Kalivtkhatraik (Kay-lihvt-kʰaht-rah-IHK)

The kalivtkhatraik (both singular and plural) was an ancient, unique, famous, and legendary handheld melee weapon that orginated from Lexicon, and was a traditional weapon of the Lexiconians. An unusual variation of the tonfa that was traditionally forged out of the valuable, near-indestructable, lightweight, and durable metal Lexiconian Steel, the weapon was highly prized for its lightweightness, deadliness, versability, concealibility, and the hidden retractable blade which gave a massive leverage over its opponents.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

A kalivtkhatraik is essentially a tonfa but smaller than your usual tonfa, which leads to its concealiblity and lightweightness. It also diverged from the standard tonfa by having a hidden retractable blade in the long part making someone caught off guard when somebody pushed the button. Shaped from narsil or not, the weapon was an incredibly difficult and hard weapon to master, despite the simplicity of the design. The kalivtkhatraik's design allowed for a wide variety of blocking, trapping, jabbing and slashing techniques making it a versatile thing. With the blade running back along the wielder's arm, they're free to punch or chop with the lower and longer portion of the straight hilt. They don't even have to activate the blade. The kalivtkhatraik is already a decent weapon this way and the weilder can use it without escalating to lethal force, unless the wielder wants it to be by pressing the button and instantly unleashing the blade, allowing for sneakiness and stealth and surprise. When wielded as a mere tonfa, with the wrists straight and the longer and lower half forward, the wielder's attacks tended to be more powerful and instinctive. But in the hands of a Lexiconian, especially a charged one, they produce very powerful and lethal attacks even without the blade.
The perpendicular handle/grip also allowed the wielder to quickly change from attacking to defense, and with one movement; block an attack and counter attack. Conversely, it could be very hazardous to one unskilled in its use. When both the hilt and the blade is forged out of Lexiconian steel, it gave the weapon the ability to cut through virtually anything as well as the ability to deflect and redirect blaster bolts and energy weapons, and it became one of the very few things strong enough to pierce a Lexiconian's skin and draw blood, even if they were charged, which made this weapon extremely deadly in the hands of a very trained user. Especially if the wielder was a charged Lexiconian, where they would have almost no equal to match them and a massive force to be reckoned with.
The wielder could even throw a kalivtkhatraik, but this was extremely difficult and only the most experienced wielders attempted this; however, a master of this technique could execute powerful assaults from a range of twenty meters.

Parts of the Kalivtkhatraik

Ul (Uhl), the button that released and controlled the hidden retractable blade.
Kyd (Kihd), the retractable metal blade itself.
Na'ut (Nay'uht), the longer, lower half of the straight hilt on which the Ul was located.
Barcya (Bayr-sha), the shorter, upper half of the straight hilt.
Tkoj (Chohg), the perpendicular handle/grip (sticks out from the main hilt at a 90-degree angle).

Manufacturing process

To create khatra, narsil would be heated until it it became a liquid and Lexiconian metalsmiths would pour the molten narsil into casting molds made out of specially packed dry dirt that was held. After they removed the newly formed hilt of khatra, they submerged it in water. To create the opening for the retractable blade, they then would then reaheat the na'ut, just enough for it to make the opening, and shape it. They then would cool it in water after. Metalsmiths would then forge the short and flat blade after that to extreme precision. After the blade was forged, weaponsmiths, not metalsmiths, now untertook next task which was adding the retactable components to the opening and drill a hole in the middle of the na'it so to install and put the ul, which controlled the retractable blade, and connect the components with the ul. They then would permenantly attach the kaf to the retractable components, and then test if it works. If it works, it would be sent back to the metalsmith who then would then attach a metal hollow cylinder to the na'it, with only a slit by forge welding. The na'ut was made intentionaly short when casting it so they.

History

Kalivtkhatraik actually derived from a metal handle of a disused small, portable, and manually cranked grindstone that was used to grind roots and stems into flour a very very long time ago. The retractable blade is actually not an afterthought, the blade was actually made to be nestled in and retractable so the cold wouldn't freeze and destroy the blade, and to make it portable. The actual purpose of the kaf was to hack frozen ice and other things off the grindstone to keep it operational, cut the roots and stems if they were too large, and also seperate what belonged and what didn't. The grindstone handle evolved from a simple working tool to a deadly weapon, the kalivtkhatraik. The name of the weapon directly reflects this as "kalivtkhatraik" is a compound word that literally means "little grind/crumble handle" in Lehkcia, composed of kalivt (crush, grind, shatter, smash, crumble, pulverize) + khatra (handle, grip, hilt) + -ik (dimunitive).
Due to it's origins, kalivtkhatraik carries the amusing epithets of "flour grinder" and "the only weapon that makes dinner" in Lehkcia, which are in-jokes amongst Lexiconians.
The design was widely exported and copied in the galaxy and thus was made out various materials such as steel and wood, but the real and true ones were forged out of pure narsil.

Significance

Kalivtkhatraik are traditionally wielded and used in pairs. With the pairs, the weilder can attack with one, defend with the other, and switch roles in an instant. They can go from sword range to knife range in a blink of an eye.
Lexiconians call the art of mastering and dueling with kalivtkhatraik, meaning literally "blade speak" in Lehkcia, as it is a very significant and important part of them: they were fierce, yet honorable, warriors as well as the usual scientists, academics, and researchers.
Kalivtkhatraik was the common weapon used by Lexiconians and was the weapon they were most well known for. The hilt of a kalivtkhatraik was intricartly carved and engraved. Each hilt was different, and many of them had Lehkcia script carved on it, with many words and sayings. It also almost always had the user's Vhara emblem carved and etched in it.
Kalivtkhatraik were very prized family heirlooms and passed down from generation to generation in Vharaco.
Lexiconians also practiced a custom called Kaft-Daeja (Khaht-Deeja), which means "blade bind" in Lehkcia. The custom was that of exchanging one's khatra with that of another person's khatra or even loaning khatra. This exchange or loan was considered a sacred bond, symbolizing mutual and deep trust, as they were literally entrusting their Khatra, many of which are incredibly prized Vhara heirlooms and have heavy significance, to another person, whom the wielder thought was worthy. This was taken extremely seriously.

Item type

Weapon, Melee

Current Location

Lexicon

Dimensions

Barcya: cm Na'ut: cm Kyd: 12.7 cm Tkoj: cm

Raw materials & Components

Lexiconian Steel