Hyena (Shadow-Cursed Lands)

Hyena is an unnamed hyena travelling with a caravan of Absolutists in the Shadow-Cursed Lands during Act Two.

“

They beat me because I am weak. Because I am soft. Even though I try my best.

„

— Hyena, on the goblins

Involvement

Act Two

As the party approach the Shadow-Cursed Lands from Rosymorn Monastery Trail, they come across a group of Absolute cultists awaiting Minthara. At the edges of the camp, Warrior Gronag is attempting to play fetch with a hyena, using him to test if the shadow curse is as dangerous as it is rumoured to be. If the party do not intervene, the hyena runs into the bushes and becomes shadow cursed. Otherwise, Gronag can be forced to fetch the bone and becomes cursed himself.

Afterwards, the party may approach the hyena, with or without  Speak with Animals and convince him to leave:

With Speak with Animals

The Hyena asks the party if they are a friend. As long as they do not berate him, the Hyena reveals the goblins beat him even though he tries his best. If the party acts early enough, they can even tell him Gronag tried to kill him by tossing the bone.

Following the reveal, the party can tell him he deserves to be free:

• [RANGER] [DRUID] [PERSUASION] You belong to the wild, little one. Go and be free. (DC 10 )
• [PERSUASION] You belong to the wild, not to the goblins. Go and be free. (DC 10)
• Fight back. Hurt the goblins like they hurt you.

Failing the ability check or telling to fight back makes him sad, and he refuses to talk to the party again. Passing the ability check allows the party to make another ability check which, if succecssful, finally causes him to leave:

• [RANGER] [PERSUASION] You are a hunter, like me - swift and true. They'll never catch you. (DC 14 )
• [DRUID] [PERSUASION] Let them try - I am nature's guardian. And I will not back down. (DC 14 )
• [PERSUASION] If not now, when? Go on - while you still can. (DC 14)
• [INTIMIDATION] I'll slit their necks if they so much as try. (DC 14)

Without Speak with Animals

The party can examine him instead to reveal that he is underweight and fearful, a victim of abuse from the goblins:

• Examine the animal.

The talking party member can then attempt to befriend the Hyena with an Animal Handling check first, and then attempt to tell him to leave:

• [ANIMAL HANDLING] Hold out your hand, letting it sniff. (DC 14)
  • [PERSUASION] Do you want to be here, boy? If not, you should get out of here. Go on! Go! (DC 14)
  • [PERSUASION] You deserve to be out in the wild, not abused by goblins. Go on - go! (DC 10) (if examined successfully)
  • [PERSUASION] You deserve to be out in the wild, not tormented by a goblin with a bone. Go on - go! (DC 10) (after bone was thrown)
  • [INTIMIDATION] Get out of here, or I'll beat you senseless - stupid mutt. (DC 16)

If both ability checks are passed, the hyena flees toward the monastery trail towards the exit to Rosymorn Monastery Trail. As he runs, the shadow curse begins to take hold, but he disappears from the area before succumbing.

Companion approval

The following dialogue options results in companion approval, but only while using Speak with Animals:

• Convincing the Hyena to flee successfully:  +1  +1  +1  +1  +1
• Failing to pass the second ability check:  -1  -1