Retainers

Retainorium

The Retainers were otherworldly beings tasked with keeping souls within the Nowhere, as to avoid any soullean leakage events.

Duties

As stated previously, Retainers were responsible for preventing the escape of any souls from the Nowhere, as well as preventing anyone or anything from entering it. They were also tasked with maintaining the safety of the Grand Steward 24/7. All of their orders came directly from the Grand Steward, and they behaved moreso like a hivemind than actual individual beings.

Behaviors

The oldest of the Retainers do exhibit forms of individuality, possibly from their minds learning to resist the influence of the Grand Steward. Retainers separated from the Grand Steward typically display erratic and violent behaviors. Frequently attacking the lost souls traversing the Nowhere. Oftentimes, this results in Hivemind-adjacent Retainers being sent to eliminate their newly-sentient brother. On rare occasions, sentient Retainers are peaceful and are largely curious, displaying childlike traits such as a high amount of curiosity. These Retainers are often left alone by the hivemind and it is theorized that there could be rogue Retainer "clans" out in the wastes of the Nowhere although no proof of this has ever been documented.

Abilities

Retainers frequently exhibit superhuman strength and speed, however the oldest of the Retainers exhibit supernatural abilities such as teleportation, shapeshifting, and telekinesis, even being able to hijack the minds of lesser beings to assist them in combat. Retainers also exhibit a limited form of regeneration, for as long as their brain remains intact their entire body can be regenerated. However, parts of the brain itself cannot be regenerated so if any form of damage is inflicted to a Retainer's brain it will be permanent. Their flesh and bone are significantly more durable than the average human, with even the youngest of Retainers being entirely bulletproof to small arms fire. The eldest of Retainers have been seen enduring complex magical attacks as well as explosions without so much as a scratch.

Life Cycle

Retainers are born directly from the Grand Steward, immediately replacing any missing or dead Retainers. They are formed directly into the body they will keep for most of their lives. It is only around 200 years old that a Retainer will become an Elder and begin showcasing the respective abilities and resistances. Typically Retainers do not live past 450, as they are not subject to the Omniversal Mortal Enhancement Protocol which makes all mortal beings incapable of dying of old age. This is because it is frequently argued if the Retainers are even truly alive or not. The oldest known Retainer was believed to have reached an age of around 520-530.

Hobbies

They were known to frequently throw rocks at lost souls for fun.