| Employers | |
|---|---|
| File:FE2E9793-52E4-45FF-A7CD-B2FAD82FBCCF.jpg | |
| Conductor, Deliberator, Auditor, Stygian | |
| Debut: | MADNESS: Project Nexus |
| Appearances: | 1 (game only) |
| Role(s): | Leaders |
| Allies: | Hank, 2BDamned, Sanford, Deimos, The Machine |
| Enemies: | Phobos, Nexus Core |
The Employers are a mysterious group of benefactors and the overarching antagonists of the Madness: Project Nexus subseries. They appear to command Hank's co-operation, and oppose the work of Project Nexus.
Appearances
Madness: Project Nexus (Classic)
The Employers do not appear in person in Madness: Project Nexus (Classic), but their presence is felt through Hank. In the opening cutscene of Episode 1, Hank holds up a note from the Employers instructing him to rescue Sanford and Deimos, then destroy the modern incarnation of Project Nexus.
MADNESS: Project Nexus
Once again Hank has been contracted by the Employers, having been ordered to shut down the remnants of Project Nexus in Nexus City.
Several members of MERC are aware of the Employers. Notably, they accuse Sanford and Deimos of being "more Employer goons", but Sanford himself does not recognize the name.
They make a physical appearance as a group of four in the epilogue of Story Mode, after the credits roll, where they approach Jesus and order him to stand down. They state that their charter with Project Nexus has finished, and also tell him that they have a role for him in their next project. Their names and colors are Deliberator (White), Conductor (Blue), Stygian (Magenta), and, of course, Auditor (Red).
Trivia
- They share their name with an equally enigmatic group of characters from the first person shooter game series Half-Life.
- The Auditor was first revealed to be an Employer by Krinkels in an art stream.
- Ironically, the Auditor joined the other Employers in hiring Hank to destroy the Nexus Core. Furthering the irony, the rest of the A.A.H.W. are still acting on standing orders to kill Hank. In addition, some notes from the tower of science reveal that the Nexus core supplements the A.A.H.W.
- The Deliberator is the only one among the Employers that does not share the distinctive "eye slants" that the others have.
- Though this could just be the fact that their eyes glow white.
- Though not outright stated, the Employers are likely the new identity of the Higher Powers.
- When each of the Employers has a turn to speak, the rest turn to face the speaker. However, the Auditor never turns to face them, and he always stares straight at Jebediah.
- Krinkels confirmed that the Employers' roles are within their names, stating that Stygian "guides the dead across the mortal coils", while Auditor "makes sure things are running the way they 'ought to". Conductor and Deliberator's roles can be assumed from their names despite not being outright explained.
- Krinkels, in the same clip, also likens the Employers to angels, stating how their roles are not hands-on and have been described as 'custodial'. The Auditor being the exception to this, as Krinkels has also stated how his interference with mortal Nevadeans is unwise.
- The Employers are described as "stewards of The Machine" in Doc's notes in Arena Mode.
- Krinkles has stated that the Employers are inspired from the Investors from Venture Brothers. Before Krinkles "turned them into universe-scale janitors"
- Krinkles has stated that the Employers smell just as bizarre as they look.