Boar

Boars were wild relatives of the domestic pig. They were favored animals of the deities Gruumsh, Gwaeron Windstrom, Ilneval, Luthic, Rillifane Rallathil, Shargaas, and Yurtrus.

Description
Boars were covered in thick fur, often brown or grayish in color. The exact size of a boar varied from species to species, from roughly human size to roughly the mass of an ogre or similarly sized creature. All varieties of boars were armed with sharp tusks that jutted out from beneath their snout and which were capable of causing serious injury. Boars also had a highly developed sense of smell.

Behavior
Though not predatory by nature, boars were ill-tempered and territorial, a combination made worse by boars' powerful musculature and sharp tusks.

Species
There existed several species of boar in the Realms, some of which are listed below.
 * Dire boar
 * Larger than usual boars with increased aggression.


 * Pig
 * The domestic variant of boars, raised for livestock.


 * Thunderfury boar
 * The fey derivative of boars, which were far more ferocious than their Prime kin.

Ecology
Boars usually traveled in groups known as sounders.

Habitats
Boars were found in most locales across the world, from chilly tundras to hot jungles.

In north Faerûn, wild boars inhabited the medium woods of Cormanthor, Daggerdale, and Shadowdale. Particularly the Border Forest and Vale of Lost Voices. They could also be found in the Marsh of Chelimber, the forests of Mistledale, around the Pool of Yeven, and in the Ardeep Forest. They were found throughout the Savage Frontier.

In interior Faerûn found in Cormyr, while in west Faerûn they could be found in Tethyr and in Amn, where they were so common along the Trade Way near the Battlescarred Bard inn that some believed a local landowner must have been using a deepspawn to create them. They were also particularly common throughout the forests of the Vast. In the Unapproachable East, they could be found in the Forest of Lethyr and Yuirwood. In the Hordelands, they could be found on the Katakoro Plateau High Meadows, and Central Steppe. In the land of Anauroch, they could be found in the fertile reaches of the Plain of Standing Stones as well as the bordering Desertsmouth Mountains.

Beyond Faerûn they could be found on the island of Evermeet, where they were non-hostile towards elves and occasionally hunted by gold elves. On the continent of Laerakond, boars could be found in Eskorn, Fimbrul, and Relmaur. In Zakhara they could be found in the land's hills and badlands. White-furred arctic boars were known to inhabit Icewind Dale and the Frozenfar.

Beyond the Prime Material plane, boars could be found in the Feywild, on Yggdrasil, the Cavern of Rest. They were particularly known to act as guards in this divine realm of Marthammor Duin.

Usages

 * Most elves had distaste for boar flesh, though still some prepared it as a stew in a similar manner to lulleth.
 * It was quite common for inns of average quality in the Realms to serve boar meat as the third part of a four-course meal. Rural way-inns and the best eateries of small towns were also known to serve boar meat, albeit in gravy. Roasted boar was often scored to allow for cloves or garlic to be embedded in the meat for cooking.
 * Taverns would sometimes serve a boar and barley stew in mugs. These stews were intentionally very salty in order to encourage more drinking.
 * Boar was one of many types of game popular and common at tables in the Dalelands.
 * Along the Sword Coast, boar innards&mdash;including hearts, livers, and even lungs&mdash;were cooked by first crisping them over a fire and then simmering them in broth until ready to serve, at which point they were dried, crisped once more, and minced into a gravy with wine and warm cream.
 * It was quite common for high-end establishments in the Realms to serve a whole roasted wild boar as the seventh part of a full-course meal.
 * In Neverwinter, boar meat was one of the many common fillings used in savory pies and in sausages.
 * Thick-cut boar bacon was sometimes eaten as a centerpiece of a morning meal, often with eggs or fruits.
 * Boar fat was a common cooking ingredient in places like Tethyr.
 * Boar dumplings were a mainstay food among the poor of Amn while simple farmers in The Vast used it to make wildsage stew.
 * The so-called beef tea was a mixture of stock, roast drippings – most often boar, and a dash of potent alcohol, such as zzar.

History
A petrified boar was kept on the Arcane Chambers level of Undermountain by Halaster.

Members of the church of Silvanus often encouraged the hunting and eating of boar under the belief that the nobles who owned forests which were good for hunting would take efforts to preserve or expand those woodlands.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds • Tantras • Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage • Dragon of Icespire Peak • Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
 * Novels
 * Darkwalker on Moonshae • The Mercenaries • The Magehound
 * The Sapphire Crescent • The Fanged Crown
 * Video Games
 * Gateway to the Savage Frontier • Neverwinter Nights series (Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir • Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over Daggerford) • • Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms
 * Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
 * Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
 * Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor