Masters of the Skies
Harpies are winged humanoids that fly high amongst the crowd. unlike the Aarakockra, Harpies are natives to the Cauldron and hold high status amongst the other native races. They work alongside the Medusa in order to unravel the secrets of the Arcanum. Harpies come in many colors, from extravagant shades of red to the darkest shades of blue and black. Most of the time a harpy has colorful patterns around their chest and under their wings. Noble Harpies often have a mark of their family crest somewhere on their chest or wings. Harpy wings grow out of their human-like arms. Harpies have hard bird-like legs and talons. Harpies have a small talon-like spike on their elbow that is hidden by their feathers.
In the far reaches of the north, there lives a trip that Lives in the dire cold and has been able to use it to their advantage. Their people just as mysterious as the great north itself, has allowed them to elude the advances of the empires. The Snow Birds have never been caught by the Arcanum hawks.
Guardians of the Arcanum
Harpies are the Guardians of the Great Arcanum and the surrounding city. They have been protecting it since ancient times because of their natural sense of justice. Their strongest actually guard the doors into it, while the normal Harpies just find work in the surrounding city, and within their own communities. Though Harpies are bird brains, they don't forget their friends and oaths that they have taken.
The Harpies live in the great rafters that surround the Great Arcanum. They live in huts that over all sides of the rafters. The nobility lives in the arches of the Arcanum. Their houses are as large as human mansions. Commoner huts are not dirt floor houses, but rather complex nests that don't use many materials to construct.
Different clans of harpies live in different parts of the Arcanum. The Guardian hatchlings live the closest to the doors of the Arcanum, often having barracks inside of the skygates or under the skyway. The more magically inclined often live inside their studies within the walls of the Arcanum, and rarely leave other than for social gatherings or the summon of a noble. The Common-folk harpies live closest to the city and don't bother with the dealings of the Arcanum. The Studied Hatchlings Live in the pillars that hold up the archways. The Trackers live underneath the entire island of the Arcanum and are rarely seen other than when they return from missions or going about their daily shopping.
Harpy Names
Harpy names are sound very hard and are most often one syllable for men and two for females. They often sound as if a bird is cawing or singing. Family names often say which clan you are from. If you are from a noble family, it also has what number in the line of succession you are to the head of the family, it is represented by a Roman numeral.
Male Names: Aar, Ark, Baw, Brak, Cawr, Coor, Das, Erg, Fath, Gra, Haas, Ieth, Jrad, Krael, Leart
Female Names: Aratha, Arinath, Bawrthak, Berima, Cawther, Crailinth, Daria, Ernita, Fellith, Gozra, Haetor, Irinth, Jrossa, Ketra
Harpy Traits
Your abilities manifest in the form of traits that you share with your kin
Ability Score Increase
Your dexterity increases by 2.
Age
Harpy chicks are ably to fly 2 months after hatching. They reach maturity at around age 20. Harpies can outlive most mortal races, and begin losing their youth at around age 200, and can live for another hundred+ years.
Alignment
Harpies aren't bound by any strict rules, other than their oath to the Arcanum, and still, only take it semi-seriously. They are chaotic beings, but will not let villains have their way with the innocent, or let injustices be upheld. Often times a harpy is chaotic good.
Size
Often, Harpies stop growing at about four and a half feet, or the size of a human teenager. Harpies rarely weigh more than 70 lbs. Your size is small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 15 feet, and you have a base fly speed of 35 feet.
Superior Darkvision
You have darkvision up to 120 feet. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Harpy Weapon Training
All harpys are proficient in the following weapons: Daggers, Short Swords, Shortbow, Longbow, Hand Crossbow, Light Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow, Darts, Blowgun, and Pikes.
Winged Creature
You cannot wear normal armor, all armor must be modified to fit your size and accommodate your wings. It costs an extra 10gp to get armor modified to fit your needs. Magical armor costs 5pp to modify as it requires extra steps, or might not be able to be modified.
Talons
Your feet are natural weapons, and deal 1d6+dex slashing damage.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Harpy, Auran, and Common. Harpy is a harsh spoken language that has many guttural sounds, and caws.
Subraces
Not all Harpies are built the same. Harpy subraces often specialize in a form of combat or special ability. Your subrace's specialty appears in the form of traits that you share with others of your subrace.
Guardian Hatchlings
You come from a line of harpys that has guarded the Great Arcanum for thousands of years. You are much taller and more firm than your chaotic brothers and sister. This is reflected in your additional traits.
Ability Score Improvement
Your Strength score increases by 1
A Feather Above the Rest
You stand above others so that you can see all threats that may try to breach the walls of the Arcanum. Your new height is between 6-7 feet, and your size is medium.
Intimidating Stance
You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.
Armed Guard
You gain proficiency in heavy armor.
Arcane Hatchlings
You come from a line of spell casters that have practiced the great secrets of the Arcanum. Your lineage is ever entangled with the magical society whether you wish for it or not. This is reflected in your additional traits.
Ability Score Improvement
Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Knowledge of the Arcanum
Deep secrets dwell in the Arcanum, and you have but just begun to unravel them. you learn one cantrip off of the Wizards spell list.
Arcane Sight
You have proficiency in the Arcana skill.
Market Bird
Your subrace specializes in the creation of common goods and tools. You provide the majority of skilled work for your people, and are valued quite highly. This reflects in the following traits.
Ability Score Improvement
Your Charisma score increases by 1
Home Maker
You gain expertise in one tool of your choice.
Honored Tradition
Your subrace is praised for their work amongst your people. As a result, you have become responsible for carrying the stories of the past. You gain proficiency in the History skill.
Tracker Hawk
The skilled hunters and secret assassins of the Arcanum. It is your job to keep the secrets of the medusa, and Inner Keepers as they were, secret. The most agile of the Harpys make your clan the perfect fit.
Ability Score Improvement
Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Small Lurkers
Many years of needing to hide and track creatures have made your clan much smaller than your other brothers and sisters. You are about the size of a harpy child and look just as innocent. You stand between 2-3 feet tall. Your size is small.
Hunters intuition
You gain proficiency in the Survival skill.
Keeper of Secrets
You gain proficiency in the Insight skill.
Quick as a Bullet
Your base walk speed becomes 5 feet, and your base fly speed becomes 45 feet.
Scholared Hatchling
Your subrace is responsible for keeping track of the records and organizing the books in the Arcanum. You are keen to knowledge and often seek out new or exciting information. This is reflected in your subrace traits.
Ability Score Increase
Your wisdom score increases by 1
Knowledge Seeker
You have proficiency in the Perception and Investigation skills.
Quick to the Scene
Your base walking speed increases to 30 feet.
Song Bird
You gain proficiency in one type of musical instrument.
Snow Bird
Inhabitants of the northern ice lands, your clan doesn't live with the other Harpies in the Arcanum. The cold has shaped how your people grows. This is reflected in your following traits.
Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Chilled to the Bone
You have resistance to cold damage. Your talons now deal cold damage.
Dwellers of the Arctic
You gain proficiency in the following tools and weapons. You are proficient in nets, spears, hand axes, and quarterstaffs, Herbalism kit, and Navigators kit.
Comments