Bears (Ursidae)

Bears are sizable and robust mammals recognized for their thick fur, stocky physique, and formidable claws. They have an omnivorous diet, consuming both plants and animals, and inhabit diverse environments across the continent, from forests and tundra. Bears are characterized by their distinctive snouts, acute sense of smell, and the well-known habit of hibernating during the winter. Within the bear family, there are various species, including polar bears, black bears, meadow bears, and others, each exhibiting distinct traits adapted to their specific habitats.

Black bear (Ursus furver) 

As one of the most widespread types on the continent, this species can be found across various landscapes, including dense forests and mountainous regions. Renowned for their strength and agility, these bears have versatile diets and will scavenge for food, even resorting to consuming corpses if necessary. While not the largest of bears, their population numbers make them a significant concern, as they often cause extensive damage.

These bears are known for rampaging through unprotected structures such as barns and chicken coops. They use their paws to access any hidden food compartments and are known to attack the livestock. Their intelligence allows them to learn where to locate food sources, and they have a knack for sharing this knowledge among their kind.

Appearance: They are around 3 feet (1 meter) high at the shoulders, 7 feet (2.3 meters) long and weigh approximately 500 pounds (250 kilograms). As the name suggests their coat, thick and hard, is black with smaller patches of brown. Their paws end with long claws that complement their equally sharp teeth. They have huge and heavy bodies that they use for their advantage.

Statistics: B4 S2 M2 W1 L20 Ev7 T3 D10

Skills: Athletics +3, Perception +2, Pain resistance +3

Abilities:

• Capture – The creature lunges at its target, attempting to immobilize it. If it successfully lands the attack, it gains a +3 bonus to its Athletics check against the target. Should the targeted creature fail its Athletics check, it takes damage equal to D10 and becomes pinned to the ground. While holding a target, the capturing creature is considered immobile but can still make regular attacks against other foes. The pinned creature can only try to break free from the capture.

• Slash – The creature swipes at up to two nearby enemies with its claws. If it successfully hits both targets, it inflicts damage equal to D10 roll + its Body attribute to each of them. Failing to connect with either target results in no damage from the attack.

Meadow bear (Ursus prati) 

The meadow bear, also known as the moss bear, is a species predominantly found in the Nasara forest. These bears, resembling their counterparts, but with green fur, exhibit a unique behavior of reclining amidst flower meadows, occasionally integrating flora into their coats. Intriguingly, interactions between these bears and the plant life growing on their coat hint at symbiotic relationships. Their diet primarily consists of honey, fish and forest fruits, but they display opportunistic hunting tendencies when food is scarce. Surprisingly elusive for their size, meadow bears dig shallow holes in meadows for cooling (rather than hiding), further adding to their enigmatic nature. Additionally, they play a vital role in forest regeneration by dispersing seeds, with unique mosses thriving in their fur, creating a self-contained ecosystem. Their deep forest habitat often conceals them from human observation, making these creatures both captivating and elusive denizens of Nasara.

Appearance: These creatures are slightly larger than black bears, standing at 4 feet (1.2 meters) at the shoulders and up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) in length. They are also considerably heavier, weighing in at 1000 pounds (450 kilograms). Their fur is notably longer and thicker than that of other bears, providing a habitat for a dense array of plant life, including flowers, mushrooms, and mosses. Their face is almost entirely obscured by this lush vegetation and long hair, with downward-pointing ears and large eyes peering out, and a short muzzle. These bears possess short claws that they use for climbing trees and defending themselves.

Statistics: B5 S2 M3 W2 L20 Ev6 T4 D8

Skills: Stealth +4, Athletics +3, Perception +1, Pain resistance +2

Abilities:

• Slash – The creature swipes at up to two nearby enemies with its claws. If it successfully hits both targets, it inflicts damage equal to D8/2 roll + its Body attribute to each of them. Failing to connect with either target results in no damage from the attack.

• Moss shake – The creature stands upright and vigorously shakes its body, releasing a cloud of spores and foliage into the air. During this action, it remains immobile. All nearby enemies must make Decay resistance checks with a difficulty of 10. If they fail, they suffer 2D8 damage and receive a penalty of 2 Fatigue points. Subsequently, the creature loses the accumulated plant growth, rendering it unable to perform this ability again.

Polar bear (Ursus ninguesus) 

Those pale white bears inhabiting the frigid expanse of the Frozen Land and sparsely populating the southernmost regions of Morozia, stand as the largest of bear species, maintaining an exclusively carnivorous diet. Their formidable size and strength make them apex predators that hunt fog sliders, seals, fish, and any potential sources of sustenance within their icy domain. Characterized by a general disposition of aggression, these bears are notorious for initiating confrontations upon sight. They possess the ability to manipulate magic, a talent often used for invoking snowstorms to obscure their presence. The formidable combination of their physical prowess, hostile nature and magical capabilities discourage any attempts at hunting them.

Appearance: These creatures are enormous, with a towering height of 5 feet (1.5 meters) at the shoulders and an impressive length of 10 feet (3 meters). Their weight is substantial, typically reaching around 2000 pounds (900 kilograms), making them significantly larger than any other creature in their habitat. These creatures are completely white, resembling the snow in their environment, and can be difficult to spot except for their small black noses and paws. Their eyes are typically white or gray, approximately 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter, blending seamlessly with their snowy surroundings. They boast long fur that often covers their entire body, and they possess sharp, deadly claws.

Statistics: B5 S3 M3 W4 Mag 2 L25 Ev8 T4 D10 2A

Skills: Stealth +3 Athletics +4, Perception +3, Pain resistance +5

Abilities:

• Capture – The creature lunges at its target, attempting to immobilize it. If it successfully lands the attack, it gains a +4 bonus to its Athletics check against the target. Should the targeted creature fail its Athletics check, it takes D10 + Body damage and becomes pinned to the ground. While holding a target, the capturing creature is considered immobile but can still make regular attacks against other foes. The pinned creature can only try to break free from the capture.

• Slash – The creature swipes at up to two nearby enemies with its claws. If it successfully hits both targets, it inflicts D10 damage + Body to each of them. Failing to connect with either target results in no damage from the attack.

• Snowstorm – The creature possesses the ability to conjure snowstorm at will(requires one full turn to cast, lasting D10/2 + Mag turns). These storms inflict 4 damage each turn to any entity within a 25-foot (7-meter) radius. 

• Healing – The creature can harness its power to restore its own vitality (takes one action, costs 8 magic points). This process grants it a healing effect of D10 + Magic Attribute.

Maple bear (Ursus acersurrepo) 

The maple bear is a unique native species inhabiting the Maplewood, distinguished by its exceptional coloring. These bears maintain a consistent brown hue throughout the year but undergo a remarkable transformation in the autumn months when their fur shifts to vibrant shades of orange, red, and yellow, harmonizing seamlessly with the falling leaves. During this window of time, typically spanning around a month, maple bears become the target of extensive hunting efforts, as killing them during this period preserves the changed color of their fur. Despite being smaller on average, they exhibit exceptional camouflage abilities, thriving predominantly in mountainous terrains where their elusive nature affords them increased protection from detection.

Appearance: These creatures are similar in size to black bears, measuring over 3 feet (90 centimeters) at the shoulders and approximately 7 feet (2 meters) in length. However, they are significantly heavier, weighing in at around 600 pounds (270 kilograms). Their fur is dense yet soft, typically ranging in color from yellow to brown. For defense, they possess claws and sharp teeth. These creatures have a heavy body equipped with stronger hind legs that are noticeably thicker than those of other bears.

Statistics: B4 S2 M3 W3 L25 Ev7 T3 D10

Skills: Stealth +5, Athletics +3, Perception +2, Pain Resistance +4

Abilities:

• Camouflage– When desiring to hide, the Maple bear buries itself within a pile of leaves, rendering it nearly invisible. During this concealed state, it has a +6 bonus to Stealth.

• Capture – The creature lunges at its target, attempting to immobilize it. If it successfully lands the attack, it gains a +3 bonus to its Athletics check against the target. Should the targeted creature fail its Athletics check, it takes D10 damage + Body and becomes pinned to the ground. While holding a target, the capturing creature is considered immobile but can still make regular attacks against other foes. The pinned creature can only try to break free from the capture.

• Slash – The creature swipes at up to two nearby enemies with its claws. If it successfully hits both targets, it inflicts D10 damage +Body to each of them. Failing to connect with either target results in no damage from the attack.