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Also Known As: Devil Dog, Demon Dog
Description: Hellhounds look like large black mastiffs with red or yellow eyes. They have foul breath that is often described as smelling like rancid meat mixed with sulpher.
BMA Classification: Hellhounds are listed on the Bureau of Monster Affairs’ Official Monster List.
Powers: Hellhounds are mush faster and stronger than regular dogs and their disgusting breath can cause nausea. Additionally, they can emit a terrifying howl that can incite panic.
Vulnerabilities: Although hellhounds can be killed with traditional weapons, weapons and ammunition that has been blessed seem to cause more damage to the creatures. They are also vulnerable to holy water and can sometimes be frightened away by the sound of church bells.
Biology and Habitat: Hellhounds are not native to our plane of existence. They are typically summoned here by occultists or demons, who often use them as guards or attack dogs. Hellhounds are carnivorous, preferring freshly-killed meat. A few packs of wild hellhounds reportedly roam the wilds in the British Isles, Scandinavia, and the badlands of South Dakota, but this has not been definitively confirmed.
Sightings: Encounters with hellhounds have been reported throughout recorded history, and M-Force has come up against the creatures on numerous occasions, most often when dealing with demons, evil cults, or rogue wizards.
Additional Information: There are many types of extra-dimensional canines and most are commonly referred to as “hellhouds” or “devil dogs.” M-Forcers have encountered hellhounds with the ability to breathe fire and reports exist of hellhounds who can speak and even use magic. Agents should not dismiss eyewitness accounts of a hellhound’s powers, no matter how far-fetched they might sound.
Body: 16
Brain: 6
Nerve: 15
Job: Demonic Guard Dog (14)
Gimmick: Bad Breath (14) — When a PC comes within melee range of a hellhound, make a resisted roll between the hellhound’s Gimmick and the PC’s Body. If the PC’s roll is successful but the hellhound wins, the character suffers a -2 penalty to all actions due to nausea. If the PC fails his roll and the hellhound succeeds, the PC becomes violently ill for 2 rounds, during which he can’t take any action.
Frightlful Howl (12) — The hellhound can emit a terrifying howl that has a chance of causing panic in anyone who hears it. To do this, the hellhound must howl for 3 rounds (taking no other action), at the end of which he makes a Gimmick roll, resisted by the Nerve roll of anyone who can hear the howl. If a character affected by the howl can see the hellhound, he will run away for a number of rounds equal to the difference between the rolls. If the hellhound is not in sight, the victim will refuse to move in the direction of the sound and want to return to (or find) a place of safety. A person who successfully resists the howl is immune to its effects for the remainder of the scene. Anyone who succumbs to the fear must make a Nerve roll to approach the hellhound or its probably lair for the next 24 hours. On a failed roll, the character reacts as if he had failed a resisted roll against the howl.
Weakness: Frightened of Church Bells (15) — If a hellhoud hears church bells, it must make a Weakness roll. If the weakness takes effect, the hellhound will flee for a number of rounds equal to the roll and will avoid the area where he heard the bells for the next 7 days. On a roll of 15, the sound of the bells banishes the creature back to its home dimension.
Skills: Fast +5; Stealth +3; Tracking +2
Armor Rating: 3
Damage Bonus: The hellhound’s bite has a Damage Bonus of +2
Other Information: If a hellhound is hit by a weapon (or bullet) that has been blessed (by a priest of any denomination), the weapon does an extra 2 points of damage. Hellhounds are also vulnerable to holy water. If a hellhound is hit by holy water, it takes normal damage on the first round, 1/2 damage the second round, 1/4 damage the third round, etc. until the damage drops below 1 point. This assumes a typical amount of holy water (super soaker blast, splash from a bottle of holy water, etc.). For larger amounts, the GM should apply an appropriate Damage Bonus.
HP: 20
Yum Yums: 1
