The Bifurcated Owl

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"Are you quite sure you want to know this?"

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"Some time later, the trap door opens and something appears. A sleek horned owl. An owl with a peculiar longitudinal seam, and eyes gleaming with alien intelligence."[1]

"What have you done? That's a Bifurcated Owl! Run, if you value your secrets! Run! and hide!"[1]

The Bifurcated Owl is an unusually intelligent horned owl with a vertical seam that runs down its body.[2] It has an exhibit in the Labyrinth of Tigers, where it is kept in a small wooden box stored in a tomb-like enclosure secured with seven locks.[3][4] Unlike most other owls, the Bifurcated Owl feeds off of secrets;[5] to eat, it splits open its seam to reveal bizarre feelers in its body that resemble fingers or worms. These feelers can manipulate the minds of others, and draw out their secrets and memories for the Owl to greedily consume. Needless to say, feeding the Owl is an unpopular job at the Labyrinth.[4][6]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Breed the Rubbery Hound 7, Fallen London
  2. ↑ Breed the Rubbery Hound 7, Fallen London "A sleek horned owl. An owl with a peculiar longitudinal seam, and eyes gleaming with alien intelligence."
  3. ↑ The Bifurcated Owl, Fallen London "The Bifurcated Owl's lair looks more like a mausoleum than an aviary."
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Feed the owl, Fallen London "Feed the owl [...] Nobody else wants to feed the thing. [...] The oldest keeper gives you the seven keys to the door. [...] The Owl's lair [...] puts you in mind of a long-unfashionable church. [...] At the far end, [...] a lacquered wooden box the size of your head. [...] And inside the box, a great sleek horned Owl. [...] It splits and hinges open in your hands, [...] The cavity within writhes with – what? luminous maggots? [...] The grinding rhythm of the things drags your mouth open: secrets spool from your mind, drawn through your mouth like thread [...] The thing winds out your store of secrets in seconds, and begins unhurriedly to feast on your other memories: matters even you'd forgotten, shames that – enough!"
  5. ↑ Bifurcated Owl, Fallen London "Feed it only the most terrible secrets."
  6. ↑ Bifurcated Owl, Fallen London "Just one secret now. We don't want your hinged horror getting portly. The owl snaps open hungrily. The shapes inside it, like stubby little waggling fingers, motion towards your head. But you've prepared a secret, [...] You feel the owl dragging the secret from your thoughts and devouring it."
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