Stalbjorn

Created by Humperdink's Wares.

Historically solitary and primitive in nature, stalbjørn have, under recent leadership, begun forming increasingly larger communities. This burgeoning civilization has begun adopting social norms and morals much closer to those found within ‘civilized’ cultures. Indeed, magical universities now include stalbjørn amongst their alumni, and remote mountain-top temples highly prize these bear-people as monks and clerics. Even the more solitary stalbjørn are sought after as guides for trading caravans or adventurers delving into the tundra.

Fluffy and Fierce

As quarry, stalbjørn are prized for their thick, waterproof, insulating fur. However, as predators, they are unmatched amongst the hunter-folk of the northern wastes. It is not unusual, during the deep polar winters, to hear tell of skaeling clansmen disappearing, the only trace of their fate a deep, clawed footprint in the snow. Stalbjørn place great store beside honorable conduct. Disagreements between the bear folk are often decided in single combat, a trait inherited from their days of innate territorial conflict. However, unlike their bestial cousins, the polar bears, stalbjørn duels are never to the death. To kill another stalbjørn is to invite exile. In fact, many exiled stalbjørn work skaeling forges in exchange for liquor to numb the pain of their loneliness.

Awakening

Legend says that stalbjørn were awakened from a race of opposable-thumbed polar bears by the giant ordning. Initially kept as companions by frost giants, interest in this malleable yet ferocious beast was quickly piqued in the other giant races. Stone giants taught them the way of carving and spirituality so that they might sculpt homes within the ice mountains and connect with the divine. Fire giants taught them the art of the forge and fostered within them a sense of reverence for the sky-iron armor they now wore. Cloud giants saw them only as playthings, tricking them with liquor and false words into fighting for the giants’ entertainment. The bear-folk broke with the giants after the stalbjørn king was so tricked into slaying another of his kin, leading to his exile. However, a storm giantess name Aixocolotl, angry at her kin, took pity on them. She blessed them with speech and the ability to sense deception, such that they might never be tricked again.

Workers of Metal

Meteoric sky-iron, found in the ice mountains, forms the principal material with which stalbjørn hone their craft. From weaning, stalbjørn are taught how to fold and forge this unique metal into plates of bespoke, articulated armor. Once they reach maturity, they set about painstakingly crafting their final suit of armor, a process that can often take a lifetime to perfect.

Stalbjørn Traits

Your stalbjørn character has certain characteristics in common with all other stalbjørn.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution and Strength scores increase by 1.
Age. Stalbjørn mature at the same rate humans do and are expected to become independent in their mid-teens. They can live up to 80 years.
Alignment. Stalbjørn, by nature, cares mostly about their own survival and tends towards neutral alignments. Wild pansebjørn gravitate towards chaos and value their freedom above all else. Cultured stalbjørn, conversely, lean towards lawful habits, seeking to become a member of a wider civilized society.
Size. Stalbjørn are over 7 feet tall when erect, and average in excess of 300 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Ursine Claws. Your claws are as long as a child’s hand, and a natural weapon you can use to make unarmed attacks. If you hit with them you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage for an unarmed strike. In addition, if you are not wearing footwear, you can move across non-magical difficult terrain made of ice and snow without expending additional movement.
Olfactory Hunter. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. 
Forgers of Sky-iron. You have proficiency with smith’s tools and craft a bespoke suit of armor, as important to you as your own soul. This magical armor can be enchanted and is not destroyed by disenchantment. Whenever an increase to your proficiency bonus would lead to an increase in your AC, you must purchase sky-iron with a gold cost of 100 x your character level and spend 8 hours at a forge in order to gain this benefit. You tailor this metal to the armor style with which you are proficient:
Armour Proficiency Base AC Calculation None         11 + Dex Light         13 + Dex Medium     13 + Dex (max. 2) + half your proficiency bonus* Heavy       16 + half your proficiency bonus* *Round this value down.
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. 
Languages. You can speak read and write Common and Giant.
Subrace. Two subraces of stalbjørn are found in the world: nomadic wild stalbjørn and civilised cultured stalbjørn. Choose one of these subraces.

Cultured Stalbjørn

As a cultured stalbjørn, you seek to integrate yourself into civilized society through study and communication. As a rarity anywhere but in the tundra, common folk have heard only tales of the ferocious and primitive beasts of the ice. Challenging this misconception is a constant task.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Studious. You are proficient in one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, or Nature.
Linguistic Assimilation. You can speak, read, and write one additional language of your choice. Additionally, you can cast the comprehend languages spell once with this trait, requiring no material or somatic components, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest.

Wild Panserbjørn

As a wild stalbjørn, you are acclimated to life in the tundra, and are often suspicious of conurbations, only visiting them when needs must. Historically more numerous, wild stalbjørn have seen a steady decline in the number of young stalbjørn adhering to the old ways. It is said you cannot trick a wild stalbjørn.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Iceborn Predator. You are adapted to travel in sub-zero conditions. You are resistant to cold damage and have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks in snowy/icy terrain.
Eye for Deception. You have proficiency in the Insight skill.

"When bears act like people, perhaps they can be tricked. When bears act like bears, perhaps they can't.” Philip Pullman, Northern Lights

DM's Thoughts

Can I just ask how this isn't an official race? I mean it's freaking awesome! Giant bear people with similar mindsets to dwarfs with a mix of hard survival. I can't wait to play with this race.