Rifthounds

Twisted lion-sized beasts with a hunger for warm flesh.

Rifthounds are chaotic arcane beasts that hunt in small packs and leave no bone unpicked. They look similar to muscular hunting dogs with short fur and stubby tails, yet their anatomy is asymmetrical, deformed and twisted. Rifthounds are much larger than the regular canine companions of Melior - in fact, they’re about the same size as a Nurbotu lion.
It seems that many species of riftbeings are deformed in this strange way, as seen in an ancient fossil that was uncovered from before the Age of The Unknown.
Much like the other riftbeings that have wandered their way into Melior since the events of The Rupture fifty years ago, rifthounds also tore into the landscape through the arcane rifts that have recently appeared all over the realm. Little is known about their homelands, or what they naturally feed on, but it is very clear that rifthounds are predatory carnivores with a rather large appetite.
Rifthounds hunt in small family packs of around 5-8 hounds, though the alpha will often patrol and scent mark its territory alone. They bed down in dens dug into dirt holes or natural cave formations and overhangs like the roots of fallen trees.

threats to melior

The rifthounds have a seemingly insatiable hunger and have preyed upon livestock and wildlife across Melior. Due to their size and pack hunting strategies, they have disrupted the natural balance of local ecosystems. When they run out of easy pickings, they turn to nearby settlements to feast upon poorly defended townsfolk.

Taming the Beasts

After defending herself from a vicious attack that lost her an arm, Najé Lanta of the Nurbotu Scarfolk came up with the idea to trap a litter of pups to see if they could be trained. After many grueling months, her team of rangers was successful and are now the first folks in Melior to have their own tamed rifthounds at their beck and call.

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Lifespan

25 years

Average Height

1.3 meters

Average Weight

180 kg