The Strange
"Umber wolves chase dead spirits through the Night Vault. So I thought we were safe when a pack found us—we're not dead. I learned my error when the umber wolves brought Davara down, ripped her spirit loose, and devoured it." —Harran of the Black Moon Explorers
Umber wolves should be feared as much by the living as by the dead, given their taste for souls, regardless of whether those souls are still inhabiting a living body. Umber wolves travel in packs that announce their presence with soul-shivering howls that echo through Night Vault tunnels, and, when Death's moon is full, across the plains of Ardeyn.
An umber wolf doesn't actually look that much like a wolf—it more resembles the opaque shadow of a starved, demonic human moving on all fours, almost a cruel parody of a natural creature, with eyes like white fire.
A level 5 pack lord (health 18, Armor 3) leads packs of umber wolves. Alone, it can attack as if it were a pack of four to six normal umber wolves (dealing 5 points of damage that ignores Armor).
Motive: Hungers for souls
Environment (Ardeyn | Magic): Umber wolves dwell in the Night Vault (and in tomb complexes), hunting in packs of six to ten; they range into the open during Death's full moon, which occurs every thirty-three days
Health 15
Damage Inflicted: Minor wound (3 points)
Movement: Short
Modifications: Track as level 6.
Combat: Umber wolves attack by biting, and their attacks are spiritslaying (which means they can attack both normal and insubstantial creatures without any penalties). A pack of umber wolves usually announces itself with terrifying howls before combat begins. If potential prey hears the howling and fails an Intellect defense roll, the umber wolves gain initiative in combat that begins within the next hour. If the victim succeeds at the Intellect roll, initiative is determined normally.
When umber wolves attack as a pack, four to six can select a single victim and make one attack as if they were a level 5 creature, inflicting a moderate wound (5 points) that ignores Armor, as the pack begins to pull the victim's soul free of its flesh.
If a living creature (or animate spirit) is slain by an umber wolf, the spirit is destroyed for good, since the wolves consume the very soul of their prey.
Interaction: Only members of the Court of Sleep have a hope of dealing peacefully with umber wolves. To all others, they are vicious, partly supernatural predators.
Use: As Death's moon rises, a pack of umber wolves sets to howling, and by the sound of it, they're close and getting closer to the PCs.
GM Intrusion: The pack knocks the PC to the ground and holds her down until she can succeed at a difficulty 5 Might-based roll as her action. All Speed defense rolls made by the PC are modified by one step to her detriment while the pack holds her down.