Harpy

Harpies are carnivorous humanoids who favored preying on other sapient humanoids, using their enchanting voice to lure their prey into a state of docile trance in which they would not fight the harpy as they tortured and ate them.

## Sociocultural Information

### Distinction(s)

Predatory features, feathered hips, bird legs, taloned hands, large feathered wings

## Physical Traits

Harpies appeared as a hybrid of humans and birds with male and female harpies having the upper body of a female humanoid with the lower body of a bird of prey. Their legs up to their hips were typically dark grey or black in color with large talons and a wreath of feathers around the hips for warmth, their arms resembled that of a normal human's but their hands were elongated with sharp talon-tipped fingers. Their wings were at least twice the height of their bodies with their coloration resembling an eagle, falcon, or owls coloration and texture, tipped with a talon at the point the bones of the wings met at its tip they would also use their wings in combat. A harpy often appeared human at a quick glance but upon closer inspection one would see the jagged teeth, predatory gaze, and famished appearance. They often didn't wear any clothing but if one were found caught in frigid temperatures they would fashion primative clothing from the hides and fur of buffalo, elk, and deer so that they would not freeze to death. Harpies have lithe and thin frames, weighing under 100 pounds and being 5 feet tall or shorter.

## Behavior

Harpies enjoyed the power they could hold over others of different species of humanoid and would toy with their prey as they saw fit. They enjoyed tormenting their prey, allowing them to be aware they are being hunted and making them do things they otherwise wouldn't do as they are within the harpies trance. When they were done playing with their food they killed them slowly and ate every part of the body except the bones. With the leftover bones they would make crude weapons like spears, clubs, and arrows. Few harpies learned how to use a bow as they thought it to be to informal, preferring to be close to their target as they killed them, but those who did learn how to use a bow were skilled with it; at least as skilled as a primitive creature could be; and used it to hunt sentient creatures in time of hardship.

## Diet

Harpies are carnivorous beings but when food is scarce they can stomach certain fruits and vegetables to get by. Despite the fact that they can eat non-intelligent creatures, they prefer to feed almost exclusively on intelligent humanoids as the fear and pain they feel is more expressive and less animalistic than say, a rabbit. Their favorite meals are ameixikai for their rarity and anti-charm resistances, half-elves (or any "half-breeds") for the combined tastes of their parent races, and tharcs (orcs) for their large muscle-mass.

## Society

The majority of harpies live in flocks of 5-15 called a "wail" which was typically a biological family of relatives who continued living together for the purpose of survival and companionship because though harpies are aggressive and manipulative beings they are still quite social; enjoying the company of others within their species over anything else. The leader of a wail is often the one best at fighting be it from strength, dexterity, or skill, though there are cases were the head is the eldest of the harpies among them. If a harpy is not in a wail then they are likely in a flock or tribe of 30-200 known as a "screech" wherein they hunt for the whole rather than the one. A screech has a similar strength-based mentality when it comes to their leader and so there is often in-fighting between harpies in the screech who wish to become the leader of the flock. In rare cases where a harpy is gifted powers via exusians or otherwise they will become the leader of their flock, being feared and reveared by their fellows who worship them as a sort of demi-god.

Newly hatched harpies are hairless and featherless, unable to hold their head upright by themself until 6 months old and unable to fly or consume meat without it being chewed for them; babies hatched with any disfigurments or oddities are killed for the strength of the flock and race. During this period where the baby is finishing in development they are often tied to their mother or father with a leather and cloth blanket just under the left breast so that they are able to easily suckle milk from the parent. All harpies regardless of sex are capable of producing breast milk though it comes more naturally to female harpies. While strapped to their parent they consume a diet of breast milk and prechewed meat which their parent feeds them by regurgitation. While in their 6th month the baby will begin being waned from their parents milk into a fully meat-based diet as their teeth begin coming in. Around 7-8 months a baby harpy is able to consume raw meat by themself, walk for a short time, and understand basic words. Baby harpies are primarily raised by their parents but it is the effort of the whole flock to mold the child into a proper harpy and if a harpy is orphaned at a young age they will be adopted by another elder harpy. At a year of age harpies can walk fully without aid, understand basic words and phrases, and speak a few simple words themselves. At a year of age they being learning how to fly as by now their feathers will have come in, if they have not the child is seen as disfigured and killed. At a year and two months a harpy will have learned how to fly, still not a master nor as graceful as older harpies but able to keep up with the flock.

### Religion

Harpies often worshipped one of two exusians: a harpy who arose to the status of exusian, Gluck, or the god of air, Aeras. Gluck was the more commonly favored of the two deities with harpies sacrificing humanoids to the deity in a grand feast held twice a year, once in gelna and again in arayin. A harpy who worships either exusian will wear an amulat carved with their symbol. Bone is typically used for Gluck and branches for Aeras.

### Loners and Exiles

A harpy is generally not voluntarily without a flock as they view being part of a flock as apart of their identity. As a net of safety. As a nessessity. That being the case most harpies not part of a flock are typically exiled for but one reason: showing empathy for humanoids/abstaining from eating humanoids. With the consumption of humanoids being a core part of being a harpy and worshipping their deity it is seen as offensive and weak to purposfully avoid eating sapient flesh and so the harpy will be killed but if they are able to escape they are told to never return. Loners are harpies which have left their flock voluntarily be it for reasons of different opinion or a want to adventure; not entirely unheard of but uncommon nonetheless.