"The massive creature sniffed me, put a paw on my shoulder and punched my chest in a friendly fashion. I looked into its eyes, barely a few inches from mine own, and saw the eyes of a man, not a beast. Perhaps it is true the bravest sons of Ursun return to life as bears. Or perhaps we men are closer to mere beasts than we believe."
- —Friar Begel, “My Travels in Kislev”[1a]
A common bear of the Reikland
A bear is a large and powerful carnivorous mammalian predator common to the wild lands of the Old World, who is of special cultural and religious importance to the people of Kislev.[1a]
There is no creature more important to the Kislevites than the bear. A bear is more than just the symbol of their land, their god Ursun, and their monarch; more than just a rallying figure for armies and proud citizens. The bear shares its life with the people of the oblast and shares their struggles. When winters are harsh, the bear goes hungry just as they do. When spring comes again, the bear takes their young to the river to play just as they do. In summer's bloom, the bear trains their young to hunt, and the bear hunts as well as any man.[1a]
The only difference is that the bear also hunts men, and men hunt the bear. Despite this, the bear is not an enemy so much as a healthy competitor. It is right to be wary of the bear and fight to drive them back to their own lands should they come out of the forest or caves -- but so, too, will the bear fight to protect their home, and so, too, are they wary of the rifle, the blade, and the bow.[1a]
Species of Bear[]
The various types of bears that inhabit Kislev as depicted in concept art for Total War: Warhammer III.
The Kislevites recognise three separate species of bear in the Old World.[1a]
A Kislevite war bear often used as a mount, as depicted in concept art for Total War: Warhammer III.
Common Bear[]
The common bear or southern bear is the same species that roams the northern lands of the Empire. These large, brown beasts are the least dangerous, despite reaching seven feet when on their hind legs. Though normally content to forage for nuts and berries and feed on small prey, the turmoil of war can cause these bears to lose their natural fear of man, replacing it with the prospect of an easy meal...[1a][2]
Cave Bear[]
Larger, stronger, and with grey-speckled fur are the cave or mountain bears. Unlike their forest-dwelling cousins, cave bears are strictly carnivorous and are far more territorial and given to violence. Many a Kislevite adage turns on the bad temper or destructive fury of a cave bear.[1a]
Ice Bear[]
In the far north of the Known World live the enormous ice bears. These creatures use their white fur to hunt invisibly on the tundra. They are frequently man-eaters and can smell such prey from miles away. To hunt and slay an ice bear is a deed worthy of many songs; to tame one, as Tzar Boris Ursus did, is a deed of legend.[1a]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Realm of the Ice Queen (RPG)
- 1a: pg. 134
- 2: Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (PC game)
Gallery[]
