Dread Wolf

Within days of its making, a dread wolf rots into a mangy, half-decayed carcass. Its fur drops away, and its reek carries 120 feet downwind.

It bites and tears like any wolf. While the pack stays inside the 50-mile range of its maker's control, the mage directs the fight; beyond that range it uses ordinary pack tactics.

Its bite carries rot. A victim must save vs. poison within an hour of the battle or begin losing 1 hp each hour until death. Treatment in that first hour by a character skilled in the herbalist proficiency grants +2 on the save, and cure disease ends the sickness.

From the second round of combat onward it regenerates 3 hp per round, troll-fashion. Lasting harm comes only from fire, acid, or full dismemberment, which occurs when its negative hit points match or exceed its normal maximum. It fights on until -10 hp, then collapses until it has healed back to 0 or more. Charm, hold and cold spells have no effect, and electrical spells deal half damage.

A renegade mage invented these undead, and the method has since leaked to other wizards across the Prime Material. They have no society and no interest in treasure, though their master may send them to fetch any object one can carry in its mouth. A mage can hold only one pack at a time and cannot pass control to anyone else; attempting either unravels the magic and destroys the wolves for good.

The creator must be an evil mage of 9th level or higher with 3d4 wolf carcasses dead less than a day. An hour-long chant that weaves modified versions of three spells, animate dead, dismissal and summon shadow, draws a shadow out of the Negative Energy Plane and divides it among the bodies. Interrupting the ritual releases the shadow's energy and deals 3d10 to the mage, with no save. Trying it on dogs, for reasons unknown, simply fails with the same backlash.

The finished wolves range up to 50 miles from their master, who sees and hears through them and steers them with his thoughts. Straying farther cuts the link, and unless told otherwise they race back to restore it. They can also carry a standing order of no more than three brief sentences (30 words in all), pursuing it over any distance until it is done or they are destroyed.