quozaxx Posted November 26, 2010 Report Share Posted November 26, 2010 In my Fantasy Hero game, I'm considered having the group come upon some harpies (or perhaps just one). In Bestiary the picture looks like the wings are a part of the arms, but she could just have them behind her back. This would count for the Limited Manipulation Complication if she just had claw like hands or just claw like feet. So, just for fun I thought I'd so some looking into harpies to see if they have arms and wings; or just wings and claw like feet. Some pictures I have seen, show they have arms (and claw like hands) and some show just claw like feet. Another thing I noticed. The encyclopedia mentions that they are ugly and are associated with ugliness, but some of the pics (manly the "human" half) aren't that ugly at all. So, I just want an opinion (since yes, I know I can make my harpies look like whatever I want my harpies to look like). I like opinions. Should harpies be ugly? Should harpies have separate arms (and claw like hands) or just wings and claw like feet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaJoe3 Posted November 26, 2010 Report Share Posted November 26, 2010 Re: Harpy questions One of the Xanth novels was set in the series' past, and had attractive goblins and harpies. It was speculated that the attractive ones evolved into elves and griffins (or something), and the ugly ones turned into the goblins and harpies of the series' present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narf the Mouse Posted November 26, 2010 Report Share Posted November 26, 2010 Re: Harpy questions No, it's just humanoidocentrism that insists they are. The first. No, but mentally and morally, they're uglier than a gremlin that got its face caught in a blender. Flip a coin; some the first, some the second. Absolutely. Harpy mothers wear blindfolds for a reason. The first. Yes, they ritually scar their own faces to reject the species that rejected them. The first. Or, more concisely, whatever fits your game world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted November 27, 2010 Report Share Posted November 27, 2010 Re: Harpy questions Sorry, from the thread title I thought you wanted to know about my wife. Carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted November 27, 2010 Report Share Posted November 27, 2010 Re: Harpy questions Badump ching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted November 27, 2010 Report Share Posted November 27, 2010 Re: Harpy questions I think (which is dangerous) that the Greeks described them as ugly and they had wings not arms. But, similar to the tengu of Japan, you could have two different types of Harpies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted November 27, 2010 Report Share Posted November 27, 2010 Re: Harpy questions I remember as a child, first reading about harpies in, I think it was Hawthorne's version of the quest for the Golden Fleece, I thought they were an allegory of flies. They were described as flying creatures that appeared when an accursed king set out a banquet, to carry off some of the food and spoil the rest (I think it was implied they defecated on it.) Sounded like a swarm of flies to me. But how you depict them depends on how you plan to use them. If they're going to use tools or weapons, or build things, they need hands. Lucius Alexander The palindromedary thinks you have to hand it to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowsoul Posted November 27, 2010 Report Share Posted November 27, 2010 Re: Harpy questions Yep, harpies are hideous. I'd say that they weren't tool users and just had clawed feet. But if that doesn't work for you then change it, fantasy is all about making things up after all. If you want a beautiful bird-woman as an encounter, consider a Sirin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted November 27, 2010 Report Share Posted November 27, 2010 Re: Harpy questions If I were going to use harpies, I'd make them clever in their own twisted way. They hate everything and everybody, even themselves, but know enough to flee fights they can't win and set up ambushes later. Not having arms or hands makes setting traditional traps difficult, but harpy-infested areas probably have several natural opbstacles and death-bearing places that they can lure or drive interlopers into. One possibility is that harpies are not natural creatures at all but spirits wrapped in flesh who embody petty hatred -- hatred elementals, so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
薔薇語 Posted November 28, 2010 Report Share Posted November 28, 2010 Re: Harpy questions First and foremost, I think one may be entirely too worried about what "others" think Harpies are or aren't. It isn't their universe, they aren't the guardians of conceptual integrity. One may deviate in any way one chooses so as to create a fun world. That said, if you choose to use them as representations of decay and filth, go with ugly. This gives you a rather black and white story as it depicts physically their moral nature. This then presents itself with an option for a 'less than evil' harpy that tries some of the establish norms by forcing a realization that even if one is ugly in appearance, it isn't a true depiction of moral worth. Maybe even gives you a story line to work with in establishing Why harpies came to exist. Maybe they were wrongfully accused women/mothers that were beaten and scarred. As a result, they cursed their attackers so strongly that the Gods granted their barbarous wish with a wicked twist; a curse upon them to bear children until eternity that reflected their ill desires. Thus, harpies are actually (when one considers the first generation) the most innocent of creatures victimized by the circumstances of their mothers, who were wrongfully accused and abused women, and the whims of the Gods, who sought to selfishly enjoy their power on women in the agonies of rage. Then their is an option of them being beautiful. This gives one a good chance to enchant, and entrance wayward soldiers. Beauty hides the true ugliness of their souls. Maybe they even keep "slaves" of sorts that lead others to their doom for the reward. This add to the overall layers of complexity of the encounter if one wants. But those are just a couple ideas. La Rose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manic Typist Posted November 28, 2010 Report Share Posted November 28, 2010 Re: Harpy questions Isn't the combination of a beautiful face and torso with a hideous, monstrous body another potential meaning of the word "ugly?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizza Man Posted November 28, 2010 Report Share Posted November 28, 2010 Re: Harpy questions I like the beautiful Harpy that the Rose mentioned. They don't need hands if they can enchant a few slaves to work for them. In this way they become more evil than just an ugly crone. They feed upon and enslave humanity. They are parasites. heck, they would make for great villains themselves or serve a more powerful master as a trusted agent. That enchanting ability would make for a great royal inquisitor. Think of a royal son, not in line to inherit anything. He has ambitions too. So he consorts with monsters to achieve his goal, I can see a feast in his hall where he feasts on beef and his monster minions feast on a roasted human. The harpy would have her slaves feed her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowsoul Posted November 28, 2010 Report Share Posted November 28, 2010 Re: Harpy questions The Sirens, (as distinct from the Russian Sirin that I mentioned earlier), were sometimes depicted as harpy-like birdwomen with beautiful faces. So you wouldn't be straying that far from the Greek myth if you gave them powers of beguilement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted November 29, 2010 Report Share Posted November 29, 2010 Re: Harpy questions In Matt Wagner's second Mage series the Harpies are exactly like this: humanoid birds - ugly as sin, but able to enchant their male slaves into an, ahem ... "close and caring relationship" if you know what I mean. cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted November 29, 2010 Report Share Posted November 29, 2010 Re: Harpy questions In Matt Wagner's second Mage series the Harpies are exactly like this: humanoid birds - ugly as sin, but able to enchant their male slaves into an, ahem ... "close and caring relationship" if you know what I mean. cheers, Mark Their claws could also shred steel drums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted December 12, 2010 Report Share Posted December 12, 2010 Re: Harpy questions Sorry' date=' from the thread title I thought you wanted to know about my wife. Carry on.[/quote'] *rimshot* Old Man will be here all week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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