Death Dog

A Death Dog is a fearsome and unnatural creature that resembles a large, menacing dog with two heads. It is a monstrous beast known for its ferocity and its association with death and decay.

A Death Dog stands about 4 to 5 feet tall at the shoulder and possesses a muscular and hulking body covered in matted, dark fur. Its heads are the most distinctive feature, each with glowing red eyes, sharp fangs, and a foul stench emanating from its slavering maws. These heads act independently, allowing the Death Dog to attack multiple targets simultaneously or track multiple scents at once.

Death Dogs are often encountered in desolate and cursed areas, such as graveyards, wastelands, or regions touched by dark magic. They are known to be aggressive and territorial, attacking anything that intrudes upon their domain. Their howls are said to be eerie and unnerving, capable of instilling fear in those who hear them.

In combat, Death Dogs rely on their strength, speed, and the venomous bite of their fangs. Their bites can carry a virulent poison that weakens and incapacitates their prey, making them formidable adversaries. Additionally, Death Dogs possess an uncanny resistance to magic and are known to have an affinity for detecting undead creatures, making them useful guardians for necromancers or as wardens in cursed locations.

Encountering a Death Dog requires caution and a well-prepared strategy. They are tenacious predators and will fight fiercely to protect their territory or the interests of their masters. Characters with resistance to poison or strong physical defenses will have an advantage against their venomous attacks. Effective teamwork, crowd control, and a mixture of magical and physical attacks are key to overcoming these deadly creatures.

Special Abilities

Two-Headed

The dog has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious.

Actions

• Multiattack: The dog makes two bite attacks.
• Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw against disease or become poisoned until the disease is cured. Every 24 hours that elapse, the creature must repeat the saving throw, reducing its hit point maximum by 5 (1d10) on a failure. This reduction lasts until the disease is cured. The creature dies if the disease reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

Proficiencies

• Skill: Perception +5
• Skill: Stealth +4