Crafted from aged Nyrondan blackwood, Ashvein has a smooth, dark violet finish that gleams with hidden depth—like a twilight sky just before storm. The body curves elegantly, with subtle silver inlays forming musical staves and planar glyphs that seem to rearrange themselves slightly with each performance.
The fretwork is made from starlace steel, a rare alloy said to be tuned to planar resonance. The neck ends in a carved flourish shaped like a mourning flame, a nod to the Wandering Flame Maelis sings of. Small runes are etched along the tuning pegs—part musical code, part whispered prayer.
Feel & Sound
- Warm, resonant, and melancholy in tone
- Carries undertones that seem to shift based on emotion and nearby magic
- Occasionally hums softly even when untouched, especially near ancient relics or strong feelings
Lore
Passed down from his mentor Elisar Caern, Ashvein was once used in underground performances to encode messages. It’s said to respond most deeply when Maelis sings of betrayal, memory, or forgotten hope. The Whispersingers believe Ashvein contains fragments of songs never written—verses that will only emerge when sung in moments of great truth.
Magical Flavor
Though not a magic item mechanically (yet), it functions as his spellcasting focus. When Maelis casts Charm Person, the lute plays the first two notes of a familiar lullaby without his touch. When Dissonant Whispers is cast, its strings vibrate as if resisting the verse.
Notes: Bonus: Performance, by a Bard
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