The Carcajou

 

Carcajou haunt the high and the cold places, the places with snow for whatever reason, where others struggle to eek out a living and where forests grow stunted for the lack of northern sunlight. They prey on karibou and any other herbivores that venture into their territory, but also other warm-blooded mammals; humans and demi-humans have been known to fall foul of the carcajou. The Carcajou don't understand what the fuss is about. Its not like they're cannibals. That only happens in extreme circumstances.

Many human lords have tried to recruit the carcajou to their cause. Many have discovered they cannot afford to feed them.

The carcajou are stocky, powerful and ferocious-looking warrior-folk, that usually stand no higher than 5,6, with long, thick, brown, oily fur and short but powerful claws on big hands and feet.

Life expectancy 40 - 50 yr.

They make good barbarians, fighters and rangers.

Their diet is varied and opportunistic, including small mammals, birds' eggs, berries, and carrion, which they are adept at tearing with their strong jaws and a specialized upper molar. 

They are well-suited for cold conditions, with the ability to find food even from frozen carcasses. 

Powerful Build: Advantage on all saves relating to Strength and Constitution.

Lack charm: disadvantage on Charisma based saves and checks.

Natural Armour: (thick fur): +1 AC

Frenzied Bloodlust: When they become Wounded, Carcajou gain an additional free attack. This resets when they are no longer Wounded.

Scent: gain advantage on Perception if scent is present.

Gluttonous: Carcajou cannot let potential food go unassessed for edibility; that includes almost any carcass they come across. Such potential food items do include humans except among individuals acclimatised to human company. The habit requires a fairly thorough assessment by sight and smell, eating as much as can be eaten at a sitting (raw), taking what can be carried and hiding the rest for ‘on the way back’. This is a compulsion and attempting to ignore it will lead to an inability to sleep. Sleep is impossible  until a course of action is taken that will lead to the compulsion being fulfilled. This negates all the usual benefits of sleep, including natural healing. E.g. on passing a potentially edible carcass, a carcajou won't sleep until they decide to go back and check it. After that point, they can sleep until they reach it. If it is gone, they now cannot sleep until they find it. If they do find it they must assess it and deal with it immediately. If they cannot find it because it has been moved they must determine what happened to it and if it has been eaten, the issue is resolved. If not, GM's discretion. 

Most carcajou cannot ride horses, as the mounts bolt, and most carcajou would rather eat a horse anyway. Carcajou Rangers can get round this by making their horse their animal companion. Some clans breed their own ponies, that are not skittish around them. These are tough mounts but give no warning when Carcajou are nearby.