Torchlight
The torch is GLOAM's clock. It is not a stamina bar you wait out; it is the reason a run has a shape.
Status: Live
How it works#
You have a maximum torch figure set by your tank. It burns down whenever you are off the Landing.
| Situation | Burn |
|---|---|
| On the Landing, or in any lit room | None |
| Walking | 1 unit / 3 s |
| Running (Shift) | 1 unit / 3 s, plus 1 unit / s while held |
| Anywhere in the Gloam | Doubled |
As it burns, the light itself gets shorter. You see less before you see the number — which is the point.
At zero the torch goes out. You wake up on the Landing having dropped a portion of what you were carrying. Banked Tallow, gear and relics are never touched.
Tanks#
| Tank | Max torch | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stub | 60 | Starter kit |
| Standard | 100 | The renderer (Tallow) |
| Twin-wick | 150 | Fabrication |
| Long burn | 220 | Fabrication, deep recipe |
Tanks are bound and cannot be traded. This is the main reason depth cannot be bought.
Relighting#
- Free on the Landing, instantly, always
- Braziers scattered across the floors — small, safe, and a genuine relief when you find one at 8%
- Provisions — see Provisions
- Another delver can light yours off theirs, at a cost to theirs
Why it is built this way#
The torch is the only mechanic that makes a decision out of "should I pry one more cache". A stamina bar that regenerates while you stand still just adds waiting. A bar that only refills somewhere else turns every run into a route, a budget and a moment where you decide to push it.
Being generous with the floor
Going dark is meant to sting, not to punish. You never lose stored progress, your gear survives, and what you dropped stays where it fell long enough for a determined recovery run.