Blackened Dire Wolves

Undead Dire Wolves

A creature that looks distinctly like the large hulking dogs used to pull the trade sleds in the northern reaches of the surface world roams the halls of the Castle of the Damned. Those of the surface range in color, from black to white to shades of brown, to the standard mixing of colors that some have named the "husky" coloring, but the ones that roam this castle deep in Káto are a deep onyx black, with patches of charred and matted fur that are reminiscent of a somewhat abused animal that had been through...essentially hell. The body that stalks toward you in the halls is distinctly a Dire Wolf, but the eyes that stare back at you are the sunken glare of the undead.
Blackened dire wolves are an anomaly of Káto, an undead creature that does not make sense being in the depths of the underground when its living counterpart is only found in the forests and hills of the surface world. These creatures are burned husks, undead things that roam Káto and stalk their prey, but even the biggest pack of these wolves can only be found in the castle, captured by its magical walls and allowed to continue their hunt.
It is assumed these creatures came from those Dire Wolves that wandered into the Wandering Forest, burning and dying before being forcibly revived by the convoluted magic that comes from the Lost Paths. Others say that these are the creations of a Human Wizard of old who did not want to lose his Dire Wolf companions that he brought from the surface, but even that does not fully explain how such horrifying creatures have come to be. Those who have survived the pack's hunts have described these beasts as something between a hellhound and a Dire Wolf, a demonic beast that personifies much of the fear that those who travel Káto have.
Beware the red eyes of the Alpha is hastily scratched into one of the walls of the castle. From the small crevice you've attempted to hide in, you see the faint red glow of eyes. With a wolf catching your scent, there is nowhere left to run in the castle, or in Káto.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The blackened dire wolf is the same as a standard Dire Wolf in size and build, but is charred and blackened like a burned creature. Because of their undead nature, they exhibit signs of the undead's ability to continue on, even when heavily injured, but it is unsure how far this ability can be pushed.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Blackened dire wolves utilize the keen senses they have from their Dire Wolf ancestors, along with having the ability to utilize some of the heightened vision that many creatures in Káto have.

Blackened Dire Wolf

Wolf by Angel Luciano on Unsplash

Due to the coloring of the Blackened Dire Wolves, one rarely sees the entire animal as it moves through the shadows. Often, only the faint glow of the creature's eyes are visible, giving little warning of what stalks one from beyond the light.

Scientific Name

Shadowfae Canis Dirus