Chain lightning

Chain lightning was an evocation spell that blasted a target with lightning then jumped on to more targets.

Effect
This spell created a lightning bolt that traveled from target to target doing successively less and less damage. Distance between targets was more important then what type of target they were. Depending on the caster's skill, the chain lightning would "jump" between targets more and more.

Older versions of the spell could be stopped by it striking a grounded target like an iron bars, which would send the lightning into the ground.

The post-Second Sundering version cast a bolt that struck a target then split on to three different bolts that struck different targets. If used at a higher spell level, an additional bolt would leap from the first target.

Components
The spell required vocal and somatic components, plus a bit of fur; a piece of amber, glass, or a crystal rod; and one silver pin for each level of the caster's power. The post-Second Sundering version needed the same except only three silver pins in total.

History
The spell was attributed to Netherese arcanist Volhm in -1964 DR and was originally called Volhm's chaining.