Rot-Hound

Canis corruptus / “Black Dogs” / “The Pack”

“If you hear silence in the Murk, rot-hounds are near. If you hear breathing, they’ve found you. If you hear nothing and feel warm breath on your neck—too late.”
—Murk survivor’s warning

Quick Reference

Rot-Hound - Corrupted Canine

Description

Rot-hounds are the most common Rot-Beasts in the Aetherium—corrupted canines that hunt in coordinated packs through the Murk and other corrupted zones. They are fast, vicious, intelligent, and infectious. For many people, rot-hounds are their first encounter with active Rot-corruption, and that encounter is often fatal.

The creatures retain the basic canine form but corruption has transformed them into nightmares. Their skin is black and hairless, stretched tight over emaciated frames that show every bone and muscle. Their eyes glow sickly green and weep black fluid. Their mouths are filled with too many teeth, and their breath smells like copper and decay. They move with unnatural grace—silent, fluid, predatory—and they hunt with intelligence that suggests either high animal cunning or direct control by the Voice Beneath.

What makes rot-hounds particularly dangerous is their pack behavior. They coordinate attacks, flank prey, set ambushes, and retreat tactically when losing. They’re not mindless beasts—they’re calculating predators that learn from experience, remember threats, and adapt tactics. And their bite spreads corruption, meaning even survivors of attacks face slow transformation unless treated immediately.

Physical Characteristics

Appearance

Body: - Canine form (recognizable as dog-like) - Emaciated (ribs, spine visible) - Black skin (hairless, leathery) - Exposed muscle in places (red, wrong texture) - Corruption oozes from joints

Head: - Elongated snout - Too many teeth (serrated, irregular) - Glowing green eyes (no pupils) - Eyes weep black fluid - Ears: Tattered or missing

Limbs: - Four legs (longer than normal dogs) - Skeletal but strong - Claws: Black, sharp, curved - Joints bend wrong (extra flexibility) - Paws leave black prints

Tail: - Long, whip-like - Hairless - Sometimes barbed - Used for balance

Size: - Height: 80cm at shoulder - Length: 120cm (not including tail) - Weight: 40-60kg (lighter than they look)

Behavior and Hunting

Pack Dynamics

Social Structure: - Packs of 5-15 individuals - Alpha pair (larger, more corrupted) - Hierarchy maintained through violence - Coordination suggests Voice control or high intelligence

Communication: - Silent (no barking—unnatural) - Body language (subtle) - Possibly telepathic (pack acts as one) - Whispers (faint, Voice Beneath’s words)

Territory: - Claim corrupted zones - Defend aggressively - Mark boundaries (corpses, corruption) - Patrol regularly

Hunting Tactics

Ambush: - Wait in shadows - Approach silently - Surround prey - Strike simultaneously

Flanking: - Split pack - Attack from multiple directions - Prevent escape - Coordinated perfectly

Pursuit: - Chase fleeing prey - Never tire (corruption sustains them) - Track by scent (excellent) - Relentless

Retreat: - If losing, retreat tactically - Regroup and try again - Learn from failures - Adapt tactics

Prey Selection

Preferences: - Humans (primary target) - Isolated individuals (easy) - Wounded or sick (vulnerable) - Children (horrifying but true)

Avoids: - Large groups (too risky) - Fire (instinctive fear) - Well-armed parties (learned from experience) - Daylight (prefer darkness)

Combat Abilities

Attacks

Bite: - Primary attack - Damage: Severe (tearing) - Infection: Rot-corruption (Stage 1 immediately) - Grip: Strong (difficult to break)

Claw: - Secondary attack - Damage: Moderate (slashing) - Infection: Minor (less than bite) - Rapid strikes

Leap: - Can jump 3-5 meters - Knockdown attack - Surprise factor - Difficult to defend against

Pack Tactics: - Coordinated attacks - Flanking - One distracts, others strike - Sophisticated

Defenses

Speed: - Fast (outrun humans easily) - Agile (dodge attacks) - Climb walls (pursue anywhere)

Regeneration: - Minor wounds heal (minutes) - Major wounds heal (hours) - Fire prevents healing - Nearly unkillable without fire

Corruption: - Aura spreads Rot (weak but cumulative) - Touch = infection risk - Prolonged proximity = danger

Pack Support: - Protect each other - Drag wounded away - Revenge for fallen (they remember)

Weaknesses

Fire: - Instinctive fear - Prevents regeneration - Kills effectively - Best weapon

Isolation: - Weak alone - Rely on pack - Separate and kill individually

Loud Noise: - Disrupts coordination - Causes confusion - Temporary advantage

Holy Symbols: - Minor effect (they hesitate) - Not enough to stop them - Buys seconds

The Infection

Rot-Hound Bite

Immediate: - Wound (deep, tearing) - Black fluid enters bloodstream - Corruption begins

Hours 1-6: - Fever, chills - Wound turns black - Veins darken around bite - Pain increases

Days 1-3: - Stage 1 corruption - Hearing whispers (faint) - Psychological changes - Treatable (if acted on)

Week 1+: - Progression to Stage 2 - Permanent changes - Treatment difficult - May be too late

Treatment: - Immediate: Sanctification (clergy) - Early: Alchemical purification - Late: Amputation (if bite on limb) - Very late: None (accept corruption or death)

Origins and Ecology

What They Were

Pre-Corruption: - Domestic dogs (most common) - Wolves (rare) - Other canines - All corrupted to same form

Transformation: - Stage 1-2: Sick, aggressive - Stage 3: Fully transformed to rot-hound - Stage 4: Might become something worse - Process takes weeks to months

What They Are

Current State: - Stable at Stage 3 - Don’t progress further (usually) - Retain canine instincts - Enhanced by corruption

Reproduction: - Unknown if they breed - New rot-hounds appear (from corrupted dogs?) - Population stable - Source unclear

Lifespan: - Unknown (corruption preserves?) - Oldest observed: 20+ years - May be immortal - Disturbing thought

Cultural Impact

In Settlements

Primary Threat: - Most common Rot-Beast encounter - Guards train specifically for them - Children warned about them - Constant vigilance required

Defense: - Walls (they can climb but it slows them) - Fire (torches, braziers) - Patrols (detect early) - Dogs (ironic—warn of corrupted kin)

In Stories

Horror Tales: - “The pack in the dark” - “The silent hunters” - “The black dogs” - Effective nightmare fuel

Warnings: - “Don’t wander alone” - “Carry fire” - “If you see one, there are more” - Practical advice

Symbolism

Corruption’s Reach: - Even loyal dogs corrupted - Nothing is safe - Trust nothing

Pack Mentality: - Corruption spreads through groups - Metaphor for social contagion

Encounter Scenarios

The Pack Attack

Setup: Party traveling through Murk

Complication: Rot-hound pack ambush - 8-10 hounds - Coordinated assault - Infection risk - Retreat cut off

Challenge: Survive, protect wounded, escape

The Infected Companion

Setup: Party member bitten

Complication: Corruption beginning - Hours to act - Treatment needed - Resources limited - Time pressure

Challenge: Find cure before too late

The Lair

Setup: Track rot-hounds to source

Complication: Lair in deep ruins - Dozens of hounds - Corruption intense - Treasures (previous victims) - Extreme danger

Challenge: Raid lair, survive, escape

Related Topics

• The Murk - Primary habitat
• The Rot - Corruption source
• Stage 3 Corruption - Transformation level
• Rot-Beasts - Category
• The Voice Beneath - Possible controller

In-World Documents

Guard Training Manual

ROT-HOUND DEFENSE

Identification: - Black skin, emaciated - Glowing green eyes - Silent (no barking) - Pack behavior

Tactics: - Never alone (always pack) - Coordinate attacks - Flank and surround - Relentless pursuit

Defense: - Fire (essential—carry torches) - Stay together (don’t let them isolate you) - Watch all directions (they flank) - Kill alpha first (disrupts pack)

If Bitten: - Report immediately - Seek treatment (hours matter) - Quarantine if necessary - Do not hide infection

Survivor’s Account

The pack came at dusk. Eight of them. Silent.

We didn’t hear them until they were on us.

They separated us. Flanked. Coordinated like soldiers.

Darius went down first. Bite to the leg. He screamed.

Mira used fire. They backed off. We ran.

Got Darius to medic. Treated the bite. He survived.

But he’s infected now. Stage 1. Hearing whispers.

Will he make it? I don’t know.

But at least he’s alive. That’s something.

“Rot-hounds are the Rot’s foot soldiers—common, effective, and terrifying. They’re what happens when corruption takes something familiar (dogs) and transforms it into something alien. They hunt in packs, spread infection, and kill efficiently. They’re the reason people don’t travel alone in corrupted zones. They’re the reason guards carry fire. They’re the reason children have nightmares. And they’re everywhere. Learn to fight them. Learn to avoid them. Or learn to die quickly. Those are your options.”
—From Bestiary of Horrors