Shadowborn Bearfolk
Shadowborn Bearfolk—called the Nocturi in the tongue of their ancestors—are a rare and venerable bloodline of Bearfolk born beneath the pale, unmoving skies of The Shadowfell. Forged in gloom and tested by suffering, these resilient warriors rose beside Otso when The Betrayer Beasts sought to twist the realm of shadow into a den of savagery and domination. Where others fell into despair or madness, the Nocturi stood tall, their spirits unbroken and their oaths eternal.
Physically, Shadowborn bearfolk resemble their surface kin in form but are altered by the oppressive twilight of their homeland. Their fur is a deep onyx, midnight gray, or muted indigo—sometimes shimmering faintly with the subtle glint of starlight seen through clouds. Their eyes glow softly in hues of silver or violet, imbued with the ever-present essence of shadow, and their voices carry a somber echo, as if always whispering through a cavern’s hollow.
The Nocturi are deeply solemn and introspective. They have endured the ever-hungering dread of the Shadowfell, and in doing so, learned not to fear it but to master it. They draw strength from sorrow, patience from pain, and wisdom from silence. Their culture is steeped in ritual mourning, symbolic transformation, and ironclad loyalty. Death, for them, is not an end—it is a passage that must be honored, remembered, and endured.
Many Nocturi view themselves not as exiles of the light, but as keepers of necessary twilight, the balance between hope and despair. They believe that true courage is found not in the absence of fear, but in the decision to face fear every day. As such, they are unwavering allies, guardians of the weak, and monstrous nightmares to those who prey upon others under the cover of darkness.
Their armor and adornments are often etched with ancient sigils and spiritual wards drawn from both bearfolk mysticism and shadow magic. Their weapons are often forged from umbral iron or other rare materials found only in the deeper reaches of the Fell, and many wield enchanted totems carved from black obsidian to focus their ancestral rites.
During the dark days of The Fracture War, the Shadowborn bearfolk stood at the side of Otso once more—his silent blades and unbreakable shields in the haunted corners of the world. They were instrumental in halting the spread of the Betrayer Beasts, who sought to corrupt the natural order with lycanthropic madness and violent hunger. While the surface wars raged, the Nocturi fought a war of shadows—ambushing, hunting, and silencing horrors born of the Fracture before they could slip into the mortal realm.
Even now, many Shadowborn bearfolk remain in the deeper places of the world—hidden vales, ancient barrows, and the blurred borderlands between the material world and the Shadowfell. Some have journeyed to Amoxis proper, acting as grim emissaries, secretive guardians, or spiritual watchers for Otso’s broader kin. Wherever they go, they bring the chill of dusk and the calm of night—a reminder that even in the deepest dark, the bear still stands.
They are Otso’s silence, his resolve, and his enduring shadow.
Basic Information
Biological Traits
Shadowborn Bearfolk are immune to lycanthropy
