D&D General Wearing a lantern on your belt?

[TiQuinn]

Just because I can envision some sort of lantern like device attached to my belt doesn’t mean I want it function as a light source for my D&D game. If you want a light source, you need a hand to hold it, or a special magic item taking up an attuned item slot.

 

[JConstantine]

I don't see what's so objectionable about lanterns on belts. London's Metropolitan Police wore signal lanterns on their belts c. 1860. The earliest versions used candles, before upgrading to whale oil, and eventually kerosene.

I know post-industrial revolution tends to be outside the anachronistic mash-up of medieval and renaissance that is vanilla D&D, but Dwarven structural engineering as typically depicted is on par with the Victorians, and I can easily see them creating such a device even with darkvision.

Then you have the fact that Light is a cantrip, but that's okay because magic and yet people complain about the superiority of casters.

 

[Distracted DM]

Then you have the fact that Light is a cantrip, but that's okay because magic and yet people complain about the superiority of casters.

Light being a cantrip isn't beloved either, unlimited cantrips are another sore spot, but addressing that is a bigger project than deciding whether or not a lantern can be worn on a belt.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I don't see what's so objectionable about lanterns on belts. London's Metropolitan Police wore signal lanterns on their belts c. 1860. The earliest versions used candles, before upgrading to whale oil, and eventually kerosene.

I know post-industrial revolution tends to be outside the anachronistic mash-up of medieval and renaissance that is vanilla D&D, but Dwarven structural engineering as typically depicted is on par with the Victorians, and I can easily see them creating such a device even with darkvision.

Then you have the fact that Light is a cantrip, but that's okay because magic and yet people complain about the superiority of casters.

I am pretty sure they were carbide lamps, which were not that big, as compared to an oil lantern and according to an earlier post were not that hot.
I can attest from experience that oil lanterns get very hot.

 

[GrimCo]

I am pretty sure they were carbide lamps, which were not that big, as compared to an oil lantern and according to an earlier post were not that hot.

Nope. First was whale oil then kerosene. Carbide lamps weren't invented yet, they became available after 1895.

 

[Incenjucar]

Better to hook a brazier to your brassiere.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Nope. First was whale oil then kerosene. Carbide lamps weren't invented yet, they became available after 1895.

I wonder how they managed the heat. Maybe the handle or clip on part was not metallic?

 

[JConstantine]

I am pretty sure they were carbide lamps,

Nope. First was whale oil then kerosene.

Like I said, the first versions used candles:

 

[Micah Sweet]

OK so I've tussled with this a bit as a GM, I've gone back and forth... lanterns: Wear them on your belt, yes or no? Is it RAW (assume 5e or 5e-derivative such as A5E or ToV)? Is there anything supporting or denying it? Is it stupid and dangerous so no, it's not an option (because you'd have to assign some pain in the arse penalty to keep track of like On Crits It Breaks And You Get Set On Fire)?

This means, from what I can tell, that as soon as the party can afford a lantern that lighting becomes a non-issue (as it sort of is already with plentiful light cantrips etc).

This had come up previously in my games, and at first I was thinking ?Dark Souls? yeah it's fine, wear it on your belt... and then I realized that it wouldn't be too practical for a few reasons, and further minimizes light management.

Finally, the party got a Lantern of Revealing.. OK so now, hands-free, the person with the lantern has near-infinite invisibility-revealing (still needs oil, reveals in their area) and it doesn't even take a hand if you allow it on the belt.

I remember back in nineteen-dickity-three we all wore lanterns on our belts. It was the style at the time.