The Bellstaff

Bellstaffs: one of the most unique and rare musical instruments in the sky. Both simple and complicated, the key to playing them is probably lost somewhere in an old manuscript. Since the Bellstaffs that the current Skydwellers do have in their possessions are all very old and delicate, it's not likely that the ability to play Bellstaffs will resurface anytime soon. However, they seem to have played an important role at many social gatherings, and several of the songs meant to harmonize with the staffs tell stories of history that have never been heard before.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The mechanics of Bellstaffs are simple, though their use is a bit more complicated. They work much like flutes, with their insides hollowed out and a series of grooves and holes bored into the side. This is where the air moves in and out to play notes. Occasionally, someone would place special blockings over certain holes to provide any discord in the notes, though more experienced players wouldn't require that. Little bells attached to the end of the staff would add either gentle or feverish ringing to the song. However, control of the bells was even more difficult than that of the notes, and often only the masters would use them.

Manufacturing process

The exact process to create a Bellstaff has been lost to time. Several prototypes have been made, but it seems that there was a special way of creating the holes that made it easier to play - that, or the players of the instrument were all masters. Often, Bellstaffs would be ornately chiseled to represent the important songs that the instrument has played. Bit by bit, a player would carve in symbols, notes, and scenes from the songs and stories that they told with the accompaniment of the staff, and the oldest ones would be beautifully decorated with all kinds of images and carvings. This makes each staff uniquely personal to its owner - thus adding to their rarity. Staffs would also be passed down in family or mentor-to-student lines, and for this reason, a player would often leave a good portion of the staff uncarved for the next player to fill some space in. The older (and more valuable) the staff was, the more intricately carved it became, until it was almost to frail to play with anymore.

. . .That was when the man began to dance. It wasn't a slow dance. He wasn't dancing to a waltz, or to...well, really any dance that needed a partner. He was dancing to the rhythm of the wind and the clouds and the stars. As he danced, his staff thumped against the ground, pounding out the rhythm of a song. The bells sang out, as if calling for everyone to listen closely. And the air flowed against the carvings, causing a lilting melody to drift across the night air. Then the dragon took a deep breath and began to sing.

History

Another use of the Bellstaff has recently been discovered - battle songs. Used to inspire and unify soldiers, give commands and charging speeds, and to even show off the wealth of a country (with the metal of the bells), groups of players would get together and play out different songs from the back of approaching armies. It's speculated that some version of sound amplification existed so the tunes could be heard over the battle's noise. Bonus points if the song has some flashy, unified choreography.

Significance

Because of its unique composition, the Bellstaff could be played by both humans and dragons. For dragons, play of the Bellstaff required quick claw movement, agile flight, a dexterous tail, and even sometimes the use of horns. For humans, steady beating and maneuvering of the hands and the occasional spin or flip was needed.
It seems that the Bellstaff was a fairly popular instrument, too, and many records of them at various festivities and gatherings have been found. Master of the instrument seemed to be incredibly difficult, as well. Experienced players are thought to have used the staffs as walking sticks in their day-to-day life (despite many of them not needing an aid) as a testament to their experience (and a way for them to advertise, as well).

Item type

Musical Instrument

Rarity

Bellstaffs are extremely rare nowadays, and almost all the ones that still exist are in museums or on display. In the past, a group of traveling performers has, in fact, managed to procure one of them for limited and specialized use, but after a robbery left them penniless, it's unclear what became of the staff. Attempts have been made to recreate the staffs, but the effort that would go into mastering them means that they probably won't reappear in daily use for a good while.

Raw materials & Components

Wood and metal (for the bells - this is part of what makes the Bellstaffs so rare and expensive.)