Professor Thaddeus

 is Beau's escaped pet owl. As an NPC, is played by Matthew Mercer.

Appearance
Professor Thaddeus is of an owl species native to the Menagerie Coast that looks somewhat similar to a great horned owl, but smaller and more elongated, with longer tailfeathers and a much sharper beak.

Personality
Professor Thaddeus rarely obeys Beau, but appears to respond better to stern commands and swear words. According to Artagan, he's "kind of a dick."

Beau purchased the owl from Kestiff Drudy for 20 gold. When Jester asked if he would try to eat her new crimson weasel, Kestiff Drudy stated there was a reason that the two animals were kept in separate cages. Beau resolved to try to teach the two to become friends.

After meditating for ten minutes at the beach, Beau began training her new owl to come to her when she raised her forearm "regally". After an hour of training, Beau was able to train Professor Thaddeus to come to her, but only after coaxing him with some food (such as a rat or a seagull). Caduceus was able to communicate with Professor Thaddeus, who seemed to bond more with him than with Beau. Beau told Caduceus to stop talking to Professor Thaddeus.

Beau had Professor Thaddeus boarded at the Lavish Chateau during the Mighty Nein's stay in Nicodranas.

After some initial difficulty getting Thaddeus to come to her, Beau took him along with her when the Mighty Nein left the Lavish Chateau to go to the Open Quay to find Marius LePual. After the combat on the docks, Beau realized when she called out for him on The Mist that he had escaped and was now loose in Nicodranas.

Froga Yaga told the familiars (Sprinkle, Nugget, Toby, CLAPP, and Joanne) that Professor Thaddeus, also known as the Harbinger of Screams, the Verminator, The Talon of Assmoldius, and the Bird of Prey to the Wildmother he doesn't find you, had once terrorized the jungle outside Nicodranas prior to being captured. She told them that he'd eaten her leg.

When the familiars made it to the docks, Professor Thaddeus appeared on the mast of one of the ships and taunted them. He told Sprinkle and Nugget that because they'd seen him vulnerable and captured, he would have to kill them to maintain his reputation. He successfully injured Nugget, but was knocked out of the air by the broken bottle rocket, and Nugget held him down while the rest of the party escaped to safety on The Mist.

Beau and Nott looked for Professor Thaddeus and called for him, but did not find him.

Jester checked to see if Professor Thaddeus had returned to the Lavish Chateau after the Mighty Nein returned from their time at sea, but did not find him.

In Rexxentrum, upon spotting an owl in a store, Beau tried to determine if it was Thaddeus. Despite a low Perception roll, she was assured that it was not him.

While the party was briefly in Nicodranas, Beau rolled a natural 20 when looking for Thaddeus and through a window saw a flying shape a block-and-a-half away.

Abilities

 * Flyby: doesn't provoke Attacks of Opportunity when it flies out of an enemy's reach
 * Keen Hearing and Sight: Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing and sight
 * Talons: Melee Weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target, Hit: 1d4+2 slashing damage

Appearances and mentions

 * Campaign 2
 * Specials
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Quotations

 * "Hoo, hoo. Hoo."
 * "Well, you see, you have to die because I have a reputation to maintain. Around here, I'm more than a mere mortal. I have become a legend, one that is greatly befitting of an owl of my stature. You see, you both saw me locked in that metallic prison, restraining me from my destiny."

Trivia

 * The name "Professor Thaddeus" originates from a character that Marisha met during Burning Man: "Professor Thaddeus Bubo", proprietor of the "Single Seat Circus".