The Blessing of Darkness fills an area equivalent to what a torch would light, and no light escapes it (e.g., a lantern targeted by this spell would produce enough light for the person carrying it to use, but no one else could benefit from it).
Does this mean that the light is not visible at all to anyone other than the user of the prayer? For example, could a thief use this prayer to operate with the benefit of light while his targets are still in the dark, unaware of the prayer’s effects? I first read it that it produces the light but is not visible from outside its area of effect. Ie. If you were using the prayer to approach the walls of a castle at night, the guards atop the ramparts would not see the light but the party does not suffer from darkness. However, as I am running a Thief now and our Cleric has this prayer, we were discussing the benefits it might have as written in my character’s exploits. So, I am here seeking clarification.
It doesn’t douse lights, it reduces the amount of light produced by the equivalent of a torch. So if cast on a lantern, normally bright light for three characters and dim for three more, the lantern now provides bright light for one character and dim for one more.
So it doesn’t hide the light, it’s still a light in the darkness. It just looks as bright as a candle flame rather than a lantern, because that’s essentially what it is.
That’s how I’ve understood it working within its area of effect (reducing light by the equivalent of a torch), but I thought that “and no light escapes it” is an additional effect.
The ”no light escapes” effect is still only about what benefit that light provides. It’s worded awkwardly but I think it’s trying to cover situations when it’s cast on an area of effect. I think all it’s saying is as soon as the lantern enters the area, it’s dimmed; as soon as it leaves, it’s not.