“I do not care if they call you Patience,” Spotted Nose told the lean-looking male standing before her, sporting a scar disrupting the streak of chestnut fur on his belly. “You clearly did not display any of that quality four years ago when you left without a word.” The ears atop her head turned slightly outward as she crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her gaze at him. “That sack of gold may be heavy and shiny but it does not buy very much in this village. It certainly doesn’t buy you back into the good graces of the mother who birthed you. If you want me back in your life, try investing the time in your sister Wrestling and her mate. Maybe they will be able to vouch for you.”

Whether or not they are actually related to or descended from the bears they resemble, vodshi are physically imposing, for better or for worse. Some even assume that their bestial appearance suggests a bestial nature. Those who take the time to get to know vodshi learn that they are not so different from other humanoids, once you get past their large frames and loose, furry hides. Vodshi are slightly taller than humans but significantly broader and heavier. Most are between 5½ and 6½ feet (1.6 to 2.0 meters) in height, and 225 to 350 pounds (100 to 160 kilograms) in weight. Males tend to be only slightly larger than females.

Under their hides, vodshi resemble dwarves more closely than humans in their bodily proportions. Their limbs are short relative to their muscular trunks. Unlike dwarves, however, their trunks are broad both front-to-back and side-to-side. Thick necks support their thick-skulled heads. They can move the rounded ears atop their heads to improve their directional hearing and to display emotion.

Vodshi fur ranges from pale to black in color, through nearly every shade of brown and a few that could almost be described as red. Variations in color around ears, nose, mouth, belly, hands, and feet are common. These areas tend to dull slightly in color, possibly going partially gray, as an individual ages. Vodshi fur can have a variety of textures and densities as well, usually associated with the climate where the individual grew up.

Most dialects of the varied vodshi languages, often collectively called Vodnosh in the Common tongue, have a phrase that translates roughly as harmony of place. Most vodshi individuals see this as a primary concern for living out however many years that they may be granted in the world. They wish to operate harmoniously in the fabric of any place they may find themselves, whether close to home or far away. This not conformity to or subjugation by the dominant culture, but rather about integrating one’s own genuine self and values into the here and now in the most effective way possible. Sometimes this causes conflict or friction, and most vodshi prefer to deal with such situations directly rather than let them fester into discord and strife. Sometimes the solution may be the vodshi removing themselves from the situation to journey to another place entirely; such is usually an acceptable price to pay for removing troublesome individuals and places from one’s life.

Members of other races often think that vodshi are territorial, and they’re not entirely wrong. Sometimes the pursuit of harmony of place requires deliberately cultivating the places you call home, whether they be physical lands or social circles. Many vodshi want those territories to be in a better state when they depart this world than when they first encountered them. They are careful to warn their cubs through story about individuals who became blind to the troubles around them, who were complacent when small problems appeared, or did not act boldly enough when their territories were threatened.

The scariest vodshi stories are about individuals who became terrible tyrants through misinterpreting or disregarding harmony of place to the detriment of those around them. Possibly out of great respect for these valued stories, ambitions do not typically run high for vodshi, and practical concerns of every day living take up a lot of space and time in their minds. While they can succeed at abstract tasks such as long-range planning when they apply themselves, they see quite a lot of value in performing concrete, meaningful work that benefits not only the individual but those around them.

Vodshi live in the moment, and deal with who and what is in front of them and around them. Most individuals recognize the politics of nations as a necessary evil at best, and would prefer to leave it to people who exhibit the temperament for playing overly long games with shifting social fabric. Very few vodshi know another vodshi who fits such a description. Sometimes you need a leader to step up and make important decisions, but a hierarchy that gets too deep is regarded with deep suspicion by most vodshi. Most individuals live in wilderness, rural, or agricultural areas with low population density. Most vodshi tolerate towns well enough, but don’t like staying in cities for more than a few days at a time.

Most vodshi would rather have a few deep relationships than a lot of casual ones. At the end of the day, the vodshi knows where they stand with the people they care about, and vice-versa. Bonds of blood, ancestry, and family mean relatively little to a vodshi; the deeds of nearby people matter so much more. When you win a vodshi’s trust, you will have a steadfast ally who will give you the benefit of the doubt. But that trust is not unbreakable, and must be actively maintained lest the vodshi regard you as merely an acquaintance or a stranger. When you wrong a vodshi, you will have a nearly implacable enemy who will always assume the worst of you as long as they sense your presence in their perceived territory. Elsewhere would be an excellent place to be.

Taking up the adventurer’s mantle is more frequently a matter of necessity for a vodshi than a matter of choice. When this does occur, this is often to address a threat to their chosen territory. An ambitious vodshi who can think in the abstract about long-term goals and far-reaching consequences is a truly exceptional individual who has either a particularly unique interpretation of harmony of place or has rejected the idea, at least in part. Though those individuals are quite rare, they tend to adapt easily to the unpredictable demands of adventuring. Those vodshi who return from a life of adventuring to the communities where they were raised often find that they are treated as strangers, unless they developed particularly strong bonds with the people there.

Names are necessity for races who spend more time in more densely-populated areas, but tend not to be significant in smaller social circles where it is more obvious whom is being addressed. When using names is necessary between vodshi, the names chosen usually describe obvious physical or behavioral attributes of the individual, and may even change over time. Individuals are expected to know when a name refers to them, and accept a community-determined name that is not obviously wrong, even when it is not flattering. When they need to start interacting with people from other races, a vodshi will often choose a name for themselves that they can pronounce, relating to a behavior, a value, or a thing from nature that is important to them. Regardless of context, vodshi names seldom relate to gender.

Translated names

Big Belly, Climber, Fishes, Gaunt, Itch, Jape, Missing Tooth, Ornery, Red Patch, Somersault, Umber, Wanderer.

Names for use among the other races

Aspen, Digger, Eager, Hope, Kale, Levity, Novel, Pear, Quills, Trout, Victory, Yarn, Zeal.

Choose one of the following at level 1:

• Increase your Constitution score by 2.
• Increase one ability score of your choice by 2.
• Increase two different ability scores of your choice by 1.

Vodshi cubs mature more quickly than humans, reaching full height by age 5, and continuing to fill out physically until about age 9. They are typically not considered full adults until age 13. Most vodshi live to their late 50s or early 60s. It is very rare for vodshi to live into their 70s.

Typical vodshi are skeptical of hierarchy but value community, so they steer away from lawful and evil alignments. Adventuring vodshi are truly exceptional individuals and could be of nearly any alignment.

Claws and Teeth. You have claws on your hands and sharp canine teeth in your mouth. When you make an unarmed attack, you may try to inflict piercing damage with a bite, slashing damage with a claw, or bludgeoning damage as normal. You must select the type of damage before you make the attack roll. You may initiate or sustain a grapple with a bite. Your unarmed attacks otherwise work as any other character’s.

You can speak, read, and write Common. You can also speak, read, and write a dialect of Vodnosh, a language of dominant vowels and indistinct consonants supplemented by grunts, snorts, howls, or other noises that could be mistaken for “animal” sounds.

Your dialect is easily understood by vodshi who grew up or lived near where you spent your younger days, but it may be easier to use Common with other vodshi from distant lands.

Vodnosh has no script of its own, and vodshi from different places may very well use different scripts. Choose Dwarvish or Elven script for your dialect of Vodnosh. You can recognize written Vodnosh in any script that you know, but you may not necessarily be able to translate it.

Despite your tall and broad frame, your size is Medium.

Heap of Hide and Hair. Due to your tall and broad frame, you are considered to be one size larger for purposes of the total weight you can carry, drag, lift, or push.

Keen Smell. Your heritage has blessed you with a sense of smell to rival that of many animals. You have advantage on Perception checks related to smell or scent.

Natural Athlete. You have excellent knowledge of your own body and its limits, both consciously and intuitively. You are proficient in Athletics.

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

At 1st level, choose either a Climb speed or Swim speed. That speed is equal to your walking speed.

Vodshi can be broadly divided by the characteristics of the lands where they grew up. Choose one of the following heritages.

The Gazum-vodshi are found in areas of temperate climate, where the demands of daily living are not as extreme. Their fur tends to brown or red.

Ability Scores. Increase your Wisdom or one other ability score that you have not already increased by 1.

Darkvision. You have superior vision in poorly-lit conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. In darkness you cannot discern color, only shades of gray.

The Ivtok-vodshi hail from harsher and less forgiving polar climates and mountainous or hardscrabble landscapes where food and shelter are scarce. Their bodies are somewhat taller and less broad, and their double-coated fur tends to be longer, rougher, and light in color.

Ability Scores. Increase your Strength or one other ability score that you have not already increased by 1.

Stout Heart. You have advantage on ability checks and saving throws related to extreme cold and magical cold effects. This confers no resistance against cold damage.

The Raa-vodshi come from warmer and sometimes tropical climates where food is abundant – and so is the competition for it. Their bodies tend to be shorter and thinner, their hides are not as loose, and their fur tends to be shorter, smoother, and nearly black in color.

Ability Scores. Increase your Charisma or one other ability score that you have not already increased by 1.

Cool Customer. You have advantage on ability checks and saving throws related to extreme heat and magical fire effects. This confers no resistance against fire damage.