(Original Contribution – Tim Murray)

© Daniel S. Wall, April 20, 2026.

“Bred and twisted through arcane secrets long since lost, the Vox Hound was originally created to be protector and companion to powerful wizards.  The hound’s innate ability to resist and absorb magic made them the perfect tool for keeping rivals in check, and that is what they did for many generations.  Somewhere along the line something went terribly wrong.  The very creatures that were once mage-friend began to hate and hunt anyone known to cast a spell.  Abilities for so long considered a boon to wizards everywhere had been turned upon master with devastating results…”

–  Except from The Magic of Ilaria – Gregory Trantell, historian

***

Very few wizards manage to suppress a shudder at the mention of the Vox Hound.  These Hounds possess a thick coat of protective fur and a strong set of jaws, but it is their magical powers that make them truly dangerous. Vox Hounds are blessed with a strong resistance to magic and the ability to turn the power of a wizard’s spells right back at them, these creatures pose a real threat to even the greatest of mages.

Vox Hounds loathe any who wield the magical arts, and will go out of their way to track down and slay any that wield magic.  It is said that a Vox Hound may track a wizard by the traces of arcane energy he leaves behind. Assassins and nefarious individuals wishing for a strong guardian often attempt to make use of a Vox Hound’s services.

A common misconception is that Vox Hounds are simply powerful dogs.  They are actually extremely intelligent, and each individual hound has its own ambitions and desires.