Owlbear

Owlbears are a species of monstrous animal native to the forests of Ioglith's mainland. It is supposed "common knowledge" that owlbears are the result of magical experimentation, but this is not the case. They are natural-born animals (as far as anyone can tell -- it's possible any animal could be a genetically-engineered creation of the Ancients), and are closely related to the lake-dwelling duckmole (also known as a platypus) and share many physical and biological features with their smaller cousin.

Physical Attributes and Behavior
Owlbears are large, resembling polar bears in size. Their bodies resemble that of a bear but covered in feathers rather than fur, and with long talons on their powerful forelimbs. Their heads are like those of owls. The types of owl and bear they resemble depends on their subspecies:

Killer owlbears have the heads of horned owls and the bodies of grizzly bears. As their name suggests, they are the most aggressive of owlbears and will often attack unprovoked. They are omnivorous, but prefer meat.

Obscure owlbears -- known as "void-eyes" by some human forest tribes -- resemble black bears in body and sooty owls in face. They are omnivorous.

Grassy owlbears have the bodies of pandas and the heads of northern white-faced owls. They exhibit a curious adaptation -- when threatened or attacking, they often either puff up their feathers to make themselves look larger, or flatten their feathers to their skin to elongate their forms and narrowing their eyes, giving them an appearance many consider eerie. Curiously, they seem to know which forms work better as intimidation on which targets -- they will elongate themselves when dealing with humanoids and puff themselves up to intimidate animals. Grassy owlbears are herbivorous and tend to feed on bamboo trees -- though they are still just as aggressive as their cousins.

Ghost owlbears are the largest of owlbears, though they are more docile than killer owlbears. Their snow-white polar bear bodies and pale, eerie face like a barn owl lead to their ethereal title. They are the only owlbear species not native to forests, instead dwelling in the snowy mountain regions. They are carnivorous.

Due in no small part to their relation to platypi, owlbears have small venomous spikes on their left forelimb (right forelimb in obscure owlbears), that they use to subdue prey. This venom does not harm the victim, as such, but it does inflict sharp pain in the stung area.

Wild owlbears are aggressive by nature and should never be approached except by experienced adventurers (particularly druids, who are capable of communicating with them). As apex predators in most of their environments, they have a near-suicidal reckless disregard for their own safety, seemingly believing themselves capable of turning any creature -- even those much larger or stronger than themselves -- into prey.

This is, notably, not the case for owlbears raised in captivity. For some unknown reason, owlbears who are hatched by humanoids and imprinted on as cublets are inextricably loyal and can make stalwart life companions. The trick is getting the eggs away from a mother owlbear -- no simple task.

The resting grounds of wild owlbears can be noticed by deep claw marks in trees, and in gruesome "pellets" -- vomited-up undigested remains of the prey they've eaten whole. If you should be fool enough to dig into a pellet, pray you don't find the skeleton of a halfling inside.

Stats
Tags: Solitary, Large

Claws and beak (d10+2 damage, close, forceful); 16 HP; 1 armor (tough hide)

Special Qualities: Excellent night-vision

Moves:


 * Entrap in bear hug


 * Envenom with a sting


 * Rip them apart