The Blessed

Circe's Chosen

When Circe assumed control of her mother's territory, she found her new expanse of the Wyrd Woods to be untamed, unpredictable, and unsafe. Fierce beasts, horrid creatures, and The Rot were constant threats to her people. Closing off the borders with The Veil and cloaking her entire queendom under the watchful eye of her moon were steps to help stave off outside threats and larger problems, but they would not be enough to keep her people safe from the moment to moment threats that surrounded them. With direct intervention forbidden by The Benevolence Accord, she instead chose to send champions to protect her people. She took the most ferocious hunters of her territory, those struck with lycanthropy, and cleared the madness from their minds, bringing them to her and extracting oaths of fealty in exchange for protection from their curse. The first of her Blessed Hunters of the Moon's Light were born.
At first there were no distinctions or ranks between the Blessed; all served loyally in her name. Over time however, as their numbers grew, some demonstrated better understanding of their gifts, better leadership, more concern for their people, or other qualities that pleased Circe, and so the first of the Full Moon Hunters were named, with the remaining being renamed as Empty Moon Hunters. Over time, Circe came to understand the weight that fell on her with her mother's crown and decreed that she would have a herald walking the lands of her queendom, equal in voice to her and answering to none but her directly. She found her first true champion in a fiercely devout forest witch, Vona Swiftfern, and established with her a new commander for The Blessed, given unique gifts and powers to serve her, she became the first Blue Moon Hunter.

The Ranks of The Blessed

Empty Moon Hunters

All new initiates into the ranks of The Blessed begin their service to Circe as an Empty Moon Hunter. Marked across the neck with a black moon tattoo as part of the initiation ritual, these are the rank and file of Circe's protectors. For any threat greater than a civil dispute or drunken bar brawl, the Empty Moon Hunters are expected to handle ensuring the citizens are protected above all else. The madness and bloodlust inherent to the curse of lycanthropy is suppressed by Circe's divine will, leaving the Blessed clear headed and able to focus their significant power; however, their oath to Circe commands them to protect first, and eliminate threats directly only if they are unable to drive it away and they can ensure the total safety of the people.
Any Empty Moon Hunter is considered a direct source of authority in regards to regular citizens and city guards, but city leaders such as Sisters and Provosts can still overrule them if they deem it necessary, such as believing that a hunter is not acting in accordance with their oath.

Full Moon Hunters

After great deeds, incredible service, or unwavering loyalty, Circe may decide that an Empty Moon Hunter has proven themselves to be worthy of new gifts and blessings. A 2nd ritual, ascending from Empty Moon Hunter to Full Moon Hunter, is undertaken, performed by the current Blue Moon Hunter, and the Blessed is granted greater power and mastery over their curse of lycanthropy. Where Empty Moon Hunters are the foot soldiers of The Blessed, the Full Moon Hunters are the commanders. Given autonomy to roam as they please, with the understanding of immediate response when called upon, Full Moon Hunters often spend much time in the wilds as they unite the beast and mortal halves of their lives.
Should a Full Moon Hunter be needed for a situation, they will often be found with 3-5 Empty Moon Hunters at their command to serve as crisis control and protect the people while the Full Moon Hunter handles the problem themselves. Without direct intervention from the Hall of the Blue Moon or The Citadel of The Witch, a Provost or Sister lacks the authority to override the instructions or commands of a Full Moon Hunter whenever a crisis is underway.

The Blue Moon Hunter

At any given time, there is only a single Blue Moon Hunter. They are more than the absolute commander of The Blessed, they are chosen as Circe's living Herald on the plane and serve directly as her voice to the people. There are none in The Queendom that can deny a command from The Blue Moon Hunter without severe penalty.
Every Blue Moon Hunter has a direct divine connection to Circe herself, but is otherwise granted total autonomy in their life beyond when she directly calls upon them, but they are all expected to ensure that their people are protected and The Blessed remain loyal in their role as the source of that protection.

The Blessed vs. The Aegis

Officially, The Protectorate of the Queendom is still considered to be The Aegis, as The Queendom is simply one part of Therrania. However, following the strange conditions surrounding the death of Hekate, Zeus was willing to extend the grieving Circe some autonomy by agreeing that she would establish were own rules and methods. However, while The Aegis rarely find their way into The Queendom, they do not recognize the actual authority of The Blessed beyond The Blue Moon Hunter's status as Herald. There have been numerous conflicts in the past with overzealous members of The Aegis picking fights with Empty Moon Hunters, and even Full Moon Hunters, when they believed they were standing in the way of official Aegis business.
The presence of The Aegis in modern times for The Queendom is fewer and further between than in the past, some believe after a particularly serious altercation, Circe took additional steps to ensure that Circe's Veil in The Ghost Woods was even thicker and harder to traverse without the right resources or guidance.
General concensus in The Queendom is that The Aegis are divinely appointed thugs, more concerned with confirming status quo than ensuring the safety of the people they are charged with protecting.

The Unblessed

The curse of lycanthropy has a longer heritage in Therrania than just Hekate or Circe's rule over The Queendom, and there are many victims to it who have never found their way to Circe's benevolence, or worse, rejected her outright. Those claimed by the curse who are not directly under Circe's command are commonly known as The Unblessed; while the very worst of them, those who once were Blessed and violated their oath, are known as The Ruined. There is only a single command The Blessed hold above "Protect the People"; "Hunt The Ruined".

Fang and Claw, Shadow and Moonlight

Type

Religious, Holy Order

Capital

Lykofos, Capital City of The Queendom of Night

Alternative Names

Blessed Hunters of the Moon's Light

Demonym

Blessed

Leader

Lucretia Blackwell

Leader Title

Blue Moon Hunter

Location

Circe's Queendom of Night

Related Ranks & Titles

• Blue Moon Hunter

Controlled Territories

• Lykofos, Capital City of The Queendom of Night

Related Historical Events

• 492 3A
  Founding of The Blessed