The Collaborative International Dictionary
Barghest \Bar"ghest`\, n. [Perh. G. berg mountain + geist demon, or b["a]r a bear + geist.] A goblin, in the shape of a large dog, portending misfortune.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context UK English) A legendary monstrous black dog, said to possess large teeth and claws and (sometimes) to be capable of changing form. 2 (context UK English) Any ghost, wraith, hobgoblin, elf, or spirit.
Wikipedia
In Northern English folklore, the Barghest or Barguest , is a mythical monstrous black dog with huge teeth and claws, This in turn cites:
- Wirt Sikes, British Goblins (1880)
- Notes and Queries, first series, ii. 51.
- Joseph Ritson, Fairy Tales (Lond. 1831), p. 58; Lancashire Folklore (1867)
- Joseph Lucas, Studies in Nidderdale (Pateley Bridge, 1882) though in other cases the name can refer to a ghost or household elf, especially in Northumberland and Durham (see Cauld Lad of Hylton).
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the barghest is a type of fictional monster. The barghest is portrayed as a goblin-like creature that comes from the plane of Gehenna to feed on humans. These evil creatures can change form to appear as a dog or wolf, or a large goblin at will. The barghest was introduced in The Dragon magazine, and then the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game's original Monster Manual II, and then continued to appear in the game's second edition, third edition, and fourth edition.
Usage examples of "barghest".
They had come to the Material Plane together, two barghest whelps, to eat and grow.
Those two hardy human meals would have strengthened the great barghest considerably, perhaps even bringing Ulgulu to the level of maturation he needed to return to Gehenna.
The human village had provided easy pickings for the barghest whelps and might continue to do so for some time if Ulgulu and Kempfana were careful about their attacks.
The open, crisp air of the chill mountain night felt good to the barghest, better still when Ulgulu thought of the task before him.
The barghest casually tossed Bartholemew and his pitiful weapon across the kitchen and stalked over to the old man.
Ulgulu had told them to expect the drow and to simply delay him out in the entry room until the barghest could come and attend to him.
Scarlet-skinned and giant-sized, the barghest waited with crossed arms and a wicked, confident grin.
Drizzt said in the goblin tongue, his voice so utterly cold that it stopped the scarlet-skinned barghest in his tracks.
The barghest recognized the explosive rage in this drow and had felt the sharp bite of the scimitar.
In the blink of an orange-burning eye, the scarlet-skinned barghest was gone, stepping through an extradimensional door and reappearing right behind Drizzt.
When Drizzt put the barghest off balance, Kempfana willingly toppled, meaning to crush the wiry little elf.
Desperate, the barghest concentrated, reaching for his goblinoid form.
He saw the barghest twitching only a few feet away and tried to rise in defense, but darkness overwhelmed him.
The barghest army offered protection and companionship, and Ulgulu, always scheming for new and more devious kills, had provided Tephanis with unending important missions.
Dove was firmly convinced that the barghest, and not the drow, had slaughtered the Thistledown family, but why had the drow apparently gone after the barghest lair?