Owlbear Monster Card art by Nate Marcel

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Owlbear Culture, Psychology, & Lore

by Kell Myers and Alec Wilson

“I heard a twig snap and whipped around. Nothing. I went still and made my breath quiet. Slowly, and with pounding heart, I glanced up into the trees. Huge yellow eyes stared back at me. The light of my fire played across its beak, and seen, the beast silently ruffled the feathers along its arms and back.”

—Armea Ulrandil, Elven Ranger

Culture & Psychology

Owlbears’ odd appearance has given rise to more than one inaccurate assumption about this reclusive species. Having never seen one, most commoners refuse to believe they exist. Others think of Owlbears as unnatural hybrids, born from some mad wizard’s experiment. Most survivors recall only the terrifying sounds of screeching and clacking, the images of friends torn limb from limb, and the yellow-eyed monsters who paced up and down, fanning their blood-spattered plumage. What none of them see is the mind behind an Owlbear’s wide, unblinking eyes.

Though rare, Owlbears are natural creatures who share a common language and common customs. Owlbear groupings, called empires, are comprised of 10-50 adult Owlbears, often with 5-10 hatchlings. Empires are autonomous groups that rule their own territories. Owlbears are big game predators, so their territories are necessarily large, some ranging 200 miles on a side. Owlbears often trade food with neighboring empires, and when intruders are spotted they will sound the alarm with a deafening squawk that carries for miles. Most empires are cordial with each other, and some exchange hatchlings to foster bonds between groups.

Owlbears respect the boundaries of neighboring groups, unless the two factions are at war. The size of Owlbear territories makes this event rare, but when conflicts arise between empires, champions are chosen to fight to the death. This custom preserves the slow-breeding, slow-maturing species from dwindling down to extinction. The losing empire pays tribute to the winner for three consecutive winters, often in the form of meat, hides, and physical labor such as trail maintenance or den expansion. When a single Owlbear empire receives tribute from two or more of its neighbors at the same time, the range of its influence expands, sometimes impacting trade and travel for Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, and other races.

The dominant Owlbear and the best hunter in an empire usually rules as Owlbear Chieftain. Occasionally, empires are led by elders or Shamans with excellent track records of prosperity. In this case the largest and strongest Owlbears act as enforcers. Empires led by elders tend to be the best organized and the most dangerous. They are much more likely to have a surplus of food laid in for the winter, which frees them up from the hunt and allows them to set ambushes and accost travelers at will.

Owlbear Shamans are an empire’s religious leaders. Owlbears worship Tluakuk, a spirit of nature represented by a walking Hemlock tree with the head of a great black elk. Tluakuk sends his omens to the empire through lightning, hail, floods, and many other natural events. Owlbear rituals to Tluakuk entail smudge fires, bone rattles, rhythmic beak clacking, and robes sewn from elk hides. The Shaman dons a headdress that makes him appear as a three-headed creature, with his own head sandwiched between the heads of two antlered elk. Owlbears perform rituals to obtain omens about the migration of game, the coming of winter, and the actions of their enemies.

For Owlbears, the hunt is also a prayer. With their beaks drenched in a fresh kill, Owlbears fling the blood of their prey high into the air as an offering to Tluakuk. Those who return to the den with multiple kills are blessed by the Shaman and allowed to don necklaces of teeth and bones.

Harsh winters drive some Owlbear empires to desperation. Owlbears attack settlements and inhabited areas only when starving. In the brutal winter of 1085, Owlbears laid siege to the mountain town of Hiegltz. Reinforcements could not penetrate the heavy snows and when troops arrived in the springtime they found the houses standing open, stained with blood and littered with feathers. Hiegltz was empty.

Owlbears are social and their daily lives center around the den. Dens are most often caves, found in protected areas located far from humanoid settlements. Owlbears favor caves set high in the walls of cliffs. In order to reach them, they have been observed tapping hand and footholds into vertical rock with their beaks—a process that sometimes takes years. Owlbears are also known to live in the hollows of massive Hus trees. In either case, Owlbears begin with a natural formation, then improve upon it. Owlbear caves can contain dozens and rooms and many passages. Owlbear Hus dwellings may stretch skyward for hundreds of feet from their entrances on the forest floor, with windows and outlets set high in the canopy.

Owlbear dens are sanctuaries; the lands surrounding them serve as natural defenses, hunting grounds, and proving grounds. Owlbears live in savage, mountainous terrain with many cliffs, passes, alpine lakes, high meadows, and rivers. There they hunt, and test themselves against natural challenges as Tluakuk sees fit. Expeditions into the deep wilderness are the only parties that encounter Owlbears with any frequency.

Owlbears enjoy receiving tribute and gifts. One empire may demand fresh venison and another may request chickens to feed their hatchlings. While in Owlbear country it is never a bad idea to travel with surplus meat. Owlbears do not commonly use metal arms or armor, so they tend not to value these items in trade.

Owlbears’ capacity for reason is greater than is commonly understood, but this does not imply that they are civilized. When calm, they can listen and weigh their options. But Owlbears are essentially wild in nature, and when provoked they quickly they revert to their primal instincts. They are loyal to outsiders only as long as the alliance brings ample food and the outsiders themselves do not become a nuisance.

Special Tactics

Ambush. Owlbears avoid direct assaults, preferring to attack prey and enemies unaware. Ambushes led by elders and Shamans are usually well-planned, and take advantage of natural terrain. Owlbears are known to drop woven nets from trees, trigger rock slides, and leap from cover to surprise their foes. They love hiding in tree blinds and are known to bury themselves in shallow depressions and cover themselves with twigs and grass. They are also accomplished swimmers and can stay submerged for minutes at a time to attack small boats and adventurers crossing rivers.

Herding Call. The hooting growls of Owlbears as they crash through the underbrush are terrifying to hear. These bloodcurdling calls drive prey and adventurers alike toward ambush zones, and away from Owlbear dens. If adventures, 5th-level or below, have never encountered Owlbears before, they must Save vs. Fear DC WIS 13, or flee away from the Herding Call for 1d4 rounds.

Hit & Run. Owlbears avoid unnecessary battles when hunting and protecting the den. Unless hunting for status, Owlbears will hit the easiest prey and retreat with their prize. In battle, they rush in and out whenever the terrain allows it, attacking and retreating to the safety of trees, caves, or water before the enemy can mount a counterattack.

Qualities

Thoughtful Beasts. When hunting for game, Owlbears are selective. They do not senselessly kill. In their dealings with neighboring empires and rational adventurers they can be thoughtful and wise. They become wild, predatory beasts when they are hungry, or if their dens are threatened.

Superstitious. Owlbears see good and bad omens everywhere in nature. An albino squirrel gathering nuts, autumn oak leaves a certain shade of red, or a boisterous cricket song at night—all these things may cause an Owlbear to rapidly reverse course. The presence of an omen may precede a sudden withdrawal, an offer of friendship, or an attack without warning.

Skittish. Owlbears can be jumpy. They are reactive to loud noises, quick movements, and unfamiliar smells. Especially when treating with Owlbears, it is important to move in a measured fashion, and use a calm tone of voice.

Territorial. Owlbears are extremely protective of their dens and hunting grounds. They are more likely to attack when within one mile of their dens, and receive +1 to hit while in this home territory.

Weaponry

Beak and Claws. Owlbears attack twice per round, once with their beaks for 1d10+5 damage, and once with their claws for 2d8+5 damage.

The Environment. Owlbears do not use ranged weapons, but employ natural hazards to their advantage whenever they can. Using their beaks as axe heads, they fall trees across roads or onto teams of horses. They will remove beaver dams to flood campsites and use their blaring hoots to cause strategic avalanches.

Special Units

Elder Owlbear. These experienced Owlbears receive +5 to all WIS based Checks and Saves. They can expertly construct many natural traps such as snares, pitfalls, log rolls, landslides, and the like. They have tactical expertise in battle, and can effectively lead groups of Hunters. Owlbear hatchlings learn to hunt and kill from the den’s elders. Elder Owlbears chaperone hatchling hunts, hiding at the fringes, ready to intervene should any prey threaten a hatchling’s life.

Owlbear Shaman. Owlbear Shamans cast spells as 3rd-level Druids. They spend their days searching for omens, performing rituals, and gathering herbs and natural trinkets such as bones, polished stones, and fragrant wood.

Dominant Hunter. Owlbears love to hunt and an empire’s Hunters relish tracking any creature that enters their territory. Owlbears keen eyesight and sensitive noses allow them to locate prey (and adventures) within 5 miles. While on their home turf, Owlbear Hunters receive +8 to all Perception checks and have a 20 passive Perception.

Hellish Owlbear. Owlbear empires sometimes face annihilation due to the realities of life in the wilds. When Owlbears begin to starve they enter a hellish state. Their feathers become matted and frayed, their eyes are bloodshot, and they constantly grind their claws to sharpen them. Hellish Owlbears cry out with nightmarish calls, and rush to attack any non-Owlbear creatures of Large size or smaller. They lose all abilities in Stealth, their Speed increases by 10, -3 penalty to AC, +1 attack per round, and +3 to damage. Hellish Owlbears do not bargain or treat with outsiders or brethren from neighboring empires.

Polar Owlbear. These white-furred, white-feathered Owlbears are extremely rare, and found only in artic climates. They are larger and stronger than their counterparts in temperate regions, immune to cold and cold damage, and deal +2 additional damage with their attacks.

Special Abilities

Stealth. Many focus on the Owlbears’ ursine lineage, and forget the strixian. This is a deadly mistake. Like owls, Owlbears can be noiseless predators who can surprise even keen-eared Elves. They have Advantage on all Stealth checks in wilderness environments.

Superior Dark Vision. Owlbears have near perfect vision in dark or low-light environments, and do not suffer Disadvantage to vision-based perception checks in such conditions.

Tough Hide. Owlbears plow through brambles and ignore natural stinging insects due to their dense fur and feathered hides. Owlbears ignore penalties for rough terrain and have Resistance to stings, thorns, horns, claws, and similar sources of natural damage.

Ancestral Memory. Owlbears share a collective memory of past events that they can call upon when needed. Once per year when the empire is under duress, Owlbear Shamans may perform an 8-hour ritual to Tluakuk that links them to their ancestral knowledge. When the ritual is complete, all members receive Advantage on all Saves and Checks, +2 to hit, +2 to damage, and Resistance to damage from poison, cold, and fire, for one day.

Movement

Run. Good. As ambush predators, Owlbears strike fast. They have surprising stamina, and can cover up to 50 miles a day overland.

Climb. Good. Owlbears spend much of their time climbing cliffs and trees. Their sharp, sturdy claws make them good climbers.

Swim. Good. (Excellent for Polar Owlbears.) Owlbears cross white-water rapids with little trouble and dive for fish for quick meals.

Burrow. Good. Owlbears excavate tunnels and rooms in loose soil, packed dirt, and wood. They do not burrow in solid rock, but can chip hand and footholds in it, given enough time.

Fly. n/a

Grudges

Rangers & Druids. These guardians of nature grant Owlbears a wide berth when they pass through their territory. It doesn’t seem to matter. Owlbears do not tolerate multiple incursions onto their land, unless accompanied by ample gifts of meat.

Goblins. Any cave-dwelling humanoid or goblinoid that threatens an Owlbear’s den is hunted without mercy. Unlike Kobolds, who mostly flee from Owlbears on sight, Goblins have been known to fight for control of a cave. Owlbears relish in slaughtering Goblins by the score, but do not appear to enjoy the taste of Goblin flesh.

Bears & Werebears. Owlbears and bears are competitors in the same ecological niche, and fight to keep their respective territories. By extension, Owlbears loathe Werebears.

Unicorns. Owlbears appear to resent and fear Unicorns. The Half-Orc explorer Rudak Ufal found that the most prized possession in multiple Owlbear dens was the skull of a Unicorn. In all cases, the skull was granted a mythical status, having been passed down as an heirloom from chieftain to chieftain through multiple generations.

Owlbears