Light and the Low Fantasy Setting

 There seem to be two extremes in the TTRPG world on how to handle the need for Player Characters to be able to see in the dark. The first is for nearly every character and monster in the world to be able to preternaturally see in the dark via some type of special vision. The other is to count down game minutes as the party's precious few torches burn out one by one. A third approach that I use is to eliminate by default the ability to see in the dark from every living creature. Treat dark vision as a supernatural ability that only the undead and very special creatures have.

Approaching light this way creates an interesting dynamic. It means that most things that live underground need light. As such, it creates the default assumption that light sources will be almost everywhere. Sconces for holding torches will line most walls of inhabited areas of dungeons, giving players a clue as to how long it has been since an area was last occupied. Whether the torches are still burning, partially used, or the sconces sit empty can all suggest different scenarios. And by scattering partially used torches throughout a dungeon, you can eliminate the need for resource tracking by assuming there is always a torch to be grabbed nearby.

Braziers are another common device used in film and fantasy art. Typically crafted from bronze or brass, these flat bowls can hold flaming fuel such as wood, coal, or something more exotic. They can hang from chains, sit on pedestals, or like the famous cover of the player's handbook, be held by a giant statue of a demon. Like torches, your braziers can be burning when first encountered, be fueled but unlit, or the fuel can have been long consumed. When describing a storage area of barrels and crates, you can include fuel for the braziers in this area.

Other forms of illumination can include molten lava, bio-luminescence of fungi, shafts of light from above, as well as elaborate arrangements of mirrors to direct light from above. Whatever your light source, if you think cinematically, you can envision anything from claustrophobic corridors to expansive chambers lit with dramatic light to help you create the evocative mood you are trying to convey to your players and to communicate important information about the dungeon.

By making almost all creatures need light, you can actually create advantage for your PCs. Rather than they being the ones that are always spotted because they are the only ones that are carrying a light source, they might be able to see illuminated areas ahead, letting them know they are approaching an area that is occupied. This can give your players agency in strategizing how to approach the area, and create some tension in advance of an encounter.

Of course, there will be creatures that do not need light. But this does not mean they can necessarily see in the dark. They may use echo-location (such as the amazing monsters in the movie The Descent), detect by smell, or use vibrations. A spider could weave webs throughout an area - not enough to hinder a party but enough to detect their presence and location.

True ability to see in dark can be reserved for the undead and supernatural beings. Making lit areas a default assumption in your dungeon can help you create a sense of dread and unease in your players for special encounters.

Sidney Sime