A Priest of Vahl uses his Hounds to Train his apprentice.
[credit: Peter Ortiz]
Name: Hound of Vahl
Designation: Semi-Sentient
Homeworld: Coruscant
Language: Understands Basic and Vahla
Average height of adults: Average Human Height-2 Meters
Skin color: White and Black
Hair color: Red-Orange, red, or Black
Breathes: Type 1 only
Strengths:
- Tracker: Hounds are created to have heightened senses of smell, sight, and hearing and their connection to the Force allows them to track Force Nexi and to some extent other Force Users.
- Force User: Most knowledge on the Force from life has been lost. However, Hounds have been observed to use these three Force Powers at various levels.
Kinetite - Force Lighting
- Telekinesis
- Force Meld
- Force Body
[*]Alchemized Body: Most Hounds will be able to shrug off a blaster bolt or two. Alphas however have been shown to be able to shrug off blaster bolts entirely and have been able to take sustained blows from Force lightning and been observed to withstand sustained contact with lightsabers for no more than three seconds on its standard power setting. Anything higher than a regular power output cuts through the exoskeleton like any other material. In most cases this is due to the keratin that is forced to the surface from their hair follicles during their creation that creates a thin exoskeleton.
Weaknesses:
- Solid projectiles made of beskar and beskar alloys cut through them like they would a normal human.
- Alchemical Blades and Force Imbued weapons follow suit
- They can be directly controlled by their priest or priestess, lowering their effectiveness in battle when this is done
- Shatterpoint destroys entire exoskeleton, killing the Alpha Hound instantly
- Inability to swim
- Due to the powerful ties to the Dark Side they have, they are easily detectable in the Force even from miles away, in the case of Alpha hounds and are extremely susceptible to Force Light
- Lightsabers set even the slightest bit higher on its power setting will burn straight through an Alpha's exoskeleton
- Cutting off their connection to their Priest or Priestess disrupts their combat flow, sending their bodies into a catatonic state. The length of time this lasts depends on a variety of variables such as:
In the case of some sort of Force Nullification field such as Ysalimari the catatonic state lasts for approximately two minutes {One and a half posts}, subsequently sending them into a confused rage - Force Severing of the Priest or killing of said priest freezes them indefinitely until a new link is made or some other attempt to wake the beast is made
[*]The extraterrestrial venom of the Hydrastaff eats through the Alpha's exoskeleton
[*]Bonded Priest has ability to kill their Hound from any distance, causing the Hound's body to freeze in whatever position its in and turn to stone
[*]Though able to take bolts of Force Lightning, Electric Judgment does work and is more effective than on other organics
[*]Male Zeltron pheromones excite Alpha Hounds and cause them to go mad
Distinctions:
- Common Hounds are always masked.
- Alpha: An Alpha is the leader of "Pack" of Hounds, usually no more than four. They are larger and often have much stronger mutations than their common counterpart such as tails, horns, wings, etc. that make them look less human. They often have longer hair and sport distinctive markings on their bodies.
- Common Hound: A Common Hound stands around the height of an average Vahla or Vahla hybrid. They keep most of their features that they had before their death and/or transformation. There is nothing outstanding about Common Hounds. They look and seem to act much in the way one would expect a loyal Sith Knight would.
- Alphas usually sport a white exoskeleton
- Very pale skin
- "Soulless" eyes, vacant and or distant looking
Races:
Estimated Population: Several Dozen One of which is an Alpha Hound
Diet: Organic Plant or Animal matter, especially if linked to the Force
Communication:
Hounds of Vahl communicate through their bond with their Priest or Priestess on a very complex level. Body language on the part of the Hound is understood as clearly as spoken words. To other Hounds communication is done through a complex mental link, not unlike Force Meld. Grunts, growls, howls, and roars are also very easily understood ways to communicate with non bonded individuals. Some Alpha Hounds have been shown to utilize telepathy when the need for words has come about.
Culture:
Little more than humanoid hunting beasts they often travel in packs with an alpha leading the group. Their entire lives are dictated by near direct orders from their bonded priest or priestess and little else. Because most of them resemble their base species more or less they are usually given free reign of their surroundings. Not at all inquisitive they do not wonder aimlessly and would rather sit in a temple and pray or worship Vahl than read volumes in a library.
Technology level:
Their technology level is highly dependent on their race. While Pack Hounds generally undergo the least amount of change when they are created and can utilize a variety of standard technological tools and weapons based on their orders, Alphas may sometimes find this difficult due to their more drastic changes.
General behavior:
In general, if they are not bound by their priest to complete some task they are very protective of their priest or priestess. Their first duty is to guard them with their lives. They are also wild animals loyal to Vahl and generally very aggressive to any that would speak heresy or could be a threat to any Vahl. Seemingly grumpy and passive they are very calm and collected despite their primitive, beast like mannerisms.
History:
Hounds of Vahl have been part of the Ember of Vahl since Darth Isolda's rise to power within the cult. Utilized in their early days to strike fear and wrest control of small holds away from non-believers they play a certain status role. While the six priests and priestesses of Vahl all have packs of their own, only the High Priest may take an Alpha Hound which oversees all other Hounds. There can also only be one Alpha Hound at a time. Chosen for their strength and devotion to Vahl, priests groom their chosen through trials of devotion and sometimes, manipulation. Often Hounds are used to train apprentices and acolytes as well.
Notable Player-Characters: The Hound
Intent:
To create a Sithspawn hunter for [member="Darth Isolda"] as well as move Turin Val Kur's story forward
Dev Thread:
Nothing Can Be Explained: Isolda makes note of Turin Val Kur's potential {Short-Private-3 Posts}
Burn the Witch: Turin falls to the corruption of Isolda{Duel-27 Posts}
Keeper and the Hound: Turin Val Kur swears loyalty to Isolda and the Goddess Vahl. Isolda gives him title of Hound {Private-24 Posts}
Rage is a Hell of an Anesthetic: An example of the ritual used to create a Hound of Vahl, specifically an Alpha Hound. Also thread where Turin Val Kur is used as the base for Darth Isolda's Alpha Hound {Short-Private-10 Posts}
First Hunt: An Alpha Hound is observed to be wounded by a Sith sword during an Apostate hunt {10 posts}
[Note: These cannot be killed for their hides or shells etc. They wither into ashes at death]
[Note: Priests and Priestess outside of Darth Isolda are all NPCs To my knowledge none of them participate in invasions or Dominons and are their for lore purposes only. If they ever do become PCs or are used in threads with their Alpha Hound it should require its own submission as Alpha (the Six of them) There is at current only one PC priest (Darth Isolda) and one PC Hound (Turin Val Kur) In summation this sub is for the Alpha Hound of Turin Val Kur]
[Note: Any Alpha Hound created after this initial species creation that deviates from these standard strengths and weaknesses or abilities should require five extra posts in development]
[Note: Priests and Priestess outside of Darth Isolda are all NPCs To my knowledge none of them participate in invasions or Dominons and are their for lore purposes only. If they ever do become PCs or are used in threads with their Alpha Hound it should require its own submission as Alpha (the Six of them) There is at current only one PC priest (Darth Isolda) and one PC Hound (Turin Val Kur) In summation this sub is for the Alpha Hound of Turin Val Kur]
[Note: Any Alpha Hound created after this initial species creation that deviates from these standard strengths and weaknesses or abilities should require five extra posts in development]
