Tellerian Hawke
Defender of Oerth
Sphynx, you search the landing, and find no traps. As you peer down the stairs, the light from the blue torch allows your lowlight vision to function quite well. The stairs are stone, carved from the very tunnel through which they descend. You suspect Dwarven work, because of their craftsmanship, although it is more likely the work of Duergar, rather than Mountain Dwarves. You surmise that if the stairs here are so well-worked, it would probably be a good idea to check each step for traps, just to be on the safe side. There are 20 feet worth of stairs, each 10-ft section having 10 steps. So there are a total of 20 steps to check.
Nimbar sets down the magical lantern that the party found in the Hobgoblin lair, and places it at the top of the stairs, facing backwards, so that it does not shine down the stairs. Hawke takes the Dwarven torch and says (in Dwarvish): "Licht Aus." Upon uttering this command, the torchlight goes out. Hawke stuffs the torch into his pack.
Nimbar nods in agreement. "The candle we found, which we placed into the hooded lantern, is much better than this torch. It grants Darkvision, rather than simply shedding torchlight. But we should keep the torch as a backup, in any event. Both the candle and the torch are quite valuable, and quite useful."
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SEARCH: According to the 3.5e PHB, pp. 81, it takes a full round action (6 seconds) to search a 5 x 5 area. The typical dungeon uses 10 x 10 squares. Look at the illustration below:
NORMAL (BY THE BOOK): That means that the typical dungeon square would take 4 rounds (24 seconds) to search. This is a quick, but thorough visual inspection. Untrained searchers can find things (secret doors, simple traps) whose DC is 20 or below. Trained searchers (Rogues, and Dwarves who are inspecting stonework) can find more difficult things, whose DC is 21+.
NORMAL (HOUSE RULE): Any searcher who takes their time will gain a +5 Caution Bonus to their skill check. HOWEVER, searchers still can't find things they're not trained to find; no matter the bonus, unskilled searchers still can't find difficult (Rogue only, or Dwarf only) things.
Taking one's time is defined as taking 20 minutes per square; 5 minutes each to search floor, ceiling, left wall, and right wall. An untrained (non-Rogue / non-Dwarf) searcher taking their time would have the following Search DCs: Ransack (5), Typical Secret Door (15), Simple Trap (15), Well-hidden Secret Door (25); this kind of careful searching is usually performed in situations where the party has some means of stealth or of otherwise remaining undiscovered, or in situations where most of the inhabitants of the dungeon have already been killed.
EPIC (HOUSE RULE): There are epic-level variations of the Search skill, but these shall not be addressed here.
NORMAL (BY THE BOOK): That means that the typical dungeon square would take 4 rounds (24 seconds) to search. This is a quick, but thorough visual inspection. Untrained searchers can find things (secret doors, simple traps) whose DC is 20 or below. Trained searchers (Rogues, and Dwarves who are inspecting stonework) can find more difficult things, whose DC is 21+.
NORMAL (HOUSE RULE): Any searcher who takes their time will gain a +5 Caution Bonus to their skill check. HOWEVER, searchers still can't find things they're not trained to find; no matter the bonus, unskilled searchers still can't find difficult (Rogue only, or Dwarf only) things.
Taking one's time is defined as taking 20 minutes per square; 5 minutes each to search floor, ceiling, left wall, and right wall. An untrained (non-Rogue / non-Dwarf) searcher taking their time would have the following Search DCs: Ransack (5), Typical Secret Door (15), Simple Trap (15), Well-hidden Secret Door (25); this kind of careful searching is usually performed in situations where the party has some means of stealth or of otherwise remaining undiscovered, or in situations where most of the inhabitants of the dungeon have already been killed.
EPIC (HOUSE RULE): There are epic-level variations of the Search skill, but these shall not be addressed here.
Nimbar sets down the magical lantern that the party found in the Hobgoblin lair, and places it at the top of the stairs, facing backwards, so that it does not shine down the stairs. Hawke takes the Dwarven torch and says (in Dwarvish): "Licht Aus." Upon uttering this command, the torchlight goes out. Hawke stuffs the torch into his pack.
Nimbar nods in agreement. "The candle we found, which we placed into the hooded lantern, is much better than this torch. It grants Darkvision, rather than simply shedding torchlight. But we should keep the torch as a backup, in any event. Both the candle and the torch are quite valuable, and quite useful."
Ever-burning Candle of Darkvision
CL: 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, Darkvision, Permanency; faint enchantment.
Market Value: 3,500 GP.
Once lit, this candle never goes out, unless the top of the candle is carefully cut off; if the actual form of the candle is somehow defaced (smashing the candle underneath a boot heel, for instance) the enchantment is broken, and the candle is destroyed. If the form of the candle is intact, then it can be cut to any length while still maintaining the enchantment.
The candle sheds a dim light, in a 5 ft. (1 square radius) around the caster. The candle's flame cannot be seen at distances of 31 feet or more; the flame can be seen by careful onlookers (Spot DC 15) who are between 16 and 30 feet distant. Onlookers who are 15 ft. distant, or closer, can see the flame normally. A good practice for using this candle is to place it inside a hooded lantern, and turn the hood around backwards, so that the light of the candle is projected backwards (instead of forwards, as would normally be the case.) Doing this gives onlookers no chance at all to the see the candle's flame from the front (although from the back, they have the normal chance to see.)
The holder of the candle is granted Darkvision, at a distance of 60 ft.
Those who possess Lowlight Vision, and can see the flame (i.e., those within 15 feet of the candle) are granted enough light to activate their Lowlight Vision, thus, in a mixed party of humans and demihumans, this candle helps everyone. Typically, each human will carry one of these candles, and their demihuman allies will simply stay close enough to activate their natural vision.
Components for creation: a normal wax candle, and 3.5 oz. of diamond dust.
CL: 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, Darkvision, Permanency; faint enchantment.
Market Value: 3,500 GP.
Once lit, this candle never goes out, unless the top of the candle is carefully cut off; if the actual form of the candle is somehow defaced (smashing the candle underneath a boot heel, for instance) the enchantment is broken, and the candle is destroyed. If the form of the candle is intact, then it can be cut to any length while still maintaining the enchantment.
The candle sheds a dim light, in a 5 ft. (1 square radius) around the caster. The candle's flame cannot be seen at distances of 31 feet or more; the flame can be seen by careful onlookers (Spot DC 15) who are between 16 and 30 feet distant. Onlookers who are 15 ft. distant, or closer, can see the flame normally. A good practice for using this candle is to place it inside a hooded lantern, and turn the hood around backwards, so that the light of the candle is projected backwards (instead of forwards, as would normally be the case.) Doing this gives onlookers no chance at all to the see the candle's flame from the front (although from the back, they have the normal chance to see.)
The holder of the candle is granted Darkvision, at a distance of 60 ft.
Those who possess Lowlight Vision, and can see the flame (i.e., those within 15 feet of the candle) are granted enough light to activate their Lowlight Vision, thus, in a mixed party of humans and demihumans, this candle helps everyone. Typically, each human will carry one of these candles, and their demihuman allies will simply stay close enough to activate their natural vision.
Components for creation: a normal wax candle, and 3.5 oz. of diamond dust.
Dwarven Evertorch
CL: 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, Continual Flame, Permanency; faint enchantment.
Market Value: 2,000 gp.
Upon speaking the command word, (Dwarvish: "Licht An") this torch will produce a dim, blue flame, which will shed light equal to that of a normal torch; however, the blue tint of the light cannot be seen by creatures with Darkvision. Creatures with normal or low-light vision CAN see the soft blue light of the torch. Speaking another command word (Dwarvish: "Licht Aus,") will cause the flame to go out. The torch stays lit until the command is given to extinguish the flame. The flame is cool to the touch, and will not harm flesh, nor will it ignite combustibles. Its only function is to shed light.
Components for creation: a normal torch, and 1.5 oz of blue sapphire dust.
CL: 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, Continual Flame, Permanency; faint enchantment.
Market Value: 2,000 gp.
Upon speaking the command word, (Dwarvish: "Licht An") this torch will produce a dim, blue flame, which will shed light equal to that of a normal torch; however, the blue tint of the light cannot be seen by creatures with Darkvision. Creatures with normal or low-light vision CAN see the soft blue light of the torch. Speaking another command word (Dwarvish: "Licht Aus,") will cause the flame to go out. The torch stays lit until the command is given to extinguish the flame. The flame is cool to the touch, and will not harm flesh, nor will it ignite combustibles. Its only function is to shed light.
Components for creation: a normal torch, and 1.5 oz of blue sapphire dust.
