Harpy

Harpy
World(s)	World of the dead
Location(s)	Land of the dead
Affiliation	The Authority Ghosts

The harpy was a sentient creature with the body of a bird and the head of a human female. They inhabited the land of the dead as guardians.

History

The Authority gave the harpies the task of guarding the Underworld. He gave the harpies that power to see the worst in every ghost. He told them to feed off the misery of the dead by taunting them with every wrongful deed they had committed during life.

Lyra Silvertongue, Will Parry, Lady Salmakia and Chevalier Tialys came with a plan to free the ghosts. Though the harpies attacked them at first, when they heard Lyra tell her story, a true story, they listened. Lyra convinced the harpies to take them to the highest point in the land so that Will could cut a window into another world. In exchange for true stories about the dead's lives, the harpies would lead the ghosts to the window into the mulefa world, allowing them to become one with the universe.

Biology

Harpies had the wings and talons of a bird, but the face and breasts of a human female. They gave off a horrible stench, a combination of rotten meat and other unspeakable things.

Appearances

• The Amber Spyglass
• The Secret Commonwealth (Mentioned only)
• His Dark Materials (TV series), Series 3

Behind the scenes

• In the TV series the harpies have a less humanoid appearence, having a fully avian body and a reptilian face.