Wolf

Wolves are a species of animal native to Azeroth and Draenor. These lupine creatures are found in great abundance across the many plains of Azeroth, with evidence of wolves being found on every known continent on Azeroth. These creatures are known to be the favored of the ancient Goldrinn and have inspired many cultures by their tenacity, courage and ferocity.

Wolves serve many huntsmen as fierce companions and loyal friends and are one of the more common animals huntsmen have alongside them. The Horde are known to take great pride in these ferocious beasts, many having them as lifelong companions and even seen as members of their family through the bond they share. Orcs are known to tame large wolves brought over from Outland, known as Worgs, to use as riding mounts. A well bred and nourished worg can outrun some of the fastest Horses in Azeroth.

Varieties
Wolves come in various different forms, from the common gray wolves of Elwynn Forest, to the monsterous worgs of Outland, these creatures come in many shapes and sizes.

Common Wolves


Common wolves are lithe with shaggy hair, large paws, sharp fangs and pointy claws. What sets this breed of Azeroth wolf apart from the rest is their size. Common wolves are often small, no bigger than a Gilnean mastiff, and roam about many forests in packs. These wolves are often seen as pests in areas such as Elwynn Forest where they make their dens across the forest, preying on unwary travelers and the local game in the area.

A large amount of common wolves have been domesticated by the Kingdom of Stormwind and young wolves are oft given to new huntsmen who desire an animal companion on their travels. These wolves could once be found in great abundance in Lordaeron, though following the Plague and over hunting, the population of wolves in the north has decreased.

At one point in time, Gilneas was also the host to many wolves, becoming a symbol of the nation. Many Gilneans adorned their homes with wolf skull charms when the Old Ways of druidism dominated the countryside and to this day the wolf motif is still prevalent in Gilnean architecture. Following the construction of the Greymane Wall, wolves were hunted into near extinction by the Gilneans as huntsmen were forced to rely on game present in Gilneas in order to survive. Unlike other regions of Azeroth, Gilneans bred strong hounds to serve them as hunting companions and the downfall of the wolf population mattered very little.

Worgs
Worgs are monsterously huge wolves that sometimes grow to be larger than some of the largest steeds in Azeroth, some even larger than bears. These gigantic wolves are set apart by their massive manes, large bulky body and viciously sharp fangs and claws. Unlike the common wolves, worgs are not native to Azeroth, rather they were brought over by the Orcs when they invaded Azeroth in the First War. Worgs have been known to be fiercely loyal to their masters and are as stubborn as the Orcs that bred them. They have been observed willing to die for their master or long after their masters are dead.

Following the First War and the death of many Orcish huntsmen, many Worgs were left without their masters. Those that were not found and redistributed by the Horde were left to roam the forests of Elwynn while the Orcs prepared to invade the Kingdom of Lordaeron. These worgs formed their own packs and interbred with the smaller common wolves of the forest, often becoming the alpha of many packs of Elwynn Forest. The interbreeding has led to the forest being filled with smaller, but still vicious, worgs that share dens alongside the less imposing common wolves.

This was also observed in much of northern Lordaeron where to this day worgs can be found wandering the forests of Silverpine and various other areas where the Orcish Horde once ran rampant.

Saber Worgs
Saber worgs or Dire wolves as some have come to call them are a vicious breed of wolf that was first observed in Northrend. Lithe like common wolves but with large manes similar to that of the Worg, these large wolves were called Saber Worgs by adventurers who first discovered them wandering the frozen tundra of the north. After researching the breed, while these wolves grow much larger than normal wolves, they are not in fact worgs. These wolves bridge the gap between wolves and worgs, but their size and features seem to have stemmed from the harsh environment that they are found in. Many have begun to call them Dire wolves, rather than Saber worgs, due to the fact that they are not in fact worgs. Despite this, the two names both see use and these large wolves are as fearsome as both of their cousins. With their discovery, many Orcs and veteran huntsmen have adopted these large wolves as companions, some even ride them as fearsome mounts. Much more vicious and imposing than their common wolf brethren, they have begun to replace many common wolves amongst the more skilled hunters of the land.

While not related to worgs, Saber worgs have shown to be extremely loyal to their masters when tamed just like their alien cousins. They can grow to large sizes and have been shown with possessing great leaping capabilities that the other wolves have not shown. As with all wolves, they often stay in packs, though it is more common to find saber worgs wandering alone in the fields looking for prey.