Harper Samuel

Harper Samuel is the nineteen year old Roman Demigod daughter of Pluto and Victoria Samuel. She came to camp at eighteen years old and is biologically 97 years old

## Basic Stuff

### Alias

Harp, Miss Metal Detector, Sapphire, Pluto, Miss Underground

### Residence

* Camp Olympia (Currently)
* The Fields of Asphodel (Formerly)
* Columbia, South Carolina (Formerly)

## Family

### Biological Family

* Pluto (Father)
* Victoria (Mother)
* Helen, Evan, Adelaide, Zagreus, Macaria, and Melinoe (Half-siblings)
* Proserpina (Step-mother)
* Aurora (Step-sister)
* Vesta, Ceres, Juno, Neptune, Jupiter, Kelene (Uncles and Aunts)
* Zamaya, Naomi, Ophelia, Isaac, Tempest, Caspian, Moana, Emily, Carlos, Aubrey, James, Vincent, Caroline (Cousins)

## Appearance

### Outfit

* White shirt
* Blue jean overalls
* Light blue sneakers

**(Harper's story was based on Harper Levesque's story)**

## History

### Early Life

Harper Samuel was born to Pluto god of riches, wealth, The Dead, and King of the Underworld, and Victoria Samuel, a mortal woman on December 13, 1924 in Columbia, South Carolina. Victoria had summoned Pluto using a spell that Hecate had found, and they fell in love. Pluto loved Victoria, telling her she was brave and beautiful. After Harper was born, Pluto was proud and swore on the River Styx that he would give Victoria anything. Victoria wished for all the riches of the earth from Pluto, despite his warning that the greediest wishes cause the greatest sorrows. But Victoria insisted, mainly because she was tired of being poor. Victoria's wish gave Harper a curse. Every precious metal that she summons from the ground would bring doom to the people who took them. Victoria began to use Harper's unique powers (a result of her wish) for selfish reasons.

Victoria sold Harper's first precious stone when she was seven, before either of them knew about her curse. Harper remembered eating a picnic breakfast with her fondly on a morning during September. Victoria was in a good mood: buying beignets and a bottle of champagne, even a new box of crayons for her. Harper cheerfully drew pictures while Victoria hummed. They watched the sky turn to red gold. Harper remembers this as the happiest day of her life. Gold popped up around Harper’s house, as the curse only started in small quantities, and Harper also would find them while walking up and down the street. Victoria used the jewels Harper would find as charms to sell. People would buy them and sell them for a lot of money, which brought Victoria a lot of money. She became known as "Queen Victoria". Victoria and Harper loved comfortably, with Victoria being able to pay her bills, have steak dinner once a week, and Harper even got a new dress. But stories started spreading, as bad things happened to people who bought the treasure. Charlie Gasceaux, who bought a bracelet, lost his arm while wearing that bracelet. Mr. Henry had a heart attack and dropped dead with a ruby he bought from Queen Victoria.

Rumors began spreading about Harper, who found the crystals. So only people who didn't live in Columbia were the ones who bought the jewels. Victoria began to resent Harper, and became short tempered. She became wanted for murder, and her clients wanted to hang her as a witch. Victoria told Harper that she only pretended to believe in Magic and it was all "bunk and hokum", and she was just performing. But Harper knew it wasn't true, and she just didn't want Harper to blame her for her curse. Victoria would blame her father, telling her it was Pluto's fault. Harper would never ask her what she meant, because it just made her angrier. As she became angrier, she listened to Gaea's voice and let it possess her. Harper and Victoria lived in an old apartment above a jazz club. By the time she was thirteen, it had become festive despite the war. New recruits would talk about fighting the Japanese, get tattoos, and propose on the sidewalks. She lived next to a bakery that would make the stairwells smell of melting butter, making beignets at night.

Once, when Harper was young, Victoria took her to the dentist to get her tooth pulled. It was the only time she ever took ether. The dentist promised it would make her sleepy and relaxed, she was panicky and felt like she was floating out of her body. When the ether wore off, she was sick for three days. As a child, Harper went to Rose Hill School, and it had many kids, with kids as young as kindergarden and as old as high school. It was an awful school and Harper hated it. She was bullied and tormented by the kids there because of her mother. They called Victoria a witch and told Harper she traded with the devil. She learned about Diocletian at the academy as well. She didn't understand why other kids bullied her, but they took her lunch, threw rocks at her, threatened to hurt her, and pushed her into water fountains. Despite her abuse, she never gave them gold or diamonds. She was forced to attend a funeral for a classmate once, and she remembered how her dead body was terrifying.

### Sammy Anderson

When Harper was twelve, she went into the courtyard to eat lunch. She had her hair pinned back in a bun and she wore a black dress, unlike the other kids, so she stood out as looking like a mourner at a wedding. She stayed standing against the wall, trying not to be noticed. Unfortunately, one of Harper's bullies, an older boy named Rufus and the largest boy on the playground, backed her into a corner and called her "Witch Girl". He forced Harper to hand over her lunch, as it was an everyday occurrence at the time. A few other girls came over and joined in, telling Rufus not to eat it and it was probably poison. Rufus then asked if her witch mother made it, but Harper insisted she wasn't a witch. Rufus gave Harper her lunch back, but asked to give him a diamond. Harper tried to defend herself, but Rufus and the bullies refused to back off. A diamond appeared between Harper's feet, and almost grabbed it.

Thankfully, Sammy Anderson, a troublemaker, walked over, and turned it all into a game, pretending they were filming a movie. The whole courtyard laughed about the possibility that Rufus could be Clark Gable as Sammy said, embarassing him. The bell rang, and Sammy pulled Harper out of the way. Harper took her lunch and told Sammy that Rufus would kill him, but Sammy remarked that Rufus knows better than to tangle with him. Sammy decided to keep the diamond as a token of Harper's favor, but promised not to sell it. Harper thanked Sammy for being there for him, and the two ran back into the schoolhouse. Harper began to have a crush on him. Sammy and Harper were good friends, with Sammy sneaking her into the riding club to take care of the horses and go riding. Horses liked Harper, unlike any other animal. Sammy always made Harper laugh.

### Moving North

Her eighteenth birthday was filled with ups and downs, as the bullying at school was getting worse. But luckily for Harper, Sammy snuck her into the riding club. They especially wanted to go in because rumors spread that it would close due to World War Two. That afternoon, Harper rode a tan horse and rode so fast she left Sammy behind, leaving him winded by the time he caught up. He asked Harper if he was "that ugly", which got a laugh out of her. They had a picnic under a magnolia tree in the cold, with the horses tethered to a fence, and shared a cupcake. Though it got smashed on the ride, Harper thought it was the sweetest thing she had ever seen. They talked about the war, and Sammy lamented about how he wished he could have gone instead of his dad. He asked if she would write him letters if he went to war, and Harper said yes. Sammy then kissed her on the cheek. Harper felt like she was floating, and barely remembered the ride back to the stables. She never saw him again.

When she returned to her house, she was terrified. She saw Victoria in a trance, and a voice came out that wasn't hers. She had seen her in trances before, but never like this. She ran downstairs after she heard what they were saying: how they must move north, strike back at the gods, and that Harper was a poisoned child. She ran into a man, who turned out to be Pluto, at the bottom of the stairs. He gripped her shoulders. Harper was terrified, since she didn't know the man. He remarked how she grown, and a jewel appeared as Harper trembled. Pluto picked it up, and Harper protested, telling him it was cursed. But Pluto called it beautiful and apologized to Harper for her fate. She didn't understand, but it dawned on her that he was her father. She lashed out at him in anger, her eyes filling with tears. Pluto asked Harper if her mother ever explained her curse, and though she was too angry to speak, Pluto knew. Pluto told her she was born too soon and that although he cannot see her future clearly, she will find her place, as a descendant of Neptune would wipe away her curse. He then gave her a sketch pad and colored pencils. He said he knew her love for horseback riding and art, though she'd have to manage herself for the horse. He wished her a happy birthday, and went to speak to Victoria.

Harper just stood there, paralyzed. She wanted to run away with Sammy, kick Pluto, stomp her colored pencils, but she didn't. She crept up the stairs to see what he would do, and peeked through the door. She saw her throwing things around the parlor and screaming at him. He pleaded with her, begging to stay and explaining he kept her alive. But she called him out, and told him they were going north. He tried to tell her they would both die, but she refused to listen. Harper wished that he would stay and argue, but he left in silence. Victoria took a deep breath and ordered Harper to come out from the door. She clutched the colored pencils to her chest, trembling. Victoria studied her like she was really a poisoned child and ordered her go pack a bag: they were leaving. Harper asked where they were going, and Victoria said Alaska, where she would "make herself useful" and start a new life. Harper tried to question her about Pluto, but she brushed her off.

### Life In Alaska

Harper and Victoria lived in Alaska for six months. They lived in a small house by the docks that shook every time the Anchorage train went by. The kitchen was a hot plate and an icebox, and a corner was closed off for Harper: where she hung up drawings of New Orleans. She went to school, and didn't have any friends. Rumors spread around the community about how she was a witch's child. If she went too close to the children, they would jeer and throw bottles at her. Though, she did ask one local about the island she and her mother went to. He looked at her like she was crazy and insisted there was no island. Victoria worked as a servant on third avenue for railroad workers, naval soldiers, and fishermen. She came home every night with the smell of fish. At night, Victoria would be possessed by the voice, giving her orders for her awful plan.

Harper and her mother were ordered to go to Ressurection Island four to five nights a week. They worn a path into a cavern that Harper donned "Heart of the Earth". Harper and her mother would go into that cavern, and Harper would work herself to tears of exhaustion, begging Gaea to stop. But she would tell her to keep going. Harper used her powers to bring Gaea's valuables to her. At first, it was only some treasure and bubbled petroleum. But eventually, a spire began to rise and it eventually was two stories tall. The spire held Alcyoneus: the oldest child of Gaea. Winter was the worst for Harper, as the voice was there the longest. In the summer, Harper stayed away from home as long as she could, climbing the hills and attracting ravens. One day, she stayed out later than usual and saw a gorgeous tan stallion eating gold nuggets. It reminded her of the horse she had ridden with Sammy. Harper tried to approach it, but it bolted. She spent the rest of the day chasing the horse and returned home at 10 PM after she heard the train.

### Sacrificing herself

Harper went home after chasing the horse, and saw that her corner of the room was trashed, her sketchpad ripped to shreds, and her colored pencils broken. She read the note Gaea left her, which told her to go to the island. Harper sobbed in despair, but went to free her mother. She used the boat her mom had bought from a fisherman (who died the next day). When she was almost at the island, a raven approached her and said: "Tonight. The last night." She asked if it was from her father, but it just repeated itself and flew towards the island. She arrived at the cavern and saw Victoria standing over the pit, possessed by Gaea. But after Harper arrived, the voice relinquished control. Victoria sobbed and apologized. Harper knew she should be angry, but she couldn't, and put an arm around her mother. She was frail, dirty, and had grey hair. Victoria explained that the voice freed her, and told her there was nothing she could do.

Victoria then told Harper everything in tears: her curse, courting Pluto, finding Gaea. Harper begged Victoria to tell her how to stop her, but she was interrupted by Gaea. Gaea explained that she only brought Harper because Victoria needed incentive to finish the job: if she sacrificed herself, Harper would live and Alcyoneus would rise. Gaea told her because of World War Two, the gods taking sides, it would be the perfect opportunity for Gaea to get revive her sons and destroy the world. Gaea would rule forever. All Victoria needed to do was to step into the fissure, as a sacrifice was needed to awake her son. Victoria urged Harper to go, but she refused. She called on her father and summoned all the riches of the island. The cavern shook. Oil bubbled and erupted as Gaea urged her to stop, that both she and her mother would die. Harper almost stopped and hesitated, knowing she would only live eighteen years. But Victoria looked at her and her eyes shone with pride. The only warmth she had been given in years. She told Harper that she was her gift, and kissed her on the forehead and held her close. That kiss gave Harper the strength to continue. She used the last of her strength to crack the cavern walls. The fissure exploded, jewels went flying, and the roof collapsed. Harper died in Victoria's arms as her lungs filled with oil. The island collapsed into the bay.

### The Underworld

Harper was taken to her trial by Charon. Though Harper didn't have a coin, he promised to take her across anyway as she was a daughter of Pluto. They arrived on a beach and Harper went through the dark gates of Erebos. Spirits sensed she was a daughter of pluto and parted for her. Cerberus growled, but he let her pass. The judges asked her no questions. The first argued that she thwarted Gaea, but the second argued that she raised the giant in the first place and is guilty of cowardice. The third said she did it to protect her mother and that she was young. Upon Victoria's mention, Harper asked where she was. The judges explained that though Harper died for a noble cause, but she acted too late, but her mother influenced her.

They agreed that Harper should have Elysium and Victoria will go to the Fields of Punishment. Harper protested and told them that it wasn't fair. The first judge told her to beware and that she was destined for great things, showing her her life if she had lived. But Harper told them her mother was misled and she loved her. Finally, the second judge said there wasn't enough good or evil and put both Harper and her mother into the Fields of Asphodel. Harper, unlike the other spirits, had memories. It made her afterlife harder, especially since her mother couldn't remember her. She drifted aimlessly in those seventy nine years. She could see Pluto's palace in the distance and tried to go to it, but she could never reach it.

### Returning to Life

Nearly seventy years later, Evan Gonzales, a son of Hades and thus her half-brother, found her in the Fields of Asphodel. He recognized that she was a child of Pluto and brought her back to the world of the living, which was possible due to the Doors of Death being opened. Initially, Evan was in the Underworld to rescue his other sister, Helen, but he was too late as she had tried for rebirth. Evan later states that when he found Harper, she was just drifting in Asphodel and he could sense that she didn't belong there and that she needed to come back to life. Once Harper was restored to life, she began experiencing "blackouts" of her horrible past whenever she tried to think about them. Eventually, she made it to Camp Olympia. The blackouts usually happened when she either remembered her past or when she thought too deeply about her old life. Later, after being told to do so by Ella, she pulled Nathan Victor into one of her blackouts, where she replayed the time when she stood before the judges of the Underworld as they decided where she would stay. Afterward, she seems to have no more blackouts. Harper remembered how Pluto had told Harper in her past life that a descendant of Neptune would wash away her curse. Initially, she thought that Caspian would "wash away" her curse because he was the son of Poseidon. However, she finds out on her quest that Nathan is also a descendant of Poseidon and so was not sure who it might be.

## Personality

Harper is bright and outgoing with a love for creativity and horseback riding, but a has dislike for boating and curses. Caspian states that she was a great comfort to him and Miles, at times even saying that she seemed confident. Caspian also describes her as being very mature for her age, although he felt a little uncomfortable when he started depending on her for comfort, but was glad she was there. Harper tends to ignore others at times for her own preferences. For example, she carries a cavalry sword while not owning a horse to ride into battle on and she originally didn't want to like Miles because everyone at Camp Jupiter said they would end up together. She feels a massive amount of guilt over releasing Alcyoneus, and thinks it's her responsibility to bring him down. Because of this, Caspian initially states that she seems to have a 'deep sadness', despite her easygoing personality. Harper is initially afraid of her own abilities. She constantly tries to keep others away from her gems, worried that they will be hurt by them; and becomes shaken if anyone comes near them as a result. She seems to have internalised her mother's past view of her as a 'cursed child', as she believes her abilities are dangerous, and feels that she doesn't belong at camp Jupiter. She tries to hide her past as much as she can, believing others would blame her or even see her as monstrous if they found out that she released Alcyoneus. However, she eventually starts to open up to Miles and Caspian during their quest to Alaska, sharing her burdens and realising that they trust her even despite knowing about her past. This leads to her feeling more grounded; as she states she doesn't feel like she's divided between the past and present. During her time on the Argo II, she is shown to be very protective and defensive of those she cares about, as she becomes very upset when Tempest and The Vasquez Twins question Evan's intentions, leading her to mistrust Tempest. She is also stated by The Vasquez Twins to have a lot of nervous energy, and often summons metals when she is thinking. After Melody fell into Tartarus, Harper feels a sense of guilt for not being able to stop them from getting away from them, especially as she looked up to Caspian and felt that both he and Melody united the Argo II. After this, she feels the need to take more initiative in the Argo II, becoming increasingly determined to unite the group and keep them safe. This leads her to meeting Hecate, who offers her a limited number of potential paths that the group can take. She refuses the three options that were offered as they won’t protect her friends, resulting in her being offered a new potential path. She responds boldly to Hecate by telling her she is forming her own pathway. She also starts to attempt to use the mist. While initially fruitless in trying to transform various objects and form illusions, she uses her past and experiences with ghosts to realize that the mist affects what people want to see. She also reflects on the nature of wealth and its similarities with the mist, using her past and embracing her lineage as a child of Pluto for the first time. Her resourcefulness here allows her to further develop her skills with the mist, which she uses when encountering Pasiphae. Her encounter with Pasiphae reminds her of her mother, and she reflects that no child should be treated as if they are a monster, and this is why she views the minotaur as a victim of the story. Towards the end of the tenth story, Harper has become more confident, especially with her abilities with the mist, and Evan tells her that this is something she did herself. Harper can be easily embarrassed, such as through Miles's clumsiness and his attempts to comfort her. Harper is extremely loyal to her friends and treats them as family, as shown through her friendship with Miles and Caspian, as well as the rest of the Fifth Cohort and when she gave up Elysium to go to the Fields of Asphodel so that her mother wouldn't go to the Fields of Punishment. She is also very affectionate, having kissed Caspian, Miles, Ryan and Evan on the cheek multiple times though most of the time, she gives them sisterly kisses.

### Fatal flaw

Harper's fatal flaw is her low self esteem. She often feels she isn't good enough and she still remembers her first life and treats it like her new life.

## Appearance

Harper is often described as a young looking but athletic nineteen year old girl. Much like her brother, Harper has light/pale skin, but it has more tanned, shoulder-length black hair and sapphire blue eyes. She normally wears blue jean overalls, a white shirt, and light blue and black sneakers

## Powers and Abilities

### Pluto Kid Powers

* She has the power of necromancy, or the power to communicate with and control dead things
* She can sense when a friend is dead or dying
* She can see peoples' life auras
* She has the power of minor umbrakinesis, or the ability to control shadows and darkness
* She has the power of minor geokinesis, or the ability to control the earth and earthen substances
* She can sometimes control earthen metals and riches
* She can create flaming fissures that trap people in her father's realm
* She can Shadow travel, a kind of teleportation through shadows
* She can vanquish any undead with just one attack
* She can turn people into ghosts and send them to the underworld
* She can very rarely use Pyrokinesis.
* She can use Stygian Iron
* She can access a "Spirit form" in which she can become invisible, intangible and fly. This power is accompanied by the ability to create "spirit chains' ', unbreakable, ghostly looking chains that can hold down ''anything (that includes ghosts and monsters, plus non-living things!)'', potentially even a god.

### General Abilities

* ADHD: Like most demigods, Harper possesses inborn supernatural battle reflexes and senses that she uses to analyze the fighting style of her opponent.
* Fighting skills: She is known to be a good fighter is rather skilled with her Roman Spatha
* Dyslexia: Her brain is "hard-wired" for Latin.
* Superhuman Durability: Being a demigod, Harper is more durable than regular humans and fellow demigods.
* Superhuman Strength: Being a demigod, Harper is considerably stronger than a regular mortal and demigod
* Superhuman Reflexes: Being a demigod, Harper reflexes are faster than a regular human.
* Superhuman Agility: Being a demigod, Harper is more agile than a regular mortal.
* Skilled trainer: Harper is shown to be a skilled trainer, as she trained Piper at sword fighting.
* Leadership: Harper is shown to be a great leader

## Relationships

### Friends

#### The Family Demigod

Harper is friends and close with many members of the family demigod, having formed unique bonds with all of them. She seems them as her knew family, and is close with many of the Roman Demigods and her half-siblings, Evan and Adelaide

### Family

#### Pluto (Father)

Harper has only met her father Pluto a few times. It is clear that Pluto cares about his daughter very much, giving her birthday presents, and apologizing for unwillingly cursing her. At times, Harper still resents her father, but she has grown to love him back

#### Victoria (Mother)

Victoria Samuel is Harper's mother. She is the one responsible for Harper's curse. She was a fortune teller and a jewel seller who once summoned Pluto using a spell that Hecate granted her, and Pluto courted her. Later, he swore on the River Styx that he would grant her anything she wished. Victoria, who had been poor her entire life, wished for all the riches in the earth. Pluto warned her of the curse it would bring, but still granted her the wish, and thus, Harper's curse. Victoria is said to be selfish in the beginning. She was under Gaia's spell and blamed Harper for her curse. Under Gaia, she uses her daughter and the two go to Alaska to avoid the gods. Harper is then used by Gaia to resurrect Alcyoneus. At first, Victoria is thought to hate Harper and think that she is a cursed child. In the end, Victoria reveals that she loves Harper and that Harper is the one greatest treasure in her life and attempts to sacrifice herself in order to save Harper, even if that meant that Alcyoneus and Gaia would rise. Harper, in order to stop Alcyoneus' rise, sacrifices herself. She drowns with her mother holding her in her arms and they manage to delay the rise of the Gigantes for another couple of decades.

## Etymology

The name Harper is both a boy's name and a girl's name of English origin meaning **"harp player"**.

Samuel (Hebrew: שְׁמוּאֵל Šəmūʾēl, Tiberian: Šămūʾēl) is a male given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. From its appearance it seems to have the meaning of **"God has set"** or **"God has placed"**, appearing to derive from the Hebrew Śāmū (שָׂמוּ) + ʾĒl (God has set/placed)

## Trivia

1. Harper feels that Evan and she represent Pluto's/Hades' two spheres of control: she represents wealth and Evan represents death.
2. She, Ophelia, and Naomi are the only demigod daughters of one of the Big Six in the series to have never been a member of the Hunters of Artemis.
3. Harper is the only known demigod child of the Big Three to not participate in the Second Titan War, as she was in the Fields of Asphodel at the time.
4. Harper is the only child of the Big Three to not have any biological siblings.
5. She is an amazing artist, being able to recreate what Ariana looked like with only Gianna's description.
6. She was eighteen years old when she died, but she was returned to life, she has now turned nineteen
7. Harper’s mother, while being controlled by Gaea, called her a "cursed child."
8. Harper can become seasick very easily