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Klaus Bärenmann
Cursed Bear Companion
Any one can see Klaus is a creature of pure muscle and towering presence. His frame is broad and imposing, covered in a coarse pelt of winter-gray fur. His eyes are a striking amber that flicker with remnants of something lost — for, if any one looks rather closely, they see something lingers... Perhaps, the last vestige of what Klaus Bärenmann used to be.
At a Glance
A sharp intellect…
Unlike most other animals (even the particular companions of nature-attuned night elves), Klaus has skills that could apply at the university level.
He's known to read and write — Lildrieth and he were even introduced in the dunes of Loch Modan, the bear spelling his own name in the soft, green hillground.
A tenacious nature…
Much like his huntress companion, Klaus believes his directions are the only directions.
Though, considering his instincts, she'll admit he can have the superior insight.
A protective drive…
Even early in their beast training, he rarely left her side; she, too, hates not to have him bounding beside her.
An unbearable secret…
Unknown to all -- even his Huntress handler -- Klaus is not only a particularly smart bear, but a man cursed into its form.
He used to return to his human self at night, but even that has faded as the magic seeps further into his soul...
Can he control his animalistic urges long enough to find a cure?
A hinting gaze…
What was once a difficult process of changing between forms has become impossible.
That constant, curious glint in his amber eyes is only thing keeping him from being entirely considered as something less than human.
Personality & Relationships
Klaus, though caught between worlds, is rarely caught between two minds. Stubborn at the worst of times and assured of himself at best, he's a no-nonsense man. Still, compassion and loyalty were instilled in him from childhood and he's yet to forget their importance.
At this point, the only relationship that matters is his one with the Huntress. His family and friends have been forgotten as a matter of self-preservation; like Lildrieth, he has aligned himself singularly.
Klaus and Lildrieth have a bond of silent trust. The bear seems to obey without question, though those watching with a close eye may wonder who is giving the charges. Klaus follows the Huntress across high peaks and through wild valleys with a steadfastness – still, he longs to be able to communicate beyond grunts and grumbles.
Lildrieth, for what its worth, responds in full to even the smallest growl.
Still, even as his bond with the Huntress grows, so does his internal struggle. When – how – could he even ever tell her the truth? How could he remain so faithful to this night elf, who knows nothing of his desperation? Will he lash out in a desperate bid for a cure?
And if (when... he must always think, when) he's freed... what, for them, then?
Skills & Abilities
Klaus has an excellent sense of smell, hearing and sight, allowing him to track creatures and navigate the wilderness of the Eastern Kingdoms with ease. Though, with that said — while he can survive harsh conditions, Kalimdor is overwhelming to Klaus with its dryness and bright landscapes.Enhanced Senses
Though considered a gentle giant by his handler, Klaus has immense physical power. His claws, musculature and teeth make him a formidable combatant and unparalleled protector.Brutal Strength
Klaus's bestial nature does not preclude him from understanding almost everything communicated around him. The bear recognizes Lildreith's companions, seems to be able to read, can follow maps, and his eyes often glint with complex emotions – guilt, jealousy, curiousity, and love.
Unusual Intellect
Though most pets have loyalty to their handler, Klaus has proven to be unusually partial to Lildrieth. Klaus will always take on enemies first -- ostensibly so she can use her marksman capabilities to her advantage, but in reality to keep her as far from danger as possible. And, of course, he abhors her habit of scaling the highest heights at any given opportunity. Klaus swears one of these days he will not drag her out of whatever river or gorge she's fallen into... but that day is not today.Assured Allegiance
History & Lore
Once a human of quiet resolve, Klaus was like many young men of Azeroth – lost. His family's stable farm-life was decimated by the war with the orcs, yet he never fit as a warrior of Stormwind. A scholar and adventurer by nature, it was this curiosity that led him deep into a sacred grove of druidic land.
There, amidst an ancient war between ritualistic traditions, Klaus encountered a curse. Wrathful spirits imbued him with a forgotten magic – a cruel undressing of his form, with his humanity slipping from his grasp within days, if not hours.
At first, he fought it – desperately praying to every god he's ever heard of, visiting every sage and priest he's ever known, drinking and eating and slathering himself in whatever promisted to slow the transformation, if not outright reverse it.
But the months have wound on, and Klaus is more beast than man. His human form is fleeting, nigh-unreachable, and his ability to speak lost with it. In an effort to connect himself with the druids of Elune, Klaus made himself a quasi-willing companion to a Huntress-turned-hunter. Lildrieth Evenwood, honest and simple, who knows Klaus only as her unusual and loyal pet. He figured there would be safety in being only an asset to her survival, rather than revealing the dangerous truth.
But Lildrieth herself is more than she seems – so even as his form has changed, he finds himself still fiercely human. Now, Klaus finds himself longing for human connection in a way he could not have imagined. Now, he's more desperate than ever to find a way to undo this curse before the last shred of his humanity is lost.