Harpers
Description
Beliefs
“Right, then, good Lady Shandril, I shall try to tell thee something of what it is to be a Harper. A Harper holds peaceful sharing of the lands above all other goals. By sharing, we mean all the races living in and under the land, where each prefers to live, trading together where desired and need stir them to, and respecting each other's holds and ways—without the daily bloodletting that all too often holds sway in the Realms today.”
— Mirt the Moneylender, explaining the Harpers' purpose to Shandril Shessair.
The Harpers believed in the power of the individual over that of the sprawling kingdoms with laws that oppressed individual liberty. They sought to maintain balance between all things, civilization and nature, societal order and personal liberty. They considered the elven city of Myth Drannor, with its rich culture, celebration of the arts, and promotion of education to be the most ideal expression of this balance by the free peoples of the Realms. They sought among other things to spread that belief, and recreate the world in the lost city's image.
While they strived to eliminate tyranny and foster "goodness" in the Realms, not all Harpers agreed on how it was defined. Despite these differences of opinion, they did share the belief that current events could only be fully understood with a comprehensive knowledge of the history that preceded them.
Attitude
“True bards are another matter entirely. Part of a bard's training is memorizing the traditions and lore, which are passed down, precise and immutable, for generations. That's why so many Harpers are bards: to preserve a knowledge of our past.”
— Khelben Arunsun
Considering the vastly different backgrounds and cultures from which Harper members were drawn, each cell or individual agent maintained their own, unique outlook on how to best conduct Harper business. Generally speaking, they took care of how their actions affected the greater world. Senior members tended to act with caution and circumspection, while younger Harpers often believed it was upon them to personally make the world a better place. Yet all members were taught to uphold the virtues of dedication and comradery and honestly assess their own shortcomings. Harpers knew they could only earn respect not by attaining power or holding lofty titles, but by demonstrating sound judgement and acting with integrity.
Some enemies of the Harpers accused them of treating their more manipulative schemes as some sort of grand game, that the people they directed were mere pieces on a chess board. The Harpers demonstrated a type of altruistic arrogance, insisting that their machinations were taken for folks' own good and the overall betterment of the world.
Harper agents were determined individuals. They never quit on their missions and took however long was needed to see them to completion. If an agent was slain in the field, their comrades would never forget their sacrifice and vowed to bring justice to their killer.
Culture
It was said that the secretiveness of the Harpers extended beyond the organization as a whole, trickling down to its individual members and their personal lives. While often boisterous and lighthearted in public, Harpers tended not to share genuine sentiments with others–save for occasions when they were alone with their comrades. Overall, the Harpers were one of the most tolerant factions of the Realms. They accepted people from all walks of life, even those with unsavory pasts, so long as they swore the Harper Code and did not violate its tenets.Harper Code
“I shall do no less.”
— The response given to the Harpers' watchwords.
The code of the Harpers was a series of outwardly simple statements that were in truth exceptionally difficult to maintain in earnest. They were not written down in any book or tome, but were expressed as a series of 'watchwords' used to swear in new members, an occasion known as the ritual of recognition. In the late 15th century DR, however, the Harper code was written in a book, upon which new members would swear their oaths. They would keep a copy as reminder.
The Code of the Harpers, or the Harper Code, was as follows:
"Harpers work against villainy and wickedness wherever they find it—but they work ever mindful of the consequences of what they do."
"All beings should walk free of fear, with the right to live their lives as they wish."
"The rule of law aids peace and fosters freedom, so long as the laws are just and those who enforce them lenient and understanding."
"No extreme is good. For freedom to flourish, all must be in balance: the powers of realms, the reaches of the cities and the wilderlands into each other, and the influence of one being over another."
"Whatever it takes, a Harper will do. Pride never rules the deeds of a true Harper."
"Harpers can spare themselves less freedom than those they work to protect must have—but even a Harper must be free."
"Harpers police their own. A Harper who hears the call of personal power can no longer hear the sweet song of the harp. A Harper who seizes power, and holds it above all else, is a traitor to the harp. Traitors must die, for freedom to live."
"Without a past, no being can appreciate what they have, and where they may be going."
In summary and practice, it meant to oppose tyranny and evil; to protect the oppressed; to maintain freedom, peace, and order; to support fair and just laws; and to prevent extremes and imbalances of power, wealth, influence, and opportunity. They should do whatever they must, no matter how mundane or boring; no matter how hard, uncomfortable, or demeaning; and no matter how risky or life-altering. They were expected to help one another without hesitation or concern for cost and to ask nothing in return for the works they did. They could freely disagree with or criticize each other, and were to police their own and punish treachery. Finally, they were to accumulate knowledge for the good of everyone and to record and preserve the past, for it was said that history provided the light with which a Harper could see the future ahead.
Throughout the course of history, the code of the Harpers spread beyond its members, influencing the shaping the laws of cities across the Heartlands and the North.
Activities
Harper Teleportation The Harpers employed a network of teleportation circles in cities across the North, to ensure their movements remained shrouded in secrecy.
“True, we must fight, it seems often enough to keep our swords and our tempers both sharp enough. Yet, know ye; all of us fight when we must, or die. Moreover, ye only hear of blades drawn and death and spells hurled, and never know of the many, many times that a quiet word or a skillful deal has turned enemies aside from each other, forced a way clear where none was before, or distracted foes from the eager task of tearing each other's throats out. That is the true Harper way: subtle and quiet, behind the shouting. Trust and wisdom, and outfoxing others is what we deal in.”
— Mirt, continuing to Shandril.
Conducting Harper business consisted of scheming, subtle nudging, and more than a little manipulation. More often than not, they helped guide events of the Realms rather than acting as their direct cause. Harpers tended to work as discreetly as possible, preferring the weapons of knowledge and influence, rather than those of more violent means.
So that the balance between civilization and the natural world could be maintained, the Harpers acted to keep kingdoms small and minimize the destruction of animal and plant life by humans or others. To that end, they cultivated public gardens and regularly re-planted crops in the wake of war and other crises.
To preserve the knowledge of the past―and thus keep secure present and future prospects―the Harpers readily shared their wealth of knowledge and lore with the common folks of the Realms,often through music, stories, and song. They never altered their performances to agree the whims of those who held power, but kept their works true to the tune of history. When necessary, they used their performances to convey secret messages to allies and warn them of nearby dangers. The simple alteration of a single chord or substituted phrase in a well-known folk song could instantly inform others to heed their warning.
When the threats of destruction and tyranny presented themselves, the Harpers took decisive action. They moved against evil cults, thieves' guilds, and other malevolent forces that terrorized the people of the Realms. Agents protected innocent folk from monstrous beings that sought to destroy civilization, defended the weak against careless or malicious practitioners the Art, and kept at bay the horrors of the Underdark, by sealing off passages that linked it to the surface world.
Operations
The Harpers operated either individually or in small, close-knit groups. Senior members who wielded significant influence―known as spymasters―directed and aided young adventurers―known as Harper protégés―who took on quests that furthered the Harpers' interests. Yet other veteran Harpers lived the adventuring life themselves, taking it upon themselves to complete those very quests for the betterment of Faerûn. Special Harpers known as handlers served as intermediaries between spymasters orchestrating events, and other members completing field work. They were more often deployed in cities and regions that were considered more perilous for an agent's safety and well-being. Most Harper agents lived some form of a double life. They went about their business for much of their day, earning an honest (or not-so-honest) living in town or in the wilds, all while closely observing the activities of others. They took careful note of gossip and local tales, and compiled that information with that given to them by fellow members. They put on their best outgoing and charming personas, in order to get from others the most significant insights and information possible. Agents were of course allowed to pursue other interests outside of the organization, so long as they did not violate the Harpers' code.Harpers
The Symbol Of Harpers
Comments