The Harpers are a secretive network of spellcasters and spies who covertly oppose abuses of power throughout Faerûn. They work alone or in small cells, gathering intelligence and helping the weak and oppressed from behind the scenes, acting openly only as a last resort.
Role in the Adventure
The Harpers serve as the primary intelligence source that sets the adventure in motion. They provide critical information to Syndra Silvane about the death curse, determining that its source is a necromantic artifact called the Soulmonger located somewhere in Chult. This intelligence comes from a lich (whose identity is not revealed), though the Harpers know little beyond the Soulmonger’s name and general location.
Presence in Port Nyanzaru
Harper spies operate covertly in Port Nyanzaru, embedded among the Zhentarim mercenaries who guard the city. The merchant prince Wakanga O’tamu is secretly sympathetic to the Harpers and allows them to use his villa as a safe house, though his peers are unaware of this arrangement.
Search for Artus Cimber
A handful of Harper spies are actively searching Port Nyanzaru and the Chultan jungle for Artus Cimber, a former Harper member who possesses the Ring of Winter artifact. The Harpers claim their intent is to protect the ring from falling into evil hands, though their exact plans upon finding it remain unclear. Their magical efforts to locate Artus fail, as the Ring of Winter shields itself and its wearer against divination spells.
One Harper agent, Lomar Dral (LG male Turami human mage), is captured while searching for Artus in Port Nyanzaru. He is drugged by the yuan-ti guide Salida and imprisoned in the Fane of the Night Serpent with his spell slots depleted.
Relationship with Other Factions
The Harpers share similar goals with the Ytepka Society (also known as the Triceratops Society), a Chultan organization dedicated to preventing abuses of power. Both groups work covertly to maintain social order and oppose tyranny.
The Harpers are opposed by the Zhentarim, who also seek the Ring of Winter and have their own operations in Chult. Harper spies monitor Zhentarim activities in the region.
Aftermath
If the party destroys the Soulmonger and has friendly ties with the Harpers, Harper spies may warn them about Szass Tam’s plot to send Red Wizard operatives and undead to spy on and eventually eliminate the characters.
The Harpers possess lore that could help Artus Cimber find a way to reach or summon the displaced city of Mezro, but they demand the Ring of Winter in exchange for their assistance—a trade Artus refuses to make.