Dairon's Hound

Dairon's hound is a creature summoned from a small figurine made of polished gray soapstone. The figure looks like a small dog with its left foreleg raised and its nose pointed straight. Although it is made from soapstone, Dairon's hound cannot be broken by non-magical means. When the hound is not summoned, the bearer of the figurine can clasp the statue to find north unerringly.

When summoned by silent act of will, the hound looks like a shaggy wolfhound with curly gray fur and slate gray eyes without pupils. Dairon's hound can stay on the Prime Material Plane for 16 hours before returning to the figurine to replenish its energy. For every 4 hours that Dairon's hound spends on the Prime, it must rest for 1 hour within the figurine. The bearer can dismiss the hound at any time, but if Dairon's hound is slain while summoned, the figurine crumbles to dust.

While on the Prime, the hound unerringly performs any action that the bearer instructs. Actions include tracking, fetching, guarding, and fighting. However, if Dairon's hound is given the order to attack, it goes after its prey with savage ferocity. Once the dog has tasted blood, its gray eyes take on a red gleam, and it cannot stop killing. After shredding its initial target, Dairon's hound indiscriminately attacks the nearest living creature. If the hound is confined after it has tasted blood, it attacks itself, gnawing at its limbs until it dies, whereupon the figurine is broken.

Note: Dairon's hound originally appeared in Dragon Magazine 268 for the AD&D game from TSR. Its use here is for the purposes of providing context for the campaign only.