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The Hangdogs tribe was a society that emerged on the outskirts on Denver. Learning how to coexist with the hounds that dominated the city, they considered the hounds to be their spirit animals, worthy of worship. The dogs helped them hunt, provided sustenance in lean times, allowing the tribe to survive in the brutal post-nuclear world.[1]
When Caesar's Legion arrived, the Hangdogs resisted them better than other tribes in the region, but Legate Lanius put them to the sword.[1] The Legate broke their spirit by throwing the hounds of the Hangdogs onto a burning pyre. The beliefs of the Hangdogs dictated that such a death would mean their spirits would burn forever in the afterlife. The horror brought by this realization destroyed the tribe's elders. Hangdogs surrendered and were assimilated by the Legion.[2] Still, some of their culture would survive. Caesar, impressed with their skills in dog handling, conscripted the surviving tribesmen into the Legion as houndmasters, training some of the finest war dogs in the wastes.[3]
The following is based on Van Buren and has not been confirmed by canon sources.
These guys are all about dogs: pets, food, guards, etc. The Hangdogs are slavers and scavengers, and are often in league with Hecate.
The Hangdogs are a group of tribals with a mixed reputation across the wasteland. Neither known for being particularly brutal or kind, The Hangdogs mostly keep to themselves, living in northeastern Colorado near Denver – or, as the NCR calls it, "Dog Town". The Hangdogs run with packs of dogs that have been taken from the hordes that reportedly infest Denver.
↑ 1.01.1The Courier: "Tell me about yourself." Antony: "I've been around dogs all my life. They're my life, always were - all the way back when I was a tribal, one of the Hangdogs, outside Denver.Dogs roamed that city. Our tribe made peace with them.Thought they were our spirit animals - helped us hunt, provided for us in some lean times. Then the Legion came. Good thing, too.Stronger now, don't need those beliefs anymore." (Antony's dialogue)
↑The Courier: "Who is Legate Lanius?" Ulysses: "Lanius... the "Butcher." Monster, Terror of the East. Not even his slaves have seen his face - struck them blind so they can't. Wears a mask, don't even know if it's the same man. He put Colorado to the sword, broke the Hangdogs by throwing their hounds upon the flames, so they might burn forever in the afterlife." (Ulysses' dialogue)
↑The Courier: "How did you end up joining the Legion?" Antony: "When the Legion showed up, we fought, most tribes did. Hangdogs hung out longer than most... broke us by throwing our dogs on the fire. So we gave up, our elders couldn't bear the idea of our spirit animals burning in the afterlife.Still, Caesar was impressed enough to conscript us, use our skills with dogs to join the Legion as houndmasters." (Antony's dialogue)