Ur(i)dimmu, the reading is uncertain, meaning “Mad/howling Dog” or Langdon’s “Gruesome Hound”, was an ancient Mesopotamian mythical creature in the form of a human headed dog-man or lion-man whose first appearance might be during the Kassite period. He is pictured standing upright, wearing a horned tiara and holding a staff with an uskaru, or lunar crescent, at the tip. The lexical series ḪAR-ra=ḫubullu describes him as a kalbu šegû,[3] “rabid dog”, but due to the propensity for Sumerian culture to group canines and felines together (ur.maḫ, big dog = lion) and Akkadian to separate them (nēšu, labbu = lion), the issue remains unresolved although the prominent genitalia on the few extant representations argues for a canine interpretation.
He appears in later iconography paired with Kusarikku, “Bull-Man”, a similar anthropomorphic character, as attendants to the god Šamaš. As one of the eleven spawn of Tiamat in the Enûma Eliš vanquished by Marduk, he was displayed as a trophy on doorways to ward off evil and later became an apotropaic figurine buried in buildings for a similar purpose.
Right. Gnolls and Lycanthropes. I dig it. That “staff with an uskaru, or lunar crescent, at the tip” bit seals it. And let me differentiate gnolls, with their 2 Hit Dice, back to Kusarikku (1).
Lycanthrope, Werebear
- Hit Dice: 6
- Armor Class: [17]
- Attacks: 2 claws (1d3), 1 bite (2d4)
- Saving Throw: 9
- Special: Lycanthropy, hit only by magic or silver weapons. hug
- Move: 9
- Alignment: Neutrality or Chaos
- Challenge Level/XP: 8/800
Lycanthrope, Wereboar
- Hit Dice: 5
- Armor Class: [15]
- Attacks: Bite (2d6)
- Saving Throw: 12
- Special: Lycanthropy, hit only by magic or silver weapons
- Move: 12
- Alignment: Neutrality or Chaos
- Challenge Level/XP: 6/400
Lycanthrope, Wererat
- Hit Dice: 3
- Armor Class: [13]
- Attacks: Bite (1d3), Weapon (1d6)
- Saving Throw: 14
- Special: Control rats, lycanthropy, hit only by magic or silver weapons
- Move: 12
- Alignment: Chaos
- Challenge Level/XP: 4/120
Lycanthrope, Weretiger
- Hit Dice: 5
- Armor Class: [16]
- Attacks: 2 claws (1d4), 1 bite (1d10)
- Saving Throw: 11
- Special: Lycanthropy, hit only by magic or silver weapons
- Move: 12
- Alignment: Neutrality or Chaos
- Challenge Level/XP: 7/600.
Lycanthrope, Werewolf
- Hit Dice: 4
- Armor Class: [14]
- Attacks: Bite (2d4)
- Saving Throw: 13
- Special: Lycanthropy, hit only by magic or silver weapons
- Move: 12
- Alignment: Usually Chaos
- Challenge Level/XP: 5/240
Notes:
- Along with Ogres (4+1 HD), Bugbears (3+1 HD), Stone Goblins (1+1 HD), and Goblins (1-2 HD). Ain’t symmetry grand?
