Items · Art and Music · Non-Magical
Hexahedron Virtuoso
'Music is the wine which inspires one to new generative processes, and I am Bacchus who presses out this glorious wine for mankind and makes them spiritually drunken.' ~Ludwig van Beethoven
Codex introduction
Full Item Description
An ornate metal box with brass tubes and pipes jutting out at odd angles, there is a noticeable wooden mouthpiece and all sorts of strange golden designs etched all around. This is all complimented by a set of six sliders on one side, and a hand crank on the opposite.
History
Created by Ledgerpipe Vor de Whisk, a famous musician and notorious tinkerer. He wanted to create a unique musician instrument that could bring an Ogre to tears or enlighten the heart of a Zombie. While he has not yet perfected it to the point of stopping the undead, it is capable of producing a such extremely wide range of sounds that it is almost unfathomable.
Currently this instrument is only available to Ledgerpipe and his close associates, and no two Hexahedron Virtuosos will be that same because they are tuned specially for the individual to get the most use out of them.
Properties & Notes
This odd instrument is played by slowly adjusting the sliders, turning the crank (on the left) and blowing into the mouthpiece.
In the hands of the rare professional it can create amazing music that inspires other to work harder, fight longer, or even think better.
The sliders on the right (looking at the mouthpiece) are can be subtly adjusted to create a wide range of sounds, from low mechanical buzzings to the melodies of a songbird.
Legends exist that it can emulate the dreaded Wail of a Banshee if properly tuned, the fear of this keeps the performers from being hassled too much. Even though a Wail of the Banshee would most likely kill the musician as well, this still deters would be assailants.
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Links to this article 1
- Novel Musical Instruments ephemeralstability linked by Pieh
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There are nowhere near enough music-related submissions on Strolen's. This is a steampunk contemporary to the Arune Spheres, and I loved both of them. Very nice work Pieh; this is the sort of background fleshing out that makes a world truly come alive.
I like it too *imagines this being used as music to inspire troops in an attack*
Behold the power of my steam-accordion/bagpipe box! Nicely done.
Apart from being called a steampunk entry, the only piece of the description that puts that into mind is the brass tubes and pipes, thought this could also be said of a standard pipe organ as well. I'd like to see the description beefed up a little, but its still an interesting idea.
It's an interesting item, although I agree with Valadaar that I'd like to see it refleshed a bit, or just expanded a little.
It's certainly solid in itself, though.
I have a vague urge to create a steampunk-band sub along the lines of the TTT now, though.
I believe that it's unique-ness merits it a nice high score. I don't particularly believe it needs any fleshing out - it has a physical description, a nice brisk history, and it's functional uses, all concisely laid out and organized. I say, if one is using this in a table-top game, let the players (and the GM) decide just what uses such a versatile tool might have. After all, subsonic and supersonic noises may not just disturb the undead...
Plenty of opportunities here. Good work!