Panserbjørne

Sometimes called the Ursine, or colloquially known as the ‘armoured bears’, the Panserbjørne are a species of powerful ursine people native to the ice planes of Atlan.

While being similar to a Polar Bear in appearance, the Panserbjørne are sentient and capable of speaking languages. They also possess opposable thumbs and are notoriously capable of skilled metalworking. Their paws are covered in horned skin an inch or more thick, each claw was as long as a child's hand, and as sharp as a knife.

Panserbjørne get the name ‘armoured bears’ from their tradition of fashioning their own armour from a material they call “sky-iron”, a metal harvested from meteors, which is believed to be the same metal as Adamantine. As Panserbjørne mature, they forge the pieces of their armour one by one. By the time they are adults, they have a complete suit. Panserbjørne considered their armour to be their soul and it has extreme cultural importance.

Panserbjørne are generally solitary creatures, but they have a loose society in Atlan. They have been recorded in conflict with the local Goliath and Ice Giant tribes. In times of crisis the Panserbjørne are sometimes governed by a monarch who is usually elected through trial by combat.

Appearance:

Panserbjørne resembles Polar Bears, quadrupedal with a coat of white fur. But differentiating them from Polar Bears, Panserbjørne are slightly bigger in size, standing around 10 - 15 feet tall while standing on their back legs, with piercing intelligent eyes and dextrous paws.

Panserbjørne are also almost always dressed in heavy dark iron armour, immaculately made and perfectly tailored to their size and build.

Maturity:

Panserbjørne live for around 60 Years, though many die before then. Panserbjørne mature much faster than humans do, reaching adulthood by the age of 6.