Bugbears were goblinoid bullies, born for battle and mayhem. They were often found rubbing shoulders with their goblin cousins whom they were known to enslave, and hobgoblins for whom they served as scouts and shock troops in exchange for food, gold and community.
Their affinity for carnage meant that bugbears would rarely hesitate to fight for any master, provided bloodshed and glory were promised in plenty. Yet, bugbears made unreliable allies, prone to fleeing when outmatched and forgetting their bonds when their lives were on the line. A band of bugbears wouldn't hesitate to leave a wounded ally behind if it would greaten their chance of escape, and the abandoned would have no qualms in assisting the opposition if doing so would save their life.
Despite their powerful build, bugbears were surprisingly stealthy, preferring to set traps and ambushes rather than blundering into combat unprepared.
Bugbears were not born evil, though their proclivity for battle and deep biological urge for triumph made it easy for them to take paths in life that would have them percieved by outsiders as purely wicked beings. However, it was not unheard of for bugbears to integrate themselves peacefully within the communities of other humanoids - particularly humans.
Appearance
Like most Goblinoids, bugbears varied greatly in appearance. They were tall, ranging in height from 6-8 feet, with disproportionately long limbs. They were covered in short fur that varied in colour from light brown to dark red and bluish grey. They had long, pointed ears that often terminated in expressive tufts of fur, and square faces with wide mouths that erupted in fangs.
Territory
Bugbears' thick, furred hides allowed them to withstand the colder climbs of north-west Auriin, which was where the majority of their kind could be found. Fëaforn was home to the greatest number of Bugbear tribes, who occupied the forests and hills of the wild. Many of the fortresses in the region of Foscarden, lost or abandoned during the orc blight of centuries past, were soon claimed by clans of goblins and their bugbear masters.