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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2014 21:34:22 GMT -6
In an AD&D game I played in about 18 months ago, the party encountered a chamber full of harpies. By the time the party exited that chamber, I think my character was the only one not covered head to toe in harpy guano.
Last weekend, I DMed an OD&D game for a couple of players. At one point they encountered harpies far above them that were restrained and could not reach them. I paused to consider whether the harpies might aim some droppings at them, but before I reached a conclusion, both players asked me the same question, with no prompting.
I'm wondering if there's a pattern here. Does guano often feature in harpy encounters?
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Post by kesher on Nov 6, 2014 12:27:55 GMT -6
My use of harpy guano, as a DM, (@droll 's AD&D game) was perhaps inspired by a vague memory of Jason's encounter with the harpies in Greek mythology, buttressed by the fact of every harpy description I've ever read using the word "filth" in some way, all coalescing in one incandescent moment of inspiration.
However, I will now never run a harpy encounter without the inclusion of guano. Maybe also with rot grubs...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2014 14:56:06 GMT -6
I voted no, I don't do potty humor, there has never been a point in my life where I liked it, I've hated it with a passion all my life.  |
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Post by kesher on Nov 6, 2014 15:05:51 GMT -6
Dood, harpy poo filled with rot grubs is NOT a laughing matter...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2014 15:10:48 GMT -6
Dood, harpy poo filled with rot grubs is NOT a laughing matter...  Yeah, I know that, but I am still not going there. I will cover my players with mud or lots of other things but not poo. A corpse has rotted down to a pool of maggot infested corruption and the player falls into it, that is funny, but poo - not so much!  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2014 16:08:46 GMT -6
Less Bowdlerized versions of Greek mythology make it clear that harpies crap all over everything, so you're not making it up. It was not considered funny, it was considered defiling.
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Post by tetramorph on Nov 6, 2014 16:29:33 GMT -6
I believe harpies and their guano featured in my very first encounter with OD&D, ever.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2014 17:12:08 GMT -6
Less Bowdlerized versions of Greek mythology make it clear that harpies crap all over everything, so you're not making it up. It was not considered funny, it was considered defiling. You know that and I know that, but how many people have read less Bowdlerized versions of Greek mythology, these days. I can't remember ever hearing a D&D story that dealt with it from that view point. Shrug! |
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Post by ffilz on Nov 6, 2014 17:54:48 GMT -6
Dood, harpy poo filled with rot grubs is NOT a laughing matter... Yeah, I know that, but I am still not going there. I will cover my players with mud or lots of other things but not poo. A corpse has rotted down to a pool of maggot infested corruption and the player falls into it, that is funny, but poo - not so much! That's a shame. There are several creatures in real life which roost/nest in areas creating huge piles of guano, which is then either a resource (many caves in Appalachia have bat guano mines for the production of gun powder) or a nuisance. |
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Post by kesher on Nov 6, 2014 19:04:31 GMT -6
That's it! Gunpowder in D&D is made, at least in part, from pulverized harpy poop!
I can now die happy.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2014 19:18:02 GMT -6
Less Bowdlerized versions of Greek mythology make it clear that harpies crap all over everything, so you're not making it up. It was not considered funny, it was considered defiling. In the AD&D session I mentioned, the encounter left a strong impression on me, not of comedy, but of filth. Almost violent filth, like something from a horror movie or heavy metal imagery. "Defiling" captures it well. |
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Post by kesher on Nov 6, 2014 22:48:06 GMT -6
Less Bowdlerized versions of Greek mythology make it clear that harpies crap all over everything, so you're not making it up. It was not considered funny, it was considered defiling. In the AD&D session I mentioned, the encounter left a strong impression on me, not of comedy, but of filth. Almost violent filth, like something from a horror movie or heavy metal imagery. "Defiling" captures it well. Yeah, I definitely remember a general reaction of...we'll call it "disgusted incredulity." |
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Yeah, I know that, but I am still not going there. I will cover my players with mud or lots of other things but not poo. A corpse has rotted down to a pool of maggot infested corruption and the player falls into it, that is funny, but poo - not so much! 
