Flareup Arrow

Weapon (arrow), uncommon

The tip of a flareup arrow carries a copper canister in place of a regular arrowhead. When shot up in the air, the canister flares up upon reaching the highest point of the arrow’s trajectory, emitting an intense brightness that improves the light conditions in a battlefield by one step. The light lasts for 1 minute as the arrow falls slowly, burning up when it reaches the ground.

Visible from up to 3 miles away, the flareup arrow serves not only as a distress signal to real allies, but also as a call for false reinforcements. When the arrow lights up, the edges of the battlefield are encircled by illusory troops charging to the aid of the army that shot the flareup arrow. These troops are actually illusions, but their sudden appearance can turn the tides of battle, with the possibility of triggering a retreat, diverting enemy attacks, or aiding attacks by the real troops, at the GM’s discretion.