Lynx-Eyed, Like Burning Coals

Torchbearer An Adventurer's Essentials
1

Should I be considering darkness as a factor for the monsters?

I’ve just been assuming so far that everything that isn’t a Human, Halfling, Dwarf or Elf can see effectively in the dark, but I just read the “Special” on the Goblin, and it makes a point of them being able to see in the dark, suggesting that everything else cannot.

Do kobolds carry around torches?

(And on a related note, what happens when your light goes out in a Kill conflict? Do you just lose? Can you just not act in the conflict? How is that handled?)

2

I’m suddenly tempted to adapt the Weeping Angels to Torchbearer. But seriously…I’m picturing evil laughs when lights go out during a fight.

3

Goblins will attempt to douse your lights to give them the advantage…

But otherwise, assume that creatures need light sources.

4

Thanks!

So, what happens when one or more character find themselves in an invalid conflict because they lost their light? Do they just keep going (at a disadvantage), since they’re already there? If you force giant rats into a Kill conflict, but they don’t have a light, do they fight anyway?

5

As long as you have light, they can bite you.

It’s a good question, though. What do you do if the PCs are fighting… giant rats or owlbears or whatever and they decide to douse their torches (maybe because they’re losing)? I think I’d keep up the conflict and maybe give a +2 Ob, but that might just make the fight long and gimpy…

6

Can the rats even fight to begin with? Your torch only provides light for you and three buddies. I don’t know what the 5th guy is doing during the conflict, and the rats don’t have any light of their own at all.

7

Your torch illuminates you. You’re the target. The rats don’t need torches.

In fact, I’d say in general, regardless of weapon, you don’t need a light source to attack people with light sources.

8

That makes sense, but it’s not what the rules say, which is why I’m confused.

9

Against giant rats and other monsters with excellent sense of smell, well adapted to the dark (they live in total darkness, after all) and also with natural weapons I’d say some clumsy overworlders would be sitting ducks in complete darkness; I’d give the PC’s a much larger Ob increase than their opponents.

If it’s a creature that can’t handle itself in total darkness at all, I think you should consider what it is doing living in a dungeon if it can’t supply its own light…