Hell Hounds

Hell Hounds are the dogs of Hell, fiery in nature and roaming in packs around the layers of Hell. They are the most well known inhabitants of Hell, alongside Imps and Devils, often kept as pets by Devils.

Biological Traits

Hell Hounds resemble dogs in nearly every way. They have the bodies and faces of the canines of the surface, and even bark with a similar dialect as Totanian dogs.

Leviticus by Jarhed

However, there are of course things that differ between the two kinds of dogs. Hell Hounds are in many ways just dogs from a different region, that region simply being an entirely different plane of existence.

Layer Dogs

The Hell Hounds of each layer of Hell differ from each other based on many factors:
Environmental and geographic conditions, how they were tamed, and such lead to different mutations of Hell Hounds, not even counting the Pencil-Pushing Pups.

• Firland Sniffers- Dogs that help Hell Customs sniff out anything like drugs, weapons, and other goods from Hell that they do not want passing onto Totania.


• Furcas Helldog- Named after a Devil who was famed for taming animals, these are domestic dogs that can be found everywhere in Manhottan, notable for their rough faces.


• Marsh Setter- Hunting dogs that are best suited for swampy lands, the Marsh Setters are said to chase around the residents of the Lava Marsh, being one of the many dangers in the layer that make the difficult to traverse land even more dangerous.


• Hel Hounds- The standard Hell Hound, a red and black dog with horns. Aside from its horns and coloration, as well as an affinity for fire, there is little that differentiate these from Dogs, which makes them the most commonly thought of Hell Hounds.


• Piscarius Retriever- Immortal dogs who have been trained by the President of Piscarius to swim through the Piscarius River, they have gained the invulnerability from the River Styx, though they can drown if they forget to swim.


• Tal Hound- A lanky breed of Hell Hound, Tal Hounds are particularly suited to running around and hunting in mountainous terrain.


• Hell Huskies- Hell Hounds with large amounts of fur, helping them to survive in colder climates. They have white fur and supposedly incredible strength, enough to carry chariots with giant Devils atop them.


• Searchers of the Maze- Hell Hounds who can see through and phase between walls, anyone who lingers around and gets lost in the maze for too long finds themselves pursued by the Searchers for their flesh.


• Lleh Hounds- Winged dogs who have the ability to fly despite the law stating nothing in Hell can fly. Some say it is a blessing that breaks the control of the law on them, while others say Satanael allows them flight.

Hell

The natural habitat of Hell Hounds, Hell is divided into 9 layers. These layers are as follows:

1. Firland- The Gaping Mouth of Hell, an entrance where Hell Customs processes those who wish to leave Hell, as well as any who try to enter.
2. Manhottan- The Big City of Hell, economic center of all realms where the soul trade of Ba'al Street is centered.
3. The Lava Marsh- The Swamp of Hell, a polluted marsh where travel is difficult due to the level of water found within it.
4. Hel- The Plains of Hell, a layer of brimstone and fire most associated with Hell itself.
5. Piscarius- The River of Hell, particularly the River Styx which passes through all realms, which creates a surprisingly healthy ecosystem even in Hell.
6. Taltal- The Mountains of Hell, or rather an entire chain of mountains surrounding a city, atop which souls are forced to endlessly run up towards the peak as large boulders are tossed down onto them.
7. Artic- The Tundra of Hell, a layer of ice and snow, hills and plains of pure white frost.
8. Laveyorn- The Maze of Hell, a layer where few can find the entrance and fewer can find the exit, a ruined city of torment and torture.
9. Crookston- The Tower of Hell, where Satanael, God of Hell, lives. It is filled with many platforms floating atop lava, run by various Lords of Hell.

Each layer has Hell Hounds, though they have variations depending on the climate and environment found in each zone.

The Pencil Pushing Pups are a secondary type of Hell Hound. They can be any type of Layer Dog, trained by the famed Devil businessman and notorious dog-hater Ambition's Skeleton Services company to work in offices. They are easy and cheap labor, filling up cubicles with simple jobs.

Pencil Pushing Pup by genuinetrickster

Intelligence

As Ambition and his business partners can attest to, Hell Hounds are surprisingly smart creatures that take well to instructions.

"Those damn dogs got some brains in those heads of theirs, even if it don't look like they do. You drill something into their heads, they listen better than a person will. Makes 'em perfect for office work. Mindless work, but needs a brain."

— Ambition

Their intelligence is not to be underestimated. While they are not necessarily sapient creatures in the same way as Devils, Elves, or Orcs, they are still smart creatures. Some Hell Hounds have, strangely, gained sentience and the ability to speak.
There is a tale of a Hell Hound in Crookston who became a direct servant of Satanael and took over a region of the city for the God. Some call it a myth while others say it is true.

Diet

Hell Hounds generally subsist off of an all-meat diet. This can be animals found in Hell, or it could even be Humanoid meat. That being said, some people tame their Hell Hounds and feed them vegeterian food, but studies have shown that Hell Hounds are not meant to eat this and that it is incredibly unhealthy for them.