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Blessings are a form of magic linked to words of prayer. They are performed when one invokes one or more gods by name and channels mana through a conduit.
Most blessings are performed by channeling mana into the magic ring worn by baptized Yurgenschmidt nobles. However, blessings channeled through a schtappe or a divine instrument are much more efficient, consuming less mana to achieve the same effect. Since it requires more mana to bless more people, blessings for large groups are usually done with those aids.[1]
Judging by the words of Gervasio, it would appear that the gods answering prayers and granting their blessings is something unique to Yurgenschmidt.[2]
Usage
Greetings and Responses
Blessings are part of standard noble greetings. When a noble meets someone for the first time, they bless the encounter by putting a small amount of mana into their magic ring, which then causes a shower of light to rain down on the recipient. The blessing always invokes the patron god or goddess of the current season, and the light takes the divine color of that specific god or goddess. For example, a blessing in summer would invoke Leidenschaft the God of Fire and result in a blue light.
The giver and recipient of the blessing are also determined by standard protocol:
- Nobles of Different Ranks: The lower-ranked noble asks for permission to pray. When permission is granted, they offer a blessing to the higher-ranked noble.
- Nobles of the Same Rank: The guest asks for permission to pray. When permission is granted, they offer a blessing to the host.
- Nobles and Commoners: Commoners cannot offer blessings because they do not possess mana. Instead, the commoner offers a symbolic prayer to the current season's god, and the noble responds with a short blessing. Commoner prayers vary slightly in wording from those used by nobles.
All nobles wear magic rings in order to give these routine blessings. They receive the magic ring at their baptism, and then offer their first public blessing to the priest presiding over the ceremony. However, many noble children practice releasing mana before their baptisms to ensure they succeed when the time comes.[3] For more information, see Noble Greetings and Farewells.
Religious Ceremonies
During religious ceremonies such as baptisms, Starbindings, and coming-of-age ceremonies, it is the duty of the presiding priest to offer a blessing to those in attendance. When ceremonies are held in the temple, this is done by the High Bishop; elsewhere, it may be done by whichever blue-robed priest or shrine maiden is present. However, this blessing is typically only a symbolic prayer, since most priests do not possess magic rings or other tools to channel mana.
When the new High Bishop Rozemyne began to give true blessings during ceremonies (unlike her predecessor Bezewanst), it caused a large stir among commoners and nobles alike. While commoners were surprised to see magic being done at all, nobles were more shocked by the ease with which she blessed so many people at once.
Invoking Specific Gods
Most blessings, including routine greetings and ceremonial blessings, do not appear to have any immediate effect on the recipient. However, some blessings invoke specific gods or goddesses to result in benefits associated with that god, such as healing or increased stamina.
For example, praying to the following gods will result in a blessing with an associated effect:
- Angriff (God of War): increased combat capabilities
- Steifebrise (Goddess of the Gale): increased speed
- Flutrane (Goddess of Water): recovery and renewal
- Heilschmerz (Goddess of Healing): healing from injuries
- Verbergen (God of Concealment): conceal an area, object or person.[4]
- Anhaltung (Goddess of Advice): find areas, objects of people, or to dispel Verbergen's Concealment.[4]
No matter which god is invoked, the strength of the effect is proportional to the amount of mana invested into the prayer. There is a large degree of overlap between these blessings and the Spells and Prayers that make up the majority of noble magic.
Verbergen's Concealment
This concealment is so powerful, that even trained Dunkelfelger knights, able to enhance their vision were unable to see a group of Ehrenfest and Ahrensbach nobles, right below them, completely out in the open, during a clear night. It is currently unknown whether the concealment only works visually, or if it also suppresses noise, as well as whether daylight weakens it's effects.
The concealment can be invoked either by channeling mana into a magic circle, or by brewing the magic circle into a charm and will stop, when the flow of mana is cut off, or when someone invoked the power of Anhaltung, to dispel the effect.[4]
Blessings From Multiple Gods
Although it is possible to pray to multiple gods at once, doing so will requires more mana than a prayer to a single god. It also carries the risk of a failed blessing that results in no effect. The more gods invoked at once, the higher the mana cost and lower the chances of success. Blessings that invoke Ewigeliebe at the same time as Flutrane, Leidenschaft, or Schutzaria carry a particularly high risk of failure, a phenomenon attributed to the mythological animosity between the God of Life and the rest of the Eternal Five.[5]
Blessings invoking all seven higher gods at once are so rare that many nobles believe it to be impossible. However, Rozemyne achieved the feat twice: once when saying farewell to her lower city family,[6] and once when using the magic circle in the High Bishop's scriptures to bless Ferdinand upon his departure from Ehrenfest. The blessing appears to have both obvious and subtle benefits, ranging from healing wounds to helping the recipient overcome hardship.
Trivia
- When Rozemyne became the High Bishop, it is said that she gave real blessings, thus beginning her legend as a saint in the lower city.
- Rozemyne is quite unique, as she can also give blessing just by playing music and singing of hymns. This can even happen unintentionally for her. Just by praying genuinely to the gods, she will perform accidental blessings, unless she actively suppresses the mana-flow to her magic ring.
- How Rozemyne handles magic is different than other nobles, as casting spells and blessing are the same for her, while other nobles see them as separate. This is because religion is not seen as central in society.
References
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 2. Chapter 7: Measuring Schartz and Weiss
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 5 Volume 10. Chapter 9: One Man's Return from the Garden of Beginnings
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 4 Volume 8. Prologue
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 5 Volume 10. Chapter 2: The Adalgisa Villa
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 2 Volume 4. Sylvester - Cleaning up the Mess
- ↑ Ascendance of a Bookworm. Part 2 Volume 4. Chapter 15: Ripped Apart