Weekly Creature Feature: The Black Dog

This week's creature feature is once again inspired by folklore and legend.  There are many, many instances and reports of the Black Dog from around the world.  Often tied to a location or family, the Black Dog is often (but not always) an ill omen and portends bad luck or worse to befall those who encounter it.  Those familiar with stories such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes tale The Hound of the Baskervilles will be familiar with the legend.  Also a decent reference can be found here.  As per all the Weekly Creature Features, the below text is designated Open Game Content per the OGL version 1.0a.  Any accompanying illustrations are not Open Game Conent and are sole property of me (Johnathan L Bingham) and may not be used without permission.

Name:   Black Dog

No. Enc:  1

Alignment:  Neutral

Movement:   120’ (40’)

Armor Class:  2

Hit Dice:  4

Attacks:  1 (touch, howl)

Damage:  1d4 + special, special

Save:  F3

Morale:  11

Hoard Class:  nil

Description:  The Black Dog is a spectral entity that often haunts hallowed places, cross roads, execution sites, etc.  Many roles are attributed to the Black Dog:  guardian, warning, omen of impeding death or doom, warden, and more.  Though spectral in nature, the Black Dog is not undead or necessarily evil in nature or intent.  The Black Dog is tied to a specific geographical feature, location, or personage and will appear under a specified set of circumstances to perform whatever function it fulfills for that particular location or personage.    

The Black Dog is known by various names that are tied to the location or personage that the Black Dog is associated (i.e. the Black Dog of Maedside).  The Black Dog is incorporeal and can only be hit by magical weapons.  The Black Dog is often reported as having glowing eyes and being much larger than an average dog (from mastiff size up to the size of a warhorse).  Often, the eyes may be the only visible feature as the Black Dog only manifests at night, dawn, dusk, or on overcast days – never in full daylight.  The frightful touch of the Black Dog does 1d4 points of damage and the victim must make a save versus magic or be aged by one year.  The Black Dog makes no sound and will surprise on a 1-5 on a d6. However, it does posses an unearthly howl.  The howl of the Black Dog has the following effects:  the first howl will force the victim to make a save versus magic or be affected as if by a curse spell; the second howl will cause greater misfortune and all subject to it will be forced to reroll their next roll (save, combat, etc) and be forced to take the least favorable of the two rolls unless a save versus magic is made; the third howl will age those exposed by 1d12 years unless a save versus magic is made.

If the Black Dog is reduced to zero hit points, it will dissipate and not manifest for up to 2d12 months.  The only confirmed way of preventing further manifestations of the spectral hound are the destruction of the location or personage the Black Dog is tied to or the fulfillment of a prophecy or legend ascribed to the local area.  The Black Dog is also rumored to possess a beneficent aspect to those that act in favor of the location or personage that the Black Dog is tied to.  In such cases, the sighting of the Black Dog will provide a boon similar to a bless spell.