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Illustration by Jon Hodgson


The Unluckiest Owlbear

Monday, February 22, 2009

I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point along the way, the owlbear kind of ended up being the official Kingmaker mascot. Sure, the PCs will be facing evil fey, lizard and frog men, undead monstrosities, bandits, trolls, giants, dragons, and worse during this Adventure Path, but they'll also be facing a lot of owlbears. Some of which are really rather memorable.

Anyway, once we realized how owlbear-riffic this Adventure Path was going to be, we decided to open each one of Kingmaker's forewords with illustrations of the life and death (mostly death) of the River Kingdoms' unluckiest owlbear. There he is in the illustration above, wandering through the primeval woodlands of the Stolen Lands without a care in the world. I'm not going to name him, because that would just make the next five months of what happens to the poor guy depressing.

For now, though, he's at home in his element, with no idea of the pain and humiliation to come. What has cruel, cruel fate got in store for this poor, innocent owlbear? Tune in to this blog next month to find out!

James Jacobs
Creative Director

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Tags: Jon Hodgson Kingmaker Monsters Owlbears Pathfinder Adventure Path River Kingdoms Wallpapers
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Dark Archive

We totally need a 'name the poor owlbear' contest.

Spoiler:
And no, 'Unwinnie the Poohed On' does not qualitfy

Also some free Owlbear love right here at the Paizo store.
baron arem heshvaun wrote:


We totally need a 'name the poor owlbear' contest.

** spoiler omitted **

Well, I'm gonna call him Roger.

Dark Archive

That's not an owlbear... that's my momma!
Dark Archive

His name will be "toughie". Because no matter what disgrace will happen to him, he'll just stick around.
Owlbears are just like that, they shrug it off. Was that your best shot?

Love the art style, BTW.
Scarab Sages
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

Beaky Lives!
Sczarni

Doh - last memorable owlbear encounter, the pcs ended up taking home a baby owlbear.......

logic_poet wrote:
Beaky Lives!

His name should be Albert, but pronounced with a French accent: /al-bare/.

That way he can be /al-bare/ the owlbear.

Who?

Kenny?
Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8

I'm just happy it's an owlbear that doesn't look silly.

I've a soft spot for the big feathered and fuzzy.

We need Chong from the Last Airbender to give us an owlbear song.
Sovereign Court

Hooray for Owlbears!

Bubo ;)
The Exchange RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16

Speaking of ...
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Chris Mortika wrote:
Speaking of ...

That's painful and hilarious.

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
Black Dow wrote:

Bubo ;)

Shouldn't that be 'Boo-bo'?

"But what about the Ranger, Yogi?"
"Hey, hey Boo-bo! Just peck out his eyes and feast on his liver."
Sovereign Court
Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
logic_poet wrote:
Beaky Lives!

I don't recall Smenk ever paying for that injustice...

Matthew Morris wrote:
Black Dow wrote:

Bubo ;)

Shouldn't that be 'Boo-bo'?

"But what about the Ranger, Yogi?"
"Hey, hey Boo-bo! Just peck out his eyes and feast on his liver."

LOL. That's gold... [and totally impossible not to read in a "yogi" voice]

Watcher. Call him Watcher.

Cool,

Owlbears are absolutely one of my top 5 all time favorite D&D monsters.

Awesome!

And I love the art style... I'd like to see more Pathfinder art like this. It's simultaneously evocative and restrained.

Ken
Chris Mortika wrote:
Speaking of ...

Thanks, Mortika.

Liberty's Edge
Callous Jack wrote:
Hooray for Owlbears!

Well, one enterprising former military official thinks so certainly thinks so based on this ad campaign that may show this owlbear's ultimate fate:

Spoiler:

Kentucky Fried Owlbear!!! It's finger lickin' good!!

Shadow Lodge

I love this... the poor owlbear :)

I have a super wide display (2 screens) so did a little photo edit to make tile seamlessly on the horizontal. Makes for a great wallpaper :)
Silver Crusade

Dammit. I can't stand "animals in peril" movies. I couldn't stand them as a child.

These pictures are going to @#$%ing ruin me.
Silver Crusade
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

How about "Abomination: The Thing That Should Not Be".

I always feel bad about killing owlbears. It's not their fault that a mad wizard bred two completely incompatible species and created a furry/feathered/pointy creature of pure rage. Mostly... I feel bad for the original owlbear pairing. How drunk do you have to get an owl and a bear to even begin creating this thing that should not be?
therealthom wrote:
Watcher. Call him Watcher.

HAHAHAHAHA.

That's cool. If I don't suck in Round 4, then it's dedicated to you, Thom.

(If I do suck in Round 4, it's dedicated to me.)

I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't love that as a custom avatar like Sebastian has.

Still wonder what they were smoking when they came up with that creature.
Brett Hubbard wrote:
His name should be Albert, but pronounced with a French accent: /al-bare/.

I have to second this.

(Seriously, I really, really HAVE to. Albert's right here, and his claw-talon thingies are loaded with armor-piercing rounds.)
DitheringFool wrote:
logic_poet wrote:
Beaky Lives!
I don't recall Smenk ever paying for that injustice...

Tragic... and memorable. A revolting act from a repulsive villain.

Ingame my players wept bitter tears (especially the ranger who adopted Beaky). Outgame they LOVED it!

EDIT: as for a name: Bubba!
Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
Watcher wrote:
therealthom wrote:
Watcher. Call him Watcher.

HAHAHAHAHA.

That's cool. If I don't suck in Round 4, then it's dedicated to you, Thom.

(If I do suck in Round 4, it's dedicated to me.)

I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't love that as a custom avatar like Sebastian has.

We'd better see an Owlbear in your proposal, Jim!

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