From the Journal of Groddin Elith:
…And on our third day we reached the open plains. Not so eager was I to encounter whatever creatures lay on our path. We had heard the howling and barking ahead. Without hesitance we continued on our journey, blaming such sounds to stray wolf packs and the like.
I leaned over to take a swing from my waterskin, when not by a blink of an eye did I see the blow coming from my left. I dismounted to see Erioth and Ghaan surrounded by atleast 4 of such beasts.
They where neither men, nor animal. They barked and yelped as ordinary dogs, laying low then lunging up mid charge and striking Erioth on the neck. Immediately I drew my sword, and charged the first I could see, missing with my longsword, yet striking the beast critically with my shortsword. One such creature had a hold of Ghaan's leather cloak the other clung ravishly unto Ghaan's forearm. I rushed to Erioth's aide as he was now overwhelmed with the creatures lashing themselves at his neck. I slew a second one, the one now clinging to Erioth's neck. Erioth gasped for air as three more moved in. They reminded me of a pack of wolves. These creatures where rabid. White vile and a putrid stench emerged from their mouths, what evil concoction had brought them about is unknown to me. Erioth tumbled away and we both charged in on a third one. By this time Ghaan managed to kill one more before his remaining assailants fled. Their hind quarters where used for sprinting, while their forelimbs where used for balance, in an ape-like fashion.
I slashed at the final one, its front paw snapped as my longsword slashed through its arm before it dodged down, turned, and fled with the others. As it turned around and fled it made a wailing sound.
We studied the corpses that remained. These dog-like creatures had evolved to show similar humanoid anatomy with stout noses and long ragged tails. Their fur was ragged and torn a few showed signs of being bitten, possibly by each other. One of the slain creatures wore makeshift apparel in the form of crudely stitched hide and fur. What caught our attention the most was the clear white putrid vile that came out of their mouths. Shortly after their deaths flies had laid maggots over the liquid. I saved a few samples for my studies. Shaken by the encounter, we gave aide to Erioth who had been bleeding from his neck and arms. We continued on our way promptly.
The following day we hit the forests again and made camp near a grove. Erioth was ill and running a high fever, similar to Filth fever. We needed to get him to a cleric as soon as possible, as we did not have the facilities to cure him of such ailment. He barely made it through the night, constantly coughing up clear vile, shivering, and expressing pains in his neck and stomach. I feared for the worst, that he had been afflicted by a lycanthrope. The dogs had something to do with his ailment and I hoped that the worse would not be manifested.
The following day Erioth was gone. We searched throughout the forest and saw no sign of him. We feared the worse, but by midday he returned, in a rather dastardly state. His clothes where torn and dirty, he foamed at the mouth, and lunged at Ghaan, who used his shield to stop Erioth. He was enraged, he threw the gear around charged my way, missing me, and crashing into a tree. He passed out from the concussion. Ghaan and I tied him up and mounted him on my mount. We hoped to reach town that evening.
Kanisine
Medium-Sized Beast
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| Hit Dice: | 1d10+2 (7 hp) | |
| Initiative: | +3 (Dex) | |
| Speed: | 50ft | |
| AC: | 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural) | |
| Attacks: | Bite +6 melee, 2 claws +3 melee | |
| Damage: | Bite 1d6+2, claw 1d4+1 | |
| Face/Reach: | 5 ft. by 5 ft / 5 ft. | |
| Special Attacks: | Attach, Rabid Bite | |
| Special Qualities: | Scent | |
| Saves: | Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2 | |
| Abilities: | Str 14, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 10 | |
| Skills: | Jump +6, Listen +6, Spot +5, Wilderness Lore +2* | |
| Feats: | Dodge, Mobility | |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||
| Climate/Terrain: | Any land | |
| Organization: | Solitary, pair, pack (4- 8 plus 1 pack leader), community (9- 20 plus 2 clerics of 1st-2nd level, 2 pack leaders of 2nd level, and 1 Alpha Male 2nd-3rd level), or lair (30-60 plus 110% noncombatants plus 1 2nd level pack leader per 8 adults, 4 clerics of 2nd-3rd level, 1 Alpha Male 3rd-4th level, and 1 4th level Matriarch) | |
| Challenge Rating: | 1 | |
| Treasure: | None | |
| Alignment: | Always Chaotic Neutral | |
| Advancement: | By character class | |
The Kanisine are thought to be races of half-dogs that dwell in the open plains. It is believed Kanisine are a product of a long forgotten wizard experiment gone awry.
The Kanisine resemble a stout dog, with a shortened muzzle, long tail, and an ape-like posture. Their fur is normally light tan, with a darker reddish brown tinge along their backs. Although they can easily stand on their hindquarters, they will normally use atleast one forelimb to maintain themselves upright.
The Kanisine hunt in packs, which are normally parts of a larger community. The packs leave at dawn, gorge themselves, and return with any extra food captured to their lair or camp.
Part of their hunting technique involves gathering larger pray than their pack can handle. Their bites on the larger pray infect it with a deadly disease. The disease will turn the victim violent and show episodes of rage and anger. Meanwhile the lungs produce excessive vile, effectively drowning the victim in his own mucus. The Kanisine then return to collect the larger carcass. Any pray both large and small that is bitten by the Kanisine have a chance of contracting the rabid disease. In some instances Kanisine may act friendly to adventurers who offer them food. It has been such adventurers that have returned with reports of the most violent attacks.
Kanisine speak a barking dialect of Undercommon.
Combat
Kanisine hunt in packs. They attack with blinding speed and will usually overwhelm a victim. Their main aim is to take down the victim by lashing unto its neck, meanwhile other members of the pack lunge at the victim's limbs. Kanisine will normally target the weakest member of a group they deem as sick, encumbered, or badly injured.
If the prey is too large for the Kanisine to handle or if they are outnumbered they'll do a wailing retreat. Leaving the victim to either die from the disease or live through it. If the victim dies in the vicinity, their keen sense of smell allows them to return to the location of the carcass.
Attach (Ex): On a successful melee bite attack, a Kanisine automatically deals bite damage each round (attached AC 12).
Rabid Bite (Ex): On a successful melee bite attack the victim may contract the Kanisine disease. Creatures bitten by a Kanisine must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 14) or be inflicted with the disease within 1d3 days. For each day that a creature fails a saving throw it will suffer 1d4 Dex and 1d6 Con temporary damage. While under the effects of the disease the creature will release large amounts of mucus from the mouth and nose as well as experience throat, chest, and back pains. Up to 1d6 times per day there is a 60% chance that the creature will become enraged and attack the closest creature whether it's friendly or not.
Skills: *Kanisine receive a +9 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.
Kanisine Cleric
Medium-Sized Beast
| Hit Dice: | 2d10+2 (12 hp) | |
| Initiative: | +3 (Dex) | |
| Speed: | 50ft | |
| AC: | 17 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +2 hide) | |
| Attacks: | Bite +5 melee, 2 claws +2 melee | |
| Damage: | Bite 1d6+1, claw 1d4 | |
| Face/Reach: | 5 ft. by 5 ft / 5 ft. | |
| Special Attacks: | Rabid Bite, Spell-like abilities | |
| Special Qualities: | Scent | |
| Saves: | Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +3 | |
| Abilities: | Str 12, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 10 | |
| Skills: | Listen +6, Concentration +6, Spellcraft +4, Wilderness Lore +4* | |
| Feats: | Dodge, Still Spell | |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||
| Climate/Terrain: | Any land | |
| Organization: | Solitary, pair, pack (4- 6) | |
| Challenge Rating: | 2 | |
| Treasure: | Standard | |
| Alignment: | Always Chaotic Neutral | |
| Advancement: | By character class | |
Within the lairs and camps of the Kanisine are the Kanisine clerics. These variants to the standard Kanisine have the ability to cast spells to aid their clan. The Kanisine Clerics resemble the standard Kanisine wearing tattered hides and torn clothes. They usually adorn themselves with old bones and useless artifacts they believe brings them power, focus, and good luck.
Kanisine Clerics speak a barking dialect of Undercommon and Gnoll.
Combat
Kanisine Clerics will normally stand back and heal their brethren. When engaged they will attempt to retreat unless surrounded. If forced to fight, they will attempt to bite the creature first, before resorting to using its claws. The Cleric's bite can still spread the Kanisine disease to the bitten victim.
Rabid Bite (Ex): See description under standard Kanisine.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will- cure minor wounds and inflict light wounds; 2/day- bane, doom, cure moderate wounds. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 2nd-level cleric (save DC 13 + spell level).
It is yet unknown how these creatures obtain these spell like abilities. Some say that it may be a result of eating certain types of creatures in the process of their hunts. Others believe that they have intelligence yet to be understood. Like standard Kanisine, all members of the Kanisine are immune to the Kanisine disease and are a host for the bacteria that is carried in their saliva.
Skills: *Kanisine receive a +9 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.
Kanisine Elite
Medium-Sized Beast
| Hit Dice: | 3d10+2 (17 hp) | |
| Initiative: | +3 (Dex) | |
| Speed: | 40ft | |
| AC: | 19 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +4 splint mail) | |
| Attacks: | Bite +8 melee, 2 claws +5 melee | |
| Damage: | Bite 1d6+3, claw 1d4+1 | |
| Face/Reach: | 5 ft. by 5 ft / 5 ft. | |
| Special Attacks: | Rabid Bite | |
| Special Qualities: | Scent | |
| Saves: | Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +3 | |
| Abilities: | Str 16, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 11 | |
| Skills: | Jump +8, Listen +8, Spot +6, Wilderness Lore +2* | |
| Feats: | Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack | |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||
| Climate/Terrain: | Any land | |
| Organization: | Solitary, pair, pack (4- 6) | |
| Challenge Rating: | 3 | |
| Treasure: | Standard | |
| Alignment: | Always Chaotic Neutral | |
| Advancement: | By character class | |
The Elite encompass the Alpha Males, Pack Leaders and Matriarchs, as well as any Kanisine level 3 or higher. These members of the Kanisine are known to be the strongest and lead the packs into hunts. On rare occasions they may form a pack among themselves to fight off a more powerful creature afflicting their clan.
Unlike other Kanisine, the Elite adorn themselves rather lavishly. They can be distinguished among the others by the apparel and armor they may don.
Kanisine Elites speak a barking dialect of Undercommon and Gnoll.
Combat
Kanisine Elite will normally spearhead an attack with standard Kanisine following their lead. On the rare occasion that several Elite form a pack, the strongest or an Alpha male will be the leader.
The Kanisine Elite use their spring attack ability to lunge at a creature then continue their charge for a turn around. Several Elite will follow suite. Like all other Kanisine their bite contains the Kanisine disease.
Rabid Bite (Ex): See description on page 2.
Skills: *Kanisine receive a +9 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.
Kanisine Society
The Kanisine societies are believed to be ultimately patriarchal with power resting on a single Alpha male. The strongest most ravenous of the litter normally contests the standing Alpha male. The winner becomes the next leader, while the looser is both killed and eaten, or becomes an outcast.
Like most bestial societies, Kanisines are nomadic migrating in search of a constant food source. They may settle along the outskirts of civilization, feeding off wastes or the occasional misfortunate soul. More commonly they populate the open plains feeding on larger gracing animals.
Their camps are normally nothing more than a few branches used to hold up furs, hides, or torn clothes. Their lairs are more intricate and built inside cavern systems or dug right out from the ground. They have been known to inhibit gnoll mounds, a more common occurrence, as it is believed the gnolls have attempted to have them as slaves unsuccessfully.
In the more elaborate lairs an alpha male may share power with a matriarch. This female Kanisine is thought to be responsible for maintaining the bloodline of the Alpha male. Any pup not of the alpha male's line produced by the matriarch is killed and eaten. Any Kanisine that mates with the matriarch is savagely attacked by the Alpha male and killed. Often such contests can last for weeks, resulting in either a new Alpha male, or several Kanisine being killed.
Subraces
Information given here is for the Plains Kanisine, the most common variety. There is one other Kanisine subrace, which differs slightly from plains Kanisine.
ICEPAW KANISINE
The Icepaw Kanisine is found in northern tundra. Unlike their warm climate brethren the Icepaw have white to light gray fur. They typically dwell in ice caverns, mounds dug into the snow, or makeshift camps made from furs and hides.
Icepaw Kanisine speak a barking whining dialect of Undercommon, Gnoll, and Goblin.
AC: An Icepaw Kanisine's natural armor is +3 instead of +2.
Icepaw Kanisine Traits (Ex): These are in addition to the basic Kanisine traits, except where noted here.
Kanisine Characters
A Kanisine's favored class is the Monk; Kanisine leaders and elite are usually fighters. Kanisine clerics usually worship Obad-Hai, deity of hunting, beasts, and woodlands.
By Roy
Kanisine can be easily implemented into any campaign setting. Kanisine should not be treated as lycanthrope or the results of the effects. As always that is left up to the DM, after all it is a type of 'were-dog'.
The Kanisine Clerics where designed as a somewhat support cleric that could be thrown in randomly in support of a pack of Kanisine. They can be more realistically modeled as true clerics by reducing their Hit dice from a d10 to a d8.
Your feedback is appreciated! Send email to royvega1@attbi.com