There are psionic beasts that look similar to dogs and wolves, but what of dogs? Do they exist on Athas?
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I would say no, have fun with the canine monstrosities, but that is just my notion and is not necessarily supported by canon
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The Revised Dark Sun boxed set rule book stated that dogs are present on Athas.
Edit: Page 89 Age of Heroes.
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I know its not definitive, but they took dogs off the Ranger/Druid Animal Companion list for 3.5e in Terrors of Athas.
I swear I’ve seen dogs listed somewhere in DS though.
Personally, I don’t imagine domesticated canines on Athas, but wild wolves/dingos might still be a thing somewhere. I’d peefer to reskin them as lizard-type creatures with a new name though, to fit the setting better…
Edit: Wow, ninja-ed. Good work!
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It’s like domesticated cats, really
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“Windriders of Jagged Cliffs” site 114
One statue is made from ebony, the other ivory. Both resemble life size, snarling watchdogs
This mean, that adventurers have to know “what is watchdogs” if lack notes that “this is dogs, but PC’s don’t know what is dogs”.
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Is that quote read aloud text (meant to be directly read to players) or descriptive text meant for DMs?
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The closest thing are Ruves, they might be mutated domestic dogs.
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I’ll say one thing which is an important consideration. Many species on Athas would have died out due to evolutionary considerations. Yet the niche for the domesticated dog has nothing to do evolutionary fitness and everything to do with human (or humanoid) affection. Therefore I expect that the normal feral (wild) dogs that are not psionic beasts are already wiped out, but dogs still exist as pets for humanoids. Some dog breeds might make for good erdlu dogs (working dogs).
Dogs are probably a luxury, and the public attitude towards dogs likely differs between the city states. In ancient Greece, dogs were disliked. In ancient Rome on the other hand, the dog was a noble beast. So you could say that Balic and Tyr view dogs differently, assuming that the real world comparison holds.
And by normal feral dogs did you meant wolves?
Any ferals, including wolves, but also dogs not in the company of humanoids.
Text for DM
But in other adventure had place readed text for PC’s. “Dragon’s Crown” book no 2 “Road of fire” site 22
As you approach the barren shore of Morgazh, the silence is stifling. The clatter of bone breaks the air as a pack of skeletal hounds sprints to the beach. Their jaws flex frantically as if they are baying. As two of the dogs break from the pack and dash up a wide, overgrown road leading inland, the rest of the hounds gather on the shore in anticipation.
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Good find. I’m satisfied that there are dogs in the Dark Sun setting. Also, doesn’t the 3.5e version have Eloy Herd Dogs or something like that?
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Plains Cur, Eloy Herd-Dog In FFN
Two separate animals
Also 2e revised setting calls out dog in the encounter table on pg 89
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It seems there is also dialogue in adventures. Maybe “Freedom” to people being called curs. Or “mangy cur”.
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Psionic Artifacts of Athas has
Climbdog (Creature, 2 HD, AC 8): This beast resembles a wolf with wide, grasping paws and
extremely flexible legs, to allow them to climb even sheer, rocky slopes. They accompany climbers, providing them with protection and aiding them with keen senses of smell, hearing, and eyesight. These senses are all twice as good as the average halfling’s. In times of danger or combat, they sacrifice themselves without hesitation to protect their masters.
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I just always used Jhakar in place of dogs in the setting. From Terror’s beyond Tyr:
“The jhakar is a powerful reptilian predator that resembles a bulldog both in appearance and manner. Its fierce nature makes it a bane to humanoids and animals alike… In the wild, the jhakar hunts in packs organized to quickly overcome and ravage prey Better known is the domesticated Jhakar, designed to guard valuable assets and track down escaped slaves.”
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Is it though? Is Spellfire, a shortlived game, canon just because it was made by TSR?
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Given the other evidence in this thread, and also that this fellow and his dogs do not impact any existing canon and are basically blank slates, I’ll say it’s canon.
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