Half-woman, half-monster harpies are vicious, corrupt hunters driven by their insatiable desire to eat. They prefer intelligent prey and enjoy speaking with their meals.

Dwelling in the world's wild and desolate places harpies are savage and utterly without remorse. They love shiny baubles and decorate their lairs with such. The stench of death and decay hangs heavily over a harpy and her nest.

Outside the Lair

Use this list, to determine what the characters find as they approach the lair.

1. Stunted, broken bushes make going difficult, in the nest’s environs.

2. A scattered disarticulated skeleton hangs among a high tree’s branches.

3. Bones are scattered across the ground.

4. Skulls hang from a tree’s leafless branches.

What’s Going On?

Use this list, to determine what is happening at the lair, when the characters arrive.

1. The harpy is gnawing a partially decomposed leg when the characters arrive. She uses it as a (missile) weapon, at the earliest opportunity.

2. Oblivious to the party, unless they make a lot of noise, the harpy is asleep and snoring loudly.

3. The harpy is singing softly to herself. She sings a song of violence, torture and death in a soft, lilting—almost smoothing—voice.

4. The harpy is searching through her treasure for a beloved trinket. She is in a foul mood.

Major Lair Features

Use this list, to determine the lair’s major feature(s). These features are obvious to the characters.

1. A thick layer of slime and congealed bodily fluids covers the floor. The smell is revolting.

2. Piles of dry offal and excrement cover the ground.

3. Dried splats of unidentifiable substances glue shards of a broken mirror to the nest’s walls.

4. Piles of rubble are heaped about the nest. Some are unstable, and the harpy tries to lure its enemies atop these piles so that they collapse.

Minor Lair Features

Use this list, to determine the lair’s minor feature(s). These features may, or may not, be obvious, to the characters.

1. . The heavy stench of death and decay hangs in the air.

2. The skulls of two of the harpy’s victims—incongruously clean and polished—fill a small wall niche.

3. Viscous sludge and slime fills several small indentations in the floor.

4. A cracked mirror leans drunkenly against a wall.

Harpy’s Appearance

Use this list, to generate an harpy’s general appearance and other characteristics.

1. The harpy has beautiful red and blue plumage. She stands out from typical examples of its brethren.

2. Wearing a thick leather belt weighted down with all manner of pouches the harpy has a strange air of civilisation about her.

3. The harpy has a wickedly curved black and yellow beak, and matching plumage.

4. The harpy has only one eye—an empty socket is all that remains of the other. She seems to be perpetually squinting, and has a reduced field of vision.

5. Treasure

Use this list, to add items of value to the harpy’s’ hoard; determine the value of each item to suit your campaign.

1. Stained with soot and smeared grime, this brass incense burner wobbles when stood upright.

2. Covered in dried mud and other unidentifiable things, this dirty wooden statuette of a unicorn is exquisitely detailed. Sadly, the unicorn’s horn has snapped off.

3. This small iron figurine of a stalking wolf once had tiny red garnets for eyes, but they are long gone.

4. This beautifully stained lute needs tuning but is in surprisingly good condition.

Trinkets & Trash

Use this list, to add items of interest, but little value, to the harpy’s’ hoard.

1. One bent and rusty iron spike missing its tip has been rammed into the nest’s wall.

2. This thick bundle of firewood is tied together with several lengths of red twine. The wood is exceptionally dry and burns quickly.

3. Dried blood coats the inside of this badly dented iron pot helmet.

4. This cracked iron hip flask is missing its stopper. Sadly, it’s empty as well!

Want More?

This is an extract from Monstrous Lair #05: Harpy’s Nest, a System Neutral resource by Creighton Broadhurst.