Lightning can strike more than twice, if you aim right.
When arrows are loosed from the Lightning-Strike Bow is notched, they become bolts of lightning, released with the clap of thunder and the sizzle of burning flesh.
Description
Lightning-Strike Bows usually come as longbows or warbows of ivory or pale wood, adorned with runes or jewels. The faint smell of a coming storm comes off the bow, increasing whenever the string is pulled. Arrows fired from the bow become bolts of lightning moments into their flight, racing across towards their target in the blink of an eye. When they hit, they electrocute and burn their victims, boiling the blood in their veins. Metal armor offers little protection against the thunderbolts of the bow, but earth or stone protection makes the wearer all but immune.
Bolts are sometimes diverted by large masses of metal, and targets clad in armor find the bolt arcs to catch them.
The strength of the lightning bolt depends on the wielder - a stronger pull on the bowstring creates a more forceful impact. Arrows can even be charged to greater power by holding the string and letting it gather energy, but wielders must take care. If they wait too long, lightning will split the arrow apart when still notched and seek any victim; usually the wielder.
Construction
The Lightning-Strike Bow frame is made either from the bones or ivory of some flying, magical creature, or the wood from an
Demesnes. Any with an innate charge of Air magic will suffice for the bow, but need to be of sufficient size to make the bow - others use multiple bones together with wood for composite bows. Floatwood, a commonly found kind of tree in Air Demesnes, struck by lightning is another possible frame for the bow. While any sort of arrow can be fired from the bow to unleash its magic, some mages claim some function better than others. Copper-shafted arrows, they say, channels the lightning better.
Crafting a bow of Lightning-Strike takes seven magical components of Air.
You know, I'm starting to get the idea that metal armour in Ithekshem is a terrible idea. This is a really cool concept for a weapon - I like that you can charge them for more power but that doing that can backfire. Risk-reward kind of thing.
Yep - it's really turned into a thing for Ithekshem... Everything comes with risks, trade-offs, and consquences when it comes to Magic.
Creator of Araea, Megacorpolis, and many others.