# The Pack in the Hills > From the Curse of Strahd game wiki (it covers the whole game, spoilers included): https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-pack-in-the-hills.html. Unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy, not approved or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast. > [!infobox] > ![quest wolves in the hills](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/quest-wolves-in-the-hills.webp) > **Type:** Side quest > **Region:** [The Werewolf Den](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/regions/the-werewolf-den.md) · level 8 > **Given by:** [Zuleika Toranescu](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/zuleika-toranescu.md) > **Starts at:** [The Hills above Lake Zarovich](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-hills-above-lake-zarovich.md) > **Rewards:** [Potion of Healing](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#potion-of-healing) ×2, [Ring of Free Action](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#ring-of-free-action), a level (milestone) ## Summary A pack of werewolves dens in the hills above Lake Zarovich. Its leader serves the castle, and its old leader hangs in chains for refusing to. ## Walkthrough ### Getting the quest The den isn't on your travel map until somebody tells you where it is. Any of these puts [The Hills above Lake Zarovich](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-hills-above-lake-zarovich.md) on the map: - [Grigor](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/grigor.md)'s hunters on [The Old Svalich Road](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/regions/the-old-svalich-road.md), once you've made friends with them: he says the wolves that walk on two legs den in the hills above the lake. Following the drag marks from a peddler's torn bundle on the same road (Survival DC 13) does it too. - The [Krezk Watchman](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/krezk-watchman.md), once [Krezk](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/krezk.md)'s gate is open: ask "Heard anything interesting?" and he tells you five children have gone from the farms below the wall. This also starts the quest (stage Heard), but he only tells it if you haven't already had the rumour from Grigor or the peddler's bundle, and the children aren't home yet. - [Ezmerelda d'Avenir](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/ezmerelda-davenir.md) at her camp by [Van Richten's Tower](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/van-richtens-tower.md): "What do you know about the wolves in these hills?" starts the quest and marks the den. - [Bluto Krogarov](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/bluto-krogarov.md), if you pull him back from the end of the jetty at [Lake Zarovich: the Fishers' Landing](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/lake-zarovich-the-fishers-landing.md). - The map of the valley in Van Richten's workroom. - Chance meetings on the hill trails: a howl at night (Survival DC 13), an overturned Krezk farm cart by day (Survival DC 12), or a big wolf watching you from a ridge (no roll). - Your [Madam Eva](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/madam-eva.md) reading, if it hid something in the den or named [Emil Toranescu](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/emil-toranescu.md) as your ally. The den is 5 hours from [Vallaki](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/vallaki.md) by the north track, 2 hours by boat from Lake Zarovich once Bluto's boat is yours, and 2.5 hours from Van Richten's Tower by the ridge path. All three roads can throw a fight at you: until the pack question is settled, a werewolf with five dire wolves by day, and by night three of Kiril's werewolves with three wolves. The quest is pitched at about level 8. If you haven't started it by the time you arrive, it starts the moment [Zuleika Toranescu](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/zuleika-toranescu.md) speaks to you. ### Step by step 1. **Climb the slope.** You arrive at the bottom of a pine slope with the cave mouth at the top. ![loc werewolf den 1](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-werewolf-den-1.webp) Before you go up, look around. On the west side of the trail there's a torn hunter's pack (8 gp, a [Longbow](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#longbow), 20 arrows, 2 rations), and close by, hidden in the mud, a hunter's boots (search DC 13: [Boots of Speed](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#boots-of-speed)). There's also something by the stream (search DC 13: [Perfume](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#perfume)) and something under the basket by the clay pot near the cave (search DC 14: a [Hunting Trap](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#hunting-trap)). Each of you gets one look at a hidden find, so let your best searcher go first. The heap of bones pays 30 gp to a Medicine DC 14 check, and Nature DC 13 names the purple flowers as wolfsbane. Look at the "something small in the mud" near the clay pot: it's Codruta's rag doll, and you'll want it later. The slope is a risky place to rest; the caves won't let you rest at all. 2. **Talk to Zuleika.** A woman in a patched coat straightens up from the purple flowers below the cave mouth and speaks first. Ask "What do you want from strangers?": she explains that Kiril Stoyanovich runs the pack for the castle, that her husband Emil hangs in silver chains for refusing to steal children, and that Kiril and his favourites are out on the Krezk road. The quest moves to Asked. Only now do the two answers that matter appear: - **"We'll free Emil."** She hands you the key to his chains and walks you past the wolves inside, so there's no fight in the mouth cave. Thistle approves (+1). This is the easy way in. - **"We won't do your killing for you."** She tells you to go back down the hill. Nothing is lost: talk to her again and the same offer is still there. The Insight DC 13 option only tells you she's listening down the slope for Kiril coming home. She also has a word for you if you bring Ezmerelda, if you killed Dragan at the falls, or if somebody drew you a map. 3. **The mouth cave.** If Zuleika vouched for you, walk through. If she didn't, the wolves sleeping in the straw are waiting for you (you can see them before they move, so you can strike first): five [Werewolf](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/werewolf.md) and two [Dire Wolf](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/bestiary/dire-wolf.md) at level 8 (3900 XP), four and two at level 7, three and one below that. Werewolves have Pack Tactics, and a bite can curse you with lycanthropy (DC 12 Constitution), so pull back into the narrow passage to the north and make them come at you one or two at a time. Beating them has a silver lining: Kiril brings one fewer wolf to the challenge later. Afterwards Zuleika is at the shrine on the east side of the great cave; she sets the quest to Asked and gives you the key if you ask "Do you have the key to his chains?" ![loc werewolf den caves overview](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/shots/loc-werewolf-den-caves-overview.webp) 4. **Explore before you free Emil.** Once he howls, Kiril comes, so loot first. The passage leads north into the great cave around its fire pit. Off it: Emil's alcove to the west, the children's pen behind a pole gate to the north-west, Kiril's lair to the north, the shrine of Mother Night to the east, and Zuleika's nook to the north-east. - **Kiril's lair:** his hoard (lock DC 15) holds 140 gp, 2 [Potion of Healing](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#potion-of-healing), perfume, [Fine Clothes](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#fine-clothes) and a [Dice Set](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#dice-set). The peg of keys holds the second key to Emil's chains (look at it to take it). Survival DC 15 on his trophy wall reveals a sword among them (search DC 15: [Sword of Wounding](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#sword-of-wounding)). - **The shrine:** the offerings hold 35 gp and 3 candles, plus your Tarokka treasure if the reading put it here. Something is hidden under the shrine (search DC 15: [Moon Sickle, +2](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#moon-sickle-2)). The statue gives lore on Religion DC 13, and a cleric who prays to the Morninglord there earns Heroic Inspiration. - **Zuleika's nook:** Nature DC 14 on the drying herbs reveals a flask (Investigation DC 14: [Elixir of Health](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#elixir-of-health)). - **The pen:** [Mirela](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/mirela.md) and four smaller children. Talking to her starts [The Children in the Pen](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-children-in-the-pen.md). Give Codruta her doll back, and if you have a cleric, look at Mirela's arm now (see that page). 5. **Free Emil.** He's in the west alcove. "We have the key to your chains." works with either key. Without a key you get one try each at Athletics DC 15 (tear the rings out) and Sleight of Hand DC 14 (pick the cuffs); a miss just closes that option, and "Where's the key?" points you to Zuleika and the peg in Kiril's lair. If you've heard [Izek Strazni](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/izek-strazni.md)'s story in Vallaki, or [Ireena Kolyana](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/ireena-kolyana.md) is with you, you can ask him about the night by the lake twenty years ago. Freed, Emil joins you as a guest and the quest moves to Emil Freed (Thistle +3, Godrick +1). He has to howl his challenge by pack law: "Howl, then." (asking to sneak out with the children gets the same howl). If Thistle is with you, look in the far corner of this alcove too: that's [Grandda's Trail](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/granddas-trail.md). 6. **Collect Zuleika's ring.** While she's still at the shrine, talk to her again: now that Emil is out she gives you the [Ring of Free Action](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#ring-of-free-action). She's gone from the shrine as soon as Kiril's challenge begins. Kiril is waiting in the passage at the south end of the great cave and steps up to talk as soon as you come within about ten squares of him where he can see you, so head for the shrine before you go anywhere near the passage. 7. **Kiril comes home.** ![kiril eyes](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/cutscenes/kiril-eyes.webp) [Kiril Stoyanovich](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/kiril-stoyanovich.md) strolls up the passage with his pack behind him and offers you safe passage if you stand aside. He has a jab for Ireena and Ezmerelda if they're with you (he kept Ezmerelda's boot), and if Thistle is in the party he tries to recruit her first. "And the children?" only gets you his plans for them. Then you choose: - **"We stand with Emil."** Fight `pack_challenge` with Emil on your side. If you walked in with Zuleika, it's Kiril with four werewolves and two dire wolves at level 8 (4300 XP), three and two at level 7, two and one below that. If you fought the mouth cave, it's one werewolf fewer at levels 7 and 8. Thistle +3, Godrick +2, Kip +1. Emil fights under your control, so use him to block; Kiril has 90 hit points and Pack Tactics, and the fight drops 30 gp and a potion of healing. - **"This is pack business. Settle it between the two of you."** You stand back while Kiril kills Emil by pack law, one wolf against another. Thistle -2, Godrick -2, Liriel -1. - **"Take him back, Kiril. We want no quarrel with you."** Kiril's favourites drag Emil off to die at dawn. Thistle -4, Godrick -3, Wren -2, Kip -2, Liriel -2. - **"Neither of you leads anything. This den ends tonight."** Emil leaves you and fights against you. Fight `den_reckoning`: Kiril, Emil (45 hit points), Zuleika as a werewolf (60 hit points), plus three werewolves and two dire wolves at level 8 (5000 XP), two and two at level 7, one and one below that. Thistle +1, Godrick +1, Liriel -1. 8. **If you stood with Emil and won,** Zuleika runs in and the pack is Emil's again. The quest ends at Emil Leads, the children go home with Zuleika at first light (The Children in the Pen ends Freed), she treats Mirela's bite, and the party reaches its milestone level. If Madam Eva's cards named Emil, he stays with you and [The Destined Ally](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-destined-ally.md) is found; otherwise he stays with his pack and Zuleika gives you 2 potions of healing. 9. **If Kiril won,** Zuleika's keening stops somewhere back in the den, The Destined Ally is lost if the cards had named Emil, and Kiril tells you to get out of his hills. Say "The children come with us." to bargain: - Persuasion DC 15 wins them. A miss ends the bargaining; only "Then we'll take them." or "We're leaving." are left. - Intimidation DC 15 also wins them. A miss only raises his price from 100 gp to 150 gp and puts you back at the menu, so try Intimidation before Persuasion. - Toss him a purse of 100 gp (150 gp after a failed Intimidation). If you're short, "We have nothing to trade." counts as a refusal. - "Then we'll take them." breaks his truce and starts `pack_challenge` without Emil. - "We're leaving." leaves the children in the pen. Unless you started a fight, the quest ends at Kiril Leads and you reach the milestone. 10. **If Kiril is dead and Emil is too** (the reckoning, or a broken truce), Mirela leads the children out of the pen. The quest ends at Pack Broken and the children are freed. Medicine DC 13 spots her bite (a cleric can then pray it away); "It's over. You're going home." walks them down to the road and gives you the milestone if you haven't had it already (Godrick, Kip and Thistle +2 each). > [!tip] Speak with Dead: Mircea > The heap of bones below the cave is Mircea, Grigor's brother from the Svalich road hunters. With Speak with Dead he tells you the old leader hangs in silver chains at the back of the cave for refusing the bite, and where his boots came off in the mud at the foot of the slope: a pair of [Boots of Speed](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#boots-of-speed) (Perception DC 13 to find without him). > [!tip] Speak with Plants: the wolfsbane > The patch of purple flowers by the den's door is wolfsbane, weeded in rows. With Speak with Plants it tells you the grey-braided woman cut three stalks at moonset to dry in the caves, and hid a little flask in the bundle where the wolves never sniff. The flask shows on the map in [The Werewolf Den](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-werewolf-den.md): an [Elixir of Health](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#elixir-of-health) (Investigation DC 14 to find without the plants). ### Choices and endings - **Emil leads** (success). You get the milestone, Zuleika's ring if you collected it in step 6, the 30 gp and potion from the fight, and either Emil as your ally or Zuleika's 2 potions. Afterwards Emil and Zuleika live in the great cave. Emil tells you to "send word up the hill" if you ever need teeth at the castle gates. Kiril's night hunting parties and the daytime werewolf with its dire wolves stop appearing on the hill trails, and Emil's wolves dip their heads to you on the road. Ezmerelda's trust rises by 1 when you tell her ("The pack in the hills is settled."), and by 1 more because the children are home. Strahd notices Kiril's death and his attention on you rises. - **Kiril leads** (success). You still get the milestone, but Kiril's wolves keep hunting the hill trails by night and by day, Kiril holds court in the great cave when you visit, and in the epilogue his pack is still a danger on the roads. Telling Ezmerelda costs 1 trust. If you left the children, The Children in the Pen fails, your companions take it hard (Thistle -6, Kip -5, Godrick -5, Liriel -4, Wren -4, Ratatouille -3), and if Thistle or Godrick later has it out with you at camp while the children are still in the pen, the children come up. You can still go back for the children later (see below). - **Pack broken** (success). Milestone, children freed, fight loot. The den stands empty, and Ezmerelda's trust rises as for Emil's ending. Strahd notices Kiril's death here too, and his attention on you rises. - In every ending where the children go home, [Krezk](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/krezk.md) later has news of the smallest of them, which starts [The Pack's Runt](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-packs-runt.md). ### If you're stuck - "We'll free Emil." doesn't appear until you've asked Zuleika "What do you want from strangers?" - Kiril doesn't come until Emil is free and has howled. He waits in the passage south of the great cave. - If you refused Zuleika and fought your way in, find her at the shrine; she still has the key. - Left the children with Kiril? Go back to the den: Kiril's "We've changed our minds about the children." reopens the bargaining (checks you've already failed stay failed), or tell Mirela "We're taking you out of here. Now." to break the truce and fight. Either fight ends with Mirela's walk home, and the quest changes to Pack Broken. - The milestone comes only once, whichever ending gives it first. ## Rewards - [Potion of Healing](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/equipment.md#potion-of-healing) ×2 - [Ring of Free Action](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/items/magic-items.md#ring-of-free-action) - A level (milestone) **What your companions think** - **Thistle:** +3 you took the silver off Emil; +2 you talked Kiril out of the stolen children; +1 you bought the stolen children back from Kiril; -6 you left the stolen children with the wolves; +1 you agreed to free Zuleika's husband - **Godrick Pendlebrook:** +1 you took the silver off Emil; +2 you talked Kiril out of the stolen children; +1 you bought the stolen children back from Kiril; -5 you left the stolen children with the wolves - **Kip Smudgewick:** +2 you talked Kiril out of the stolen children; +2 you bought the stolen children back from Kiril; -5 you left the stolen children with the wolves - **Liriel Dawnsong:** -4 you left the stolen children with the wolves - **Wren Featherfoot:** -4 you left the stolen children with the wolves - **Ratatouille:** -3 you left the stolen children with the wolves ## Journal > [!quote]- Every journal entry and hint > **Heard**: Werewolves den in the hills above Lake Zarovich, and lately they have been carrying off children from the farms below Krezk. > *Hint:* Find the werewolves' den in the hills above Lake Zarovich's north shore; someone waits at its mouth. > > **Asked**: At the den's mouth, a werewolf named Zuleika asked us to free her mate Emil, the pack's old leader, whom Kiril Stoyanovich hung in silver chains for refusing to steal children. Kiril and his favourites are out on the Krezk road. > *Hint:* Find Emil in the den and free him from his silver chains. > > **Emil Freed**: We freed Emil. By the old law he howled his challenge, and Kiril is coming home to answer it. > *Hint:* Stay in the den until Kiril comes home, and decide who leads the pack. > > **Emil Leads** (the end: success): We stood beside Emil and Kiril died in his own den. Emil leads the pack again: no more stolen children, no more running at the castle's whistle. > > **Kiril Leads** (the end: success): We stood aside and Emil died. Kiril Stoyanovich leads the pack, for the castle, and he let us walk out of his hills. > > **Pack Broken** (the end: success): There is no pack in the hills above Lake Zarovich any more. Kiril is dead, and so is Emil. > [!abstract]- Every skill check in its conversations > - Medicine DC 13: You're holding your arm strangely. Let me see it. > - Athletics DC 15: Tear the rings out of the rock. > - Sleight of Hand DC 14: Pick the cuffs. > - Insight DC 13: She isn't guarding the cave. She's waiting for something. ## Related - **People:** [Krezk Watchman](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/krezk-watchman.md), [Ezmerelda d'Avenir](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/ezmerelda-davenir.md), [Zuleika Toranescu](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/zuleika-toranescu.md), [Mirela](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/mirela.md), [Emil Toranescu](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/emil-toranescu.md), [Kiril Stoyanovich](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/people/kiril-stoyanovich.md) - **Places:** [Krezk](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/krezk.md), [Van Richten's Tower](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/van-richtens-tower.md), [The Werewolf Den](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-werewolf-den.md), [The Hills above Lake Zarovich](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/locations/the-hills-above-lake-zarovich.md) - **More in The Werewolf Den:** [The Children in the Pen](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/quests/the-children-in-the-pen.md) > [!example]- Cutscenes > **Five Children Walk Past the Wolves**: The stolen children walk free through the den, chins up. > ![children freed](https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/img/cutscenes/children-freed.webp)