The Strange Bestiary
The recursion hound is a species of dog bred for sniffing the roads between worlds. After one gets the scent, little can stop it from eventually tracking down its target, even if the trail lies across multiple recursions in the Shoals of Earth.
A recursion hound stands about 5 feet (1.5 m) high at the shoulder and weighs almost 300 pounds (136 kg). Its dark eyes shine with intelligence.
Motive: Protect and guide selected companion(s)
Environment (the Strange): Anywhere, in any recursion, often in the company of a companion
Health: 21
Damage Inflicted: 4 points
Movement: Short
Modifications: Tracking as level 9; resists intimidation as level 8 (when with bonded companion).
Combat: A hound can bite foes, though it relies first on its recursion-shattering howl, which it can use once per minute. When it howls, a selected target within short range must succeed on an Intellect defense roll or be sent spiraling into a random alternate recursion, chosen by the GM, as if through an inapposite gate.
The recursion hound is quickened, with its own unique way of moving through recursions. Up to once per hour, when following a trail of a target whose scent it has obtained, the recursion hound can slip into a shadow (sometimes its own) and walk between worlds as its action. Up to five other creatures the recursion hound designates can follow it through. From the perspective of the hound and any travelers, the trip takes 1d6 hours along a lane of wavering twilight. At the trip's end, the hound appears in the new recursion as if it had passed through a translation gate whose exit is located where the target first entered that recursion.
The hound can also translate between recursions when not tracking a target, but in such cases, it is limited to locations it has previously visited or has the scent for.
Interaction: A recursion hound is sapient, though most act like a loyal canine companion of another creature, and will do that creature's bidding.
Use: The PCs are being tracked through recursions by a powerful enemy, and no matter how well they think they've given their pursuer the slip, it's not enough after the enemy procures a recursion hound.
GM Intrusion: The hound slips into shadow, leaving the outline of a dark door behind it for one round. If one or more characters follow, they emerge on a disintegrating road of shadow and a few moments later are hurled into a random recursion as described under Combat.