บท 240: INTERLUDE. A god among men

The guard hounds couldn't take the trail in the city's stink, and their houndmasters had to circle around the gates in search of trails. They were lucky that the weather was dry lately, and the scent, and tracks, kept well enough for the dogs to find the first trail of scent that didn't belong to an animal.

They were special hounds, trained to track humans. The city guard, and at times templars, used them to seek brigands and bandits in the wild. Cold winters tended to increase their populace, and at springs—just like that one, so early that there were still patches of snow lying at the shadier places.

By autumn, most of the bandits would be replaced by monsters, and a simple hound won't take a trail of one. For that, rangers and druids from Adventurers' Guild would use their monstrous pets who feared no beast and were enhanced with some of the power of their masters.