The Harpy Owl was a mid-game boss fight in the game. RPGs always tend to have those boss fights that are against some random wild animal thats really big and the Harpy Owl happens to be one of them. 

Like the name harpy implies, it has a humanoid body with bird feet and wing. Unlike the usual harpy, it has the head of an owl. Even does that near perfect head rotation thing that owls do. Also while your typical harpy would be human sized, the harpy eagle in not. In fact it's quite large, being around the height of a fully grown tree if the scaling in-game holds any water. Judging by the reports of the creatures found in its pellets, it holds water like a god damn aquarium.

As for the beast's behaviors, it follows the same in-game tactics of the daar, (look back to chapter 17 if you forgot what a daar is) Although add on temporary invisibility and long range feather attacks to its high speed. To compensate for it being a bitch to hit, the harpy owl had lower hp than most bosses. According to the tales of the snakefolk, its nocturnal and remains invisible at all times during the day. At night it uses wind magic to fly completely silently so it can get the jump on its prey (usually large monsters and humans/snakefolk) Makes sense considering it's an owl. 

Now usually this would be an easy problem to avoid because at night pretty much everyone is indoors/in a cave when it actively hunts. The problem however is that it needs to eat a lot to support that big size and presumably demanding use of invisiblility. The harpy owl also happens to be REALLY good at getting all the food it needs. Of course this comes at a cost of MASSIVE dips in the number of large monsters. Historically there have been times monsters have even gone extinct in specific regions where a harpy owl has made its territory due to over hunting. The presence of the harpy owl also happens to ward off smaller monsters. The end result is that meat becomes very scarce until the harpy owl ends up karking it due to a lack of food or migrates and finds new territory.

Did this really have to come literally moments after finishing up my snazzy new room, specifically made to prepare meat? You know what? Fuck it. I'm sending big G after it. No way am I letting you disturb my meat based innovations.

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So I sent Garn to deal with it, but he came back rather quickly. Apparently the harpy owl turned tail and ran as soon as he found it. Thing out ran him and got away. At least that means its gone right? 

Also it seems Sky has really been cranking up on gun creation lately. We now have enough to make a squad of riflemen. The snakefolk who've gotten their hands on a gun have gotten the hang of it pretty quickly. I suppose it helps when you can control recoil with body reinforcement and clean out the barrel with a simple wind spell.

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About a week has passed aaaaaand its back. The harpy owl has returned. Apparently the threat of a big red seven-headed murder hydra wasn't enough to dissuade it. Birds tend to be smart animals. Like crows for example, they get up to all kinds of shenanigans with their ability to recognize faces and simple tool use. However other birds are dumb, like a cardinal. They're the type to fly head first into glass, then immediately try ramming into it again. 

You know what? If it's to afraid to fight Garn head on, we just need to deal with it ourselves. We can take it. We have guns. I'll make a squad with Me, Sky, Livia, and the others who are competent enough with shooting because constantly having to scare it off is gonna get real tiresome real quick.

At this point its making the ibis look like bird jesus.

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Its currently night time and we're on a mountain trail. We decided to wait until the night of a full moon to go out and hunt for the bird brained fuck because it would be the most visible. I also managed to make an enchantment that makes a object glow while waiting for the fateful night. BUT FINALLY ITS HERE!

Right as that ran through my head the harpy owl striked. Thankfully it was its feather attack. While it may be able to fly and swoop silently, it can't use its feather attack without some noise. In order to use the attack it must charge up some magic and doing so makes a distinct crackle. I managed to conjure an earthen wall as soon I heard the noise and block the attack. I spot the bird and start giving orders.

"Everyone into formation, ready your rifles and bows. Keep your ears open. If you hear that crackle ready a wall with magic. Fire right as it comes out of invisiblility."

After my orders, we all form a circle so we can be ready for an attack from every direction. It seems right after firing the harpy owl went invisible. I count down in my head from 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and it uncloaks.

"LEFT FLANK FIRE!"

This timing came from the game. In the boss fight it only ever stayed invisible for ten seconds. It was a gamble but it seems that still applies. Seems strange considering it can stay invisible hor the entirety of the day. Maybe the ability is solar powered? As for the damage we deal... its negligible. We certainly hit it because we spooked it back to invisiblility but it seems we didnt hit anything vital. I use mana detection spells to keep an idea of where its at. Its keeping just out of range of my combat spells and it annoying.

"FROM THE RIGHT"

This time Livia is in the group firing this time. I have high hopes for her auto aim bow. Those hopes are promptly crushed however when the arrow stops tracking after the owl goes invisible. Damn it.

"DIVE BOMB FROM THE REAR!"

we all manage to make room for it to pass by while Sky attempts to take it head on. If she can get a solid hit in this fight will be over in moments. Of course its to fast and Sky only manages to graze it, while getting a nasty gash on her arm for her troubles. Thankfully a healer quick manages to deal with the wound.

Alright this is fucking annoying and I'm fucking FUMING. Time for a change of plans. It'll make the walk back hell if I don't down a bunch of strong mana potions afterwards, but I'm breaking out the big boy spell to smite this piece of shit.

[Shoot Down The Heavens]

The sky clouds over as a thunderstorm starts to form. I raise my hand to the sky and a bolt of lightning falls onto it. The electricity, once in my hands morphs into a revolver. I take aim, not at the bird, but back at the sky and I shoot. As the bullet lands, reality shatters like glass. The jagged fragments fall for a moment, then freeze. The shards warp and elongate until they take a shape like lightning. Finally they aim towards their target and...

"FIRE"

Only to miss. The bird dodged.   THE. FUCKING. BIRD. DODGED. I collapse onto my knees as a healer rushes over with mana potions. The bitterness of the potion matches the feeling in my heart. However by the time I'm back on my knees, I feel a burning determination. Its personal now. 

An idea forms in my mind. One that'll allow me to hit with a more simple lightning spell despite the range issue. I cant stike while it swoops because its to fast, but its also vulnerable in its other attack. I just need to wait for its feather attack. Of course as just one last fuck you it draws out the fight for another 30 minutes by swooping another 100 times in a row. However I eventually hear that crackle, right in my direction too. Instead of readying a wall to defend myself, I go on the offense.

[Chain lightning]

Our attacks go off at the same time, however my lightning hits the first feather then jumps to the next, within seconds all the feathers have been burnt to ash and the bird fell out of the sky breaking its neck on the fall. For good measure I slit its throat with my dagger.

"And Stay dead"