Witchbears

Witchbears, also referred to as Treekeepers or Ursus Horridus, are a species of large mammalian predator that is found in the forests of Eastern Misericordiae and Western Old Meronymy.

Appearance
The first and most imposing feature of the witchbear is its immense size. With large males measuring as much as a yard and a half from forepaw to shoulder, they are one of the largest predators in Cor Nova. Their fur is a smooth, midnight black, streaked (usually around the neck, around the paws, and down the back) with stripes of rusty-red. On the neck and back, these stripes are accompanied by a set of loose, bony spines that protrude through the fur. These produce a signature rattle when shaken, as the witchbear often does when challenging an opponent. A witchbear has never been observed using these spines in combat, so it is assumed that they have a role in communication or courtship rituals.

Habitat and Behavior
While witchbears seem to be native to the Misericordiae-Old Meronymy forests, they have also been sighted as far north as Terra Alta. A small population is believed to reside in Korkyra, near the southern Shrouds. These are well-known for having a grayish coloration that helps them blend in with their mountainous surroundings. There have also been sightings of white bears with dorsal and neck spines on the frozen coast of Pangiottis’ Emerald Sea, although whether this is a related population has not been determined.

Witchbears are intensely territorial, fighting mercilessly against anyone who trespasses on their domain. When grounded in witchbear country, only the most coordinated airmen can erect a competent defense until help can arrive.

Witchbears seem to be mainly nocturnal, and are seldom witnessed during the day. It is believed that they dig well-hidden dens to shelter in during the day, then emerge to hunt their prey at night. They are omnivores, having been observed digging for roots and eating berries, as well as chasing down small and large prey alike. They seem to be equally comfortable hunting alone or in groups. The details of their life cycle are mysterious, as no young witchbear cubs have ever been observed, nor has a witchbear carcass ever been found. Most naturalists believe this is due to strict rituals observed elsewhere within witchbear culture. Most likely witchbear cubs are not free to emerge from their dens until a certain age, and witchbears are very particular about how they dispose of their dead. Others suggest more arcane possibilities.

Folklore
The ferocity, size, and secretive nature of the witchbears has led to many strange tales about their origins. In Western Misericordiae, there is a prevailing belief that the witchbears are the descendants of a group of traitorous sorcerers, banished to the forest by the Sovereign Nicholas after they perpetrated a widespread attack in what is now Misericordiae City. Isolated in the dense forest, they progressively transformed their bodies to more readily deal with their harsh environment. With each passing year, they became more animal and less human, until the passing of generations left them in their current form.

In Old Meronymy and Korkyra, it is believed that the witchbears are remnants of the Old World, originally developed as weapons by one of the warring kingdoms. They hypothesize that the witchbears escaped, finding their home in the wooded southern reaches of Cor Nova. In Korkyran folklore, there is the tale of folk hero Muskrat Zimm, the only man known to have bested a witchbear in one-to-one combat sometime in the early 300s. After this legendary bout, which lasted two-and-a-half days and leveled an acre of forest, Muskrat Zimm spared the life of the creature, which then served him diligently for the rest of his days. At the moment that Muskrat Zimm died, the creature returned to its feral state, and immediately disappeared into the forest, never to be seen again.