Torch

A torch was a rod, most often made of wood, that could be lit to provide illumination in dark areas. "Walking into the Underdark under a blazing torch is not the wisest move. A single candle would mark you as out of place and would leave you vulnerable."

- Fredegar Rockcrusher

Description
"Before opening a sarcophagus, light a torch."

- X the Mystic's 7 rule of dungeon survival

These wooden implements often had one end covered in a cloth (or flax) that was doused with a flammable substance. They were popular with adventurers that explored dark avenues and darker dungeons.

As well as being used as a source of light, torches or fire sources equivalent to torches were used as material components in spells such as chariot of Sustarre and fire lance. They could also be used as bludgeoning weapons that might also ignite foes.

Powers
There were several magical torches across the Realms. The gateway to Deepearth from the Bloodstone Mines had torches that could not be put out by normal methods, and even had a very high resistance to magic.

A torch could be turned into an infratorch, a torch that enabled those within its "light" radius to see as if they had infravision.

Symbology
The Lords of Waterdeep were represented by a blazing torch, as was the Waterdhavian Talmost family.

Kossuth's faithful were often named after blazing torches. After taking the Oath of Firewalking, some Kossuthans became known as Torches of the Faith.

The first platform of the Pyramid of Uxma in Maztica was lit by pluma torches. They were coloured from red to orange to yellow to represent flames, and emitted continual light.

The Olympian deity Prometheus had a torch as his symbol.

Notable Torches

 * Everburning torches were torches lit by the continual flame spell.


 * Torches of continual fire were known to exist throughout Realmspace. They could be ignited or extinguished when a command word was spoken.


 * Gruumsh's Everburning Torch was a torch that could never been extinguished, even via spells such as darkness and fire quench.


 * Sunrods were torches that emitted steady light and were very hard to extinguish.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * The Ogre's Pact
 * Comic Books
 * Forgotten Realms (#24)
 * Video Games
 * Dungeon Hack • Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor • Forgotten Realms Unlimited Adventures • Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance • Baldur's Gate III
 * Eye of the Beholder • Pools of Darkness • Menzoberranzan • Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
 * Eye of the Beholder • Pools of Darkness • Menzoberranzan • Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor