Greek · No. 022

Stymphalian Bird

Real myth

Stymphalian Bird
Its bronze feathers fall like arrows.
Rarity
Common
Category
Monster
ATK
1800
DEF
1300
Level
5
Type
Bird
Element
Thunder
Constellations
Wisp · Crown

The myth

The Stymphalian Birds lived at a marshy lake in Arcadia, hidden in a dense wood. Driving them out was the sixth labor of Heracles. Unable to reach them, he received from Athena bronze rattles forged by Hephaestus; he shook them on a nearby mountain, the frightened birds took flight, and he shot them down with arrows (Apollodorus 2.5.6). In the Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes, similar birds on the island of Ares shoot their feathers like darts, and the heroes shelter behind shields and noise. Pausanias describes them as man-eating birds.

Why it has this power

A Common level-5 card with 1800 ATK and 1300 DEF: a high attack for a common card, like a rain of bronze feathers. A Thunder Bird for the metallic din and the flock that darkens the sky, it bears the Wisp and Crown constellations. The low defense recalls that a simple noise was enough to scare them off.

Did you know

Pausanias says he saw carvings of these birds near the roof of the temple of Artemis at Stymphalus.

Connections

Where to get it

  • Campaign drop: Elena, Huntress of Artemis (Aegean of Heroes) — grade C: 13%
  • Daily Offering: 0% per pack (Common 64% per card)
  • Welcome Pack: 0.97% per pack (Common 70% per card)
  • Traveler's Pack: 0.88% per pack · 5.2% in the themed pack (Common 64% per card)
  • Bronze Reliquary: 0.86% per pack · 5.1% in the themed pack (Common 62% per card)
  • Silver Reliquary: 0.67% per pack · 4% in the themed pack (Common 49% per card)
  • Golden Reliquary: 0.46% per pack · 2.7% in the themed pack (Common 33% per card)
  • Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 0.69% of days · 150 gold
  • Craft with card dust: 40 dust
  • Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

  1. STYMPHALIAN BIRDS (Ornithes Stymphalides) - Man-Eating Birds of Greek Mytholog — Aaron J. Atsma, Theoi Project
  2. The Library, Book 2 — Pseudo-Apollodorus (trans. J. G. Frazer), Theoi Classical Texts Library
  3. Argonautica, Book 2 — Apollonius Rhodius (trans. R. C. Seaton), Theoi Classical Texts Library