---
title: The Wise Owl of the Forest
categories: NPC
---

Magic Might
: 17 (Animal)

Characteristics
: Int +2, Per +2, Pre +1, Com +1, Str –6, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +6

Size
: –4

Season
: Summer

Confidence Score
: 1 (5)

Virtues and Flaws
: Magical Animal; Magical Champion; Wilderness Sense, Improved Characteristics (x2); Gossip, Indiscreet; Busybody, Nocturnal

Magic Qualities and Inferiorities
: Greater Power; Gift of Speech, Improved Abilities (x4), Minor Virtue: Animal Ken, Minor Virtue: Improved Characteristics (x2), Minor Virtue: Gift of Tongues*, Minor Virtue: Keen Eyes, Minor Virtue: Unaffected by The Gift; Susceptible to Deprivation

Personality Traits
: Loquacious* +6, Owl* +3, Inquisitive* +3

Modifications
:  Minor Flaw: Weakness to dance; One virtue to be added by player if 
   the owl becomes a familiar.
   Added infernal lore; reduced faerie lore and charm.

## Combat

Claws
: Initiative +5, Attack +5, Defense +12, Damage –4

Soak
: +2

Fatigue Levels
: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties
: –1 (1), –3 (2), –5 (3), Incapacitated (4), Dead (5+)

## Abilities

+ Animal Ken 4 (forest animals),
+ (Area) Lore 6 (woods)
+ Athletics 5 (flying)
+ Awareness 4 (rodents)
+ Bargain 3 (small talk)
+ Brawl 2 (dodging)
+ Charm 2 (inspiring confidence)
+ Faerie Lore 2 (vis sources)
+ Infernal Lore 4 (obsession)
+ Folk Ken 3 (travelers)
+ Hunt 2 (rodents)
+ Magic Lore 4 (regiones)
+ Penetration 2 (Animal)
+ Survival 3 (woods)
+ Wilderness Sense 3 (find prey)

## Powers:

**Immobilize Prey** 0 points, Init +6, Mentem or Animal.

R: Eye, D: Conc, T: Ind

Any creature that makes eye contact with the Owl is unable to move and may only make small whining or moaning sounds.  The target may move only if he successfully makes a Strength roll against an Ease Factor of 9.

ReMe(An) 15 (Base 5, +1 Eye, +1 Conc):
Greater Power (15 levels, –2 Might cost,
15xp in Penetration, +2 Init)

**Gift of Tongues:** Minor, Heroic Virtue, Allows
the character to understand and speak any language as long as she communicates directly with someone else who is fluent in that language. Others who hear the character’s words and who understand that language can understand what the character is saying. The character cannot carry on a conversation in multiple languages, but can act as a translator for two or more people who do not have this virtue. (See HoH:TL:105.)

Natural Weapons
: The Owl’s claws are Init –1, Atk +2, Dfn +3, Dam +2.

Vis
: 4 pawns of dedicated Intellego Mentem vis in his skull.

Appearance
: A grey owl with very large ice- blue eyes.

## Description

The Owl can fly silently and has exceptional senses. It can see equally well at night or during the day. The Owl knows the woods very well and monitors the activities within them closely. The Owl questions the animals throughout the forest and shares what information she gathers, although most non-magical animals have little interest in her news.

The Owl can understand human speech.  She generally avoids direct contact with humans, but is curious and will monitor them when they enter her wood. Because the Owl is only able to carry on a conversation with other intelligent animals, she is often bored and starved for conversation.  She occasionally talks with magi who enter the wood, as she finds them more receptive to carrying on a discussion with a talking owl than others.

The owl’s skull may be Enriched by boiling it in water with rare oils and sage until no flesh remains. The skull must then be kept at the highest point on the tallest tree in the forest in which the owl lived for one season.  After that period, while the skull is hung around a character’s neck, she possesses the Gift of Tongues Virtue.

## Story role

The owl may become Marcus' familiar.  However, it is not immediately forthcoming.  

The owl enters the story as a bad omen.

If the characters pursue, they will encounter the owl as a gossip.