So the General Features section for Tresendar Manor suggests that “most areas are brightly lit by oil lamps in wall sconces, refilled every few hours as needed.” Now, some folks might look at that and conclude that there’s no need for a light source or dark vision to explore the dungeon, and you’d be right. But you’re not an eeevil wizard paying the bills, are you? And from where I’m standing, Tresendar Manor looks expensive AF to illuminate.

Looking at the map of the manor, I reckon you’d need at least 20 oil lamps to properly light that entire dungeon. I did some consumer research, and found that an oil lamp burns a flask of oil every 6 hours, meaning each lamp requires four flasks of oil per day to keep the lights on.

Let’s do the math: That’s four flasks of oil at 5 sp each, equaling 2 gp per lamp per day. At 2 gp per lamp in a dungeon that needs at least 20 lamps, we’re talking about 40 gp a day to keep folks from stumbling around in the dark at Tresendar Manor! Even if Glasstaff got a price break buying in bulk at the Lionshield Costco, the cost of lighting his eeevil wizard’s abode would be astronomical.

Lucky for Glasstaff, 20 castings of Continual Flame addresses the problem. Sure, loading up on 500 gp of ruby dust (1,000 gp worth if he’s not an evocation savant) would be a kick to the wizard’s coin purse’s nuts, but that initial investment would pay for itself in a little over a tenday. It’s a no brainier.

The cool thing about Continual Flame is, you can basically take the flame and toss it in you bag or your pocket and take it wherever. The flame gives off no heat, can’t be smothered or quenched, and it won’t set you on fire. It’s basically a flashlight you can’t turn off (the spell’s duration is “until dispelled”).

In addition to illuminating the dungeon, Continual Flame could serve as a cool treasure for characters that want to take lamps from the sconces.

There are other utility spells that remain in effect until dispelled that Glasstaff could deploy around the dungeon.

How about a casting of Magic Mouth by the entrance in Area 1, that calls out a challenge to anyone walking through the door into the cellar, loudly asking “WHO GOES THERE” to alert the Redbrands in the barracks that someone has entered the area. If the ruffians don’t hear the right name, the right voice, or no answer at all from where they’re lazing about in the barracks, they’re definitely going to open the door to their quarters to have a look.

Or how about Arcane Lock to seal off Glasstaff’s secret passage by his bedroom? Perhaps the characters discover the door, but cannot open it, giving those at your table who are proficient in Arcana a moment for their character to shine when they correctly identify the spell effect on the door, as well as what’s necessary to bypass the spell.

Players worried about their character’s squishiness aren’t likely to choose utility spells like Continual Light, Magic Mouth, and Arcane Lock over more powerful offensive spells. But for a DM outfitting a dungeon, they’re perfect.

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