Harpies

Grungni

Member
From available information, do any of you know - do harpies talk? I mean in Common Speech ... it is a random bit of information i am after... thankyou kindly
 

Sleepysod

Member
They are listed under animals and monsters in first edition. Rudimentary intelligence, and viscious screeching creatures. No suggestion they can speak.
 
Having said that, in the WFRP2e Old World Bestiary, they're listed as being able to speak Dark Tongue, so depends what you want to use them for.
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
Warhammer 1E Book 1 says...

[Harpies] have limited intelligence and bestial cunning - as well as carniverous appetites. They make and use no tools and shun the company of intelligent creatures acting independently and to their own purposes.

Book 3 lists them as having the Hunger alignment:

Hunger Alignment is common amongst the less intelligent monster types - Hunger Aligned creatures have only one interest in life - Food

Warhammer 2E Bestiary says they have a "rudimentary intelligence".

I don't think they are great conversationalists, but supposed to be this kind of thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZVqFmVNobA
 

Sleepysod

Member
On this issue - I should clarify that Ray Harryhausens ability to write genre defining fantasy table top battle game rules sucks ;)
 

Grungni

Member
Writing/typing genre defining fantasy is quite a difficult task ... the blinking cursor mocking ones stupidity as one tries to think of what to type... i appreciate this here information words...
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
Harryhausen is great, but yeah, moving models 1mm then photographing them doesn't make for great tabletop battles.

It's always worth having a look at the 1970s AD&D books, a lot of Warhammer is based on it, and/or a reaction against it.

1E AD&D Monster Manual:

Harpies have the bodies of vultures but the upper torsos and heads of women. They are voracious carnivores and foul creatures. Those that dwell along seacoasts are generally known as sirens. All harpies are able to emit sweet-sounding calls. Any creature hearing these calls will proceed towards the harpies unless they save versus magic. Similarly, the touch of a harpy charms those creatures which fail to make their saving throw versus magic. The harpies attack, torture, and devour their charmed prey. What they do not want they foul with excrement. A harpy attacks with her vulture claws and some form of weapon - often a bone club or some weapon left from one of her farmer victims. They speak their own language and none other.

Some interesting differences - but giving them their own, impenetrable language (not Common) and Charm abilities is interesting, I don't think that appears in the original greek myth.
 
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