There are all sorts of things that make fantasy such a rich and absorbing genre. The monsters, the quests, the epic battles, the weapons … the list goes on and on. We accept at face value that the worlds of fantasy involve a great deal of magic, and thusly we suspend our disbelief when spells are cast and potions are concocted.

But it can’t all be flights of fancy. In order for us to relate to the story, there must be some truths, some attributes of the real world, for us to sink our teeth into. In other words, if nothing adhered to real, physical rules, the story just wouldn’t work. Sword fights, a popular theme in fantasy, have their origins in the real world, as do secret passageways, quests on horseback, etc. But how often do we as fantasy fans stop to consider just how these things work?

It’s a good idea for a regular column, isn’t it? For the first entry in just such a column, we’ll start with something simple, something ever-present in fantasy, something that, in fact, inspired the name of this site: the torch.

Long the go-to tool of choice for heroic dragon slayers (and angry villagers), the simple hand-held torch brings light to even the darkest dungeons. But how do torches work?

Well, for one thing, don’t believe everything you see in the movies. Torches are far more than just sticks that are lit on the end, as some films would have you believe. They’re actually much less convenient than the torches concocted by Hollywood, which burn as bright and as long as you need them to. To make a torch, one needs to find a long, sturdy, and preferably wet branch (as wet wood is less flammable, meaning the chances of burning oneself is diminished.) One side is wrapped tightly in a great bundle of rags, which are then soaked with pitch or some other highly viscous oil, then set aflame.

How long a torch burns varies greatly on the amount of rags and pitch one uses, but they don’t last forever. So if you’re planning on running that monster out of your village but you have to cross through the scary woods to do it, better pack a few spares.

Similar Posts:

• Real-World Fantasy: All About Druids
• Real-World Fantasy: Searching for Secret Passages
• Real-World Fantasy: Attack of the Giant Animals!
• Real-World Fantasy: Poking Around the Sword
• Real-World Fantasy: Trees That Talk!

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