The Harpers

The Harpers, or Those Who Harp, were a semi-secret organization dedicated to preserving historical lore, maintaining the balance between nature and civilization, and defending the innocent from the forces of evil across the Realms. The Harpers involved themselves in many world-changing events that helped shape the course of Kalarda's destiny. Their power and influence waxed and waned over the years, as their order underwent a series of collapses and reformations. Their reputation amongst the people of the Realms varied just as wildly. They were often seen as wild-eyed idealists, but also just as often seen as insufferable meddlers who could not keep their business to themselves.

Structure

The Harpers as an organization was actually anything but organized. Rather, it was a confederation of individuals from contrasting cultures and backgrounds who bonded over the shared goals of maintaining peace, preserving knowledge, and protecting the downtrodden. Some Harper agents worked in small groups—often alongside friends and close allies—while others operated as lone operatives,[25][32] who kept only informal ties with the group at large. Throughout the many years it endured, the Harpers had disbanded and fallen apart several times, only to reform later in some new iteration. The Harpers' informality and lack of formal structure lent to its continuance as true secret society. Some members took on specific roles, such as 'spymasters', 'handlers', and 'agents',but maintained no hierarchy or ranking over their fellows. It was said that nothing could be truly "official" within the Harpers; the group was poorly defined, with contradictory operational standards, no formal roster, and a public face that was inconsistent from one locale to the next.
There did remain one consistent representation of the Harpers across the Realms, however: their symbol. The Harpers' symbol comprised a silver harp and crescent moon, set upon a field of black or royal blue.

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 AD, 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."

Public Agenda

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 lost 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.

Type

Secret, Brotherhood

Alternative Names

Those Who Harp