Lupinal [Guardinal]

Half human and half wolf, a lupinal is lean and rangy, with wolfish hind legs, a long toothy snout and short, silver-gray fur. From afar it resembles a werewolf in hybrid form, but its face is far more intelligent and expressive, until it scents evil on its hunting grounds.

Lupinals are ambush hunters who exploit cover and terrain, then strike with animal fury. They gain -2 on initiative, dodge nonmagical missiles with a save vs. paralyzation, and are surprised only on a 1. In the wild they track by scent, hide in shadows and move silently at 95%, dropping to 50% in towns.

They claw and bite with 18/76 Strength. A bite that hits by 4 or more locks on; the target must save vs. death magic or be dragged down, after which the bite hits automatically each round until the victim is dead or helpless or the lupinal is badly wounded.

Its howl causes fear in evil creatures within 200 yards (save vs. spell negates). At will it can blur, blink, wraithform, change self or create darkness 15' radius. Three times daily it may cure serious wounds, fly for 3 turns (move 30, MC A), fire a four-missile magic missile, or breathe a 40-by-10-foot cone of cold for 8d4+8 points of damage; once daily it can neutralize poison or cure disease. Only silver or +2 or better weapons harm it.

Lupinals are their plane's soldiers, ranging into the neutral planes, the plane of beasts and a twin paradise of the upper planes in search of evil incursions. They stay battle-ready while others rest and are noticeably more lawful than their kin. Packs are loose: a lupinal may run with three groups on three nights or one band for years, always obeying the wisest member as leader.

They distrust strangers, weigh everyone as a threat, and see mortal adventurers as walking disasters, yet a lupinal's friendship, once earned, is unshakably loyal. Hunts are social rituals; they never hunt sentient prey but love a quarry that tries hard to escape. As the plane's first defense against invaders, they treat the duty with great seriousness.