====== Bears ======

{{ :creatures:bears.png?420|Bears}}

Large forest and mountain predators tied to fear, strength, winter hunger, and the berserker image.

===== In the North =====

Brown bears are the most natural fit for Scandinavian forests and uplands; polar bears belong farther north, on Arctic shores, ice, and sea lanes. Bears should feel rare, powerful, and respected rather than like ordinary wandering monsters.

===== Myth and Folklore =====

Bears are strongly associated with warrior identity through the later-understood idea of berserkers: fighters imagined as bear-shirted or bear-like. The campaign can lean into that image without making every bear sacred.

===== Campaign Use =====

Use bears as territorial hazards, as animals displaced by war, or as signs that a wilderness is still alive and dangerous even without goblins or undead.

===== See Also =====

  * [[:creatures|Norse Creatures]]

===== Sources =====

  * Wildlife of Norway: https://grokipedia.com/page/Wildlife_of_Norway
  * Berserker: https://grokipedia.com/page/Berserker

===== Game Master Notes =====

DM-only encounter details, stat blocks, and running notes are kept at [[dm:creatures:bears|Bears (DM)]].