-The Lobo-
Besides the rich coal deposits, the one thing people think of when they think of Narshe is the ever faithful Silver Lobo attack dog. Often simply referred to as Lobos, these canines have been a staple of the Narshe City Guard since the city's founding nearly two hundred years ago. What citizen of the north doesn't know of the grace and power of the Lobo? Numerous and easy to tame, these hounds have guarded the gates of the north for as long as there have been people to defend. And what Narshe child hasn't had the opportunity to pet the gleaming silver fur of these friendly beasts?
But life alongside the Silver Lobo is not all fun and games. These animals were once wild wolves, preying on anything they could surround and bring down, from Leafers to Vomammoths. Before the industrialization of the north, Silver Lobos ran across the snowy plains in packs of a dozen or more, and were a major threat to the early settlers looking to strike it rich in the coal rush of 199 BF. It was only with a dedicated and patient effort that the wolves of the north were gradually brought to heel. For many years, the creatures were known as the hellhounds of the north, rather than the guard hounds.
In modern times before the Fall, almost the entire population of the Silver Lobos had been domesticated, and the sight of a wild Lobo was a rare one. Entire portions of Narshe's countryside were cordoned off as Lobo farms, where thousands of the beasts were born, bred, and raised for the various services of the City Guard. Besides the warrior-class attack breeds with their enlarged tusks, many tamer breeds were created for use as children's pets or faithful family guard dogs. In fact, there was time, almost a century ago, when practically every Narshe household had at least one Lobo. After the industrial age arrived in full force with Figaro Castle's mechanization, the dogs gradually gave way to more mechanical means of defenses. But even today, it is a common site to see a house with a loyal Lobo sleeping outside it. And the City Guard has always maintained a robust fighting force of at least a thousand Silver Lobos at any given time.
Nowadays in the post-Collapse world, the Silver Lobos have come into their own once again. In our monster-ridden world the need for a strong, faithful beast to protect you on your travels is almost a necessity, and the demand for newer, more powerful Silver Lobos has sky-rocketed. Unfortunately, with Narshe's decimation and abandonment, the demand far outweighs the supply. If you're feeling adventurous, you can attempt to capture and train the dwindling stock of wild Silver Lobos that now roam the far north, but beware the growing threat of the true hellhound of the north, the Red Wolf!
Born from cross-breeding Red Fangs and Silver Lobos, and no doubt coupled with a magical infusion from the Collapse's energies, the frightfully glowing Red Wolves have become as much a problem for modern travelers in the north as the Silver Lobo once was for early coal miners and fortune seekers back in the pre-industrial age. Far more vicious than the Silver Lobo and twice the size and strength, these dogs are completely untamable and come with a savage sort of intelligence that allows them to easily outflank and wipe out those foolish enough to step into their territory, which sadly still contains the actual city streets of Narshe.
The Silver Lobo still survives on the fringes of the Red Wolf territory, not daring to enter into its mighty heir's domain. Perhaps as a testament to their loyalty to humans, the Lobos have gradually moved not just farther north, but farther south, towards human settlements. The southern Lobos are generally well-mannered scavengers, more stray dogs than wild wolves. I suspect many of them were once city attack dogs who have lost their masters and home to the ravages of the Red Wolves.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, my own granddaughter Relm has taken one of the orphaned Lobos in as her own guard hound since the death of Interceptor some years ago. The creature is one of the most lovable and fiercely protective companions a person could ask for, and Interceptor II has proven itself worthy of the name on several occasions during my granddaughter's more wild excursions across the world. I rest easy (well, easier) at night knowing she has such a noble beast by her side. Although sometimes I wonder who is the more wild of the two...
In any case, the Silver Lobo still exists happily and abundantly as a trained pet and guardian throughout the world, even to this day. I am confident that it will continue to adapt and thrive alongside humans as domesticated dogs, even if the wild stock is eventually completely superseded by the dreaded Red Wolf.