Ursar

NOTE: Due to the existence of the umbran species, who are already bears, it is suggested that parts of this write-up are integrated into the umbran species notes.

The ursar is a sapient "bear" species native to Ursartec.

• Created by Fenrir Black
• Old ursar proverb "Fighting can solve anything."

Anatomy

• Their appearance is Ursidae with the male being more bulky while females are more slender. They have no claws on their paws but do have claws on their feet. Each paw has four fingers and their feet five toes.
• Avg Height 2.3 - 2.8 meters
• Fur colors vary from shades of browns, black, white, and rare red coats.
• No tails
• Large round ears.
• Enhanced sense of smell and taste. Use their long tongues to remove sap from trees. Their dense bones are nearly unbreakable but limits their flexibility.
• Powerful jaws allow them to devour any type of prey as well as crush rocks. This has led to the evolution of Ursar seeking out rare minerals or ingredients found without stones such as special salts for cooking.
• Natural swimmers with large lungs that can hold their breath for up to five-ten minutes.

Communication

Vocal

• Language: Uradine

Culture

• Do to the lack of claws, Ursar survived from an early age using tools and weapons. Over time the mechanics led to a revolution where smiths would create complex machines and weapons used for combat and hunting.
• Some forward thinking villages on Ursartec have begun to use agriculture as a means of obtaining food but most Ursar believe in a proper hunter and gathering system. Ursar frown on those who simply grow their own food or raise animals for meat.
• Tradition is highly regarded by the Ursar as well as loyalty. The greatest shame that can befall an Ursar is to be exiled from their tribe.
• The tribe or village leader is usually chosen by an act of combat which varies from a death match to simply until one ursar is knocked out. This combat rituals usually take place during certain times of the year such as under a full moon or a blood moon. A tribe leader can only be removed from his or her position by death either by combat or other.
• The Lio Advent changed much of the Ursar culture creating new dynamics and different means of choosing leaders and keeping order but many tribes still choose to hold on to the old ways while others have adapted the traditional ursar practices to fit with the new dynamic.
• Combat is seen as the most noble activity among the ursar. Many see hand to hand combat as the true ursar way but over time weapons have been slowly introduced to enhance the experience but has led to more gruesome bouts.
• Because of the dense bones, ursar are trained to learn where the joints and weak spots are of not only other ursar but of all creatures. During bouts they will target this spots which has led to a special combat style called Kado where a ursar is trained to target and defend these spots.
• Strength, speed, and ability are the most highly regarded traits in the ursar culture regardless of gender.
• Sex is seen a sacred act and ursar will grow fur to cover their private areas. It is only when a ursar chooses a mate that they may trim the fur and begin to have sex with their mate. This is seen as a celebrated milestone in a couple's relationship and ursar will sometimes be praised for beginning the act. There are those who choose to have sex indiscriminately which is seen as crude and barbaric. Sometimes ursar will hide for weeks after having indiscriminate sex until their fur grows back before returning to the public eye.

History

• The ursar history is full of long civil wars between tribes that can be found throughout their history. The worse one ever recorded was between the Aertas tribe and the Scorati tribe during the beginning of the first Smith Revolution. Several tribes chose sides leading to mass deaths across the continent. The Aertas tribe loss when their deposits of metal ran out and they could no longer make new weapons.
• The first Smith Revolution was followed by two more technological revolutions called the Bronze Revolution followed by the Black Days where a new metal was discovered that allowed magnetic properties to be introduced.

The Lio Advent

• The ursar were the first race outside the krakun's control the lio were able to form an alliance with. The lio ship to discover Ursartec was known as the Vermillion Spear. The captain of the ship, Kara, fought and defeated the leader of the Langesti tribe earning the respect of the ursar. It was years later that more fleets of lio began to visit ursar which ignited small outbreaks of violence among the tribes. It was after many years that the leaders of over 100 tribes came together with the lio and established a unified system of government for the planet. From that day the ursar were the lio's allies under the condition that the ursar would not participate in the war with the krakun and instead expect the lio's protection and advance technology. Most ursar resolved to remain on Ursartec while only exiles and the curious will leave the planet for a new home among the stars.

Habitat

• Before the Lio Advent, the ursar would form houses of sticks, animal skins, and clay which over time became more elaborate with each technological revolution.
• After the Lio Advent, larger cities emerged mainly comprised of lio but over time more ursar began to move outside of the small wilderness villages into homes filled with lio technology and architecture.

Diet

• Ursar are omnivores. Their diet is mostly made of fish and fruits that found in each tribes territory. Hunting animals is seen more as a sport than a necessity.

Lifespan

• Adolescence — 13 KY
• Avg Death Age — BL: 35 KY LA: 75 KY