Hound

Species Name 	Hound
Average Height	Approximately 9'0"
Average Weight	Unknown
Lifespan 	50+ Years
Diet 	Carnivorous
Sentient? 	No (Under Vireka's Control) Yes (Free Will)
Familiar Name 	None
Hounds are unnatural monstrosities created by Magic performed by The Pale Ones, particularly the High Lady or Lord at the time. So far, only Lyons have ever been turned into one -- it is unknown whether other animals could be used to create a Hound or not.
==Information==
===History===
The first hounds were inspired by Mōbōr, a powerful and evil lion who would transmogrify his allies, up to and including his own children. It is unknown how the magic was obtained, but the Pale Ones got the idea from him and used the power for their own ends.
===Creation===
A Hound is created by splashing a special, yet unnamed substance on the face of the target, then commanding them to "Change and serve me forever". The substance can either be thrown on or put in a particular way to help the transformation go quicker and smoothing, but it isn't necessary and the result is the same.
===Biology===
Hounds are creatures with ape-, feline-, and hyena-like features, outdoing even the largest Lyons in size. They are huge and strong enough to carry up to three adult big cats on their backs as well as wipe out or subjugate entire prides in just groups of two or three. They can also bend metal and club a rhino senseless. Hounds are quick, able to outpace a cheetah, but have less maneuverability than smaller animals -- they are unable to react quickly or change direction easily when running full-out. 
Outwardly, Hounds are heavily-built in the front and smaller and slimmer to the rear -- the forequarters are much more developed than their hind limbs, and so the back slopes sharply down from the oversized arms to the legs. Their front paws have wickedly long claws while the back paws do not. Their mouths have many rows of jagged fangs, and when closed, sharp tusks visibly jut up from the lower jaws. Each Hound also has three sets of long tufted ears, and three sets of pupil-less red eyes. Their blood is black.
Hounds cannot breed and were a lyonesse pregnant at the time she was changed, her unborn cubs would simply be aborted as the process is violent, physically traumatic, and painful. Upon changing into back into lyons, their virility is restored if they had it to start. http://comments.deviantart.com/4/31216992/3992628155
Surprisingly, hounds do sleep.
===Intelligence and Temperament===
Hounds seem to vary by intelligence, this variance seemingly influenced by the lyon beneath the beast. Normal hounds are rancorous, murderous, and rather stupid beast but Oduor and Kudisan were calmer than others. Oduor in particular was intelligent and retained some of his old nature. He could sense magic when it was around.
=== Other Info===
Hounds can be freed from their madness by another magic user, although their bodies cannot be reverted back to normal except by the one who created them (or their creator's death). If freed mentally, a Hound's eyes change to reflect the Lyon underneath's real eye color, and will regain pupils. As shown in the book, they have an aversion to water and a preference for the soft, tender bodies of lyon cubs vs. adults.
===In The Story===
They are used primarily by The Pale Ones in The Forges of Dawn for purposes of subjugation and hunting. Shari remarked "once a hound has you in it's jaws you're dead, even if you're still drawing air." and this proves true as Hotio and Koto are torn to pieces by one in mere seconds.
==Hounds (current and former) ==
*Kaless (former)
*Ainra (former)
*Dayima (former)
*Tarute (former)
*Oduor
*Kudisan
*Fuga
==References==
Category:Species
Category:Iron Lyons Universe
Category:Unnatural Species