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Old 05-20-2023, 10:38 PM   #31
Rupert
 
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Default Re: Wet torch

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Originally Posted by mburr0003 View Post
Wooden strike anywhere's are easily turned into waterproof matches by just coating them with wax. I kept a 10 pack in my bag for emergencies, ironically they're in a watertight case... which also has a lighter in it.
You can buy safety matches that are waterproof too. They're made the same way though usually it's some kind of lacquer or plastic rather than wax these days. Keeping the striker in a usable condition is harder than keeping the matches functional (and in some countries you can't get 'strike anywhere' matches these days, as they're deemed unsafe).

Some of these survival matches will burn underwater, if ignited in air, while the match compound lasts (so a second, maybe 2-3 for some with lots of compound).
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Old 05-21-2023, 12:57 AM   #32
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Default Re: Wet torch

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Keeping the striker in a usable condition is harder than keeping the matches functional (and in some countries you can't get 'strike anywhere' matches these days, as they're deemed unsafe).
For strike anywhere matches, which waterproofed matches should be, you just need a rough enough surface. (I waxed mine because waterproof matches were stupidly expensive when I went looking for them, but parafin was cheap.)

In a highly cinematic campaign a grizzled 5 o'clock shadow is often (comically) usable as a rough surface in a pinch. ;)



My waterproof* carrier is an old tin match case which has a very rough strike anywhere greebled exterior. But I also tucked a piece of folded low grit sandpaper into the case because that works much better.


* Good up to 15 feet depth, likely good past that, but I didn't have a deeper pool to test it in. I just waxed the screw lid closed. So it's "water-proof" until I open it... after that it's just water resistant.
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Old 05-21-2023, 09:21 AM   #33
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Default Re: Wet torch

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Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
...It's not like torches are the only thing that would take exception to being wet.
How many GMs take their player's to task when they swim or ford across a small river, (let alone dive underwater) with wet bowstrings?
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Old 05-21-2023, 09:27 AM   #34
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Default Re: Wet torch

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How many GMs take their player's to task when they swim or ford across a small river, (let alone dive underwater) with wet bowstrings?
I don't think my players were ever bold enough to try to swim across a river with their kit, they knew it would be trouble. If they are fording, use Survival or Hiking to make sure they keep their kit dry and don't lose any of it.
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Old 05-21-2023, 12:58 PM   #35
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Default Re: Wet torch

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How many GMs take their player's to task when they swim or ford across a small river, (let alone dive underwater) with wet bowstrings?
I don't see this as "taking anyone to task," never mind with the implication of 'what persnickety idiot does that to their players?' I have every reasonable expectation that my PCs are going to take good care of their kit, with the equally reasonable expectation that if they abuse it, they risk ruining it or rendering it temporarily impaired. If a player doesn't explicitly tell me what he's doing to keep his gear dry when he fords the river, then there may be consequences ... the same way as if he uses his sword to poke at the fire or to cut down firewood, the same way as if he just grabs and drinks any old potion bottle in his belt without checking which one it is.


{EDIT: Certainly, following Polydamas' comment, a Survival roll strikes me as an appropriate way to measure "Of course the wilderness-wise adventurer is going to load everything that could be water-damaged in her pack before crossing, while she holds it all high over her head."}
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Old 05-21-2023, 02:55 PM   #36
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Default Re: Wet torch

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{EDIT: Certainly, following Polydamas' comment, a Survival roll strikes me as an appropriate way to measure "Of course the wilderness-wise adventurer is going to load everything that could be water-damaged in her pack before crossing, while she holds it all high over her head."}
I was assuming that the OP was talking about swimming underwater because there wasn't the option of swimming on the surface. It's far easier to prevent your stuff from getting wet in the first place than to try and dry it out after the fact.
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Old 05-21-2023, 06:32 PM   #37
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Default Re: Wet torch

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Originally Posted by RGTraynor View Post
I don't see this as "taking anyone to task," never mind with the implication of 'what persnickety idiot does that to their players?' I have every reasonable expectation that my PCs are going to take good care of their kit, with the equally reasonable expectation that if they abuse it, they risk ruining it or rendering it temporarily impaired. If a player doesn't explicitly tell me what he's doing to keep his gear dry when he fords the river, then there may be consequences ... the same way as if he uses his sword to poke at the fire or to cut down firewood, the same way as if he just grabs and drinks any old potion bottle in his belt without checking which one it is.


{EDIT: Certainly, following Polydamas' comment, a Survival roll strikes me as an appropriate way to measure "Of course the wilderness-wise adventurer is going to load everything that could be water-damaged in her pack before crossing, while she holds it all high over her head."}
And games and GMs vary in their concern for everyday practicalities, but if a character swims underwater with their ordinary hiking kit and wants to light a torch, I think it is time for the GM to start listing problems and let the character overcome them or choose something different. That is just obviously bad for your kit unless you are specially equipped for diving.

And trying to figure out how to get a source of fire and light through that swim is an interesting problem! "Where do I keep my crossbow?" is kind of dull but eg. Royal Flash has a whole scene where Flashman is prepared to swim into the villain's island lair without freezing to death or ruining his sword ("is prepared" because he does not have the skills or equipment and would rather be anywhere else).
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Old 05-21-2023, 10:20 PM   #38
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Default Re: Wet torch

Yup. I don't see resource management as ending with "I make the proper purchases and work out my encumbrance."
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Old 05-21-2023, 11:01 PM   #39
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Default Re: Wet torch

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If a player doesn't explicitly tell me what he's doing to keep his gear dry when he fords the river, then there may be consequences ...
This seems like a place where a SOP perk would be handy (call it "Keep Your Powder Dry" or equivalent). An equivalent quirk might be "careless with gear."
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Old 05-21-2023, 11:12 PM   #40
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Default Re: Wet torch

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If tinderboxes, in general, in "the middle ages" or "the early modern period" were made from metal, you should be able to easily point to examples (and the average fantasy game with torches does not have an 18th/19th century flavour). It looks like Pursuivant can't find them easily (whereas there are a few brass or pewter needlecases from medieval sites in most big European collections).
Admittedly, I didn't look that hard, but you'd assume that if metal, air-sealed tinderboxes were a thing that there would be survivals in places like the Museum of London (which is where all/most of the archeological artifacts from digs in the London area go, meaning all sorts of fun bits of former trash from the past ~2500 years that give great insight into how past generations of Londoners lived). The fact that I had to hunt to get even marginal evidence made me cede Polydamas' point.

In a medieval/renaissance or DF game, I'd allow players to specially commission such items, since they are well within period technology, but they'd be expensive one-offs like Henry VIII's alleged tinderbox.

Last edited by Pursuivant; 05-21-2023 at 11:20 PM.
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