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A dire wolf was an ancient dire version of a grey wolf,[6] being a larger and more primitive or feral breed of wolf.[7] Dire wolves were favored by the gods Garagos and Ilneval.[8]

Large as horses, dire wolves must hunt often to satisfy their ravenous hunger. A mere human does little more than blunt their appetite.
— Anonymous.[9]

Description[]

Dire wolves grew to about 9 feet (2.7 meters) long and weighed up to 800 lb (360 kg), about the size of a horse. They had thick fur that was mottled grey or black in color, and they had eyes like fire.[3]

Behavior[]

Dire wolves were far more aggressive than normal wolves,[7] attacking and killing anything they could catch. They can be found singly as lone wolves or in packs numbering five to eight dire wolves.[3]

Ecology[]

They could generally be found in temperate forest environments,[3] such as the Starwood[10] the Silver Marches,[11] and the Toadsquat Mountains.[12] However some were occasionally encountered in colder environments, such as the North Country of Rashemen[13] or within some caves found throughout Icewind Dale.[14]

Dire wolves were occasionally kept by hill giants,[15] members of the Gray Wolf tribe of the Uthgardt people,[16] and Black Blood cultists.[17] A leash and collar made for a dire wolf cost 8 sp from Aurora's Emporium, as of the mid–14th century DR.[18]

Abilities[]

They had keen senses, including a sharp sense of smell, allowing them to track their prey by scent. They could also move stealthily on the hunt.[3]

That howling? Wolves—or folk caught in their jaws, who want all Faerûn to know they're dying. They could let me sleep, inconsiderate dolts.
— Aglasz Jhavildar, Sage of Teziir, Lessons to Children, Volume IV[19]

Combat[]

Dire wolves fought in packs, fighting efficiently and surrounding their prey and flanking it to gain an advantage. Their bite was their only weapon, but they could drag a creature to the ground once they had gotten a hold of them.[3]

History[]

In the Year of the Prince, 1357 DR, Conner and a young boy were traveling on a moor when fog swept in and they were beset by starving dire wolves. However, before the beasts closed in for the kill, a shaft of moonlight transported them to Waterdeep.[20]

Notable Dire Wolves[]

Appendix[]

See Also[]

Appearances[]

Gallery[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 321. ISBN 978-0786965614.
  2. Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 264. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 65–66. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  4. Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 362. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
  5. Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 101. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
  6. Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 362. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 62. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  8. Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 10–15. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
  9. Magic: The Gathering (July 2021). AFR symbol AFR #179 "Dire Wolf Prowler", illus. Alessandra Pisano. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “Explorer's Manual”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 10. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
  11. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 43. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  12. Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 90. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.
  13. Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 90. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
  14. Christopher Perkins (September 2020). Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 978-0786966981.
  15. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 152. ISBN 978-0786965614.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Jeff Crook, Wil Upchurch, Eric L. Boyd (May 2005). Champions of Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 119. ISBN 0-7869-3692-4.
  17. Jeff Crook, Wil Upchurch, Eric L. Boyd (May 2005). Champions of Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 48. ISBN 0-7869-3692-4.
  18. Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 10. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  19. Ed Greenwood (June 2000). “The New Adventures of Volo: Quotations of the Realms”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #272 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 97.
  20. Michael Fleisher (January 1989). “The Bounty Seekers Of Manshaka”. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #2 (DC Comics) (2)., pp. 9–10.
  21. slade, et al. (April 1996). “Daggerford”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 28. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.

Connections[]

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