Harpy

*“Oh, it’s GOOD to be a creature of the skies, able to see the land and sea from above, to sail on the winds, to strike like the lightning. But never forget that we are ascended from the good earth, and the ties of gravity do not shackle us, but sustain us. The earth continues to give to us, and we have a responsibility to those who do not share our freedom of flight.”*

*“THIS...is what being Hawkmoon is all about!”*

## Harpy

‘Harpies’ are essentially winged Hawkmoon Berserker Elite, and the term originally meant any caste-class that received the equivalent of bionic wings as an Upgrade. However, some specific configurations have come to exemplify the ‘true harpy’ in the Hawkmoons’ ranks, to distinguish them from such other winged classes as the Celestial and Celestar.

### Description

As understood, the specific ‘Harpy’ in Hawkmoon ranks is a modification of the Berserker frame, fitted with wings and concealed propulsion jets, which allow them a variety of flight modes, from quiet gliding to high speed jetting. They are heavier than their Berserker base design, due to the added encumbrance of their wings, but the added dimension of flight balances the loss of ground speed. Their flying speed, though, is slower than that of many jetpacks and flying power armors, but when speed is an issue, Harpies can strap on jetpacks to boost their velocity.

In many ways the Harpy is regarded as a Hawkmoon version of the Lost Eclipse’s Tisiphone Elite, a resemblance that the Nightmares are quick to draw amusement from (though the Hawkmoons will assert that the Harpy came FIRST, and was copied by the Lost Eclipse after the fact). It hasn’t helped that the fringe tribe Clan Shelley also uses the Harpy template.

Harpies typically wear only light body armor, and often go barefoot, the better for their long toes to get purchase on perches. They are also fond of wearing Gargoyle-style foot spurs and blades. When they can acquire such gear, they’ll also wear forcefield belts or TW Armor of Ithan amulets.

Because of their winged mode of flight, Harpies typically avoid carrying and using heavy weapons like the Shemarrian Rail Gun; firing those powerful weapons in flight is problematic with regards to accuracy and recoil. Thus the winged gynoids prefer to use recoilless weaponry such as energy pistols and rifles.

## Abilities

The Harpy can be fitted with any additional armor up to MEDIUM Cyborg Armor, but rarely wear anything heavier than LIGHT CBA.

Can also silently glide from heights.

### Sensors

#### Radar

4 mile range, can ID 36 different targets, and simultaneously track 16 targets as low as 700 ft.

### Weapons Systems

#### Arm Lasers (2)

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The Harpies retain the forearm lasers of the regular warriors. Just point and shoot.

#### Finger Claws

 Damage

The Harpies’ hands feature retractable vibroblades.

#### Foot Claws

 Damage

The Harpies’ feet feature retractable vibroblades that are also useful for carving footholds in sheer rock faces, building walls, or vehicle hulls.

#### Eye Lasers (2)

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The ‘laser stare’ is an increasingly popular feature of many Elites.

Bonus: +2 to strike (in addition to any other bonuses)

#### Throwing Blades (32, 16 per wing)

 Range2
 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

The Harpy carries special ‘feather blades’ that are hidden on the wings. These dense composite blades can be plucked from the wings and used as handheld knives, or thrown as projectiles.

#### Optional Wing Blades

 Damage
 Damage2

Copying the Gargoyles of Europe, some Harpies further accessorize by adding blades to their wings.

### Programming/Skills

The skills of the EShemar Harpy depend on their origins as Warriors or Berserkers (or, in a few cases, Acolites), and their level of experience. They also get the following:

Acrobatics (+20%)

### Combat

Damage: +1 SDC per every 20 MPH of flying speed.

#### Body Block/Leaping Jump Attack

1d6 MD and has a 01-50% chance of knocking opponents of up to 1,200
lbs weight off their feet(lose initiative and 2 APMs getting back up)

#### Diving Attack (2 attacks)

This is a diving attack from high altitude that can allow the Harpy to reach speeds of 180 MPH on an attack. This adds +9 SDC/MD to melee attacks, and increases damage from thrown kinetic weapons such as spears by +1d4 MD. The downside is that the Harpy’s dodge bonuses are HALVED during the descent.

### Psionic Abilities

EShemar baseline psionics of Object Read, Telemechanics, Telemechanical Possession, Telemechanic Mental Operation at no ISP cost.

Also have the following ADDITIONAL psionics:

Sixth Sense (2 ISP)

## Options

### Molecular Adhesion Pads

Many Harpies get molecular adhesion pads added to their hands and feet, allowing them to find perches just about anywhere.

### Tail Feathers (Cosmetic)

About 30% of Harpies have a bird-like tail attached at the base of their spine. It has 15 MDC and can conceal an additional 4 throwing blades.

### Laser-Reflective Wings

Silvering, gilding, or bronzing on the wings reduces laser damage by HALF. The gynoid can often array their wings into a shelter to protect themselves against laser fire.

### Camou-Wings

These wings incorporate the equivalent of Naruni Camouflage Sheets into them. When standing still, with the wings wrapped around them, the gynoid can effectively camouflage themselves, being -20% on others’ rolls to detect ambush and detect concealment, and only 20% likely to show up on thermal imaging gear. This option is more common with leathery (bat- or dragon-) winged Harpies.

### Harpy Lightning

This replaces the forearm lasers with a selection of ion weaponry; shorter range but more varied effects.

#### Arc-Thrower

 Damage
 Damage2
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Adapted from the research of a nominal ally, the Arc-Thrower extends several rods cracking with power that shoot what look like Saint Elmo’s Fire at a target, before jumping to adjacent targets.

Furthermore, a secondary bolt will jump to 1d6 targets in the vicinity of the main target, starting with the nearest target (or the nearest metallic target) as long as they are within 6 ft (10 ft for metal targets) of the initial target/point of impact, then jumping to the next one until the ball lightning dissipates. Secondary targets can attempt to dodge the energy ball as standard.

* Does only 1/4 of the original damage if the secondary targets are non-metallic or grounded.

Organic targets roll for Stun; save at 16 or better or be -8 to strike, dodge, parry, roll, and initiative, reduce APMs and Spd by HALF, for 2d4 melee rds. A successful save means lose only initiative and 1 APM for 1 melee round.

* 50% chance of knocking out unshielded electronics (or 1d4 subsystems like radio, electronic image amplification, cybernetic sensory implant, or the like) for 1d4 melees.

* Beings susceptible to electricity take DOUBLE damage.
* +2 to strike metallic targets

#### EMP Blaster

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Essentially a smaller version of the Triax TX-275 ‘Lightning’ Arc Charge Blaster with regards to overloading electrical systems.

* 01-15: No damage
* 16-30 Instruments flicker out, before coming back online in 1d4 seconds. Target loses Initiative.
* 31-45 All weapons temporarily out, and minor electrical fires. One system comes back online in 1d4 melee rds.
* 46-60 All systems temporarily out, and minor electrical fires. -30% to piloting skills if target is a manned vehicle. Systems come back online after 1d4 melee rds.
* 61-75 Communications, radar, and targeting are disabled, but weapons systems are unaffected. -3 to strike and no initiative. Damage requires physical repair.
* 76-90 Instruments are completely totaled. If a manned vehicle, the following skill penalties apply; -25% at one-third of maximum speed, -50% at HALF maximum speed, and -75% at full speed. NO initiative roll, -3 to dodge (-5 if an AI), -3 to strike (-5 if an AI), and lose one action per melee round (2 if an AI).
* 91-00 Total knockout. Controls do not respond, and machine is out of control. Crash/collapse/total shutdown within 2d4 minutes.

### Harpy Scream

 Damage
 Rate of Fire
 Payload

Inspired by reports of a sonic weapon mounted on a power armor also named the Harpy (see Rifter #14, Horlock Robots Inc. by Jeremy Clements), this option modifies the vocal cords and places special emitters in the wings, allowing the Harpy to belt out a powerful deadening sonic blast that can stun at close range.

Victims must save versus non-lethal poison or be rendered
unconscious for 1d6 melee rounds. Even on a successful save, the victim is -2 to strike, parry, and dodge for 1d6 melee rounds. Multiple blasts are cumulative for duration.

Sonic weapons do HALF damage through light ‘soft’ armors like MDC barding and padded armor.

The sonic vibrations can also be used to set up a resonance in hard armor that can stun or disorient living beings. Humans (and those most like them) will find these subsonic vibrations particularly irritating, the barely audible buzzing setting up painful discordance in their eardrums and auditory apparatus. Beings with enhanced hearing are particularly vulnerable to this attack (DOUBLE all penalties). Cyborgs and those with baffled hearing implants will NOT be affected by this.

Save versus psionic attack (12 or better) or be -1d4 to initiative, HALF all bonuses to strike/parry/dodge, and -1d4 to Maintain Balance. Roll under P.E. or fall unconscious for 1d6 melees.