Cindermaw - The Hell Hound
A fire-breathed hunter that remembers every scream—and enjoys repeating the sound.
Role in Its Society:
Cindermaw is not a pet, guard, or mount. It is a living alarm bell, a predator that announces suffering before it arrives. Wherever infernal influence bleeds into the world—volcanic ruins, scorched battlefields, cursed forges, or devil-haunted crossroads—Cindermaw ranges freely, hunting not just bodies but panic. Settlements near its territory don’t fall overnight; they unravel as people stop traveling at dusk, then at noon, then at all. The hound doesn’t need orders. Fear is enough.
Appearance Description:
Cindermaw resembles a massive, sinewy hound with coal-black hide split by glowing cracks like cooling lava. Flames gutter constantly along its spine and jaws, leaking smoke with every breath. Its eyes burn a molten orange, fixed and unblinking, and its teeth glow white-hot when bared. The creature leaves scorched paw prints that smoke briefly before fading, and its growl sounds like bellows stoking a forge—low, rhythmic, and full of promise.
Backstory:
Cindermaw was not summoned—it escaped. Once bound to a hellish gate guarding a volcanic breach, it slipped free during a planar surge and discovered something intoxicating: the mortal world burns just as well, but screams louder.
Now it hunts alone, following old ley scars, ash winds, and the scent of fear. It does not linger where prey runs out; instead, it stalks regions already strained by heat, war, or unrest, ensuring the fire never truly goes out.
