Akanuk Whale Hound (5e Creature)

Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 11
Hit Points 22 (3d10 + 6)
Speed 40 ft., swim 25 ft.

Skills Perception +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Keen Hearing and Smell. The hound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

On the distant planet of Kaimere, the native Kaimerans share the same love of dogs as humans do, although they independently domesticated their dogs: the first Kaimerans to domesticate dogs were the Khalin of the Southern Islands, where the local wolves are of even temperament and much more omnivorous than the ferocious pack hunters most would think of with wolves. From there, the Khalin brought their dogs wherever they sailed and all Kaimeran dog breeds are descended at least partially from Khalin dogs. Of all the Kaimeran cultures and all the Khalin, the most famous and best dog breeders are the Akanuk of the Western Khalin Islands, who take special care of their dogs: most people breed dogs for outstanding traits and appearance, but Akanuk breeders put the health and wellness of the breed above all else. Part of this is due to Akanuk dogs being blessed with hereditary magic^[1] by a witch before the Kaimeran Dark Ages which has granted them greater health overall as well as extended lifespans: Akanuk dog breeds take three years to reach adulthood and life well into their sixties.
Most famous and largest of these breeds is the Whale Hound, bred for the purpose of being watch dogs on ships and aiding in the manipulation of whale carcasses while the sailors strip the blubber from it. For this purpose, whale hounds are a silent breed, as whales are keen of hearing, and instead signal with a wave of their flag-like tails when they hear them or see spouts in the water. To aid in manipulating whale carcasses, whale hounds have webbed toes, dense water resistant fur, and are truly massive, weigh between 2-300 pounds on average. These dogs are of great use with whale carcasses, jumping into the water to maneuver the whale about, minimizing the time it takes to strip the carcass before the may scavengers of the southern seas can close in and cause all manner of problems. Although intimidating and powerful, whale hounds are extremely docile: while they readily attack animal threats, it takes a lot of prodding for a whale hound to attack a person. There are similar dog breeds known as seal hounds though, which while smaller are more aggressive.