Russet owlmonster

A russet owlmonster was an horrid hybrid of owlbear and rust monster created by Nestor Podgin of Monsters Made to Order in Skullport in the late 14 century DR.

Description
Roughly half rust monster, quarter bear, and quarter giant owl, the russet owlmonster was largely similar to the owlbear in build, size, and stance, yet had a rust monster's armored carapace about its shoulders, back, and head. Protruding from its shoulders were stubbier forms of the rusting antennae found on rust monsters.

Combat
Similarly, it combined the worst traits of owlbear and rust monster. With its claws and beak, it could slash, grab, hug, and bite its victims, and with its antennae it could rust away all metal items—such as weapons and armor—they might have defended themselves with it.

Behavior
The owlmonster was highly unstable and aggressive, perhaps more so than even the owlbear. They resisted all attempts to train them and had to be charmed into compliance.

History
Nestor Podgin was a transmuter hailing from Waterdeep with a too-keen interest in researching all aspects of the creation of life, but particularly how hybrid monsters such as owlbears, chimerae, and perytons came to be. He theorized magic had been used to make them and identified common traits of aggression and unpredictability in them and in his own experiments with the spell Duhlark's animerge (which he knew as join animal). He refined the technique and became skilled enough to make a profitable business of it, by making monstrous creatures to order.

The russet owlmonster was his most successful creation, with three specimens produced by 1370 DR. What's more, Nestor expected one to bear young of its own before long. If so, and if the offspring also bred true, then he would have created a whole new species.