Advice needed, please

[Timo Pietilä]

I don't know how much you've been playing lately; they got a buff in one of the last few versions and have considerably more HP than they used to (or else they show up sooner in the dungeon; same effective difference). They're noticeably more annoying to deal with, anyway.

Same observation as MattB, in fewer numbers they are about same level of nuisance as they were before. Other hounds (zephyr) have got easier though.

[Narvius]

Where does the name Zephyr Hounds come from, anyways? I don't think I've seen it mentioned in-game. Is it a D&D relic?

[Derakon]

Where does the name Zephyr Hounds come from, anyways? I don't think I've seen it mentioned in-game. Is it a D&D relic?

So far as I can tell, Zephyr Hounds are an Angband original, like quylthulgs. The word "Zephyr" is a reference to wind (if I recall correctly it was the name of a minor Greek god of breezes or something like that), which is why they all have breath attacks. Except Clear Hounds. Clear Hounds are kind of weird.

[Narvius]

I know what zephyrs are I was a bit unclear, but my question was more about how does anyone use this name if it is never referenced ingame (or maybe it is and I just missed it).

[Derakon]

I know what zephyrs are I was a bit unclear, but my question was more about how does anyone use this name if it is never referenced ingame (or maybe it is and I just missed it).

Oh. Well, do you need the game to tell you that "p" means "human" or "h" means "humanoid"? They're race/species categorizations; attaching them to every instance of that race could get redundant.

Though I guess we could change zephyr hound monster names so that every instance of "hound" was replaced by "zephyr". E.g. Water Zephyr, Chaos Zephyr, Gravity Zephyr. I kind of like that idea, actually.

[Narvius]

I don't; using the word "humanoid" to describe humanoid beings is pretty standard procedure. Using "Zephyr hounds" to describe dogs that can fry, freeze and/or shock you is not and must have originated somewhere. That origin is what puzzles me.

[MattB]

The word "Zephyr" is a reference to wind (if I recall correctly it was the name of a minor Greek god of breezes or something like that), which is why they all have breath attacks.

As a classicist (who can't code and doesn't have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the works of Tolkien), it's pretty rare that I can add anything to this forum with any kind of authority. However...

Zephyr was the west wind in Greek mythology along with the rest of the anemoi (Boreas - North, Euros - East, Notos - South).

This doesn't change the fact that I think that 'Zephyr' was chosen as a name because 'z' wasn't yet taken as a symbol.

[Carnivean]

Where does the name Zephyr Hounds come from, anyways? I don't think I've seen it mentioned in-game. Is it a D&D relic?

They're explicitly named in-game on the monster recall screen (the one you get to by hitting ~ then choosing d - display monster knowledge).

[Derakon]

They're explicitly named in-game on the monster recall screen (the one you get to by hitting ~ then choosing d - display monster knowledge).

Oh! Yeah, that. You can also get that name by hitting / and then Z. I guess if you play with tiles then you aren't likely to figure that one out.

[mewmew]

It's referenced in-game (at least in poscheng, but probably vanilla too, they have the same monster knowledge menu but I never checked) in monster knowledge category names, Z - Zephyr Hounds. Oh, somebody already said it/

Also in my native language 'zephyr' is usually used to refer a kind of sweet :3
Well, a wind too but it's very old-fashioned and mostly was used by some 19 century poets.

[Narvius]

Ah, so it *is* referenced ingame. Thank you, that's all I wanted to know.

[Thraalbee]

... [cut] ...

Though I guess we could change zephyr hound monster names so that every instance of "hound" was replaced by "zephyr". E.g. Water Zephyr, Chaos Zephyr, Gravity Zephyr. I kind of like that idea, actually.

I support a change from hound to zephyr. I never liked the Z / Hound / Zephyr association.

[Remuz]

I leave you alone 3 days, and here you are, hijacking a thread.

It's referenced in-game (at least in poscheng, but probably vanilla too, they have the same monster knowledge menu but I never checked) in monster knowledge category names, Z - Zephyr Hounds. Oh, somebody already said it/

Also in my native language 'zephyr' is usually used to refer a kind of sweet :3
Well, a wind too but it's very old-fashioned and mostly was used by some 19 century poets.

Inded,it is a really valid word in my native language (french), even if not used every day, so changing hounds to "zephyrs" would make things pretty confusing for me.
Just like everyone here, I got used to it when I started playing, so I am happy with Z=hound.

[EpicMan]

I like the rename to Zephyrs. The "hounds" are only doglike in that they are very aware; they are basically mini-dragons that can't fly and travel in packs. Since "hell hound" is a mythical beast outside of Angband, it could be moved back to 'C'.

[mewmew]

changing hounds to "zephyrs" would make things pretty confusing for me

yeah for me too
they already sound a bit as something like "cake hounds" for me and if they were named like gravity zephyr... lol

also their description states that they are doglike, they are supposed to be supernatural dogs hunting their prey in packs, that whole conception is pretty amusing

btw, hounds of tindalos (not sure which variants has them) were borrowed from Long's story "The Hounds of Tindalos" which is a part of Chulhu universe