Harpy Physiology

The power to use the abilities of harpies. Variation of Mythic Physiology and Avian Physiology.

Capabilities

User with this ability either is or can transform into an harpy, a winged spirit from Greek Mythology, where 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.

Harpies can vary widely in appearance but they are always some combination of woman and bird, usually a bird of prey. The ratio of human to bird can also vary from human-faced bird to Winged Humanoid, in many classical depictions their arms are their wings. Most of the time they are seen as ugly, but they were originally described as beautiful and this seems to be more on the line of their more current appearance.

Applications

Variations

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".

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.