Timber Wolves

In the towns and villages which surround forests, relying on their resources for survival and to make a living, wolves are a constant threat. Oft misunderstood creatures, a wolf is rarely hostile, but they can prove to be dangerous to those lost alone in winter woods, or to those with flocks of sheep and cattle. In the end, however, a wolf is just a mindless beast, and a group of farmers with enough skill can track the wolf to its den, ending the threat. When it comes to timber wolves, that is no longer the best option.   Hunt with the Pack A timber wolf is very similar to any other wolf, usually with a shaggy gray coat, and perhaps a bit more lean. But farmers and hunters who encounter packs of timber wolves tell of an uncanny intelligence lurking behind their mournful eyes, and a pack that works together with surprising insight into how best to handle a dangerous foe. Timber wolves do not seem magical, and many have been hunted before and brought back for magical study, with little to conclude they are anything more than beasts. But none can deny that a pack of timber wolves is much more trouble to deal with, and more prone to attacking and killing larger prey when times are tough and food is scarce.   Uncanny Blessings As can be guessed from the popularity of wolves in historical legends and myths, timber wolves feature prominently in local tales. As timber wolves can be found wherever other wolves dwell, many stories speak of them as a challenging hunt, or use them as a source of moral concern in fables. Myths featuring timber wolves often tell stories as to why the wolves seem so intelligent, but still show less insight than other, less mundane creatures. A common thread can be found running between most of these stories, featuring an unnamed, or ever-changing, deity of the hunt, who used a group of wolves to flush out their prey, as normal hunters might use dogs. When this deity challenged a common mortal to a hunting contest, the mortal won by letting loose the deity’s hunting wolves, and tricking them into fleeing their master’s domain into the Material Plane. Supposedly timber wolves are the lost descendants of this god’s former hunting pack, their celestial might lost over many generations, but a small shard of their former intelligence and skill with tactics lodged deep within their souls.