malleable, yet ferocious beast was quickly piqued in the

Panserbjrn other giant races. Stone giants taught them the way of
"When bears act like people, perhaps they can be tricked. carving and spirituality, so that they might carve their own
When bears act like bears, perhaps they can't.” homes within the ice mountains, and connect with the
divine. Fire giants taught them the ways of the forge and
Philip Pullman, Northern Lights
fostered within them a sense of reverence for the holy sky-
Historically solitary and primitive in nature, panserbjørn iron armour they now wore.
have, under recent leadership, begun forming increasing- Cloud giants saw them only as play things, and tricked
ly larger communities. This burgeoning civilisation has them with liquor and false words into fighting for their
begun adopting social norms and morals much closer to own entertainment. After the panserbjørn king was exiled
those found within ‘civilised’ cultures, such as in human after being so tricked into slaying another of his kin, the
and elven settlements. Indeed, various magical universi- bear-folk broke with the giants. However, a storm giantess
ties now include panserbjørn amongst their alumni, and name Aixocolotl, angry at her kin, took pity on them and
remote mountain-top temples highly prize these bear-peo- blessed them with speech and the ability to sense decep-
ple as monks and clerics. Even the more solitary panser- tion, such that they might reason and not be tricked again.
bjørn are sought after as guides for trading caravans or
adventurers that delve into the tundra. Workers of Metal
Meteoric sky-iron, found in the northern ice mountains,
Fluffy and Fierce forms the principle material with which panserbjørn hone
As quarry, panserbjørn are prized for their thick, water- their craft. From weaning, panserbjørn are taught how to
proof, insulating fur. However, as predators, they are un- fold and forge this unique metal into plates of bespoke ar-
matched amongst the hunter-folk of the northern wastes. ticulated armour. Once they reach maturity, they set about
It is not unusual, during the deep northern winters, to hear painstakingly crafting their final suit of armour, a process
tell of skaeling clansmen disappearing, the only trace of that can often take a lifetime to perfect.
their fate a deep, clawed footprint in the snow.
Panserbjørn place great store beside honourable con- Panserbjørn Traits
duct. Disagreements between the bear-folk are often Your panserbjørn character has certain characteristics in
decided in single combat, a trait inherited from their days common with all other panserbjørn.
of innate territorial conflict. However, unlike their bestial Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution and Strength
cousins, the polar bears, panserbjørn duels are never to scores increase by 1.
the death. To kill another panserbjørn is to invite exile. Age. Panserbjørn mature at the same rate humans do,
In fact, many exiled panserbjørn can be found working and are expected to become independent in their mid-
skaeling forges in exchange for liquor to numb the pain of teens. They can live to 80 years.
their loneliness. Alignment. Panserbjørn, by nature, care mostly about
their own survival, and tend towards neutral alignments.
Awakening Wild pansebjørn gravitate towards chaos and value their
Legend says that panserbjørn were awakened from a race freedom above all else. Cultured panserbjørn, conversely,
of opposable-thumbed polar bears by the giant ordning. lean towards lawful habits, seeking to become a member
Initially kept as companions by frost giants, interest in this of wider civilised society.
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 Size. Panserbjørn are over 7 feet tall, when erect, and Cultured Panserbjørn
average in excess of 300 pounds. Your size is Medium. As a cultured panserbjørn, you seek to ingratiate yourself
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. in civilised society through study and communication. As a
Claws. Your claws are as long as a child’s hand, and a rarity anywhere but in the tundra, common folk have heard
natural weapon you can use to make unarmed attacks. only tales of the ferocious and primitive beasts of the ice.
If you hit with them you deal slashing damage equal to Challenging this misconception is a constant task.
1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases
damage for an unarmed strike. In addition, if not wearing by 1.
footwear, ice and snow is not difficult terrain for you. Studious. You gain proficiency in two of the Arcana, Histo-
Darkvision. Accustomed to spending half the year in ry and Medicine skills, as well as a tool of your choice.
near-perpetual darkness, panserbjørn have evolved supe- Linguistic Assimilation. You can speak, read, and write
rior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim another language. Additionally, you can cast the spell com-
light within 30 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in prehend languages at first level with only vocal components
darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern colour and without expending a spell slot. After you cast this spell
in darkness, only shades of grey. using this feature you may not do so again until you com-
Forgers of Sky-iron. As you mature, you fashion bespoke plete a long rest
armour plating, which is as important to you as your own 
soul. You are deemed proficient in this armour, your AC As a wild panserbjørn, you are a naturally gifted survivalist,
equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency and are often suspicious of conurbations, only visiting them
bonus whilst wearing it, and it has no weight for you. In when needs must. Historically more numerous, wild pan-
addition, you have proficiency in blacksmith’s tools. serbjørn have seen a steady decline in the number of young
Languages. You can speak read and write Common and panserbjørn adhering to the old ways. It is said you cannot
Giant. trick a wild panserbjørn.
Subrace. Two subraces of panserbjørn are found in the Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
world: nomadic wild panserbjørn and civilised cultured Arctic Explorer. You are adapted to travel in sub-zero
panserbjørn. Choose one of these subraces. conditions. You have resistance to cold damage, gain profi-
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when de- ciency in the Survival skill, and have advantage on Dexterity
termining your carrying capacity and the weight you can (stealth) checks in snowy/icy terrain.
push, drag, or lift. Eye for Deception. You have advantage on Wisdom
(insight) checks.

Design: Humperdink’s Wares Art Credit: DongjunLu Page 2 of 2