Dragon Age: Origins Characters Update

BioWare has added a new "characters" section to their official Dragon Age: Origins website, and the first to be profiled happens to be the Mabari War Dog.
Dogs are an essential part of Ferelden culture, and no dog is more prized than the Mabari. The breed is as old as myth: Said to have been bred from the wolves who served the legendary hero, Dane. Prized for their intelligence and loyalty, these dogs are more than mere weapons or status symbols: The hounds choose their masters, and pair with them for life. To be the master of a Mabari anywhere in Ferelden is to be recognized instantly as a person of worth.

The Mabari are an essential part of Ferelden military strategy. Trained hounds can easily pull knights from horseback or break lines of pike men, and the sight and sound of a wave of war dogs, howling and snarling, has been known to cause panic among even the most hardened infantry soldiers.