Kinterspok

Kinterspok are the unseen and ever-present house spirits that are found in nearly every Bear home - or so the Bear think. In reality, the kinter had used the massive proportions of Bear homes and the unflappable nature of the Bear themselves to create new homes out of view of dangerous or untrustworthy folk.

In addition to adding an air of whimsy to Bear homes and handling small tasks for overwhelmed Bear households, the kinterspok are also responsible for the creation and use of Kinterskral, which has become iconic of the Bear clan.

New Neighbors

When the Bear returned home from the wars of the Brightsword, they found that their homes were now the home of silent, invisible spirits. Odd knick-knacks would go missing and turn up a week or two later in a different spot entirely, excess food was quietly spirited away, and there was sometimes an occasional thump that couldn’t be explained by a dog or a rat.

Getting Along

The Bear quickly adapted to the presence of their delightful little house spirits, which they termed "kinterspok". They built their homes with extra room around the furniture and between the walls so that their “kinterspok” would have space enough to be comfortable, they spoke loudly to empty rooms about how much extra food was left over from a delicious meal that couldn’t be eaten, and they became inexplicably fumble-fingered around the backs of chairs and cabinets so long as they were holding something small and pretty.

The kinter‌, for their part, were tremendously grateful for the refuge and accommodations granted them by the generosity of the Bear. Bear mothers wondering aloud where some kitchen utensil went would often find it resting on a table not seconds later, Bear homes were always clean and free of vermin, and every Bear has fond childhood memories of being entertained and soothed by aunties and uncles that disappear as soon as their parents return home.

Traveling Kinterspok

So bonded with the Bear are the kinter that when a Bear child goes off to explore or adventure or start a new life, it is common for a kinter from his home to go with them in secret. Thus, traveling Bear are surrounded by an air of mischief: armor straps come loose or go missing in the night, coin purses wander away, and anything intricate or detailed is likely to vanish right under its owner’s nose.

The offended party often wants to confront the Bear for this misfortune, but the Bear will invariably never be found guilty. For particularly distressed individuals, the Bear traveler will say something to the effect of, “Oh, I’m sure it will turn up soon enough,” and they are quite often right.