Vahevia.com - Official Site
Thunderchain
Among the selynah, there exists a cultural tradition known as the thyrijanachae (or “thunder catching” in our language.) This spectacular display takes place during the fiercest of thunderstorms, where several selynah scale the highest mountain to conduct in a practice that their people holds as both a sacred ritual and popular pastime. Hurling tremendous chains far into the raging fury, lightning strokes are attracted to the iron chains, channelled downwards along their massive links into a crystalline jar the selynah grasp in their lower-limbs. The “captured” lightning bolt is then somehow sealed within the crystal flask, flickering inside the emerald prison. They are usually released back into the storm as soon as they’re caught, but often the selynah bring the captured lightning bolts back to their hives, where they embed them inside the membranous walls for illumination. Other times, especially in periods of war, the flasks are hurled into enemy ranks, shattering the enormous jars and releasing the crackling fury of the lightning that’d been sealed within. Although selynah hold “thunder catching” with a religious reverence, this practice serves the selynah more as a hobby, pastime and sport then any ritual. Selynah do not fear being struck by stray lightning bolts during a storm, as their iron-boned frames possess an incredible resilience to electrical currents. The massive giants simply shrug off lightning bolts that strike them during the storm, concentrating on drawing the nearest building current into their colossal chains. These are called thyrijiaenhuaek, which loosely translates as “thunder string” or “thunderchain” in our language.

Thunderchains are tremendous chains forged from pitted and blackened iron, the metal’s scarred and pockmarked surface results of being exposed to powerful strokes of lightning. A colossal fork-like structure is riveted upon the chain’s end, branching into a series of three-or-four blunt prongs… these are where lightning bolts are drawn to. Each of the links are tied together with firmly-knotted bamboo ropes, reinforced with glue extracts harvested from local plantlife. These seemingly unsteady cords hold the thunderchain intact with surprising stability, even when exposed to the worst of thunderstorms. The thunderchain’s links are massive even by selynah’s standards, and the width of a single link may span the length of an average-sized cottage. Therefore, the thunderchain requires a selynah’s full strength to swing, and gusts of wind are created when the thunderchain is spun through a surrounding thunderstorm, spanning the raging skies in a twirling arc. Few sights are as awe-inspiring as twenty-or-so selynah standing atop an enormous mountain during the fiercest and loudest storm, flinging their thunderchains into the clouds as they channel blinding flashes of lightning into the chain. As thunderchains are primarily used for this purpose alone, they are seldom wielded as weaponry. Selynah seem hesitant to use their venerated chains as instruments of combat, yet the thunderchain’s potential as a siege weapon is undeniable. Crovalahn fortresses have been levelled as the mighty thunderchains plough through the walls, smashing apart brickwork and crushing any unfortunate creature caught in the chain’s path. The force of the thunderchain’s impact makes it greatly valued by other races as a siege weapon, but the inherently non-violent selynah are nonetheless reluctance to have the icons of one of their most ancient traditions being used as a tool of violence. Only in times of desperation are the selynah ever seen laying waste to enemy fortresses with these colossal chains in their hands, usually when their race’s esteemed traditions are threatened by destruction more then dishonour.