Gravehound

Gravehounds were animated corpses of medium-sized dogs and hounds, relentless canine zombies sometimes raised by Thayan necromancers.

Description
Gravehounds looked like dead and decomposing dogs or wolves. Their fur was falling off in ratty patches, exposing decaying muscles, bones, and sinew. Their teeth were often broken but still very deadly. Red spark of the dark magic that animated them flickered in their dead eyes.

Abilities
Like other undead, gravehounds were immune to diseases, poison, resistant to necrotic damage and magic, and vulnerable to radiant spells and damage.

Gravehounds' rotted flesh was vulnerable to critical strikes, destroying these shambling canine corpses.

Behavior
Just like regular zombies, gravehounds were undead brutes that served their creators, disregarding their own wellbeing.

Combat
Gravehounds were far from intelligent and were dangerous due to their lightning speed, relentless assault, and sheer numbers. Their bite was the main weapon of the creatures, dealing necrotic damage to their targets. The necrosis caused by their putrid bite continued to rot the target's flesh until healed. These undead dogs' bite could easily knock a humanoid of medium or small size prone. The necromantic drive in these creatures was so strong, that even when destroyed, gravehounds managed to land one last bite to their slayer.

Ecology
Like other zombies, gravehounds were undead creatures who only existed to serve their masters and kill, then consume the living. In certain places, where the border between the Prime Material plane and Shadowfell was thin, the Plane of Shadows' corruption could bring zombies and gravehounds into existence. These "wild" zombies did not have masters and attacked anything alive on sight.

Beyond Toril and its Shadowfell echo, gravehounds could be found on the world of Nerath, deep within its version of Underdark, close to myconid colonies.

History
Sometime circa 1479 DR, gravehounds could be found stalking the lands around the Spellguard, accompanied by other zombies and wights. Kalmo Darano, a halfling wererat had a pack of four gravehounds under his control during the same period of time. Most of these foul beasts were destroyed during the search for the Lady Saharel by a group of adventurers.

During the period of time around the Siege of Neverwinter of 1479 DR, gravehounds could be found plaguing the lands surrounding the Stronghold northeast of the Neverwinter Wood that was taken over by the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge. Gravehounds were also a part of Valindra Shadowmantle's undead army, and were often raised by Szass Tam's Red Wizards.

During the disappearance of the Crown of Neverwinter circa 1479 DR, a group of adventurers searching for the artifact came across gravehounds and their Thayan masters in the graveyards of Neverdeath.

In Ches 1480 DR, Geran Hulmaster, a swordmage from Moonsea, and his companions Miyra and Sarth Khul Riizar, encountered numerous gravehounds during their traversal of shadow-Hulburg in Shadowfell.