King's Quest Omnipedia
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Harpies
HarpyKQ5NES2

Harpies are terrible creatures with a woman's head and body and a bird's wings and claws.

Background[]

The harpies love nothing more than to eat humans, especially men.[1] There is a large colony of these beasts residing on a small island off the east coast of the continent of Serenia, Harpies' Island. They are known as the Harpy Sisters.[2]

The harpies were originally wind-spirits in Greek mythology, and even Homer treats them as winds in the Odessy. Later, in the Jason and the Argonauts stories, they became horribly ugly, shrieking birds with the faces of women. These harpies were considered particulary foul and loathsome, disgusting and merciless. In the Aenead, Virgil gives the name of the Harpy chieftess as Celaeno. The name Harpies does not come from the word harp, and there are no stories of harpies actually liking harp music, or even having any musical talent. On the other hand, music doth hath charms to sooth the savage breast.[3] They are part woman, and part flying daemon.[4]

Harpies[]

Behind the Scenes[]

The credits for KQ5 reveals that one of the harpies was voiced by Roberta Williams herself.

References[]

  1. KQ5 Hintbook, pg 38
  2. TOBOKQ3E, pg 172
  3. The King's Quest Companion, 2nd Edition, 475
  4. KQC2E, pg 296
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