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*Frostbyte behaves much like a Warden towards his flock of cultists, but has not declared any official affiliation with them. |
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OOC: Please edit me if you think of anything pertinent! |
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OOC: Please edit me if you think of anything pertinent! |
One group of these meddlers is known as the Wardens.
Wardens are those who have dedicated themselves to taking care of other things, usually in groups. Their charges are usually, but not always, sentient; likewise, their attentions are usually, but not always, consensual. Wardens might be nannies in the most exclusive Topwarp creches, or tenders to hundreds of broken-down amusement park rides in Down, or extremely...dedicated...Doms in Bottom's non-stop joi de vivre panorama. Exactly how a Warden takes care of their charge(s) varies from member to member. So long as they truly believe they are acting in their subjects' best interests a Warden will not be questioned by their peers--no matter how depraved their actions may be.
The Mess can be a big, scary place, what with its constant artwars, its cosmic-awareness-altering pharmeceuticals, its very inhabitants. Taking this into account, Wardens have dedicated their lives (or reasonable facsimiles thereof) to protecting, nurturing, rehabilitating, lording over, or otherwise tending to those they deem in need of their attentions. Wardens measure their success within the faction based on the average quality of care they are able to provide; a member who waits hand and foot on the rare invalid Puzzlebox denizen with minimal concern for their own well-being is equal with--and sometimes superior to--an unconcerned turnkey for three dozen defective backups.
A Warden will never knowingly and intentionally hurt their charges, whether mentally, physically, or spiritually, unless they feel it will somehow work out for the better (they have few qualms with disciplining rowdy children, for example, and some StrangeWardens have very creative interpretations of self-improvement). They do not neccessarily possess any outstanding skills related to their work; for members of this faction, passion is all that matters. While they usually do not work with others of their kind, Wardens have no qualms with gathering assistants to help tend their flocks, especially if certain charges require more attention than others.
Whether or not a Warden allows others to interact with their charges, or allows their charges to leave their care on their own, varies from member to member. They are not partially named for prison attendants for nothing.
While most faction members specialize in a specific type of charge (lost children, feathered lizards, their own unnatural biotechnological experiments, etc.), they are often aware enough of others' preferences to be able to accurately guide those in need of someone to tell them what to do. They rarely interact with one another except when delivering potential flock members. It is considered to be churlishness of the utmost form to intentionally upset another Warden's affairs by interfering with their flock; the only one allowed to play God with a Warden's charges is the Warden themselves.
Nobody had heard of the Wardens until recently, when neatly-lettered handbills popped up across the Warps advising those in need of care to contact their local representative. Given the handwriting of said missives, and the fact that they were secured with tattered black feathers, it is generally assumed that Ghastwain had something to do with the postings, though an elaborate joke has not yet been completely ruled out. Although Ghastwain herself hasn't been seen for quite a while (or, for that matter, any other Wardens), the faction appears to be gaining members virally as people already following the Wardens' agenda declare themselves as affiliates.
The seal of the Wardens depicts a bundled shepherd's crook, cell key, and lollipop, encircled by a metal-tipped scourge. The lollipop's flavor varies.