Harpy
A harpy (pl: harpies, harpyiai) is a race of monstrous humanoid winged creatures. A group of them is referred to as either a "flock" or a "gaggle". Harpies are half-human and half-bird, often believed to be a personification of storm wind. Harpies are generally depicted as birds with the heads of maidens, faces pale with hunger and long claws on their hands.
Description
A harpy has the upper body of a female humanoid and the lower body of an reptilian creature, with scaly legs, clawed feet, and clawed hands with knotty fingers. Harpies have coal-black eyes in humanoid faces, with hair that is often filthy, tangled, and crusted with old dry blood. They possess powerful bird-like wings with which they could fly and carry away their victims.
Harpies do not wear any clothing, but would adorn themselves with jewelry or trinkets from their victims.
There is no physical difference between male and female harpies. The males possess breasts just like the females do, leading to the misconception that male harpies do not exist.
Abilities
The deadliest power of the harpy is its insidious and captivating song. A harpy's song, while it is heard, acts like a charm affecting all non-harpies up to 300 feet (91 meters) away. It takes an effort of will to resist; those who did could count themselves safe for a day, at least from that one harpy's song. In those who succumbed, it induced a trance-like state in which the victim is compelled to move directly towards the harpy. If dangers obstructed their path, they could shake off the effect, but if they could not, they could do little but try to protect themselves. However, once within reach of the harpy, the victim is at the harpy's mercy and makes no attempt at defending themselves. Creatures who could not hear are unaffected by the magical song. Elves are naturally resistant to the effects of the harpy's song. They have keen hearing and skills in deceit, intimidation, and, curiously, oratory talents.Combat
Harpies use primitive weapons, usually big bones wielded as improvised clubs, but a few harpy archers master the use of bows. Otherwise, they could also bite and attack with their claws. They often attack on the wing, striking from above with their weapons. They have no preference over their victims, and enjoy the killing and torture of any creature.Civilization and Culture
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Society
Female harpies could lay eggs and would lay a total of up to twenty during their lifetime, but only around three of those would successfully hatch, and any deformed young are killed by a parent. It is unclear whether harpies look after their young or not, but if they do, it consists of nothing more than feeding their young, similar to birds. The lifespan of a harpy is up to 50 years, but most die around 25–30 years.When old age weakens a harpy, it is often killed and eaten by its own kin. They are almost exclusively carnivorous, but if meat is unavailable, they would resort to eating vegetation. Their preferred food is fresh demihuman meat, especially elves. Due to the natural resistance elves have to the harpy's song, harpies view their meat as an especially rare delicacy. Harpies make homes in groups of six or more individuals within marshlands or in caves near shorelines, which are preferably near well-traveled routes. They are often encountered alone, in pairs, or in packs of seven to a dozen harpies known as "flights". However, a tribe of harpies, known as a "scream", could be as large as two hundred. There is no social structure to harpy life. There is constant quarreling, which sometimes results in fights to the death. When deaths do occur, harpies are willing to eat their own kind. Otherwise, harpies venture out to hunt, and their victims are often brought back to the lair to be killed and eaten. Harpies are generally uninterested in treasure or wealth, but they would always take at least one possession from a victim back to their lair as a symbol of their kill. A few successful harpies took up the bow as archers, mastering this tactic and going at it alone as cruel hunters, bandits, and mercenaries, usually operating as bandits when not hired as mercenaries. Such harpies acquired much wealth in the form of the tools of their trade. Harpies with longer tails are known to dwell in Icewind Dale, and other arctic regions.
Scientific Name
harpyia harpyia
Lifespan
30 years
Average Height
2 meters.
Average Weight
40 kg. The bones of a harpy are hollow, thus making them significantly lighter than their build would suggest.
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