The Sirens are also known as the Harpies; both are the same species of beast that have adapted to separate parts of the earth, the Siren to the sea, the Harpy to the air. It is said that the Banshee is its land dwelling cousin, this author suspects as much.
Depicted in antiquity as a female head atop an eagle's body, the Harpy is, just as the Siren, a human being in all but its peculiar addition of wings (the Sirens possess gills) and its dazzling singing voice. My notes from a journey in the Aegean have the following verse from a Siren:
"If a song could prove death, would you
Knowing it beautiful and knowing it true
Break your chains, and your life lend,
To hear such a song's stunning end?"
Should you prove strong enough to ignore their cries and still desire to murder such a creature, it can be accomplished (killing it, like the succubus, is truly painful).
The Siren and Harpy possess skin invulnerable to conventional weapons; their vocal cords are the source of their power. Should one wrestle a Harpy or a Siren into submission and force open her mouth, pouring a fast sealing (and hopefully water-proof) epoxy or glue will damage their vocal cords and cut off her supply to oxygen. At this time you may be compelled to mercy- do not yield. Indeed, the saddest songs I have ever heard have been the dirges of a dying Siren or Harpy.
-HTK
No comments:
Post a Comment