Protection through conviction
The Inordinately Blessed
Ordinary humans who develop extraordinary conviction—and commit their gifts to protecting humanity.
Who they are
Known as the Blessed, these practitioners train the natural human capacity to affect the world through belief. Religious and nonreligious traditions coexist within the organization. Their common commitment is to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
What they do
Conviction can affect their bodies, the world around them, and the energy attached to an object. Deliberate control is stronger and harder to develop than simple acceptance. Experience expands what a practitioner can accept, but the actual demands of a task still matter.
Blessed objects
A Blessing assigns an energetic function; it does not give an object consciousness. Even an unbeliever can benefit from it. Someone using another practitioner’s creation must consciously activate its highest powers. For its creator, activation can become instinctive. Protection during sleep must be part of the Blessing’s original intent.
Age and integrity
An old object can carry greater power, especially when its Blessing is also old. Deterioration reduces how many uses it can endure. Replacement material does not restore the original Blessing, and fragments retain a smaller portion of its scope. The creator’s death does not end it.
A worldwide fellowship
Their traditions developed around the world. A remote mountain compound in China became the central headquarters because it could be hidden, not because every tradition originated there. Other compounds and independent supporters provide training, shelter, resources, and help. In the modern world, isolation alone is no longer enough to conceal them.
Protection comes first
They place warriors where humans need protection and distribute Blessed objects to people at risk. Some also hunt, and many regard the eradication of human predators as the ultimate form of protection. Their inherited suspicion of nonhuman beings remains a source of tension, even though not every member shares it.
Allies, with reservations
The Blessed generally cooperate with the Hundred Thousand, but sharing information does not mean trusting every plan. Personal conscience still matters to the Blessed. The Hundred Thousand demand an allegiance that outranks the individual. A sash, headband, or armband can identify a Blessed member, according to personal preference.