_This black, mechanical hunting dog keeps its nose to the ground sniffing and whuffling. Gleaming teeth fill its metal mouth._ **Ticking Bloodhounds.** Partners to the clockwork huntsmen, these black hounds follow the trails of criminals, escaped slaves, and other unfortunates. Their infused spirits are those of hunting hounds, and their animating magic allows them to follow a scent with preternatural speed and accuracy. **Toy Variants.** Some claim the infusion of animal spirits into clockwork hounds was one of the great arcane discoveries that made the creation of the gearforged possible; others say that it has done nothing but make clockwork mages rich. Certainly the earliest hounds were built for work and war, but the most recent varieties also include some that are deceptively big-eyed and painted as children’s toys or to match a young aristocrat’s favorite outfit. **Serve the Rulers.** Despite this brief flirtation with fashion, most clockwork hounds continue to serve town watches, royal huntsmen, road wardens, moneylenders, and criminal gangs as loyal trackers and guards. **Constructed Nature.** A clockwork hound doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.