Species Guide

Bear Shifters

Maximum Age: 250

General

The current largest shapeshifters, as well as the physically strongest. Bear Shifters have the smallest groups/communities of the 'Big Three' shifters, but still have good sized Units.

Occasionally, some pure Bear Shifters have added powers that go beyond normal abilities. Typically healing, future vision, etc.

Bear Shifters believe they were created by the goddess Artie, the Celtic bear goddess, and that she is responsible for choosing their mates.

Common Misconceptions
* Turn people by biting them
* Hunt/kill humans

Accurate Human Beliefs
* Weak to silver
* Weak to a wolfsbane variant
* Significantly larger than normal bears.

Unit Roles

Cheif- Bear Shifter that leads the Unit, male or female. Title is typically inherited by firstborn. (See Shifter Chapter for more details). There is no secondary term for the mate of the Chief, they hold the same rank.

Lieutenant- Second in command, male or female. Typically inherited by firstborn, their mates hold the same title. They help keep the Unit in line, and ensure the Unit is run efficiently when the Chief isn't around.

Sargent- Third in Pride status, responsible for training the warriors, handling pride security, and maintaining any prisoners held on the territory. Title can either be inherited or earned- (see shifter chapter for more details)-and term is the same for male or female.

Seer- A Bear shifter blessed with future vision. These individuals can see into future incidents that concern the Unit, which helps protect them. Not all Units have them, those that do regard them highly. (See Magic User chapter for more details)

Warriors- The Units protectors, the first line of defense when enemies attack. Their main focus is guarding the territory and their Unit from danger.

* Enforcers- work like bounty hunters. They are warriors with additional training that permits them to track down escaped prisoners and missing Unit members. They spend a lot of time away from home.

Unit Doctors- Bear shifters trained in the medical field that work as on call doctors for the pride. Some in the prides infirmary, others work in local clinics or hospitals.

Healers- are bear shifters gifted with healing magic that work exclusively in Unit territory infirmaries and clinics. (See Shifter chapter for more details)

Commons- the average bear shifters in a Unit. They work in jobs and careers that don't directly influence the Unit, but do contribute. Some are teachers, child care experts, contractors, realtors, etc.

Mates

A Bear Shifter calls the individual the goddess created for them to love their mate, and that individual becomes the most important person to them after meeting them.

Mates can sometimes be a different species other than human or fellow shifter, and sometimes are the same gender as the Bear shifter. Relationships vary just as much as human ones do.

Occasionally, their first mates don't work out, and they are rejected for various reasons. When this happens, they have a second chance mate that comes into their life at some point. And if their second chance mates also end badly, they can have a Chosen, or fated mate of their choosing.

Bear Shifters use a special bite on the shoulder to mark their mate as theirs, it typically leaves a unique tattoo like mark on the shoulder and their scent on them to let every supernatural creature know that they are off limits. Usually, the higher ranked they are, the less likely others are to mess with them. It also creates a mental link to their mate so that they can communicate telepathically, or without speaking, from great distances.

In Bear Shifters, this puts a female bear shifter into a painful heat, which only happens if the pair are not mated by a full month after marking.

(For additional information on heat, pregnancy and children, see Shifter chapter)

Laws-

• No marking without consent.

• No mating without consent of all individuals involved.

• No imprisoning or killing of humans without proper reason. (Ex: killing a Unit member, sexual crimes against a Unit member, etc.)

• Never expose your kind to the human public.

Weaknesses

Silver- Causes major damage both internally and externally, mostly due to the fact that it slows their bodies ability to heal...death by major blood loss is biggest issue. Can block shifting in the form of chains and restraints. Injuries caused by silver leave scars after healing.

Synthetic Wolfsbane- Blocks the individual from feeling their inner cat and shifting, isn't fatal, but can weaken them significantly and leave them vulnerable.

Vampire Venom- Toxic to shifters, even in small doses, fatal if left in the body too long. Vampire mates of shifters should mark them first before attempting to feed.