Hroth Garrow, the Bear of the Frostbacks

Among the countless stories told across Thedas, few are as enduring as the tale of Hroth Garrow, a mountain settler whose name has become legend among hunters, merchants, and soldiers alike.

Many believe he is Avvar.

Others insist he is Fereldan.

A few claim he is something older than either.

Hroth himself has never bothered to correct anyone.

The Man in the Bearskin

At first glance, Hroth appears more beast than man.

He stands nearly seven feet tall and is built like a fortress wall. His attire is fashioned from the hide of an enormous mountain bear that terrorized the Frostback Mountains decades ago.

The hide drapes across his shoulders like a royal mantle.

The bear's skull serves as his hood.

Its massive claws hang from chains across his chest.

Travelers often mistake him for some spirit of the mountains until he speaks.

His voice is calm.

Measured.

Surprisingly gentle.

The Bear of Red Peak

The bearskin he wears is no ordinary trophy.

Years ago, a monstrous bear known as Old Red Peak stalked the mountain settlements.

The creature destroyed cabins.

Killed livestock.

Attacked hunting parties.

Several local militias attempted to bring it down and failed.

Hroth hunted the beast alone.

The battle reportedly lasted from sunrise until moonrise.

When villagers finally found him, both man and bear were collapsed beside a frozen waterfall.

The bear was dead.

Hroth survived.

Barely.

Since then, he has worn the creature's hide as both armor and reminder.

"A hunter should never forget the prey that almost became the hunter."

A Unique Strength

Hroth's strength has become the subject of countless exaggerations.

Stories claim he can:

Lift fallen trees by himself.
Carry wounded soldiers across mountain passes.
Wrestle brontos without weapons.
Break darkspawn shields with a single strike.

The truth is difficult to separate from myth.

What is known is that many trained warriors who have sparred with him describe his power as frightening.

Not because he is reckless.

Because he knows exactly how to use it.

Every movement is deliberate.

Every strike efficient.

The Mountain Hunter

Unlike many warriors, Hroth prefers hunting to battle.

His knowledge of the wilderness is unmatched.

He can:

Track prey through snowstorms.
Predict avalanches.
Identify dangerous creatures by scent alone.
Navigate forgotten mountain paths.

Some merchants pay handsomely for his guidance when crossing dangerous regions.

Others simply leave offerings near his cabin in hopes he might help them if disaster strikes.

The Cabin Above the Clouds

Hroth lives alone in a stone lodge high within the Frostbacks.

The structure sits above the tree line where few dare travel.

The cabin contains:

Hundreds of maps.
Animal trophies.
Ancient books collected from travelers.
Weapons from every nation in Thedas.

Many who expect a savage are shocked to discover an educated and thoughtful man.

He enjoys philosophy.

Studies military history.

And spends long winters reading by the fire.

Darkspawn Hunter

The appearance of darkspawn changes Hroth completely.

His calm demeanor vanishes.

Years ago, an entire mountain village was lost to a darkspawn incursion.

Friends.

Neighbors.

Children.

Since then, he has dedicated himself to ensuring such a tragedy never happens again.

Several Grey Wardens have crossed paths with him and quietly acknowledge that his knowledge of mountain darkspawn movements rivals their own.

Companion Potential

If introduced as a companion, Hroth would fill the role of a warrior-ranger hybrid.

Specializations

Bearskin Guardian

Exceptional defense.
Protective abilities.
Fear resistance.

Mountain Stalker

Tracking.
Ambush attacks.
Wilderness survival bonuses.

Avalanche Breaker

Powerful crowd-control attacks.
Terrain manipulation.
Shockwave strikes.

Personal Quest

The Ghost of Red Peak

Rumors spread that the spirit of Old Red Peak still wanders the mountains.

Hroth dismisses the stories at first.

But evidence begins to emerge that something ancient is awakening beneath the Frostbacks.

The investigation eventually reveals that the bear was guarding an ancient dwarven passage sealed centuries ago.

The fate of the mountain region depends on whether Hroth chooses to become its protector, abandon it, or sacrifice himself to stop what lies beneath.

By the end of the story, players realize that Hroth's legend was never about the bear he killed.

It was about the man strong enough to carry the responsibility that came afterward.

Hroth Garrow, Bear of the Frostbacks

The Legend Grows

As the years passed, Hroth's reputation spread far beyond the mountains.

Children in Ferelden heard stories of him.

Merchants spoke of him in taverns.

Grey Wardens occasionally sought his counsel.

Even some members of the Chantry debated whether he was simply an extraordinary man or whether the Maker had granted him unusual gifts.

Hroth ignored all of it.

Legends were for other people.

The mountains still needed watching.

Why Hroth Is Different

Many warriors are strong.

Many hunters are skilled.

What makes Hroth unique is that he understands both civilization and wilderness.

He can sit with kings and discuss military campaigns.

Then disappear into the mountains for six months without speaking to another soul.

He sees patterns others miss.

He studies everything.

Animals.

People.

Armies.

Darkspawn.

Weather.

To Hroth, survival is knowledge.

The more you understand something, the less likely it is to kill you.

The Hall of Claws

Deep within his mountain lodge lies a chamber few have ever seen.

The room is known as the Hall of Claws.

Mounted along the walls are trophies from creatures that threatened the mountain settlements.

Each trophy bears a carved plaque.

Not celebrating victory.

Remembering lessons.

A giant frost wolf.

A high dragon hatchling.

A corrupted bronto.

An ogre.

A pride demon.

A darkspawn emissary.

Each plaque details what the creature taught him.

Visitors expecting arrogance instead find humility.

Every victory is recorded alongside mistakes he nearly paid for with his life.

The Three Great Axes

Hroth possesses three famous weapons.

Stonebreaker

A massive dwarven-forged greataxe.

The weapon is so heavy most warriors cannot even lift it.

Stonebreaker is used when facing creatures larger than men.

Ogres.

Dragons.

Demons.

The axe bears scars from centuries of repairs.

Winter's Edge

A long hunting axe carried on most journeys.

Balanced perfectly.

Simple.

Practical.

Deadly.

This is the weapon Hroth uses most often.

He claims the best weapon is the one you can carry every day.

Mercy

A small hand axe.

Unremarkable in appearance.

It belonged to his father.

Hroth carries it not for combat but as a reminder.

Strength without compassion becomes cruelty.

His Relationship with Mages

Unlike many warriors, Hroth holds no hatred toward mages.

He has seen too much of the world for simple prejudices.

He judges individuals by their actions.

Many apostates have found temporary refuge in his territory.

He offers them shelter.

Food.

Advice.

Then sends them on their way.

His position often creates tension with templars.

Yet few are willing to confront him directly.

The Bear Spirit

One rumor refuses to die.

The Avvar tell stories that Hroth was blessed by a great bear spirit.

Not possessed.

Not controlled.

Blessed.

According to the tale, a spirit known as Stone-Paw saved him after his battle with Old Red Peak.

Since then:

Wild bears rarely attack him.
Animals often seem calm around him.
He can sense danger before it arrives.
His endurance borders on supernatural.

Hroth refuses to discuss the rumor.

His silence only fuels it.

The Mountain Wars

Few know Hroth once fought in a war.

Long before becoming a recluse, he served as a scout and shock trooper during a border conflict.

He witnessed:

Corrupt nobles sacrificing soldiers for politics.
Generals chasing glory.
Entire villages destroyed for strategic advantage.

The experience changed him forever.

After the war, he abandoned military service.

Yet his tactical knowledge remains exceptional.

Veteran commanders are often surprised when the mountain hunter effortlessly identifies flaws in their battle plans.

Companion Interactions

With Warriors

Warriors respect him immediately.

He respects discipline and courage.

Boastfulness earns only silence.

With Rogues

Rogues discover he notices everything.

Nothing escapes his attention.

Every lie.

Every hidden blade.

Every stolen coin.

With Mages

Mages find an unexpected ally.

He asks thoughtful questions about magic and the Fade.

His curiosity often surprises them.

With Chantry Members

Hroth respects faith but dislikes dogma.

Many conversations become philosophical debates about duty, justice, and sacrifice.

Personal Quest: The Last Bear

One winter, reports emerge of an impossibly large white bear wandering the Frostbacks.

Entire darkspawn patrols are found slaughtered.

Hunters vanish.

Ancient ruins are disturbed.

Hroth becomes visibly unsettled.

The creature matches descriptions from stories his grandfather told him as a child.

A mythical being known as The First Bear.

A creature believed to have existed before nations, before kingdoms, perhaps before recorded history itself.

As the quest unfolds, players discover the beast is guarding something hidden beneath the mountains.

An ancient dwarven vault.

A forgotten prison.

Or perhaps a secret tied to the Titans themselves.

For the first time in decades, Hroth faces something he cannot simply overpower.

Something older.

Stronger.

Wiser.

And perhaps more dangerous than any dragon.

The Legacy of Hroth Garrow

Years after his death, stories continue.

Travelers claim to see a giant figure standing atop snowy cliffs during storms.

Lost children sometimes describe a man wrapped in bearskin who guided them home.

Grey Wardens occasionally find supplies mysteriously left near dangerous roads.

Whether these stories are true hardly matters.

In Thedas, heroes are often remembered for the battles they win.

Hroth is remembered for something rarer.

He was a protector.

A guardian of forgotten places.

A man who stood between civilization and the wilderness and demanded that neither destroy the other.

The people of the Frostbacks gave him many titles.

Hunter.

Guardian.

Warrior.

Legend.

But the name that endured longest was the simplest:

The Bear of the Mountains.

Hroth Garrow and Korrun, the Iron Bear

Among the mountain clans, there are stories of warriors who ride horses.

Stories of hunters who travel with hounds.

Stories of nobles who keep trained falcons.

But there is only one known tale of a man who walks beside a bear that willingly follows him into battle.

That bear is Korrun.

The Beast of Skyfang Ridge

Korrun is not merely large.

He is monstrous.

When standing upright, he towers over most warriors. His shoulders are nearly as broad as a wagon. His claws are longer than daggers.

The first time most people see him, they assume they are looking at some forgotten creature from an age before kingdoms.

Many believe he is part bear.

Others think he is a spirit beast.

A few Chantry scholars suspect magical influence.

No one knows for certain.

Not even Hroth.

The Day They Met

Years before becoming a legend, Hroth tracked a wounded bear through a blizzard.

He expected to find a dying animal.

Instead, he found a young bear defending its dead mother from a pack of hungry wolves.

The cub was already enormous.

Already fighting.

Already refusing to surrender.

Hroth drove away the wolves.

The cub followed him home.

The arrangement was supposed to last one winter.

Twenty years later, the bear was still there.

Why Korrun Is Unique

Unlike ordinary bears, Korrun demonstrates unusual intelligence.

He:

Recognizes individual people.
Remembers insults.
Understands hand signals.
Can identify darkspawn scents.
Has learned patrol routes around mountain settlements.
Frequently solves problems nobody taught him to solve.

One village elder once remarked:

"That bear thinks too much."

Nobody disagreed.

The Iron Bear

Korrun earned his nickname during a darkspawn assault.

An ogre smashed through a defensive barricade and charged toward fleeing villagers.

Korrun intercepted it.

Witnesses described the collision as sounding like a castle gate being struck by a battering ram.

The bear survived.

The ogre did not.

From that day onward, soldiers began calling him:

Korrun the Iron Bear.

Companion Mechanics

If Hroth were a companion, Korrun would function almost like a second companion.

Bear Commands

Players could instruct Korrun to:

Guard allies.
Charge enemies.
Track targets.
Search areas.
Hold positions.
Rescue downed companions.

Passive Effects

Korrun's presence improves:

Wilderness survival.
Hunting success.
Detection of ambushes.
Tracking darkspawn.
Party morale.

The Secret

The truth about Korrun remains one of Hroth's greatest mysteries.

Ancient Avvar shamans claim he bears the mark of a forgotten bear spirit.

Dwarven scholars suggest exposure to Titan energies deep beneath the mountains.

Grey Wardens note that Korrun reacts to darkspawn long before anyone else can sense them.

Whatever the explanation, one fact remains.

Korrun is not normal.

And Hroth would not have it any other way.

The Reputation

Across the Frostbacks, a common saying exists:

"If you hear Hroth coming, you still have time to prepare.

If you hear Korrun coming, it's already too late."

Together, Hroth Garrow and Korrun have become symbols of the untamed mountains themselves.

One is a man who learned from the wilderness.

The other is the wilderness given claws, teeth, and purpose.

And neither tolerates threats to their home.

Korrun, the Iron Bear

The Silent King of the Frostbacks

Most people call Korrun a war bear.

They are wrong.

War bears are trained.

War bears obey.

War bears can be replaced.

Korrun is none of those things.

Korrun is a partner.

An equal.

A legend in his own right.

Many settlements know his name before they ever hear of Hroth Garrow.

Entire generations of mountain children have grown up hearing stories about the giant bear that walks the peaks and protects travelers from things lurking in the snow.

Some believe he is merely an animal.

Others believe he is something much older.

The Size of a Monster

Korrun is believed to be the largest bear living in Thedas.

Even experienced hunters struggle to comprehend his size.

When standing upright:

He exceeds eleven feet in height.
His weight is estimated at over two thousand pounds.
His forepaw is larger than a man's chest.
His claws are nearly the length of short swords.

The first thing people notice is not his size.

It is his presence.

Animals become quiet when he approaches.

The forest seems to acknowledge him.

Even wolves often abandon kills rather than challenge him.

The Intelligence Nobody Can Explain

Hroth insists Korrun is simply clever.

Nobody believes him.

Over the years Korrun has demonstrated behavior that should be impossible.

He can:

Recognize dozens of people individually.
Distinguish soldiers from bandits.
Understand basic tactical movements.
Detect lies through body language.
Remember routes traveled years earlier.
Anticipate dangers before they appear.

Many mages have tried studying him.

Most leave more confused than when they arrived.

One Circle scholar wrote:

"I came seeking a beast and departed having met a mystery."

The Bear's Personality

Unlike Hroth's calm and reserved nature, Korrun possesses a surprisingly varied personality.

Around Children

Gentle.

Patient.

Protective.

Children climb on him constantly.

He tolerates it.

Sometimes he even appears to enjoy it.

Around Strangers

Suspicious.

Watchful.

Calculating.

He studies people carefully before deciding whether he trusts them.

Around Threats

Terrifying.

Korrun does not bluff.

When he decides violence is necessary, he commits fully.

Many enemies never receive a second warning.

Around Hroth

Relaxed.

Comfortable.

Almost playful.

Few people ever witness this side of him.

The sight of the enormous beast behaving like an oversized cub often leaves observers speechless.

His Greatest Feat

The most famous tale involving Korrun occurred during what became known as The Long Winter Siege.

A darkspawn force emerged from beneath the mountains and trapped several settlements.

Supply lines collapsed.

Communication vanished.

People prepared to die.

For nearly three weeks, Korrun repeatedly crossed blizzard-covered mountain passes carrying food, medicine, and messages.

Multiple witnesses claimed he traveled routes that should have been impossible.

Without those deliveries, hundreds might have perished.

When the siege finally ended, the people erected a stone monument.

Not to a king.

Not to a hero.

To a bear.

Relationship with the Avvar

The mountain-dwelling Avvar hold Korrun in especially high regard.

Some shamans believe he is touched by a bear spirit.

Others believe he carries part of an ancient spirit within him.

Several clans refuse to hunt bears within territories Korrun patrols.

To do so is considered deeply disrespectful.

A few even leave offerings during winter.

Honey.

Fish.

Berries.

Occasionally entire barrels of ale.

Korrun usually accepts the fish.

The Armor of Korrun

Unlike ordinary beast armor, Korrun's equipment is practically a relic.

Forged over decades by dwarven smiths and Avvar craftsmen, it includes:

Silverite-plated chest protection.
Rune-inscribed shoulder guards.
Reinforced neck armor.
Special harnesses for carrying supplies and wounded travelers.

Every piece was custom-made.

No other animal in Thedas could wear it.

The armor itself has become famous enough that some mistake it for the bear's natural appearance.

The Dragon Encounter

The story most frequently told around campfires involves Korrun and a dragon.

Accounts differ.

The details change.

But one fact remains consistent.

Korrun survived.

The common version claims a high dragon descended upon a mountain pass used by local settlers.

Before anyone could flee, Korrun charged.

Not because he believed he could kill the dragon.

Because villagers were trapped behind him.

By the time Hroth arrived, both creatures were battered and bleeding.

The dragon eventually retreated.

Korrun spent months recovering.

The scar crossing his shoulder remains visible today.

Korrun's Greatest Fear

Few realize Korrun fears anything.

Yet Hroth knows one thing that unsettles him.

The Deep Roads.

Whenever they approach ancient dwarven tunnels, Korrun becomes visibly uneasy.

His senses sharpen.

His movements grow tense.

He refuses to enter certain passages altogether.

This behavior has led many Grey Wardens to suspect that Korrun can sense things far beyond ordinary creatures.

Things hidden deep beneath Thedas.

Things connected to darkspawn.

Or perhaps something even older.

The Last Mystery

Late in his life, Hroth privately confides to a trusted companion:

"I've spent decades studying him."
"I still don't know what Korrun truly is."

Not a mage.

Not a spirit.

Not a demon.

Not an ordinary animal.

Something else.

Something unique.

And perhaps that mystery is exactly why the stories endure.

Because in a world of dragons, demons, ancient elves, and darkspawn, there remains one question nobody can answer:

Why does the greatest bear in Thedas choose to walk beside a man?

The Rumors of Korrun's Powers

Across Thedas, stories grow with every telling.

A hunter sees something unusual.

A merchant adds details.

A bard exaggerates it.

Within a year, a simple event becomes a legend.

Hroth dismisses most of these stories.

The problem is that not all of them can be explained away.

After decades of sightings, battles, and strange encounters, many people have become convinced that Korrun possesses abilities no ordinary beast should have.

Even those who have traveled with him sometimes struggle to explain what they witnessed.

The Eyes of the Storm

One of the oldest stories concerns blizzards.

Mountain settlers claim Korrun can sense severe weather long before it arrives.

Hours before a storm:

He becomes restless.
He begins moving toward shelter.
Birds suddenly leave the area.
Other animals follow his lead.

More than one village has reportedly survived deadly mountain storms because Korrun unexpectedly appeared and refused to leave until people followed him.

Skeptics call it instinct.

Believers call it a gift.

The Darkspawn Sense

This rumor worries Grey Wardens the most.

Korrun appears capable of detecting darkspawn long before anyone else.

Not by smell alone.

Not by sight.

Something else.

Wardens have documented incidents where:

Korrun became agitated days before a darkspawn sighting.
He refused to enter areas later discovered to contain darkspawn nests.
He altered travel routes that later proved dangerous.

One Warden commander supposedly remarked:

"I've seen veterans with the Calling show less awareness than that bear."

The Mountain Roar

Perhaps the most famous claim involves Korrun's roar.

Witnesses describe it differently.

Some say it sounds normal.

Others insist it feels wrong.

Older.

Deeper.

Powerful enough to vibrate stone.

Legends claim his roar can:

Frighten darkspawn.
Scatter wolves.
Trigger small avalanches.
Shake loose icicles.
Disrupt weak magical effects.

No scholar has proven any of this.

Yet enough witnesses tell similar stories that the rumor refuses to die.

The Bear That Doesn't Age

This is where the stories become troubling.

Bears do not live forever.

Yet Korrun appears far older than he should be.

Hunters who remember seeing him decades ago claim he looks exactly the same.

No slowing.

No weakening.

No visible decline.

Theories include:

Spirit blessing.
Ancient magic.
Titan influence.
Lyrium exposure.
Something connected to forgotten Avvar rites.

Hroth never discusses the subject.

The Healing Sleep

Several settlements tell nearly identical stories.

A wounded traveler falls asleep beside Korrun during a blizzard.

The next morning:

Fever reduced.
Strength improved.
Pain lessened.

No miraculous recovery.

No magical glow.

Just unusual improvement.

Many mountain folk now believe Korrun carries a calming aura that aids recovery.

Mages remain skeptical.

The people saved by it do not.

Animals Follow Him

This phenomenon is documented far too often to ignore.

Animals behave strangely around Korrun.

Birds land nearby.

Foxes approach without fear.

Mountain goats share territory.

Even wolves occasionally accompany him.

Not as servants.

Not as companions.

More like subjects respecting a king.

Many Avvar shamans consider this the strongest evidence that a powerful spirit walks alongside him.

The Shadow Beneath the Snow

One of the darker legends claims Korrun occasionally disappears.

Not for hours.

For days.

Sometimes weeks.

Then he returns from remote mountain regions where nobody can survive alone.

Those who track him report finding:

Ancient ruins.
Forgotten shrines.
Titan-carved caverns.
Long-sealed dwarven passages.

Some believe Korrun is guarding something.

Something buried beneath the Frostbacks.

Something ancient.

The Spirit Theory

Many Avvar shamans believe Korrun was blessed by an ancient bear spirit known as The First Claw.

Unlike ordinary spirits, the First Claw is said to embody:

Protection.
Endurance.
Wisdom.
Territorial guardianship.

Rather than possessing Korrun, the spirit may have chosen him as its champion.

A living guardian of the mountains.

What Hroth Thinks

When asked directly whether Korrun possesses supernatural powers, Hroth always gives the same answer:

"Maybe."

"Or maybe people spend too much time talking and not enough time paying attention."

When pressed further, he usually adds:

"Korrun is Korrun."

"That's explanation enough for me."

The Truth

The truth is that nobody knows.

Not the Avvar.

Not the Chantry.

Not the Grey Wardens.

Not even Hroth.

What everyone agrees on is this:

Korrun is unlike any bear ever recorded in Thedas.

Whether his abilities come from a spirit, ancient magic, Titan influence, or something entirely unknown remains one of the great mysteries of the Frostbacks.

And Korrun seems perfectly content to keep it that way.

Korrun and the Forgotten Powers

As the years passed, the rumors changed.

At first, people claimed Korrun was simply a giant bear.

Then they claimed he was blessed.

Then they claimed he was magical.

Now, among certain circles of scholars, Avvar shamans, Grey Wardens, and dwarven historians, a more unsettling theory exists.

What if Korrun is not gaining powers?

What if he is remembering them?

The Night of Blue Fire

One of the most famous incidents occurred during a battle against a pride demon that emerged from a tear in the Veil.

Witnesses included mages, templars, and local villagers.

According to multiple accounts, the demon unleashed a blast of Fade energy that struck Korrun directly.

The bear should have died.

Instead, strange blue light briefly appeared beneath his fur.

Not around him.

Inside him.

For only a few seconds.

The demon immediately recoiled.

Several witnesses claimed the creature looked frightened.

Not angry.

Not surprised.

Frightened.

The demon retreated soon afterward.

No explanation was ever found.

The Stone Dream

Hroth once shared a story after several cups of strong Avvar ale.

It is one of the few times he has ever spoken openly about Korrun's mysteries.

According to Hroth, Korrun occasionally sleeps for days.

During these periods, he becomes impossible to wake.

His breathing slows.

His heartbeat weakens.

His body becomes almost statue-like.

When he finally awakens, he often leads Hroth toward locations neither of them have ever visited.

These journeys have revealed:

Hidden caves.
Lost dwarven tunnels.
Ancient burial sites.
Forgotten thaigs.

Hroth claims Korrun somehow knows where these places are.

The bear has never explained how.

The Titan Theory

Among dwarven scholars, this is the most controversial explanation.

Some believe Korrun has a connection to the ancient Titans.

Not because he is a Titan.

Not because he is magical.

But because his behavior resembles something seen in ancient dwarven records.

Several old texts describe creatures called Stone Guardians.

Massive beasts entrusted with protecting sacred places connected to the earth itself.

Most historians dismissed the stories as myths.

Until Korrun.

Now some wonder if those legends originated from encounters with creatures like him.

The Bear and Lyrium

A strange phenomenon occurs whenever Korrun approaches exposed lyrium veins.

His behavior changes.

Not violently.

Not aggressively.

He becomes focused.

Alert.

Almost contemplative.

Mages accompanying him often report unusual sensations:

Vibrations beneath their feet.
Faint humming sounds.
Brief flashes of forgotten memories.

No evidence directly links Korrun to lyrium.

Yet the coincidence occurs too often to ignore.

The Ancient Enemy

One tale is known only among the Avvar elders.

They speak of creatures called Winter Eaters.

Ancient predators that once hunted both spirits and mortals.

According to the legends, the First Claw battled them long before recorded history.

Some elders believe Korrun occasionally encounters these beings during his unexplained disappearances.

Evidence is scarce.

Yet several times Korrun has returned from the mountains bearing wounds unlike anything caused by wolves, darkspawn, dragons, or demons.

Deep scars.

Strange burns.

Marks that seem impossible.

When asked about them, Hroth simply says:

"There are things in the mountains that should remain asleep."

The Voice in the Blizzard

This story is regarded as complete nonsense by most scholars.

Which is precisely why it continues to spread.

Lost travelers occasionally report hearing a voice during severe storms.

The voice guides them toward safety.

The strange part is that the voice always sounds different.

Sometimes male.

Sometimes female.

Sometimes young.

Sometimes ancient.

Yet every survivor eventually reaches a place where Korrun is waiting.

No one has ever proven the connection.

No one has explained it either.

Korrun's True Nature

There are currently five major theories.

The Spirit-Blessed Theory

Korrun is an ordinary bear permanently blessed by a powerful spirit.

The Ancient Guardian Theory

Korrun belongs to an ancient species predating modern Thedas.

The Titan Theory

Korrun possesses a connection to the Titans through the living stone beneath the world.

The Shape Theory

A few mages secretly wonder whether Korrun is not truly a bear at all.

Perhaps he is something else wearing the form of one.

The First Claw Theory

The most extreme belief.

According to this idea, Korrun is the last surviving incarnation of the legendary First Claw itself.

A guardian spirit made flesh.

A protector who returns whenever the mountains face great danger.

The Secret Hroth Never Shares

There is one fact Hroth has never told anyone.

Not the Grey Wardens.

Not the Avvar.

Not even his closest allies.

Years ago, while recovering from a near-fatal battle, he awoke during the night.

Korrun was standing outside the cabin.

Looking toward the stars.

For a brief moment, Hroth could have sworn he saw dozens of faint spectral bears surrounding him.

Ancient.

Enormous.

Watching silently from the darkness.

Then they vanished.

Hroth never mentioned it again.

Because for the first time in his life, he realized something unsettling:

He had spent decades trying to understand Korrun.

But perhaps Korrun understood him far better.

And perhaps the great bear had been guarding more than the mountains.

Perhaps he had been guarding Hroth all along.