Clan Frostbear

"Strength from within. Wisdom from beyond." - motto of Clan Frostbear

The main spiritual clan of The Reach, the Frostbears were once the soul of The Staldor people, their most potent connection to the spirits of their ancestors and a favoured way of paying respects to the past. In the modern day, unification was not kind to the Frostbears, and the future of their ancestry remains uncertain.

Pre-Unification

Clan Frostbear finds their origins with the Shamans, Druids, and spiritual warriors of the North. Those Shamans first came around due to the excess of spiritual energy flowing from Kourath and beyond, and largely honed their powers as a way to safeguard against that energy. Then, some believed there would be advantages in seeking out more benign spirits - not only of their own ancestors, but of all those who once inhabited the North. When the migration south took place, these shamans lost some of their potency but still maintained the ability to commune with ancestors of their own kind, some of the other immigrants, and for some especially practised shamans, the new spirits they found flowing in the Reach. Leaders of the Clan traditionally had Druidic tendencies, in tandem with their spiritual nature, and this helped the early Frostbears find their footing in commonality with the Elves of Middle-Eidos.
Once the immigrants in the south found their footing, even prior to Hagan's unification, the Frost Bears were sought after for their knowledge of the paranormal. If a Clan leader should need to get in touch with their forebears, or a rogue spirit be haunting an establishment, the Frost Bears would facilitate a communion, and if necessary, a kind of exorcism. In the Reach is where those who learned not only how to commune with spirits, but weaponise them in martial combat, would become known as Ancestral Guardians. They could channel ancestors in times of great need to bolster their own strength, and in the wars with The Spell-Breakers to follow, the Frost Bears would prove instrumental to defeating many anti-magic capabilities of The Chantry; their spirit magic was largely unaffected by the properties of Petricite. The special blend of spiritual, magical, and druidic powers is what permitted a nascently unified Staldor people to bring down a Lesser Golem during the conflict, the death of which was crucial to the Chantry pursuing a ceasefire.

The Present

In the present day, Ancestral Guardians are few and far between, with even those having direct lineage struggling to commune with spirits on any productive level. Sometimes only the Clan Leader possesses the necessary bond to channel spirits to the material realm. Those who used to be able to summon spirits almost at will must now undertake considerable preparation and conduct difficult rituals. This loss of shamanic potency is largely attributed to the dilution post-Unification that took place among all clans, though the events of the Boneplague also had a profound effect due to the number of Staldor spirits being absorbed by the Abyss.

Culture

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Perhaps the most standout custom practised by the Frostbears is the memorialisation of any valorous achievements or deeds on their very bodies; from the moment a child comes of age to the final act of bravery committed, Frostbears are taught to commune and mark their bodies with ink depicting their achievements. Much of the time, these tattoos are given by the principle shamans of the Clan, the highest honours being bestowed by the leader themself. During such tattooing, those painting the sigils will often allow themselves to be partially possessed by the spirits. Thus, these tattoos end up serving a dual purpose; recognition of deeds, for both the living and the dead, where spirits will be more likely to commune with and respect those who have been marked numerous times before.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

During birth, shamans attending to the mother will channel spirits to oversee and bless the delivery; then, once a child is born, a spirit will occasionally offer a name to be considered. Such an event is seen as a great honour and perceived as a sign of greatness and early recognition. Should the mother or the child (or most tragically, both) not survive birth, the spirits will take the solemn duty of guiding the souls of either to peace and tranquility; from suffering in life to gentleness in death.

Coming of Age Rites

When a parent decides their child is ready to do so, they will take their offspring to the woods and expect them to stalk their first kill. In so doing, they are also taught to respect whatever animal may fall prey to them. Death is known as a natural part of life, but one to be given the utmost courtesy, for it is the bridge that connects those who live and those who persist in the aether.
One undergoing the hunt is expected to pray beforehand, and should a spirit come to their aid, it is seen as a sign that the child may be destined to become an Ancestral Guardian, wielding their spiritual connection as a weapon like any other.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Unlike the maudlin funerals of other cultures, Frostbear services have traditionally been almost light-hearted, for a loved one departing the material world is merely a temporary goodbye. At such a service, Shamans would be present to channel the spirits of that family's past to witness another joining their number; the body is commonly cremated and their ashes spread to the wind to allow the spirit to be fully free of mortal constraints, and roam freely across the world.
In the modern day, due to the much increased difficulty of communion, funerals have taken on a bleaker tone; as with potency diminishing generation on generation, it is no longer a guarantee that that loved one will ever be channelled again.