Editing Autia (section)

====Issbjarn Hold====

The Issbjarn are an enigmatic bearfolk who populate the southwestern Ninquabar Islands as their outposts and originating from the islands in between Flickfowl and Tismo. In the years since the Nicsenóreans first established a foothold within the islands and spread out they were shocked to find that another race had called these chilled lands home. They lived in great wooden halls laden with tapestries of their history where a constant stream of festivities were held in honor of their heroes such as the warrior known as Bearowulf. The bipedal armored bears inhabiting these halls observed the relatively small (by their standards) newcomers who came bringing strangely crafted gifts as a means to seek their aid. Enraptured by the strange devices shining with an inner fire allowing one to light a fire merely by switching a lever and weapons of mithril make the guards allowed the elves in as the jarls, as they called their leaders spread across the islands were called to speak with the diplomats. The bearfolk soon heard the requests of the elves for their maps of the region and aid in return for free trade between their people and a steady stream of tributes to be given to the jarls. A relatively simple treaty, but it was enough for the bears as long as they could be sent more food to last all throughout the harsh winters. So long as this prerequisite would be met their feasting halls would remain open to the elves and they would lend their aid as fighters should their skills be required.

People:

As of yet, the Issbjarn have no clear story in their creation being a race of intelligence bipedal bears. Both their island homes nowhere near even the farthest outpost of the Eldrian empire and their nearest contacts being the Miqdaadites who are very much human. Regardless of their strange origins, the bearkin tower over most mortals and have an animalistic strength to them. These martial abilities remain their defining trait however most would find their mental capabilities to be slightly lacking to say the least. Nevertheless the Issbjarn have stayed well fed and happy throughout their races lives and make good coin managing a series of tollbooths along the eastern trade routes of the world.

Religion:

The bears pay little heed to conventional religion instead choosing to deify their ancestors and legendary heroes. Heroes such as Bearowulf have great shrines depicting the epic saga that was their life spread throughout their great mead-halls and their names are spoken right before rushing into a hunt or battle.

Magic:

Little to no magic is found among the bears and those who have it never even realize they possess such a gift. However due to the nature of their inherent abilities of smithing, their armor has a shockingly high resistance to magic with all but the highest level spells dissolving the second it touches them.

History:

Much of the early history of the bears have been forgotten and the little that remains is most likely just myth. These stories told to their cubs speak of emergence from ancient caves into a harsh world filled with feral beasts who sought to devour them, lindwurms, drakes, dire bears, wolf packs, a whole menagerie was contained within these islands. With numbers too small to fight against the beasts forced to hide in their caves to avoid being devoured, in desperation they travelled deeper into the caves braving the dark and discovered many glistening chunks of ore. Through experimentation and a strange natural talent for metalworking they successfully produced suits of armor and battleaxes for each and every bear to don. Resplendent in their new armor they set out and pushed back against the monsters who sought to kill them and so the first great halls were established. From that time they continued to peacefully grow and seek greater achievements in battle, even coexisting with their more savage cousins the dire bears. Becoming the dominant race of their islands many bears seeking to expand their homelands influence chose to sail downwards into the lands now known as the Ninquabar islands and create new halls there. However trapped amongst a land of fierce snowstorms and ice they were unable to report their findings to their families resulting in the two similar yet separate cultures of bearfolk living in the world today. One with brown and black fur and another with fur of pure white.

Following their meeting with the Nicsenóreans and subsequent treaty alongside sharing of their lands ,the bears have served as bodyguards and shock troops for the snow elves and anyone else who seeks their talents and great suits of armor. In this fashion many Issbjarn travel across the world gaining renown as mercenaries with their elders staying at home managing the gates and tollbooths prospective eastern traders must pass through.

Military: The concept of a military is quite a strange one to the bears as they all naturally are warriors. Using their natural skill at forging each makes and wears a suit of armor specifically suited to their needs with weapons such as battleaxes and greatswords all being made with the strongest ores they find on their journeys across the islands. However when the need to hunt or defend their homes comes up the Issbjarn gather together to repel any prospective assault. Alongside a line of armored warriors they also bring dire bears, by far the most dangerous of the "dire" creatures which are essentially larger and deadlier versions of wildlife into battle. These bears who are brought out of their own caves through enticing berries, meat and all other kind of food being offered to them and are outfitted with their own suit of armor being either walked or ridden into a battle.

The only known skirmishes to have occurred by other nations on their borders have been a failed excursion by Dalavchtai nomads and an assault from the Second Empire seeking to seize their lands. Once the Eldrian's monsters were being torn apart by the claws of dire bears and their guns bouncing off the reinforced plate of angry warriors they realized their mistake.

Economy:

Strangely enough the bears make a good amount of coin by managing a series of humorously named "tollbooth castles" along the coast where would be traders have to pay up before being allowed passage. This makes them a steady stream of income from Autian and Shaobon traders yet they are most famed for the great suits of plate and weapons they export. These are strong enough to compete with even Great Turtle shell armor and slightly more common as the Tortles show up to trade sporadically. I say slightly as you have to specifically travel to the islands of the bearfolk and commission a suit of armor to be made. Typically one must wait a week for it to be forged as there are several orders to be taken care of.