Bear Warriors

Bear Warriors (Birnir Rekkar)
Berserkers. Bear-men. Savages. There are a number of epi￾thets to define the folks from the mountains of Norrvegr and they all describe their lifestyle pretty accurately. The Bear Warriors don’t talk much. They are practi￾cal, spontaneous and tend solve every problem with brute strength. Almost nobody can stop them once they commit. A true Bear Warrior will never pass a chance to show his or her strength and will always be at the forefront against any opponent. The Bears tend to wear heavy furs – usually bears’ or from other mountain animals – and wield heavy weapons to maximize their strength advantage with devastating effects. Those who are skilled in magic wears totems upon totems, made of bone, wood or any other material avaible on the top of their mountains. An ancient motto of the lands of the North says: “It’s not important to be friend with a Bear, what’s important is that the Bear is on your side of the shield wall”.

The King of the Mountain The Bear Warriors aren’t a proper clan, but they are identified as such by the other denizens of the White Mountains. The people of this region are, in fact, primitive, savages, violent and have little time or inter￾est for politics. The reason behind this error is that almost all the chieftains of the villages scattered across the mountains live in fear and under the thumb of Snjallrsons. This family have ruled Fjalltindr (“top of the mountain”) the topmost village on the mountains for many years. The current “King of the Mountain” is Gamallbjarki (“old little bear”) of the Snjallrson. Strength is the only law on the mountains and another clan might challenge and replace the Snjallrsons at any moment. 20 Journey to Ragnarok 21 Cold as a Glacier The Great White Mountains are cold, inhospita￾ble and the resources are scarce. The inhabitants struggle to survive each passing day. Over time, this extreme lifestyle transformed these people into mighty creatures with a strength vastly superior to the dwellers of the valleys. At the same time, their temper changed, the mountain-folk are cold and distant like their homeland. Natural Raiders Since time immemorial, the lack of natural resources has driven the mountain clans to cross the ford during the more mild season, when their’ not blocked by ice. Only the most ferocious and powerful warriors undertook this journey and their objective was to raid everything in their path. After many years of conflicts, this tradition mel￾lowed out, as the other clans started offering the Bears to participate the spring raids. Over time, this new custom became more and more common, up to the point that no ship sailed without a couple of Bears on board and they became a curiosity in the coastal villages thanks to their fame of mighty warriors. The Priests of the Mountain Contrary to the popular opinion, the mountain dwell￾ers aren’t just mighty warriors. every village hosts at least one priest that is skilled in the ancient rituals to commune with the spirit of the mountain and harness its power. These seers and sorcerers are highly respected and they often clash with the those Icy Crows that visit the Bears’ villages. While the Bear Warriors are, in their own way, followers of Æsir and Vanir, they also practice many rituals to cuddle the favors of the Mountain, which they worship as a true deity. these barbaric religious practices are blasphemous in the eyes of the Crows, who do their best not to speak about them, because abusing the Bears’ hospitality might have lethal consequences. The Curse of the Bear Recently, the snowstorms have become more and more powerful, blocking many mountain passes, but strange rumors started to circulate between the high-altitude villages. They spoke of a terrible curse that turns war￾riors into bloodthirsty monsters. Many were cast out of their villages under the suspicion that they were “cursed” and, according to other rumors, they founded their own village beyond Fjalltindr, in the uninhabited part of the mountain. Some villages literally disappeared overnight, as if they were swallowed by the mountain itself. According to the Bears’ sages, the Mountain is angry and it lust for blood have to be satiated before Ragnarok. Gamallbjarki, "Old Little Bear" Snjallrson 20 People of Midgardr: The Clans 21 Relationships with Other Clans Gjallarhorn These people with fancy clothes are great warriors, but none of Mountain-folk have seen one of them in a very long time. It’s possible that the Great Winter killed them all. They should have worn thicker clothes. Icy Crows The Crows are considered wise and welcome. They know the tales of Odhinn and the other Gods. They can figure who is right without resorting to a battleaxe. Unfortunately many of them are weak and haven’t survived this winter season that grows ever stronger. They died of cold or they were offered as sacrifices to quench the craving for blood of the Mountain. Some of them decided to become a voluntary sacrifice, they climbed to the top of the Mountain to beg for an audience, but never returned. Jötunn Sons The folks of the swamp talk too much and they words are empty. It’s better to shut their mouths before they utter a curse. Odhinn’s Eye The people of the great hall and ships were always kind with the Bears and allowed them to cross the sea. This doesn’t mean that the Bears are ready to kneel and kiss their boots or follow their orders: if the people of the great hall push their luck too far the Bear will show them the fury of the Mountain. Wolves of the Shadow The Wolves are trustworthy warriors, they are not as powerful as the Bears, but they show honor on the Guàrdinjandr, Cheftain of the Cursed Bears battlefield. This is the greatest praise a Bear can offer.

Type

Geopolitical, Clan