Coal

Coal was a form of fossilized carbon-rich mineral used as a fuel, similar to coke and charcoal in function, and related to petroleum in origin.

Availability

 * Aurora's Emporium supplied chunks anthracite coal for 1 gp per pound, and bituminous coal for 1 gp per 20 pounds. Anthracite dust could be bought for 8 sp per pound.
 * Coal was infrequently found and used on the surface of Toril, with only shallow surface deposits mined. It was much more commonly mined by dwarves and gnomes of the Underdark, who regularly used coal for forging and cooking.
 * Coal was mined in large quantities from the rural lands north of Arabel using bell pits, including Gnoll Pass.
 * Coal and many other minerals were exported from Zhentil Keep.
 * The precious stone jet was an uncommon variant of bituminous coal.

Usage

 * Coal was used to heat furnaces for the working of metals. Anthracite coal would ideally be used to fuel non-vented flames such as braziers, while bituminous coal needed to be ventilated to burn properly. Both varieties of coal were needed to keep a wizard's laboratory operational.
 * Anthracite coal was used to fuel ovens and kilns, which used bellows to pump air in. With enough pumping, such a kiln could reach the temperatures needed to fire bisque clay and melt low-quality steel.
 * Common forges could be fuelled by anthracite or bituminous coal, reaching temperatures to melt iron, steel, silver, and gold.
 * The inventor Nadul DaRoni tested a self-propelled furnace wagon fuelled with coal. It consumed 25 pounds of coal per hour, and had only a small chance of spontaneously exploding (and one confirmed death).
 * Carefully-applied coal dust was used in disguise kits and makeup kits.
 * Trimia's catalogue of Outer Plane artifacts could manifest lumps of blood-red coal that could transport users to Avernus in the Nine Hells.

Other

 * When handling hot coals, tongs were recommended.
 * Coal shovels were specially made to handle large amounts of coal.