The Dark Psaltery

D&D 3e (3.0/3.5) Rules

by Aspen

Note: This magic item was an entry in the Holy Artifacts Challenge.

The dark psaltery was created by Takhisis as a gift for a small group of bards who joined her loyal followers. During the Age of Dreams this group, known as Takhisis' Song, traveled Krynn, seducing those whose hearts could be turned from the side of light. The dark psaltery, a sort of lap harp, added this group of 7 women with their hypnotizing harmonies. In normal daylight, the group was nothing more than a bunch of plain looking hags. When they sang in the evenings, their appearance melted away revealing alluring seductress whose beauty rivaled that of their Queen.

When played by someone with the darkest of intentions, the sound produced lulled its victims into submission, opening their minds to whatever the player wanted.

The dark psaltery is a oval, wooden instrument, 18" in diameter and made from the darkest ebony wood. Its back is slightly curved with an indentation in the base so that it sits nicely on the player's lap. Inlayed in its face is a twisted branch covered in beautiful cherry blossoms. As the instrument is played the blossoms seem to fall away to ravel that the branch is not a branch at all but the bony hand of a skeleton. The hand continues the song so that the player can do what they will with their victims.

During the Age of Might, Takhisis' Song was hunted down. Their precious dark psaltery was taken and 3 of their members were killed. Takhisis was so outraged that her sweet singing bards had let the harp be taken; she punished them by banishing them to a lonely existence out at sea, turning them into Sirens.

The dark psaltery has not been seen since and slipped into rumor, then became nothing more than a legend. Stories of the lap harp are still told and it has been said that now that Takhisis is no more, the harp can be played by anyone to fulfill their desires, ill willed or of the purest intentions.

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