Whenever a campaign inDungeons & Dragonsneeds a secret organization of good guys, the Harpers are there for the taking. Yet, since they’ve been used as a small rebellious group, as well as a massive spy network, not all players are sure what the Harpers really are.

They’ve appeared in plenty of popular D&D content, such as the Honor Among Thieves movie or the Baldur’s Gate video game series, meaning that their importance to the lore is great. But what are their true goals, and why are they used in widely different scenarios?

Dungeons & Dragons image showing a Harper pin, with their symbol the crescent moon and harp

The Harpers At Twilight

Long ago, there was anElven city known as Myth Drannor, known for beinga paradise of arts and knowledge. To preserve this land, Elven military leaders and some trusted Humans banded together andformed the Harpers at Twilight, choosing Dathlue Mistwinter as their leader, and her family crest as their symbol.

Many centuries later,only the Harpers’ symbol(a harp surrounded by a crescent moon)and their tenants remain, their city and leaders having fallen fighting creatures of darkness long ago. But those tenants are what keeps new people coming in, and fighting for their view of a greater good.

The Sundering Lineup by Tyler Jacobson featuring many different characters from dungeons & dragons like Drizzt Do’Urden, fighters, a sorcerer, a tiefling mage, and many adventurers

The Wizard Elminster is one of the Harpers’ founding members, and while he’s still alive, he doesn’t seem as involved with them now as he was back in the day.

While they’ve changed slightly from edition to edition, the tenants are understood as:

Dungeons & Dragons - Adventurers trying to enter a city get stopped by a guard at the gates

This all makesthe Harpers a Chaotic Good organization, using subterfuge as their main strength, all while guiding nations from the shadows. Without a rigid hierarchy system, they can mold themselves into whatever is needed to further their goals, be it quiet spymasters or warring rebels.

Fighting For Balance

When Harpers say they fight to maintain balance,they don’t mean balance between Good and Evil, but between civilizations and nature.This makes them work as a combination of a Druidic circle as well as a Thieves guild.

Their example of a perfect civilization is Myth Drannor, where art and nature flourished, and technology still had a place to grow.Since no such place exists anymore, the Harpers have no true headquarters, nor do they aim to build one; they hope a new Myth Drannor will rise if they keep fighting for the freedom of the common folk.

They understand the value of laws, as long as said laws aren’t used to oppress the people.While they’re chaotic in essence,they can still choose leaders among them, known as High Harpers, although other Harpers follow them out of respect rather than rank.

How To Use The Harpers In A Campaign

The point of the Harpers is how malleable they are, giving you easy access to an organization that fits any setting, andletting you decide how big or small they areat any moment.This lets the players keep the spotlight, while having a network of allies to pull from when in need.

In early levels, they’re excellent quest givers, pushing players towards overarching goals that they don’t need to be aware of at first.

For the later stages of a campaign, they work better as freedom fighters, giving astute players the workforce to achieve their goals, or plans for more passive players that don’t feel like coming up with solutions themselves.