Malbolgian Cerberi
A beast leapt forth from the flames of Hell, this gigantic, threeheaded hound howls a sound like the cacophony of a raging wildfire. Large enough to heft a horse in its monstrous maws, this terror bears no flesh, its body merely a thing of exposed bone and charred musculature. From its three fanged mouths leap tongues of flame, and crimson saliva leaks from the terror's skeletal jaws.
Malbolgian Cerberi (CR 12)
Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful)Alignment: Lawful Evil
Initiative: +5
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, soul scent; Perception +23
Speed: 30 feet
Space: 10 feet
Defense
Armor Class: 26, touch 10, flat-footed 25 (+1 Dex, +16 natural, -1 size)Hit Points: 161 (14d10+84)
Saving Throws: Fort +15, Ref +10, Will +6
Offense
Melee: 3 bites +20 (1d8+7 plus 1d8 fire plus cerberus's jaws)Reach: 5 feet
Special Attacks: Rend (2 bites, 1d8+10 or 3 bites, 1d8+14)
Statistics
Str | Dex | Con | Int | Wis | Cha |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
24 (+7) | 12 (+1) | 22 (+6) | 6 (-2) | 15 (+2) | 8 (-1) |
CMB +22
CMD 33 (37 vs. Trip)
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Greater Bull Rush, Powerful Maneuvers, Improved Initiative, Stand Still
Skills: Acrobatics +18 (+22 jump), Perception +23, Sense Motive +4, Stealth +14, Survival +19
Languages: Infernal (cannot speak)
Special Abilities
Cerberus's Jaws (Su)
Curse-bite; save Fort DC 23; effect forbidden to leave plane.Ecology
Environment: AnyOrganization: solitary
Treasure: incidental
The mythical watchdogs of Hell, cerberi bear the bodies of terrible, powerful hounds and the essences of fiends. Relied upon by villains and frightful beings as guardians and gaolers, these three-headed canine abominations possess far greater cunning than their flensed, bestial appearances would suggest—a terrible intellect they pour largely into malice and enjoyment of their victims' tormented ends. Cerberi draw upon a legendary pedigree, all reputedly tracing their lineage to a single primordial evil beast said to still guard the foundations of some forsaken, deathly realm. Brethren to hell hounds, cerberi loathe their distant kin, viciously attacking such hellspawn if not kept at heel by a tyrannical master. Such are the cruel devices of Hell, though, that brazen hatred breeds ingenuity and new evils.
Thus, within the depths of the infernal realm, amid the indomitable pits and fortresses of Malbolgia, devils work at nightmarish beast pens, forcibly breeding monstrous hybrids. Born in fury and profanity, Malbolgian cerberi rage forth, ferocious three-headed hell hounds the size of bulls and more than willing and capable of slaughtering their loathed Nessian warhound kindred. A typical cerberi stands a broad 4 feet tall and weighs over 200 pounds, while a Malbolgian cerberi can reach over 6 feet in height and weigh upward of 400 pounds.
Ecology
Denizens of Hell, cerberi embody the ferocity and covetousness of that realm. Bent to service as watch beasts or guardians at the gates of the Pit, cerberi possess unique abilities predisposing them to such grim service. Bearing some measure of mastery over souls and their fundamental ability to shift between planes, these infernal hounds easily trap their victims, preventing them from escaping to the safety of more favorable realms. This ability allows the beasts to prey upon both spirits and the denizens of the outer planes, which every so often attempt to leap between realms to avoid danger. Physically, cerberi appear akin to mortal canines, though in truth they hold little in common. As natives of Hell, they resemble devils more than the wolves and hounds of the Material Plane, their fleshless figures and three monstrous heads making this obvious at anything less than extreme distances.
Despite the differences in physiology between mortal beasts and these keen hunters of souls, cerberi frequently find themselves treated like unthinking animals—largely due to their inability to speak. Such a mistake often proves deadly, as cerberi possess alert minds and genuine cunning. While most willingly accept the commands of more powerful masters and gory compensations for their efforts, cerberi are intelligent enough to know when they've been slighted and viciously turn on creatures who mistakenly think themselves their masters.
Habitat & Society
In their natural infernal environments, cerberi might be found anywhere powerful fiends have need for guardians. This makes them frequent fixtures among the dark vaults of Erebus, the estates of Dis, and the fortresses of Avernus. Capable trackers, especially adept at detecting the scent of wayward souls, cerberi also might be found among the legions of the first layer of Hell hunting the freshly arrived damned alongside other devils. Yet, beyond all other tasks, these three-headed hounds excel as captors and minders of the dead, assuring that none of Hell's charges escape their eternal fates.
Cerberi's incredible ability to trap victims on planes and track the dead make them highly coveted servants across the multiverse. The live markets of Dis teem with cerberi for sale, both ravenous pups and tested hunters. Daemons and night hags especially covet cerberi and pay high prices for whole packs of the soul-hunting hounds. The hounds' bestial appearances and love of slaughter often cause those who consider themselves cerberi owners to forget the deviousness of their allies, a development that often ends poorly, if not bloodily, for the unwary and the weak.
Outside of the devil-tamed reaches of Hell and other foul extraplanar wildernesses, small groups of cerberi gather in harsh, pack-like communities. Typically dominated by the strongest or wiliest member, such packs form swift and deadly tides, stalking trespassers upon their vast hunting grounds and doggedly pursuing any scent of lost souls. Although cerberi gain no sustenance from attacking the dead, as befits their infernal nature, all gain a vicious satisfaction at the feeling of an immortal essence discorporating forever within their deadly jaws.
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