Bwargha
"The Bwargha I've met go against all the rumours and heresay clattering around the cities. Described to me as towering, mindless beasts, with the bodies of men and heads of bears, what I found instead was a clan of peaceful, kind and caring people. That said, though, I still wouldn't mess with them."Bwargha are a reclusive and enigmatic, yet simple folk. Having grown tired of the petty squabbling of the wider world, the bear-like Bwargha retreated into the wilds long ago. But, with the advent of magic pushing civilisations borders further and further into the wild, more and more Bwargha have ventured beyond their forest homes, and into lives of adventure.
Appearance
Bwargha are enormous, towering creatures, appearing similar to humanoid bears. Their short legs support large torsos, with equally thick, muscular arms. Thick paws sport sharp claws and an opposable thumb. Their heads are that of a bear, but with kind eyes, and the gift of speech. Fur covers their bodies from head to toe, so many Bwargha like to adorn their bodies with various charms and crude jewelry, most commonly carved of bone and wood, or inlaid with small gemstones. The Bwargha's immense size, sharp claws and keen teeth might paint the picture of a ferocious warrior, but in truth, most Bwargha are a kind and gentle-hearted folk.Ancestral Worship
The origins of the Bwargha are unkown. Some legends tell of a band of werebears driven from their homes that settled in a forest glade. Others still speak of a legendary bear gifted consciousness by a fair elven druid. The truth of their origins is something many Bwargha druids and philosophers strive to discover, for the Bwargha venerate and worship their ancestors. They believe that everything they do must be looked upon kindly by their ancestors and if a Bwargha is found to have offended their forebears, then they are punished by the heads of the family. Each Bwargha family keeps a vast record of the names and deeds of their ancestors, usually inscribed on a piece of bark or a series of stones. To be scratched from the record is one of the harshest punishments a Bwargha can recieve.Family and Clans
Family is precious to the Bwargha. A family will all live together in a single, usually temporary, hut. The head of the family is the most senior member and their authority is without question. When a family joins with others into a clan, the heads of each family come together in a council that decides the course of the clan as a whole. Bwargha clans are commonly nomadic, roaming their territories to find new game to hunt. Bwarghas hunt only for food and prefer not to deplete areas of their territory. The leftover hide and bones are commonly fashioned into temporary housing, or used to mark the edges of their territory. Within a clan, each Bwargha must fulfill a role. They value deeds over words; a useless Bwargha is a disgraceful Bwargha. There will be hunters, crafters, druids, shamans or any number of different roles within a clan. It is not uncommon for a Bwargha to leave their clan for some time after reaching adulthood, embarking on a spiritual journey to discover their role and purpose.Venerated Names
At the core of Bwargha culture is their names. As cubs, Bwargha children are not gifted names. Rather, they are referred to by the name of their parents -- for example, "Son of Lonland," or "Daughter of Hals." When a cub reaches maturity, they are sent into the wilds to complete a sacred rite. Upon successfully returning, the child is accepted as an adult and given their name by the head of the family. Once blessed with a first name, the Bwargha takes the name of the clan and their family as their second and third names respectively. A Bwargha's name is always drawn from the annuls of their family. Because of this, each Bwargha family has a set of seven or eight names that cycle through from generation to generation. Using a unique, magical ink, clan leaders will tattoo the name of the Bwargha somewhere on their body, with the ink dyeing even the fur permanently. To a Bwargha, bearing ones name on their body is a great honor. The greatest punishment a Bwargha can recieve is to have their name stripped of them. If a Bwargha commits and act that endangers the clan or their family, a Bwargha is stripped of all their names and cast out from the clan. Typically, this is in conjuction with burning away the tattoo of their name, forever branding the Bwargha as an outcast.Bwargha Traits
Ability Score Increase. Increase one of your ability scores by 2, and another by 1. Alternatively, increase three of your ability scores by 1. Creature Type. You are a Humanoid. Size. You are Medium. Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet. Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Natural Armour. You have thick, tough hide. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 12 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor. Natural Weapons. Your fanged maw and sharp claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with your bite, it deals piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. If you hit with your claws, they deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Hibernation. Rest is more effective for you than most. When you finish a short or long rest, you regain additional hit points equal to your level. Any healing you receive from a short or long rest that would put you over your maximum hit points, you instead gain as temporary hit points that last until your next short or long rest. Keen Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Weapon Training. Trained from birth to defend the wilderness, you are proficient with handaxes, battleaxes and greataxes.
1 by Fuckorange
Statistics
| Size | Medium |
| Type | Humanoid |
| Alignment | Typically good |
| Traits |
General Information
| Location(s) | Asylum |
| Language(s) | Common, Sylvan |
| Alias(es) | Beastmen, Bearfolk |
| Common Classes | Druid Ranger |
Physical Information
| Vision | Standard |
| Lifespan | ~120 years |
| Height | 5'8' - 7'0' |
| Weight | 200 - 360 pounds |
| Abilities | Hibernation Keen Smell Natural weapons & armour |
