Vulturehound
by Jamie BatySCMC
Small Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (13 hp)
Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
Speed: 25 ft. (5 squares), fly 40 ft. (average)
Armour Class: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-2
Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d3)
Full Attack: 2 Claw +6 melee (1d3) and bite +1 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. /0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., low-light vision, scent, vermilia immunity
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: Hide +7, Listen +3, Spot +4
Feats: Track (B), Weapon Finesse
Environment: Temperate, Warm plains and hills
Organisation: Solitary, Pair, Covey (2-5), or Nest (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Small); 5-6 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -
A vulturehound is a bizarre combination of vulture and wild dog, perhaps engendered by some overly-curious Herathian mage. Vulturehounds have long, grey, shaggy hair on their bodies. Like vultures, they have naked heads, which are usually either black or red. They have doglike legs, ending in sharp, curved talons. Protruding from their sides are small, feathered wings, and they have sharp hooked beaks in place of muzzles.
Vulturehounds foray out from their dens (like hounds) in hunting packs to search for food, which they drag back to their lair to devour. The scant treasure found there will be from previous victims.
Vulturehounds have a definite hierarchy. The smaller specimens have to wait to eat until the more powerful vulturehounds are finished.
Vulturehound lairs have a 50% chance of containing 3d4 pups. Pups, if taken young enough, can be trained for war or hunting.
Vulturehounds feed on a mixture of carrion and live prey. They are known to attack sick or isolated prey, including batracines and caniquines. Vulturehounds hunt using a combination of keen eyesight, soaring and watching for vultures descending to feed, and a keen sense of smell. Unlike most vultures, vulturehounds have well-developed voices, with a baying call similar to that of a hound.
Vulturehounds are likely to be infested with cardinal ticks when encountered in the wild.
Vulturehounds are immune to vermilia, and vulturehound blood can be used as a component for medicine used to combat vermilia infection. Each vulturehound yields enough blood to manufacture 1d6 doses of antivermilia medicine. Manufacturing the medicine requires a mage of at least 9th level with an alchemical laboratory and either 7 ranks in Craft (alchemy) or Heal. The finished medicine is very expensive, often commanding prices in excess of 150 gold pieces per dose. However, the medicine is very effective. A single dose will completely cure a man-sized or smaller creature of vermilia infection.
Vulturehounds are found in Renardy and the Yazak Steppes.
Combat
In battle, vulturehounds will rear up on their hind legs by flapping their wings, allowing them to attack with their two front talons and their beak. If unable to rear up, they can only employ their beaks. These creatures rely on their speed and Dexterity. In the air, vulturehounds rely on their front talon attacks.
Scent (Ex): This special quality allows a vulturehound to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.
Vermilia Immunity (Ex): Vulturehounds have 100% immunity to the vermilia bacteria.
The Red Curse
Although the vulturehounds that inhabit the Yazak Steppes are not directly under the influence of the Red Curse, those in Renardy do acquire Legacies. However, vulturehounds never suffer from Affliction. The most common Legacies for vulturehounds include Gas Breath, Acid Touch, Gaseous Form, and Sleep.