Ruve

The sandy-brown-furred, wild canine stares intently at you, displaying alertness well beyond that of a normal animal.

Combat
Ruves prefer to use psionics in combat, since they consider natural weapons beneath them, only biting when they feel there is no other option. Ruves travel and fight in well-trained packs, using complex tactics and strategies to put opponents into a disadvantageous position. Ruves are not bloodthirsty and are content with knocking out or driving away an enemy. However, when it comes to evil opponents, they attack to kill. Ruves are not easily intimidated in combat situations.

Description
Ruves are a breed of dog with formidable intelligence and psionic powers. The color of their fur ranges from a sandy brown to a glossy black, and ruves are often mistaken for wild dogs. When looking into the eyes of a ruve, though, one can tell there is more to it than meets the eye.

Typical ruves are polite and disciplined, often acting like regular dogs in order to ascertain the intentions of individuals they are around, since ruves usually only reveal themselves to those of good alignment. Good clerics and psions seek out the company of ruves as loyal companions, as do the Villichi, being the majority of Athasians with the patience to deal with the ruve's intellectual posturing.

Ruves understand Common but cannot speak it.

Ruve Society
Ruves have been known to travel to other planes of existence. Their ability to adapt to such places is remarkable, and they adjust their temperament to suit the world in which they find themselves. Ruves generally prefer warm, dry caves for their lairs, however. Here they bear their young, usually a litter of 2-8 pups that reach maturity a year after their birth.

Ruves are extremely intelligent and have a well developed culture, creating works of art and often howling together, creating hauntingly beautiful compositions. Because of this, ruve are snobbish and look down on other species of special dogs, considering them peasants. While less intelligent humanoids who connect with a ruve's mind often regret it, getting bombarded with constant insults, common dogs are not even worth the ruve's time to insult.

High-level wizards are often the targets of sudden and uninvited packs of ruves, since they are always interested in seeking out new knowledge. Ruves also like to send little-known facts to adventurers through mental communication, regardless of the situation at hand.