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Charcoal

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Charcoal was a common form of processed wood used as a fuel, similar to coke and coal.[1]

Properties[]

Charcoal was a hard, black, ashy, carbon-rich mineral-like substance that burned readily.[3][1][4][5] It was quite light, weighing 35 pounds (16 kilograms) per 1 cubic foot (28 liters).[6] It was valued for how it burned hotter, faster, and cleaner than raw wood, making it a superior fuel for heating, cooking, forging, and other purposes.[7]

Availability[]

Charcoal was the fuel of choice for much of Toril. Some regions were dependent on dried animal dung, sheaves of straw, or oil from whales or fish, but wood charcoal was the most widespread and convenient source of fuel to be found.[7] Mined coal and refined coke were hard to obtain for most surface realms, and petroleum was generally too hazardous and rare to use in large quantities.[8]

Sylvan elves limited their use of charcoal in industry by means of elaborate forges that used walls of force to contain and concentrate the heat, allowing for hot fires with far less fuel consumption and lessened risk of accidental fires.[9]

Aurora's Emporium supplied high-quality charcoal intended for priestly rituals for 1 gp per pound.[2]

Crafting[]

Charcoal was made by charcoal-burners, or "colliers",[10] by slowly burning wood or peat over several days in a smouldering air-starved fire, such as in a specialized kiln, in a turf-covered mound, or in a fire choked with clay.[3][1][7][11][8] The large amounts of wood required for charcoal production necessitated the constant logging of forests such as the High Forest and Ardeep Forest, causing conflicts between the charcoal-burners and the sylvan elves who saw their woodlands shrinking.[12][5]

The sustainable long-term harvesting of tree limbs for fuel or carpentry, called "coppicing", was widely practiced in lands such as Cormyr, Chessenta, Tethyr, Turmish, and the Dales, and most rural farming families, communities, and estates kept extensive woodlots for coppicing to ensure they were self-sufficient in fuel and timber. The wood was burned to charcoal locally, and the excess was exported to fuel-hungry cities in metal boxes. On occasion, charcoal was scented with various substances to produce pleasing aromas when burned.[3][7][13]

Priests of Silvanus helped to protect woodlands from over-exploitation by organizing the production of charcoal from downed wood, as well as the production of peat, manure, and oil-based fuels.[14]

Usage[]

Charcoal

A bit of charcoal.

  • Charcoal made a good general-purpose fuel for heating and light, such as for use in braziers.[7][15][16] It was commonly used in massive quantities to fuel high-temperature furnaces and "bloomeries" for the smelting of ore and working of metals,[1][17] especially for smelting raw iron, and would be stacked in layers along with the ore and limestone flux.[5]
  • Tinderboxes could be used with charcoal briquettes to provide the initial fuel for a fire.[18]
  • Poisons could be neutralized by eating charcoal.[19]
  • Charcoal sticks and pencils were common writing and drawing implements used by artists, and could be colored for extra effect.[20][21][22]
  • Samovars used an internal tube of burning charcoal for their heating.[23]
  • Skin-blackening makeup could use charcoal, though it could irritate the skin.[24] Charcoal and soot were especially popular for thieves who wanted to hide any exposed skin.[25]
  • Beds of charcoal could be used to filter out salt and other impurities from water.[26]
  • Dark stains and tints such as with lacquers could use charcoal as a pigment.[1]
  • Explosive gunpowder used charcoal as an important ingredient,[27][28] and charcoal may have been a key ingredient in the secret recipe for smokepowder.[29][30]
  • Followers of Beshaba created impromptu shrines in cities by drawing the black antlers of misfortune in charcoal upon a wall.[31]
  • Corlusk poison used charcoal as an ingredient.[32]
  • A candle of exploding was made using a complex recipe including charcoal.[33][34]
  • Vitriolic sphere could be neutralized with charcoal, among other substances.[35]

Spell Components[]

A large number of spells used charcoal as a material component, particularly those involving fire.

Other[]

  • Serplars had a strange biology, and could feed upon soot and charcoal from chimneys.[61]
  • The Charcoal Palace in the City of Brass was made of a dark gray basalt, and so resembled charcoal.[62]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Adventures

Test of the Samurai • Ruins of Adventure • Dungeon magazine 144: The Muster of Morach Tor
Referenced only
Nightmare Keep

Novels & Short Stories

Black Wizards • Finder's Stone • Horselords • The Wyvern's Spur • Song of the Saurials • Red Magic • Prophet of Moonshae • The Ring of Winter • Crypt of the Shadowking • The Chaos Curse • Elfsong • Masquerades • King Pinch • Realms of Magic: The Magic Thief • Thornhold • Faces of Deception • Mortal Consequences • Realms of Mystery: Thieves' Justice • Beyond the High Road • Star of Cursrah • The City of Ravens • The Nether Scrolls • Hand of Fire • Realms of Shadow: Darksword • The Sorcerer • Forsaken House • Mistress of the Night • Viper's Kiss • Midnight's Mask • The Rite • Whisper of Waves • Corsair • City of the Dead • Prince of Ravens • The Gilded Rune • The Rose of Sarifal • Venom in Her Veins
Referenced only
Songs & Swords • Soldiers of Ice • Evermeet: Island of Elves • Shadow Stone • Rising Tide • The Shattered Mask • The Thousand Orcs • Extinction • Annihilation • Queen of the Depths • Scream of Stone • The Herald

Video Games

Neverwinter • Baldur's Gate III • Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide

External Links[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Cryptic Studios (June 2013). Neverwinter. Perfect World Entertainment.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 36. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 77, 79. ISBN 0786960345.
  4. ↑ Michael Dobson (January 1984). “Living in a material world”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #81 (TSR, Inc.), p. 61.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Ed Greenwood (February 2004). “Elminster's Guide to the Realms: The Black Dwarf Mine”. In Matthew Sernett ed. Dragon #316 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 75.
  6. ↑ Shlump Da Orc (April 1978). “How Heavy Is My Giant”. In Timothy J. Kask ed. Dragon #13 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 5–7.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2007-06-05). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2007). Candlekeep Forum. Retrieved on 2023-09-15.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2010-08-01). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2010). Candlekeep Forum. Retrieved on 2023-08-15.
  9. ↑ Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2013-03-23). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2013). Candlekeep Forum. Retrieved on 2023-09-15.
  10. ↑ David Cook (April 1995). Dungeon Master Guide 2nd edition (revised). (TSR, Inc.), p. 144. ISBN 978-0786903283.
  11. ↑ Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2004-07-06). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2004). Candlekeep Forum. Archived from the original on 2004-02-20. Retrieved on 2023-09-15.
  12. ↑ Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2005-01-26). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2005). Candlekeep Forum. Retrieved on 2023-09-15.
  13. ↑ Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2006-01-11). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2006). Candlekeep Forum. Retrieved on 2023-09-15.
  14. ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 166. ISBN 0786960345.
  15. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 106. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  16. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 139. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  17. ↑ Ed Greenwood (2013-11-05). Thaelon Morgyr's Map. Forging the Realms. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016-10-31. Retrieved on 2017-08-27.
  18. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 139. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  19. ↑ BioWare, Floodgate Entertainment (June 2003). Designed by Brent Knowles, Rick Ernst. Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide. Atari.
  20. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 69. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  21. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (January 1994). Elfsong (1994). (TSR, Inc.), chap. 6, p. ?. ISBN 1-56076-679-4.
  22. ↑ Douglas Niles (1995). Player's Option: Skills & Powers. (TSR, Inc), p. 106. ISBN 0-7869-0149-7.
  23. ↑ Skip Williams (September 1995). “Sage Advice”. In Wolfgang Baur ed. Dragon #221 (TSR, Inc.), p. 101.
  24. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  25. ↑ Vince Garcia (November 1986). “Tools of the (Thieving) Trade”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #115 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 34–36.
  26. ↑ Lisa Smedman (July 2012). The Gilded Rune. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 10, p. ?. ISBN 978-0-7869-6030-9.
  27. ↑ Ed Greenwood (April 1982). “Firearms”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #60 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 26–27.
  28. ↑ Richard Baker, Skip Williams (1995). Player's Option: Combat & Tactics. (TSR, Inc), pp. 126–127. ISBN 0-7869-0096-2.
  29. ↑ Philip Athans (September 2006). Lies of Light. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 30. ISBN 0-7869-3237-6.
  30. ↑ Mark Anthony (1995). “The Magic Thief”. In Brian Thomsen and J. Robert King ed. Realms of Magic (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-7869-0303-1.
  31. ↑ Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 26. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  32. ↑ Ed Greenwood (2013-04-18). Imroad Gaskulyn. Forging the Realms. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2013-05-01. Retrieved on 2023-05-27.
  33. ↑ Gregg Chamberlain (March 1992). “Magic by Candlelight”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #179 (TSR, Inc.), p. 19.
  34. ↑ slade et al (December 1994). Encyclopedia Magica Volume I. (TSR, Inc.), p. 242. ISBN 1560768428.
  35. ↑ Mark Middleton et al (September 1998). Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume Four. (TSR, Inc), p. 983. ISBN 978-0786912094.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 82. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  37. ↑ Richard Baker (November 2004). Complete Arcane. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 96. ISBN 0-7869-3435-2.
  38. ↑ Mark Middleton et al. (1999). Priest's Spell Compendium Volume One. (TSR, Inc), p. 178. ISBN 9780786913596.
  39. ↑ Gary Gygax (1978). Players Handbook 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 66. ISBN 0-9356-9601-6.
  40. ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (April 1995). Player's Handbook 2nd edition (revised). (TSR, Inc.), p. 174. ISBN 0-7869-0329-5.
  41. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 88. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  42. ↑ Mark Middleton et al (January 1998). Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume Two. (TSR, Inc), p. 359. ISBN 978-0786906642.
  43. ↑ Steve Perrin (1988). Dreams of the Red Wizards. (TSR, Inc), p. 40. ISBN 0-88038-615-0.
  44. ↑ Mark Middleton et al (January 1998). Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume Two. (TSR, Inc), p. 365. ISBN 978-0786906642.
  45. ↑ Gary Gygax (1978). Players Handbook 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 56. ISBN 0-9356-9601-6.
  46. ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (April 1995). Player's Handbook 2nd edition (revised). (TSR, Inc.), p. 260. ISBN 0-7869-0329-5.
  47. ↑ Mark Middleton et al. (1999). Priest's Spell Compendium Volume One. (TSR, Inc), p. 273. ISBN 9780786913596.
  48. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 82. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  49. ↑ Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 153. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
  50. ↑ Owen K.C. Stephens (December 1999). “Arcane Lore: Spells of Defense”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #271 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 69.
  51. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 97. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  52. ↑ Richard Baker (November 2004). Complete Arcane. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 112. ISBN 0-7869-3435-2.
  53. ↑ Mark Middleton et al (March 1998). Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume Three. (TSR, Inc), p. 617. ISBN 978-0786907915.
  54. ↑ Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 257. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
  55. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Steve Perrin (May 1988). The Magister. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 15. ISBN 0-88038-564-2.
  56. ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (April 1995). Player's Handbook 2nd edition (revised). (TSR, Inc.), p. 278. ISBN 0-7869-0329-5.
  57. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 84. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  58. ↑ Mark Middleton et al (September 1998). Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume Four. (TSR, Inc), p. 879. ISBN 978-0786912094.
  59. ↑ Richard Baker (November 2004). Complete Arcane. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 124. ISBN 0-7869-3435-2.
  60. ↑ Jon Pickens et al. (1999). Priest's Spell Compendium Volume Three. (TSR, Inc), p. 706. ISBN 9780786913596.
  61. ↑ Ed Greenwood (November 1988). “The Dragon's Bestiary: Rare beasts of the FORGOTTEN REALMS™ setting”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #139 (TSR, Inc.), p. 73.
  62. ↑ Wolfgang Baur (November 1993). Secrets of the Lamp. Genie Lore. (TSR, Inc.), p. 26. ISBN 978-1560766476.
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