"Were-bears are mighty shape changers who can put their human skin aside and hunt the forests in a bear's shape. Tales tell of the limitless strength of these mighty beasts, and the care they show for the natural world around them."

Were-bears: Were-bears are humans whose blood has been mixed with the were-bear gene. Once the transformation is complete, they have fully become magical beings. New were-bears are infected by the transmission of bodily fluids, either deliberately or accidentally, during fights, during sex or during birth. They grow in power and bestial nature with the full moon, and can choose from three shapes; human, bear, and bear-person.

They are protectors and warriors, guarding their lives and those they protect fiercely. They seek their destinies with the knowledge of a man, and the ferocity of the bear. Were-bears differ from culture to culture, as is to be expected in a world so large as Erde, but most tend to be goal orientated, and hard to sidetrack from that goal. They can range from peaceful to violent, and stationary to wanderers. Most were-bears tend to be solitary or live and travel with their mates, unlike the werewolves who tend to be pack animals.

Were-bears, on average, are faster and stronger then regular humans, with heightened senses to match. Whereas a person might have trouble lifting a heavy object the were-bear might only have trouble lifting the object and the person together. Maybe not though, they are inherently strong but can become stronger with training just like a person would be.

Whereas a person might be tired and winded after running two miles, the were-bear might only become winded after five. Again, it depends on the experience, and the physical strength of the were-bear himself.

The heightened senses come from the bear, the hearing and smell are heightened. Usually leaving the senses of sight and touch at the same level as a human, there have been exceptions. Also there have been times when a were-bear has been endowed with a sixth sense, most commonly equated to a nervous feeling or the like, when danger is approaching. This can most easily be explained by the bear having a heightened need for survival.

There are weaknesses to being a were-bear, social and inherent. Some of the social weaknesses are the distrusting nature of those around you, your different, and you're going to have to show them who you really are. There are also certain personality traits that come along with this species. They are generally somewhat irrational when it comes to goals, they will do what it takes, whether or not death is required.

Were-bears are also somewhat impulsive, if they are not currently transfixed with something to do, or if it does not interfere with their plan they tend to be a bit easy to have their immediate attention swayed. There are exceptions to this of course, though, even if the personality traits can be somewhat suppressed at times, they are still there.

The inherent weaknesses of being a were-bear come from the blood. The blood is weak to silver, and while a cut with a silver knife may just burn like hell, silver coursing through the blood is fatal. It is an allergy that all were-bears share, and a fairly fatal one. Some tribes have found a way to strengthen their immune system to it, but only so much that it may not hurt as much if it cuts them.

The blood also gives you a weakness to the moon. Some were-bear families, or tribes, believe that it is Moana, the goddess of the moon and magic calling to them. But regardless, the moon and its cycles proves to be an important factor in the lives of were-bears, it makes them more hot tempered and volatile and more prone to shift to their bear shape and take off into the woods. In others it may make them depressed, or moody during the moon's cycle. It depends on the person or were-bear being discussed.

Were-bears do not have an 'Alpha' position in the tribe as werewolves do in their packs. Generally speaking there aren't usually tribes big enough to warrant it. If there is a need for status, the leader usually comes from the respect gained or experience learned from his life, and if it pertains to the situation at hand. They do not concern themselves with who is strongest outside of battle, just the right bear for the job.

Were-bears are strong of body, strong of will, and strong of heart. Their bodies heal from wounds quickly, usually taking 24 hours to heal all but mortal wounds or silver wounds. Silver inflicted wounds take longer than what a normal human would suffer from a cut or a burn of the same caliber. This is due to the fact that their body's internal workings themselves shy away from the silvered area, making it harder for the wound to close. When the wound finally does close though, the healing process takes on the normal and appropriate time line of healing, thought the pain may be worse.

Their will is strong and creates for the were-bear a strong tolerance to high stress situation. They center themselves and continue on with what they need to do. They can keep out mental distractions to some degree and stay focused, whether this should be called strong will, or stubbornness has yet to be discovered. This does come in handy though when strategy needs to be devised quickly and without bias, they can take the situation into their mind and think of the best and most logical way to correct the situation.

Their hearts are strong and loyal, which makes them excellent soldiers, bodyguards or family men. A guard captain may see his size as a formidable asset that will strike fear into his enemies heart, and he is right. First though, the enemy might notice that the man standing in front of him is willing to fight hard, and possibly die for what he believes in, and this may cause the enemy to question his own motives.