The Devil Dog has long been one of my Favorite old school monsters. When I got to “D “on my list sadly he nearly slipped my mind in favor of the Doppelganger as I asked my friends for a monster to feature.  Then I recalled in one of my games having an entire town nearly wiped out before the players were able to track down this dreaded beast. By the time they figured out what was going on they had to wade through a horde of the undead victims to put the beast down.

The Death dog is an evil creature which lurks in dark forests, deserted dungeons, barren wastelands and abandoned ruins, and it kills anyone it sees on sight. Though it can also attack with its teeth and claws, it has a preferred attack in the form of its disease-causing bite. The disease kills the victim within just a few days, and then causes them to rise as a zombie. Only a disease curing spell can remove the disease.  Death Dogs, are mostly unintelligent, proud of all those that have died via their bite and risen as undead, and gloat over them.  Death dogs are sometimes used by evil necromancers, power-mad rulers, demon lords, They also make good spies and assassins.

Death Dogs cannot speak, but understand both Undercommon and Abyssal

Stealing a fun Plot idea.
A local town has been plagued by a mysterious and supernatural black hound. The recent death of the mayor of the town  has rekindled suspicions and fears.  Now victims are returning are returning under the light of the full moon and the howls of the Death Dog can be heard as it claims more victims (Ty Hound of the Baskervills)