Owl Bears, Silly? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Owl Bears, Silly?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
havard
Jun 02, 2004 8:56:09 Has anyone ever made good use out of this monster? I have some problems taking the creature seriously. Does anyone know its origin? I seem to remember having heard that it comes from European folklore or myth, but I cant be sure. Also, how would I make a decent desctiption of this creature so that it would appear threatening, rather than just plain weird?

Havard
#2
Cthulhudrew
Jun 02, 2004 10:59:13
Originally posted by havard
Has anyone ever made good use out of this monster? I have some problems taking the creature seriously. Does anyone know its origin? I seem to remember having heard that it comes from European folklore or myth, but I cant be sure. Also, how would I make a decent desctiption of this creature so that it would appear threatening, rather than just plain weird?

I've actually always liked it- found it to be pretty darn scary/creepy looking myself. (I remember the first time my PCs ever encountered one in the Keep on the Borderlands.) It's a little quirky, but kind of cool.

I don't know what it's origins are (a couple of quick google searches don't turn up anything other than D&D related references, Everquest, Phantasy Star, and a beanie baby.) Also, I don't see any on any of my mythology sites (I've got several links on one of my webpages- http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/cthulhudrew/write.html).

One thing that I always planned to do was to have a culture based (loosely) in the indigenous Ainu people of Japan, to whom the bear was a significant totem. My plan was to have these people have owlbears be a big part of their society- owlbear riders, etc.

Maybe it's the name "owlbear" that makes it sound really goofy? You might come up with a different name for it. As far as describing it, I'd play up the bearish aspects (towering, massive, huge claws) and downplay the "owlish" aspects (mention that it has a large, toothed beak instead of jaws, but no feathers or anything like that).

You might try envisioning it, rather than as a magical creature, perhaps as a "dinosaur" like evolution. Since dinosaurs and avians are deemed distantly related, perhaps the owlbear is simply another version of a dinosaur? Usually encountered only in similar "lost world" areas? I was sort of inspired to this idea by this site (http://www.kokogiak.com/megafauna/default.asp), which describes a lot of "lost" megafauna. In fact, I'm kind of leaning towards this angle right now myself... hm.

Anyway, hope any of this might help.
#3
zombiegleemax
Jun 02, 2004 11:07:11
Originally posted by Cthulhudrew
I don't know what it's origins are...

It's a Gary Gygax creation from Greyhawk (think it was in the Greyhawk Supp. but may have been in Men & Magic), and is one of many D&D-only creatures, like the Displacer Beast, Beholder, Gelatinous Cube, Black Pudding, etc., etc.

R.A.
#4
havard
Jun 03, 2004 4:17:16 Thanks for the replies guys. I guess the whole "combination of Bear and Owl" description was what made me dislike the thing. If I go with something like "A large furry beast with huge claws and a twisted toothed beak-like protusion in place of a mouth" that might work better.

I like that lost worlds site, Cthul, lots of nice creatures there. I don't think my group will encounter a Giant Beaver anytime soon though ;)

Håvard
#5
havard
Jun 03, 2004 10:18:57 Hmmm...whatabout an Owlbugbear? ;)

Havard,
realizing he needs coffee!
#6
zombiegleemax
Jun 06, 2004 13:21:37 The owlbear, along with several other creatures such as the roper, rust monster, and shambling mound, were based on a series of strange plastic toys (from China, no less) that Gary Gygax and his friends had when they were playing the first D&D games. They were perfect for use with standard 25mm figures, and so Gary created monster stats based on the figures. Skip Williams apparently still has some of the original figures in his dice bag, and carries them with him to conventions...
#7
havard
Jun 06, 2004 13:40:35
Originally posted by Mystaros
The owlbear, along with several other creatures such as the roper, rust monster, and shambling mound, were based on a series of strange plastic toys (from China, no less) that Gary Gygax and his friends had when they were playing the first D&D games. They were perfect for use with standard 25mm figures, and so Gary created monster stats based on the figures. Skip Williams apparently still has some of the original figures in his dice bag, and carries them with him to conventions...

I've heard about those toys, just wasn't sure which monsters they represented. Isn't the Bulette also, based on a toy?
Are there any pictures of those toys on the net? would be interesting to see what they looked like. Ofcourse, I could track down Skip Williams...

Håvard
#8
bluebomber4evr
Jun 06, 2004 13:41:08 Hehehe...I used to have one of the rust monster toys! I always thought it was made because of D&D, not the other way around! I wonder if they were based on asian folklore or something.
#9
Cthulhudrew
Jun 06, 2004 15:41:32 Wow- I used to have the Rust Monster plastic figure and the Bulette plastic figure. I didn't know what a Bulette was for years (until I first became acquainted with AD&D), but I always thought it was weird that they made a figure of the Rust Monster from D&D. They used to come in a sack of plastic dinosaur figures (which also had some non-dinosaur pieces, obviously).

Don't recall ever seeing one for the Roper or the Bugbear, but that's a really interesting story nonetheless. It definitely explains my confusion over toy companies making toys based on D&D monsters... especially at the time, which was still largely anti-D&D in some circles in America.

(Wish I still had those pieces now...)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 havard Jun 02, 2004 8:56:09	Has anyone ever made good use out of this monster? I have some problems taking the creature seriously. Does anyone know its origin? I seem to remember having heard that it comes from European folklore or myth, but I cant be sure. Also, how would I make a decent desctiption of this creature so that it would appear threatening, rather than just plain weird? Havard
#2 Cthulhudrew Jun 02, 2004 10:59:13	Originally posted by havard Has anyone ever made good use out of this monster? I have some problems taking the creature seriously. Does anyone know its origin? I seem to remember having heard that it comes from European folklore or myth, but I cant be sure. Also, how would I make a decent desctiption of this creature so that it would appear threatening, rather than just plain weird? I've actually always liked it- found it to be pretty darn scary/creepy looking myself. (I remember the first time my PCs ever encountered one in the Keep on the Borderlands.) It's a little quirky, but kind of cool. I don't know what it's origins are (a couple of quick google searches don't turn up anything other than D&D related references, Everquest, Phantasy Star, and a beanie baby.) Also, I don't see any on any of my mythology sites (I've got several links on one of my webpages- http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/cthulhudrew/write.html). One thing that I always planned to do was to have a culture based (loosely) in the indigenous Ainu people of Japan, to whom the bear was a significant totem. My plan was to have these people have owlbears be a big part of their society- owlbear riders, etc. Maybe it's the name "owlbear" that makes it sound really goofy? You might come up with a different name for it. As far as describing it, I'd play up the bearish aspects (towering, massive, huge claws) and downplay the "owlish" aspects (mention that it has a large, toothed beak instead of jaws, but no feathers or anything like that). You might try envisioning it, rather than as a magical creature, perhaps as a "dinosaur" like evolution. Since dinosaurs and avians are deemed distantly related, perhaps the owlbear is simply another version of a dinosaur? Usually encountered only in similar "lost world" areas? I was sort of inspired to this idea by this site (http://www.kokogiak.com/megafauna/default.asp), which describes a lot of "lost" megafauna. In fact, I'm kind of leaning towards this angle right now myself... hm. Anyway, hope any of this might help.
#3 zombiegleemax Jun 02, 2004 11:07:11	Originally posted by Cthulhudrew I don't know what it's origins are... It's a Gary Gygax creation from Greyhawk (think it was in the Greyhawk Supp. but may have been in Men & Magic), and is one of many D&D-only creatures, like the Displacer Beast, Beholder, Gelatinous Cube, Black Pudding, etc., etc. R.A.
#4 havard Jun 03, 2004 4:17:16	Thanks for the replies guys. I guess the whole "combination of Bear and Owl" description was what made me dislike the thing. If I go with something like "A large furry beast with huge claws and a twisted toothed beak-like protusion in place of a mouth" that might work better. I like that lost worlds site, Cthul, lots of nice creatures there. I don't think my group will encounter a Giant Beaver anytime soon though ;) Håvard
#5 havard Jun 03, 2004 10:18:57	Hmmm...whatabout an Owlbugbear? ;) Havard, realizing he needs coffee!
#6 zombiegleemax Jun 06, 2004 13:21:37	The owlbear, along with several other creatures such as the roper, rust monster, and shambling mound, were based on a series of strange plastic toys (from China, no less) that Gary Gygax and his friends had when they were playing the first D&D games. They were perfect for use with standard 25mm figures, and so Gary created monster stats based on the figures. Skip Williams apparently still has some of the original figures in his dice bag, and carries them with him to conventions...
#7 havard Jun 06, 2004 13:40:35	Originally posted by Mystaros The owlbear, along with several other creatures such as the roper, rust monster, and shambling mound, were based on a series of strange plastic toys (from China, no less) that Gary Gygax and his friends had when they were playing the first D&D games. They were perfect for use with standard 25mm figures, and so Gary created monster stats based on the figures. Skip Williams apparently still has some of the original figures in his dice bag, and carries them with him to conventions... I've heard about those toys, just wasn't sure which monsters they represented. Isn't the Bulette also, based on a toy? Are there any pictures of those toys on the net? would be interesting to see what they looked like. Ofcourse, I could track down Skip Williams... Håvard
#8 bluebomber4evr Jun 06, 2004 13:41:08	Hehehe...I used to have one of the rust monster toys! I always thought it was made because of D&D, not the other way around! I wonder if they were based on asian folklore or something.
#9 Cthulhudrew Jun 06, 2004 15:41:32	Wow- I used to have the Rust Monster plastic figure and the Bulette plastic figure. I didn't know what a Bulette was for years (until I first became acquainted with AD&D), but I always thought it was weird that they made a figure of the Rust Monster from D&D. They used to come in a sack of plastic dinosaur figures (which also had some non-dinosaur pieces, obviously). Don't recall ever seeing one for the Roper or the Bugbear, but that's a really interesting story nonetheless. It definitely explains my confusion over toy companies making toys based on D&D monsters... especially at the time, which was still largely anti-D&D in some circles in America. (Wish I still had those pieces now...)