Characters do not have darkvision.
In darkness, they cannot see without a light source.
Some features may allow a character to see clearly in dim light, but darkness still requires light, magic, or another special means of sight.
Bright light allows clear sight (close, short, and far range)
A torch creates bright light within Close range and Dim Light in Short Range.
Dim light is weak, partial, or uncertain light: moonlight, distant torchlight, heavy fog, deep forest shade, twilight, candlelight, or the edge of a lantern’s glow.
In dim light, characters can see clearly within Close range.
Perception checks into Short range suffer 1 Bane.
Characters cannot see clearly at Far range in dim light unless the Referee rules otherwise.
Ranged attacks against targets at Short range miss on a 1 or 2.
Ranged attacks cannot be made against targets at Far range unless the target is clearly visible by another light source, silhouette, sound, magic, or Referee ruling.
This keeps dim light useful but uncertain: you can act, but distance becomes dangerous.
In darkness, characters cannot see.
They may still hear, feel, smell, guess, or follow walls and voices, but sight-based actions fail unless aided by light, magic, or special features.
A torch lights the wielder’s Close range.
A character with a torch can see clearly within their zone, but cannot see clearly into an adjacent zone.
Shapes, movement, or distant lights may still be visible at the Referee’s discretion.
A torch lasts about 30 minutes.
When a torch is lit, the Referee secretly rolls 1d12.
Subtract that many real-time minutes from the torch’s duration.
The players are warned 1 minute before the torch goes out.
Lighting a torch in total darkness is difficult and dangerous.
Make a DEX or WIS check, DC 10, with 1 Bane.
Use DEX for speed and handling.
Use WIS for calm, patience, and keeping control under pressure.
On a failure, the torch is not lit this turn. The Referee may introduce danger, delay, noise, or lost supplies.