Inktober X: Storm

Sunderstorms are events in which high-temperature beams of energy descend from a cloudless sky, quickly burning any object they pass over before almost immediately dissipating into the air. Typical sunderstorms last around 1-3 hours, though are noticed to last longer and are more frequent around the summer or in lower altitudes.

Mechanism

The prevailing theory on how sunderstorms work is that when the sky is weak from enduring the long summer heat or from being pushed so low to the ground, sometimes the sun's energy leaks through like puncturing a hole in the bottom of a bucket. However, nobody is fully sure what causes the beams to quickly filter into the air after striking the ground.

Effects

The effect of a sunderstorm is comparable to that of a child using a magnifying glass focused on an anthill, but much faster and to a greater degree. Few people have lived through a direct strike, and those who have are often forced to contend with intense tissue damage, amputation, cancer, and other serious problems for the rest of their lives.
Its effect on nature is also prevalent, with sunderstorms being the cause of an estimated 63% of wildfires throughout Endhaven. These storms also often startle beasts, sending entire packs running across vast swaths of land to escape the bright light emitted by the strikes. Lucky hunters may take advantage of this, securing a few kills from the mass before heading home once the storm has passed.

Safety Tips

Though sunderstorms may be able to penetrate houses, experts say that staying inside is one of the best options available during the storm. They also recommend staying away from any reflective or transparent surfaces like mirrors, windows, or still bodies of water.
To protect its citizens, the Tylotian Empire has issued several building codes to prevent any chance of a sunderstorm from striking anyone inside, with the major code of banning any skylights titled less than 35°, or requiring a shutter system be put in place. This way, the sun passing overhead has less of a chance to strike directly into the building's interior.