Harpy

Name	Afanc
Race	Monster
Type	Chimeric
Faction	Independent
Premiere	Desideratum: Blood Bonds
Relative(s)	None Applicable

In Greek mythology and Roman mythology, a harpy (plural harpies or Harpuiai, Greek: ἅρπυια, harpyia, pronounced [hárpyi̯a]; Latin: harpȳia) is a half-human and half-bird personification of storm winds. They feature in Homeric poems and other stories. In truth, harpies are magical mutants formed in the Age of Myths long ago. A trio of Greek elementalist sisters- Aello, Ocypete, and a third who would later be known as Celaeno, had been working on an alchemical formula similar to the Xenopox virus of the current times. They became the original harpies. Celaeno would capture women and fly them far away from their villages, before she would infect them with her claws or bite. The women would mutate into forms similar to those her sisters had. She eventually had created a massive flock of harpies, loyal soldiers that bent to her will, and they descended on Mount Olympus in vengeance for having chased her away. Though defeated, her minions remained in small pockets around the world.

These harpies have become obsessed with implanting a cursed egg into the womb of a worthy host. When the correct host is found, she will be consumed by the spirit of Celaeno, and call the host of harpies to her. They intend to then spread across the globe, infecting as many women as possible, until humanity has been replaced by harpy kind. Harpies are cruel. They can birth offspring and do not have to infect human females. By mating with human males, the harpy will lay eggs and her daughters will grow just as she did. The men that they captured are generally tortured and starved until they die, their only use being living inseminators for the harpy flock that captured them. Absinthe Van Gothen fought harpies on the slopes of Mount Hood as she helped the barbegazi there. Seeking the Night Stalker, Jacques Lombar, Absinthe slew harpies causing the rest of the flock to flee to safety.