Kinfire Lanterns

Kinfire Lanterns

Kinfire lanterns are small, portable flames of kinfire constructed by the Scholars' Circle, with the reluctant blessing of the Temple. Anyone can operate them, but given how expensive and difficult they are to produce, few have the chance to ever do so. Most of the lanterns are owned by the Seekers’ Guild, but a few are owned by the city’s richest, who yearn for additional protection against the Darkness.

Characteristics

Each lantern has a unique design as well as individual magical properties. Scholars theorize that kinfire captures the emotions of the craftsman who built the lantern and that these emotions affect the properties of the lantern. A lantern constructed by a scholar who’s in a turbulent emotional state will handle differently than one put together by someone in an emotionally neutral state of mind.

The most respected maker of kinfire lanterns is a dwarven scholar by the name of Grellin. This scholar purposefully draws upon his grief for his late husband as he crafts lanterns in order to imbue the flame with emotion. The lanterns he creates are particularly powerful but very challenging to wield and operate.

Creation

Once the Darkness returned, it became clear that the frequency of Starless Nights was somewhat unpredictable. Everyone was afraid to leave the city, terrified that a Starless Night would suddenly appear and swipe them from the very ground on which they stood.

Food and other supplies in the city began to run short and it would soon be necessary to venture out beyond the city walls to test the power of the Great Lighthouse. How far did its protective glow reach? Would the nearby farmland be safe? No one yet knew and very few were brave enough to journey out.

With the city cramped with refugees and supplies dwindling, the Hierophant had no choice. She finally allowed the scholars to study kinfire with the goal of creating tools to fight against the Darkness. Within mere weeks, they had developed a way of taking a flame outside the walls in the form of a lantern.

The Seekers' Guild

The Seekers are adventurers in Din'Lux who are specially trained for traveling beyond the reach of the Great Lighthouse. They wield kinfire lanterns to protect themselves from the Darkness.

Between assignments, Seekers are required to return their lanterns to the Seekers' Guildhouse so that they can be cleaned and maintained. This is also a reminder that it is the guild who owns the lanterns, not individual Seekers. Those who become conflicted with the leadership of the guild can lose their lanterns; there have also been a few cases where rebel Seekers went rogue and made off with the prized artifacts, never to be seen again.

For more, see The Seekers' Guild.

Regulation

Due to their power and possible misuse, the creation of kinfire lanterns are heavily regulated in Din'Lux. Only specialized members of the Scholars' Circle are authorized by the City Council to construct lanterns.

Each lantern possesses a unique mark, allowing the distribution and use of these lanterns in the Seekers' Guild to be tracked. Detailed documentation of lantern assignments, maintenance, use, and repair are kept by the guild and are accessible by the Scholars' Circle and the Din'Lux city guard. Misuse of a lantern may result in expulsion from the Seekers' Guild.

Other Kinfire Vessels

It is possible to contain kinfire or kinfire embers in other, less powerful vessels, such a a lamp. These are primarily used by the Temple priests in various rituals and ceremonies. These vessels are typically housed in one of the deepest chambers of the Temple and are, like the lanterns, closely guarded and maintained.