Harpy

Harpy

Species	beast
No. Appearing	2–12
Behaviour	malevolent
Range	barrens, steppe, Tartarus
Size	5 ft. 4 in. tall
Weight	140 lbs.
Intelligence	7–8
Armour Class	7
Hit Dice	3
Action Points	6
Max. Stride	{{{stride}}}
THAC0	19
Hp/Die	d6
Attack Forms	talons, bone club
Damage	2–12, 2–8
Special Attacks	singing, touch, flight

Harpies, sometimes known as sirens, are beasts that appear with the upper body of a woman, with a pale face that is often described as ugly by those not affected by a harpy's bewitchment. Their arms are thin and bony, with long, vicious talons instead of hands. Growing from their shoulders are two enormous wings, similar to those of a vulture. They have the power of flight and have been described as "keeping pace with the blowing winds, as they soar and swoop, high aloft." {Hesiod}

In nature, they are altogether disgusting, for they live and sleep in their own filth like pigs. They wear attire that has been allowed to rot on their bodies, filled with rents and pierces, scorning to wear better cloth even when they could take it from their victims. They snore like repulsive beasts, and spit, and speak with loathsome language like street women. They are haggard with hunger and hatefulness, screaming like eagles while their eyes burn red with bloated blood.

But once a victim is entranced, they become in the victim's eyes the most beautiful of women, with the sweetest voices. Many a victim has been witnessed to remain enraptured, even as his or her body is torn limb from limb — for it is their ability to charm that makes harpies among the most dangerous of beasts.

Advantages

When they wish, harpies are able to sing with voices of unequalled resonance, producing lyrical music of incomprehensible sweetness. If this calling sound is heard within 120 ft., listeners must make a saving throw against magic, or else they will abandon all other actions and move forward to present themselves to the nearest singing harpy. Sailors have been known to jump overboard, and passengers who are unable to swim, who thus drown in the sea. Harpies often await victims while upon crags in dangerous shoals, for they take great glee from watching victims be dashed upon the rocks. While sailors may stuff their ears with cotton and wax, often they will run a ship aground because they cannot hear one another to give orders, and harpies thrill in this also.

At this time, victims can be wrestled to the ground and dragged back to safety; if taken more than 240 ft. from the singing, the lure of their call will be broken and the victim will regain their sensibility.

However, if they are able, harpies desire the called victim to come forward, so that he or she may be touched. It is this touch that bestows the true charm. For victims that have answered the call, there is no saving throw for this touch; but for others, who have fortitude against the harpy's singing, if they are touched or struck by a harpy, at this time they must make saving throw again. A successful save will forever afterwards protect a character from that harpy; but all harpies who touch the victim must each be saved against — and so harpies almost always roost in groups, so that they may thoroughly ensure their mutual protection.

Nothing can break the charm of being touched except the death of the specific harpy whose touch produced the charm. Once charmed by touch, the victim willingly accepts being torn asunder, often observing, while still alive, their own limbs and organs being consumed. Harpies are voracious; one is able to eat a meal of ten large men without trouble, and will pick every bone clean, sucking out the marrow, even if this takes many hours.

See Bestiary