The lyre is one of the most ancient surviving stringed instruments. According to Greek Mythos, the first lyre was crafted by Hermes and then later given to Apollo. The earlies harmophonic vocal songs would be sung to a lyre's accompaniment, from which we get such vocabulary as "lyric."

The lyre is commonly composed of a shallow wooden bowl covered with skin or tortise shell as a soundboard. Heremes' lyre was of tortise shell, and thus that became the more "classical" material. Animal horns or solid wooden arms were then attached, joining the bowl to the crossbar. Only a few strings were then attached, usually only three or four.

Aside from size, there are a few other variations from lyre to kithara, amoung them being that the arms connecting the crossbar to the bowl are solid on a lyre and sometimes made of animal horns, whereas they are hollow on the kithara, adding that resonance. Also, instead of the lyres usual shallow wooden bowl covered with skin or tortise shell, the kithara featured a joined front, back, and sides.

While the Elanthian lyre doesn't have quite the history and legend of the RealLife ones, it is highly sought after for it's own regard. Almost every bardling is persuaded to persue this as their first instrument. It is widely believed to be the easiest stringed instrument to learn to play, making it a natural selection for a begining musician. Also, it requires no tool to play, unlike every other stringed instrument in Elanthia.

Lyres are one of the most widely available instruments in Elanthia, most likely due to their ease of play. They are currently for sale from True Bard D'Or's Fine Instruments in central Crossing, Zoluren; Malik the True Bard's Instruments and Picks of southwestern Shard, Ilithi; The House of Bardic Blues in central RiverHaven, Therengia; and from Elepaio's Luthierre, second tier Ratha, Qi'Reshalia

The following customizations are available for lyres:

D'Or's Fine Instruments, Crossing, offers the following woods for customization:

Oak+250K Deobar+375K Rosewood+1875K
Lunat+2500K Ivory-inlaid+1875K Ebonwood+2500K
Black ironwood+12500K Ash+250K White ironwood+9375K
Maple+125K Pine+62K Silverwillow+6250K
Crude-125K Unfinished+37K Wyndewood+9375K
Simple-32K    

Malik's Instruments and Picks, Shard, offers the following woods for customization:
Additional prices range from 90 to 857 (except for unfinished -90)
Wren-engraved Mahogany SatinwoodCherrywood
Lemonwood Chestnut White ash Lapis-inlaid
GildedFlower-engraved Dragon-engraved Phoenix-painted
Night black Crude Unfinished Simple

The House of Bardic Blues, RiverHaven, will customize with the following woods:
Rosewood 4875L Ebonwood 5625LCedar 10500L Cherry 7800L
Spruce 3000L Oak 975L Ash 1050L Walnut 3375L
Mahogany 6900L Maple 750L Pine 37L  

Elepaio's Luthierre, Ratha, has the following woods available for customization:
Additional prices range from 750 to 15000 L
Alder Basswood Boxwood Black walnut
Burlwood Cherry Cocobolo Copperleaf
Curly birch Ebony Fishtail oak Hickory
Lacewood Lemonwood Pearwood Silver maple
Walnut      

Elepaio also provides the following finishes for customizations
Additional prices range from 1500 to 9000 L
Crafted Parquet Inlaid Lacquered
Cutwork Oiled Painted Polished
Time-worn   Varnished  

Instrument Home -- Stringed Instruments