Age: 26
Gender: Female
Occupation: Traveling Adviser and Scholar (Secretly; A novice Harper)
Organization: N/A (Secretly; The Harpers)

Skills & Talents
• Journeyman Swordsman: The second rank of experience, she is both more skilled than a novice and yet less adapt than an artisan. She is not skilled enough to teach others the arts of swordplay, but she does holds her own in most situations, though there are plenty of individuals in the world that can out maneuver and out think her in the arts of melee combat.
• Artisan Acting: Though Adley does slip up from time to time, she's become experienced enough that at least in situations she knows to be of importance, it's hard to see past her ruse. Though not impossible and certainly easier if caught off guard.
• Artisan Stealth: Experienced enough to be a tutor for others, Adley has learned more advanced techniques to keep herself from being spotted or heard. Though she's no master and thus cannot hide in seemingly impossible situations, she can make easy use of normal methods of stealth - hiding behind objects, using shadows to her advantage, rolling from one cover to another, etc.
• Novice Wilderness Survival: Only the basics for Adley, like setting up campfires, cooking hunted rabbits or deer, constructing basic shelter. The campfires don't normally last all night, the shelters are easily spotted, and she can't always tell which plants are deadly or safe.
• Master Lorekeeper: Her strongest suit, Adley has read countless books and scrolls of mythical, legendary, and long forgotten creatures, ruins, places, and kingdoms. Some of them pure fiction while others hold a hint of truth. There isn't much that she isn't at least partially familiar with.

Magic
• Rune of True Sight: An ancient artifact in the form of an arm band, branded with the symbol of an eye. The band itself is silver in color and the symbol is a light sky blue, giving a slightly mystic and yet pure feel to the color scheme. It's more than just jewelry however and serves as one of only a handful of runes that provide it's bearer with uniquely powerful magics. This one in particular grants the user 'True Sight,' the ability to perceive the true nature of all things.

• Magical Piercing: True Sight allows Adley to see through magical illusions, invisibility, concealment or otherwise any sort of magical-based cloaking.
• See the Unseen: The rune also allows Adley to spot things that are out of place, such as secret doors & traps. This does not extend living creatures, however, as they are not things out of place and practicing stealth just means hiding and being quiet which are both natural things in almost every setting.
• Ancient Knowledge: The last ability of True Sight is to give it's bearer knowledge of written and spoke barriers. The user can speak and understand all languages, decipher coded messages, and gain insight to symbolism in ancient lore.

Brief Personality
Normally speaking, Adley keeps to herself. She is a natural introvert and her secret holding within the Harpers makes it even more lonely due to having to travel as one of the 'adventuring' Harpers. However she is still friendly and has a warm heart and a dedicated resolve to see good done in this world. Bringing in with her more submissive personality, she tends to forgo the blade in favor of gathering intel to pass along or manipulate so that other, more direct orders (such as knights, adventurers, etc.) can take action in her place. Behind all the confidence and friendly nature of this woman though, is a pool of depression, not something most get to see or know outside some of the other Harpers.

Background
Adley was born in a small village surrounded by forests and small rivers. Though her early years were filled with caring and love, her parents quickly started to realize how different she was from the simple life that they had made for themselves. Adley was always a curious type, getting to everything and as soon as she could read, she would end up with her nose in a book at every chance she could get. Despite having extended family in the village and living with her parents, it slowly turned into a life of loneliness. She was the black sheep of the family so while everyone else played outside or sat around in circles telling stories after their work, Adley was in the corner reading.

Sadly, this alone forced her to develop the talent of acting. In her teenage years this mostly presented itself in the form of pretending that everything was fine when she was really depressed. It had been even harder since being in a small town, it was very unusual to take a fancy to the same sex, but it was so hard for Adley to ignore the beautiful women and even harder for her to find any man appealing. Eventually, when she came of age, she decided to pack up and leave for the nearby city to try and find some work there - start her life over, away from people that ignored her to her face.

She found many odd jobs in the nearby kingdoms, from inn keeping, blacksmithing apprentice, courior, but she ended up spending the last few years as an irregular scout for the kingdom's military. Thankfully avoiding most of the 'normal' military training, she was still taught some discipline and mostly the arts of stealth and information gathering. She was often praised for her ability to quickly pick the skill up, but even more so for her ability to not only gather the intel, but also make her own connections due to how much she had read in her life.

However it wasn't until she had to go on a mission to spy on some slavers. She had been given orders - like all scouts - to not interfere at all. However when she saw a woman being drag through the mud and water, nearly drowning, she couldn't help but to try something. Just as luck would have it, the moment she jumped out with her short sword, so did another mysterious figure who was far more skilled. Together, the two individuals ended up either injuring, killing, or scaring off the slavers, effectively freeing all of the slaves. The man then turned to her and smiled, shaking her hand in thanks and said if she ever wanted to do some good in the world, to follow the breadcrumbs. He left as quickly as he appeared, leaving behind a small note in her hand to visit the inn, rent a room, and give a particular message to the keeper.

She had done so and found herself in the company of the legendary and mysterious Harpers. She was easily inducted into the service and given several assignments that capitalized on her skills as a scout and intel gatherer, finally using it for a purpose that seemed worth dying for - the freedom and happiness of others. Adley hadn't felt more at home than with the Harpers, though it was still a rather lonely journey. She had to admit though, she had never been so accepted in her life and the fact that her fellow Harpers welcomed her with open arms, even when they knew she fancied women, was a blessing on it's own.

Fate it seemed, still had plans for her however, even with her being a part of something so grand as the Harpers. One her missions lead her to some ancient ruins, where corrupt orcs were trying to bash down the door, ranting on about an artifact of great power and wisdom. Though she later reported that they were far from successful, she felt the urge to try and enter herself - after all, leaving something powerful to the hands of evil was not an option. By some miracle or perhaps by the grace of the Gods, she managed to find the trigger for the door and slowly inched inside only to find a single chamber that had layers of dust.

Taking time to try and decode the ancient messages, it eventually lead her to a giant silvery ring that was held in place on a pedestal. She figured perhaps it was the key to gaining further access, a series of puzzles to make sure this artifact was safe. She slipped her arm inside the circle, following vague instructions of a forgotten cult, when it suddenly lit up. Strings of light shot out and snapped themselves to Adley's bicep and then the giant silver ring began to shrink until it was eventually sitting on her arm like an armband. Bursting with a magical light, Adley could feel the effects of the rune right away...

Over the course of the next month, she and fellow Harpers gained insight to the full range of abilities this rune granted her (mostly in thanks to the rune's power to finally reveal what the ancient writings said) and seeing as they could not remove it without removing her arm, it gave her a special place within the Harper's organization. Since then, she has been invaluable to the Harper Scholars, but only a month ago she was pulled from her assignments to find the town of Melberry.

History with Aphrodite
Settling in the town, she was given information of an inn that a Harper friend ran, and upon arrival she was kindly given a free room until her business was concluded in the area. However she hadn't known was the assignment was for the moment, so she decided on a familiar and easy cover story; being a traveling adviser and scholar. This gave Adley the opportunity jot down coded messages about the comings and goings of people without drawing much or any suspicion.

However after a few days, a beautiful elf approached her, sharing some of her bread as they talked. Though Adley tried not to make much of it, the next day when she saw Aphrodite dancing, she couldn't help but quietly wander outside to watch. The surprise came when the elven woman suddenly stopped dancing, just to come over and talk to her, which made her unusually important.

They started to meet like that every day for about a week before someone forced both of them to face something that hadn't thought of before. Even though they were together at the bench, laughing lightly, one of the city guards came over and began to compliment Adley on her beauty and being even so bold as to ask her for a drink. It was not something Adley thought important, simply because the chances of another woman liking women at all was low, but the situation forced her to express her orientation.

The fact that he had taken it so well seemed odd to Adley, but when he said they looked cute together, Adley just blinked in surprise. Only her Harper family had ever made jests like that, but he seemed genuine in his comment, causing her to look at the elf. The red cheeks on the woman only confused her a bit more, but forced herself to justify it as embarrassment or surprise rather than true blushing. Adley then tried to wave it off like it wasn't a big deal.

She had to admit though, being invited over to Aphrodite's house right after did seem suspicious, but her reasoning of it raining the next day helped Adley reason past that, which she gladly accepted. Though she took care for her looks like any day before, the closer she came to the elf's home, the more her heart beat. She was trying not to, but she had been having light daydreams about the elven woman... she didn't want to develop feelings for her though because what if Aphrodite was just being a friend? Then Adley would just go through more hurt again.

The night went by much faster than she expected though. The two shared stories about how they ended up in town, how Adley had been in the militia as a scout before and even how her liking women had caused a wedge in her family. It was meaningful and fun for Adley to share those things with someone who seemed intently interested in what she had to say. Though seeing the elf blush time to time caused her pause, feeling her own cheeks glow as well, but all the while trying not to get her hopes up. After all, when she had to leave... Aphrodite - even if she did fancy her - probably wouldn't leave her home to be with her and she could never ask that.

Adley did have to admit after that night though.. she did fancy the elf.. perhaps if things had been different or they crossed paths at a different point in their life, they could make something work. With Adley being a Harper though and being called all over, that made it hard and how would Aphrodite react to her having magic? Magic was often seen as mystical and awe inspiring as it was filled with fear and distrust.

---

"What makes a Harper? Well, different folk'll tell ye a lot of high and grand things, but t'me it seems the only crucial talent - the one they all have - is the ability to turn up at the wrong time in a place where they're neither wanted nor expected, and plunge right into whatever trouble's afoot...."

"What's a Harper? A good question, aye - and like most good questions, it has a lot of right answers. As many, in fact, as there are Harpers... and if that's too cute an observation for your liking, then you have my condolences. A mind so closed can only find life a small, sad cage."

Many definitions of the term 'Harper' have been made down the ages. Some of them have even been printable. Most folk in the Realms know what the Harpers stand for, more or less (which is about what most Harpers know), but there have always been rumors of a secret code of laws or rules that define Harper membership and behavior.

The truth is that there are and there aren't. (That phrase describes a lot of truths about the Harpers.) The disorganized and secretive nature of the fellowship of Those Who Harp makes it hard to define what a Harper is (and some-times, who is and who is not a Harper), and what Harpers do and may not do.

Lone wolves (misfits, solitary adventurers, the disfigured, or the brilliant but unbalanced) are tolerated in the ranks of the Harpers, per-haps even encouraged. This adds many crazies (or as they're known in the Realms, 'moon-witted') and difficult folk to the ranks of the Harpers, but it also brings some very powerful individuals into the fellowship, giving them friends and a direction in life. The elusive, mysterious, and - for purposes of defining, describing, or fighting them - very difficult quality of the Harpers is their lack of organization. This has also been their strength, the flexibility that allows them to melt away before a powerful foe into nothingness (complete lack of organized activity, sometimes for many years) instead of standing strong as a visible army and being smashed by an attack.

The complete story of the Harpers may never be told, because it's not that sort: of organization. Nothing is clear, nothing is formal - and nothing is ever finished. Wise Harpers know this only too well. In the absence of armed might, it's all that's enabled them to survive as a group, in the face of assassins and the soldiers of a hundred rulers, great and small.

Harpers do not gather in large armies to do battle with evil in the glorious clash of arms. Instead, more often than not, single Harper agents slip into places that have fallen under the sway of various shadows - from the halls of kings to thieves' dens-and do all that one being can do to thwart the ruling evil. Not a few have given their lives. As the Harper Caledan put it, "Isn't that how the Harpers operate? They send one person to slip in and do a job where an army couldn't go. If the agent fails, they've lost only one. But if the agent succeeds ..."

"I go into most places armed with my orders, my wits, and a little information about where I can find friends or weaknesses in the armor of the enemy," said the Harper agent Tarnshar Stormraven (a ranger). He added dryly, "So I go into most places very quietly."

Harpers spread rumors, aid merchants and common folk in many small ways, thwart the schemes - and sometimes end the lives - of creatures who work evil ends, and try to manipulate the affairs of civilized races, both great and small, to keep kingdoms balanced and a general peace across the Realm.

The most powerful Harpers are the experienced adventurers who travel about the Realm taking direct action. This is not always a matter of spells and blades; some of the most capable Harpers are courtesans and merchants who have mastered the art of skillful acting. They act to mislead or sway other folk in ways that will aid Harper causes and confound those of Harper enemies. The largely behind-the-scenes method of Harper operation follows the watchword, 'The subtle plan outstrips the bared blade' (sometimes rendered as 'The soft caress moves more than the brutal fist').

• 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.
• Harpers can spare themselves less freedom than those they work to protect must have - but even a Harper must be free.
• 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.

• Harpers who have Harper pins carry them unless going into situations where the discovery of their identity would endanger their mission. Harpers wear their pins openly only as a recognition-signal to other Harpers, or at Harper gatherings.
• Harpers don't give up; they always work on unfinished missions, however much time has passed. (This has led to Harpers encountering foes years after they first started looking, and taking swift action - a habit that has given rise to the folk saying, 'Harpers never forget.')
• Harpers help other Harpers without hesitation or thought of personal cost or credit.
• Harpers do not conceal their own short-comings or handicaps (such as disease, carried curses, and lycanthropy) from other Harpers.
• Harpers never stop listening and looking, no matter how tired, hurt, or affected by magic or wine. An awake Harper never relaxes. (As the sage Maldeth of Calimport once put it, 'A Harper is always alert, living his life as if every hanging moment is his last. Soon enough, he's right about that.')
• Harpers do not respect rank or power; Harpers do respect wisdom and good character. Harpers never discriminate on the basis of sex or race - but almost always take careful note of a being's religion and how loyal that being is to it. Strong religious belief can be a dangerous thing, if the deity's nature or commandments stand opposed to Harper ends.
• Harpers do the unexpected. Unless assuming a role so as to pass undetected by enemies, Harpers do not settle into a routine that invites easy attack or anticipation of their aims and activities.

All Harpers can be briefed by any Herald (or any of the three 'informed' Harpers always on-duty in Twilight Hall, who study and discuss all Harper reports and try to keep track of what Harpers are where, and what of importance is going on at present, all across the Realms - information they'll share with any Harper). Harper messages can also be left by written means at Harper refuges, or carried as letters by Harpers, Harper friends or allies, and even by hired merchant-messengers of no loyalty to or even knowledge of the Harpers. Such missives are often sent on wax-sealed parchment scrolls, sometimes in code.

Adley had a unique place within the Harpers, mostly due to the rune 'True Sight.' Though she is an excellent scout, her ability to gather and process intel is nigh impossible to match now, outside of other Harpers being able to read people better than she can. Outside of other people though, she can literally decipher any spoken or written information and even find things hidden from view. This gives her a dual-place within the organization as a scout and a scholar.

WIP

Name: Aphrodite Talduin
Age: 127 (looks 24)
Gender: Female



Skills & Attributes:
Master Swordsman: Having lived for more then a hundred years, Aphrodite slowly taught herself the way of the sword. Though still not as skilled as a grandmaster, there are few that would be able to compare with her ability to a sword. Though she has lost duels she learns from each one and never loses to the same person twice.
Master Herbalist: If not practicing with a sword she was in her home developing poisons, and healing using the wilderness around her. It soothed her when something came together exactly as she planned, having made a few of her own recipes that she doesn't share the secret to anyone about, she uses her gift for good, though only if the person didn't get on her bad side.
Journeyman Explorer: Not much into traveling, Aphrodite prefers the quiet solitude of her house in the woods. Though she has been known to come out and explore when she hears something interesting or see's something that she just has to know about.
Novice Stealth: With a sword being her weapon of choice stealth doesn't come easy to Aphrodite, though when the time calls for it she can be quiet like a mouse it usually won't last long as she just tries to be in and out quickly.
Artisan Personality expert: Very good at reading people, Aphrodite uses that to her advantage in gaining information she would need for whatever the reason. Able to see thing's going on while paying attention to that person the slightest in body language or look in a person's eyes gives away how they really feel. Though she isn't always right about her hunches.

Personality:
Aphrodite is very up front, since she doesn't come out much and the few time she talks to people, she doesn't know the extent of personal space and sometimes it has gotten her into a bit of trouble that she has to find her way out of. Though secretive of her own life to new people she pries into theirs as much as possible, a charming smile and other womanly trait's usually get men talking all the time letting her know things she want's to. Woman are harder and pose a more challenge making them more interesting to her. When you pry into her hardened outer shell and see what larks beneath a fun loving, lonely woman awaits. Her loneliness is not her own doing, but without someone who cares for her life is pointless. So she searches and uses her abilities to try and find them, her shell she has put around herself makes her act seductive, though she is just the opposite more shy and withdrawn.

History:
Growing up in a forest isn't every kid's idea of a dream, far away from human's and other species. With only the company of a few elves to befriend, but for Aphrodite that was heaven. Getting to do whatever she wanted, it was a dream come true for her. Though her parent's always only had one rule, stay away from humans. Maybe that's what made her curious. She left home one day, that was when she was an adventurous woman and wanted to see the world. Traveling, danger it all excited her at that time. Though Aphrodite didn't get very far, within a week she realized how dangerous the real world was, man trying to take advantage of her. Animals trying to kill her, her parent's hadn't thought to tell her any of these things.

At the age of 25 she was already lost and alone in the woods, managing to get going because of a few books she had managed to bring about fruit and plants. Though slowly she learned, learned what animals were friendly and which you should keep a distance from. Learned what plant's were safe and which would help her for protection against dangers if made into a paste and put on the end of a knife. Everything started to come together.

Though it wasn't until the age of 60 that she had really begun to live, with a house and everything else she would need to live a happy life. She developed her skills then practicing whenever she could and making sure to not explore the outside world knowing what dangers were out there. She made a habitat for her and her alone to be at peace.

With supplies dwindling to dangerous level's though, Aphrodite realized she couldn't stay away from people forever. Going into town for the first time was an experience. Loud music played as street performers tried to earn a bit of money. With only the thing's she had created Aphrodite sold and traded to be able to get the things she need. Though she stayed in town a lot longer then she thought, bartering and having a great time. Only when she started to have a man flirting with her did she leave. It was an awkward experience having a man show interest in her, it had never happened before and she was confused.

Going into town though more often she enjoyed conversations she had and it slowly developed a skill she hadn't even known she had. Soon she was reading people and what they were planning or their feelings, intentions, sometimes she was wrong. Though it started to become a small hobby to make sure and go into town to see if she could meet someone new and try to read them. Part of herself always missed her solitude ways, the other part needed company.

Aphrodite couldn't remain a shut in like she truly wanted to, after a serious relationship she had tried ended, she buried her true self deep inside of herself. With her shut in persona not working in normal everyday life, she chose to become a different person entirely. In town she was the party girl, and dressed like she didn't care what people though. At home or when she was alone, she was shy and hid herself away not really wanting people to see her. The party persona was who she wanted to become, though the more she tried to become it, the more her loneliness grew to the point of consuming her.

History with Adley
It was a sunny day without a cloud in the sky when Aphrodite went into town, she just needed a few ingredients for a new potion she was going to try and make. Done right it should give the user invisibility for a short period of time. Though a delicious smell had caught her scent and she had bought a loaf of bread on her way to the shop.

It was on her way out she saw her, a woman just sitting on the bench and writing in a book. Aphrodite didn't know how she knew, but the woman seemed like she could use someone to talk to. Going over and flinging her hair off to the side she set down.

That was the day she meant Adley, a coincidence all on it's own is that the next day they met again when Aphrodite had been dancing in the street to some music. When Adley had appeared from nowhere and it made Aphrodite stop and they talked some more.

The next day it was the same thing, though Aphrodite learned something about Adley she hadn't been expecting. A man had come up and started to hit on her, making Aphrodite slightly uncomfortable. Though when Adley shot him down by saying she preferred woman. Aphrodite's mouth had fallen open slightly, they had been getting to know each other slowly but she never would have thought that of Adley. Aphrodite looked at her in a whole new light now, though her cheeks flamed red as the man spoke before leaving saying they looked good together as a couple.

He left before Aphrodite could respond, and the conversation resumed. Aphrodite hadn't been able to stop herself from asking a few question's at least about Adley liking woman. Before she left though Aphrodite invited Adley over for dinner the next day as she thought it was going to rain though still wanted to see her.

That night Aphrodite did something she never thought she would, she dreamed about Adley. Waking up in darkness and sweating she looked around. That was something she had never thought about before, and it was something she didn't know what to make of. The day passed by in a blur with Aphrodite being more concerned with her appearance then usual, she even put on a bit of makeup. When she opened the door, a bright smile was on her face seeing Adley, there seemed to be something different in the way she looked.

Maybe that was because everytime Aphrodite looked at her now, she remembered her dream and how they had kissed. Her cheeks became like a molten fire and she quickly hid herself. This was all to weird to her, she wasn't even that attractive. Or that's what she thought of herself. It was hard not to be her real self in Aphrodite's own house but she put on her usual town persona and they ended up having a blast that night.

Aphrodite didn't know what was going on with her, and whenever she went into town now all she heard was gossip about how her and Adley were dating. It pulled at something inside of her and she didn't know what, it couldn't be jealousy. What did she have to be jealous about? Trying to ignore people and hide every feeling towards Adley was torturous and it was eating away at her.

Though she didn't even know the feeling she felt and what it was, Adley was beautiful yes but did that mean Aphrodite was attracted to her. The more she thought the more her body was pulled in seperate directions, and if she didn't figure whatever was going on out soon. She would be ripped apart by her own feelings.