L1-19. Urzhag’s Court 'Warband Chief’s Chamber'
Halfway down the long red-tiled south corridor, a pair of heavy doors face west. Each door is studded with small round sockets about six feet up—once gem-set, now pried bare. Inside lies an oval chamber kept in rough order. A rope-mended bed sags against the wall, a big iron-bound chest sits at its foot, and an entire fresco band circles the room: eighteen Suel deities painted in procession. Two faces you’ve seen elsewhere—Wee Jas and Syrul—stand out among Bralm, Llerg, Pyremius, Dalt, Fortubo, Jascar, Kord, Lendor, Lydia, Norebo, Osprem, Phaulkon, Phyton, Vatun, Xerbo and others. The paint glows dully in lantern light, a ring of patient gods staring down at a very impatient occupant.
War Chief Urzhag by 3orcs
Occupant
Urzhag “Grey-Howl” — warband chief and the only werewolf (hybrid) among the Howling Moon here. To the rank-and-file he’s also called Krak (their camp-name for him). A livid scar tracks the bald crown of his head; one ear is missing; his teeth are filed to points.
Read-aloud (if he’s present)
A huge orc rises from a chair, tugging a dwarven ram-horned helm into place. His shield—an anvil in relief—bangs against the bedpost as he reaches for a wicked axe. He grins, all sharpened teeth. “Pink-skins,” he says, “you walked into my picture.”
Room features & checks
- Gem-sockets in doors. DC 12 Investigation to notice pry-marks and a trace of red wax—Suel gem wards were here; gone now.
- Fresco band (Suel Pantheon). DC 11 Religion/History identifies deities; a careful viewer spots Lendor’s six-bead cadence repeating around the baseboard. A PC who calls this out gains advantage on one Insight or Investigation in this room (they’re “reading the pageantry”).
- Rope-mended bed. DC 11 Perception: the rope is fresh—Urzhag sleeps here nightly; DC 13 finds a horn-polish rag and metal filings (werewolf tries to keep plate mail workable).
- Locked chest (at the bed’s foot). An oil can sits on top.
- Lock/hinges: “impossibly rusty” (the oil helps but also smears). Add +5 DC to open the lock by force or picks; hinges have –5 hardness to damage (they’ll tear noisily). In 5e terms: DC 20 Thieves’ Tools to pick; AC 15, HP 18 on the hinges; breaking them creates a loud clang that triggers the response clock immediately.
- Inside: a dump of dirty loincloths, rusty chain scraps, three pewter candle-stands caked with red wax (1 gp each). Beneath the cloth is Urzhag’s war horn (see Treasure) and the sketch-map (see below).
Treasure & notable gear
- Urzhag’s gear (on him or within reach):
- Greataxe “Bringer of Death.” 2d6 slashing; angular blade etchings; the Orcish name is gold-inlaid on the haft.
- Orc plate armor (AC base 18, often dented), ram-horned dwarven helm (see Thuldon), dwarven anvil shield (counts as shield).
- Pouch: 30 gp, 12 sp.
- Thuldon’s relics (dwarven trophies):
- Winged war-helm (currently worn by Urzhag during parley/boasting).
- Shield with embossed anvil (his current shield).
- Rockhall drinking horn (engraved clan sigil).
- War Horn of the Howling Moon. Graven ram horns bound in copper with a shared mouthpiece. Action: blow to issue the attack signal; within the dungeon, allies within 300 ft rally—add +10 to the encounter/response roll for 3 rounds, and any orc unit that can join will begin moving immediately.
- Sketch map (burned onto wood). Shows a vine-covered temple in the Fens of Tor and marks “Qalnossk.” Using it grants advantage to navigate that marsh on your future expedition.
The gem-sockets in the door stare like empty eyes. Inside, eighteen painted gods ring the stone—law, flame, trickery, sea, and storm—all watching as a scar-crowned orc chief lifts a ram-horned helm, bares filed teeth, and reaches for the axe he calls Bringer of Death.
Tactics & response
- If combat already occurred elsewhere: Urzhag arrives to that fight on round 6 (from wherever he was).
- If found here (no prior alarm):
- He opens with handaxe + shield while he sizes the party and bellows for guards, then drops the shield to wield Bringer of Death two-handed once blood is drawn.
- At half HP, he shifts to hybrid (if you’re using lycanthropy fully), gaining bestial ferocity and a bite; otherwise, give him advantage on his next two attacks as he flies into a killing trance.
- He uses the war horn at the first opportunity unless silenced or disarmed.
Reinforcements (if you attack him here):
- Round 1: Room 17 & 18 bodyguards burst in.
- Round 3: Elites from 10, 11, 12, 13 arrive.
- Round 6: Two nearest barracks empty into the corridor.
Door taunts (2nd-person, use if PCs dither):
“You breathe loud, filth. Open gentle if you want words. Kick, and I drink your scream.”
“Found you! Now try and hide from Grey-Howl! No more games—time to die!”
Map notes
- Oval room opening west off the south-running red corridor; place the bed on the north curve, chest at its foot, chair & table near the center, and the fresco band ringing the full wall height.
Running tips
- Make this feel like a throne-by-necessity, not luxury: Urzhag rules from a bed-foot chest and a stolen helm while gods watch from the walls.
- Use the horn and the response clock mercilessly—Room 19 is where the dungeon fights back.
- Let players read the pantheon band to earn a tiny edge; your Suel theme should hum even in the boss’s den.
- Reconcile names on the fly: if players heard of Krak, reveal it’s Grey-Howl’s camp-name.
Urzhag’s Court 'Warband Chief’s Chamber' by 3orcs
War Chief Urzhag Grey-Howl by 3orcs
Urzhag Grey-Howl (5e boss)
Use Orc Warchief (MM) as a base, then layer the gear and werewolf flavor; or use the statline below if you want numbers on the page.
Medium humanoid (orc, shapechanger), CE • CR 7
AC 17 (orc plate, shield or helm) • HP 56 (5d10+25) • Speed 30 ft
STR 18 (+4) DEX 12 (+1) CON 16 (+3) INT 10 (+0) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 8 (–1)
Saves Str +7, Con +6 • Skills Intimidation +3, Athletics +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft., PP 11 • Aggressive (bonus-action move toward a foe)
Traits
- Grey-Howl’s Fury. When Urzhag is first bloodied (≤ half HP), he can bonus action make a Bite (if hybrid) or gain advantage on his next two melee attacks this turn.
- Chief’s Command (Recharge 5–6). As a bonus action, one orc within 30 ft can use its reaction to make a weapon attack.
Actions - Greataxe (“Bringer of Death”). +7 to hit, reach 5 ft, 1d12+5 slashing (versatile two-hand 1d12; if raging hybrid, add +2).
- Handaxe. +7 to hit, 1d6+5 slashing; can be thrown 20/60.
- Bite (hybrid form). +7 to hit, 1d8+4 piercing; if target is a creature, it must succeed on DC 12 Con or take 2d6 extra necrotic as the wound tears (use in place of full lycanthrope disease if preferred).
Legendary-lite (optional, boss feel): 1/round out of turn, when a foe misses him in melee, Urzhag may move 10 ft without provoking.
(If you prefer strict MM stats, run Orc Warchief + Pack and give him the horn & gear.)
Type
Room, Military, War Room
Parent Location
Owning Organization
Contested By
Loot summary (after the fight)
- Greataxe “Bringer of Death” (martial two-hander; ornate but non-magical unless you want it to be).
- Orc plate (counts as plate; ill-fitting for non-orcs without refit).
- Dwarven helm, shield, drinking horn (return to Clan Rockhall for a favor or 250–500 gp).
- War horn (signal item).
- Temple of Elemental Evil — Field Order (Scroll): Cracked red wax, twine-tied. The parchment smells of oil and smoke. The script is blunt, with stamped sigils along the margins.
- 30 gp, 12 sp, pewter candle-stands (1 gp ea.), sketch-map to Qalnossk.
emple of Elemental Evil — Field Order From Commander Deggum, Hand of the Eye on the Border by 3orcs
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