Ursiya
"It is a difficult thing to overcome our instinct when it comes to bestials and for good reason, because most every species and family is exactly as most any academic material will suggest. However there do, in the breadth of my admittedly risky research career, exist three unique exceptions. The first of which is the ever elusive Ursiya. They oft in some places have earned an unjustified grouping in with Yetis, even though Yetis are not even part of the same clade nor family, being Wyrids. The Ursiya do not interact with outsiders often, their scattered tribes numbering only perhaps a half dozen in some of the most remote and harsh biomes on Valerick, mostly on the continent of Durol, near various ancient mountain ranges and parts of the tundra barely traveled, though one tribe also calls the northernmost edges of Gavis-Lune home as well. These Bestials, and they are in fact of that family, buck the common perception of them all being children of Gulagor, and suggest that the heritage of this family and clade likely actually comes from Faei ancestry. Their oral histories and stories, if you are blessed enough to partake in any as I have, indicating something unique about them. They see themselves as a sort of guardian species, perhaps the last. They live in places bordering wounds in reality, or sites of other ancient evils, and oft their tribal lore and stories are tied to being the watchers, the first line of defense, the guardians against the a sleeping evil. Entrusted by oaths they still recall, and feel bound by, though their oral histories barely, if at all, remember whom those oaths were too, other than to their ancestors and to 'those born of the Aether' which could be a reference to the Faei."
An entry in Mochi's research journals tied to the Ursiya, a group and species they had taken noticeable interest in.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Ursiya anatomy is unique in that their tribal structures are actually notably dictated by their physicality. Most Ursiya, being bear-human hybrids, are generally black bear or brown bear, the common sort, these individuals make up the bulk of the tribal structure. However within that you have some more robust members, clearly who have cave bear within their essence, these are usually the elite warriors, the dominant leaders and protectors of a tribal group and normally there are very few of them, perhaps one for every thirty to forty, with a typical tribal group numbering perhaps two hundred to three hundred members at any given time. Even more rare however, with every tribe only having perhaps two to three of these individuals at all, are those with white fur, those of the great white bear. These hulking and powerful individuals are usually the chief and a tribes shaman will always be one of these. Tribes so lucky as to have two shamans at any given time are truly blessed, and rare.
Regardless of this, even the common Ursiya, those with black or brown bear qualities within their essence, are notably stronger than most any sapient like an elf, dwarf, human, or tantur on average. They are more hardy as well, and can digest raw meat and bone. They live off mostly meat as one might expect given the harsh environments, but they are omnivores, even the white furred members, despite the fact that the great white bear is an obligate carnivore.
They possess very human like facial features, in regards to the eyes, their shape, placement, the head shape, however instead of a lower skull and jaws and nose like a human their skull shape shifts below the eyes and sees a snout, smaller but robust much like a bear's, with a nose to match, and jaws as well. They have bear like teeth, shorter than any actual bear of course, but a similar structural design. Their ears are much the same, and tho their face around their eyes and their neck is bald, as is their chest and stomach, their backs, arms, head and snout and legs are all coated in the bear like fur, this is how their caste system functions. They do not wear clothing or covering of any kind, and they decorate their stomach and chest with intricate tribal tattoos, much as they do their face around their eyes. Their hands have fingers much like most of ours, but their limbs and paws such as they are are more robust, and the fingers though lacking the claws of an ursine creature, is robust and powerful, they can strike with force not unlike a bear with a swipe of their paw/hand.
They are a mighty people, and imposing, the shortest among them oft standing some 2.2 meters (7'2") in height, with some being as tall as 3.5 meters (11'6"). They are not just tall, but robust as well, muscle and fat, to go with their thick fur, hence how they avoid freezing to death, they likely weigh anywhere from 200 kgs (440 lbs) to 450 kgs (992 lbs) being the largest member of a tribe ever measured, once again by the renowned naturalist Mochi. These weights sound large, and they are, but they also show the mixing of the ursine and humanoid natures, given their heights would see them being noticably heavier if they were purely ursine creatures, given the normal sizes of true bears. Their change to being primarily bipedal, along with all the other trappings of sapience and humanoid structures saw their body weight likely shift over the evolutionary timeline, an expected consequence of that shift from all fours to upright walking on but two limbs.
Regardless of this, even the common Ursiya, those with black or brown bear qualities within their essence, are notably stronger than most any sapient like an elf, dwarf, human, or tantur on average. They are more hardy as well, and can digest raw meat and bone. They live off mostly meat as one might expect given the harsh environments, but they are omnivores, even the white furred members, despite the fact that the great white bear is an obligate carnivore.
They possess very human like facial features, in regards to the eyes, their shape, placement, the head shape, however instead of a lower skull and jaws and nose like a human their skull shape shifts below the eyes and sees a snout, smaller but robust much like a bear's, with a nose to match, and jaws as well. They have bear like teeth, shorter than any actual bear of course, but a similar structural design. Their ears are much the same, and tho their face around their eyes and their neck is bald, as is their chest and stomach, their backs, arms, head and snout and legs are all coated in the bear like fur, this is how their caste system functions. They do not wear clothing or covering of any kind, and they decorate their stomach and chest with intricate tribal tattoos, much as they do their face around their eyes. Their hands have fingers much like most of ours, but their limbs and paws such as they are are more robust, and the fingers though lacking the claws of an ursine creature, is robust and powerful, they can strike with force not unlike a bear with a swipe of their paw/hand.
They are a mighty people, and imposing, the shortest among them oft standing some 2.2 meters (7'2") in height, with some being as tall as 3.5 meters (11'6"). They are not just tall, but robust as well, muscle and fat, to go with their thick fur, hence how they avoid freezing to death, they likely weigh anywhere from 200 kgs (440 lbs) to 450 kgs (992 lbs) being the largest member of a tribe ever measured, once again by the renowned naturalist Mochi. These weights sound large, and they are, but they also show the mixing of the ursine and humanoid natures, given their heights would see them being noticably heavier if they were purely ursine creatures, given the normal sizes of true bears. Their change to being primarily bipedal, along with all the other trappings of sapience and humanoid structures saw their body weight likely shift over the evolutionary timeline, an expected consequence of that shift from all fours to upright walking on but two limbs.
Genetics and Reproduction
Ursiya operate as best can be seen under a sort of collective tribal structure, with all the adults taking responsibility for the cubs, it is very hard to match any to their specific parents. Everything from weaning to rearing to training and teaching is done collectively, those with newborns being the only ones you can identify for sure as being genetically parents. Pregnancy behaves similarly to most comparable humanoids, though the Ursiya people still seem to follow a more instinctual breeding process, in that, though they certainly might partake in intimacy of many forms, they do not partake in actual intercourse except in line with the same time frame as the mating season for bears in nearby regions, seemingly under the same instinctual biological drive.
Growth Rate & Stages
Ursiya cubs grow rather quickly by comparison with most humaniod creatures one might compare too, and in this aspect they are definitely bestials. They live around forty to fifty years is the best guess, though that might be weighted due to many dying of less than natural causes. Their young reach adult size and sexual maturity after five years, and though still mentored by the adults of the tribe in arms, hunting techniques and higher functions and education, they are welcomed as adults at this time, and have physically matured into them as well. Ursiya cubs generally are walking within days or weeks at most of being born. By three months they are weaned and eating the softest and choice bits of food, which is an interesting thing that shows heightened understanding. Instead of the cruelty of other bestials where the mighty stay mighty and the young are forced to fight for decent nutrition, Ursiya prioritize the young first, insuring they have the choicest, most dense and fatty parts of the food, clearly understanding the need for their young to grow swiftly, and the need to feed that biology for it to work and the cubs to survive.
Ecology and Habitats
They live in small pockets in five mountain ranges across Durol, and another tribe calls home a mountain range within the northern most stretches of Rohara in Gavis-Lune. These environments and habitats are cold, harsh with long winters, short summers, and harsh rocky terrain. Yet they find continued success within these regions.
Dietary Needs and Habits
They do not cook their food, something that naturally does play into their unfortunate difficulties with coming out from the shadow of Bestial despite being nothing like any of their fell kindred, having somehow not been corrupted during the Sundering. By the notes of a renowned naturalist published in recent years, they actually do know how to cook and prepare food safe for most regular humanoid's consumption, a surprising thing. More surprising is they possess a similar view on the distinction between sapience and non sapience and hold very clear customs and rules and beliefs in regards to the ideas of consuming the flesh of a sapient creature. The main difference is that they do not hold that line to exist in regards to creatures and groups of a fell persuasion, not seeing goblin flesh as humans do, for example.
Behaviour
Ursiya have a deep tie to the natural world and their cultural identity, passed down in their oral histories, is one tied to responsibility, duty, honor and courage. They oft reference a 'Great Storm Father', 'Omai Glacier' and 'Wylde Mother', seemingly spiritual figures within their oral histories they worship. However in further digging and discussion it would seem to actually be tied to actual elemental forces, these primordial entities, which seem to be tied to them. Great Storm Father seems to be a reference to the wind, or Aeir. Omai Glacier, basically Grandmother, or Elder, Glacier seems to be reference to Uisce, that is water, and Wylde Mother refers to nature, that is Dulra. This seems to be a shared culture even between tribes whom have not talked or interacted in a thousand years or more.
In many ways, one might compare the cultural behaviors of Ursiya to the sort of cultural norms of the Suranthi, particularly dwarven culture. Family, kin and clan. Honor and valor, bravery and discipline. These are all things they value. They are a harsh, but caretaking culture, for they push their own because they love them and know they won't survive if they are not raised ready for what the harsh world of their reality offers them. Furthermore they hold a deep belief in their ancient responsibilities, so this would explain why we, even as I write this, know so little about them. Sadly this has resulted in tragic outcomes many times in the past when regular folk have interacted with Ursiya, tragedies that have gone both ways.
In many ways, one might compare the cultural behaviors of Ursiya to the sort of cultural norms of the Suranthi, particularly dwarven culture. Family, kin and clan. Honor and valor, bravery and discipline. These are all things they value. They are a harsh, but caretaking culture, for they push their own because they love them and know they won't survive if they are not raised ready for what the harsh world of their reality offers them. Furthermore they hold a deep belief in their ancient responsibilities, so this would explain why we, even as I write this, know so little about them. Sadly this has resulted in tragic outcomes many times in the past when regular folk have interacted with Ursiya, tragedies that have gone both ways.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Ursiya retain much of their ursine senses, and most notably the sense of smell, able to accurately pinpoint, locate and track scents over distances as large as 3 kms (nearly 2 miles). Their eye sight is middling as best the singular studies that have been done can tell, somewhere between average humans and average halfmen, so not quite as strong as elves. Their hearing however is nearly as good as their sense of smell, and far and away is better than any comparable sapient species we know of.
This species, though belonging in the bestiary first, is in fact going to be the first of what I shall call 'Advanced' Ancestries in Adventures in Valerick and thus any further information needed in these regards beyond the narrative data provided about them can be taken from the attached 'monster' reference sheets, or as needed from the advanced ancestries section of the Player's Guide. For running this species as a playable ancestry, please see here Ursiya Ancestry
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