Mocking Harpies

Mocking Harpies
Magical Affinity: Sirens (use of Vocal or Sound Transformation magic)
Danger:  Moderate
Comedic Threat:  Critical

Mocking Harpies are known to range anywhere from tiny size to giant size.  They have a wide range of colors in their feathers and are normally found in jungles, or near tropical shores. They have also been known to seek out human civilizations and the small variety will look to settle in on occasions.  They are very playful and possess the innate magical ability to transform sound allowing them to mimic practically any voice they hear and even throw it in a multitude of distances and directions. They are also said to possess the most beautiful singing voices and are capable of singing songs that can lull a person to sleep or even make them fall in love - a tactic that they often use to find and/or abduct mates, sometimes enslaving them under their spell for as long as they want. These hypnotic melodies should be considered high level magic. Naturally, a mocking harpy's proficiency with the higher levels is dependent on their training.

Wealthy people in Negav will pay a huge sum just to have a tiny mocking harpy captured and caged; a sum large enough to allow an adventurer to vacation for at least 50 years. But part of the reason they are so expensive is that they are so dangerous. The mocking harpies' favorite pass-time would appear to be pranking other species, especially humans, into dangerous situations  Why? Because they're so good at it, that's why.  Whenever they see a single human or a goup, the harpies will carefully observe them, gathering amo before they unleash an tirade of insults; and they always know just to get under the person's skin.  Sadly, few of these harpies are above making fun of sick or even handicapped people.  Yes, it takes very thick skin to traverse regions that these maddening Harpies inhabit.   Another way they love to prank humans in the wild is by mimicking them.  After listening carefully to the human's voices, they will call out for someone in the voice of another, like a friend.  Sometimes they throw insults while mimicking a friends voice to cause the humans to start fighting each other.  Other times they will call out for help and lure humans right into the clutches of a waiting predator and laugh hysterically while they are eaten alive.

When all else fails, they will resort to the old "echo trip," which is relentlessly copying every word that comes out of a person's mouth in a taunting tone of voice; something that can drive even the most disciplined man to try to take one of these Harpies out with whatever he can get his hands on.  In cities where Mocking Harpies are known to reside, their crude sense of humor has often gotten them seriously injured in street fights and even bar fights.  It's doubtful that even a guard who is trained to not move under any circumstances will be able to resist strangling a Mocking Harpy.

The giant sized mocking harpies are less common but just as dangerous to adventurers. Because they can magically mimic almost any sound, they are very proficient at luring prey to them. They prefer to hunt this way, it seems. They can be found anywhere from land to someplace out at sea where they sing songs that put sailors in a euphoric daze, causing them to shipwreck more often than not. These stranded sailors make easy pickings for the sweet voiced, winged predators.

Can they do some super-ventriloquism where they can duplicate a person's voice perfectly or something?

I wouldn't say perfectly. They can match a voice enough to fool someone, especially when the people involve are at a distance. Their voices have a wide range, so even most males can be copied, as long as we're not talking about Barry White.

edit: Maybe the larger ones can capture the deeper male voices.

Mhh a prankster harpy... that's a good one
And I don't think it has been done. I'm clearly liking the idea

How to kill a mocking harpy...lol just a book reference, But i totally love the idea. pretty original in a sense.

A day a Guy came to visit his Paraplegic Friend's, girlfriend.

Friend:Hey Buddy. I just meet her a week ago. isn't see just the bastard.

Guy:Cripple,Cripple, cripple, cripple,cripple,cripple,crippl­e, cripple, cripple!

m-Harpy:CRIPPLE! uh,whoops...

Friend:DAMMIT!!!

Heh heh

lol

another scenario:

Guy visits his cripple friend and his girlfriend.

Guy: "How's it hanging?"

Friend: "Not bad at all."

(Guy's voice): "I meant your wang, since you're cripple and all."

Friend: "Dude, what?"

The Guy throws his arms up to show his innocence.

(guy's voice): "Since you're cripple, can I bang your girlfriend?"

Friend: "WTF man?!"

Guy: "That wasn't me!"

(Guy's voice): "You limp dick cripple."

Friend: "Alright man, that's enough. Get the hell on somewhere."

Guy: "I swear that wasn't me, somebody else is saying that stuff!"

(guy's voice): "But if it was me, what the hell could you do about it, cripple!"


Friend's girlfriend: "You're a monster!" Walks up and gives the guy a knee to the groin. Guy drops to the ground holding his jewels.

Friend: "Come on babe, let's get outta here."

Friend rolls over the guy with his wheelchair and the girlfriend takes an extra step on the guy's junk.

After rolling around in pain for a while, he looks up at a window and see's a colorful Harpy looking back at him, laughing her ass off.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More Mocking Harpy play::

Private Johnson and Private Ryan are standing watch at a city gate and talking about whatever, just shootin the schit basically.

Private Johnson: "So I heard they were lifting the 'Don't ask, don't tell,' policy."

Private Ryan: "Yeah, that's pretty jacked up. I really rather not know if the dude next to me is gay or not. I don't wanna think he's checkin me out."

Private Johnson: "I'm with you brother."

Private Ryan: "I'm not a homosexual hater or anything, but that would just piss me off if a guy ever hit on me. I might lose it and lay his ass out."

Private Johnson: "Trust me, I know where you're coming from."

Just then, a coin rolls up to Private Ryan's feet. After taking a quick look around to find the origin of the coin he bends over to pick it up.

(Private Johnson's voice): "Damn, nice ass."

Private Ryan straightens up and looks at Private Johnson who backs off.

Private Johnson: "I don't know where that came from. That wasn't me man."

Private Ryan: "It sure sounded like you. You better watch yourself Johnson."

Private Johnson opens his mouth to respond...

(Private Johnson's voice): "I'd rather watch that sweet ass of yours."

Private Johnson covers his mouth with both hands.

Private Ryan: "What the hell did I tell you, Johnson?" Proceeds to pumble Private Johnson.

Private Marks and a flock of Mocking Harpies hiding behind nearby trees laughs themselves to tears.

Oh god ventriloquists imitator harpy.. that's comedy gold XD

We gotta make some sort of joke thread on. Gt's stuff is actually REALLY funny

I have my moments. I can be just as unfunny... more often than not.

Updated the original post. C:

This has me laughing my ass off.

Thanks for the feedback. C:

But looking back on this almost two years later, I wonder if people might mistake mocking harpies for mindless parrots. I hope that doesn't happen. I should add something to the description to prevent that.. I'll think of something.