Lighthouse

[svwilson]

How much magic would it take to make a decent lighthouse beacon -- one visible for, say, a mile at night? How many light spells, daylight spells, continual flames, etc?

 

[Telperion]

I would suggest creating a 5th - 6th level spell for this effect.
A mile is a whole lot of feet, so you would just end up burning all you [light] spells, and still probably not get even close.

 

[Trainz]

It's interesting to note that we're not preocupied about the light radius of the spell, but from how far away that light source is visible.

I had a player fly in a huge underground cave with a daylight spell on. He made a nice speck of light in the background of the cave. He got a few volleys of arrows well before his attackers were actually in his light radius.

A modern day lighthouse's light source is quite bright. I guess if you stand right next to it, you could feel as if your on a bright sunny day. My guess, then, would be a daylight spell.

Lighthouses can be spotted from MANY miles though, depending on weather conditions.

 

[Khaalis]

Well, I guess it depends on what kind of effect you are going for. Are you trying to recreate the effect of a real lighthouse pre-19th century? Or do you want to mimic the power of a modern lighthouse with magic?

"Until the beginning of the 19th century tallow candles, coal fires, and oil lamps were used as illuminating agents; coal gas followed, to be succeeded by acetylene."

To mimic this effect you simply need a light spell. Though the spell's radius is only 20' roughly the same as a torch, remember that the 20' radius is only for illuminated vision range. The light created would be able to be seen to the limit of the visual ability of those looking for it (and weather conditions) - most likley to a few thousand yards at least. If this were combined with Mirrors and Lenses, the range of visibility would be increased.

"In modern lighthouses there are three kinds of lighting systems: the catoptric system, in which rays of light are reflected from silvered mirrors to form a parallel beam visible at a distance; the dioptric, or refractive, system, in which the rays pass through optical glass and are refracted as they enter and emerge from it; and the catadioptric system, in which rays are both refracted and reflected."

If you want to mimic this style of lighthouse there would be two options.

1) MagiTech: Use of mirrors and lenses with the daylight spell.
2) Pure Magic: Use of the Sunbeam spell.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[svwilson]

Well, I guess it depends on what kind of effect you are going for. Are you trying to recreate the effect of a real lighthouse pre-19th century? Or do you want to mimic the power of a modern lighthouse with magic?

My PCs will have to relight an ordinary medieval lighthouse, and they may want to use magic

"Until the beginning of the 19th century tallow candles, coal fires, and oil lamps were used as illuminating agents; coal gas followed, to be succeeded by acetylene."

That's what I'd read too. I'll use a iron basket full of coal.

To mimic this effect you simply need a light spell. Though the spell's radius is only 20' roughly the same as a torch, remember that the 20' radius is only for illuminated vision range. The light created would be able to be seen to the limit of the visual ability of those looking for it (and weather conditions) - most likley to a few thousand yards at least. If this were combined with Mirrors and Lenses, the range of visibility would be increased.

[snip]

If you want to mimic this style of lighthouse there would be two options.

1) MagiTech: Use of mirrors and lenses with the daylight spell.
2) Pure Magic: Use of the Sunbeam spell.

Hope that helps a little.

Thanks.

 

[0-hr]

I would suggest creating a 5th - 6th level spell for this effect.
A mile is a whole lot of feet, so you would just end up burning all you [light] spells, and still probably not get even close.

The ships have to be able to see the lighthouse but the lighthouse doesn't have to see the ships. So the radius of the light spell isn't really a factor.

A high leve light spell, with a large illumination radius, could be very valuable on the battlefield though...

 

[Darklone]

I guess Continual Flame would be the best choice.