Waking Night Attendant

Royal Proclamation

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on this day
Yofa, the 28th of Qingvikii, 893 ME

Our most beloved Doki Sha'ut has decreed that the profession of "Waking Night Attendant" be created. This profession shall answer only to ruling members of Her most Royal Lineage and exist in perpetuity. All hail, Doki Sha'ut!

The Waking Night Attendant is one of the oldest professions in Telshia, and certainly the oddest of them. The singular routine of an attendant is to appear at the castle before sunset, be led to a small, dark, cold room (previously a castle storage room), sit in a plain wooden chair, and do nothing more than stay awake till sunrise.

"Hey, what profession's worse than a Waking Night Attendant?"
"I don't know. Let me sleep on it, and I'll tell ya in the morning!"

— Bar patrons in Telshia

Doki Sha'ut's proclamation that created the position, made the first day after she was coronated, went unnoticed by the residents of Telshia. They were far too concerned with the loss of their beloved Queen, Queen Lakin, and her entire court (an event that would come to be known as The Telshian Upheaval) to worry about some meaningless profession.

by Artist Unknown

Many did apply for the position. The pay was good after all, and all you had to do was stay awake. However, eventually interest in the work declined. The stimulant you were given kept you up for days. In addition, you developed a condition called, The Attendant's Eye, from its prolonged use.

Nowadays, citizens of Telshia consider the profession to be worth only roustabouts, peasants, and drug addicts looking for a quick silver, if they consider it at all. However, occasionally, after passing an attendant on the street, some will wonder out loud why modern rulers have not just eliminated the profession altogether.

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"By the blessings of The Martyr! What is that abyssal screaming?"

"It's T'shan, the Waking Night Attendant!

"It's sunrise. Let her out! Let her out, damn you, before anyone hears her screams."

"Tell me! Tell me, halfling, WHAT DID YOU SEE?"

"It was not even a moment. My eyes... drooped... for not even a moment. And I saw...I saw... Nothing, and it was staring back at me."

— T'shan upon sunrise

Though the profession is mostly disregarded by Telshian society, I find it interesting that it shows up in so many childrens games.

— Toru Saito

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Hey there dummy feelin' kinda crummy? you with your vacant stare
What do you see staring back at thee? sitting alone in your chair
What should you do if you blinked, and it said boo? and why would anyone care

— Telshian children jumping rope

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Waking Nighters - sittin' in a chair.
Waking Nighters - at nothin' must stare.
If the Waking Nighters should ever not sit
it rises, it glowers from a deep pit

— Telshian children skipping

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Sitting in a dark room
Looking in the dark gloom
Awake! Abyss!
We all fall down.

— Telshian children playing a game of Awake the Abyss