Those Who Harp

An Introduction to
The Harpers
by Travis Morrow

Those Who Harp 1

The Harpers
Table of Contents

and identity. This section gives an introduction to the Harpers

and their history, organization, and politics.

Who are the Harpers?....................................2

History of the Harpers

History of the Harpers

The Harper Organization

Barbarian .............................................................5
Harper Hooligan

Bard.......................................................................... 6
Harper Spy

Cleric.......................................................................7
Harper Shepherd

Druid ......................................................................8
Harper Warden

Fighter....................................................................9
Harper Sentinel

Monk.....................................................................10
Harper Canonist

Paladin..................................................................11
Harper Knight

Ranger...................................................................12
Harper Guerrilla

Rogue.....................................................................13
Harper Saboteur

Sorcerer...............................................................14
Harper Prodigy

Warlock................................................................15
Harper Pact

Wizard..................................................................16
Harper Mage
A Harper holds peaceful sharing of the lands above all over
goals. By sharing, we mean all the races living in and under
the land, where each prefers to live, trading together where
desire 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.
Mirt the Moneylender

Who are the Harpers?

The Harpers are deeply connected to Faern, and those
connections are what give the Harpers their particular appeal

The Harpers have existed, in some form or another, for

almost a thousand years.

First Harpers
The Harpers began as a military unit from the elven city
Cormanthor, now the ruins of Myth Drannor. Working with a
handful of human rangers and druids, as well as with a young
Elminster Aumar, elven leaders created a group focused on
preserving the city's long history and ensuring a balance
between civilization and wilderness. The first Harpers were
led by a mage named Dathlue Mistwinter and took their
symbol from her family crest: a silver harp between the
horns of a crescent moon. The group met at twilight in secret
locations in the Elven Court.
When the Weeping War came, the Harpers fought valiantly
and suffered greatly. Their numbers fell from scores to no
more than ten.

Gathering of the Gods

On the 26th of Flamerule, in 720 DR, clergy of many
different gods Azuth, Deneir, Eldath, Lliira, Mielikki, Milil,
Mystra, Oghma, Selune, Shaundakul, Shiallia, Silvanus,
Tymora gathered at The Dancing Place, a druid grove in
High Dale. There they met Elminster, along with a group of
dryads, who explained that the faithful of Bane, Bhaal,
Loviatar, Malar, and Myrkul were growing in number and
butchering elves. Elminster, and the handful of remaining
Harpers, requested help in fighting the new enemy. The
priests agreed to help, but their gods were moved to act
themselves. By possessing their clerics and speaking directly
to the assembled the gods vowed their support to the
Harpers.
The Harpers lacked their former numbers but now had
access to friendly churches and priests. Churches provided
safe ground for Harpers to rest, prepare, and hide. Priests
helped Harpers stay safe and guided them to those who
needed a Harper's help.
The Harpers' efforts to grow were opposed, however. The
organization was drawn into increasingly public fights with
the Cult of the Dragon, the Red Wizards of Thay, and the
servants of evil churches. As Harper numbers fell, the Harper
leaders went into hiding.

Storm Silverhand's Eastern Harpers

Storm had amassed a powerful group of Harpers near the
Dalelands. The members mostly worked from Shadowdale
focused their efforts around the Moonsea and Vesperin.
When her sister, Alustriel Silverhand, brought peace to
Silverymoon, Storm and her Harpers were on scene to fight

Those Who Harp 2

the Black Horde. For their heroism, Storm and her Harpers
were allowed to build Moongleam Tower in Everlund.
Moongleam Tower was built from hard, brilliant black
stone and encircled by a deep, vine choked trench. The tower
itself is actually four, narrow towers, connected to one
another in a web of stone passages and bridges.

The Harper Schism

In 1370 DR, Harper agents discovered that Khelben
Arunsun, better known as Blackstaff, a longtime Harper,
had stolen a powerful artifact and given it to the Zhentarim.
Specifically, Blackstaff had found and given the Scepter of the
Sorcerer-Kings to Fzoul Chembryl, the Zhentarim's leader
and highest cleric of Bane. The Harpers moved to expel
Khelben, who simultaneously renounced his association with
the group.
The government of Waterdeep warded Harper stores and
safehouses against Khelben and his wife, Laerel. Blackstaff
tower was warded against the Harpers themselves who,
spurred by Bran Skorlsun, attempted to excise any
semblance of corruption from their ranks. Blackstaff went on
to found the Moonstars

The Spellplague, and Now

The Harpers were crippled when the Spellplague fell over
Faern, and the group disbanded. Moongleam Tower,
however, remained a Harper bastion. Managed by Eaerlraun
Shadowlyn, Moongleam Tower continued the Harper ideals,
eventually reforming the group as the Harpers of Luruar.
They fought against Netheril until Eaerlraun was
assassinated.
Much later, in the time of Mystra's return, Storm Silverhand
rekindled the Harpers in the Kingdom of Cormyr. Though
Storm recruited the Harpers traditional targets wizards,
bards, rangers, and druids she also recruited from new
areas: merchants and artisans, petty thieves and criminals.
Storm's efforts were successful and the new Harpers were
able to prevent the assassination of Lord Lothan Durncaskyn
of Immerford.

The Harper Organization

The Harpers are a semi-secret organization, loosely
connected, composed of an indefinite number of agents, each
pursuing individual goals and objectives. The Harpers have
no formal leadership, rules of membership, or headquarters.

Harper Structure
Harpers group together in small units, called bands. Bands
typically number between one and twenty, with six as the
average. Bands communicate with other bands through
elaborate systems to maintain their anonymity.
High Harpers. The High Harpers are the closest form of a
ruling body the Harpers have ever had. The High Harpers,
composed of different people throughout the group's life,
have had very little power or sway with the Harpers
themselves and what little control they could exert was

largely due to the celebrity and reputation of the High

Harpers themselves, and not their leadership skill.
Harper Bands. The Harper band is the essential element
of the Harpers. The fact that the group continues to exist is a
testimony to the loose alliances of the bands themselves, and
their individual members. Among the bands, they share little
except the facts that they call themselves so, and endeavor in
that name.

Gods of the Harpers

In the early days, the only gods of the Harpers were elven
ones. The Seldarine pledged its full support to the group.
What other goals could be more elven than those of the
Harpers at Twilight? When the Elven Court died and the
Seldarine lost much of their power, Elminster and the
surviving Harpers asked new gods for aid.
Azuth. The Lord of Spells allies his church with the
Harpers to preserve knowledge, especially magical
knowledge, and to maintain balance with the Weave.
Deneir. As the Scribe of Oghma, Deneir's portfolio
cartography, glyphs, literature, and scholarship makes him an
ideal Harper ally.
Eldath. Eldath protects groves, watersheds, streams, and
rivers. The Green Goddess encourages pacifism and patience
in her followers.
Lliira. The Joybringer naturally aligns with the Harpers'
goals of spreading and maintaining peace.
Mielikki. The Forest Queen's ranks of rangers and druids
join the Harpers to oppose all manner of evil and blight.
Milil. The Lord of All Songs loves that the Harpers collect
new melodies and poems, and Milil's clerics oppose anyone
who takes the fun out of living.
Mystra. The Mother of All Magic cares over the Weave and
works tirelessly to maintain its balance. Along with Azuth,
Mystra knows the Harpers share her concern for the source
of all magic.
Oghma. Oghma's clergy has collected knowledge since its
inception, and the Lord of Knowledge has long opposed Bane
and his followers.
Selne. Selne's worshipers include wanderers,
adventurers, and anyone in need of navigation The Harpers
were made up of those very souls.
Shaundakul. It's not enough to preserve what was
known, one must also find something new. When Elminster
called Shaundakul to the Daning Place, he hoped the Helping
Hand would consider the Harpers' goal of collecting
knowledge the same as exploring the unknown.
Shiallia. Much like Mielikki and Llira, Shiallia naturally
aligns with the Harpers' goals.
Silvanus. Any who seek to preserve the wilderness are
friends to Silvanus.
Tymora. And a little good luck never hurt anyone, either.

Harper Regions
Harpers have history in a few areas of Faern, but are by
no means limited to those regions. The Harpers have broad
aims and simple membership requirements, and are likely to
be anywhere justice is twisted.
Those Who Harp 3

Amn. The Harpers have a modest network in Amn,

focused on the Cowled Wizards and Shadow Thieves.
Calimshan. The Rundeen control much of Calimshan,
and the Harpers don't stand for it.
The Dalelands. Storm Silverhand makes her home in
Shadowdale, and therefore makes Shadowdale a Harper
stronghold.
The Sword Coast. While Waterdeep itself has only few
Harpers, but the group is spread from the City of Splendors
down to Baldur's Gate.
Western Heartlands. The Harpers have a well known
base in Berdusk, Jewel of the Sunset Vale.

Famous Harpers
With its fluid membership and long history, the Harpers
have had some of the most famous and powerful of Faern as
members.
Alustriel Silverhand. Alustriel was a Harper for many
years but left the group to become the ruler of Silverymoon.
Alassra Silverhand. The Simbul worked with the
Harpers on a few occasions and was intimately connected to
Elminster Aumar, known High Harper.
Anastra Silverhand. Anastra died defending the Twisted
Tower from a trio of dragons. Her spirit lingers in the Dalelands as a Spectral Harpist.
Bran Skorlson. A dedicated but stubborn Harper, Bran
clashed with another prominent Harper often, which culminated in the Harpers splitting.
Cylyria Dragonbreast. The former ruler of Berdusk, Cyllyria used her time as the city's leader to promote peace and
trade, all the while maintaining the Harpers' strength in the
Heartlands.
Dathlue Mistwinter. The original Harper, Lady Mistwinter founded the group and used her family crest for its symbol.
Dove Falconhand. A Knight of Myth Drannor and master
Harper, Dove is a skilled warrior, harpist, singer, ranger, sorcerer, and the owner of a room shaking laugh.
Eaerlraun Shadowlyn. Earlraun was the master of
Moongleam Tower, the Harper stronghold in Everlund.
Elminster Aumar. Arguably the most famous wizard in
Faern, Elimster has been with the Harpers since it was
founded.
Khelben Arunsun. The famed wizard Blackstaff was a
longtime Harper who left the group and started the Moonstars, albeit after a feud and unfriendly parting.
Laeral Silverhand. The Lady Mage of Waterdeep was a
Harper agent until she left the group to start the Moonstars.
Mirt the Moneylender. A retired adventurer and seemingly permanent drunk, Mirt was known to be a gold hearted,
exceedingly clever man.
Qilu Veladorn. A priestess of Eilistraee, Qilu worked
with Laeral Silverhand and the Harpers until her death in
1379 DR.
Storm Silverhand. Storm joined the Harpers after leaving Elminster's tutelage, mostly to combat boredom.

Harper Allies
The Harpers have alliances and friends, but the relationships lean toward curt and indifferent, as opposed to receptive and sympathetic. Some of the Harpers' stench is their
history and methods getting close to spies is often dangerous, especially Harper spies but some of it is also a political
or personal grudge festering in the old guard.
Druids of the Tall Trees. A small but powerful group of
druids who protect the High Forest.
Lords' Alliance. The Alliance has more at stake than the
prosperity of its merchants, and the Harpers are eager to
lend a hand to any good cause.
The Heralds of Faern. An old, meticulous group of historians and annalists who record heraldry, genealogy, and
have become authorities on inheritance, precedence, and history.

Harper Enemies
Unlike Harper allies, Harper enemies are clear and easy
to find. They loathe the Harpers, openly, and make clear their
goal of murdering every single member. All of the ire is
earned, as any Harper would happily state, but the intensity
of it can be terrifying. Harper friends, loved ones, and even
peers have been butchered to flush suspected Harpers from
anonymity. Much of it works, too, because Harpers are the
sort of people be bothered by that sort of thing.
Cult of the Dragon. The Harpers were one of many
groups who fought Tiamat's attempts for freedom.
Eldreth Veluuthra. An small elven organization dedicated to killing all humans in Faern.
Netheril. The cruel mages of Netheril are not only working to restore the Shadow Weave, they also take slaves, practice bloody sacrifices, and look hungrily toward imperial expansion.
The Malaugrym. A group of shapeshifters from the
Plane of Shadows, whom the Harpers fought in the Harpstar
Wars.
The Rundeen. The slaver group has a messy history with
the Harpers, rife with assassinations and espionage.
The Zhentarim. The Harpers weren't formed to fight the
Black Network, it only seems that way.

Those Who Harp 4

Harper Class Options

Barbarian
Harper Hooligan
Harper hooligans are usually tribeless barbarians,
wanderers or criminals, who were fortunate enough to meet
a Harper on friendly terms. Some were exiled from their
tribes for tempers or violence, left to wander the wilderness.
Others survived the extermination of their people at the
hands orcs or giants only to find hostility and suspicion in
towns and cities.

Rabble-rousers and Troublemakers

Hooligans are some of the first Harpers people meet, but
those same people rarely know that that gang of laughing
vandals are Harper agents.
Simple Methods. Hooligans in Baldur's Gate intimidate
merchants who don't pay their laborers. Hooligans in Luskan
protect sailors and dockworkers from thieves and bullies by
their presence alone. When they meet with resistance,
hooligans gather their friends and brawl.
Clear Goals. Hooligans aren't the Harpers who collect
magical artifacts or explore ruins for lost magic. They're not
the Harpers who counsel and guide the powerful, or conspire
against the tyrannical. Hooligans are, first and foremost,
barbarians. They prefer simple pleasures, stand up fights,
and problems that can be solved by punching.
Let's Fight. When the first hooligans were recruited to the
Harpers, they were recruited from Luskan jails. Hooligans
itch for fights, and are willing to fight over anything. Other
Harpers guide the hooligans to suitable targets like a gang
boss running a racket or a group of bandits robbing people
on the road.

3rd Level Been in a Scrape or Two

You gain the Tavern Brawler feat.

6th Level Armed and Dangerous

You gain proficiency in Sleight of Hand.
You can disguise or hide simple weapons with great skill.
Whenever you attempt to conceal or disguise a simple
weapon, double your proficiency bonus for the roll.

10th Level Evasion

When you are subjected to an affect that allows you to
make a Dexterity saving throw and take only half damage,
you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving
throw, and only half damage if you fail.

14th Level Skullcrack

While raging, if you score a critical hit against an enemy,
that enemy is stunned until the start of your next turn.

Those Who Harp 5

Bard
Harper Spy

additional action on top of your regular action and a possible

bonus action.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long
rest before you can use it again.

The foundation and backbone of the Harpers are its

innumerable spies. Most have a background as bards,
entertainers, or tutors, and have seen the desperate side of
life. They're learned, friendly, and clever, with a strong
adventurous streak that can lead them into trouble. Just the
sort the Harpers are looking for.

Blurb
Harpers and bards are nearly synonymous with each other,
and most Harpers are in fact bards. A bard's natural instincts
for magic and exploration, combined with a tendency to stir
trouble, usher many into the Harper ranks. The Harpers
teach them to stay alive.
Ready for Anything. Harper spies come to the group as
bards, already well educated and prepared for almost
anything. The Harpers round a bard's training to include,
among other things, a good sword at the ready. Better to
know it and not need it, than to need it and not know it.
The Harpers' Network. The Harpes' network begins and
ends with spies. They're infested in almost every facet of life
in the Sword Coast, and probably in the Dalelands and
Moonsea as well. They use disguises, illusions, charms, and
tricks to plunder the dirty secrets that others left hidden.
Secret Fights. The Nightsinger, Shar, tells her followers to
hoard and guard secrets, and conspire against all. Her
followers, in turn, are much like Harper spies, except they
keep what they learn and use it against others. Shar's hatred
for Selne, her sister, and Mystra, only make the animosity
more durable and easier to continue.

3rd Level Field Training

You gain proficiency with one tool and one language, as
well as with martial weapons.

3rd Level Lliira's Heart

You have advantage on saving throws against charm,
compulsion, and fear effects.

6th Level Milil's Ear

You can identify, with near perfect accuracy, the origin of
any sound you hear. You can determine not only who or what
emitted the sound, but where the sound came from, and
under what circumstances it was produced. You must use
this feature within 1 minute of hearing the sound or the
opportunity is lost.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your
Wisdom modifier, and regain any expended uses of this
feature after you finish a long rest.

14th Level Action Surge

Starting at 14th level, you can push yourself beyond your
normal limits for a moment. On you turn, you can take one
Those Who Harp 6

Cleric
Harper Shepherd
The clerics who shelter Harper agents from enemies do so
at great risk to themselves and their churches. Even friendly
authorities can lose their patience with enough Harper antics
and demand the hooligans or spies be handed over.
Shepherds, however, hide Harpers from their enemies,
usually in a shepherd's own church.

8th Level Potent Spellcasting

You add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal
with any cantrip.

17th Level Celestial Guidance

You can give yourself access to the features of one of your
domains. The domain selected doesn't have to be the domain
currently prepared. Access to the features lasts for one hour.
Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest
before you can use it again.

Guardians and Guides

Shepherds care for Harpers who've suffered. The good
fight is a fight, of course, and Harpers receive grievous
wounds and injuries. Likewise, Harpers can endure terrible
curses and effects, and need an ally to save them. And
Harpers can suffer loss, and grief, and loneliness, and need a
kind ear and warm meal when all seems lost.
Harper Ears. Few places inspire as much gossip as
churches. It might be the increased sense of protection or
absolution, or perhaps a grim feeling of judgement. Or, even
still, people assembled together may just enjoy chatting
about anyone who isn't there. Shepherds hear tales of all
sorts and pass along the ones that help the Harpers.
Strength from the Faithful. Harper shepherds can live
lonely, difficult lives, caught in ethical dilemmas that arise
directly from a Harper goal conflicting with a tenet of their
church. Keeping Harper names secret and hiding their own
membership can wear down even the most resolute. Harper
shepherds draw strength from the good the agents do, and
from those who stand with the Harpers.
Insight and Empathy. Shepherds use the gossip of temple
goers and worshipers to inspire compassion in themselves
and others. They know who needs what help, and why, and
often know who best to find to fix a problem, Harper or not.

1st Level Harper Domains

You change domains every time you prepare spells. You
must select from the following list, and no domain may be
selected back to back: Knowledge, Nature, Trickery.
Additionally, you gain no other traits associated with the
domains. You gain new traits.

1st Level Silvanus's Staff

Double your proficiency bonus when you use a
quarterstaff.

2nd Level Channel Divinity Mystra's Grace

You can give yourself or one ally a bonus on one ability
check, attack roll, or saving throw equal to your Intelligence
modifier. This bonus lasts for 1 minute, or until it is used.

6th Level Oghma's Insight

You gain proficiency in any three skills and any two
languages. You also gain one bard cantrip of your choice.

Those Who Harp 7

6th Level Natural Scholar

Druid
Harper Warden
The Weave is a part of nature, just as nature is part of the
Weave. Astral storms can change where birds migrate or how
much rain falls; volcanoes, lofty peaks, and deep caves all
have profound connections to the Deep Wilds. The High
Forest may have once been connected to Summeroak,
Silvanus's celestial home.

A Warden's Duties
Wardens are immensely useful to the Harpers, and to the
areas they tend. Wardens, like most druids, develop bonds to
specific locations or environments and spend their lives in
service of it. Their devoted study of nature and the Weave
benefit everyone.
Scholars. It's not enough to tend and protect a forest or
grassland the Harpers want to know everything about it.
Wardens are experts in specific environments, and many
keep detailed records of everything they encounter in their
domains.
Harper Refuges. Harpers sometimes must flee cities and
towns and seek shelter in the countryside, or the wilderness
if circumstances dictate. Little more than moss beds, remote
caves, and hollow trees, the refuges are often more than
enough to hold a Harper over for several days. The refuges
are difficult to spot and always built to change as little about
the area as possible.
The Beastlord. Wardens, especially wardens of Mielikki,
primarily fight against Malar and his broods. Despite his
position as an exarch of Silvanus, and therefore beholden to
the Oak Father, Malar send his disciples to ruin villages and
towns, and butcher any foolish enough to cross into their
territory.

You are particularly familiar with one type of natural

environment and are adept at traveling and surviving in such
regions, as per the Natural Explorer trait. See the ranger class
section in chapter 3 of the Player's Handbook

10th Level Interwoven

Whenever you make a saving throw against spells or other
magical effects, you can use your proficiency bonus even if
you aren't proficient.
If you are proficient, you have advantage on the roll.

14th Level Silvanus's Resolve

You can cast the barksin spell at will. Anyone, other than
yourself, cannot benefit from this spell again until you have
completed a long rest.
When you cast the spell on yourself, your AC is 19 and you
are resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Bonus Spells
You gain access to new spells at 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th levels.
Once you gain access to a Harper spell, you always have it
prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells
you can prepare each day. If you gain access to a spell that
doesn't appear on the druid spell list, it is nonetheless a
druid spell for you.
Druid Level Spells
3rd

find traps, hold person

5th

glyph of warding, dispel magic

7th

banishment, polymorph

9th

mislead, teleportation circle

2nd Level Essential Skills

You gain proficiency in History and Investigation. You also
gain 1 wizard cantrip of your choice.

Those Who Harp 8

Fighter

damage from those sources for 10 minutes. You must finish a

long rest before you can use this ability again.

Harper Sentinel
Harper sentinels are the watchful eyes and steady hands
when Zhentarim cutthroats or Thay assassins come skulking.
Harper lives, indeed many lives, have been saved by their
continual vigilance and quick actions. The sentinels tend to
be serious folk, but a good number are stiff or smarmy.

Survival through Vigilance

Harpers quickly learn that their enemies are bloodthirsty,
and insatiable. Raiding and warring against the Harpers is
difficult, however, as they have no true bases or leaders.
Fighting Harpers is akin to fighting rats they're more
numerous, and more resourceful, than first appear. Which is
why Harper enemies will go to any lengths to track down a
Harper's identity.
Security Personnel. Anywhere Harpers operate in
strength, Harper sentinels keep their friends safe. They blend
easily, as they're often local soldiers or retired warriors, well
known and rooted in their communities. Their chores are
usually simple and easy to disguise, like evening walks that
are really patrols.
Personal Security. Sentinels sometimes protect others
personally, as bodyguards and minders. Sometimes the
protection is known to the one being guarded, when a
merchant has been attacked by the Black Network and
requests aide from the Harpers. Sometimes the protection is
unknown, when the one being guarded finds a hero suddenly
at hand, able and ready.
Celestial Boons. The Forest Queen granted sentinels a
special boon: in honor of their constant vigilance for others,
the sentinels would no longer need to guard against
contagions or poisons. Azuth, the Lord of Spells, gave the
sentinels a bit protection from his domain. Ever in favor of
balance, Azuth made sure the boon wasn't too great.

3rd Level Head up, Eyes Open

You gain proficiency in Insight and Perception, and can add
your proficiency bonus to initiative checks.

7th Level Mielikki's Gift

You are immune to poison and disease effects.

10th Level Additional Action Surge

Starting at 10th level, you can use action surge twice before
requiring a short or long rest. You can only use action surge
once per turn.

15th Level Lightning Reflexes

You gain proficiency in Dexterity Saving Throws, and can't
be surprised if you are conscious.

18th Level Azuth's Barrier

You can give yourself advantage on saving throws against
spells and other magical effects, as well as resistance to
Those Who Harp 9

Monk
Harper Canonist
Harper canonists are the souls who labor to record the
information the group discovers. They are studious and
serious, and many are the faithful of Azuth and Deneir. Magic
is familiar to canonists even before they join the Harpers.
Their meticulous, nearly ritualistic, inscription methods
confer on them fantastic magical abilities.

To Teach Others is to Teach Oneself

The first canonists came from the Heralds. Serious, with an
uncanny lack of humor, a dozen historians and barristers
arrived not long after news of the Harper Schism spread
throughout the Sword Coast. They were there to help the
Harpers salvage what was left of their group after the
Blackstaff exodus, and the Harpers endure because of them.
Historians and Scribes. A great many things happen when
Harpers are about. At the very least, a handful of fools may
discover a smelly tomb and need to catalog every dank crypt
and rotting idol inside. Canonists are there, too, or they're
eager to hear all about it.
The Weave Within Oneself. Ki is an incredible font of
power, and canonists use it to cast spells. Their spells can be
powerful, but they often lack the flash or intensity of
elemental spells. Canonists work quietly, and prefer the
longer, slower perspectives. Their spells more provide
insight and understanding, which are the greatest powers of
all.
Secret Tellers. Some canonists have written books on
flowers and plants after spending decades in druid groves,
Others have compiled treatises about animal behavior and
genealogy from the muddy notes of a ranger. A new
opportunity has arisen, however, as Faern's literacy level
grows: adventure stories about famous heroes. Fortunately
for the canonists, the annals of Harper history are filled with
amazing tales of heroism.

Azuth's Key (6th Level Required). You can spend 3 ki

points to cast knock.
Deneir's Secret. You can spend 2 ki points to cast illusory
script.
Deneir's Tutelage (11th Level Required). You can spend 4
ki points to cast glyph of warding.
Hedge Mage. You gain proficiency in Arcana, and can
spend 2 ki points to cast detect magic.
Lliira's Cruelty. You can spend 2 ki points to cast Tasha's
hideous laughter.
Lliira's Mercy (17th Level Required). You can spend 6 ki
points to cast greater restoration.
Master Canonist (17th Level Required). You can spend 6 ki
points to cast legend lore.
Milil's Voice. You can spend 2 ki points to cast healing
word.
Mystra's Balance (11th Level Required). You can spend 4
ki points to cast dispel magic.
Oghma's Truth. You can spend 2 ki points to cast identify.
Seldarine Vengeance (11th Level Required). You can
spend 4 ki points to cast spirit guardians.
Selune's Light (6th Level Required). You can spend 3 ki
points to cast moonbeam.
Selune's Path. You can spend 1 ki point to cast either light
or guidance, targeting yourself.
Shaundakul's Step (17th Level Required). You can spend 5
ki points to cast dimension door.
Shiallia's Bounty (17th Level Required). You can spend 5
ki points to cast aura of life.
Tymora's Favor. You can spend 1 ki point to cast true
strike, targeting yourself.

Harper Boons
When you become a Harper Canonist at 3rd level, you learn
Harper Boons that create magical effects. A boon may
require you to spend ki points each time you use it.
You know the Hedge Mage boon and one other boon of
your choice, which are detailed in the Harper Boons section
below. You learn one additional boon of your choice at 6th,
11th, and 17th level.
When you learn a new boon, you can also replace one boon
that you already know with a different boon.
Casting Harper Spells. Boons allow you to cast spells. See
chapter 10 in the Player's Handbook for the general rules of
spell casting, and chapter 3 for monk spell casting.
The Harper Boons are presented in alphabetical order. If a
boon requires a level, you must be that level in this class to
learn the boon.
Ancient Magic. You can spend 2 ki points to cast magic
missile.
Those Who Harp 10

Paladin
Harper Knight

If the target passes, the spell or ability functions as normal.

If the target fails, the spell or ability doesn't function and the
target's action is wasted.
You can affect one target at a time with this feature, which
lasts a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier.

The Harper knights are much of the reason the Harpers

themselves aren't distrusted by everyday folk. Their devotion
to the Harper Code, an unofficial collection of the Harpers'
beliefs and goals, helps spread the good name of the Harpers
despite the group's messy history.

7th Level Milil's Laugh

The Harper Code

You can cast find steed using a spell slot of 3rd level or
higher. If you do, increase the number of mounts you
summon according to the spell level used.

The Harper Code isn't an actual code, or at least not

codified anywhere, by anyone. It's a loose code, one befitting
a group with loose structure
All Deserve to Live Free of Fear. Oppose tyranny and
despotism. Stand for those who are trapped by evil and work
to free them.
Strive for Justice. Though there will be times when you are
powerless to prevent injustice, there must never be a time
when you fail to fight it.
Guard Against Pride. Be a servant and guardian of all
races. You are not one, but many. A great knight must always
be willing to be little.
Wary Your Might. Commit fully to any cause the Harpers
champion, but be careful devotion doesn't blind, or twist into
zealotry. Good intentions, taken too far, lead to ruin.
Study the Past. To destroy a people, evil doesn't need to
kill all of the them. Destroy their history and they will forget
who they are. Study the past, understand it, preserve it, and
share the wisdom with others.

Increase your Charisma by 1, to a maximum of 22. You also

gain proficiency in two Charisma-based skills of your choice.

15th Level Knight Hospitaler

Spell Level

Mounts

3rd

4th

5th

20th Level Azuth's Boon

Whenever you expend a spell slot to use divine smite, roll a
1d6. If the result is greater than the spell slot expended, the
spell slot is instantly recovered.

Bonus Spells
You gain bonus spells at the paladin levels listed.
Paladin Level Spells
3rd

comprehend languages, illusory script

5th

enhance ability, see invisibility

9th

glyph of warding, haste

13th

dimension door, guardian of faith

17th

hold monster, legend lore

3rd Level Channel Divinity

When you become a Harper Knight at 3rd level, you gain the
following two Channel Divinity options.
Eldath's Stream. As an action, you can touch one willing
creature and imbue it with healing magic by using your
Channel Divinity class feature. The creature gains
regeneration equal to your proficiency bonus, which lasts a
number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier.
Scour the Mind. You can use your Channel Divinity to
hamper spell casting. As an action you can brandish your
holy symbol and select a single target within 30 feet. The
target must attempt a saving throw, using its spell casting
ability, against your paladin spell casting DC.

Those Who Harp 11

Ranger
Harper Guerrilla
Harper guerrillas are a lone soldiers, resilient and self
sufficient, who prowl anywhere evil sits in strength. They
carry out raids, sabotage, and organize small bands of
warriors to irritate and disrupt evil powers.

Thorns in the Countryside

Well beyond the range of enemy patrols, guerrillas begin
their work by scouting a hunting ground and meeting the
displaced and unhappy locals. Guerrillas build groups from
the locals and turn them against their masters.
Rarely Seen. Harpers are always taught to hide identities
and protect themselves from exposure. Guerrillas simplify
the idea by meeting almost no one, and living in the middle of
nowhere. Their presence can be impossible to track, which
makes them all the more dangerous.
Closer Than You Think. Guerrillas are notorious loners,
but the truth is different. Guerrillas are reclusive and and
possessed by wanderlust when they're not working, they're
quietly traveling across Faern. A Harper guerrilla could be
inside a tavern or guest house, stirring up the locals.
Recruitment Drives. Harper guerrillas wander until they
find work to do, and then they get to it. Many build networks
to keep themselves connected to authorities chasing them,
enemies, or to find other allies. Guerrillas are, in many cases,
eager to train and equip locals to continue the Harpers' work.

You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another

enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't
incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack
roll.
The amount of extra damage increases as you gain levels in
this class, as shown above.

7th Level Raid Leader

You gain proficiency in Intimidation or Persuasion.
You can take a bonus action in combat to give one ally who
can see or hear you an immediate single action. The action is
taken after you finish your turn and does not change the
target's initiative order. Once you this feature you must finish
a short or long rest before you can use it again.

11th Level Eldath's Renewal

You recover all 1st level spell slots when you finish a short
rest.

15th Level Deneir's Eye

You can cast true sight, but only on yourself. Once you use
this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it
again.

Bonus Spells
You gain bonus spells at the ranger levels listed.
Ranger Level

Spells

3rd

cure wounds, heroism

5th

detect thoughts, see invisibility

9th

dispel magic, tongues

13th

confusion, freedom of movement

17th

awaken, mass cure wounds

3rd Level Sneak Attack

Once per turn you can deal an extra d6 damage to one
creature you hit with an attack roll. You must have advantage
on the attack roll, and the attack must use a weapon from
your fighting style.
Ranger Level

Sneak Attack

35

1d6

68

2d6

9 11

3d6

12 14

4d6

15 17

5d6

18 20

6d6
Those Who Harp 12

Rogue
Harper Saboteur

17th Level Deadly Sabotage

When you use your sneak attack to inflict your sabotage
penalty, the attack does half your sneak attack damage
instead of none.

A Harper saboteur breaks corrupt governments and ruins

the lives of the cruel and greedy. A saboteur can turn a
beleaguered, starving people in a quiet rebellion of slow,
inefficient work or live among them for years, cutting corners
and ruining projects to keep evil from growing strong.

Home Wreckers
When Red Wizards force slaves to build monoliths and
obelisks for their profane rituals, Harper saboteurs are there
to impede and prevent in any way possible.
Subversive. Saboteurs will find a method to distrupt their
enemies, even if they use others to do it. A favorite tactic is to
find a weak member of an enemy group and weaken it
further, through deception, intimidation, and manipulation,
so that the member itself helps destroy a Harper's enemies.
Obstructive. Serfs and peasant farmers complain that their
plow horses are sick, or that their equipment is ruined.
Laborers find that their stonework from the day before has
collapsed overnight, wagons fall apart before they're out of
town. Tools go missing, supplies vanish, stores empty.
Destructive. When all else fails, saboteurs prove their
commitment to the Harper cause through spectacular
displays of destruction and sabotage. Saboteurs can craft
elaborate, powerful traps to raze the structures of their
enemies.

3rd Level Sabotage

Whenever you would deal sneak attack damage, you can
instead deal no sneak attack damage and inflict a penalty on
your target's next ability check, attack roll, or saving throw.
The penalty is equal to your proficiency bonus, and lasts for
1 minute or until triggered.

9th Level It's Always Trapped

You gain the Dungeon Delver feat.

13th Level Treacherous Sabotage

You can apply your sabotage penalty to a target without
using your sneak attack. To do so, you must do one of the
following:
Use Sleight of Hand to tangle, weaken, unseal, or
otherwise hamper the use of an item or items on
the target;
Use Deception to mislead or confuse the target by
means of disguises, lies, or other trickery;
Use Intimidation to rattle the nerves of the target.
If applied this way, the penalty lasts for at least 1 hour. It
may last longer if the method was particularly effective and
the DM agrees.
This penalty can be applied without the target realizing
you are the saboteur, but only if applied using this feature.

Those Who Harp 13

Sorcerer
Harper Prodigy
The descendants of the founding Harpers, Harper
prodigies are connected to each other in a profound way:
Seldruin Ailo, the Pool of Heaven. The Ailo acts as a shared
spell source for sorcerers. They sometimes contribute bits of
themselves to it and expand the knowledge of their distant
relatives. Other times, the prodigies draw knowledge from it
and deepen their magical prowess.

6th Level Mystra's Wisdom

You can spend 3 sorcery points to reduce to the number of
spells lost by 1. You can reduce the number of spells lost to 0,
but you cannot gain bonus known spells.

14th Level Dedicated Study

Your proficiency bonus for your cantrips is doubled.

18th Level Tymora's Smile

You can reroll any single die, even after the outcome has
been determined. Once you use this feature, you can't use it
again until you finish a long rest.

One, and Many

Spell pools aren't unknown to Faern, Some guilds of
wizards in Waterdeep have used them for hundreds of years,
to boost their spell casting endurance. The Seldruin Ailo,
however, is unique in that it can give new knowledge to its
members. The Pool is fickle though, and dangerous, and it
can take away knowledge as well.
The Temple in the Mind. The Pool of Heaven has no form,
but it exists profoundly in the mind of every prodigy. Some
have likened it to a great bazaar or banquet table while
others describe it as a lake from which they drink. A group of
wizards have called it the only library sorcerers will go into
one all about themselves.
Mysterious Connections. Prodigies are sometimes so
connected via the Ailo that they're connected to another
prodigy. The connections are often spontaneous and bizarre
shared dreams or swells of inexplicable fear or rage.
Prodigies have known when another has died, been born
fallen in love, and desperately needed help. One Harper
prodigy knew when another ate hot, buttery bread because
the tastes would suddenly appear on her tongue!
The Late Curse. Not every prodigy develops the curse, but
those that do suffer a cruel fate: they steadily lose their
memories. If cursed, it begins sixty years or so into a
prodigy's life. It can be removed, of course, and most are
before too much damage is done. What's lost is lost, forever.

1st Level The Seldruin Ailo

Whenever you finish a long rest, roll two d4. Subtract the
second die's value from the first die's value. If the result is
positive, your spells known increase by that number. The
new spells must come from the Sorcerer spell list, and must
be of a level you can cast. Any new spells learned from this
feature are lost after you finish a long rest.
If the subtracted value is zero ornegative, your total spells
known decrease by that number. The lost spells need not be
of the same level, and can be distributed individually. Any
spells lost by this feature are recovered after you finish a long
rest.
Your attachment to the Seldarine Ailo grows as you level. At
8th level, you roll two d6 after finishing a long rest. At 15th
level, two d8.

Those Who Harp 14

10th Level Azuth's Echo

Warlock
Harper Pact
A Harper pact Warlock is connected not to one patron, but
many. The entirety of the Harper gods contribute to the
power of the pact, and regard it as a symbol of the group's
loyalty to each other, and to their goals.

An Unknowable Master
The Harper Pact warlock is an unintended member of the
Harper group. When the Faernian gods gathered and gave
their support to the group, their divine magic was enough to
attract fledgling warlocks, who sneaked the magical power
rather than ask for it. Instead of rejecting the group, the
Harper gods nurtured the connection into the Harper Pact.
Guided by the Pact. The Harper Pact exists almost as its
own being. It has no form, or sentience, or presence, but
Harper warlocks universally draw power from a source of
magic. What's more, the Pact has preferences, and ethics.
Harper Pact warlocks tend to embody the spirit of the
Harpers, or they lose their powers.
Hardier than the Usual Warlock. The Pact immediately
gives the warlocks more ways to be adaptable armor. After
that, Harper pact warlocks can cure the wounds of their
allies, and even be favored against Death itself
The Lord of Spells. Supposedly, Azuth was so delighted by
the peculiarity of how the Pact came into being that he gave a
great bit of power to the pact itself. The gift came as Azuth's
Echo, an ability some warlocks use to extend their spell
casting.

Whenever you cast a spell, you can use Oghma's Echo to

cast the spell again the following turn, as a bonus action. This
spell doesn't count toward your spell slots. Once you use this
feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can
use it again.

14th Level Windrider

You can act as if you are under the effects of the wind walk
spell for one hour. You can use this feature a number of times
equal to your Wisdom modifier. All expended uses are
returned after you finish a long rest.

Expanded Spell List

The Harper Pact lets you choose from an expanded list of
spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells
are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Spell Level

Spells

1st

identify, sanctuary

2nd

find traps, prayer of healing

3rd

clairvoyance, glyph of warding

4th

divination, locate creature

5th

halllow, mass cure wounds

1st Level Gift from of the Gods

You learn one cleric cantrip of your choice. You also gain
proficiency with medium armor and shields.

6th Level Better Lucky than Dead

When you make death saving throws, you have advantage
on the rolls. If you fail a saving throw, you can't use this
feature until you are no longer dying.

Those Who Harp 15

Wizard

also replace a metamagic option you know with a different

one.

Harper Mage
Harper mages may lack the school specific training of their
peers, but they make up for their lack of academic study with
a insight from the Lord of Spells. Harper mages touch the
Weave in ways no other wizard can.

The Art of Magic

The earliest Harper mages were bards with the ability to
cast spells from a wizard's book. Overtime, and as the
Harpers reorganized after each gradual decline, the mages
became less bardic and more wizardly. The call of the Art was
too much to resist. On second thought, perhaps the mages
aren't as far from bards as they believe.
A Universalist. In another lifetime, Harper mages were the
wizards who avoided specializing in a magic school. They
were broad in their studies and their spells, and many of the
greatest mages in Faern were without a specialization.
Harper mages continue this tradition in the post Spell Plague
world.
Spell Collectors. All wizards collect spells. It's a
fundamental part of wizarding. Harper mages differ from
most other mages, however, in that they're eager to share
their spell books with each other. One can never have too
much information, or know too many spells.
Metamagic. The Lord of Spells gave mages the ability to
use a sorcerer's powerful metamagic. The talent was once
known only to sorcerers, and required magic unique to their
bloodlines. The Harper mages' version of metamagic is
slower, and less power, but the breadth of their spell books
balances against the limitations.

2nd Level Oghma's Quill

The gold and time you must spend to copy any spell into
your spell book is halved.

6th Level Azuth's Student

You can select one Metamagic option detailed inside the
Player's Handbook, under the Sorcerer class description, with
the following adjustments:
Use Intelligence instead of Charisma.
The Metamagic options cost no sorcery points use.
The options must be prepared beforehand like any
other wizard spell.
The sorcery point cost of a Metamagic option
increases the spell's level by the appropriate
amount.
For example, if a wizard were to prepare a careful
fireball, the spell would require a 4th level spell slot instead of
a 3rd, and the wizard's Intelligence modifier, not Charisma,
would determine the number of safe targets.
If using a metamagic option would raise a spell beyond 9th
level, the metamagic option can't be used.
You can select a second metamagic option at 10th level, and
a third at 14th level. Each time you gain this feature, you can
Those Who Harp 16

Sources
For the Harpers:
1. Ed Greenwood (1993). The Code of the Harpers.
ISBN 1-56076-644-1.
2.

Ed Greenwood, Rob Heinsoo, Sean K. Reynolds,

Skip Williams (2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign
Setting, 3rd Edition. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.

3.

Ed Greenwood, Skip Williams (2003-06-04).

Master Harper Prestige Class. Wizards of the
Coast. Archived from the original on 2013-05-31.
Retrieved on 2016-04-11.

4.

Ed Greenwood, Brian R. James (2007). The Grand

History of the Realms. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.

5.

Eric L. Boyd (2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep.

ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.

6.

Richard Baker and James Wyatt (2004). Player's

Guide to Faern. ISBN 07-8693-134-5

7.

Angel McCoy, Duane Maxwell, Sean K. Reynolds

(2001). Magic of Faern. ISBN 0-7869-1964-7

Images
Cover: Harper Symbol, by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

Those Who Harp 17