The Lamplighter’s Guild

Petrichor: the smell of grass in the humid air after a rainfall.

Keel sat atop the basking rocks, residual heat from the long afternoon still radiating out from the smooth stone. It was his favorite time of day: work was done, the humid air was cooling off following the brief shower, and the sun was about to fall below the horizon. Koros was nearly full, and today was framed perfectly across the bay by the twin spires of the Kernu. The last vestiges of the sun behind him sparkled across the surface of Diamond Lake, and Kilpo Bay beyond that. The soft peeping of frogs filled the dusk air.

Around the city, what looked like fireflies began to flicker on, slowly creeping from the top of the city down toward the docks. The Lamplighters were making their rounds.

The Lamplighter’s Guild is one of the most important guilds in Moru Kel. Originally only in charge of the lighting and extinguishing of the city’s street lamps, they were founded after a fire ravaged the city c. 412 K.S. The Guild has been wildly successful in preventing a repeat occurrence: there have been only two minor fires attributed to Guild-service lamps in the many decades since.

They’ve been so successful that they’ve taken over various other aspects of public health and safety in the city. The maintenance of sewers, aqueducts, stairwells, and paved roads are all under their purview, and the clean water and clear roads of the city are a testament to the job they’ve done with that infrastructure. Non-lighting responsibilities are contracted by the city, out of taxpayer-raised funding.

Lamplighters are responsible for twice-daily rounds, heading out just before dusk to light and clean the city’s various fixtures, and again at dawn to ensure that they are safely extinguished.

The creep who worked our road last summer was peeking in windows.

And talk to Glow about all light sources needing service.

The actual lamplighters tend to be apprenticed teens and young men and women, spry enough to climb up all the various posts night after night throughout the year. Keeping the city well lit is taken extremely seriously: the fact that it’s the rainy season is no excuse for not doing your job!

Remember, for the safety of the city all outdoor light sources (whether flame or magical) and those in publicly accessible businesses must be serviced by the Lamplighters. If you have an outdoor lamp on your property, contact the Guild to work out a payment plan for daily lighting/extinguishing and maintenance. If you have a magical light source, contact the guild for mandatory daily cleaning and inspection. Floating vessels are exempt from guild requirements.