Hellhound Yokai

**Hellhound Yokai** are a variation of Dog Yokai who are known for having 3 heads.

## Physical Appearance

Hellhound Yokai are anthropomorphic dog-like or wolf-like beings. They're commonly seen in black fur and red or orange eyes. Some can have parts of their bodies being covered in fur. They also have sharp teeth, sharp claws, large hellhound ears and tail.

## Description

Hellhound Yokai are one of the many yokai residents who lives in Scarlet Domain. But in recent years, many Scarlet Domain residents are moving up to the Hidden World for various reasons. These yokai are known for guarding the entrance of the Scarlet Domain. Not letting anyone come into the Scarlet Domain unless they have a specific reason for it. Hellhound Yokai have a foul odor which are difficult to get rid of. Which is why there is a shampoo that's specifically used to deal with Hellhound Yokai's foul odor.

## Abilities

Here are the abilities that Hellhound Yokai have in their arsenal:

* Canine Physiology
	+ Enhanced Durability
	+ Enhanced Endurance
	+ Enhanced Senses
		- Enhanced Hearing
		- Enhanced Smell
		- Night Vision
	+ Enhanced Speed
	+ Enhanced Stamina
	+ Enhanced Strength
	+ Lightning Bruiser: Enhanced Level
	+ Powerful Bite
	+ Predator Instinct
	+ Temperature Regulation
* Claw Retraction
* Enhanced Agility
* Enhanced Leap
* Fear Inducement
* Feral Mind
* Hell-Fire Manipulation
* Regenerative Healing Factor

### Variations

* Curse Inducement
* Death Inducement
* Fire Manipulation
* Human Disguise
* Human Speech Replication
* Jinx
* Supernatural Condition

### Types of Hellhounds:

* **Black Dog Physiology**
* **Cerberus:** Multi-headed (usually three, up to hundred is mentioned), sometimes multi-bodied, hound which guards the gates of the Underworld, possibly with snakes as a mane and/or tail. Note that his three heads may be connected to various triple concepts (past/present/future, birth/youth/age).
	+ Afterlife Guardian of the underworld.
	+ Fire Vision
	+ Possibly Magic.
		- Cycle Manipulation (rare)
		- Samsara Manipulation (rare)
	+ Multiple Bodies (rare)
	+ Multiple Heads (3)
	+ Plant Generation: is associated with the creation of the poisonous aconite plant
	+ Poisonous Saliva
	+ Snake Den
	+ Snake Hair
	+ Supernatural Condition
* **Cŵn Annwn Physiology**
* **Fenrir:** Monstrous wolf so large that "his upper jaw touches the sky while his lower touches the earth when he gapes". Able to kill Odin, so this one is Bad News.
	+ Absolute Condition: of the *upper scale*.
	+ Elemental Breath: mainly fire or ice, source of a river.
	+ Cosmic Hunger: *destined* to devour the light (Odin/the sun) at Ragnarok.
	+ Divine Slayer: *destined* to kill Odin.
		- Deity Consumption: can devour gods and celestial aspects.
	+ Domino Effect: via *slipping his chains* bringing about *Ragnarok.*
	+ Infinite Digestive System: had an insatiable hunger, can devour anything and everything.
		- Consumptive Growth: grew larger and stronger the more he ate.
			* Endless Growth: can grow to celestial proportions.
		- Reality Consumption: if left unchecked, Fenris can continue to eat and devour until all of eternity consumed.
	+ Jotunn Physiology
	+ Warg Physiology

### Associations

* Mythical Bestiary
* Underworld Guardian
* Underworld Lordship

## Pop Culture

Hellhounds have been appearing since Hesiod wrote his Theogony, making this one Older Than Feudalism. Modern hellhounds typically resemble stereotypically aggressive or vicious dogs, such as bulldogs, mastiffs or Dobermans, and are black with glowing red or flaming eyes. Less commonly, they may be black and white, or white with red ears. They may have two or even three heads.

For the most part, Hellhounds tend to be based on one of two sources. The first is Cerberus, the legendary hound that guarded the gates of the Underworld in Greco-Roman myth. The second is a varied number of myths from the British isles concerning spectral hounds said to roam fens, moors, ruins and other abandoned places. Hellhounds of Cerberite pedigree tend to be guardians and watchdogs, usually powerful but less interested in going out to seek trouble, and usually have multiple heads. Hellhounds of British pedigree are likelier to be lone wolves, roaming wildernesses on the prowl for hapless prey, and may possess additional supernatural powers, but are usually less physically monstrous.

## Variations

### Dog Yokai

Hellhounds are described as being dog-like or wolf-like creatures who can have up to 3 heads in some stories.

### Demon Yokai

Hellhounds are connected to the Underworld/Hell and/or considered an Omen of Death.

### Black Dog Yokai

Hellhounds are commonly seen with having black fur with red, orange or yellow eyes.

### Cŵn Annwn Yokai

Cŵn Annwn are a variant to hellhounds. They have white fur with red eyes and red tips somewhere in their bodies. Mostly their ears and tails. They are associated with the wild hunt, controlled by their master, said to be either Arawn, king of Annwn in the First Branch of the Mabinogi and said to be in the Fourth, or by Gwyn ap Nudd as the underworld king and king of the fairy folk in medieval lore when a souls time has come due if that soul was a bad individual or had made a deal with the gods and crossed them then the hounds would come.

## Life in the Hidden World

Hellhound Yokai have a durable, powerful body that's always burning uncontrollably with seething desire, and they have a severely ferocious disposition like hellfire. If they're born with 3 heads, they're referred as "Cerberus Yokai". They often work as guards to protect others from danger. They also have other powers such as jinxing someone to have bad luck, cursing others, replicating their speeches, and generating plants. It's rare for them to have abilities such as Cycle Manipulation and Samsara Manipulation. Some would fight in various tournaments due to their immense strength. Legend says that if someone is to stare into the eyes of a Hellhound Yokai three times or more, that person will definitely die; seeing or hearing it howl may also be either an omen of death or even a cause of death. In cultures that associate afterlife with fire, Hellhound Yokai may have fire-based abilities and appearance. They are often assigned to guard the entrances to the world of the dead, such as graveyards and burial grounds, or may undertake other duties related to the afterlife or the supernatural, such as hunting lost souls or guarding a supernatural treasure.

## Symbolism

A hellhound means the appearance of something difficult that will be difficult to solve. To dream of a hellhound represents to take a complex election, to take care of something not very pleasant or to assume the control of the complex circumstance.