Ursa Major

The Ursa is an ancient creature, bearing the remnants of creation inside them. Over the years they've been the subjects of myths both benevolent and ominous. Some see the Ursa as a fellow child of the gods, and believe meeting one to be a sign of great luck to come. Others believe the sighting of an Ursa predicts a deadly fire is on the horizon. In truth, the Ursa bears no predictive abilities, but is simply a gentle giant, rarely posing any danger to the equines of Hireath (save perhaps a horse getting between a mother and its cubs). 
The Ursa Major is the older of the species, the original form of the beast. It can appear as any kind of bear, though bearing the glow of the star that sits in place of a heart. The light rarely reaches beyond the chest, though it can be seen in the bright pupils, and occassionally when the beast opens its mouth. The Ursa's weight is also deceptive, for the density of the star ensures it weighs almost double what it appears. 
The Ursa Minor is the newer subspecies, and ceases to grow beyond the size of a medium dog. This adaptation allows it to retain the ability to climb, and thus the Minor spends much of its time in the trees. This is not the only difference, however. Unlike the calm and gentle Major, the Minor tends to be more feisty, and takes twice as long to tame.
 When designing your ursa, consider choosing the species of bear that would make sense for the climate your character resides in. With the breeding for the pet trade, anything is possible, but a polar bear would be mighty uncomfortable in a desert. Different types of ursas can also be found in the wild just about anywhere, but their species will match the climate.
If the blood of an Ursa spills, it only retains a glow and extreme heat for brief seconds, before rapidly cooling.
== Creation Rules ==
=== The Ursa will always: ===
* Resemble a real species of bear. 
* Be the size of the real bear (Major), or the size of a medium dog (Minor).
* Weigh twice as much as they appear to.
* Have the color of their star indicating their heat level. As they age, the heat decreases and the color changes. Heat colors from hottest to coldest - Blue, white, yellow, orange, red.
* Have pupils that are bright instead of black, showing the color of their star.
=== Ursas can: ===
* Have dark eyes of any color.
=== Ursas can not: ===
* Be a species of bear that does not match the environment they are found in.
Category:Mythical Familiars
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