Lichen-Lights

They're totally lit!...yeah, I'll see myself out...

Lichen-Lights are common non-magical lanterns used by both Shifters and Forsaken on Ferzona. Resilient, brighter in adverse humid weather, less likely to draw dangerous wildlife and unable to start a forest fire, they are vastly preferred to any fire-oriented counterpart when it comes to outdoor survival.

No Such Thing As "Factory Settings"

These are not mass-produced but hand-crafted on an individual scale. Thus, while the lanterns themselves are fairly quick to make and identifiable by the components and general structure, each is as different and unique as the person who crafted it, the person who carries it, the materials selected for its construction and embellishments, and the origin selected for its internal source of light suffusion.
Generally, metal is worked into a simple cage-like frame (utilizing a typically square base) and clear glass is slid into each side of the lantern. The handle of the lantern may be metal, wood, or twine, affixed to the top of the lantern.

Sometimes a circular base is used. For these lanterns, more expensive tubes of thicker glass are forged, and occasionally actual vases are blown to give the lichen-light a customized appearance. The solid piece of glass is fitted within the metal fixtures as a unified design instead of sliding in separate panels. The result is the same: the metal cap is lifted and the plant is placed inside to provide a cheery glow.  

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The top of a lichen-light includes a clever, dual-layered metal cap which is fitted to the glass and frame, much like the base. The first layer is punctured with a series of holes which allow airflow, and the second, topmost layer overhangs the first to keep rain from collecting inside the lantern. Unlike the base, however, this cap is removable. Lifting the cap allows access to the hollow interior of the lantern, which is then typically filled with a strip of tree bark covered with a bioluminescent lichen collected for this purpose.
Most lichen-lights give off a cool, blue light, but ultimately this will depend on the type of fungi or algae available in the area, further ensuring a near-endless possibility of individualization and customization of each lantern.

"Don't buy a lichen-light with a solid cap! It cuts off the airflow and your lichen suffocates overnight like a snuffed candle!"

"Fill it with red lights so your eyes aren't blinded at night, and to keep from bothering the wildlife after dark."

"Oh nonono: don't use red glowing stuff in the lichen-light you leave in your windows at night! Unless you're trying to attract a certain type of afterhours clientelle. ...Wait, are you?"

— some solid advice

This article is a WIP created during World Anvil’s Cabinet of Curiosities Challenge and may contain incomplete sections. Please stay tuned!

Zone

Unzoned

Planet

Ferzona

Type

Light Source

by DaniAdventures (Canva,Midjourney)