Werebears
Basic Information
Anatomy
Werebear humanoid forms are often large, heavily muscled, and covered in hair. Their hair was thick and shaggy with males typically having beards, and hair color ranged from brown, black, and blonde to even red or ivory. Their ursine forms most often resembled a brown bear, although their human form's hair always matched their bear form's fur color, with brown being common in forest regions and ivory being common in frozen regions. They also possess a hybrid form that resembled a bipedal bear with paws and long claws.
Biological Traits
Male Werebears are generally larger than females and are able to grow facial hair. Female Werebears are able to produce milk from their breasts and are the ones that give birth.
Werebears are forced to change into their hybrid or fully bear form when exposed to moonlight, but experienced Werebears are able to change into their both forms at will. Werebears are also able to rapidly heal wounds as long as it wasn't made from using silver.
Genetics and Reproduction
Werebears reproduce sexually and are viviparous, they typically have a gestation period of 9 months.
Like most lycanthropes there are true and infected members of the species, with the former being born and their status irreversible, and the latter being turned by another member of the species through bite.
Growth Rate & Stages
Females will bear 1 or 2 children in human form with the children being born appearing humanoid until they turned eight. After this point they will gain the ability to transform into large shaggy bears, and the mother will chase the adolescents away to continue the cycle.
Ecology and Habitats
Werebears are mostly solitary, living in forest near waterways on the outskirts of civilization. Normal Werebears claim territories between 1-4 miles in size, and feel a close bond to their homes.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Like normal bears, Werebears are omnivores, preferring to eat small mammals and fish. They also enjoy a type of honey rich mead, although it is highly intoxicated to normal humanoids. They have few natural predators but are the enemies of evil lycanthropes, primarily the Werewolves of which they commonly shared territory with, but also Wererats.
Biological Cycle
As time progresses Werebears age and grow until eventually their body reaches a point that they can no longer sustain themselves and die.
Behaviour
They see themselves as the guardians standing between the natural world and civilization. In order to prevent themselves from harming others they control their savagery and isolat themselves. When in bear form they are irritable and moody, actively seeking out evil entities to slay. They are particularly hateful of evil lycanthropes, although a small few are just as evil as them.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Contrary to their isolationist behavior and independent lifestyle, Werebears have a strong sense of community. They never attack each other, allow other Werebears access to their fishing zones, and defend Werebears from other lycanthropes. New adolescent Werebears are usually guided by older Werebears. They will only pass on their curses to willing companions and associates, personally training them to temper their bestial urges. They act as wardens of their territories, protecting the wilderness from ravagers and over-hunters and almost never enter villages outside of emergencies or to assist the forces of good, especially against evil lycanthropes.
They are largely sedentary, rarely traveling away from their homes and hard to convince to leave them. Only rarely can they be persuaded to join adventuring parties; the young are most likely to do so, and will only act as guides for proper payment. Werebears hide their treasures in their homes, often consisting of coins, gems, and other valuable items. They also collect magical items like potions or scrolls as rewards for service, although they destroy those designed to effect bears or lycanthropes so that they can not be used against them. Werebears have favored mates they will meet with infrequently, although they never actually married. Some live in small families of 2–4, occasionally with wild bears. They prefer to live in cabins near sources of water well stocked with fish.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Werebears mostly use sight to observe the world around them but can use other senses such as hearing to do so as well.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Human language, Language of animals, Bestial
Scientific Name
Clawed Furrys
Lifespan
250 years
Average Height
1.8‒2.1 m
Average Weight
270‒310 kg
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Werebear skin colour ranges from pale to dark brown, Werebear hair colour ranges from red, blond, brown, white, grey and black.
A Werebear fur colour in hybrid and fully bear form matches their hair colour in human form.
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