Strange Boreal

The **Strange Boreal** was a male Boreal Owl, or *Aegolius funereus*. Though not of a species belonging to the Tyto family, he was an agent of the Pure Ones and attempted to infiltrate the Palace of Mists in search of the Ember of Hoole, only to be slain by Bess while fighting her for knowledge of the mysterious coal. He had haggish views of the owl afterlife, declaring Hagsmire to be Glaumora to him.

## History

### The War of the Ember

Despite its natural defences, the Strange Boreal was somehow able to find his way to the Palace of Mists and was found by Bess sprawled in a niche of the bell tower, breath coming in ragged gasps. Alerted by his fellow Boreal's exclamation of surprise, the nameless owl appeared to struggle to raise his head, only to collapse back from what seemed to be the strain of such a movement. Whispering in a laboured voice as he voiced his presence at the Others' ruins to be the presence of an owl close to death who wished to die beneath the clapper of a bell and henceforth ascend immediately to the light of Glaumora, per the beliefs of Boreal Owls, when Bess points out that there is no one with him to toll him to the next life, the Boreal dismisses this as meaningless, voicing his expectation that Bess would consent to perform the duty. Continuing on to claim that poison had entered his gizzard and sealed his fate, denying there to be an antidote.

Bess agrees to such a request in accordance to the unwritten code of Boreal Owls and gently hauls the mysterious visitor into the belfry. As she does, the Strange Boreal seems to devolve into dementia so when Bess inquired to his name, she received gibberish in return. Despite being a complete stranger, Bess made her best attempt to toll the nameless Boreal via the ritual song of Boreals like them and as she concluded, the owl, seeming to rouse himself enough to ask to be left to die in the peace of solitude.

In reality, however, the Boreal was an the prime of health and, the moment he was certain Bess would not chance upon him, he began ransacking the Palace of Mists in search of the Ember to present to his masters. Bess, however, was awoken by the scroom of her father, Grimble, so when the Boreal, talons sheathed in battle claws, entered the maparium, Bess was hidden. As the intruder neared the room's cabinet, however, he was suddenly attacked by Bess, who made a strike for the gizzard, only for the enemy Boreal to deflect the blow with a glancing slash, diverting the blow so that it instead struck the wingpit. As the Boreals separated, Bess reeling back, the Strange Boreal staggering in flight, the latter experienced a flash of confusion that quickly morphed to rage and with fury burning in his heart, the Strange Boreal flung himself at the daughter of Grimble, attempting as he dived to seize the arrowhead dropped by Bess, who shoved him aside to retrieve it herself. Facing off against Bess (who recognised the villainous owl to be a seasoned warrior) the Strange Boreal demanded the location of the Ember of Hoole, scoffing when Bess feigned ignorance to such a topic. Despite his haggish ideals, the Strange Boreal still gave the smallest flinch and wilf of shame when Bess expressed disgust at his utter disregard for the Boreal Code, but swiftly spat back in answer to Hess declaring that he would rot in Hagsmire for his actions that "they" would soon rule the Strigidae underworld and all the fiends that dwell in it, earning a flinch from Bess. Sight the flash of an opening in his foe's defences, Nyra's servant threw himself at his kinsowl, crashing into her and sending her flying to the earth below, then dashing for the stairway leading to the crypt. Pursued by Bess, who he led in a zigzagging chase, displaying a lack of precision in flight when his battle claws skimmed along a stone wall. Though initially pursued by Bess as she tried to drive him from the crypt, the Boreal was later fooled into believing Bess was flying back into another chamber to defend the Ember, pursuing her until they faced each other off in the next area, the Strange Boreal screeching for Bess to surrender the Ember, least he rips her to shreds, but recieved no answer in response. Unsheathing his battle claws, then charging, the Boreal suddenly found himself flying straight into the path of an arrowhead thrown by Bess that stabbed him in the chest. Grasping true dying breaths, the Boreal was sarcastically asked by Bess if he now wished her to toll him to the next life. In answer however, the Boreal, a horrifying gleam in his amber eyes, declared he is in the cradle of hagsfiends now and that to him, Hagsmire was Glaumora. Whispering Bess would see in good time with his dying breath, the twisted Boreal's eyes then went dark, and he died, his spirit condemned to Hagsmire.