There are many arcane and fell rituals in the Cult of December, some which even His followers fear. None is more terrible than bestowing the title of "Blessed" on a member of the cult. The ritual is performed once a generation, and is the deciding proof of December's choice of the leader of His cult. During this, the chosen sacrifice is stripped of all humanity, transformed into a living expression of December's power ... and His all-encompassing hunger.
At the beginning of her stewardship, Rasputina performed the ritual as December directed, choosing a young woman from the Silent Ones. It did not take long for the Ice Witch to regret going along with the ceremony, as she watch the woman become a prisoner in her own body. The Blessed retained more of her sanity than any in memory, and it became clear this was nothing more than a constant torment. This poor creature became one of the driving reasons for Rasputina's defiance of December, as she is forced to watch the poor wretch become more feral with each passing day.
—description from the publisher