Elven Lap Harp
A twenty-stringed instrument that can be comfortably placed lengthways upon the player's lap whilst strummed and plucked, yet also carries the delicate notes and eerie tremor of larger harps. Designed for longer elven fingers, humans and dwarves will struggle to maintain the same grace in their performance, thus it is far more common to find elven players.
The body's design is typically rectangular with a curved face. Made from wood, it is often carved and inlaid with precious materials. The strings, made from silk or gut, run across its length and are held up from the body by a single peg, the height of which determines the note.
History
The knowledge to create lap harps came to the continent along with the elves. The first recorded instance of humans hearing a lap harp was of Udynean slavers using this skill for their own gain. Whilst the Udynea Empire grew, so did the awareness and players became desired beyond means, leading to human slaves being taught (albeit, with less finesse) until every noble household had at least one harpist.
Over the centuries, the elven nomads began crafting and trading instruments outside of Udynea, leading to exposure in other kingdoms. Nowadays, there are musicians all across the land (elven, human and dwarf alike) capable of playing the instrument's delicate notes, which can be heard in a common tavern just as easily as a royal court.
Item type
Musical Instrument
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