Harpers

Harpers can refer to several different things, depending on context. In general usage, a harper is a person who plays the harp, a large string instrument with pedals or levers in modern pedal harps. The plural harpers denotes more than one such musician. Historically, harpers were common in various cultures, ranging from court musicians to itinerant performers. The term can also appear as a surname.

In the realm of fantasy literature and role-playing games, The Harpers is a notable fictional organization in the Forgotten Realms setting. They are a loose network of spellcasters, bards, scholars, and adventurers who advocate freedom and oppose tyranny. The Harpers operate across Faerûn, using information gathering, diplomacy, and subterfuge to protect the weak and preserve knowledge. Leadership is informal and decentralized, with local members acting in accordance with shared principles rather than a centralized command structure. The group is depicted as morally aligned with the greater good, though its methods can be pragmatic and covert. The Harpers appear across novels, game supplements, and adventures, contributing to plots involving political intrigue, magical threats, and efforts to counter oppressive regimes.

As a surname, Harpers exists in English-speaking regions and may derive from an ancestral occupation related to playing or handling harps, or from place-based origins. Individuals with the surname appear in historical records and contemporary contexts, reflecting the name’s linguistic roots.

Overall, Harpers encompass both a real-world musical profession and a variety of fictional and historical usages, with the Forgotten Realms organization being the most prominent contemporary fictional reference.