The Beasts of BOC: The Blaze Bear (Patreon)

Blaze Bears have some of the worst reputations of all Spirit Beasts in the Azure Hills. To call someone a Blaze Bear is to call them a stupid, rude, disgusting, and gluttonous brute.

However, this exaggerated reputation is because, by and large, humans tend to survive Blaze Bear attacks, and so their behaviour is more well documented—and the anger greater given the insults the Bears levy against them. 

Indeed, while the Spirit Beasts have no problems stealing crops and livestock, raiding caravans, and all sorts of bandit-like behaviour, direct deaths from Blaze Bear events are shockingly low.

They are seen as stupid because 'cunning humans' manage to 'escape' them when the bear probably wasn't trying to kill them in the first place, and was just finding amusement in making the human run and scream. 

They are seen as rude because they like to cook their food, and human houses and caravans are conveniently placed piles of wood. For what is ruder than to come back to find a bear passed out in a food coma in your front garden after burning down your house to cook his supper? To add insult to injury, when confronted by enraged humans, the bears tend to just amble off afterwards, completely ignoring the people they just majorly inconvenienced. 

Their eating habits are rather messy; they tend to get juices smeared on their faces, hands, and arms, and then use their long tongue to lick off the detritus, making it look like they drool and slobber everywhere... when in fact not long after their meals, they fastidiously wash themselves in rivers, which is why a Blaze Bear territory is seen as incomplete without plenty of places to wash after dinner.

As for gluttonous… there is no real defense for that one. They do like to eat.

Blaze Bears mostly live solitary lives throughout the province, with particular presence nearby Ash Forest. They are known to gather regularly in the forest’s center, to do what, nobody knows.

Like other Spirit Beasts, they seem content to live as base animals. Few, if any, construct dwellings beyond holes in the ground. An occasional carved totem, pile of stacked rocks, or purpose built back scratcher may be found there, along with some tools or baskets clearly stolen from human dwellings.

An average Blaze Bear stands 3.5 meters (11 feet tall) when standing up, with the largest ever seen being a male 5 meters (16 feet) tall.

They are red and grey in colouration, like fire and ash. They have a thick mane of “Blaze Fur” that trails from their forehead to their back. They ignite this fur in combat, giving them both offense and defence.

They have little to no fur on their forearms; instead they have thick callused skin that looks scaley, and has spines, forming natural bracers. 

They have elongated bottom canine teeth, forming almost tusks, and along, prehensile tongue.Their claws are around 8-9 inches long, surprisingly dexterous, and hellishly sharp.Art of Huishou and Baolin by Nakomo.