Anyu

(AHN-yoo)

There is not a soul in the Arctic Frost that is not familiar with the sight of the anyu. Found year-round in the region, anyus are not only present in the mountains and woods surrounding the area, but are known to venture right into the town of Alpendale itself! A symbol of both the region and of the Luminaire holiday, these large, rather intimidating-looking bears are actually quite peaceful, relaxed, and curious. Threaten their young (or their favorite human), however, and you will see quite a different version of the anyu, for it has powerful paws and sharp teeth that it will not hesitate to use to defend itself and those it views as family.

Quite tall, the anyu stands at about 6' (1.8m) from foot to shoulder, and its head adds quite a bit of bulk past that point. Males are significantly larger than females, and they can weigh anywhere from 400-900lbs (181-408kg) on average. Although they are quite muscular, much of that weight is also fat, as anyus spend much of the warm season packing on extra pounds to last them through the winter. They will eat just about any meat they can find, including smaller mammals and fish, and they will not turn their nose up at carrion if that is all they come across. Anyus generally give birth in the late spring, and will have just one to two cubs that are born quite small. The cubs will stay with the mother for up to two years before finally wandering off on their own, though they will not reach maturity for a few more years. In the wild, they are rather solitary animals that only come together for mating.

Although they are not truly pets in the domesticated sense of the word, anyus are treated as working animals in the Arctic Frost region, where they are used for a variety of tasks, from snow plowing and clearing to sled-pulling. Anyus for this purpose are generally bred and raised around humans, and they become quite tame! Anyu riding is also popular in the area, and around Luminaire, anyu 'carousels' will be set up for children to ride in a circle. Anyu racing is a popular sport in Alpenedale, though the races tend to be rather slow. Tame and human-raised anyus can be distinguished from their wild counterparts by the ankle bracelets bestowed to them by their trainers or owners. This began with Melody marking her first anyu companion with such a trinket, and it has now become tradition.

Famous anyus

Legend says Melody used the village's strongest anyu to pull her sleigh when she set out to save Alpendale. Although he was a tough old bear, he and Melody were fast friends and loyal companions to another.
Mama Mush is speculated to be some sort of anyu, though she is much larger and far scarier than the average anyu.
Tempest has the look of an anyu, although it is believed she took on the guise to visit Subeta.
Angrybeard and Babette are an anyu couple who reside in the Omen Islands, when Angrybeard is not sailing the high seas!