The Unyielding Flame
"The howl is not a warning. It is the sound of death approaching."
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a unique corrupted mount and warbeast for the Iron Howl.
- Image Credit: Image generated using AI.
- Role: War mount and beast companion; used in ritual hunts, warfare, and battlefield shock tactics by elite Iron Howlers.
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: Loth-Wolf
PHYSICAL INFORMATION
- Age: Adult specimens range from 8–14 years in serviceable combat lifespan.
- Force Sensitivity: Untrained Force Sensitive (Pack Instincts attuned to Bogan flows)
- Species: Corrupted Loth-wolf (Iron Howl variant – alchemized & conditioned via Sith ritual)
- Appearance: Towering and nightmarish in form, these beasts stand 3.5 meters tall at the shoulder and stretch nearly 6 meters long from snout to tail. Their once-silky fur is matted with molten slag, broken armor plates, and Sith alchemical corruption—smoking from the seams like a forge kept barely contained. Their glowing crimson eyes seethe with a dim, volcanic fury. Hardened scales run along the back and legs in ridged rows like volcanic basalt.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Name: "Ashfang," "Scorchclaw," or "Volcawolf" (Common war titles)
- Loyalties: Exclusively loyal to the Iron Howl and their Iron Howler riders (trained from youth to imprint on a single warrior)
- Personality: Fiercely loyal, intelligent, and almost eerily empathic with its bonded rider. Violently territorial, reactive to Force-users, and prone to unpredictable aggression when not focused by their master. In combat, they are bloodthirsty but disciplined—guided through gestures, whistle-codes, or the Force. To outsiders, they are feral horrors; to their bonded, they are trusted steeds and spiritual extensions.
COMBAT INFORMATION
- Combat Function: A cavalry unit capable of shock assault, pursuit, and terrain dominance. Used in brutal charges, flanking strikes, and stealth scouting. Their presence alone often causes enemy morale to crack, especially when howling through smoke-filled battlefields.
- Combat Capability:
- Razor-sharp claws and crushing jaws (can tear through light to medium armor due to claws and teeth being replaced by phrik)
- Volcanic breath: A short-range cone of ember ash and scalding steam
- Pack Tactics: Coordinates with other Loth-wolves
- Ramming Charge: Capable of full-body slam with enough force to rupture armor lines due to armor plating
- Defenses:
- Alchemized durasteel carapace and obsidian-plated scales
- Resistant to flame, heat, and acidic environments
- Runic brand protection: limited resistance to telepathy and minor force attacks
- Force Abilities: None individually trained, but the species possesses strong instinctive senses—heightened danger detection, astral tethering to rider, and rudimentary Force empathy.
MOUNT SPECIFICATIONS
- Role: War Mount / Companion
- Size: Large
- Weight: Approx. 1,200 kg
- Mount Experience/Training: Elite (Trained from pup-stage alongside chosen Iron Howler)
- Maneuverability: Moderate (Fast for size, but heavy and not ideal for tight corridors)
- Speed: 80 km/h (Sprint), 40 km/h (Sustained pace)
- Locomotion: Quadrupedal
- Passenger Capacity: 1 primary rider (Iron Howler); no additional passengers
- Cargo Capacity: Can carry up to 150 kg of gear without hindrance (typically rider's armor, survival gear, and trophies)
Strengths:
- Rider Bonded Pack-Hunters: Exceptional synergy between mount and Iron Howler. Nearly telepathic battlefield instincts and cooperative strikes.
- Volcanic Apex Predator: Resistant to heat, flamethrowers, and harsh environments; thrives in ashlands, lava plains, and extreme terrain.
Weaknesses:
- Alchemical Instability: Corruption causes volatile behavior without strict rider control—can become rabid or uncontrollable during ritual frenzies or separation.
- Force Vulnerability: Despite their resistances, strong Force attacks (telekinesis, mind tricks) can overwhelm their defenses if not anchored by their rider.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Corrupted Iron Howl Loth-wolf—called "Ashfangs" by locals and enemies alike—were once sacred creatures of the Force-sensitive plains of Lothal. When the Iron Howl unearthed a slumbering pack beneath a scorched ruin on Fangol, they twisted them into living war-beasts through Sith alchemy, ritual bonding, and harsh conditioning.
Now corrupted beyond recognition, these beasts serve as companions to the Iron Howlers—elite hunter-warriors of the Iron Howl who see their mounts not as mere steeds, but as soul-bound brothers-in-hunt. Together, they roam the battlefields of the galaxy and descend upon enemies like nightmare riders from a mythic epoch, their howls echoing long after the flames die.