The Naatanuk
Of all the intelligent races that dwell on Talingrad, the Naatanuk are probably the most misunderstood. Regarded as monsters by the Talingradi, these intelligent polar bears are often assumed to be slaves or trained beasts in service of the bugbears. This is untrue. While a few Naatanuk do aid the bugbears, most regard the shaggy goblinoids with disinterest or disdain. The truth is that the Naatanuk are an independent, proud people who made Talingrad their home long before bugbears, humans or any other race came to this once wild island paradise.
Originally thought to have been provided sentience by the snow elves of the island, the Naatanuk have an ancient druidic tradition and it is in these hidden caverns that the rites and religions of their people are carried out. It is also here that their greatest treasures are stored. It would be only the boldest of thieves who would dare violate these sacred caverns and discover what the Naatanuk have labored so long to keep hidden from the two-legs.
Often mistaken for either a cave bear or a polar bear, the Naatanuk are neither. Their intelligence makes them less ferocious than their bestial ursine cousins but far more dangerous. Though solitary by nature they do have a loose tribal confederations and infrequently they gather at holy sites to sing primal songs rarely heard by two-legged races. These gatherings are usually led by older more respected shamans. It is not unheard of for these Naatanuk shamans to have levels in the druid class.
Naatanuks can be difficult to tell from normal bears. They are slightly larger when full grown but otherwise exactly look like a polar bear. The easiest way to recognize them is that the paws of the Naatanuk are slightly more prehensile. They use this dexterity to occasionally paint blue tribal markings upon their faces and snouts. These markings have led some Talingradi to believe that the bugbears of the north ride polar bear mounts.
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