Vampiric Wolf

Every vampiric wolf is coal black, with wild orange eyes that glow. After a feeding, the eyes smolder a deep red for 12 hours afterward.

The pack runs its quarry down like ordinary wolves until it cannot flee. A victim bitten while running or standing must save vs. paralysis or fall. Once it is down, the wolves go for the arms to stop it fighting back, a called shot at -4 to hit. A successful grab clamps the arm in the wolf's jaws, and only a Strength check (one try per round) breaks free; legs can be seized the same way. A held limb takes damage every round as the wolf chews.

When the prey is helpless, the pack laps up its blood for as long as it lives plus another 1d4+1 rounds.

Their vampiric nature makes them quick, granting +2 on initiative. Sleep, charm, hold and paralysis magic do not affect them, and in melee only silver or weapons of +1 or better truly harm them. Every point of damage they deal heals them by the same amount instantly. Sunlight does not destroy them, but they avoid it and suffer -2 to attack in daylight.

The pack accepts only its creator, or its own strongest wolf, as leader, and turns on anyone else who tries to give orders. The cleric holds total control and can teach simple commands of up to four words that the pack obeys even when left alone for long stretches. Yet wolves will not follow a weak leader, and any sign that the cleric has slipped invites the pack to tear him apart. If they kill him, they run wild, shunning people unless hunted.

They care nothing for treasure but make good guards. When vampiric wolves are found near what looks like a den, chances are better than even that a hidden door or passage lies close by.

These undead take from the world and give nothing back. The maker must be an evil cleric of at least 9th level, who gathers 3d6 pups from one or more dens. They must be almost weaned but must never have eaten meat, or they are useless.

The cleric begins with a rite that is essentially atonement reversed, then must feed the pups by hand every day for three months, or they die. Their food must be no more than a day old, laced with a drop or two of living human blood or vampire dust, and cursed with a reversed bless. At the end the full-grown wolves are poisoned and rise as vampiric wolves. If the cleric fails to kill them then, each must save vs. death magic or dwindle to 1 hp per Hit Die, surviving as an ordinary but bloodthirsty wolf. The process never works on dogs.