Candle

"One who lights a candle awakens a small sun."

- Common elven saying

Candles were employed in an enormous variety of purposes throughout the Realms, by adventurers, clerics, wizards, and common folk alike.

Description
Typical adventurers' candles burned for approximately 1 hour. They could shed light that was useful to aid vision out to a range of up to 10 feet (3 meters) and cost 1 cp each in the late 15 century DR. They were an integral part of burglar's packs, entertainer's packs, and priest's packs.

Different varieties of adventuring candles were also sold by Aurora's Emporium that illuminated out to a range of 15 feet (4.6 meters) for up to 4 hours. They came in a variety of sizes and shapes, including twisted. Their starting length was 1 foot (30 centimeters) and starting diameter was 0.5 inch (1.3 centimeters), but they were available in longer and thicker sizes for additional prices.

Specialty candles, however, ran a much wider variety of prices, sizes, and applications. Certain types of candles were used to mark the passage of time, while others decorated temples or were used as a healing aid for the infirm. Some candles employed by clerics included:


 * Altar candles that varied in size between 1 and 6 feet (0.3 to 1.8 meters); the larger varieties could burn for weeks;
 * 12-hour candles that could be inscribed with marks on their sides that were reached once every half hour;
 * Vigil candles that were infused with incense and lit next to injured patients.

Other specialty varieties of candles were also mandatory components in wizards' laboratories, and were available uncolored or in a variety of colors, including red, black, and yellow. Candles relevant to wizards included:


 * Timekeeping candles that were notched to mark the passage of half-hours;
 * Incense candles that cleared the laboratory's air;
 * Vial heaters, steady-burning candles that burned for long times;
 * Tapers that provided reading illmuination.

A complete laboratory required at least 30 candles of each type to operate properly.

Candles that were typically used in households were also available in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and materials. They could be made from beeswax or tallow and could be colored blue, green, red, white, or yellow. Different shapes included:


 * Tall, thin tapers;
 * Short and thick votives;
 * Knobbed candles, that could also be used to mark the passage of time. The knobs could mark hours, or days.

Candles were also employed instead of a wick in certain types of lanterns, such as self-dousing lanterns.

A lit candle onboard a spelljammer that entered the phlogiston immediately exploded into a small fireball 4 inches (10 centimeters) in diameter.

Powers
Incense-infused vigil candles lasted for about 8 hours. Their curative properties slightly accelerated the recovery of injured patients.

History
Temples of Lathander in the mid‒14 century DR typically used two 6-foot (1.8-meter) altar candles per fortnight.

Reputation
The holy symbol of Deneir consisted of a lit candle above an open eye.