Harpies are supernatural creatures who, in Greek mythology, are the daughters of Electra and Thaumus. They steal food from their victims while they are eating and carry evil doers (especially those who have killed their family) to the Underworld. The name harpy means "snatchers".
Appearance[]
Harpies are beautiful, or ugly, women (it varies) that have the wings, feet and hands of birds. Their wings protude from their shoulder blades and the plumage comes in a variety of colours, depending on where the harpy is from. In colder climates, the feathers would be a pure white or white patches while in hotter climates the feathers would be yellow or red, but the most commen plumage colour is brown.
When they are fully transformed into their harpy form, they have long, hooked talons on their hands and feet which give them great grip. They have yellow scales on their hands and arms (up to their elbows) and their feet. They also have thick fur that goes up to their knees. The rest of the body is that of a woman with hair that normally matches the plumage.
Harpies have pointed ears which they keep in human and harpy form.
Becoming a Harpy[]
The Harpy gene is passed on through the females in the family. Because there are no male harpies, harpies mate with human males. There is a good chance that if a Harpy and a human have a baby girl then that girl will be a Harpy.
The child begins to develop into a harpy at the age of 10 when her wings start the grow. She is taught by her mother how to fly and how to use her harpy powers but not how to control the harpy instinct to steal. This the girl must learn to control herself. Once the child learns how to control the obsession, she is considered a full harpy.
There is a rumor that an ordinary person can become a Harpy if they are impaled by a Harpy's feather, but this theory has yet to be proven.
Powers and abilities[]
Retractable wings: Harpies have wings that protude from their shoulder blades. These allow the harpy to fly with minimum effort.
Retractable talons: Harpies have long, hooked talons on each of their fingers. They resemble those of a birds.
Heightened eyesight: Harpies can see in nearly all directions without moving their heads. They can also see the smallest details, like a mouse on the ground from high in the sky and they can tell if somebody is lying by the way they move.
Heightened agility: Harpies can move through the air like the wind and preform stunning airial mauvers. Their reflexes are on par with a werewolves if even better.
Communicate with birds: Harpies can speak with birds and have limited power over them.
Screech: a Harpy can produce a screech similar to that of a bird which can seriously hurt and sometimes even immobilise any supernatural creature with a heightened sense of hearing.
Grip: a harpies talons are well suited to gripping on to any material.
Control over wind: very experianced harpies can contol and manipulate the wind and create large storms. This takes a great deal of energy and the Harpy must rest for a time after.
Weaknesses []
The cold: Harpies are vunerable to the cold, prefering hotter climates. There are some Harpies who have adapted to the cold but they are very rare.
Mountain ash: like other supernatural creatures, harpies can't cross a mountain ash barrier.
Harpy talons: the talons of another harpy is deadly to a harpy.
Feather Plucking: if even one feather of a harpy is plucked, the harpy loses the ability the fly until another feather grows back in its place, this can take several days.
Being Grounded: (being stuck on the ground, not being in trouble) because a harpy has feet that resemble those of a birds, even though in human form they can only be seen by a werewolf using their "other eyes", harpies aren't very good on the ground, preferring the air.
Known Harpies[]
Clare Smith
Quirks[]
- All harpies have a desire to steal things from the day they are born.
- The most common plumage colour of a harpy is brown.
- The moon's cycle has no affect on a Harpy.
- Extreme cold can force a Harpy to change into their true form.
Gallery[]
