<< All this discussion of the Rathori brings to mind a few points of polar bear biology. >>
The majority of Rathori are associated with brown bears, and a significant minority are associated with (American) black bears. None, these days, are associated with polar bears as they are extinct in Glorantha. They would once have been able to contact the White Bear spirit, and gain some powers from him, but Harrek mucked all that up for them. A campaign set before Harrek's time could feature Rathori with a limited number of polar bear powers, although you'd have to go back quite a way to find actual polar bear hsunchen, AFAIK.
Obscure Gloranthan bear facts from AR: Arakang, the Pelorian bear god, is a brown bear, while Ertelenari is a black bear (if only the Gods Wall was in colour, eh, Plentonius?). Arakang, an animist being, is probably a cognate of Rathor, but the Rathori black bear goddess/spirit, isn't the same as Ertelenari, who is indubitably theist.
Forward the glorious Red Army!
Trotsky
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