Hound

Identity and portrayal

Appearance

Locked prose gives a rangy, fast domestic hound with muzzle whiskers, a rough tongue, expressive ears and tail, warm bodily bulk and at least one ragged ear. Current visual-production decisions specify a large long-legged brindle-brown male with charcoal back shading, amber-brown eyes, a torn left ear and a worn leather collar.

Voice and manner

Communicates through posture, ears, tail, touch, scent-checking and immediate action. Playful and food-motivated in safety; silent, alert and dangerous when defending his people.

Skills, Essan and limitations

Scent tracking, route finding, danger detection, woodland speed, recall, guarding and using jaws and body weight to restrain an adult attacker.

Knowledge limits

Hound knows routes and scents rather than political secrets. Do not give him supernatural knowledge unless a later manuscript explicitly establishes it.