light and chalk = neons?

[PrinceZane]

Just a simple little thread, but unsure of the complexity of the answer/result.

So our sorc/wizard (forget which he is) casts Light on a piece of chalk. Now chalk is a bunch of chalk dust particles that separate upon contact (hense how it spreads/writes).

If you write with the chalk with light cast on it, would it leave a light "trail" if you drag it along a wall? (obviously only for the duration of the spell etc). As far as I can think of I would rule yes, but just curious what you guys thought.

We were transporting a wagon of food from a city to a castle outside of town, and a running joke of the cleric just sitting in the wagon eating sandwiches while we were busting our tails with the random encounters/bandits/rogues/etc. The sorc/wizard decided to write "Homage's Hogies" (Homage being the cleric's name) on the side, just as a "Eat at Joes" parody. Ironically, the quest we started with the journey had a band of 50-ish orcs to capture us in the 4th night of travel, which is the night they decided to write the "neon" sign. Naturally several comments/jokes were made about the orcs just "being hungry" and a diplomacy check by the cleric/soc to try to make a sale.

 

[the Jester]

Oh dear, this goes right back to the ol' "what if I cast light on the water in a bottle and then pour it into two bottles" question.

I like the idea, but I would argue that the writing left behind is no longer part of the piece of chalk that is affected by the light spell.

 

[Krelios]

I too like the idea from a flavor standpoint, but I agree that this opens a can of worms that is best left closed. Unless you really want to make rulings on how much fluid/gas counts as an object, etc... in which case, you're a braver man than I.

I always rule that the spell only affects the largest portion of a deformable object and that evenly dividing anything into exact halves is impossible at a molecular level (random which piece has the effect if they're all the same size). Of course, if the object were solid at the beginning of the spell, then breaking/destroying it ruins the magic, just as with any other magic item.

 

[shilsen]

I always rule that the spell only affects the largest portion of a deformable object and that evenly dividing anything into exact halves is impossible at a molecular level (random which piece has the effect if they're all the same size).

That's how I'd do it. Also, I have the light emanate from a point on the object. So no casting light on a 100 ft coil of rope and having all of it glow.

Of course, if the object were solid at the beginning of the spell, then breaking/destroying it ruins the magic, just as with any other magic item.

I think that rule counts for actual magical items, not an object with a temporary spell on it.