The Lamp Lighter Cult

They walk the streets in robes of green, coaxing light from the lamps and taming the wretched miasma therein. Crowns only know what they could do if roused to violence. Let them worship their "gas" lest they turn against us.

— Rigar, Barron of Green Fire Town in Od Porano

  The city of Od Porano has countless mysteries within its massive walls, and the lamps are but one of them. The strange and odorous fumes that power the lamps, and numerous unknown contraptions scattered throughout the city, can be dangerous, even deadly if mishandled. Thankfully, the Lamp Lighter cultists have dedicated their lives to mastering the mysteries of the pipes and valves in the bowels of the city and controlling the vapor safely.  

The Enigma in the Mystery

No one knows who started the Lamp Lighter cult, or when, they simply have always been. At least, that is how it seems. Where they live is, likewise, a complete mystery, though if one were to ask the answer is always "underneath." The members of this cult often take vows of silence and can be seen at dusk and dawn moving through the city in green robes and hoods. Their faces are often covered with masks that protrude from the face like the muzzle of a dog or the beak of a bird.   The cultists are widely feared or at least treated with wary respect. Children are told to behave or the Lamp Lighter's will come and drag them into the sewers and force them to work on their wretched machines.  

Truth and Lies

The truth, as it often is, is far less sinister or grand. Though most people in Od Porano are more than willing to accept the stories they are told and do their best to ignore the lamps, the pipes, and those who work on them, there are a curious few who wish to learn. It is these curious souls who often find themselves following the green lights to the stone bunkers deep beneath the city streets.   Despite the name, the Lamp Lighter cult does not worship the gas, though they treat it with the reverence most often reserved for the divine. Nor do they abduct children, torture travelers, or plot against the ruling Barrons. Instead, they are the few who dedicate their lives to maintaining the ancient and mysterious systems which route the deadly gas around Od Porano. Many of them were simply born into this organization and taught their trade by the generations before them. Others experienced tragedy at the hands of mishandled gas and seek to ensure others do not suffer the same fate. Whatever their reasons, they spend thankless and often short lives protecting the city and lighting the lamps.  

Suffer in Silence

It is widely believed that members of the Lamp Lighter cult take vows of silence. However, the truth is far more harrowing. Their masks are not religious symbols but are protective gear that helps the cultists work around the gas without suffocating. Unfortunately, the alchemical resins in the masks which nullify the vapors can have side effects. One of these side effects damages the vocal cords and causes muteness. As a result, many of the older members who manage to survive will find themselves unable to speak. A language of gestures and light signals was developed by the cult to communicate with all members, though this only lends to the tall tales surrounding their organization.