How about a firelighting skill? You buy tinder and flint, and craft some fire with any old branch lieing around. that would take the realism and skill thing quite a long way, possibly too far.

The idea sounds great, i\'d love to be able to walk around with a nice dark cave over head. what would be really great is if we had small diamonds or fragments of the azure crystal scattered thorughout the cave roof, or fire flies and other bio-illumincent creatures walking/flying around so that we have a nice night sky/cave roof. Actually it would make sense that cave dwelling creatures like the clackeres would have either evolved feelers or their own built in lights.
I think the quality idea with the laterns would be great. The lit area can decline as the lamp and quality burn out. Then you could just combine your lantern with a wick and oil set that you buy seperately and have some more light. Maybe we could also include special oils that say act as insect repellants to chase away clackers and trepors if we want them, and also special laterns to work under-water when the lower levels are complete.
The NPC behaviour based on time is a brilliant idea. Harniquist already takes lunch breaks but he should also pack up and go home at night! He\'s a very dedicated blacksmith to stay up all day and night to tend his shop.
Another thing i just thought of would be for an NPC to come wandering out towards the plaza at various times and go busking, we will have a music skill after all.
I normally play with the speakers off, but i would turn them on if we had something like birds in the day and crickets at night.