Ursara - A Mountain Passes By
Sometimes gods, sometimes ancestor-spirits, always formidable forces of nature, the Ursara have watched as their human kin fought their way from cave to castle and their animal kin have fought to survive. At times, these Mountain Claws have come to the aid of human or bears; then again, few other beasts have proved as implacable in their resistance to Man’s ways than the bears he has occasionally “displaced.” Bear-bloods draw their inspiration to the caves where Man and Bear first met, battled, and sometimes came to terms. By the fl ickering of grease-fed fi res, shamans cast rituals to placate the awesome beasts inside. In those times, the bears seemed like guardians of some older, deeper place. To face a bear and live marked a man or woman as divine. And so it was with those who displayed the Bear Gift. From fur-clad shamans to the Nordic bear-sarks, people who walked closely with Bear were considered the bravest of the brave. Is it any wonder, then, that the Changing Gift would manifest so powerfully as it does in the bear-blooded folk? Few blessings are as rich . . . or as dangerous.
To be Ursara is to accept a mantle of great responsibility along with fantastic might. Guardians of the hearth, towering killers, deadly clowns, consummate hunters, seers at the gates of death — all accords fi nd their greatest manifestations in the bear-kin. In all guises, Bear is a powerful totem. Only Lion, Wolf, Tiger and Raven can match Bear’s hold on Man’s imagination. And yet, to become a bear in flesh as well as name is to accept a precarious existence. Man’s respect is a double-headed ax, always aimed straight at your throat. A feral born into the tribe of the Bear earns insight and strength, at the cost of tranquil solitude.
Well-known but not widespread, bear-folk often stay close to their native lands. In Odyssey Earth, North American bears are most common, though a few of those from the colder Northern regions have been rumored to be seen from time to time. With humanities population so massively in decline, the Ursara have not had to fight as hard to protect their animal kin. This does not necessarily make them social butterflies but they are less inclined to avoid humans on principle these days. Despite the odds, these beasts are excellent survivors. Shapechanged and otherwise, bears have battled the fiercest predators — mountain lion, wolf, boar and the most ruthless predator of all, Man. Survival is not a fight the bear-folk plan to lose. Above all things, the Ursara value their homes and the land that sustains them. The despoilment of their surroundings cuts deeply, driving a wedge between the Ursara and the humans that trespass on their lands. Once, the Ursara looked upon humanity with fonder eyes. With the advent of war, and the following destruction that destroyed everything and effectively 'reset the planet', the Ursara are wary of mans contraptions more than ever before.
Character Creation Notes for Ursara
Physical and Mental Attributes make up the bulk of a Mountain Claw’s character, with Social Attributes a poor third. Loners tend not to care for social niceties. Bear-blood skills include Survival, Brawl, Intimidate, Medicine and Science. Ursara spend so much time apart from others that they often have to be their own doctors and herbalists. As wanderers, most gather stories like fresh honey, and enjoy sharing it with others far more.
Den-Warder
A favored accord for Ursara, these Mountain Claws wrote the book on protecting home and family. Frequently calm and imperturbable in temperament, bearfolk of this accord can explode into a killing frenzy to protect their children, or anyone else they hold dear. Even when no threat is imminent, Ursara Warders make sure their homes and lands have every possible protection. Often, they take political action when claws would do more harm than good.
Heart-Ripper
Harbingers of “mountain justice,” these ferals reclaim what is rightfully theirs: the legacy of the biggest badass on land. As Man fi nds new ways to ruin Nature, this accord calls to more and more Ursara. In the past, bear attacks were rare things. “Red Claw” bear-bloods aim to change that impression. Innocent or guilty, it makes no difference to these predators. There are too many humans anyway. It’s culling season now.
Root-Weaver
Ursara prefer simple, uncluttered lives. At the same time, they enjoy making things and building structures that last. Ursara of this accord take their place at the center of workshops, saw mills, craft guilds and rural auto shops. Many ursine Weavers build houses of lumber and stone, or craft earth-sheltered homes that serve as dens during the long winters. A rare few enjoy high-tech building and sustainable design; others prefer to create networks that allow bear-bloods to keep in touch with one another.
Sun-Dancer
Most Mountain Claws live solitary lives; those who embrace this accord not only travel alone but also rarely settle anywhere. For them, the road knows no ending. They climb mountain after mountain just to stand at the peak and gaze at the next horizon. Occasionally, these wanderersgather like-minded souls around them and travel in motley packs until some inner urgings draw their paths apart. Ever moving, never satisfi ed, these bear-folk pursue unreachable, indefinable goals with desperate longing. This is the trail of the Wandering Bear, and it’s not an easy path to follow.
Wind-Chaser
Some folks believe that every Ursara knows the flash of true visions; only a few, though, live the life demanded by this accord. The seer’s path draws a Mountain Claw away from familiar surroundings and plunges her into the uncanny spirit realm. Ursara Chasers follow ancestor spirits and restless ghosts. Sometimes Chasers lay these hungry spirits to rest; other times, Chasers help the spirits fulfill their angry wishes. The old backwoods woman brewing potions (and possibly some extremely potent moonshine) embodies this accord.
Character Creation Notes for Ursara
Physical and Mental Attributes make up the bulk of a Mountain Claw’s character, with Social Attributes a poor third. Loners tend not to care for social niceties. Bear-blood skills include Survival, Brawl, Intimidate, Medicine and Science. Ursara spend so much time apart from others that they often have to be their own doctors and herbalists. As wanderers, most gather stories like fresh honey, and enjoy sharing it with others far more.
Accords in the eyes of the Ursara
Den-Warder
A favored accord for Ursara, these Mountain Claws wrote the book on protecting home and family. Frequently calm and imperturbable in temperament, bearfolk of this accord can explode into a killing frenzy to protect their children, or anyone else they hold dear. Even when no threat is imminent, Ursara Warders make sure their homes and lands have every possible protection. Often, they take political action when claws would do more harm than good.
Heart-Ripper
Harbingers of “mountain justice,” these ferals reclaim what is rightfully theirs: the legacy of the biggest badass on land. As Man fi nds new ways to ruin Nature, this accord calls to more and more Ursara. In the past, bear attacks were rare things. “Red Claw” bear-bloods aim to change that impression. Innocent or guilty, it makes no difference to these predators. There are too many humans anyway. It’s culling season now.
Root-Weaver
Ursara prefer simple, uncluttered lives. At the same time, they enjoy making things and building structures that last. Ursara of this accord take their place at the center of workshops, saw mills, craft guilds and rural auto shops. Many ursine Weavers build houses of lumber and stone, or craft earth-sheltered homes that serve as dens during the long winters. A rare few enjoy high-tech building and sustainable design; others prefer to create networks that allow bear-bloods to keep in touch with one another.
Sun-Dancer
Most Mountain Claws live solitary lives; those who embrace this accord not only travel alone but also rarely settle anywhere. For them, the road knows no ending. They climb mountain after mountain just to stand at the peak and gaze at the next horizon. Occasionally, these wanderersgather like-minded souls around them and travel in motley packs until some inner urgings draw their paths apart. Ever moving, never satisfi ed, these bear-folk pursue unreachable, indefinable goals with desperate longing. This is the trail of the Wandering Bear, and it’s not an easy path to follow.
Wind-Chaser
Some folks believe that every Ursara knows the flash of true visions; only a few, though, live the life demanded by this accord. The seer’s path draws a Mountain Claw away from familiar surroundings and plunges her into the uncanny spirit realm. Ursara Chasers follow ancestor spirits and restless ghosts. Sometimes Chasers lay these hungry spirits to rest; other times, Chasers help the spirits fulfill their angry wishes. The old backwoods woman brewing potions (and possibly some extremely potent moonshine) embodies this accord.
Species of Ursara
- Yonah - Indigenous to North America
- Nanuk - Polar Bears of the North
- Storm Bears - Massive Primal Bears
Basic Information
Anatomy
Even in human shape, Ursara tend to tower over their man-kin. Even the smaller Mountain Claws (those of black bear stock), make up in mass and presence what they lack in height. Exceptionally strong and slow in their movements, Ursara nevertheless exhibit great manual dexterity, and can be unexpectedly fast when necessary. Though reputedly placid and long suffering by nature, ursines tend to explode in a fury of powerful paws and merciless crushing grapples when something or someone rouses the bears to anger. Once they’ve declared someone an enemy, bears seldom change their minds. The humanborn among the bears will pursue enemy to the ends of the Earth if necessary to exact vengeance — or justice.
As parents and mates, Ursara excel in supporting and nurturing their children and lovers. They make excellent teachers and doctors, especially in herbal medicines and midwifery. Still, their patience has an edge — one that other folk learn not to push.
Ursara tend to have deep voices. Males often seem to be growling when they’re simply speaking. Females speak in warm, rich tones that suggest the vocal range of a coloratura soprano and the carrying power of an Amtrak special. Though their voices are memorable, most bear-bloods dislike idle chatter and save words for important occasions. Their slow, deliberate motions beg the patience of quicker folk, but unless an Ursara sees a need for swiftness, he’ll move on his own time, thank you muchly.When speed is essential, a bear-blood reacts with surprising speed. Propelled by her strength, she can match paces with some of the quicker breeds, though she may not last as long as she would like. In her War-Beast form, whether undertaking a ritual battle with a rival or taking on an unlucky group of human hunters, the Ursara becomes a literal moving mountain — or an exploding volcano.
Genetics and Reproduction
Ursara prefer solitary life over life in a group, except when two raise a young one. As soon as a new Mountain Claw reaches self-suffi ciency, she strikes out on her own. Her animal kin understand — it’s the way things are. Human kin may rage or weep at this departure, but the Ursara remains unmoved. Her path lies ahead of her, not behind. She may visit her relations or otherwise keep in touch, but her home forever lies elsewhere, in a place of her own choosing. Bear-kin accept the presence of a Mountain Claw among them, provided she doesn’t overstay her welcome or overtax their food supply. Communication through scent and body language soon determines whether or not the bear-kin needs a human “edge” among them . . . which, in turn, affects the length of the Ursara’s stay in true bears’ territory. Only among the more social polar bears do bear-folk settle down among their kin. Otherwise, bear-folk keep moving on. Still, a few events draw the bear-bloods’ company. Each year, when the brown bears gather in Alaska for the annual salmon run, a few Ursara show up to take the measure of their animal cousins and enjoy catching a few fi sh for themselves. Human kin generally welcome a visit from their Mountain Claw kin, even if the humans don’t fully understand just how different Aunt Thedra truly is. Despite their fascination, these kin are usually relieved to see her go. Ursara are not “tame” by any means, and those kin may sense something wild and feral in her presence.
Ecology and Habitats
Just as their animal kin, Ursara are native to many continents and climes, from the mountains of the southeastern United States to the frozen tundra of Siberia and the Arctic cold of the extreme north. A concerned bearblood may set up a log cabin in the center of a forest slated for clear-cutting in order to establish a few ground rules, while a Mountain Claw with polar bear kin may volunteer for a scientifi c observation mission, dwelling alone in an insulated hut and watching her cousins cavort on the ice as they search for food . . . or, in the current warming trend, as they seek the receding ice fields they once called home. Even in places where bears are extinct (or near extinction), a mated Ursara pair may settle down in hopes of doingsomething to revive a lost line of bears.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Similar to both their animal and human kin, Ursara have omnivorous tastes, eating anything from vegetables and grains, to milk and meat. They find salmon and other kinds of fi sh particularly tasty, and favor honey-soaked berries over almost any other dessert. Technically classifi ed as predators, bears prey primarily on fish. Unless annoyed beyond endurance, Ursara seldom pick fights with other changing breeds. On the other hand, a few skinchangers — often wolves or big cats — challenge bear-bloods in their own territories. Even in the most evenly matched challenges, Ursara stand their ground, rarely givingway and more often than not disabling an opponent with a solid backhand or suffocating grapple.
Behaviour
Generally, bear-bloods live in out-of-the-way places, frequently high in mountain hollers or in cabins deep within the old-growth forests. Some inhabit rickety shacks on the edge of the bayou or occasional key-card suites in luxury hotels or crafter’s lofts among fellow artisans. A good many can be met on hiking trails or roadsides, wandering with small packs on their large backs. In general, though, Ursara do not socialize with one another in family groups or kin enclaves. The Mountain Claws prefer their own company over all others, and spend much of their time traveling throughout their territory like a circuit preacher making his rounds. When bear-bloods do get together with their kind, they call a feast, complete with storytelling, gossip, gift-giving and ritual dances that explore the many legends of their origins. In this era, wireless Internet, cell phones and other technological milestones make long-distance communication easier. In emergencies, a number of Ursara can answer a summons at a moment’s notice. The Mountain Claws prefer to live simply, but do not hesitate to avail themselves ofrapid communication and response. In an age where Creation changes rapidly, an adaptable shapechanger is truly “smarter than the average bear.”
Among the Mountain Claws, leaders emerge when necessity demands cooperation. Normally, any Ursara — male or female — can assume the role of Alpha; most often, though, the oldest individual in the group takes charge. Respect for elders burns true within the hearts of the bear-folk. Sometimes a younger, stronger Claw challenges the newly sanctioned leader; in times of war, a bloody battle to the death (or close to it) determines the outcome. In calmer times, a challenge may involve other tests: feats of strength, cunning or patience, riddle-games or the solving of some grand and urgent puzzle (such as how to drive off an oil company without drawing down dozens of government sanctioned hunters . . .). When the need for leadership passes, the Alpha steps down, and the Ursara depart for their homes. As simple as that, the role of “leader” is given back to the wind.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Spirit-Ties
From the earliest days, bears have been identified with the spirit world, most especially the realm of Death. As deep-dwelling cave beasts who appeared to “die” each winter and rise again in spring, natural bears seem like perfect intermediates to that realm, and have been regarded that way since the First Days. Consequently, many bearbloods share the spiritual connections of the Uratha, down to the similar names by which their breeds are known. Whether a Mountain Claw feels attuned to the spirit realm or not, a Mountain Claw becomes a magnet for spiritual energies. Entities seem drawn to her, while humans sense a “quality” about her even when they never meet her ursine self. Bear-bloods of Native American, Nordic or Finno-Ugric descent sometimes lead cults devoted to ancestor-worship, while individual ursines often invoke their “fore-bears” in crucial situations. Responding to this connection, Naturespirits often share their Gifts with bear-bloods. No other changing breed, outside the werewolves themselves, has such a rich connection to the spirit world.
From the earliest days, bears have been identified with the spirit world, most especially the realm of Death. As deep-dwelling cave beasts who appeared to “die” each winter and rise again in spring, natural bears seem like perfect intermediates to that realm, and have been regarded that way since the First Days. Consequently, many bearbloods share the spiritual connections of the Uratha, down to the similar names by which their breeds are known. Whether a Mountain Claw feels attuned to the spirit realm or not, a Mountain Claw becomes a magnet for spiritual energies. Entities seem drawn to her, while humans sense a “quality” about her even when they never meet her ursine self. Bear-bloods of Native American, Nordic or Finno-Ugric descent sometimes lead cults devoted to ancestor-worship, while individual ursines often invoke their “fore-bears” in crucial situations. Responding to this connection, Naturespirits often share their Gifts with bear-bloods. No other changing breed, outside the werewolves themselves, has such a rich connection to the spirit world.
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