Terro (Ter-row)

Homelight Lantern

Carrying a natural fear of the dark, the Churrians have always found ways to fight back against it. To the Venestrians, it was a natural bridge to take simple practicality and turn it into a symbolic piece of art. The Terro, also known as the Homelight Lantern, developed over time as a result of this cultivation. Often hung around the outside of family homes, it helps to give colored light to ward off darkness and other elements that might desire the family within harm.
Because of this intimate attachment to the family unit, several of these stained glass lanterns being hung up are also used as a way to signify important events in a Venestrian household such as the birth of children, the death of a loved one, or the success of a youth becoming an adult. While they can be carried around for more immediate use, these lanterns are generally considered too valuable for such mundane tasks.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

Constructed of base metals such as bronze, brass, or even iron, as well as glass, the Terro is not complete without a lighting source. Deriving oil elements from plant or animal sources, such as Highmoor fat, the lantern is filled with the oil in a chamber at the base and then lit with a sparking mechanism. Once burning, the Terro is able to stay lit for hours while casting its brilliance across the environment.

Manufacturing process

Handcrafted at nearly every stage of its development, the Terro is a work of art that is often specialized for the individual or family that is commissioning it. Taking the course of about 2 or more weeks' worth of work, the frame is constructed first before the stained glass is painstakingly inserted and sealed. Once considered complete, the item is thoroughly tested before being sent to the commissioner.

History

To the Churrians, fire has always been used to fend off the darkness, predators, and loneliness. Originally starting as simple campfires that Churrians huddled around for warmth, the flame eventually evolved into more sophisticated and powerful devices over time. Of these, the Venestrians found beauty in the flame and gave it a house that would allow it to both serve them and be protected. Difficult to craft and somewhat expensive, the Terro is the culmination of this partnership. A decorated stained glass lantern, the Terro serves as a symbolic and practical way to light the area around a home against encroaching danger.

Significance

Considered an important tool for families to state their affairs to their community as well as provide practical use during storms and at night, the Homelight Lantern is an important if somewhat extravagant way to light up the darkness. As each lantern is handcrafted and unique to both the maker and the family commissioning it, these devices are often a good way to determine to whom an area or person the lantern is attached belongs. However, because this is a Venestrian tool primarily, it may not be utilized by every Churrian as a way to mark their territory.
Because of the items usefulness and intimate bond with family units, it's often a housewarming gift given to new families as they begin to raise their first home.

Item type

Tool

Manufacturer

Sanguar Institute

Related ethnicities

• Venestrians

Rarity

This item would be considered common around Venestrian households and uncommon to rare elsewhere. Used primarily as a household attachment meant to help keep the night at bay and shield those inside from the terror of the dark, its ability to light a relatively large area and protection against the wind or storm means that this lantern frequently sees use as an independent tool despite its rather pricey construction.

Weight

2-3 pounds.