The grey wolf (S. "draugwath"; pl. "draugwaith"; Q. "mistanarmo"; pl. "mistanarmor"; aka "sindanarmo"; Dn."Mactire") sometimes known as "Forest-Wolf", was a powerful, muscular dog with a thick coat of hair and a bushy tail. They ranged all over Middle-earth. Varying in color from nearly black in warmer locales to almost white in the North, they were exceptionally adaptable.
Grey wolves were exceptionally social animals who lived in family groups or packs that roamed and hunted together. These packs cooperated to run down their favorite prey: generally deer and sheep in the warmer climes and elk or reindeer in cooler regions. While typically interested only in larger herd animals, they also fed on rodents, fish, and crustaceans and, in rare cases (e.g., during hard winters or famines), they might attack lone travellers, trappers, or hunters.
The wolfpack's hierarchy was organized and regulated in accord with the wolves' ritualized postures, gestures, and combat. Grey wolves, however, did not fight over mates except in extraordinary circumstances. Pairs normally remained together for life.
Notes[]
Original term in MERP:Timber Wolf = Forest Wolf. "Timber Wolf" usually refers to a specific northamerican sub-type of wolf, however the Eriadorian "Timber wolf" almost certainly refers to the Eurasian Wolf while the Red Wolves Brown Wolves and Mountain Wolves might be identical with the "italian wolf", "Mosbach wolf" "falconer's wolf", "iberian Wolf" or even "Xenocynon".The Dire wolves also most possibly are identical to one of these groups and do not correspond to the "american dire Wolf". The White-wolf almost certainly is the "Tundra Wolf" or the "Greenland wolf" and the Warg might be the "megafaunal wolf" or "cave wolf" while the Blood Wolves might intend the "ethiopian" or "african golden wolf".The eastern "Desert Wolf" and "Bûkandas wolf" might correspond to the "indian", "mongolian" or "steppe wolf" or "golden Jackal", though they are not described in detail.
References[]
- Retrieved from [Realms of Arda]; original reference: [ICE MERP 2012]