Burning Glass

A Burning Glass (sometimes called a burning mirror) is a device that uses large lenses and mirrors to concentrate large amounts of sunlight into a small area, with enough intensity to start fires. Small handheld versions of this device can be used for domestic firemaking and heating, but this huge construction is designed as a weapon of war, primarily for use against ships.

Despite the power of this weapon, it has some critical vulnerabilities. The materials used in its construction are vulnerable to heavy blunt strikes as might be inflicted by opposing sieges weapons, and its dependence on being in direct sunlight renders it completely useless at night time or when obscured by severe weather. Cunning spellcasters might use magical sunlight to power the device, such as that created by the Dawn spell.

It takes two actions to aim the burning glass. The burning glass applies its effects automatically as soon as it is capable of doing so, and on each subsequent round. If not aimed, it coninues to affect the same point it was last aimed at. Usually a burning glass is covered prior to firing. Uncovering or re-covering a burning glass takes one action.