The hound of ill omen was a legendary, planar canine beast that appeared to punish mortals for major transgressions against a deity[2] or to defend shadow mages that called upon its protection.[1]
Description[]
This creature appeared to be a dark, shadowy wolf-hound that stood 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall at the shoulder.[3]
Behavior[]
The hound of ill omen had a basic, animal level of intelligence.[3]
Abilities[]
The hound of ill omen appeared before other creatures instantaneously and only briefly, viewable to only a single individual[3] without the aid of magic. Only those who could see the hound were capable of injuring it. If slain, a hound of ill omen reformed on its deity's home plane and all creatures who were involved in its death would suffer the effects of its magical howl—this included even those who merely planned to attack it as well as those whose attacks all missed.[2]
There was a high chance that a deity would send another servant to deal with a transgressor, such as an aasimon or deva, if they killed the hound of ill omen they had sent to punish them.[2]
Offensive[]
Upon appearing, they unleashed a booming howl that all creatures within 120 feet (37 meters) of it could hear. Afterwards, the hound of ill omen would walk off.[2]
Those who could both see and hear the hound would suffer from the magical effect of its howl[2]—the next ten injuries they suffered would be more severe. If remove curse was cast on the target soon after, this would be decreased to five. Until the requisite number of injuries was met, no manner of healing spells would work on the target.[2][3] In addition, the injuries sustained had to be outside of a creature's control. If the victim of a hound of ill omen was involved in its killing, then their curse would become even more severe and remove curse could not lessen it.[2]
Creatures subjected to the howl of a hound of ill omen were immediately aware of their transgression against a deity and received an empathic feeling of both death and dread. However, they would be unaware of the nature of their curse until they first suffered an injury.[2]
Combat[]
The hound of ill omen did not attack its targets directly.[2]
Ecology[]
Diet[]
The hound of ill omen fed from the power of its deity and required no other form of nourishment.[2]
Habitats[]
These creatures were always found on the home planes of deities.[2]
Relationships[]
The hound of ill omen served a variety of deities,[2] but they were particularly a favored monster of Urogalan.[4] They were never known to be attacked by the minions of other deities when on their travels or on a mission.[2]
Rumors & Legends[]
Some rumors claimed that there was only one of these hounds in existence,[3] while some sages believed that they were merely manifestations of a deity's will, rather than a true creature.[2]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jeremy Crawford, Mike Mearls, Robert J. Schwalb, Adam Lee, Christopher Perkins, Matt Sernett (November 2017). Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 51. ISBN 978-0-7869-6612-7.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Jon Pickens ed. (November 1996). Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 57. ISBN 0786904496.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Don Turnbull (1981). Fiend Folio. (TSR Hobbies), p. 51. ISBN 0-9356-9621-0.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.