Darkfire

Darkfire was a spell used by the clerics of the Dark Seldarine.

Effects
On casting the spell, dark fire appeared in the hands of the caster. These flames did not hurt neither the caster's body nor the caster's equipment, except for clothing in the flames' immediate area, but could be used as a heat source like any other fire. However, the flames didn't produce any light and were invisible to anyone without darkvision. The last property was why it was sometimes used as signal or beacon for creatures with such vision  for it was brighter to darkvision than other fire.

The fire in the hands could be used to either hit people in melee or be thrown within a range of 120 feet (36.6 meters). If thrown, new fire appeared immediately on throwing,  and flammable objects touched by the flame started to burn for one to two minutes.

The spell was originally developed for ceremonial purposes by the church of Lolth. It could turn normal flames into darkfire or ignite fuel with it. Its weaponization was done in later development.

The fire of darkfire was special in that it was never ineffective against creatures who were resistant against fire and even creatures who normally enjoyed an immunity against fire were not necessarily safe from darkfire.

Being a fire spell, the spell did not work underwater.

Components
The spell had only verbal and somatic components.

History
As mentioned above, darkfire was originally developed for ceremonial purposes by the church of Lolth. The spell was notable as Lolth was quite liberal in her distribution of this spell. Every time, she found an imposter or spy present during a ceremony of hers, she provided this spell for free to every attending cleric to be used against the spy after she attacked the spy herself with a searing flame.

Darkfire was one of those spells developed by the church of Lolth whose usage spilled over to other drow churches. For example, darkfire was the first thing, a darkmask, a specialty priest of Vhaeraun, learned.

During the Silence of Lolth, Quenthel Baenre used this spell to combat a demonic assassin sent by her brother Gromph Baenre.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Dissolution
 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter Nights series