Lore : Order of the Blessed

A Russian monastic order founded in 1836 by the monk Fëdor Kuz’mič. This organization still exists today in Russia and could be defined as the equivalent of the Congregation in Italy, in fact this order shares the same principles of fidelity towards an ecclesiastical authority that in this case however is the Orthodox Church.
The history of the Order of the Blessed is shrouded in mystery since its members are known to practice magic and some of them rebelled against the Soviet Union while others agreed to work in the KGB with the end of Stalin's dictatorship. Nikita Chruščëv, probably around 1955, understood the usefulness of having the monks of the Order of the Blessed available and using them as special agents. Those who refused the "generous" offer were exiled while the others became agents of the Soviet Union in every way. With the end of the USSR, the Order of the Blessed met and today, despite being less relevant than fifty years ago, it deals with recovering ancient magical artifacts. Almost all the monks of the Order of the Blessed vowed poverty and chastity, but some abandoned the doctrine after a few years, driven by the need to have a better life.
Many believe that the founder of the Order of the Blessed, Fëdor Kuz'mič, was none other than Tsar Aleksandr Pavlovič Romanov (Alexander I of Russia) who was known as "The Blessed" and who probably staged his death and then start a religious life as a Christian monk.