Harpies - Daughters of the Gale

Journal entry

 * There are many species of harpy, and all are kleptomaniacs, though some steal dreams instead of trinkets. They especially like dreams laden with strong emotions, such as nightmares that recur every night. The victims lose their dreams – which can actually be a blessing where nightmares are concerned – and the harpies encase them in crystals, creating items that strongly radiate magic. Mages desire the dreams these creatures steal. They are even known to breed harpies on perches with a view towards filching their booty at daybreak. Yet it is rare for a dream or nightmare to be powerful enough, or to come from a powerful enough creature, to satisfy the desires of a mage. He who would destroy a harpy;s nest perched atop a rocky ledge must set a special, glistening explosive trap. When the harpy snatches its loot, the charge is detonated, and anything that survives the explosion is dealt with by gravity – the eternal foe of all avian creatures.