Lore:Wolf

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A Wolf

Wolves are aggressive canines found throughout Tamriel. They are pack hunters and can often be found in packs of two or three, using their highly developed sense of smell to track their prey. When threatened, they may howl and thus draw in other members of their pack. When attacking, they will often attempt to circle around behind their prey to bite.

Wolves are related to domesticated dogs, and the two can be bred to produce wolfdogs.

In Nordic tradition, the Goddess of Love, Mara is associated with the wolf. Often times she is also known as the "Mother Wolf" or the "She-Wolf". A wolf is one of the many animals carved into puzzles on the dungeons of Skyrim.

The Skaal see wolves as one of the most blessed of the creations of the All-Maker, for their speed, agility and skills as hunter. One of Kyne's Sacred Trials is to slay the Wolf Guardian Spirit, one of the seven Guardian Beasts of Skyrim. Hircine's aspect of speed takes the form of a wolf.

Wolves are known to carry infectious diseases and in some places, like Solstheim, they are called plague wolves. The wolves from Cyrodiil may carry helljoint, the ones in Skyrim sometimes carry rockjoint and the wolves from Solstheim can carry yellow tick.

Wolves are hunted for their pelts, which can be tanned into leather. They are also occasionally domesticated and kept as companions and mounts. Dire Wolves are a related but separate species of canine.

Many people and factions have adopted the wolf as their coat of arms or symbol. The cities of Kvatch and Solitude use a wolf's head as their heraldry. For the latter, it represents the spirit of its people. For the former, it was coming from Count Carolus Aquilarios, who was known as the Wolf of Kvatch for his bravery and inherited the wolf's head as his symbol in the Interregnum. Emperor Titus Mede I's personal symbol was the wolf's head and anyone branded with it was part of his innermost circle. Arguably most famously, the Queen of Solitude, Potema was known as the "Wolf-Queen" because in her youth, she invoked a resemblance to the wolf, and not because of her looks. Her banners depict a wolf design.

Doom Wolf

Doom Wolves are a breed of giant wolf. They have black fur and glowing red eyes, and their howl is unnaturally distorted. Doom Wolves are used as mounts and were bred for size, savagery, and stealth from the fierce timber wolves of the southern Jerall Mountains. They were adopted by the Dark Brotherhood for use as stealthy mounts, with the breed's glowing red eyes weighing heavily in the decision.

Not to be confused with Death Hounds and Hell Hounds.

• Found in: ESO

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  Doom Wolf (ESO)

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  Doom Wolf pup (ESO)

Gorne Striped Wolf

Gorne Striped Wolves (or Gorne Wolves) are wolves found on the Isle of Gorne, off the east coast of Morrowind, where they terrorized the island's settlers until they were suppressed in the Troubled House Hunt. When Gorne was invaded by legions of Daedra from the Shivering Isles circa 2E 582, many of the wolves were magically tamed by the Daedra for use as war beasts. In particular, a male Mazken named Solemn tamed a significant number.

• Found in: ESO

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  Gorne Striped Wolf (ESO)

Helkarn Wolf

Helkarn Wolves are large wolves found in Elsweyr. They are trusting and gentle-natured, and after the villagers of Helkarn found them unsuitable as watchdogs, they bred them to mountable size.

• Found in: ESO

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  Helkarn Wolf Mount (ESO)

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  Helkarn Wolf Pup (ESO)

Highland Wolf

The Highland Wolf is found in the Colovian hills and Great Forest in Cyrodiil, and they were domesticated by foresters and bred for size to use them as mounts.

• Found in: ESO

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  Highland Wolf (ESO)

Ice Wolf

Ice wolves are white and are found in Skyrim. The Nords of Hjaalmarch domesticated some of the largest Ice Wolves to use them as mounts, and the Reachman clans domesticated a variety known as the Karthwolf. The Ice Wolves found near the White River of Skyrim are associated with the goddess Mara and the Wolf Totem of Atmora.

• Found in: Skyrim, ESO, Skyrim Very Special Edition

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  Ice Wolf (Skyrim)

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  Ice Wolf (ESO)

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  White River Ice Wolf Pup (ESO)

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  Phantom Ice Wolf, created by Psijic Monks

Karthwolf

A variety of ice wolf domesticated by the Reach clans of the valley of the Karth. Some, known as Karthwolf Chargers, were bred for size and endurance to use as mounts, while others, called Karthwolf Shepherds, protect their livestock and cull the weak from the herds.

• Found in: ESO

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  Karthwolf Charger (ESO)

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  Karthwolf Shepherd (ESO)

Long-Legged Swamp Wolf

A species of wolves formerly found in Black Marsh. It lost great numbers in the Great Burn of 1E 2828 and eventually went extinct in the 2E 10s.

• Found in: Lore

Painted Wolf

Painted Wolves are a tan-colored variety of wolf native to the rugged badlands of central Hammerfell. The Redguards of these canyon lands have bred the local Painted Wolves into large, sure-footed mounts to help them navigate the broken terrain, allowing them to go places inaccessible to the more usual camel mounts.

• Found in: ESO

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  Painted Wolf (ESO)

Red Pit Wolf

A large red-furred breed of wolf that were bred by the Reachmen to serve as pit fighters, usually facing off against bears or bristlebacks. The first ones trained as mounts were used by the Tyrant of Markarth's guards.

• Found in: ESO

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  Red Pit Wolf (ESO)

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  Red Pit Wolf pup (ESO)

Shadowghost Pack Wolf

A black-and-white variety of wolf related to the larger, lone Shadowghost Wolves. They hunt in packs on dark nights, and make loyal pets.

• Found in: ESO

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  Shadowghost Pack Wolf (ESO)

Shadowghost Wolf

A large, solitary black-and-white variety of wolf related to the smaller Shadowghost Pack Wolf, only seen on rare occasions and only in the nighttime on moors and wastelands. Some doubt whether it is even a mortal creature.

• Found in: ESO

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  Shadowghost Wolf (ESO)

Shardwolf

Shardwolves are a type of wolf found in the region known as the Western Reach, which borders Skyrim, High Rock, and Hammerfell.

• Found in: Shadowkey

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  Shardwolf (Shadowkey)

Snow Wolf

Snow wolves are white-colored and can be found in the far north of Tamriel. They are more resistant to frost than other wolf varieties and can cause frostbite to those they bite. The Nords of Solstheim can use their pelts to create frost resistant armor.

• Found in: Arena, Bloodmoon, Legends, Skyrim - The Adventure Game

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  Snow Wolf (Arena)

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  Snow Wolf (Bloodmoon)

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  Snow Wolf (Legends)

Timber Wolf

Timber wolves are larger and stronger wolves found in the forests of Cyrodiil. Doom wolves were originally bred from timber wolves from the southern Jerall Mountains.

• Found in: Oblivion, Blades

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  Timber Wolf (Oblivion)

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  Timber Wolf (Blades)

Twilight Wolf

Twilight Wolves are a type of wolf with blue fur, found in the Western Reach region that borders Skyrim, High Rock, and Hammerfell.

• Found in: Shadowkey

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  Twilight Wolf (Shadowkey)

Undead Wolves

Bonewolf

Bonewolves (or Bone Wolves) are undead wolves created by black magic and have been known to haunt the old graves of Solstheim.

• Found in: Bloodmoon, Skyrim^CC

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  Bonewolf (Bloodmoon)

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  Bone Wolf (Skyrim)

Cinder Wolf

The flaming, reanimated skeleton of a wolf that had burned to death.

• Found in: ESO

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  Cinder Wolf (ESO)

Draugulf

Draugulfs are a rare form of undead wolf; only the First Era Icehammer clan of Eastmarch are known to have utilized them.

• Found in: ESO

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  Draugulf (ESO)

Skeletal Wolf

The reanimated skeleton of a large wolf. The Vampire of Verkarth, King Styriche, and his Zombie Hussars of the Gray Host are said to have ridden into battle on skeletal wolves. Skeletal Pack Wolves are the reanimated skeleton wolves, said to rise when the moons are full.

• Found in: ESO

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  Skeletal Wolf (ESO)

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  Skeletal Pack Wolf (ESO)

Other Variants

Alpha Wolf

Alpha wolves are wolves that serve as pack leaders.

• Found in: Shadowkey, Skyrim, Legends

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  Alpha Wolf (Shadowkey)

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  Alpha Wolf (Skyrim)

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  Alpha Wolf (Legends)

Gloam Wolf

Gloam Wolves are shadowy wolves found in Nocturnal's realm of Evergloam.

• Found in: ESO

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  Gloam Wolf (ESO)

Plague Wolf

Plague wolves are a type of red-furred wolf found on Solstheim, known to carry diseases.

• Found in: Bloodmoon

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  Plague Wolf (Bloodmoon)

Wild Hunt Wolf

Wild Hunt Wolves are living plant-like creatures that are said to have been created by Hircine meddling with the nature of wolves.

• Found in: ESO

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  Wild Hunt Wolf (ESO)

Gallery

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  Wolf (Arena)

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  Wolf (Bloodmoon)

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  Wolf (Oblivion)

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  Wolf (Skyrim)

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  Wolf (ESO)

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  Wolf (Blades)

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  Wolf cage (Legends)

Notes

• Some Dwarven vamidiums were constructed in the shape of wolves.
• Conjurers are able to compel Flame and Storm Atronachs to adopt the form of wolves.

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the Arena, Bloodmoon, Oblivion, Skyrim, Elder Scrolls Online, and Blades articles.
• Caenlorn Wolf — The sacred ceremonial wolves of the Skaal