Light

Light was a very common spell learned by most spellcasters. Depending on how the caster was trained, light was either a cantrip or a first-level spell. In some spellcasting traditions this spell was reversible and called darkness when reversed.

Effects
The area illuminated by all versions of this spell was roughly 20   to 25 ft (6.1 to 7.6 m) in radius. The range and duration of this spell varied with the spellcasting tradition. Post-Spellplague, it could be cast at-will, creating a bright light on a nearby object or in a nearby unoccupied space, and lasted until dispelled or a new light was cast elsewhere. Pre-Spellplague, the cantrip version required the caster to touch an object to make it glow like a torch, and the spell lasted for ten minutes to a few hours depending on the caster's prowess. For those that learned light as a first-level spell, it could be thrown 120 yards (110 m) away and last one hour to many hours.

The ranged version of this spell that could target an object allowed the caster a chance to blind a creature by successfully casting the spell centered on its visual organs.

The reverse of this spell, darkness, caused total and impenetrable darkness in the area of effect, but the duration was only half that of light.

Light spells could be used to counter or dispel darkness of equal or lesser power, and vice versa.

Sinhala stones were also known to prevent magical darkness. Hambergyle gems could be used to turn a light spell into continual light.

Components
The pre-Spellplague cantrip required a spoken command and a material component. For divine spell casters, their holy symbol or divine focus was sufficient. For everybody else, light required either a firefly or a bit of phosphorescent moss. The first-level spell required only verbal and somatic components. The at-will version could be cast with a wave of the hand.

History
The spell was attributed to Netherese arcanist Brightfinger in -1652 DR and was originally called Brightfinger's light.