D&D 5E Fire-hating creature, how do they make light?

[Rya.Reisender]

So let's say there is a group of NPCs that hate fire, but they have to scout something during the night. How would they create light? I'd assume they wouldn't want to use torches and lanterns. And unfortunately, they don't have the light spell available either (only spells available are Chill Touch, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Expeditious Retreat, Ice Knife, Magic Missile, Shield, Blut, Hold Person and Sleet Storm). Should I just pretend they used a "Light" scroll? I don't want it to be a magic item that can be looted. Open for creative ideas.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

For some reason, phosphorescent fungi and creatures come to mind. It's a fantasy world--exploit the fantasy ecology!

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

They could use harvested giant fire beetle glands.

 

[Leatherhead]

Is there any reason they can't have darkvision?

 

[Rya.Reisender]

They don't have darkvision, they are humans. Maybe I'll just make them glow in blue.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

You can also scout in the dark. "Darkness" in 5E terms isn't necessarily pitch black--it's just dimmer than "dim light", which is "an unusually bright full moon." Humans have been scouting the darkness for millenia. You use your ears a lot, and your brain. (I'm rubbish at moving in the dark myself, but there are people much quieter than me.)

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

Very, very, carefully?

But really, how much hatred are we talking about here? Do they actively embark on missions to eradicate fire? Will the mob a soul carrying a burning torch?

If there's some leeway, then simply have them use as little light as possible - candles dotted around. If it helps, they can mutter a curse at these despised tiny glowing sources of light as they pass them. Heck, it might even work to their advantage - a continual reminder of the thing they hate, and woe betides anyone who doesn't follow the status-quo by appropriately reacting to the little evil hated flaming candle things.

Or, as Aaron mentions - the glands of some insect. Or, failing that, fireflies/glow worms.

Personally, depending on how long this has gone on for, I'd run them as Grimlocks. Humans, but with Grimlock stats/senses/rules. Practically blind, excellent sense of smell and hearing. Re-fluff to have them either blinded (self-mutilation), blindfolded or simply refusing to open their eyes. Because hey, The Sun. Big Ball of Fire (biggest?) in a fantasy setting. If they really really hate fire...

 

[Imaculata]

Hand them a magic item that glows in the dark, or just make the darkness "shadowy", instead of total darkness.

 

[aco175]

Continual flame spell in a lantern. I think you can make the flames any color you wish and you can adjust the lantern to dim the light. Yes, it is an item to give the PCs, but it is not a big item and not a big deal or you can throw it to explode and coat the whole area in pale blue light for the next 10 minutes and then it becomes junk.

 

[Leatherhead]

They don't have darkvision, they are humans. Maybe I'll just make them glow in blue.

Well that puts a crimp on things. If you aren't married to the bog standard human design template, you could give them the old Infravision, and solve your problem while making them more thematic. Allowing them to track PC's by their body heat, and naturally avoiding fire because they are overly sensitive to it.