Being Seen

If player characters are using light to find their way, then not only can they see, but they can also be seen. Hiding one's light is impossible in this case. Characters using a light to find their way can even be watched by creatures beyond the range of their own light. Since the light source illuminates the area around the player characters, it makes them visible to people or creatures out to the watchers' normal visibility ranges. The radius of the light source isn't the issue in this situation.

For example, on a clear plain, a raiding party of orcs could easily see the light of a fire and the silhouettes cast by the characters, even at 1,500 yards. Indeed, since the brightness of the fire is so different from the surrounding darkness, the light would be noticeable at even greater ranges, though details wouldn't be. Unless characters using a light source take special measures (posting a guard in the darkness, for example), they cannot surprise creatures who can see the light of their fire, torch, or lantern.

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