The Harpers at Twilight

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kakimasu

Game Information

Created Sep 24 '12
Last Post Dec 2 '13 at 9:42am
Status Aborted
System Dungeons & Dragons 3.5e
Setting Forgotten Realms 3.5e

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Thread: Mysteries of the Moonsea and the Harpers that Solve Them!

Game Description

INTRODUCTION

The life of a Harper is not an easy one, nor a simple one. The Harpers work tirelessly to help the peoples of Faerun find the right balance between civilization and nature, between order and individuality and most of all they fight against those that would reign as tyrants over others. They are the rare few that sing the old songs and still tell the old tales, they shatter the chains of slavery and delve into the darkness where others fear to tread. In life and death they strive to follow the Code:

CODE OF THE HARPERS
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.

Freedom is a multiversal right, though Harpers can spare themselves less freedom than those they work to protect when the need presents itself.

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.

In the lands of the Moonsea, hard against the barbaric tundra of the Ride and the Great Grey Land of Thar and beyond the sight of the bright cities and realms to the south and west, there exists a lake so large it is nearly a sea unto itself. Its deep, cold waters are matched by the cold hearts of the terrible powers that hold sway around its shores. The least of the four great cities of the Moonsea, and the one whose heart is the least darkened by corruption, is grim Melvaunt, called the City of Swords. Lit, as it is, day and night by a thousand forges and permanently wreathed in the iron-tinted smoke and fumes of metalwork it is not a bright and cheery place. No, surrounded by ugly marshland and near-constantly beset by monsters from Thar and living always under the threat of Zhentil Keep's reborn power to the west, Melvauntans are a serious, workmanlike people who probably only stay in their sad city because they are too proud and independent to admit they aren't happy there.

For centuries the Harpers have tried to infiltrate the Moonsea and its environs to better the lives of the poor souls living under the fist of tyranny. Unlike the fairer realms to the south, though, the dark forces have long held the reins of power and they are loth to let even a speck of that power slip away. The Black Network of the Zhentarim is terribly strong around the Moonsea as is the dark edifice of Fzoul Chembryl's Church of Bane. Slavery is not only acceptable it is commonplace in most all of the Moonsea's cities, excepting only Phlan and Thentia but even in those slightly friendlier towns it is not unknown for travelers to be spirited away in the night to the docks of Zhentil Keep or Mulmaster. In this rugged land, amidst these dark folk, Those Who Harp have their work cut out for them. Scores of Harpers have died to the spells, or upon the blades, of the tyrants of this region and their servants. One High Harper though has decided that enough is enough. Through many contacts he has gathered a skilled cadre of young Harpers and has, over nearly a decade of work, insinuated a talented handler into the fabric of the city of Melvaunt. This time he means not to fail.

It is Greengrass in the Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR) and you and your companions have just survived a harrowing journey on a slow merchant vessel across the breadth of the Moonsea to arrive in Melvaunt. In the soft lands you have left behind a glistening spring is about to awaken, but here on the North Coast, Auril has barely loosened her hateful grasp. It matters not for you have a meeting to keep!

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS[Game Master]
That would be me, Sillaric

[Game Explanation]
I am getting back to basics here. I haven't played/run 3.5e in forever so it may be a bit shaky right off the bat but I have been behind the screen with one edition or another for a little over 20 years so please know that I can get it done. This is a quasi-redux of a game I tried to run a couple of years ago here, although I'm changing things up a bit (if Morrigan, Dastir, The Firkraag or Ilarian are still around I'd love to have you back!). The idea is that the group will be a Harper Cell operating in the Moonsea. Much of the campaign will use information in the supplement Mysteries of the Moonsea but with a fair bit of wandering off course thrown in for fun. Now as Harpers you will need to be good or at least pleasantly neutral for the idea to work. You must be willing to do the right thing even when there isn't a profit in it!

[Application Process]
Post your application as a new thread in game's Applications folder linked below, in the following format (you can make a sheet and include your statblock at the bottom if you want, but it cannot replace the regular format):

Character Name:
Gender/Race:
Class:

Physical/Personality Description: A paragraph or more (2 max please) describing your character's physical appearance and personality. If you want to put secrets into your characters personality you can "private tag" them in this area. Include how your character reacts to stress/danger, how your character dresses in the field, in the tavern, etc and how he/she generally deals with others socially.

Background: No more than 2-3 paragraphs (1 is fine if you can get the point across that quickly). Please see below for some guidance on how this needs to be. Important, this section must show how, or at least why, your character "Took the Pin" and became a Harper.

Writing Sample: This can be a sample from a game you're in already but I'd rather it be something you've written for this character. It doesn't have to be super long, just do some in-character writing to show case who your character is and show off that you are capable of solid grammar and spelling.

A PICTURE WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL BUT ISN'T NECESSARY EITHER.

PLEASE POST APPLICATIONS IN THE APPLICATION FOLDER ON THE GAME FORUM, NOT IN THIS THREAD PLEASE

Link to APPLICATIONS folder: http://www.myth-weavers.com/forumdis...21218&tg=24391

[Character Creation]
Creation will be standard for a character starting at level 4, using a 28-pt buy, with 5400gp for equipment. If you are playing any of the common races please don't forget a subrace as they actually have a mechanical impact. You can choose one region and gain its benefit. LA buy-off is not allowed. Creatures with an LA or Racial HD up to 2 are acceptable for use but nothing with a base size larger than Medium unless you come up with something really really good and it must meet all the guidelines above.

A special note regarding Eberron-specific races, skills and classes. The changeling and shifter are perfectly acceptable although the changeling would be extremely rare and the shifter would only come from areas that have a strong People of the Black Blood presence. A warforged would be exceptionally rare to unique, a Gondar creation made on far Nimbral or maybe a Rhaumathari war-construct imbued with a brave warrior's soul. If you wish to play a warforged it will be up to you to come up with a plausibly Realmsian backstory and explanation. The artificer is something I wholeheartedly embrace. Things like dragonmarks, Dragonmarked Houses and their accompanying feat and PrCs are not allowed.

A final note about creation and forward thinking about your later decisions: I am old school when it comes to bladesingers so I use the one in Races of Faerun rather than the one in Complete Warrior.

[Sources allowed]
I have access to most everything from 3.5e and of course all FR supplements are acceptable. I don't like weird, way out their builds, so if you decide to use a little known supplement please give any needed title and page numbers please. I'm not opposed to monster characters if they are of the common sort but be prepared to face hatred and ridicule (especially if you are a drow).

[NOTES]
Feel free to PM with any questions but know that I will likely post the answer here for all to see (it cuts down on repeating myself). With regard to party composition, I don't really care. I will take anywhere from 4-8 players for this game and they can frankly all be rangers or bards or druids if the apps really sing and I feel like the players are truly into playing together for a good long while.

[SUBMISSION DEADLINE]
I will close the advertisement thread on Friday October 5th at midnight or with at least three days notice if interest seems to be drying up.