Pygmy Snowlbear

Information sourced from 'Wrigley's Bestiary: Owlbears', a codified book correlating various notes of students from Dr Wrigley's lectures at the University of Divination (Medical College)

Written by David_Ulph

If one chooses to buy a Pygmy Snowy Owlbear from the 'Ysmgar Pet Emporium' in Anthor, we thoroughly recommend that more than one investment is made. The Pygmy is a very communal animal, which will fit in well with any other house pets one may already own, though if this is your first option of pet at least two must be purchased together to prevent the Pygmy for subsequent depression caused by loneliness. However, we will refuse to sell two males to one purchaser due to a regular occurrence with two boars in captivity severely injuring each other in bouts for dominance.
Please note that we only provide insurance for pets, Pygmy or otherwise, which have been bought from the Anthor Emporium or other sister establishments. We are not liable for any damages, mishaps or veterinary fees caused by those summoned via a "Find Familiar" spell or domesticated on one's own accord.

— 'The Owner's Manual for Pygmy Snowy Owlbears'

Introduction

The Northern Limit is an area on the western border of the Copper Sea, magically formed by Sea Giant refugees fleeing the Great Hunt at Grewhead. It is a frozen wasteland of constant magical winter and the most northerly extremes of mortal civilisation, though some life has adapted to survive in such harsh conditions. Animals such as Polar Bears and Snowy Owls thrive on hunting for scraps where they can, with one animal between the two that stalks the ice sheets for food is the Snowy Owlbear also known as the "Snowlbear".

The Owlbear is known to be an interesting and diverse animal species found across the Mortal Realm, whose origins are unknown like almost every animal outside those mentioned in divine legends. However, there are as many sub-species of owlbear as there are types of both bear and owl. The Snowlbear is found almost exclusively in the Northern Limit, and there is a further sub-species of Snowlbear in the Pygmy Snowy Owlbear. These "Pygmy Snowlbears" appear outside the Bastion-Settlements of the Confederation of Vallatorlan at the foothills of the Silver Mountains splitting Vallatorlan from the Northern Limit.

Biology

Anatomy

The Pygmy Snowlbear resembles a Polar Bear with thick black skin obscured not by fur but a coat (or down) of feathers as white as the snow they surround themselves with, with black speckles all over the fluffy feathers of the body and legs. The face of the Snowlbear is more avian than bear as well, featuring wide yellow owl-like eyes and a hooked beak replacing the long snout. The beast is held up by stocky thick legs and wide padded paws, and features an extremely short bear-like tail which the as noted by Dr Wrigley to be the smallest of all owlbear sub-species.

A curious feature of the Pygmy Snowlbear is its unique ears which are much different to the larger snowlbear and other owlbears. The breed has a distinct ear shape, where they fold forward or back giving the face a small, tight quality that exaggerates the eyes and gives the Pygmy Snowlbear a rounded or chubby look. An adult Pygmy Snowlbear Boar grows no larger than a cocker spaniel dog, with Sows growing to half the size resembling more of a common housecat.

Growth Rate & Stages

When a Pygmy Snowlbear hatches from its egg, it is tiny and unable to live on its own being both helpless and blind. It will stay in the nest until they are around one month old when they are able to move and feed on their own. Unlike other owlbear sub-species, Pygmy Snowlbears generally do not commit siblicide between hatchlings though cannibalism has been recorded if one dies.

Curiously, a Pygmy Snowlbear will have tall straight ears upon birth, which will stay straight until they mature sometime between two and three months old. Upon maturity, the Pygmy Snowlbear will develop its folded ears as well as the black speckles in the feathers since the need for protection by blending into the snow nests had passed. A Pygmy Snowlbear will live for 10 years in the wild, though up to 25 years under a warm roof and good care.

Dietary Needs

While snowlbears hunt seals off ice sheets, Pygmy Snowlbears instead hunt for small mammals, especially rodents which survive in the hardy conditions like lemmings which burrow under the snow. Those who live near rivers which thaw out in summer months have been seen to hunt northern water birds.

As with all carnivores that inhabit the Northern Limit, the Pygmy Snowlbear is also a scavenger which will opportunistically feed on anything they can to survive especially during the dark months of winter. This includes anything from beetles and fish to carrion.

Domestication

Pygmy Snowlbears are easily domesticated if one knows how to do it, and are extremely common pets for those who live in the Northern Limit as well as by nobility of the greater Holy See Territories. Snowlbears keep warm in the Northern Limit by fattening up on seals, which the Pygmy Snowlbear cannot hunt and therefore have adapted to live near the Bastion-Settlements like Ysmgar Bastion and Arges Bastion before the latter became a ruined husk of ice and Cockatrice.

Living near settlements allows the Pygmy Snowlbear to benefit from the warmth of civilisation that requires fire to survive, as well as easy shelter to retreat to during harsher winters. Many Pygmy Snowlbears are more scavenger than hunter due to this, and stay within the confines of settlements to trust easy and regular sources of food which have led to the animals to become naturally easy to trust especially when these regular sources also provide better shelter.

True domestication, though, is easiest before maturity is met which is best displayed by the position of the individual Pygmy Snowlbear's ears. Any time after this, while a wild snowlbear may be friendly for a time when approached with food or attention in the street, they will not be tamed and will run back off to alleys and outskirts. If taken care of before maturity, a Pygmy Snowlbear will imprint on its new owner and become extremely loyal and dependant on them.

These loving bonds between pygmy and carer is known to be sacred and not to be abused, as the owlbear becomes as loyal as a dog and affectionate as some cats. The domesticated Pygmy Snowlbear will never leave their owner even if abused, and will chose to live with or attempt to live with them until they die. It has also been seen that a Pygmy Snowlbear will stay by the burial site of their owner if they pass on.

Prompts Advent Calendar #25

WorldEmber Article #27

Scientific Name

Bubursus Maritimus Minutus

Full Name

Pygmy Snowy Owlbear

Parent Species

Snowy Owlbear (Bubursus Maritimus)

---

Notable Pygmy Snowlbear

An extremely famous pair of domesticated Pygmy Snowlbears are "Hercules" and "Athena", the pets of High King Conall Bondsbreaker, the first uniter of Vallatorlan and Demi-God child of Slangg, God of Strength and Physical Warfare.

These pair of Pygmies were gifted to the High King when he was still a lowly Prince of the Hinterlands by the Frost Giant known as Ysmgar the Five-Eyed when he and his Acolytes were allowed safe passage and land to live on in the Karthauld region of Northern Vallatorlan.

The High King refused to have any painting made of him without his two beloved pets featured playing at his feet or atop his shoulder. As such, the names have long passed into history with both becoming common names for Pygmy boars and sows.