Astral Hound

Imagine a creature so deadly and terrifying that it defies belief. One only spoken of in whispered legends and hushed tales of terror. A beast of boundless hunger and a nightmare that even the most potent mages of the realms dare not challenge head-on. The sinister Spell-Eater and bane of spell casters anywhere, the horrifying astral hound!

This deadly, devouring monster hails from the depths of the astral itself. A celestial creature that prowls the magic-dense regions of the realms. From ruins across Sow Terra to Ba’bonos or the fringes of the Shroomwild, this titanic terror is the worst the Astral itself has to offer.

Petrifying Portrait of Terror

These hellish hounds are a nightmare’s fever dream. A round bulb of a body is riddled with thorn spikes and at least a dozen tentacle-noses. Long, prehensile snouts that snort and sniff the air, on constant guard for the beast’s next feast. Tiny pig-like eyes peek out from behind the main porker snout, black and sinister. Dark like an abyss and twice as evil.

Surrounded by those sinister sniffers is the creature’s cavernous maw. A wide chasm that is home to a spiked tongue and two rows of jagged, shark-like teeth. This mouth takes up most of the horrifying hound’s face when closed. Once open, it’s all anyone can see, especially if they’ve been served up as the hound’s next breakfast.

Below that 400 pound bulk lies a skittering scurry of spidery legs. Spindly, yet strong, these spiked feet are never known to shamble. They carry the beast along in its travels, scuttling like a sinister shadow across moonlit grounds, frantic to find the nearest next morsel for its gullet. A dark omen in motion, like a manic centipede mad with hunger. All in all, the crouching horror stands a solid five feet tall. Short enough to hide in the tall thickets but more than tall enough to deliver a crucial kill to satisfy its sinister hunger.

Sweet Song of Spiky Death

Its shimmering chitinous armor is a sight to behold. Reflection dance across the brilliant beast’s surface. But don’t be fooled, it’s a sign of impending doom. Adorned with sinister spikes, each more deadly than the last, it’s a formidable fighter. In the wink of an eye, this creature stands ready to launch them like arcane arrows imbued with a magical poison that rots a victim’s bones from the inside out.

If that potent poison wasn’t bad enough, don’t overlook that cavernous maw. A massive mouth large enough to swallow a horse in one bite. But that toothy gap isn’t just a tool for feeding, but a haunting instrument as well. These beasts sing a haunting hum. A melody so sweet and low, it disorients and disrupts the very core of a mage’s magical prowess. One song, sung so sweetly, and a mage will find themselves unable to focus on their spell. At least, until they meet this bloody beast’s jagged teeth!

A Picky Eater

Last, but never least, is the beast’s diet. This hungry hound isn’t above chewing down on the occasional adventurer, but that isn’t its preferred feast. An astral hound’s usual meal is magic, spells, and especially the adventurer that casts them. This beast’s boundless hunger knows no limits. When it senses someone skilled in spell casting, it goes on the hunt.

Astral Hound by JJ Kirby

Type

Large Abomination

Environment

Astral rich environments thick with magic, such as ruins

-High mountain regions or ancient forests with wildstone formations.

Lifespan

Unknown, thought to be 250 years

Average Height

5 - 5.5 feet

Average Weight

400 lbs

Geographic Distribution

Primarily the Shroomwild But can also be found on:

Ba'bonos

Sow Terra

Kazik'tar

Spells cast at the beast are not just disrupted, but devoured! Each one is eaten as a delicious appetizer before the main course. Relentless, the astral hound is determined in its pursuit, until it can wrap its dripping jaws around the source of those tasty morsels. The actual spellcaster themselves.

Once locked on, an astral hound’s jaws lock into place like a vise. A toothy trap to make sure it’s wiggling prey stays in one place. After it bites down hard, it wastes no time in sucking off the spellcaster’s own inherent connection to magic itself. Sucking down the spellcaster’s magic and live force like a sloppy soup, delicious to the last magical drop!

Noble Origins

Ancient lore suggests these perilous predators were once noble guardians of powerful relics. Magical devices crafted by the greatest crafters, wizards, and mad magical scientists. But time and insatiable hunger have twisted those noble guards into bloodthirsty beasts with an appetite for all things magical.

Years since, bold mages, always seeking an edge against rivals, have tried to bond with these skittering behemoths. All with an aim to harness these creatures and their immense might. But, more often than not, such ambitious plans lead to a tragic end as the mage learns the hard way that they are magically delicious!

So, for adventurers that dare tread the mystical paths of the Shroomwild and beyond, take a word of caution. The forest’s shimmer and a harmonic hum can be more than just a soft melody. It’s last warning before magic, and anyone that dares channel it, dies a bloody death on this hound’s hungry maw!