You were a Soldier, just doing your duty, when you found yourself accidentally in the wrong place at the wrong time and learned something very wrong indeed. You made some powerful enemies who wanted to keep you quiet - forever. An attempt on your life forced you to flee into exile and seek refuge in an enchanted forest. Your prayers to elude your pursuers were answered by a mischievous forest spirit. As a prank, your benefactor used Green magic to shield you from divination and temporarily turn you into a bear. Your attackers were stymied in their attempts to track you down, and they left, swearing they'd kill you if they ever saw you again. Terrified they might find you, you willed yourself to stay a bear for as long as you could. You discovered that the sedentary bear life of ambling around, stuffing your face, and sleeping allowed you to maintain your bear form indefinitely. For many years, you lived as a bear among bears. Now, for reasons best left in the past, you are re-entering civilization.
- Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Survival
- Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (Water) - You had to learn how to maneuver a boat to make your way to the West Marches. You didn't trust anyone else to take you there, in case they might give your enemies a lead. You even learned how to row a boat while in bear form, because it just felt more comfortable that way.
- Languages: Sylvan - During your time in the forest, you learned to speak the spirit's language. They thought your accent was hilariously bad.
- Equipment: A rowboat, two oars, a tattered uniform, a set of ill-fitting common clothes stolen from someone's washing line, and the one memento you retained that reminded you that you were once something other than a bear.
During your time as a Soldier, in the pre-Bear days, you had a specific role to play in your unit or army. Roll a d8 or choose from the options in the table below to determine your role:
| d8 | Before You Were a Bear |
|---|---|
| 1 | You were a Scout. Your strategic death by surprise attack was meant to save more valuable lives. |
| 2 | You were Infantry. You weren't worth much, but at least you were in good company. |
| 3 | You were Cavalry. Your officer was constantly reminding you that it's not your horse, it's the army's horse. You just cleaned up after it. |
| 4 | You were a Medic. Since magic exists, the only useful thing you and your healer's kit provided was a listening ear for complaints. |
| 5 | You were a Standard Bearer. You kept a stick aloft in a stressful situation. If it inspired anyone, they never told you. |
| 6 | You were a Cook. You were skilled at stirring pots and evading questions about what they contained. |
| 7 | You were an Orderly. Your life was occupied with miscellaneous and demeaning tasks no Officer would ever want to do themselves. |
| 8 | You were a Stowaway. You never enlisted and were just there for the free room and board. You lived in constant fear of discovery. |
Since you lived among bears, you fit in among them with ease. You can find a place to hide, rest, or recuperate among other bears in their environment, unless you have shown yourself to be a danger to them. They will shield you from the law or anyone else searching for you, though they will not risk their lives for you.
Additionally, no matter what form you are in, you can match a typical bear's sleeping and eating cycle. You can naturally hibernate in the winter, emerge skinnier, and spend the spring to fall season gradually putting on stored fat. You can eat anything a bear can eat.
Suggested Characteristics
A bear by circumstance ended up as a bear unintentionally, for better or worse. Most bears by circumstance look on their time as a bear as a blessing, not a curse, and bear communities remain very important to them.
| d1 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am very curious. I will inspect odors, noises, and objects to determine if they are edible or playable. |
| d3 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Might. If I become strong, I can take what I want—what I deserve as pack leader. (Evil) |
| 2 | Sincerity. There’s no good in pretending to just be a civilized person or just be a bear. I have to be both. (Neutral) |
| 3 | Dominance. The most mature male of my group should be in charge. (Bear) |
| d1 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have a bear family, but I have no idea where they are. I have mixed feelings about seeing them again. |
| d3 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have a critical personal space, and anyone who violates it will provoke an over-the-top fight or flight response. |
| 2 | I am initially frightened of new objects or situations. If it doesn't hurt me, I'll usually calm down and investigate. |
| 3 | I have a weakness for a vice in my civilized life that I couldn't access while living as a bear. I tend to overindulge. |
Previous Versions
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10/8/2020 8:38:35 PM
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