The acceptance of wolves

[cmosier]

I will start of by saying that I do have a druid and his animal companion is NOT a wolf.

The rule of no wild animals in the more civilized areas is one that I agree with and makes perfect sense. However I think the fact that wolves have been used by humans damn near since the beginning of their history should be taken into account. I think most people would simply pass them off as a large dog, especially since there are dogs that are far bigger and stronger than their distant wolf cousins.

If the reason is for ease of play, then that makes perfect sense as well.

[Fezzik]

I would say that we have in the past on occasion used wolves, yes, but even half bred wolves are very feral in nature, and aren't really tolerated (see exception below ). There is a marked difference in genetics between a wolf and the average dog. There is actually more genetic similarity between coyotes and dogs than wolves and dogs. There was a rather large fear among those that lived in medieval Europe around wolves for a reason; and why there are dogs like the Wolf Hound.

Most people would see a prick eared, slightly curved tail dog, thin long legged dog and think WOLF! Even in today's society, there are a LOT of people that come up to Husky, Samoyed, American Eskimo, Akita, Malamute etc dogs and say "Is that a wolf/part wolf?"

That being said, when there was a "cull" (sled dogs) of Husky et al. in northern America sometime in the early part of last century, there was a HUGE upsurge in Wolf cross dogs overnight, because wolves were not considered to be domestic animals and were fine to have as pets.... ie. One day, someones dog was a Husky, the next day it was a Wolf Husky cross when the law men came around.

[GodBeastX]

You can't make a statement that because wolves were used throughout history, society has accepted them as common place enough to allow them to walk through cities.

You will find a direct correlation between a city populace size and the freedom of animal presence. A backwater town is likely to accept someone with a wolf, mountain lion, bear, or whatever. A city won't even accept a cow on the street.

Then you have to consider how far back into history are we talking for use of wolves. I can say safely that domesticated dogs existed thousands of years into our history and separate species of dogs, away from wolves, were used in societies where wolves were not.

Since much of D&D is based on a great deal of Euro history, where wolves were seen with a great deal of contempt, I'd expect similar response in the populace of FR. Wolves were hunted and slaughtered, especially since they would kill livestock like sheep. Even the term "Warg" comes from the problem people had with wolves. Wargs being wolves that would kill without feeding. Groups of people would form to kill these specific ones especially because they would slaughter massive amounts of livestock with the only reason seeming bloodthirst. Considering how much animosity the average farmer has with a wolf, would you like to be the guy next door who has to try to explain how your pet wolf wasn't the one who ate your neighbor's sheep when you don't have forensic evidence like we do today?

There was also superstition surrounding wolves in those time periods which kept people from wanting to keep them in close company. Such as werewolves.

[Urithrand]

Agreed, wolves were seen throughout history with suspicion and contempt. Moreso even than lions and bears, who were always depicted as brave and iconic creatures.

[grant]

Some fool now and then breeds his dogs with wolves... it rarely happens in nature, wolves attack and kill other wild canine types on sight, you pet stands little chance of contributing any DNA to the local pack except through the digestive tract.

Dogs have had 10-20 thousand years of domestication, wolves are wild animals.

In the realms "mankind" has existed for more than 20,000 years according to one online time line that put the end of the creator races (lizards from NWN 1) as ending around that time. If men were being enslaved at that time, then its probable that tribes were already domesticating dogs then, making the realms dogs even more distant from their wolf cousins than ours are.

Until very recently dogs were work animals, no different than horses and oxen. The only breads that existed were used for hunting, guarding and herding. Being a "pet" that just lay around might be reserved for a loved but infirm older animal. There was no reason for most of these breeds to even be in the cities in any numbers at all. The realms are probably no different in that respect.

[GodBeastX]

And in FR people who keep animal companions, like wolves, generally have an affinity with nature. Most people with this affinity aren't trying to push their animal companions down main street.

I got a silly picture of a druid in the midst of a city protesting equal treatment of dire wolves.

[TheBlankStare]

And we really shouldn't forget that people (especially commoners and merchants and the like) in general would be really really SCARED of a wild animal being seen in the streets of any city. Most of us in real life are just those sorts of general people and if we were walking around downtown and saw a wolf or a bear or a velociraptor walking around we'd end up heading for the nearest door and calling emergency services to take care of the problem. Police would be brought in and they'd deal with the problem. I think it's important to remember how people (NPCs) are likely going to react to things like that.

A druid's companion is the very kind of wild animal that would be frighten the socks off of some poor lady just walking down the street to buy some bread. Most druids (not all because there are some really stupid druids running around) are well aware that people are going to be scared of things like that and wisely leave their animals in the wilds. Even though their companions are "friends" with the druid they're still wild animals and are going to act like it. If some poor little kid wants to go pet the furry big doggy, that kid is likely to lose a finger.

Wild animals also just aren't comfortable in civilized areas either. It would take a lot of cajoling and giving treats to get a wild animal to even think about walking into a city. Even these days, most wild animals don't end up in cities on their own. They're most likely lost or very hungry or even both. Places that have problems with wild animals see pets disappearing all the time. (Alligators in Florida is a good example.)

[cmosier]

I had the Trading Post, Sestra, or Mirakus Post in mind, not really Sundren City itself.

This actually brings up a host of problems, which kind of proved what I have been thinking. At what point do we realize that this isn't real life? It's easy to say "that doesn't make sense" but in the end, it's fantasy, it's not suppose to. It seems that anytime a druid wanders through the Trading Post with a companion out, everybody jumps all over him, and those who don't are treated like they are insane. When a character just returns from hurling fireballs at some orcs then changing into a troll to maul some ogres, the occasional wolf or panther at the Trading Post is pretty mundane. I understand what happened in history in reguards to wild animals, I also understand that at no point in history was there an elf that turned into a devil and threw acid at bad guys.

[TheBlankStare]

The thing is that wizards don't walk into the Trading Post as said troll and expect people to treat them like they're a normal person. Any wizard who walks into the trading post as a troll is going to get treated like . . . well, a troll. And any wizard who throws fireballs around there is going to get treated like an insane pyromaniac.

A druid who's leading wild animals into the Trading Post is going to get treated in much the same manner. Especially where Exigo is concerned. They've had employees killed by treehuggers in the very recent past.

As far as the other towns are concerned I'm pretty sure that the Corsairs and the Red Blades aren't just going to let bears, wolves and panthers that can rip a person to shreds just walk around. I think Gus and Guy would probably move their businesses somewhere else in a hurry.

[cmosier]

A druid who's leading wild animals into the Trading Post is going to get treated in much the same manner. Especially where Exigo is concerned. They've had employees killed by treehuggers in the very recent past.

That's exactly what I had in mind. A perfect example. It doesn't matter what happened in Europe 400 years ago. It matters what happens on Faerun. Animal companions would be associated with druids who have harassed and killed Exigo. Local lore with local reasoning. Another place where druids have helped a great deal would see bears along side humans as common place.

Gnolls are a common sight in Aquor for example, they are employed as guards by the Thayans. So seeing a gnoll or even an orc there might not shock people as it would elsewhere.

I guess I'm trying to get people away from "What would I do?" to "What would my character do?" Some people have left becase they can't find rationale with some things that have been going on. Stop looking for rationale and start making it.

[GodBeastX]

People are only responding based off what you offered us in the original post.

However I think the fact that wolves have been used by humans damn near since the beginning of their history should be taken into account.

You are using history as the argument, so we replied with history as a response. Now if we're throwing away history and using fantasy and Faerun strictly then I will offer you another side of an argument.

Most druids show reverence to Silvanus in one way or another within the realms. Silvanus encourages druids (Yes, encourages) to not only be wardens of nature, but also to keep civilizations in check. It is not unheard of for druids to attack or hire others to attack cities simply for being overpopulated. To quote a source:

The Church of Silvanus is a pervasive influence, especially across the continent of Faerūn. Non-worshipers often do not view the Church favorably due to its tendency to disrupt expansion into woodland, sometimes with violence.

So being a druid pretty much reminds people in civilized lands "That guys some nature nutter who might kill you if you step on a twig." Stories often exaggerate.

Now the wolf. A friend of a druid? Well, considering how dangerous the druid is, will the wolf be much better? Since in FR wolf attacks are more frequent than the real world, thanks to DM's needing plot hooks and encounters, I imagine FR would probably view them worse than we do. I'd rather druids have problems having their companions around societies anyway since they really shouldn't have much desire to interact with them. Remember, cities are your enemies, even villages who cut down forests to make farmable lands and run off animals to make grazing pastures, etc. These are the enemies of wild nature, who is Silvanus.

And strictly fantasy "Entertainment" speaking, conflict gives more favorable interaction. I'd rather see people in conflict over a wolf, than conflict over whose turn it is to rotate the log in the fire because they've been at the camp fire for hours waiting for DM plots. I'd rather see racism than everyone holding hands and frollicking. Conflict creates growth. I'd rather stick a boombox on maximum volume for an Eldath worshipper than have them sit around in peaceful silence. It forces action and resolution. How boring would white fang be if the wolf was happy and just hugged everybody while they gave him pork chops?

Chances are this suggestion popped up because someone killed your wolf. If you need an unrealistic reason for them doing it. Maybe they were hoping their exp bar would go up from doing it?