Ursa (Race)

The Ursa are a race of large, bear-like beings. They live in wild woods under frozen mountains, and are highly protective of their territory. The ursa are a strong and righteous people, and denmothers can be very ferocious when protecting their young. Ulfsaar is the only ursa known by name. Sensing a looming danger beyond ursine lands, he has set out to destroy the threat at its source.

Most ursa do not find armor practical.

Hibernation
During the winter, males ursas patrol their land, while females sleep and nurse their cubs in the darkwoods. Beasts from the mountains north of their home are particularly dangerous, and regularly culled.

The Savage Age
In their early history, the ursa did not have the ability for speech. This era was known as the Savage Age, marked by violent conflicts. Alliances were formed, with each group marked by its own unique patterns and sigils. Today, the ursa honor and remember their past through rituals and ceremony.

The Tribal Wars
Long ago, wars broke out between the ursa clans. It was the first time the ursa began wearing metal armor, adorned with their clan patterns. Most relics from the wars have been lost, although remaining pieces are still worn by the ursa to partake in ceremonies.

Religion
The ursa believe in spirits of the wild, as well as individual spirits that dwell within every being. According to Ulfsaar, it is his own personal spirit that keeps him safe. The ursa also appears to believe in an ancestral "first bear".

Feathers and necklaces made of cholgar teeth are worn by ursa warriors, and blessed for luck and protection.

The Sangstrath
Before the ursa came to settle their current lands, it was inhabited by the Sangstrath, a race whose former civilization had fallen to calamity. They fled the disaster, and came to the new land. The ursa hold these predecessors in high regard, and celebrate their legends regularly.

Diet
Ursa eat honey and fish, among other things.

Ravagers are considered sacred, and all parts of the carcass must be put to use.

Razorwyrms are also hunted, but probably not for food.

The Cholgar are killed, possibly because they pose a danger

Relations
Gondar may have killed an ursine during his first hunt as a kit. This could indicate a hostile relationship between Gondar's people, and the ursa.