Midgard Monday: Bearfolk Lineage and Heritages of Midgard (2024)

It’s Midgard Monday! Each week, we visit a corner of the wide world of Midgard. Look for standalone content you can drop into your campaign—whether it’s in Midgard or your own homebrew. Find new inspiration each Midgard Monday!

Bearfolk are a favorite lineage from Midgard, and we wanted them in the Tales of the Valiant RPG ASAP! (Now on sale!)

Since the Bearfolk in Midgard Heroes Handbook strongly resembles the sturdy beastfolk lineage in the Player’s Guide, we went a different direction with these bearfolk. When you play, you can pick the one you like!

Bearfolk

Resolute and noble, the bearfolk are broad-shouldered, bipedal humanoids that strongly resemble upright bears. Though they lack a bear’s sharp claws, their hands are as dexterous as any human craftsman. Despite their brutish appearance, bearfolk tend to be deeply spiritual and artistic. They are covered in black or brown shaggy fur that often have light frosting on the chest, shoulders, and upper back. The color of their fur sometimes gives clues as to a particular bearfolk’s heritage and what tribe they hail from. As they get older, the fur around their muzzle begins to silver, giving them a distinguished look.

Bearfolk society is built around tight-knit families. When a cub reaches 5 or 6 years of age, they are drawn by a powerful urge to wander and explore the surrounding region, especially the homes of non-bearfolk peoples. Bearfolk tribes are built around many individual families, who each support any cubs that wander in. The bearfolk elders are highly respected for their experiences and perspective, many wearing scars as badges of honor and a life well lived. These elders are still expected to carry their weight and offer proactive support to their community.

Bearfolk often hail from the cold climates of Midgard’s Northlands, standing against both the challenging environment and more fearsome neighbors with their size and might. Some may even be found in nations of light carved out of the Shadow Realm.

BEARFOLK LINEAGE TRAITS

Your bearfolk character has certain hereditary traits dictated by their lineage.

Age. Bearfolk reach adulthood in their late teens, living up to 80 years.

Size. Your size is Medium. Bearfolk are typically large and muscular, reaching a height of over 7 feet and weighing anywhere between 250 and 350 pounds.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Noble Presence. You and allied creatures within 5 feet of you have advantage on saves against becoming frightened while you are conscious and not incapacitated.

Passionate Strength. When you make a CHA check, you may add your STR or CON modifier to it (choose which during character creation). You may use this trait a number of times equal to your PB and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Thick Coat. You are resistant to cold damage.

Heritages

These heritages are open to characters of any lineage, but bearfolk founded them and their values lead these communities.

HIVEHELM HERITAGE

Characters from the hiveheim heritage were raised in enclosed honeycomb settlements like the bee-kissed city of Bjeornheim. You grew up enjoying the bounties of nature which provided you with homely comforts.

Bjeornheim’s use of bee hives as its major defense makes honey, wax, and other commodities harvested from bees regular luxuries for you. You’ve often engaged in contests of all kinds to judge your survival prowess—fishing competitions, honeyed confectionary bake-offs, and other bouts of foraging skill are just a few of the tests you grew up participating in regularly. A hiveheim heritage character sees the gifts the natural world can supply and knows how to wrest them from nature with prowess and grace.

Ursine Tact. You have proficiency in either the Nature or Survival skill and either herbalist or provisioner tools.

Hive Minded. Your affinity with hive-creating insects allows you to orient yourself and find food in areas where hive-creating insects dwell. You have advantage on Survival checks in areas where hive-creating insects dwell.

Languages. You know Common and one additional language of your choice. Typical hiveheim heritage characters choose Sylvan.

MOONLIT HERITAGE

Moonlit heritage characters have a supernatural charge to purify the places and people touched by the influence of the Shadow Realm. You were raised in the Moonlit Glades, a bastion of light and hope within the north of the Shadow Realm. Your culture is dedicated to fighting back its corruption and allowing the purifying moonlight of Midgard to find purchase there.

While the bearfolk of Bjornrike founded the Moonlit Glades, it has since attracted a variety of warriors and druids who seek to sanctify and purify. Being able to grow up in such a place is a minor miracle, and those raised here believe in the power of faith to restore and protect. A moonlit heritage character knows the magical marks of corruption and believes that no person or place is so tainted that it cannot be reclaimed by the light.

Moonlit Rite. You know one 1st-circle ritual from the Primordial ritual list.

Silvery Sight. You have learned the darkvision spell from the Primordial source. Once you cast this spell, you must finish a long rest before you can cast it again using this feature.

Languages. You know Common and one additional language of your choice. Typical moonlit heritage characters choose Umbral.