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Also Known As: Arkansas howler, howler, Ozark Black Howler
Description: The Ozark howler is a large predator that looks like a cross between a cat and a black bear. It has the head of a predatory feline with two horns protruding above its brow and a short cat-like tail. Its body resembles a bear with thick, stocky legs, but with very prominent shoulder muscles that give it a somewhat feline appearance. The howler’s coat is dark and thick. It is named for its distinctive howl, which sounds like a cross between a wolf’s howl and an elk’s bugle.
BMA Classification: Howlers are classified as monsters by the BMA.
Powers: None
Vulnerabilities: Howlers can be killed with conventional weapons.
Biology and Habitat: Although howlers have not been extensively studied, they appear to be natural animals in every respect. In most ways, the howler’s life cycle and behavior are similar to large predatory cats. The main exception is the fact that, like bears, the creatures hibernate during the winter. As a result, they pose the largest threat to humans in the fall when they’re fattening up for the winter and in the early spring when they’ve just woken up hungry.
Although, as the name implies, Ozark howlers are most commonly encountered in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma, similar creatures have been reported (but not confirmed) in the Appalachians and the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
Sightings:
- According to one tale, Daniel Boone (over 80 years old at the time) killed a howler while on a hunting trip near the Platt River in 1816.
- There was a rash of howler sightings near Red Oak, Arkansas in 1946.
- In the 1950s, a howler was reported in northern Louisiana.
- In 1976, a howler was shot in east Texas.
- A howler was reported near Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1997, but local M-Forcers were unable to find any traces of the creature and noted numerous problems with the witness’s story. They concluded that the encounter was a hoax.
- A howler was killed by M-Forcers near Branson, Missouri in 1998.
- In May of 2011, a howler was reportedly seen near Jasper, Arkansas. M-Force agents are currently investigating the claim.
Additional Information:
Body: 18
Brain: 8
Nerve: 12
Job: Predator (15)
Gimmick: None
Weakness: None
Skills: Unnerving Howl +3; Sprint +2; Jumping +1
Armor Rating: 3
Damage Bonus: +3 (Claws; The howler’s horns are not large enough to be used as weapons)
HP: 25
Yum Yums: 1
