Spellarms are a modification of earlier "magical wands" from the pre-industrialization period. These wands--specialized spell-casting foci used to aim elemental energy--were known and feared, but not terribly reliable. It took a master mage to craft a wand capable of inflicting damage in combat, and as it relied on a well-focused mind, it left a magician standing still and glaring at a specific target, normally only causing unbearable pain instead of actual damage (mind, for some that was a feature, not a bug).
Only after the Portable Casting Engine was built was there a reliable way to improve this wand. First came the Elemental Lance. Originally large and bulky cannons were only possible and unreliable, but over the centuries technology and metaphysics has been improved enough for man-portable spell-locks can be made.
Lances work by taking a burst of eldritch energy (from the PCE) and funnelling it into a small plug of alchemicals imbued with angelic runes. This creates an explosion of elemental energy, which is then funneled through a pointer of spell-reactive wood or metal. This focuses and charges the bolt, which then explodes out towards the target the shooter is focused on (yes, it is possible to do 'trick shots' where the shooter is pointing lance away from the target and hits them anyway, but that does decrease range and effectiveness).
If the shot is "perfect" the elemental charge will strike the target, meaning a fire-shot can cause a target to ignite, etc. However, since this bolt can be "bent" by metal, other meta-reactant materials on the target or shooter, warding, etc., this normally just means the target is hit by a surge of eldritch energy. Lances do not penetrate skin, they cause "Shuddering", twisting the flesh and bone of the target, Getting shot causes massive bruises, broken bones, and rent flesh, and is normally noted as being "painfully cold".
As PCE's allow warding against these weapons, spell-locks were considered useful but not a complete game-changer in the arts of war and murder. No, for that it would take a few more centuries of development, when the monks of Lenshai developed a way to mechanically replicate the "dark cries" of the book of Sephaun the Blind. The Hex-Lock or "Curser" is a different and much more terrifying weapon.
PCE's and lances both work using elemental mechanics. Cursers work on sepheriophic intonations of eldritch, more precise and focused, less controlled. These curses--based supposedly on the sounds of angels--were able to pierce through the wards. Even worse, their resultant castings could cause horrendous results--turning the target to a block of salt, covering the subject in boils, blindness and worse could happen. Hex-locks didn't require plugs, but still need a PCE to provide the initial spark of energy. As well, Hex-locks need a period of 'penance' to allow time to discharge all of the eldritch energy safely--otherwise it increases odds of the device backfiring or exploding entirely.
Cursers are lethal, but not always to the target--an unlucky shooter or one who wavers in concentration for a moment can have the spell backlash on themselves. This, along with the unsettling nature of the Curses themselves, makes them less popular than lances.
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