Dread wolf

A dread wolf was a magically animated undead wolf that was controlled by a mage.

Description
Dread wolves were very rare, and generally resembled normal wolves. They acted as conduits to evil mages who could see and hear all that the dread wolves could. Thus, the undead creatures were used as scouts that were under direct control of their magical masters.

The wolves certainly resembled their undead state; they had rotted fur and reeked of death.

Combat
These wolves fought as ordinary wolves usually would: with their claws and ferocious bites. However, their creators could order many dread wolves to attack together, and employ advanced group tactics. However, the mage must have been within 50 miles (80 kilometers) in order to maintain control. As well as their evolved combat strategies, dread wolves could quickly regenerate, similar to trolls. In addition to this similarity, the undead wolves were only able to be permanently damaged by acid or fire. They were immune to many spells, such as charm and hold, and all cold-based attacks. They were also resistant to electricity damage.

Dread wolves caused their foes to becoming infected by a vile, rotting disease. The disease drained the infected creatures of health until they died, or were cured.

Ecology
These wretched wolves could only be created by evil wizards. The wizards must have had access to four to twelve dead wolves, a variety of spells, and access to magic of the Negative Energy plane. The spells required were summon shadow, animate dead, and dismissal. The necromantic ritual took an hour, and must have been carried out without distraction, otherwise the mage would be blasted by energy from the Plane of Death.

History
These undead beings were originally created by a renegade mage on Krynn, named Galen Dracos. Their method of creation became known to the mages of other worlds across the Prime Material plane.

Appearances

 * Magazines
 * Dragon magazine 179: Cry Wolf!
 * Video games
 * Baldur's Gate
 * Neverwinter Nights