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Deathhounds are a species of canines similar to their cousins, the hellhounds and heavenhounds, though they are beholden only to Death. They are an artificial species being incarnated by Death in a place known to them as the Spawning Chamber. Every hound has their own unique relationship with Death and view their existences differently. Deathhounds are commonly teachers, companions, guardians, etc. of Reapers, Psychopomps, Death Gods, the Afterworlds, and other Death-Adjacent entities from a variety of cultures and faiths (including fictional ones).
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Universal Physiology
GENERAL
- Their eyes are colored like molten metal
- They are entirely black in color including their hair and, typically, their flesh
(there are instances where their flesh is not black; it's not a hard and fast rule)
- They are shaggy, just an overwhelming about of fluff
(there are instances where this is not the case, and is usually due to the culture of the region they work in such as Mesoamerica or Egypt)
- They are functionally immortal
- They are infertile and cannot reproduce
- They have an innate hatred for anything that violates the Sacred Order including undead and necromancers
MARKINGS
- With age, experience, and blessings from a Death God a deathhound will begin to develop colorful filigree markings that reflect their personality, associations, realms of work, and/or accomplishments. These markings can grow and evolve over time and come in a variety of both colors and styles, no two deathhounds have the same markings
- Often times these markings come in conjunction with unique abilities
- Their markings are suede-like in texture but frigid to the touch
SHAPESHIFTERS
- They have both anthro and feral forms
- Their feral forms resemble a variety of canines (albeit all black)
- Their feral forms are typically comparable in size to that of large draft horses such as percherons
(there are instances where this is not the case, but they are always comparable in size to horses)
- They can shift between forms at will
- Their markings match between forms -
Titles & Epithets
Deathhounds have titles, which are universal indicators across the species that showcase experience level:
- Lord or Lady or Liege of Death; the first title a deathhound receives before even leaving the Spawning Chamber; it declares their place in the universe.
- Keeper of the Sacred Order; all deathhounds are charged with keeping the sacred order, which refers to the idea that death must always follow life. They receive this title when they are given their first charge by The Herald.
They also have epithets, which are earned through various means and are unique to the individual. They often come with unique abilities and evolution of their markings. Generally epithets cannot be shared, except in specific instances, and can only be held by one individual. An individual hound can have multiple epithets. It is not uncommon for hounds to address one another by their epithets as opposed to their names. -
Universal Abilities
All deathhounds have a set of universal abilities they are each capable of. These abilities include:
- Mediumship; can see & interact with ghosts & spirits
- Killing Touch; can kill mortals by touching them.
- Spirit Manipulation; the ability to manipulate ghosts, spirits, souls, etc.
- Disease/Death Transference; can use their powers to heal disease and injuries; however, they have to give the injury or disease to someone else.
- Corpse Eater; eating body parts to access memories of the dead
- Dimensional Access; They can access various other dimensions.
- Immortality; are not subjected to hunger, disease, or age though they do sometimes eat for pleasure
- Flight; they can hover or levitate.
- Teleportation; can teleport from one place to another anywhere they have been previously. It is also possible for them to take others with them.
