggers, explorers, and remote farmers. Sometimes he
  enhances it with some of his long-lasting spells, or he and his half-orc
  ranger cohorts join the beast in attacking small homesteads, their
  skills leaving few tracks and much fear over what is responsible.
  Adventure Synopsis
  The heroes are called in to investigate several grisly murders or
  animal maulings near a remote forest village. Some of the murder
  sites have large bear-like and bird tracks (some adventurers may
  realize this means an owlbear is responsible), while some have no
  tracks whatsoever. The locals have limited skill in tracking and are
  cannot follow the prints back to their source. Attacks continue to
  occur while the heroes are on the job, and eventually they can follow
  a trail from one attack until they reach the creature’s lair, which isn
  an overgrown section of the forest.
  The owlbear is a pet of an evil druid, who is accompanied by a
  couple of evil rangers and several guardian and sentry animals. The
  druid is orchestrating the attacks to punish settlers for destroying
  the forest. He can be convinced to stop the attacks if the villagers
  agree to use methods that are more friendly to the wilderness.
  Character Hooks
  Reward: A local noble, mayor, or other leader learns of the
  attacks and offers a reward for whoever destroys the creature and
  ends the attacks (this is the default hook assumed for this scenario).
  Investigation: Church superiors or a druidic society (who may sus-
  pect a druid is involved) could assign a nature cleric, druid, or ranger
  in the group to investigate the attacks and discover who or what is
  responsible.
  Aid: The heroes are going to or returning from an adventure and
  pass through or near the most recent attack site, finding tracks and
  possibly a survivor needing aid.
  On Commission: A powerful NPC with a guardian owlbear (alter-
  natively, a spellcaster seeking unusual material components) wishes
  to add to her collection. She hires the PCs to track this rampaging
  owlbear to its nest and see if there are any eggs or chick-cubs.
  Druid of Malar
  The first two encounters represent the investigation leading up to
  the third or main encounter.
  A. Homesteaders
  This simple wooden home is the residence of a family of seven (a
  married couple, four children, and the husband’s elderly father). In
  the most recent attack, the door to their home was broken down
  while all but the old man were out gathering wood or food. The
  grandfather was killed and partially eaten. The cause of death is sev-
  eral large claw marks and birdlike bites. The creature’s tracks have
  been somewhat covered up (Track DC 17), but although after 100
  yards the attempts to cover them end. From this point the trail is
  normal (Track DC 14). The heroes do not find the more obvious
  trail unless they miss the first one and try searching a wider area for
  tracks.
  B. The Vanishing
  After about a mile, the tracks simply stop (the owlbear returned to
  the druid, who cast pass without trace on it, and the two of them
  returned to their home). The only feature nearby is an outcropping
  of rock, but the tracks end more than ten yards from it (nothing is
  unusual about the rock).
  This encounter lets the heroes know that the thing they follow is
  not just a simple animal. They can attempt to follow it magically,
  or they can wait for another attack to occur. The trail from the next
  attack or and the one after that don’t vanish (the druid needed to
  prepare other spells that day) and the heroes can track it (Track DC
  14) all the way to the druid’s grove.
  C. Grove (EL 8)
  Jorren has used plant growth spells to increase the amount of vege-
  tation in the area, creating a dense grove of trees, saplings, and
  shrubs that conceal his home and are difficult to pass through. From
  this base, he sends the owlbear out to attack, counting upon the con-
  cealment of the grove and the abilities of his allies to keep them
  from being discovered. If they are attacked, see the general tactics
  section below.
  The thick vegetation created by the plant growth spells slows crea-
  tures passing through it to a speed of 5 feet (10 feet for Large or
  larger creatures). Within the grove are several open areas, used by
  Jorren, his ranger allies, and animal companions (two wolverines,
  three owls, and six weasels), and the owlbear. Jorren can pass
  through the tangled vegetation at normal speed because of his
  druidic woodland stride ability. The wolverines have a few squat tun-
  nels that PCs can crawl through, although they are not easy to
  notice (Search DC 20). The other animal companions can either fly
  or are small enough to crawl through the growth unimpeded. The
  rangers access the open areas by means of elevated stout branches
  tied together to form 12-inch-.wide catwalks, climbing the trees
  (Climb DC 15) to reach them. Small platforms tied high in the tree
  trunks overlook the interior open areas and key positions along the
  outer perimeter of the grove, allowing a stable place to sit, stand, or
  fight.
  The open areas within the grove are either exposed to the sky or par-
  tially covered with sparse high branches from the surrounding trees.
  The ground in these areas is cleared of leaves and debris to prevent
  unwanted noise. Any fires made are small and built within a circle of
  damp earth to prevent accidental fires. The druid leaves no tracks (due
  to his trackless sstep ability) and the rangers take great care to leave no
  signs of their travels within 100 yards of the grove. As a result, the
  only tracks visible are those of animals and the owlbear.
  1. OWLBEAR NEST
  The owlbear drags its kills to its nest and uses one end as a sleeping
  area. The PCs may find one fairly fresh corpse of a creature here
  (typically a deer or one of the slain loggers), although the intelligent
  residents carry them away before they stink enough to attract too
  much attention. The owlbear has no treasure of its own.
  DOwlbear: hp 52; see Monster Manual page 148.
  2. COOKING AREA
  The humanoids cook their meals on a small fire in the center of this
  area. Nearby is a small area of flat stones that keeps a wooden chest
  from contacting the ground. The chest holds cooking supplies, some
  dried vegetables and fruit, and some wooden bowls and utensils. A
  small open barrel stands nearby to collect rainwater.
  Fang, Beak, and Claw
  3
  
  3. DRUID
  Jorren spends about half the day or night in this area, planning
  attacks or fortifying the grove. Because of his animal companions
  and the owlbear, he is very difficult to surprise, and the animals
  alert him (either with physical contact or with noise) when strangers
  approach.
  DJorren, male human Drd6 of Malar: CR 6; Medium-size
  humanoid; HD 6d8+6; hp 37; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 (touch 12,
  flat-footed 15); Atk +5 melee (1d6/18–-20, masterwork scimitar), or
  +8 ranged (1d4, sling); SA spells; SQ animal companions, nature
  sense, resist nature’s lure, trackless step, wild shape (2/day), wood-
  land stride; AL NE; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +8; Str 10, Dex 14,
  Con 13, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 13.
  Skills and Feats: Animal Empathy +8, Concentration +8, Handle
  Animal +8, Heal +6, Knowledge (nature) +8, Swim +6, Wilderness
  Lore +10; Dodge, Scribe Scroll, Track, Weapon Focus (sling).
  Possessions: +1 leather armor, large wooden shield, masterwork
  scimitar, sling, 10 masterwork sling bullets, scrolls (3 cure light
  wounds, 2 pass without trace, 2 barkskin, 2 chill metal, delay poison,
  warp wood, 2 greater magic fang, neutralize poison, 2 protection
  from elements, 2 water breathing,), potion of blur, wand of cure light
  wounds (5 charges), 50 gp.
  Spells Prepared (5/4/4/3; base DC = 13 + spell level): 0—cure
  minor wounds, detect poison, know direction, light, mending; 1st—
  entangle, faerie fire, obscuring mist, summon nature’s ally I; 2nd—
  charm person or animal, summon swarm (2), tree shape; 3rd—cure
  moderate wounds, poison, summon nature’s ally III.
  4. ANIMALS
  The druid’s animal friends make their lair here, and 1d3–1 wolver-
  ines, 1d3 owls, and 1d4+1 weasels are present in the vicinity when
  the PCs arrive. The wolverines have dug themselves a small den in
  this area (barely larger than the two of them). The weasels have
  small tunnels along the far end, and the owls nests in the nearby
  trees. The animals are loyal to the druid and attack any stranger
  whothat enters the area.
  DWolverines (2): hp 24, 26; Monster Manual page 204.
  DOwls (3): hp 4, 4, 6; Manual page 199.
  DWeasels (6): hp 2 each; Monster Manual page 203.
  5. RANGERS
  The two rangers claim this area as their own. The trees near the
  walkways have small pegs hammered into them to aid in climbing
  (Climb DC 12). The rangers stay alert for the signals from the ani-
  mals and beast, so they are difficult to surprise as well.
  DCogol and Harrik, female half- orcs Rgr2: CR 2; Medium-size
  humanoid; HD 2d10+2; hp 17, 20; Init +2 (Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 15
  (12 touch, 13 flat-footed); Atk +3/+3 melee (1d8+3/x3, battleaxe)
  plus 1d6+3/19-–20, short sword), or +5 ranged (1d6+2/x3, mighty
  composite short bow); SQ favored enemy (humans), darkvision; AL
  NE; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +1; Str 16, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10,
  Wis 12, Cha 7.
  Skills and Feats: Animal Empathy +0, Climb +7, Hide +6, Move
  Silently +5, Spot +3, Swim +4, Wilderness Lore +5; [Ambidexterity],
  Track, [Two-Weapon Fighting), Weapon Focus (composite short-
  bow). 
  Possessions (each): Masterwork studded leather, battleaxe, short
  sword, mighty composite short bow (+2 Str bonus), 20 arrows, tan-
  glefoot bag, 2 smokesticks (each tied to a tindertwig), potion of cure
  light wounds.
  Fang, Beak, and Claw
  4
  
  Tactics
  The druid and rangers prefer to defend their home from the cat-
  walks and platforms (30 feet in the air) where they gain one-quar-
  ter concealment (10% miss chance). The druid uses his spells and
  sling against opponents. Since he can pass through the heavy growth
  at his normal movement rate, he might attack from the ground,
  springing from the brush long enough to attack, then retreating on
  his next action. During the combat he calls out that the adventurers
  must be punished, in a manner similar to those who ignored his pleas
  to protect the forest. The rangers deploy their tanglefoot bags at
  opponents, followed by arrow attacks. The wolverines attack anyone
  the druid specifies, while the owls and weasels are trained to harry
  spellcasters. The owlbear has to force its way through the thick
  brush to reach interior areas but attacks as soon as it can. If their
  lives are in danger, the rangers use their smokesticks to give them-
  selves concealment and try to escape, while the druid uses wild shape
  to become an owl and fly away (possibly returning later for a retal-
  iatory attack). The animals and owlbear fight to the death or until
  the druid retreats or calls them off.
  Conclusions
  Should the heroes defeat the owlbear but the rangers and druid
  escape, it is likely that Jorren and the ladiesthey join or start a cell
  of the People of the Black Blood, who cause trouble in the area for
  a long time to come.
  If the humanoids are defeated but the heroes have to retreat
  from the owlbear, it remains in the area and continues to harass
  nearby folk until it is disposed of.
  If the heroes try to negotiate with Jorren, he is willing to talk.
  The druid wants what he has wanted all along—for the locals to
  practice conservation in the forest—although he is cynical about
  their willingness to do so. His attitude is currently Hostile (see the
  DUNGEON MASTER’S Guide page 149), and he needs to be influenced
  to at least Indifferent toward the PCs before he agrees to make
  peace and to teach the locals how to do better. He refuses to pay
  compensation for any injuries or deaths he has caused, but he does
  use his spells to help the community should they abide by his
  requests. It is likely that eventually he changes his alignment back
  to neutral.
  Fang, Beak, and Claw
  5
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Settings/Forgotten Realms/Forgotten Realms - Fang, Beak and Claw.pdf