Medvedyr

The medvedyr are short humanoids with bear-like features. Naturally adept at digging and climbing, with exceptional strength for their size, their culture has developed an emphasis on mining and stonework.
Their facial hair, and to a lesser degree other fur, has evolved to match their often subterranean lifestyle. Densely packed bristles on each strand acting as a natural air filter to protect them from dust, debris, mold spores, and even volcanic gasses. They have a symbiotic relationship with various microbes that feed on these particles, who in turn keep the beard clean for the host. An adult medvedyr with a fully grown beard never breathes unfiltered air, and they owe much of their famous hardiness and resilience to this fact. The natural benefits of this trait has lead to a great reverence and sense of pride in their facial hair, with many clans distinguished by their methods of ornamentation. Some even treat it as a terrarium, boasting a rich green tinge from algae; other medvedyr refer to them as mokhborodi (lit. "mossbeards", the medvekiy equivalent to "treehugger").
Because of these benefits, to shave a medvedyr's beard isn't just a great insult, it is literally a threat to their life.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Some are still scattered across the other continents, with only a few in any given city. Most of the remainder returned to Trast after the resettling and live in Zankor, though are greatly outnumbered by the Medvalyn.

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Medvekiy

Genetic Descendants

• Medvalyn

Conservation Status

The Medvedyr are nearing extinction. Native to northern Trast and preferring to stay grounded, very few families departed with other colonists when the rest of the world was being explored and settled. As such, the vast majority were presumably slain in whatever calamity resulted in Trast's return to wilderness.