Chapter Six: Organizations
religion, as members consider their church a part of any faith that names angels as servants of good. The group doesn’t hold any particular like or dislike for angelic offspring, and its opinion on such beings tends to be colored by the dogma of other good churches in the area. Because many angels object to being worshipped, the Hands’ members are quick to point out that they venerate angels for their role in shaping the world. They honor angels as the agents of deities, rather than worshipping angels directly. Hands members believe there are angels everywhere in the world, helping mortals with difficult tasks and protecting them from demon attacks. A person who joins the Hands chooses one or more angels as a personal patron and makes specific prayers to her patron for guidance and protection. Divine spellcasters who join the Hands do the same and receive their spells from these angels (who act as proxies for one or more good deities). Clerics of the Hands choose two domains as normal, though certain angels are customarily associated with some domains more than others. (A cleric who wants the War domain, for example, should pray to Michael, Angel of War†, rather than Zadkiel, angel of benevolence, mercy, and memory.)
Recruiting Hands members do little active recruiting, though when serving their community they are always sure to explain the nature of their faith and how it is open to all like-minded folk. Only when a temple is being founded in a new city do the Hands encourage people to join, if only on an interim basis.
Allies Heaven’s Hands is allied with most good temples and a few neutral ones that teach that angels are the intermediaries of the gods. The Society of Godsblood counts the Hands as an ally, and in most cities the feeling is mutual. The Hands consider the activities of the Brotherhood of Pure Spirit abhorrent, though most members of the Brotherhood would be happy to speak in a Hands temple about the greatness of angels.
Enemies Heaven’s Hands dislikes evil people and organizations, particularly those that worship demons. It disagrees with the actions of the Brotherhood of Pure Spirit, though some sects of the Hands may consider angels breeding with mortals a sin. Heaven’s Hands sometimes becomes the target of hostilities from conservative churches and those that are very territorial about their worshippers.
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Society of Godsblood The Society of Godsblood is an organization that tries to nurture and protect half-celestials and aasimar, as well as the rare angel who is trapped on the Material Plane. Many of its members are themselves of angelic descent or married to such beings.
Brief History Samandiriel, angel of fertility, saw the reaction of some mortals to the birth of half-celestials and was surprised. While the parent knew what to expect and welcomed the child, Adventure Seed: Twice the Blessing other mortals who lived The Society of Godsblood has noted an unusual nearby often reacted number of twin aasimar being born in the past with fear, confusion, decade. Even more surprising is the number of these aasimar who are “sports” (born of two envy, and mistrust. mortal parents with an unrealized part-celestial Concerned about the heritage). Their lineage cannot be traced to any known angel who is living, dead, or fallen, future of these blessed though it is almost certainly the same parent. Is progeny, Samandiriel this divine intervention? The foundation for a future army to win the War against Hell? What gained permission to significance do so many twins have? Who is gather a group of morthe mysterious angel ancestor of these planetouched children? tals of his faith who would nurture and protect these part-celestials from those who might wish them ill. Among these first members were three mortal women who themselves had borne half-celestial children. This group grew into the Society of Godsblood.
The Organization The Society operates out of a mansion on the outskirts of a major city. It functions like a pantheistic religious boarding school, rearing orphaned or abandoned halfcelestials and aasimar and involving them in normal mortal society. The older members act as teachers for the students and guards for the mansion and its grounds. The leader of the Society is called the Headmaster, though it is a military position that is achieved by merit rather than tenure. The members are trained to react quickly, both to threats to their home and to the news of an unexpected part-celestial birth. Members: 60, not including students (who number up to 10 during any particular year) Hierarchy: Militaristic Leader: Headmaster Luke Shadewing