Buy me a coffeeCooshee, Hound of the Elven Glades
“Silent as shadow, loyal as blood—the Cooshee is the elves’ unseen guardian and nature’s fiercest hound.”
The Cooshee (pronounced koo-shee) is a large, elven-bred hound standing nearly 4 feet at the shoulder and weighing up to 200 pounds. Its sleek, muscular frame is covered in thick, mossy green fur dappled with leaf-brown and gray markings that shift subtly to blend perfectly into forest undergrowth. Its long, tapered ears swivel like antennae, and its deep-set, almond-shaped eyes gleam with a golden or amber hue, reflecting keen intelligence and quiet vigilance. Its paws are wide and padded for silent movement, and its tail—long and plumed—flicks with surprising expressiveness.
Behavior
Cooshees are fiercely loyal, intelligent creatures often compared to wolves in their pack instincts and elven rangers in their cunning. Trained and raised by wood elves, they function as companions, guards, and hunters. They rarely bark unless to warn or stun intruders, preferring silence and ambush over brute force.
Cooshees communicate through body language, scent, and a series of soft, chuffing growls and yips. They form lifelong bonds with their elven handlers and have been known to mourn their companions when lost. They will not attack without provocation, but once engaged, they fight with focused, tactical precision—flanking enemies and striking from concealment.
Habitat
Cooshees dwell in ancient, enchanted forests, particularly those tied to elven settlements or fey crossroads. They make their dens beneath tree roots or within thick groves, often near sacred elven glades. Though they prefer the company of elves, they can sometimes be found guarding druidic circles or roaming in small packs through Feywild-touched regions.
They avoid civilization, hostile terrain (such as mountains or deserts), and regions corrupted by necrotic energy or industrial pollution.
Modus Operandi
Cooshees use stealth, patience, and terrain to their advantage. When confronting a threat, they often:
- Stalk from cover, using camouflage to become nearly invisible in forest environments.
- Stun targets with their sudden, resonant bark, buying time for allies or to force a retreat.
- Strike in coordinated packs, often alongside elven warriors or other Cooshees, with precision ambush tactics.
- Flee and reposition when outmatched, using their superior speed and agility.
They are not reckless—Cooshees choose their engagements carefully, especially when defending elven young or sacred sites.
Motivation
A Cooshee’s core drive is protection—of its elven kin, of sacred groves, and of the natural balance of the forest. While not inherently aggressive, they have an unbreakable instinct to defend and to guard. In some legends, Cooshees are said to have been gifted to the elves by the archfey of the wild hunt, charged with ensuring harmony between mortals and the ancient forest spirits.
They may accompany adventurers if bound by trust or duty but will not abide cruelty, deforestation, or senseless violence. When threatened, they become formidable opponents—nature’s wrath in canine form.
Cooshee 5e
Cooshee, Pathfinder
Cooshee
Large fey beast, neutral good
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 52 (7d10 + 14)
Speed 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 6 (−2) | 14 (+2) | 10 (+0) |
Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +4
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7, Survival +4
Damage Resistances Psychic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Understands Elvish and Sylvan but cannot speak
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Traits
Elven Camouflage.
While in forest terrain, the Cooshee has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide and can attempt to hide even when only lightly obscured.
Stunning Bark (Recharge 5–6).
As a bonus action, it emits a resonant, magical bark in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area that can hear it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn. Elves and creatures with Fey Ancestry have advantage on this saving throw.
Silent Stalker.
The Cooshee’s movement does not provoke opportunity attacks, and it leaves no tracks or scent unless it chooses to.
Pack Bond.
When within 30 feet of an allied elf or another Cooshee, the Cooshee has advantage on attack rolls against creatures within 5 feet of that ally.
Actions
Multiattack.
The Cooshee makes two melee attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 12 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.
If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Dash and Disappear (Recharge 4–6).
The Cooshee moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks and may immediately take the Hide action if it ends its movement in light or heavy obscurity.
Tactical Behavior
They are expert ambushers and guardians. They prefer stealth and speed to brute force, often harassing and disorienting intruders rather than engaging in direct combat. In battle, they rely on flanking tactics and control abilities such as Stunning Bark to overwhelm foes. When working in tandem with elves or other Cooshees, they demonstrate remarkable coordination and restraint, only attacking when necessary to protect their territory or bonded companions.
Environment
Cooshees dwell in deep, enchanted forests, often near elven settlements or ancient druidic circles. They are rarely seen without purpose, typically guarding sacred sites or patrolling borders under the direction of trusted elves.
Treasure
Cooshees do not collect treasure, but their dens may contain elven artifacts or enchanted items left by their handlers. These may include:
- A finely crafted elven collar enchanted with minor protective magic
- A moonstone talisman bound with fey energy
- Scrolls of Speak with Animals or Pass Without Trace, used in training rituals
Cooshee
This creature appears as a large green and brown spotted dog with slightly elven features. It has a long, curling tail and ears that taper to points above its head.
Cooshee CR 2
XP 600
NG Medium magical beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 22 (3d10+6)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +2; +4 vs. enchantment
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft. (plus sprint)
Melee Bite +6 (1d8+2 plus grab or trip), 2 claws +6 (1d4+1)
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +3; CMB +5 (+9 to grapple); CMD 18
Feats Alertness, Weapon Finesse
Skills Perception +7, Sense Motive +3, Stealth +11 (+15*), Survival +5 (+9**); Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth *Due to their coloration, the racial bonus to Stealth checks increases to +8 in their natural environment. **Cooshee have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
SQ sprint
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Sprint (Ex)
Once per hour, a cooshee can move ten times its normal speed (400 ft.) when it makes a charge attack.
ECOLOGY
Environment temperate Forests
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (4–9)
Treasure none
Cooshees are large, 200-pound, 4-foot tall hounds. They are known throughout the world as elven dogs, for their features resemble those of elves and they are often found in the employ of elves (who use them as guards). Though they only bark to warn their masters or other cooshees, the bark can be heard clearly up to one mile away.
Cooshees attack by biting and tripping their foes. Once down, an opponent is grappled and bitten.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Cooshees from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax.