Ilyriciel's Harp of Valantra

This harp has the form of a graceful iridescent silver dragon with its head prowling near the ground, legs and claws spread for an even footing, wings folded but flared back, and the back arched with the tail lifted over its head. The tail forms a small loop at the end suitable for a chain or strap. Silver strings flow from the spines of the neck up to the tail. One eye is milky white opal while the other eye is black opal to reflect the emotional highs and lows that music can bring its listeners.

Powers

The harp has the following powers:

Changes size from 2 inches to 7 feet tall. Size does not affect the volume or quality of its sound.
The harp is magically always in tune, but is also capability of producing virtually any noise from music or song it has heard. It can easily adjust its volume from very soft to the din of a full orchestra.
The harp can produce spectral illusions with visual, audio, thermal and olfactory components, though they will always been seen as illusory due to their transparent nature. Such illusions can also be accompanied by simple cantrip type effects to move small objects, light candles or small fires, produce light breezes and other similar effects. Most often these effects are for theatrical purposes, but they can be used for other tasks, including trickery and enhancing the sound and appearance of combat. Such effects are always added to warriors using bladesinging during combat; enhancing the wielder’s singing, the blades whistling, the sounds of sword blows and providing confusing visual traces of the swords arc or providing the appearance of multiple swords forming an impenetrable barrier around the fighter.
The harp can grant or enhance proficiency in singing and proficiency in the use of any known musical instrument. The harp can be played by mental command, but proficiency checks are still required to successfully complete a musical piece.
The harp comprehends languages that it hears, typically to understand music.
The harp has a vast repertoire of music and songs and can telepathically impart lyrics and their meaning to its owner and anyone willing to sing along. The harp can teach verbal language proficiency to its owner. Languages are learned by comprehending the meaning of the lyrics while singing songs on a regular basis. Languages can be learned at the rate of one per level advancement, but not less than one month’s time.
The harp grants proficiency in speaking Seldruin, the language of High Elven Magic, and reading and writing the associated Hamarfea alphabet.
The harp can communicate via telepathy, by making voice like sounds from its strings or by producing auditory voices via its illusion powers. On occasion, it has used all three simultaneously; an indication of the many personalities it was created with or absorbed throughout its existence.
The harp knows a large selection of magic spells and can assist in (but not initiate) the casting of Elven High Magic. The harp owner is granted proficiency in spellcraft. Any spells its owner has learned can be recalled without the need for a formal spell book. By listening to ancient songs, additional spells can be learned from the harp at the rate of one spell per level advancement, with a 10% chance to learn additional spells for the level advancement (rolling repeatedly until failure).
Spells can be cast using Spellsinging which requires no material components. All verbal components must be sung while somatic components require playing of an instrument. If the harp is the selected instrument for the casting, it can be played physically or mentally. Mental playing of the harp can allow the caster to perform other limited activities with his hands that do not break his concentration; specifically including combining spellsinging with bladesinging. Spells cast using spellsinging are cast at two levels higher than the casters current level.
The harp provides +20% for Legend Lore due to the large amount of knowledge collected through songs.
The harp can inflict up to 12d6 of electrical damage every other round against any creature attempting to use the harp for evil or going against the wishes of the harp. The harp can only inflict such damage against someone holding or carrying the harp, and will usually stop short of actually killing unless necessary.
The harp can summon any Song Dragons within 20 miles to its aid, though they will never reveal their true nature to the harp owner if it can be avoided. Such aid is not typically summoned for the benefit of the harp owner. Summoned dragons can be tasked with transporting the harp when it has lost its owner and has no real prospects of a suitable new one coming along, or possibly fight opponents seeking to damage the harp.

History

Owned by: Chiliad Khilat

Having its origins in the early days of the Elven Court in Cormanthyr around -9243 DR, the harp was enchanted by Ilyriciel Irithyl, a Selu'taar (High Mage) Minstrel and devotee of Milil, who eventually made her one of his Chosen. First she enchanted the harp to be a tool for her spellsong; magically tuned and easy to transport by growing and shrinking as needed. She used the harp in harmony for many years in trance like union with the magic of the chords. Her spirit often mingled with the magical weave of the harp.

As she grew in her craft of singing and high magic, she sought to become more attuned to her instrument. She cast a second enchantment to bind a part of her spirit into the harp, giving it a voice and life of its own to harmonize with the renowned minstrel.

In her final years, as she felt the strength of her voice begin to fade, she feared the loss of her song and craft. She gathered a circle of 12 Elven minstrels: several with skill in High Magic, several masters of spellsinging, two masters of Elven bladesinging, and unbeknownst to the others, one Song Dragon disguised in Elven form. They cast the third and final enchantment of powerful High Magic; a Ritual of Myriad to bestow a collection of their combined minstrel craft and lore upon the harp and allowing it to learn and grow with future musicians. Irithyl was the central mage of the circle of High Magic and provided the most personality and influence on the harp. Though not a practitioner of Elven High Magic, the Song Dragon was able to use the High Magic to have considerable influence on the powers of the harp as well. The Song Dragon, concerned for abuse of the harp’s power, added arcane dragon magic to protect the harp. Due to the power of the dragon magic, the harp was magically hardened and given an iridescent sheen.

The harp has an intelligence of 18 and ego of 27 which she can use to compel those who hold her, though she will only do so to protect herself or those she considers allies; but this is used as a last resort since music cannot be compelled. She is eager to learn music from all sources, even enduring evil creatures to learn the power of their music and song, though always withholding her power while so possessed. She is chaotic good and, while driven by a desire for music, she has dealt harshly with those who practice evil.

The harp will play of its own accord to accompany singers and even with other instruments. Further, it will almost always play and sing during battle; only remaining silent when her song may endanger those the harp considers allies. The harp has a vast repertoire of music and will telepathically impart words and their meaning to its owner; and occasionally to performers and audience that desire to participate in the music.

The harp has been possessed by many over the millennia of its existence. Avatars of Milil have played upon her strings in the distant past. Bards seen using the harp are often identified as the god’s Chosen, and if that is not the case, then certainly they are at least highly favored by the deity. It has passed through the depths of the Underdark at least once, and through the lands of the Far East as well. The harp has spent time with various good dragons, and has visited the Dragon Court on several occasions. Song Dragons, perhaps descendants of the dragon involved in her creation, have also been rumored to have performed with the instrument. The harp is particularly attracted to warriors skilled in Bladesinging, possibly due to the Song Dragon’s magical influence.