Bestiary

While a bear ghoul may be an uncommon choice for anyone who lives near a city, it is a likely choice for the Gangrel Clan and its various bloodlines. Powerful and, at times, unpredictable, bears are thought to have excellent hearing and can see as well as any human. In addition to their massive size, however, their keen sense of smell — which is seven times greater than that of a blood hound — grants them the ability to sense predators before they’re well within range to attack. Bears can also be trained to perform tricks with careful time and attention, provided they’ve already fed before instruction begins. The amount of food required to sustain this animal, coupled with their need to go into hibernation, is the reason why many vampires use bear ghouls sparingly.

Those who do rely on bear ghouls for guards reap the benefits of having such an impressive creature to stand by their haven. These vampires tend to select their ghouls by breed, for the more aggressive grizzly and polar bears are likely to regard their domitors as food — or territorial rivals — unless they’ve been hand-raised from birth.