Bestiary: Nenbearon

by Tim Wallace

Nenbearon

This large, bear-shaped creature is covered by blue scales with tufts of purple feathers poking out from between the scales.

© Nicholas Cloister, Monsters by Email, licensed to Timothy Wallace

NENBEARON      CR 5

XP 1,600

Nenbearon

N Large magical beast (earth)

Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +11

Aura electricity (5 ft, 1d6 elec.)

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DEFENSE

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AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+1 Dex, +8 natural, –1 size)

hp 57 (6d10+24)

Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +4

Defensive Abilities adaptive defense; Immune electricity; SR 11

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OFFENSE

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Speed 30 ft., four-footed run

Melee bite +9 (1d6+4), 2 claws +9 (1d6+4)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

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STATISTICS

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Str 19, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 10

Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 22 (26 vs. trip)

Feats Nightstalker, Skill Focus (Stealth), Stealthy

Skills Escape Artist +3, Perception +11, Stealth +2 (+6 in shadowy illumination or natural darkness, +6 in deserts); Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth, +8 in deserts

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ECOLOGY

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Environment deserts

Organization solitary, pair, or troop (3–8)

Treasure double

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SPECIAL ABILITIES

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Adaptive Defense (Su) When first encountered, a nenbearon bird has no energy resistance. When damaged by an attack that causes cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage, it gains resistance 30 to that energy type until the end of its next turn. If an attack causes more than one type of energy damage, the nenbearon bird gains resistance 30 to all the types of energy damage dealt.

Electricity Aura (Su) A nenbearon is surrounded by an aura of electricity. Creatures within 5 feet take 1d6 points of electricity damage at the beginning of the nenbearon's turn.

Four-Footed Run (Ex) A nenbearon can run on all fours at speed of 50 feet if it doesn't hold or carry anything in its hands. When running on all fours, it is treated as if it had the Run feat.

While relatively bear-shaped, nenbearons are actually the result of the unlikely pairing of a blue dragon and a jubjub bird. It is debated as to whether the first nenbearons in existence were the result of strange draconic passions or magical tampering, though the race breeds true in current times.

One might think that a nenbearon’s size would prevent it from being able to stalk its prey, but they have proven to be quite adept hiding in darkness and their native desert environment. Instead of using their sense of smell to hunt their prey, nenbearons track their prey by following the vibrations in the earth.

In addition, while nenbearons inherited the intelligence of their jubjub forebearers, they have inherited a mix of the defenses of both their ancestral bloodlines.