Roleplaying creatures

Air mythicals : harpies

Harpies :

A harpy is a vulture with the head and sometimes breast of a woman. They were originally represented as beautiful winged maidens, then later as fierce creatures who lived in filth and contaminated everything they encountered. They are also depicted as pale hungry bird-creatures with the claws of lions. Harpies are mainly winged death-spirits, best known for stealing all food. They were no smaller than an eagle but usually not much larger. They had the hooked claws and beaks of a bird, but also left an over-powering stench where ever they went. Later the Harpies were depicted as having the head of a human being being, similar to gorgons and sirens as composite creatures; they were usually described as female. They are often associated with the wind and air, and thus are sometimes seen as representing the duality of air: calm and graceful at times, but also capable of great destruction and chaos. As the gods, and the wind, Harpies were considered immortal.

Notes :
- harpies are associate with whirlwinds and storms.
- the literal meaning of the word Harpy seems to be "that which grabs" as it comes form Greek word harpoxo which means "I grab"
- the word Harpy in English can also come from the Latin word Harpyia, in which in turn derives from the Greek Harpuia. Originally, the word translated as "snatchers". However, in modern english, Harpy can also be defined as "whirlwinds".
- harpies could also bring life.
- they were sometimes referred to as "the hounds of Zeus" for stealing food.
- Harpies are not seen as representing actual physical creatures, their characteristics -- immortality and destructive cruelty -- reflect attributes that we have not well understood in ourselves as human beings.