Survive the Night: A Free Ready-to-Play D&D Encounter (5e)

May 21, 2025

Imagine this scene: deep within a shadowy, mysterious forest, your D&D party has made camp, desperate for a long rest. The fire glows, a lone defence against the oppressive night. While most of the party sleeps, the sounds of the forest shift – unsettling sighs and moans fill those who hear it with unease. This moment of dread is the starting point for "The Ettin's Encore of Destruction," a complete D&D 5e encounter designed for four 5th-level adventurers. This challenging, play-tested scenario is built to deliver thrilling suspense, blending crucial stealth elements with intense combat and using the environment itself to heighten the tension.

As the party rests, they will face a devious challenge with a two-pronged attack: first, cunning Satyrs attempt to steal and disarm the party from the shadows. Then, when called, the imposing Ettin, Turst & Plurst, bursts into camp to crush any remaining resistance. The party must use their wits, strategy, and potentially some luck, to survive this terrifying night.

Ready to unleash this thrilling D&D 5e encounter on your players? "The Ettin's Encore of Destruction" has the details for the encounter setup, tactical suggestions, and potential loot, including a map leading to the ettin's lair and a mysterious crystal sword.

Survive the Night: The Ettin’s Encore of Destruction - D&D Encounter (5e)

The Details

A D&D encounter designed for four 5th-level adventurers during their long rest in a mysterious forest. This play-tested scenario balances challenge and fairness.

The setting

This encounter occurs during a long rest in a densely wooded area on a moonless night. Absolute darkness engulfs the scene, with only faint starlight filtering through the thick forested canopy and a heavy cloud cover. The still, musky air carries the scents of damp earth, pine needles, and wild natural growth. The adventuring party has settled into a small clearing for the night, the darkness lending a deceptive sense of security. One or two members likely maintain watch, their senses hampered in the darkness when they are interrupted.

"You have trudged through the forest for the last hour trying to find a suitable site for camp and a well-needed long rest. The sun reaches its last sliver of light in the darkening sky when you discover a small clearing suitable for this evening’s rest. As you drop your gear, the sun dips below the horizon and the area plunges into total darkness on this moonless, starless and cloud-covered night. "

The Enemies

Turst & Plurst (Ettin)

Turst and Plurst are a fearsome Etten, a two-headed giant that towers over thirteen feet in height. When seen for the first time by the adventurers, their massive form will cast an imposing silhouette in the darkness, their heavy footsteps will shake the ground and crush the undergrowth. They are wearing crude leather armor stitched from a variety of hides all stained with blood and grime. A pungent odour of unwashed flesh and rotting meat trails behind them, mingling with the musty scent of old leather, rusted metal, and wet earth.

Each of the Etten’s head displays distinct traits: the left, Turst, the more aggressive fighter, wields a massive battleaxe with practiced ease, delivering devastating slashing blows. The right, Plurst, gripping a huge spike-studded morningstar, excels at tracking prey through keen senses of smell and hearing. Their most distinctive feature is their haunting vocalization of deep moans and groans that echo through the woods, chilling all who hear them.

Kass the Satyr and his 2 cohorts

The evil satyrs are lithe, menacing creatures that glide with eerie grace through the darkened forest. Their compact, muscular bodies, covered in coarse dark fur, blend naturally with the deepest shadows. Their goat-like legs end in cloven hooves that somehow move silently across the forest floor. Their minimal leather armor, adorned with forest trinkets, remains remarkably soundless as they move. A musty, earthy scent surrounds them—a mixture of wet fur, forest soil, and something slightly more feral.

In the moonless night, their natural stealth becomes nearly perfect, these creatures slip between trees and through underbrush with supernatural skill. They communicate through subtle gestures and soft sounds that mimic natural forest noises—a rustle of leaves here, a gentle hoot there.

Their deadliest weapon is their mystical ability to lull victims into magical sleep, which they employ with tactical precision. In direct confrontation, they demonstrate remarkable agility, striking swiftly before vanishing into darkness.

The Setup

During the evening watch, the oppressive silence of the moonless night breaks with a strange sound from deep within the forest from all around the camp. There is a foreboding that cannot be seen or heard, but felt in the hearts of those on watch.
Two distinct, low, drawn-out sighing and moaning sounds drift through the trees, as if the forest itself exhales in pain. This unsettling sound is difficult to pinpoint DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice; DC 15 to determine general direction and distance. It repeats at irregular intervals, creating unease.

The Attack

The attack unfolds in two phases, with darkness and the eerie sounds heightening the tension. The sighing and moaning are coming from Turst & Plurst, the Ettin who is growing impatient, but will remain 60 feet away from the edge of camp and will become visible only within 30 feet (DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check) as per their phased plan.

Phase 1: The thieving satyrs

The three evil satyrs, will attempt to exploit the night's dark cover and slip silently into camp while the party is distracted by the sounds coming from Turst and Plurst. Concealed by forest sounds and echoes of the strange sighs and moans of Turst & Plurst, their leader Kass and his cohorts will concentrate on targeting sleeping victims, seeking to steal food, ranged weapons, ammunition, and any obvious valuables.

Their dark fur melts into the shadows, and with expertise in Stealth, they are detectable with a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check. Once they get close enough, they will use their Gentle Lullaby ability, DC 13 Wisdom Saving throw, on any particularly alert watch members first, then move to any sleeping party members.

If the party is alerted, attacks begin, or after enough items have been pilfered by the satyrs, Kass will blow three shrills with his pan flute to call in Turst & Plurst. The satyrs will also switch to attempt to use their Charming Melody, DC 13 Wisdom Saving throw, to charm any of the party while switching to attack the non-charmed party members.

Phase 2: Turst and Plurst burst through

The Etten will come running full speed, no stealth check required, into the camp drawn by the party's cries or guided by the satyr signal. The cover of night allows their visual concealment to remain until they’re dangerously close, but their presence announces itself through heavy thuds on soft earth, snapping undergrowth, and their dual voices muttering in the darkness.

Satyrs' battle Tactics:

Forest stealth: Experienced thieves they use the moonless night to enhance their stealth (+5 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks).

Exploiting fearful strikes: In combat, they favor hit-and-run tactics, using darkness as cover, going in and out of the camp each turn.

Escape artists: When down to 10 HP, the satyrs will attempt to disengage from combat and flee into the forest in order to fight another day. If pursued, Kass will purposely trip one of the other fleeing satyrs to expedite his own escape.

Ettin's Tactics:

Blind fury: Turst swings his battleaxe wildly, relying on reach and size. Turst will attempt to swing before Plurst in order to give their target Prone condition.

Battle focused: Plurst tracks targets by scent and sound and will be more subtle and calculating in their attacks. Plurst will giggle in glee if Turst gives an opponent the Prone condition, giving Plurst advantage on his attacks.

Overwhelming presence: Turst & Plurst are a fearful sight and are more fearful as they fight. Each head talking to the other to help coordinate their attacks. One blindly swinging, the other tactically smashing.

‘Till Death do us part: Turst & Plurst will fight to the death, not understanding how they could possibly fail.

Possible Encounter Developments:

Stolen items: Theft of ranged weapons or ammunition will hamper the pursuit of fleeing satyrs.

Environmental hazards: Hidden roots and uneven ground could pose combat risks. Areas could be considered difficult terrain or require a DC 12 Dexterity check or a combatant could lose their footing and fall prone.

Using light: Light sources help to brighten the area, but may require a hand to be used for holding a torch or lantern if there are any lit.

What happens after:

If Turst & Plurst are killed, they have on their body a bad-smelling canvas sack containing:

A small wooden carving of a moose with opal chips for eyes (10 sp),
2d6 polished stones (3 sp each),
24 gp worth of coins,
A poorly drawn map with a very easy, DC 8 Intelligence (Survival) check that will lead the reader (30 min into the forest) to their lair.

If the party travel the distance to the Etten’s lair, they discover a large mouth of a cave that smells remarkably bad, of feet and sweat. Inside, there are two rotten barrels filled with humanoid bones that have been chewed upon by the Turst & Plurst over the past few months. There is a pile of used equipment, rusty weapons and rotten clothing against one wall and a medium-sized stone chest that contains a long crystal sword wrapped in a soft purple cloth.