Inugami

If not for its elaborate robes and peaked cap, this creature would resemble an ordinary dog. Talismans, divination tools and other occult accouterments hang from cords along its body.

Taken from Creature Codex

Although they are sometimes referred to as “familiar spirits”, inugami are far more powerful and esoteric creatures than a mere familiar. Created by a gruesome occult ritual, these undead dog-like creatures are capable assistants and repositories of arcane lore.

Inugami are loyal to their creator, and frequently are passed between generations of a family for decades or even centuries. Families that host an inugami have notably superior luck to their rivals, seeming to have preternatural knowledge of local affairs and business opportunity, and madness or ill fate besieging their enemies. Although an inugami typically serves its hosts, they do not obey a master who did not create them unquestioningly, and a cruel or ungrateful master may be abandoned or murdered by the undead.

An inugami is the size of a mid-sized dog, but it is naturally headless. The head of the animal it was created from remains in a specially desecrated shrine devoted to keeping the inugami intact—the inugami’s head is an ectoplasmic construct projected from within the creature. This ectoplasmic head can extend from its shoulders on a tether, giving it frightening reach with its bite attack. An inugami cannot change its shape, but frequently uses illusions to appear as a normal dog, a child or halfling, or even a werewolf-like creature depending on the needs of its mission.

Creating an Inugami

In order to create an inugami, a dog must first be buried up to its neck in full sight of food and water. Just before the dog starves, it must be decapitated and its head buried at the crossroads for no less than a full month. The head is then dug up, lacquered and baked and enshrined in a secret place within the home. These elaborate steps can be averted with a create undead spell at caster level 17th, but the caster must be capable of casting psychic spells or have the Psychic Sensitivity feat.

Inugami CR 8
XP 4,800
NE Small undead
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +17, scent
Defense
AC 22, touch 18, flat-footed 17 (+1 size, +5 Dex, +4 natural, +3 insight)
hp 85 (10d8+40); fast healing 3
Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +12
Defensive Abilities fated, rejuvenation
Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +12 (1d4+1 plus shadow bite)
Space 5ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with bite)
Special Abilities dog-ridden
Implements
Abjuration (amulet, 4 points)—Resonant warding talisman (+2)
Divination (planchette, 3 points)—Resonant third eye (+1, low-light vision)
Enchantment (crown, 2 points)—Resonant glorious presence (+1)
Necromancy (robe, 1 points)—Resonant necromantic focus (+2 HD)
Occultist Spells Known CL 7th, concentration +10 (+14 casting defensively)
3rd (2/day)—bestow curse (DC 16), clairaudience/clairvoyance, dispel magic, suggestion (DC 17)
2nd (4/day)—analyze aura*, false life, inflict pain (DC 16), resist energy
1st (5/day)—charm person (DC 15), comprehend languages, inflict light wounds (DC 14), shield
0th—daze (DC 14), detect magic, resistance, touch of fatigue (DC 13)
Spell-like Abilities CL 10th, concentration +14 (+18 casting defensively)
At will—veil (DC 22, self only)
1/day—animate dead, gaseous form, greater possession* (DC 22)
1/week—contact other plane
*see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Occult Adventures
Statistics
Str 13, Dex 20, Con -, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 18
Base Atk +7; CMB +7; CMD 25
Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Spell Focus (enchantment), Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +19, Disguise +22, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (planes) +16, Perception +17, Sense Motive +16, Stealth +22
Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal
Ecology
Environment urban
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Dog-ridden (Su) A creature affected by the greater possession spell-like ability of an inugami takes 1d4 points of Wisdom damage every hour it remains possessed. If a dog-ridden creature is reduced to 0 Wisdom, it gains a random insanity (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Gamemastery Guide)
Fated (Su) An inugami gains an insight bonus to AC and to CMD equal to its Wisdom modifier.
Rejuvenation (Su) A inugami is not permanently destroyed in combat—it reforms within its shrine within 2d4 days. The only way to permanently destroy an inugami is to destroy its shrine. Such objects typically have hardness 5 and 10 hp. An inugami is not destroyed if its shrine is destroyed, but it can no longer rejuvenate.
Shadow Bite (Su) The bite attack of an inugami deals an extra 5d6 points of force damage. In addition, any creature bitten by an inugami must succeed a DC 19 Fortitude save or take 1d4 Str damage. The save DC is Charisma based. This is a negative energy and force effect.
Spells An inugami casts spells as a 7th level occultist. It gains implements as an occultist of its caster level and can use the resonant powers of the implements it chooses, but gains no focus powers or other occultist class abilities.