"I believe that stormhounds are the creatures that Reanar was fleeing from when she found the horn. They weren't destroyed by it but forced to flee taking refuge in the Throat. That is just speculation but I see a similarity between them and the creatures described in the old stories.
I have been chased by them once. It is hard to tell what they really look like because they only come out during storms. They're fast, I'll give them that, but I doubt they actually look anything like dogs."— Tasiir of the People of the Horse
A Dark Terror
Stormhounds only come out during times when clouds darken the sky making it difficult to see what they look like exactly. Even so, it is common knowledge that they are dark in colouration and move very quickly on four legs. They appear as if shrouded in a black mist - or perhaps a storm cloud. It is easy to know when they are approaching because their eyes glow white and they make a strange noise between a chitter and a growl.
This intimidation factor makes them effective as guards for
Yaliru's Throat, which is what they are commonly believed to be because they are found nowhere else on the
Orthlands. Though occasionally they travel outside the
Throat and steal animals from the
People of the Dog if they happen to be set up nearby.
In Culture
There are songs among the
Orth that include stormhounds. Usually these songs serve the purpose of teaching children not to do certain things or go certain places for a fear of being eaten. Unlike some similar songs in other cultures, this one has a solid basis in history as stormhounds have killed many people over the years leaving only chewed - and charred - bodies behind.
It is said that the stormhounds were created by an elder wind to protect the young
Yaliru after she became lost and found herself on
Breharan. A few - probably a few who have never seen a stormhound - say that they keep anyone from meeting her and that she remains lonely in her solitary home.
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Riding Lightning
It is said that the stormhounds can appear wherever lightning strikes. Whether they are lightning or can control it is unknown but they always seem to appear very close to whoever encroaches upon the
Throat.
So little is known about the hounds - encountering them tends to be the end of any adventurer - so there are few tales about what happens after they finish with their prey but a few survivors say that they can ride the lightning back up into the storm.
When she first saw it Ahriin thought she was seeing things but once she wiped her eyes and looked back, there they were, two white eyes glowing in the dark.
Ahriin's breath caught in her throat and she feared to look away in case the creature would attack. For minutes she stared at the creature and it stared back at her.
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