Lore:Flail

A flail (Arena)

Flails are handheld weapons consisting of spiked balls or bars attached to handles by chains, typically used for striking or flailing.^[1]^[2]

They are utilized in warfare by a variety of cultures and races.^[3] This encompasses humans such as the Nords.^[4] They also find use among the Mer, including Orcs and Dwemer. Even the Daedra employ them in battle.^[2]^[5] Gargoyles are also seen wielding flails adorned with skulls integrated into their design.^[6]

Crafted in diverse styles, including Elven, Orcish, and Dwemer designs, flails are fashioned from a range of materials, spanning from common iron and steel to luxurious options such as dwarven metal, ebony, mithril, silver, and adamantium. Some are even created from daedric materials.^[2]^[7] Similar to other weapons, flails could be enchanted with a myriad of magical augmentations.^[8]

Flails served purposes beyond combat; they are utilized as instruments of torture and self-inflicted pain. Some werewolves, seeking penance for their monstrous deeds, employed silver-studded flails in ritual self-flagellation.^[9] Furthermore, specific combat practices, like the Altmeri duels governed by a code of dueling, are bound by stringent regulations. Altmeri duelists adhere to strict regulations banning the use of instruments like long swords, axes, flails, and similar weapons, in accordance with the sacred laws of Trinimac.^[10] Interestingly, some healers consider flails among their preferred weapons in melee combat.^[11] Blacksmiths and armories sometimes integrate imagery of the flail, commonly alongside the sword, on signs outside their establishments.^[12]