Demon. Hellspawn. Underland Dweller. Blood Fiend. Hunter. Houndmaster.
Each name applies to Krosus with equal measure, though perhaps none more so than Lord of Vengeance, which is his first and true calling. Only later, during one of the incessant demon wars, did Krosus seize control of the Pack and assume the title for which he is best known, that of Houndmaster.
Krosus is as unstoppable as any force of nature, seemingly unkillable, and possessed of a demon’s tenacity, meaning he never gives up a hunt once started.
As houndmaster, he will send the Pack ahead to terrorize and herd an enemy, following in their wake so that their prey is thoroughly exhausted when he arrives. He will then finish the hunted off with a murderous swing of his broadsword.
A powerful relic from the demon realm summoned Krosus and his hell hounds to hunt and kill Aaron Shepherd. Until that task is complete, Krosus and the Pack are bound to the mortal realm.
The Pack is made up of twelve hell hounds, each a powerful brute with characteristics and personalities all their own. Few encounter such a demon and live to tell about it, but it is known via rare sightings and stories that their fur is jagged and dark, blood-red eyes are mesmerizing and fear-inspiring, and their tongues are forked. Saliva dripping from their mouths is acidic, and the tread of their paw prints leaves smoking holes in their wake.
KROSUS’S POWERS
As a demon, Krosus’s powers are great and many. He cannot be killed in the conventional sense, making him immortal for all intents and purposes. Also, he possesses great physical strength compared to a typical mortal. While his weapons skill is above average, it rarely comes into play as he prefers to simply overpower or defeat his enemies with sheer terror and brutality after his hell hounds have run their prey to ground. As a demon of the shadow realm, Krosus, like his hounds, can open a portal into that nether dimension, using it to travel great distances quickly. He can also draw power from it, fueling his demonic magic to encase himself in protective armor or resist the magic of others, amongst other things.
THE SHADOW REALM
The shadow realm is a place of cold and darkness, anathema to any mortal but quite comfortable for a demon. The realm exists outside normal space, between dimensions, it is believed, or else it is a dimension unto itself. One can access the shadow realm only through magical portals. Most demons, Krosus and the individual hell hounds amongst them, can open such portals. Powerful wizards have been known to have this power as well.
If one can survive the bone-chilling cold and other malaises affecting anyone bold enough to enter the realm, then that person can access a plethora of benefits, including traveling great distances in a short amount of time or tapping into a veritable unlimited supply of dark energy to fuel any number of magical endeavors.
THE PACK
The twelve hell hounds of the Pack are:
1. Carnage (Ugoshatha to other demons)
2. Havoc (Shatach)
3. Ravage (Sthu)
4. Ruin (Sarshuath)
5. Shatter (Elaqus)
6. Agony (Hugony)
7. Mayhem (Yathathac)
8. Misery (bitch) (Ggothista)
9. Scourge (alpha) (Uzulthoma)
10. Discord (Mmazstagoth)
11. Turmoil (Bhacthu)
12. Terror (Zhac-kitha)
It is rumored that the one who led them before Krosus became their master was another hell hound, a rare thing indeed, and that Scourge took this other’s place only after Krosus had taken control of the Pack.
FIRST APPEARANCE
Krosus and his hounds first appear in Engines of Alchemancy (The Alchemancer Book One).
