Angry Owl

Appearance
Extremely large bird, brown and black in color, with a curved beak and very large, round eyes. Hover over the ground constantly.

Background
Though most animal species suffer from competition with monsters and the presence of the undead, some species have managed to thrive. One such species is that of the owls, nocturnal predator birds. Their tendency to hunt silently through the night, striking suddenly and with great speed only exposing themselves when necessary, have allowed them to stay out of the way of monsters for the most part and to snatch their meals with ease. Common owls hunt mice and small lizards but in many areas, the presence of monsters and their competition have forced the owls to step up their game, as one may say. Such areas saw the birth of new breeds of owls, their bodies enlarged until they may now hunt small monsters and large lizards.

One should keep in mind that although they are animals, not monsters, and thus will not attack sapients normally, their nickname does have a sensible origin: they are not afraid of sapients like other wild animals and if provoked, will counterattack with lightning speed.

Tactical analysis
Angry owls are wild animals and as such, will not attack sapients normally, being instead more interested in living out their lives or hunting down less challenging prey than hulking humanoids clad in spike-covered steel plates. Still, adventurers should beware of pestering those great winged beasts ; their claws, being designed to grab and tear apart the hardened skin and scales of monsters, will do grievous damage even to armored targets, delivering large cuts even to steel plates. Likewise, unlike the more diminutive golden bats, the angry owls will be neither timid or hesitant in its attacks and will charge with extreme speed.

As a general rule, it is best to leave those animals alone. Should an adventurer truly wish, or need, to get rid of those feathered predators, it may be best to clear out the entire room first as to give oneself the room necessary to maneuver ; attempting to dodge an angry owl's lightning-quick attacks while being simultaneously harassed by the undead will result in much pain or even death more often than not. Once an angry owl is isolated, an adventurer may then strike at it from afar. Once struck, the angry owl will continue to move, only slowing down after a short moment and if it deliver a successful strike, it will then fly off in a random direction at full speed. If struck mid-charge, the angry owl will readjust the trajectory of its attack so it is not recommended to deliver successful hits quickly, as it will do nothing but pump the owl into a towering rage, causing a simple counterattack charge to become a homing one.

Due to their speed, a long-range weapon is best ; a close-range attack is likely to result in the unlucky adventurer trading hits with the owl. Though it is a mere animal and thus, its feathered body is nowhere near as tough as armor, the hits received will definitely add up in the long run.