Harpy

"Sure their voices are alluring, but not much else!" -Drig's Monster Compendium

A Harpy was a bipedal humanoid monster that resembled a human woman with bird-like features. Though originally from Madeci, they have migrated to southern Eiren as well.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Harpies have two legs and two arms, with additional wings sprouting from their back. Their heads resemble those of human women. Their muscular structure is a little more beefier than humans yet has a slender build to it. They grow hair on their head, but on their legs and wings they grow heavy feathers. Their bones are hallow which makes them surprisingly light for their size.
Their jaws and skin are very stretchy and elastic, allowing them to swallow larger portions of an animal's flesh. Their organs also are stretchy so they can fit large amounts of food in their bodies at a time.

Genetics and Reproduction

Harpies, despite resembling human women, are actually not sexually dimorphic. Male and female harpies look exactly alike. They reproduce like birds. A female harpy will lay about 4 eggs in a nest, which will develop for about 9 weeks until finally hatching.

Growth Rate & Stages

Once a harpy hatches from it's egg, it will feed from it's mother in the first year until growing older to start eating meat. It will grow into an adult at age 10, being able to leave the nest and find food for themselves.

Ecology and Habitats

Harpies usually stick around rocky cliffs and mountainsides that overlook forests, as they enjoy easy pickings for their meals. The cliffs provide protection from stronger carnivores, like owlbears and giant spiders. Occasionally they will hang around human settlements in order to pick them off as weekly food.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Harpies are mainly carnivorous. They rely mostly on luring in sheep or cattle in order to feed for large amounts of time. However, harpies are well equipped to feast upon humans as well, a delicacy to them that goes back to their ancestry. They will sing human songs with feminine voices to lure in anyone listening. Once caught, they will eat the human alive and begin to feast on their flesh and blood, leaving the bones for any other creatures to scavenge.
When eating a creature, they make sure to stuff themselves with all the flesh of the being so they begin to bloat severely at the belly. Their organs can strangely stretch, and so can their flesh. This allows them to digest slowly and to stay away for days from more dangerous beings hunting for their scraps, like owlbears. It is rather disgusting.

Additional Information

Average Intelligence

Interestingly enough, harpies know how to speak human languages and understand them. They are not the smartest of beings, but they certainly can be adaptive and crafty in other senses. They have even learned how to develop weapons on their own. (Albeit, they are primitive blunt weapons.)

Harpy by Wizards of the Coast

Image of a harpy, calling on a rock face near it's nest.

Scientific Name

Mulier Avem

Lifespan

40 years

Average Height

6'3''

Average Weight

130 lbs

Average Length

8 feet