Harpy Yokai

**Harpy Yokai** are a variation of the Bird Yokai who has the body of a human and the wings and legs of a bird.

## Physical Appearance

The Harpy has the appearance of a human. However, their arms are replaced with wings and their legs are replaced with talons. Harpies have a clawed, opposable digit on the joint of each wing, and the wing at the joint has a "palm" which can curl to some small degree. This allows for gripping of objects, but these improvised grabbers are nowhere near as dexterous as true hands. Making the wings removable if needed.

## Description

Harpy Yokai are migratory beings and a race that embodies the notion of freedom, going where they please, when they please. Being similar in nature to migratory birds, Harpies psychologically can’t stay in one place for very long. Most harpies are natural airheads. They more often then not forget about their "rules" and just do what they please, with that rule being: "Harpies are not allowed to stay a long time in a place. ESPECIALLY at a guy's place."

## Abilities

Here are the abilities that the Harpy Yokai can have in their arsenal:

* Avian Physiology
	+ Aerial Adaptation
	+ Atmospheric Adaptation
	+ Claw Retraction
	+ Enhanced Agility
	+ Enhanced Balance
	+ Enhanced Endurance
	+ Enhanced Lung Capacity
	+ Enhanced Senses
	+ Enhanced Reflexes
	+ Hollow Skeleton
	+ Wing Manifestation/Flight
* Contaminant Immunity
* Disease Immunity

### Variations

* Air Deity Physiology
* Feather Projection
* Prehensile Feet
* Sonic Scream
* Wing Blades

**Classical Harpy** - beautiful women with wings, personifications of the destructive nature of wind and punishers of the mortals that angered the gods, "the dogs of great Zeus".

* High-Speed Flight
* Storm Manipulation
	+ Wind Generation
* Supernatural Beauty

**Monstrous Harpy** - ugly winged bird-women connected to diseases and foulness, vicious, cruel and violent agents of punishment who abducted people and tortured them on their way to Tartarus.

* Killing Instinct
* Pestilence Manipulation
	+ Disease Generation
	+ Infestation

## Pop Culture

Harpies originated from Greek Mythology. They often took the job of punishing mortals for their misdeeds. This punishment frequently took the form of snatching away and/or befouling people's food, hence their name which comes from the Greek word for "snatcher." They also can be considered as personifications of violent storm-winds. Throughout media, Harpies are all female as there is rarely any male harpies. Making them exclusively female. American Dragon: Jake Long has a race of harpies as part of the Magical Community. Characters who are harpies includes Papi from Monster Musume, Monet from One Piece, the Harpy Ladies from Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Storm Harpies from Winx Club.

## Variations

### Bird Yokai

The Harpy's wings and legs can be based on various bird species. Either from an ostrich to an eagle or even an owl. Each one has their unique traits that are connected to the bird species.

### Chicken Yokai

Harpies who has parts of the chicken can lay more eggs than the other variants of the Harpy Family. They can continuously lay eggs nearly every day. Poultry harpies have a red crest on top of their heads. Unlike chickens, their appearance is natural, not selectively bred.

### Raptor Yokai

Harpies who has parts of raptors such as eagles and hawks are the most intelligent of the Harpy Family. Their bodies are very similar to human bodies. Though other subspecies are omnivorous, raptor harpies are strictly carnivores. They are proud and difficult to please, an unusual trait among the generally amicable harpies. They're carnivores and they won't eat anything else unless it's meat.

### Owl Yokai

Harpies who has parts of an owl are nocturnal beings. They often stay in during the day and go out during the night. They also become more active after sunset and seem to be much more intelligent than their airheaded cousins.

### Garuda Yokai

The Garuda is a large Harpy subspecies prevalent in Hindu mythology. Regarded by Hindu lore as the King of all Birds and the mount of the Supreme god Lord Vishnu, Garuda are considered the strongest of the harpy subspecies and are known for their eternal animosity with the Naga serpent race. Garuda Yokai are mostly found in Asian countries like India and are very rare to see in other parts of the Hidden World.

## Life in the Hidden World

Harpies never stay in one place for too long. They often have to move from one place to another during migration. The Harpy Yokai are one of the many Yokai subspecies who are able to lay eggs. It can either by fertilized or unfertilized. They can lay up to 2-3 eggs every week. In regards to egg size, there's a possibility that fertilized harpy eggs are larger than unfertilized ones. Many Yokai enjoy eating harpy eggs. So much so that the harpy eggs are often one of the many items that are smuggled from one region to another. Harpies are extremely loyal to their partners. Once they find their soulmate, they stick to them for life. Harpy Yokai's legs and wings can be based on any kind of bird. This includes flamingos, seagulls, penguins, etc.

## Symbolism

Originally the Harpies were conceived as spirits of the wind, the personification of a nature occurrence that is frequent in ancient cultures. Here, the harpies symbolize a form of divine punishment, most notably the plague of famine.