Desert Harpy

"Her small wings ruffling in the desert gale, the young girl watched as her mother, Valia Isah, stepped into the large chalk ring. She watched as Valia steadied herself, taking deep breaths as she prepared her magic. Valia began tracing her fingers through the air, as though slipping through seams in reality itself She begins to manipulate these threads, quickly, but with precision. As she pulls, she shapes these threads into a rocky figure, flying up as she places each rock that makes up the creature. With a final flourish, Valia lets go of the threads, and the rocky figure is pulled into reality: a large, menacing earth elemental. Jenesia, shaman of the Seylene clan, stood up from her throne. 'Well done.' She spoke, with a tinge of condescension. 'Now let me show you what real magic looks like."

Memoirs of Auburn Isah, Shaman of the Seylene Clan

A love for magic, the thrill of exploration; the yearning for an untrodden path under your feet, and cool air beneath your wings. These things are what make up the psyche of a Desert Harpy. Desert Harpies live in nomadic clans, traveling from one hidden, secluded place to the next. Desert Harpies have a love for magic, with most of the Desert Harpies believing in something known as the Weave: an invisible tapestry that is manipulated by spellcasters and connects every individual
The Desert Harpies' devotion to the arcane is well known, with many creatures seeking out their expertise and understanding of magic. This devotion is not unnoticed by the divine, and Ether, one of the saints of magic, took to this group of creatures, granting them boons in return for their worship. Though it is unclear whether Ether represents the Weave, or whether the Desert Harpies actually worship Ether, they both believe that magic is a mysterious force that cannot and should not be explained

Gift Of Flight

Once, long ago, the Kenku wronged Sylic, one of the most powerful witches in all of the world. In her ire, she took the Kenku's gift of flight. Years later, after the ancestors to the Desert Harpies did her a service with their knowledge of the arcane, she granted them the wings she had stole from the Kenku. As is apparent, this has led to tense conflicts between the Kenku and the Desert Harpies, and though direct combat has long since ceased between the two, the Kenku still hold a misplaced grudge.
The Desert Harpies use their flight to allow them to live a more nomadic lifestyle, flying to high peaks and covering great distances. This has allowed them to explore much of Maraal, and several Desert Harpies have worked on creating a map that accurately spans all of the Twin Deserts and the ruins of the continent using their gift. The most important use of flight in the culture of the Desert Harpies, however, is their pursuit of magical wonders.

Arcane Attraction

Magic plays a key role in the culture of the Desert Harpies; not only are they naturally able to track it, but they all have innate magic granted to them by Ether. For Desert Harpies, hunting and discovering magic is a way of life. Unlike some other organizations, the Desert Harpies don't seek to rationalize or explain magic in a logical way, they see magic as a wonder that resists identification. Desert Harpies take great pleasure in pursuing the knowledge of magic much more than its acquisition, and will often leave artifacts and other magic where they find it, seeing that place as 'where the magic belongs'. That being said, they do enjoy taking magic they can learn from, such as scrolls or tomes, and sharing it with other clans at the Skyrr.

Clan Meetings

Once per year, when the winds blow the harshest, the Desert Harpy clans meet for the Skyrr. This meeting lasts for three days, and to not come to this meeting is the equivalent of self­imposed exile. On the first night of the Skyrr, the shaman that leads each of the tribes shows the most valuable magical information they have garnered, both as a way to show their value to the race, but also as a way to show the power of their clan. This meeting can occasionally become heated, but generally, the leaders of the clans are able to maintain civility. On the second day, the clans decide on their traveling patterns, so that they can cover the most ground and ensure that there is no overlap. On the third and final day of the Skyrr, the shamans are able to be challenged for their rite to the throne by members of their own clan.

Shaman Leaders

Magic also helps to elect the leaders of the Desert Harpies, with the most powerful spellcaster becoming the leader of the clan. This is determined via a duel between the challenger and the shaman. These duels are not traditional or to the death, but instead are a demonstration of the understanding of the Weave that each spellcaster has. This means all magic is allowed; anything from conjuration and transmutation, if it is grand enough, can be used in these duels. After both the shaman and the challenger show their magic, the rest of the clan decides whether the challenger should succeed to the throne. After they challenge the shaman, the challenger cannot challenge the shaman until the next Skyrr, but after a shaman is replaced, that shaman can never challenge the new leader.

Spiritual People

Though none of the Desert Harpies would consider themselves to be clerics, each has a knowledge passed down to them by their parents of how to worship Ether. They can commonly be found at the Hands of Ether, stone fingers of a hand reaching up towards the sky that have existed since before the known history. Specific rituals taught to the shamans and more magically inclined Desert Harpies can be cast here, reinvigorating their magic. These rituals are highly guarded, and rarely shared with anyone outside of the clans.

Historians and Seekers

Desert Harpies are well known for their pursuit of knowledge; amongst the clans, one of the greatest collections of history and lore of the World Within Walls can be found. The Harpies' nomadic lifestyle allows them to continually observe and collect new knowledge around the world, but they rarely do more than discovering something new. They do not interpret, attempt to explain or engage in thought experimentation; they are a race of empiricists at their core. This meshes with the philosophy of Ether, the god of magic; he views magic, and by extension the world, as something to be observed and experimented with; it is not for mortals nor gods to know magic in a formulaic and direct way, but instead, they must learn magic by seeing and doing it.

The Fall of Magic

During the last age, few races suffered as badly as the Desert Harpies. With the decline of natural sources of magic and the periods of time when magic ceased to work or vanished entirely, many desert harpies fell to despair or were hunted by antimagic organizations. The once large and mighty clans of the Desert Harpies have been reduced greatly and now act more covertly. Only a few trusted nations and organizations still have ties with the remaining Desert Harpy clans. To remember and honor their fallen, when the winds are almost nonexistent, Desert Harpy clans hold ceremonies like solemn festivals and ancient rituals.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Desert Harpies earn their surname through a passed on name from their parents and ancestors. These names are often one to two syllables and are either directly taken from or inspired by Theurgian names. A Desert Harpy can take a new name if they are given permission from the shaman, and these names often reflect the type of magic that the Desert Harpy can cast. This fact means there are very few long bloodlines within any of the Desert Harpy clans.
Male Names: Aaryn, Abelus, Adannius, Braedus, Byrus, Bryne, Calhan, Cristos, Domanic, Elius, Ezekius, Gaebriel Gwyllam, Graysen, Haddeus, Horus, Jaxus, Levius, Nycholas, Olivyr, Romyn, Ridyr, Saemuel Tylus, Zacharia
Female Names: Auburn, Aedria, Aliya, Alyce, Arya, Bella, Bryanna, Caemila, Dalya, Eliana, Janna, Jenesia, Jasmine, Kaela, Leah, Lilia, Luna, Maedisa, Maya, Natalya, Rianna, Ryla. Sara, Stella, Valia, Ysabel
Surname: Efni, Efri, Elska, Enda, EstyL Gera, Haas, HorguL Jorah, Kyssa, Luti, Mogur, Munir, Mykla, Nydir, Orr, Rekar, Riki, Risna, Sia, Sydr, Syndra, Voenn, Isah

Desert Harpy

Ability Score Increase +2 Int, +1 Wis

Size Medium

Speed 20 ft.

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As a Desert Harpy, you descend from a group of magically devoted individuals who were granted flight by a witch and innate magic from a god of magic. You share these innate traits and nature with all of your kind, regardless of clan.
Age. Desert Harpies mature at the same rate as humans, though can live to be around 120 years old
Alignment. Desert Harpies tend toward a more neutral stance in life, with most being close to neutral or good They are chaotic and unpredictable creatures, and are known to be chaotic.
Size. Desert Harpies are taller than humans, but are also much wispier and thinner to support their flight, with teh average height being a little over 6 feet.
Flight You have a flying speed of 30 ft. To use this speed, you can't be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Lay of the Lands. You have proficiency in the Survival skill
Ether's Magic. You know the mage hand cantrip. When you reach 3rd level you can cast the command spell once per day. When you reach 5th level you can also cast the locate object spell once per day. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Primordial