Mechanics & Inner Workings
The Instrument seems to have the same abilities as the Bluejay himself. Once a note is played on the strings, everyone's attention snaps to it. It also seems to have the ability to amplify any magic around it, or at least directed to do so. It remains unclear as to how this works specifically, though the ungodly amount of runes etched into the inside of the instrument may play a role in that fact.
History
During the period of time where Gjorn was nowhere to be seen by the other Three Kings of the Dwarven Nomadic States, the three kings had sought to build a home of their own outside of Mhuzelt. This led to them excavating out a mountain side where the project was led by Gherdal. The city had only begun to grow and take a different take on Gnomish architecture.
Gjorn had reappeared to the Dwarves as a changed man. While he was known as a dwarf with a talent for music, not to be confused with any actual Talent. He was a gifted Bard in his own right. He had marched into the mead hall of Mhzechet, strumming an odd instrument that Gherdal had never seen before.
In addition to this, Gjorn had an ability that the king found quite annoying. Whenever the King spoke, his attention would snap to him without and conscious effort. Gjorn had told Gherdal that he met with a Queen of a far away land, and she had given him the Zitar and many, many lessons in magic. While he would never explain what these lessons were, Gherdal assumed Gjorn had seduced some noble Sorceress from the Zybtine desert and spent a few years in the lap (literally) of the court.
This isn't really the case, as Gjorn exhibits the Silenced Tongues curse anytime he mentioned anything beyond the name Queen as to whom he spent his time with. Gjorn had spent the last decade desperately trying to convince his friend of his tales of Fairies, Giants and Fae. Gherdal was never quite amused with the tall tales.
After some time, Gherdal had noticed an interesting effect of the Zitar, the same effect was on the instrument itself. Whenever Gjorn played the strings Anything snapped its attention to the music. Gherdal being the entrepreneurial soul he was, wished to have Gjorn earn a name for himself for having his mead hall having the best bard to ever stride the branches of the Great Tree.
Mhzechet has since become the largest city in the Northern Wastes. Gjorn had grown tired of being "the Bard of the Frozen City", and left to join Halgier Avarrson, the First king of Dwarves and his Vanguard. Where he would frequently take the Zitar into battles, Halgier had grown to rely on the instrument with it's odd effects for his planning of raids against the Ilse of Mhuzelt.
It was at this point where many of the oddities of the Zitar where made known. The thing appeared to glow with a soft light, and was damn near impervious to damage beyond the strings. When questioned by Halgier at one point about this aspect of the thin wooden instrument, Gjorn only responded with "It's made of a foreign song, well, foreign to this branch anyway."
The argument that ensued by Halgier and Gjorn lasted for days as The Warlord wanted more information than cryptic answers.
Significance
The Zitar has remained a staple piece to Gjorn's ensample. Beyond the Bluejay himself, the Zitar has become a cultural image of the Dwarven Nomadic Kingdom. The instrument has graced the many Taverns, brothels, inns and Palace chambers across every country in the mainland continent. It's soft and subtle tunes echo beautifully in any room it is played in, so long as the Bluejay is the one playing it.
It has also become the personal Heraldry of the Fourth King. Where his clan quickly adopted the image in his honor, following his lead, the clan also began learning various other instruments and musical compositions to please their absent king. The Sjøfolk clan has quickly garnered the reputation of being the largest standing band that has ever walked the branches of the Great Tree.
Item type
Musical Instrument
Creation Date
???
Rarity
Unique Instrument
Weight
4lbs
Base Price
???
Raw materials & Components
Made of an exotic wood not native to the Great Tree. The wood is believed to be some form of Mahogany that has no species present on the continent. The strings are made of braided steel, and the tuning knobs are Walrus Ivory.
Tools
The Zitar seems to be made in a traditional sense, the instrument seems to be made of wood that has been steamed then fitted to a jig where the pieces were glued together.
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