Dog Dagger
Look at this amazing thing. It's worth zooming in to see the detail.
Urmašum's Fang
A dagger whose ivory handle and sheath are elaborately carved with the forms of dogs. It is a sacred relic, commissioned by Urmašum, vizier to the medicine goddess Gula.
Using the Dagger
The dagger can call to the spirits of legendary dogs.
On the night of a full moon, sacrifice a beast by plunging the dagger's blade into its heart. One of the canine figures will leap from the dagger and serve you as its master until the next full moon. If it performs its Telos, the dog will immediately leap back into its place upon the blade.
The summoned dog must be named, fed and cared for like any other dog.
Roll 2d6 to determine the dog summoned. Spend Urmašum's Favour to modify this roll - each point of Favour may modify the dice roll by 1.
| 3d6 | Appearance | Telos |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Extremely long snout. | Will breathe life back into one killed this season. |
| 4 | Long shaggy black hair. | Eats fire, spits fire. |
| 5 | The size of a pony. (Can be ridden.) | Can bark and reveal any who go in disguise. |
| 6 | Unspoilable white. | Can lick any bond until it breaks. |
| 7 | Thick ruff like a lion. | Bite sends men and dogs into convulsions. |
| 8 | Bald but for its tail. | With terrible speed can race up and wring the neck of any person in prayer. |
| 9 | Gleaming coat. | Will track her master anywhere. If her master is found killed, her howls will move a god to sorrow and vengeance. |
| 10 | Goat-like smell. | Protects drunks from theft or harm. |
| 11 | Thrice-curled tail. | Will transform into a woman at the end of the moon - she is a sorceress who transformed into a dog to escape her husband. |
| 12 | Black brindled with all-colours. | Disgorges wine or mead or gold or silver from its mouth. |
| 13 | Matted fur. | Will take on a curse meant for another. |
| 14 | The size of a grain of rice. | Will roar loudly enough to shake stones off a mountain. A stone will crush an adversary. |
| 15 | Lithe. | Will accompany master to heaven's gate and guarantee entry. |
| 16 | Facial markings resembling another pair of eyes. | In dire straits, will beg so piteously that god will provide food or light. |
| 17 | Coat of tight curls. | Disappears immediately. Will appear at the lighting of a candle to guide one who is lost. |
| 18 | Lame in one leg. | Licks will cure any wound. |
Urmašum's Favour
Appease Urmašum by performing holy acts for his master, Gula. Each act is worth 1 point and may be undertaken once a moon.
- Cut an umbilical cord.
- Rid a home of an infestation (fungus, pest, etc).
- Make a sacrifice of salt, dates, barley and beer.
- Perform a funeral for a dog.
- Set a broken limb.
- Provide succour for one in pain.
- Banish a demon of unhealth.
- Nourish 19 leeches for a day.
- Build a shrine to Gula.
- Spend a day teaching medicine to a pupil.
Additionally, favour may be earned by performing a task requested by a priest of Gula. Particularly complex or dangerous favours (such as delivering a message to a distant temple, or clearing out a dungeon) may be worth far more than 1 point of favour.
Finally, sacrificing more impressive beasts in the summoning may earn up to 3 favour (or more for a legendary creature).
Bad Dog
Any who intentionally spread disease or are unkind to dogs have a 3-in-6 chance of summoning a Bad Dog instead.
Mistreating a summoned dog will cause it to become a Bad Dog. 3-in-6 chance per day.
Bad Dog - Use bear stats. Intelligent and capricious. Black, with eyes like glowing coal. Will disappear into the night and cause problems for the players - either menacing the local populace or disrupting party activities.
Thanks
Dog characteristics stolen from wikipedia. Mostly pages linked from: List of Mythological Dogs, List of Dogs in Religion and list of Black Dogs in Folklore. This was a fun post to research for. Mythology is full of dogs, and they are full of unexpected surprises. They're such charismatic beings, it is nice to think about the deep impressions they have made on us for thousands of years.
Dog Dagger photo courtesy of Conghal, who saw it in a museum in Sintra.