Awakened

Awakened are a rare and unique case of beings that were created accidentally when magic was reintroduced to the world. Before it happened, even most of actual magic power was hidden in the Enclaves, Where the Masquerade was lifted, several thousands of people suddenly Awakened, becoming either something more than human... or something that in other ages would easily be called 'gods'.
Their number does not increases, because the rare combination of events accompanying their 'birth' didn't repeat itself - and is impossible to be replicated. The best the world managed to achieve was a creation of Übers, that are an imperfect copies mass produced according to a prepared schematics. A single combat-oriented Awakened can easily defeat three or four Übers of the same class. Even non-combat oriented Awakened can defeat a single Über in favourable condition.

Career

Qualifications

The entirety of magic and the whole process of learning it is essentially a progress of expanding your own being into something 'more'. It's normally happening due to a person learning mystic lore about magic, however in rare cases it might have happened on its own.
Many people had a potential to become either a true mage of the erithians or an Über even when magic was absent. They were empty pots, waiting to be filled with power. Such humans were practically guaranteed to become something more (or they were something more and thus managed to develop said potential) even in the world without magic.
When power started leaking into the world with the Enclaves fully opened, this pots were filled. But not in a controlled manner - instead, they tried to contain a raging tsunami. Needless to say, the pots exploded. Since they weren't normal pots, however, they reconstructed themselves in a unique forms. Still capable of holding water, but ones massively different than what people consider 'normal'. They become the Awakened.

Career Progression

Each Awakened is characterized by a class. It defines the level of power commanded by the Awakened.

Awakened Classes

• Ember-Class - A lowest class of an Awakened, whose Awakening's effects can be summed up to prolonged life (that's up to debate, though), improved intellect, natural talent for magic, one or two personal spells and bodies of enhanced strength and resistance. They are more than humans... but still not that much more.

• Flame-Class - Second class of Awakened. A single one with combat specialization can murder several Flame-class Übers, each of which is capable from shrugging off gunfire and tearing a powered armour apart. They are fast, strong, intelligent and charismatic. Each of them is a notable asset to any country.

• Inferno-Class - Power. Simply, power. Inferno-Class Awakened of combat nature is a physical God surpassing already almost unkillable Inferno-Class Übers. An unleashed Inferno-Class Awakened can decimate a whole infantry division with artillery support (especially if they fail to counter it with their Übers, Combat Sorcerers, or even Awakened. The fact that they are so impossibly important also makes them extremely rare on the battlefield.

• Archetype-Class - Archetypes are a few of the Awakened that seem to have been close to become Ascendants as the Path understands. They are lesser improved humans as they are antropomorphised personifications of various things. Nigh unkillable, capable of influencing entire frontlines and impossibly dangerous. Some of them have entire magic systems connectem to them... which only strengthens their similarities to Ascendants.

Perception

Social Status

Grows steadily. It's hard to deny people that are not only almost unkillable, but also extremely intelligent and charismatic. Causes a lot of dislike, though. It's often hard to accept that they are irreplaceable - and many democrats do not believe that democracies can exist in a shadow of irreplaceable people.

Archetype-Class Awakened

Axis

Adolf Hitler [GGR]
Vladimir Lenin [Soviets]

Treaty of Anchorage

Grigorij Rasputin [Russian Rep.]
Nikola Tesla [USA]

Central Powers

Albert Einstein [German Emp.]
Manfred von Richthoffen [German Emp]
Lettow-Vorbeck [German Emp]

Holy League

Benedict XV [Italian Fed.]

East Asian Alliance

Gengis Khan II [Mongolia]

Unaligned

Lawrence of Arabia [Arabia]