Black Dog

==Description==
Very much like the Black Dogs of English and Irish lore, these large, shaggy, canines with floppy ears and red, glinting eyes seem to straddle the line between the physical and spirit realms. They appear capable of teleportation, or appearing and re-appearing at will and can manifest as clearly in the spirit world as they do in the physical. Black Dogs are tall, standing four feet at the shoulder, and emit an ominous presence, however, they have never been known to attack anyone, whether human or werewolf. When approached they will growl menacingly, and their intimidating auras are usually enough to deflect any means of contact. 
As with humans, a Black Dog appearing before a werewolf is taken as an ill omen - very often involving death, either of themselves or a loved one. Although it is presumed there is more than one, given the range of sightings, they have never been seen in the same place at the same time.
It is unknown what attracts them though they seem more likely to visit areas in which death is or has been present such as graveyards, hospitals, and battlefields. They can also manifest in liminal spaces, usually at night, but they have been seen during the day.
Black Dogs have a curious effect on shapeshifters in animal form. If one should encounter a Black Dog in this shape, they will feel a strong urge to follow it. This feeling will increase in intensity the longer one pursues the Black Dog and they will continue onward until they drop either from exhaustion, exposure, dehydration, hunger, or other means. Whether the phantom canine does this intentionally or not is unknown, but it can be speculated that death of the pursuer does seem to be the desired result.
An old saying among werewolves is “chasing the Black Dog” - which refers to one who consistently and knowingly places themselves in harm’s way.
Black Dogs are easy enough to ward off and require no apotropaics. They do seem to be drawn to certain people, however, and may reappear again some time later. One legend states that seeing the dog once indicates that you or a loved one will come to harm, seeing the dog twice is actually considered a sign of good fortune, but three times and it is certain that you or someone you know will succumb to death. Others maintain that encountering the animal once is enough to indicate a fatality of some sort.
Category:Bestiary
Category:Cryptids
Category:Enemy Lexicon