Editing Warg (section)

== In ''Dungeons & Dragons'' ==

In the context of the tabletop game ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', "wargs" first appeared in [[Gary Gygax]]'s ''Swords and Spells'' supplement (1976),<ref>{{cite book |author=[[Gary Gygax]] |title=Swords and Spells |url=https://archive.org/details/odn-d-swords-and-spells |publisher=[[TSR, Inc.]] |year=2007 |orig-year=1976 |pages=19, 37–38}}</ref> but were renamed to "worgs" (along with [[balrog]]s to "[[balor (Dungeons & Dragons)|balor]]s," [[ent]]s to "[[treant]]s," and [[hobbit]]s to "[[halfling]]s") in response to a lawsuit from Tolkien's estate.<ref name="Gygax2003">{{cite web |title=Re: Bears and Hobbits |date=2003-07-24 |author=Col_Pladoh (Gary Gygax) |website=EnWorld RPG News and Reviews |series=Gary Gygax Q&A, Part IV |url=http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=57832 |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/enword_gary_gygax_qa_threads/enweggqa04/page/n9/mode/1up |archive-date=2014-06-12}}</ref>

In the first edition of the ''[[Monster Manual]]'' (1977), "[[dire wolf]] (worg)" appears under the entry for "wolf."<ref name="Gygax1977">{{cite encyclopedia |author=[[Gary Gygax]]. |title=Monster Manual |url=https://archive.org/details/ad-d-monster-manual/page/101 |page=101 |entry=Wolf |publisher=[[TSR, Inc.]] |year=1977}}</ref> In later editions, such as the 2014 edition,<ref name="Perkins2014"/> "worg" receives its own entry.

The worg of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' is a larger, more intelligent, and demonic version of the [[wolf]], with a fiendish, demonic countenance and glowing eyes. They are [[Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)#Neutral Evil|neutral evil]] in alignment, and count as [[Magical beast (Dungeons & Dragons)|magical beasts]]. Despite their demonic traits, worgs tend to behave for the most part like regular wolves. They stalk around in dark forests and gloomy plains, hunting in packs (though they are also sometimes solitary). Lone worgs tend to hunt creatures smaller than themselves, while packs hunt large game. They attack with their teeth, and benefit from stealth and keen senses. Worgs bring gloom and menace wherever they go, and are said to have connections with [[Demon (Dungeons & Dragons)|demons]]. Worgs are sometimes enslaved by [[Orc (Dungeons & Dragons)|orcs]], [[Goblin (Dungeons & Dragons)|goblins]], and other such creatures to act as mounts or as attack dogs. Sometimes they are specifically bred for these purposes.

Worgs, unlike most animalistic creatures, can speak. They can speak their own language,<ref name="Gygax1977"/><ref name="Perkins2014">{{cite encyclopedia |entry=Worg |title=Monster Manual |editor=Christopher Perkins |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-7869-6561-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/monster-manual/page/n341/mode/1up |page=341 |quote=Worgs speak in their own language and Goblin, and a few learn to speak Common as well.}}</ref> as well as Goblin and Common.