Keepers

> Devotion is for acolytes. Worthiness for guardians. Keepers must have spirit and keep it aloft.
>
> Book I: Sweet Sorrows, There are three paths. This is one of them (3)

The **Keepers** are the third of three paths. They create the doors to the Starless Sea, and the Harbors within.

## Initiation

Originally, keepers were selected as babies from the Harbor or the overworld, taught about the bees and the stories, given little wooden keys to play with, but eventually it was decided that the role should be voluntary, though with three training periods. If after the first, they still wish to continue, then they proceed to the second. If after the second, they still wish to continue, they go to the third. Only the third training period is described.

The initiate must pick any story they want, as long as it is not theirs, and memorise it. They study for a year, getting to know their story inside and out.

> By more than memory, they must learn it by heart. Not so that they can simply recite the words but so that they feel them, the shape of the story as it changes and lifts and falls and rushes or meanders toward its climax. So that they can recall and relate the story as intimately as if they have lived it themselves and as objectively as if they have played every role within.
>
> Book I: Sweet Sorrows, There are three paths. This is one of them (3)

After this year, this intimate learning of their story, prospective keepers are brought to a room with two wooden chairs facing eachother, the walls covered floor to shadowy, high-off ceiling in keys of all shapes, sizes, colours, persuasions. There is a copy of every key in the Harbor. It is designed to be distracting, and it works. The prospective keeper is told to sit, and most choose the chair facing the door, though those who choose the one facing away usually perform better in the task to come. Then, they are left alone from anywhere to a few moments to an hour. Finally, someone comes in, sits in the chair across from them, and asks the prospective keeper to tell them a story. They may tell it however they wish, without use of other people, props, or a script. Once they're finished, the listener departs, and the prospective keeper is left alone for another varying amount of time. Once somebody returns, some prospective keepers are thanked and dismissed. The rest are asked to choose any key they want from the wall. They are unlabeled, so the choice is made on instinct. This key is heated and pressed to the initiate's chest, leaving a brand aproximately where it would have been had they worn it around their neck. The keeper sees the room their key unlocks, and all others in the Harbor, all the things contained within.

Keepers are made keepers not because of organization, or worthiness, they are made keepers because they understand the purpose of the Harbors, the Starless Sea.

> They feel the buzzing of the bees in their veins.
>
> Book I: Sweet Sorrows, There are three paths. This is one of them (3)

## Trivia

* The keepers came before both acolytes and guardians, as well as keys.
	+ The only things preceeding the keepers were the bees and the stories.
* Originally, there was only one keeper, most likely the Keeper himself.
	+ There was also only one key, made of iron with a bow dipped in gold, worn so often around its keeper's neck that it marked their skin. This is the origin of the key branding on their chests.
* Not only do the keepers look over the Harbors, they personalise them based on need. The stories are sorted, furniture is placed, rooms are added.
* At one point, keepers were so many and so scattered that one may never meet all the others.
* Some ways prospective keepers have told their stories:
	+ Whispered in the listener's ear
	+ Sung, moving from sweet and melodic to howling with pain and back again.
	+ Moving around the room, extinguishing candles as she went, finishing in terrifying darkness.

## References

All information from this page comes from Book I: Sweet Sorrows, There are three paths. This is one of them (3).