When calculating deaths for the village of Ulartar I found that there was an unusual number of empty graves. Merely markers wrapped in bits of cloth. It seems that it was a good year for the local horned bear population and they had grown bold and begun attacking anyone in the woods. The wraps were bits of torn clothing left behind from the attacks.— Ruya, The First National Census
The Deadly Charge
There are many predators that run after their targets but none as large as the horned bear. Found only in
Bral these massive mammals live in the highlands near the mountains and are avoided by hunters for arrows only serve to make them angry. They have powerful arms that can send people flying and claws that can rend flesh from bone. More than this, they can run faster than any person and will skewer their target on their two large horns protruding from the head.
Each horned bear is born without horns and grows only one pair during its life. The horns begin to appear around one year into the life of the creature and continue growing until adulthood. The horns are used in fights for territory which always begins with two bears standing and staring at each other. If neither backs down, they charge. The initial collision rarely kills a bear and the fight continues until one backs down or - less likely - dies. Should the horns become damaged or broken off entirely, the bear will have trouble finding a suitable mate or fighting other bears for territory.
Judging Strength
Only the foolhardy would hunt a horned bear, the foolhardy or the brave. Some people in
Bral are known as hornbearers for the wear the horns of bears they have slain. These people are treated with respect and will find themselves given special treatment in military advancement.
Some groups throughout the
empire use the horned bear as part of their insignia, most notably the military unit comprised mainly of people from
Ulartar. Currently, they even have a pet bear found as a lonely cub in the forest.
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That's a big ol' bear a comin',
racin' down the trail.
You don' need to run my boy,
it'll get you that's for sure.
Stand right there an' don' be scare',
you just stand and stare.
Just wait 'til it's almost there,
an' then jump right to the side.— Traditional Bral Song
Between Two Bears
One story goes that a traveler once found themselves on a path in the middle of a fight between two horned bears and froze in fear. Had they just taken two steps back they likely would have lived, instead they got four holes in them when the two bears - ignoring their presence - slammed into each other in their fight for territory.
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