Hell-hounds

There are two kinds of Hell-hounds in the world of Darkness. The traditional hell-hound is a creature from the infernal pits (Deep Umbra) that spread terror, devour the souls of men and generally are unpleasant to be around. However during the dark ages (In the Dark Ages: Sorcerer books) Mages learned to summon and control these beasts which were then bread towards domestication. They chose the least wildly homicidal beasts and bread them together to make less and less aggressive animals. These animals became the breed of demon-dogs popularly thought of as your common hell-hound. They one of the few truly domesticated breed of bygones along with cat-familiars.

They are fiercely protective of their owners as long as their owners take care of them and the ability they have to eat paradox off a person is often traded by a mage lucky enough to own a Hell-hound for favors from other Mages. Over the centuries they have adapted to a more common form gaining the ability to forgo their armored skin in exchange for fur that lets them blend in with normal dogs. The domesticated Hell Hound is like most dogs, friendly if wary of strangers but unlike most dogs when you threaten the owner of a Hell Hound the beast is far more threatening. They will give their life protecting their Mage.

Anyone with knowledge of the occult legends knows the tales that if you look a Hell Hound in the eyes it burns away your soul, looking it in the eyes thrice is fatal.