Monthly Create-A-Servant Contest

[sutaa]

Aaaand another last-minute entry, this time taking the concept of phantom fusion as far as possible.

source: ashida cako

Name: Four-in-One, An All-American Solid Gal
Class: Caster
Alignment: True Neutral

Attribute: Earth
Likes: Embroidery, Housework, Fashion, Living it Up
Dislikes: Suitors, Poor Hygiene, Uncouthness
Talents: Domesticity, Empathy
Armament:

Soldiers

Male Admirers

Natural Enemy: Stheno, d'Eon
Image Song: Just an Old-Fashioned Girl

STR: E
AGI: C
CON: E
MGI: B
LCK: D
NP: C

Class Skills

Territory Creation
Allows construction of an area that is advantageous to a Magus.

• -: In exchange for the benefits of Lady of the House, this Skill has been lost.

Item Construction
Allows creation of magical items.

• -: In exchange for the benefits of Lady of the House, this Skill has been lost.

Personal Skills:

Princess of Loveliness
A charismatic nature in regards not to leadership, but the capacity to charm the people around her.

• A+: A Skill provided by the phantom Becky within Caster, who so neatly embodies the longed-for girl next door, charming beyond compare. Typically, the rank would be set firmly at D - the level at which her appeal is such that she is guaranteed the attention of a great many suitors willing to compete for her attention, and may enlist the service of a "young fool" willing to suffer on her behalf. However, through deliberate syncretism with the legend of Bai Suzhen, Caster's Princess of Loveliness is instead at the level where the very world around her is warped into a veritable "soap opera," where any men who beholds her will feel the temptation to either violently spurn or lay down his life to defend her, and any woman will regard her either as an object of irrepressible envy or unabashed admiration - provided they do not possess proper protection against mental effects. While it is a Skill that does not necessarily provide any immediate benefits, and may in fact prove Caster's undoing, the chaos this power can unleash sits quite nicely with young Becky, the phantom of a child who does adore attention.

Lady of the House
One's mastery of the domestic sphere, displayed as a Skill.

• A+: A Skill provided by the phantom June within Caster, that great model of the archetypal housewife. Typical Class Skills such as Territory Creation and Item Construction have instead been repurposed into this ability of Caster's to create a "Household," which should not even be compared to a Workshop, and to conjure marvelous culinary creations. In her Household, the territory of domesticity where the housewife stands supreme, her ability to govern the young fools drawn in by her fellow phantoms is without peer, keeping them secure and sated whilst not working to defend Caster from outside attack. Cleaning, cooking, child-rearing, socialising, entertaining guests and of course, appearing at all times unwavering - these are talents of which Caster is so proud. The usual B rank has been further embellished through association with the legend of Longmu, allowing for the swift and nigh-irresistible pacification of any hostile force that enters Caster's Household, whilst also reducing their resistance to her other mind-affecting Skills. As the most mature of the phantoms within Caster, June must confess she finds this use of her talents somewhat disquieting, but for the sake of her wish, her Master's wish, and the wish of her fellow phantoms, she will as ever put on a brave face and support them however she can.

Vixen of Innocence
The ability for one's very body to attract the attention of their preferred gender, oft without regard for their intentions.

• A+: A Skill provided by the phantom Betty within Caster, the girl who somehow managed to be both model of innocence and national sex symbol. Merely interacting with Caster has a chance of ensnaring a man's lusts, pending a Luck check on the part of both parties. The C rank Betty would have usually brought to the table would have been sufficient to ensure she knew no end of male attention over the course of the Holy Grail War, the kind to which she might titter and respond "Oh you!" However, thanks to her forged connection to the lascivious Bai Mudan, this A+ rank produces effects far more impressive, transforming any weak-willed male who regards Caster's form into a veritable beast driven only by his urge to both claim and defend her - the result is a being effectively receiving all benefits and detriments of A+ Mad Enhancement. Love interests (troops) obtained in this way are both more powerful and more loyal than those acquired through Becky's talents, though in exchange they provide significantly less utility and can only be drawn from the most weak-willed of men. The result is a curious rivalry between the two phantoms of Becky and Betty as to their alternating appeal.

Flower of the Office
A term for Japanese office ladies who brighten a work environment through their presence, this is the Skill to bolster those one works with.

• A+: A Skill provided by the phantom Tillie within Caster, working nine to five and catching every sleazy guy's eye. The effects of Flower of the Office manifest as what might call an 'aura' of sorts around Caster, something in the clothes that she wears and the way she carries herself that inspires those striving alongside her to work even harder. The harder she toils, the more those toiling with her throw themselves into their shared work, inspired, not wanting to slack. An already respectable B rank is further mutated by dint of association with Hua Mulan, making it possible for the men under Caster's thrall to endure typically-cripping injuries and operate at increased efficiency at her urging. If June tends to the wounded, keeps them fed, and cares for them, then Tillie presses upon the prepared, pushes them onward and uses them. Such is the contrast in attitude between the domestic housewife and working woman, perhaps.

np

Four Beauties

Upon these Foundations, Our Fate Made Manifest

Rank: D
Type: Anti-World
Since time immemorial, it has been possible for one to bolster their reputation through the act of association. Kings associate themselves with divinities. Nobles associate themselves with kings. Generals associate themselves with nobles. Soldiers associate themselves with generals. Peasants associate themselves with whatever they can. Just as gods are syncretised to add to their legend, so do humans attempt to refine their own narratives in this manner. Within the context of the Servant summoning system, then, even something absurd as 'a man who claimed unproven descent from a demigod now possesses divinity' and so on can become possible. For phantasmal existences, entities almost lacking in fame, association provides a level of power typically unreachable to most Servants, for their own existing legends mean they cannot wholly integrate that of another. This is not mere association, nor is it fusion. The closest analogue may in fact be "fame absorption."

This Noble Phantasm, then, represents the borderline impossible feat performed by the four phantoms within Caster - absorbing the fame of four other individuals, syncretising themselves with a relevant cultural concept, and then fusing themselves into a single almighty entity, now more than worthy of becoming a Servant stored within the Throne of Heroes. Four Beauties thus is a constantly-active Noble Phantasm that consists of Caster's body, and the pilfered fame holding her together. However, at any time she may invoke the name of this Noble Phantasm to separate into her four constituent parts. Whilst the four phantoms called forth in this manner possess no unique powers of their own - having sacrificed their own Noble Phantasms to make this merger possible - still they retain the single Personal Skill they bring to the gestalt Four-in-One, allowing them to split up and more efficiently delegate themselves before recombining later. In this combined state, each consciousness works together surprisingly well in controlling the single body of Caster, though the emergent personality from this mixture varies on whichever phantom's Skill is seeing most use at the time.

lore

The Four Beauties is a Chinese cultural concept, referring to four Chinese women of ancient history known above all else for their intense beauty. It is also, to Caster, the foundation with which she has established her bizarre, borderline impossible existence. Four phantoms, each representing an aspect of the 20th century American woman. Four Chinese legends of similar characters, their legends deliberately associated with. Four American phantoms that, through an association with Chinese history, are able to force themselves into the Four Beauties framework, further bolstering their power before combining into a Servant in their own right. To call this an unprecedented feat does the Four-in-One a disservice.

Becky Thatcher is a literary character from the Tom Sawyer stories penned by Twain. A sweet, if somewhat self-centered girl, she stands out as a character barely-developed within the tales, serving primarily as a love interest over which Sawyer might pine and then hope to pursue, despite the power she holds over the narrative as a whole. She represents the sweet, unapproachable beauty, for which embarrassing feelings are held. Her stolen fame was once that of the White Snake, Bai Suzhen, whose tale of tragic romance touches the hearts of people even today. Becky herself remains a spoiled young girl, despite her legend being the oldest among the Four-in-One, pretty and proud yet hardly unprincipled. A doe-eyed beauty full of joy and at times even sincere affection. Her wish is first to be fought over incessantly over the course of the War, before settling down with the most dashing young man she finds following her victory.

June Cleaver is, as a rarity among Servants, a television character, the charming housewife seen in hit sitcom Leave it to Beaver. Through the show's many seasons and the grip it once held over the American consciousness, June showed herself to be a devoted wife to her husband, a caring mother to her children, and an unflappable guardian of her household whose composure did never falter. She represents the domestic, loyal beauty, who embodies the future of a happy marriage. She manifests herself through fame plundered from Longmu, the divine mother of dragons, a woman whose tale shows so succinctly the beauty of bonds between family and filial piety. A kindhearted and loving woman, June has no desire to engage in violence over the course of the War, and makes it her priority to tend to any and all wounded produced by the fighting, even enemy Masters or Servants. Her wish is among the Four-in-One perhaps the simplest: to relive her happy life with her husband.

Betty Boop is yet another television star, an animated sex symbol who merged both adorable innocence and the archetypal flapper. She was to her viewers and fans so very much the teenager of the day, rebelling against conformity in the culture of her parents and indulging in her very own humorous form of sensuality, unique for her portrayal of female sexuality. She represents the honest seductress among the beauties, whom men desire but find themselves ever unable to claim. This minor phantom finds herself claiming the power of Bai Mudan, the courtesan who whilst multifaceted in her portrayal - at times seductive, at times innocent - took power from having a man lay with her. Betty is to all who know her very much a girl with more heart than brains, full of love for the world and everyone she meets in it, albeit quick to grow hooked to the power her newfound ability to enthrall men might provide. Her wish is, in short, nonexistent - I'll think of something once the rest of you huns are sorted!, she says.

Tillie the Toiler is a newspaper comic strip character who debuted on the pages of King Features in the 1920s. A stylish, bold young woman, she toiled away at her work without a care in the world, regardless of the nonsensical plot twists surrounding her or the many suitors she would toy with on a whim. Fighting for her country, perfecting her shorthand, maybe even doing a little modeling, nothing was beyond good ol' Tillie. She represents the diligent, confident beauty, who makes men work simply for the prospect of being worthy of her. Whilst a comic strip character really has no right being a Servant, she supports her status through the robbed legend of Hua Mulan, the warrior woman responsible for saving her people and putting her male peers to shame. Tillie's character is above all else self-assured, treating her goal of obtaining the Grail as little more than a fun girl's night out, encouraging her fellow phantoms to let loose and enjoy themselves on the ride. Her wish is be reincarnated in the modern era in control of her very own fashion line, a hope as shallow perhaps as she is.

[RoydGolden]

"Four-In-One": Cool idea for a Servant, but where are her Class Skills? Seems like you left something out here...

[sutaa]

They're meant to both be covered by Lady of the House, but I'll make that clearer on the sheet!

[RoydGolden]

They're meant to both be covered by Lady of the House, but I'll make that clearer on the sheet!

Thanks. I should've noticed that if I'd looked a bit closer, but I still think that not listing Class Skills at all was a bit weird.

[Funderfullness]

Is this some sort of America-China metaphor?

Either way, it's cool. Longmu is one of my favorite Servants that I've done so it was cool to see her in a different way.

[4score7years]

Sorry for the dumb question, but when it exactly does it end?
at the midnight of 27?

Bingo, voting can begin the morning of the 28th. It’ll go on until the Morning of Nov. 1st.

Remember you have three votes worth 3 points 2 points and 1 point respectively. Anyone can vote you don’t have to have submitted a sheet Etc. etc. You guys know the deal.

- - - Updated - - -

Uh oh... I may have read the deadline wrong and thought I still had a day left... I wonder if I'll make it.

I think I phrased it poorly when first explaining it. Apologies.

[Toncas]

Maybe extend the deadline by a day, or at least a few hours? Having someone miss out because they got confused on the date is kind of unsatisfying. I also thought it was by the end of tomorrow, since I had an idea for a second sheet. I'm fine since I already posted a first one, but it's worth consideration.

[4score7years]

Maybe extend the deadline by a day, or at least a few hours? Having someone miss out because they got confused on the date is kind of unsatisfying. I also thought it was by the end of tomorrow, since I had an idea for a second sheet. I'm fine since I already posted a first one, but it's worth consideration.

I agree. Especially since I really didn’t phrase it all that clearly, I don’t think. I’m going to extend the deadline until the 29th. One final day to finish up.


If we really have to, we can always extend voting a bit into November. It shouldn’t distract all that much from the Magus Contest, especially since most people will already have voted. We’ll see if it’s even necessary.

[JetKinen]

Wew and i already had made peace on not writing the second sheet.

[Sunny]

...This is going to be a long time deciding on three, all in all, after tomorrow.

-gets settled in to start writing reviews-

[34]

Wow, just when I had given up on my 2nd entry... might want to actually finish it this time.

[NMR-3]

One thing I've been wondering, though: which timezone are we using? Morning of the 29th is all well and good, but my morning's a couple of hours before what an American's might be.

[4score7years]

One thing I've been wondering, though: which timezone are we using? Morning of the 29th is all well and good, but my morning's a couple of hours before what an American's might be.

In the end it’s somewhat arbitrary but EST is what I’ve been using thus far.

[Toncas]

"You really lucked out master. Summoning a fake Heroic Spirit like myself really can't do justice to a magus like yourself. Unless, of course, you're a fellow loser like me."



Class: Rider
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Parameters:
STR: D
END: D
AGI: A
MGI: E
LCK: B
NP: B+

Height: 175 cm
Weight: 65 kg
Likes: Horses, his slacker lifestyle, venison
Dislikes: Responsibility, tabloids, being nagged
Talent: Horse riding, escaping obligations
Attribute: Man
Armament: A pair of carbines, and a tall black horse.
Catalyst: A rather trashy penny dreadful.

Skills

Class Skills:

Riding (A+): Though his skill extends to all creatures and vehicles, Rider has a particular affinity for horses. His riding skill does not change when riding a horse, he just feels more comfortable on top of one.

Magic Resistance (-): As a modern Heroic Spirit, he has no resistance to magic. "So there's magic in these Holy Grail Wars, huh? That seems kind of unfair, doesn't it? Have some consideration for us normal-type Heroic Spirits!"


Personal Skills:
Marksmanship (C+): While not an exceptional duelist, Rider is skilled at taking unfair opportunities for a sneak attack and getting the draw on his opponent. His skill rises when he's mounted, as he is accustomed to the turbulent lifestyle of an outlaw, having to be ready to draw his weapon at any time.

Uncatchable Free Spirit (B): In any dangerous situation, Rider is capable of finding an escape method. This skill does not guarantee that he will be able to execute said method, but his high Agility and Riding skill are a great boon to doing so. He is also not guaranteed to be free from danger during his escape, and his prone to being attacked from behind as he flees. However, once he is out of sight of any attackers, it will be impossible to pursue him as he will essentially vanish.

Romance of a Byronic Hero (B+): The ability of a Heroic Spirit whose legend has been haphazardly revised and romanticized to the content of the audience. In spite of Rider's wholly unheroic and often cowardly methodology, his actions will be made to seem daring and bold. Furthermore, when he is forced to dodge a fatal attack or make the jump across a large chasm, he himself will fumble, but this skill, combined with his luck, will allow him to make those fumbles become opportunities for success. An essential skill for a layabout Heroic Spirit.

Lore

Rider's true name is Dick Turpin, an English highwayman and horse thief. In his early life, he was a butcher, but became involved with the Essex gang, a group of deer thieves making their base in Epping Forest. Though they started off simply stealing deer, their crimes escalated to robbery and assault. Eventually, when one of his fellow gangmembers was captured and betrayed the rest of the gang, they were forced to flee and hinde from the authorities. Turpin became a highway man to make a living and horse thievery to provide a vehicle for his constant escape. While on the run, he was seen by a man and forced to kill him to conceal his presence, accelerating Turpin's rise in notoriety and roguish reputation, as well as raising his bounty greatly. He was later arrested after getting in a dispute with a man while under an alias, allowing the authorities to uncover his previous crimes and true identity. For the crime of horse thef, he was summarily tried and prompty found guilty, the court eager to rid the country of a man of such ill repute. Turpin was hanged at the age of 33.

However, that is not where his legend ends. Due to a number of novels and penny dreadfuls (cheap, serial stories intended for high drama and theatrics), Turpin's legend spread post-mortem, particularly in the novel Rookwood, in which Turpin helps steer the narrative through his roguish charm. The accuracy of these stories range from fair to outright sensationalism, yet they have been embedded into his Saint Graph nonetheless, making him out to be a romantic antihero behind his criminal past and minor accomplishments.

Turpin is also known for his trusty steed Black Bess, a constant companion in his life and the stories surrounding him. Bess is said to be extremely loyal to Turpin, undertaking Turpin's legendary ride from London to York to abscond from London constables and dying in the end from exhaustion.

Phantom

There was no Black Bess. In life, Turpin was a horse thief, and regularly stole and left his rides to hide his identity; having an iconic horse would be a death sentence for an outlaw. Just like the many stories mass-produced after Turpin's death, Black Bess too was such a fabrication, a romantic idealization of a mount to complement the rough, yet dashing style of Turpin. When the Grail realized Turpin's Saint Graph, it also sought a "Black Bess" to accompany him. Normally, if it could not locate such an existence, the Grail would manufacture one itself, to manifest the legend attached to the man. Then, a mysterious being appeared in the Grail's memory, one which assumed the identity of Black Bess. It was a perfect imitation, and so the Grail named this being "Black Bess" and bound it to Turpin.

That being was The Black Dog. A ghost often seen in the British Isles with the ability to assume a variety of bestial and monstrous appearances, it could pass as Turpin's mount through its similar name, same place of origin, and ability to assume the appearance of Black Bess. Despite its mere existence as Phantom, the Black Dog wields far more power than Turpin, and affords him little respect. It lacks speech, but is aware and makes clear that it is the dominant being in their partnership, relying only on Turpin due to his status as Heroic Spirit. In its legend, the Black Dog is considered a portent of death and hound of the devil. It would come across travelers at crossroads, in the dead of night, often during violent thunderstorms, eyes glowing red, ready to hunt.

The true nature of the beast is not that of an animal spirit, but in fact a Phantasmal Beast; its identity as a "dog" is only a habit of choice, deciding that the menacing, hellhound-like appearance best suited its purposes of hunting down lesser humans. Rather, it possesses many forms, holding the power of the Transformation Chase, a motif in legends and fairy tales of magical beings cycling through various forms for the purpose of fleeing a captor; however, the Black Dog uses this ability to hunt instead. When doing battle with a dangerous opponent, it will abandon any pretenses of being a dog, shedding its skin many times, assuming forms savage and monstrous. Most of all, it likes to combine different forms and parts, such as becoming a wolf with the visage of a star-nosed mole, or a tiger with anthropod eyes. Whatever strikes fear into the hearts of its foes, it will unveil with great enjoyment.

Noble Phantasms

Galloping Past All Boundaries And Laws

Highwayman's Country Ride

Type: Anti-army
Rank: C
Range: 1-50
Max Targets: 30 people

The embodiment of Rider's legendary overnight ride from London to York, one that was both fictional and impossible. Stories claimed that Turpin made this haste journey to flee the London constables, but the sheer length of the trip combined with the short duration without break make the feat unfeasible for a normal man on a normal horse. Nevertheless, the legend has been included as Turpin's Noble Phantasm. Upon activation, Turpin will leap atop Black Bess and the two will suddenly start upon a mad dash, galloping with reckless abandon, not towards the enemies, but through them. As Turpin's greatest feats were fleeing those who would deny him his freedom, his Noble Phantasm manifests one thousand guns, a combination of pistols, matchlocks, and carbines, surrounding the battlefield on all sides within a range of 500 meters. And so, this barrage of firearms without wielders will automatically take aim and fire...at Rider. Since he was the target of these assaults, and not the attacker, it is natural that they would target him, a fact Rider acknowledges as undeniable, yet undeniably annoying. However, due to the mechanical nature of the shots and through the application of Rider's skills, Uncatchable Free Spirit and Romance of a Byronic Hero, he is able to set up an escape route by riding past his enemies and dodge the shots with ease, as a result forcing his enemies into the crossfire. This Noble Phantasm is more of a last ditch effort to abscond from a tough battle by turning the terrain into a chaotic gunfight, but Rider's inherent cheating nature lets him abuse this effect to subject his enemies to the same barrage of gunfire that he has learned to evade from a life of experience, even as he runs away.

My One True Companion

Black Bess

Type: Anti-unit
Rank: B++
Range: 1-5
Max Targets: 1

In every discussion of Dick Turpin, mention of Black Bess naturally follows. Rider's faithful steed is said to have accompanied him on each of his harrowing journeys, and every one of Rider's daring feats of escape were accomplished while mounted on Black Bess. The beast cuts an intimidated, nigh monstrous appearance with its towering height, pitch black tone, and dead eyes. With its intimidating appearance, it also possesses great strength and agility. In contrast with the legend of the triumphant, yet mundane horse, Bess reveals her nature as a Phantasmal Beast. While under the cover of darkness at night, Bess is able to take Rider and merge into the shadows, as well as anyone else riding atop Bess. They do not merely disappear, but enter a state of oneness with darkness, realized by their opponent's vision. They can remateralize directly in front of the enemy, ready to attack, but must due so within the enemy's field of vision. As a shadow spirit, to attack, it must first be seen, and so must be seen by the opponent when reappearing. An enemy with at least B rank Magic Resistance can negate this effect. Otherwise, the enemy servant must make take advantage of their own vision; by keeping their eyes closed, Bess cannot reappear, and so the enemy may force Rider to reappear in a disadvantageous location. This effect will dissipate upon sunrise, or upon death of the target, and cannot be used on the blind. Bess also demonstrates some transformative powers, revealing canine fangs or paws.

Personality

A hero must be a guiding spirit to mankind. Be they martyrs committed to toiling their lives to better humanity, wondrous stars who inspire mankind to succeed in the hopes of following the footsteps of heroes, or even tempestuous anti-heroes, playing the role of a great evil, yet doing so in a way that will save others. Dick Turpin falls under none of these categories. A layabout of a man who devoted his youth to mild crimes and shirking his duties, neither his accomplishments nor evils were great in scope. At best, he falls under the second category, as the true strength of his legend lies in the stories about him concocted postmortem. As his merit as a Heroic Spirit exists only due to writers with wild imaginations that capitalized on trends such as Turpin, he has an inferiority complex as a servant. He will repeatedly bemoan the cruel irony that a being such as himself would be deemed a Heroic Spirit. Not only due to his moral failings, but his perceived utter lack of talent. Though he won't acknowledge it, his potential as a horse rider helped provide his legend, and his skill as a marksman is not to be dismissed, but standing against utter giants of heroes, Turpin seems himself as hopeless, often giving up Holy Grail Wars as they start.

Even worse is the sheer obligation that comes as a Heroic Spirit. To Turpin, freedom is the rejection of responsibility. His youth was spent in pursuit of that ideal, denying the obligation to contribute to society, to obey the law, or to care for himself. His actions were not those of a free spirit toppling a regime, but a singular man rejecting the fetters that civilization forces one to bear. However, when he has responsibility foisted upon him, he will reluctantly execute his duties to the extent that he is able. He acts as a continuously embittered Heroic Spirit that could never win the Holy Grail, yet pursues the meaningless goal anyway. Feeling that he must play a role he could never fill, Turpin despises the cruel joke of a Grail that summoned him. In life, Turpin insists, he was only a ruffian who birthed a few tall-tales, so why must he play the hero to humanity?

Horses, Turpin insists, are among the most intelligent beings on Earth. To him, they embody the freedom that he pursues, and stand proud even as mounts, owing no deference to kings or constables. His skill as a horse thief owes not only to his wit and speed, but his talent at befriending horses, luring them with promises of freedom that they would never know in a life of carrying fat lords too lazy to walk. When leaving his horses to hide his identity, he would always be sure to let them loose somewhere they could graze and survive, giving them the parting words, "Be free." Strangely, he doesn't seem to get along with his own horse, Black Bess, at all. Though Bess will let him ride, she will repeatedly bite at or kick him, and affords him none of the respect or affection that most other horses do. Turpin exhaustedly accepts this as, "Something a loser Heroic Spirit like myself deserves", but conceals some fear of the horse, having seen a glimpse of its true nature.

Phantom

As an apparition who haunts man, the Black Dog regards humans as a sickening necessity. They put on the pretense of civilized beings, claiming moral superiority over all other forms of life, yet indulge in the worst of evils themselves. They create monsters representing evil, yet do so to hide their own cruel nature. The Black Dog lived as such a monster, one whose purpose is to be the target of the fears of mankind, and thrives on that fear. Without being remembered, its presence will slowly fade, inevitably fading into nothingness. And that is how the Black Dog was born and died, both through the caprices of humans who needed only something to fear. Such is the Black Dog's infuriating dependence on man, that its own pleasure is in hunting the beings that birthed it and performing its only purpose. It hates all mankind, yet needs them to fear it, and hates them all the more for that need.

The Black Dog knows the hierarchy of beasts, with the strong standing upon the weak. Yet, despite its overwhelming strength over Turpin, it must act as his mount, and it must attach itself to Turpin's Saint Graph. This twisted nature of their relationship causes the Black Dog to hate Turpin not only as a human being, but as the worst kind of weak human who is granted power despite his weakness. While their relationship is in truth symbiotic, with Turpin offering his ability to materialize as a servant and the Black Dog offering its power, it can never accept that Turpin acts as the "master" in their relationship. At best, it can hold some begrudging respect for his quick thinking, all while despising him.

Knowing the true name of his fake horse, the enmity between the two is mutual, though Turpin holds a respectable fear for the creature as well. Having his own mount overpower him is shameful enough, and doing so under the name of the imagined steed in the many stories about him only infuriates him further. Nonetheless, he accepts that only with the Black Dog does he stand a chance against other servants, and so he will do his best to placate it whenever possible. Beneath his resentment, he holds some respect for the monster as well, as it embraces its nature without question, showcasing every monstrous aspect it has available. At their best, the two will afford each other some respect tinged with hatred as they cooperate to cover the other's blind spots.

"Hey, 'Bessie', master made some dinner to replenish some mana. You want some carro- hey, wait, don't go for the steak! What kind of horse are you?!"

Relationships

Hessian Lobo- "So you...you too know what it's like, right?! To meet another servant who is forced to ride a monstrous beast, there's finally someone else who knows my pain! I don't even care if your neck cuts off too early!"

Robin Hood- "A roguish Heroic Spirit who hides in the forest of England as an outlaw stealing from the rich... I guess that makes him my predecessor. Of course, I never really did anything like give to the poor. Isn't he a little too nice? Bah, a real hero. So we're nothing alike after all."

Billy the Kid- "My American counterpart, huh? Well, at least he's not a goody two-shoes like that Robin Hood. And yet, what's up with that marksmanship skill?! That's way too strong for a modern Heroic Spirit! Feh, a true shining star of humanity. Isn't there anyone else like me here?"

Charles Henri-Sanson- "Master, please... Pitting a servant like me against a guy like this is in really poor taste. Have some heart and at least let me die against a beautiful femme-fatale assassin, not another mopey, grim-faced executioner!

Wish

Rider's wish for the Holy Grail is to erase his legend, subsequently also removing himself from the Holy Grail. His only desire is to be free of responsibility, and having the role of "hero of humanity" foisted upon him forces too much duty for a mere highwayman, or so he says to himself.

The Black Dog's wish is to return to existence and continue its legend as a symbol of death. Despite its utter hatred of humanity, it depends on man to acknowledge its existence and to fear it for it to persist. Due to its unnatural appearance, the only way it can continue to be known is to be deemed a plague upon humanity.

I tried something different for this one, and put more emphasis on the phantom, as well as trying to be more creative with the abilities, though I may have gone overboard. I tend to focus more on the lore and personality then the Noble Phantasms and skills, so their may be some issues with them that I've yet to realize.

[Bylackbre]

Class: Rider
True Name: Jesse James and the James-Younger Gang
Alternate Titles: "King of Outlaws" and "Spirit of the Outlaw West"

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Place of Origin: Mid 19th Century American Wild West


Parameters:


STR: B
END: C
AGI: B
MGI: D
LCK: C
NP: D


Height: 6'
Weight: 180 lbs
Likes: Publicity, Money, Family
Dislikes: "The Union," Lawmen, Pinkerton Agents
Talent: Robberies, Guerrilla Warfare, Horseback riding
Natural Enemy: Robert Ford, Billy the Kid (More of a Natural Rival)
Armament: Six Smith & Wesson Schofield .45 and Colt Conversion Pocket Navy . 38 revolvers
Catalyst: A Smith & Wesson Revolver


Class Skills:
Riding (B)- Though only horses, carriages, and trains can be handled with above average skill, the combination of the phantoms consisting of the entire gang combining into Jesse James' Phantom increased the skill to be higher than it normally would be.

Magic Resistance (D)- The Wild West was not filled with much in the way magic though like with the Riding Skill, this skill's rank has increased simply by all the phantoms contributing their own Magic Resistance to fuel Rider's.


Personal Skills:
Bravery (B)- The ability to negate mental interference such as pressure, confusion and fascination. It also has the bonus effect of increasing melee damage. James and his gang were notorious for not only waging guerrilla warfare against the Union but they also robbed many trains and faced off against several lawmen who tried to bring them to justice.

Quick Draw (C)- The specialization of the quick draw shooting technique. Jesse James while still an outlaw in an area where this skill was a necessity to survive, he always had the support of his gang to help put an end to fights and wasn't the fastest draw.

Subversive Activities (B)- The talent to reduce the enemy forces in the preliminary stages before going into battle. An expert of traps. However, the higher the ranking of this Skill, the more one's spiritual status as a hero declines. James was trained in guerrilla warfare and is capable of using the lessons taught to him to aid in ambushes and evening the playing field before the fight starts.


Noble Phantasm(s):
The Infamous Seven Ride Again- The Bond Between the Brothers Shall Never Break (C, Anti-Unit) The James-Younger Gang were not the Magnificent Seven but the gang was as infamous as the seven were famous and the "Spirit of the Outlaw West" decided to adopt a name similar to the heroic group for the first of his noble phantasms. The Infamous Seven Ride Again summons the six phantoms who combined with the phantom of Jesse James, as well as James' personal horse, to Rider's side armed with rifles, revolvers, and lassos to assist in the fight Rider is involved in. Each of these phantoms have the same parameters as Rider except each stat is decreased by one rank since the gang itself was part of the reason Rider became so infamous in life. If a phantom dies then it returns back to Rider and can be summoned again for another fight so long as twenty four hours passes. "Jesse James would be nothing without his gang and his gang would be nothing without him."

The Armored Heart of the Wild West: The Ultimate Train Robbery of Jesse James (B, Anti-Army) Trains were often the heart and lifeline for communities in the Wild West and train robberies were the MO for the James-Younger Gang and this noble phantasm is that legacy weaponized for the Holy Grail War. The Armored Heart of the Wild West allows for Rider to summon an armored train to wreck havoc on a battlefield while under Rider's command. This train is not restricted to having to stay on tracks as it barrels around the battlefield with phantoms of the James-Younger Gang and other train robbers man hand cranked Gatling guns, howitzers, rifles, and cannons. the mana consumption of this noble phantasm is rather high so it is treated as a last resort weapon.


Lore:
The James-Younger Gang was once a group of soldiers fighting for the Confederate States of America who specialized in Guerrila tactics until their side of the war was defeated in 1865. Following the defeat of the Confederates and Jesse James getting shot through the lung while surrendering, the group eventually reunited in California a couple of years later. From then they started to rob numerous banks and other sources of money though their preferred target was always trains. Over the years the members of the gang were either arrested or killed until finally Jesse James himself was murdered with his own pistol in his home on April 3, 1882. After the dissolvement of the James-Younger Gang the group and Jesse James gained an legacy as not mere criminals but rogues who fought for a country that was never meant to be or as Robin Hood like characters though neither reputation was true.

James and the members of his gang became phantoms unable to qualify to become a heroic spirit until the members of the gang decided to combine with Jesse James so that their collective body may qualify as not only a servant but the embodiment of the "Spirit of the Outlaw West."


Personality:
James is at his core a greedy boisterous criminal who somehow has family as his highest priority. Jesse James loved acquiring attention and would gladly accept praise for any of his actions as evident by using his robberies to promote his publicity besides just his own net worth. Despite all this James is stubbornly persistent in his tasks and is all around loyal to fault when it comes to those he considers members of his gang and his family.

Appearance:
Jesse James' appearance is that of a dark haired man in his early 30's but due to his status as the embodiment of the "Spirit of the Outlaw West" James looks like the stereotypical Wild West outlaw wearing a large black hat and a bandanna covering most of his face.


Relationships:
James always had a good relationship with his brothers who formed half of his gang with the other half being the Younger Brothers. Family was always a major aspect of James' relationships as that the only thing he valued more than money and publicity. Should his master become close enough to him then maybe James might accept them as an honorary member of the James-Younger Gang and therefore a member of James' family.



Creator Notes:
This section and the bolding of a few section titles were the only edits made after 11:00 CST.

I figured since we could enter 2 servants I might as well try my hand at creating a second servant for the competition though I doubt this will win against a few of the others though that could just be my own pessimistic attitude talking. My previous submission was the combination of 2 individuals while I saw others that had more than 2 within them so I thought how I could I create a single servant that could justify a not small number of beings within it. The answer came as I was listening to the song "His Name Was King" from Red Dead Revolver and was reminded of Jesse James and the James-Younger Gang.

The armored train noble phantasm was the hardest to name and justify but I wanted to include a way to incorporate the legacy of train robberies without using a Reality Marble as well as give James a means of attacking with the train. I will also admit I think the appearance section would probably be my weakest link with this sheet but considering I wanted to create this as a last minute entry I wasn't able to develop that part as much as I would like.

Anyway best of luck to all the competitors.

[Toncas]

I haven't read these all yet (I'm saving them for tomorrow), but I checked the servant/phantom names for each. Given the nature of the competition, including the names feels like a big spoiler, but I wasn't sure how to name them otherwise. Let me know if any are missing/any information is incorrect or incomplete, or if you want a name change to hide the true name.

Assassin - Jean-Henri Fabre + Mothman by Hakuro
Saber - N.M.P™ by Zork Knight
Assassin - La Llorona + German by Express
Assassin - Corpo-Seco by pinetree
Archer - The Appleshooters™ by Omida
Assassin - Attila the Hun + The Martian by TresserT
Berserker - Robert Johnson + 27 Club™ by JetKinen
Caster - Johnny + Guiseppe Tartini by Funderfullness
Rider - H.G. Wells + John Titor by Sunny
Assassin - Tallemaja + Arsene Lupin by BearHero
Archer - Anna Ioannovna+ The Snow Queen by Alexcoene
Assassin - Alcatraz™ by Aridwolverine
Assassin - Kunti + Kuntilanak by ThirtyFour34
Rider - Mary Anning + Loch Ness by asterism42
Caster - Abdul Alhazred by Arkanian
Assassin - Arsene Lupin™ by Bird of Hermes
Archer - Natty Bummpo + Awi Usdi by SSW
Saver - Cthulhu + Vairocana by Aridwolverine
Assassin - The Abductor by kami-en
Assassin - Shadowman by Saron
Caster - The Little Match Girl + Fire-Fairy by Express
Berserker - Sasaki Kojiro by zikari8
Caster - Maximillien Robespierre + Dr. Moreau by Sunny
Avenger - El Cid by NMR-3
Caster - Shiro Ishii + Pestilence by Saron
Caster - Queen of Sheba + Pharaoh's Daughter by Spartacus
Saber - Yagyuu Jubei Mitsuyoshi + Juuchi Yosamu by Bird of Hermes
Lancer - Cowardly Lion + Androcles Lion by RoydGolden
Berserker - Taira no Kiyomori + Stingy Jack by Toncas
Caster - Lamia by ItsaRandomUsername
Archer - Xiao He + Zhang Fude + Seven Sages + Fu Bo by SleepMode
Archer - Jack Fiddler + Gaasyendietha by Funderfullness
Caster - Ludwing van Beethoven by Skull
Ruler - The Happy Prince + The Bluebird of Happiness by sutaa
Assassin - Sebastian Moran + Tinderbox Soldier by bylackbre
Caster - Four-in-One by sutaa
Rider - Dick Turpin + Black Dog by Toncas
Rider - Jesse James + The James-Younger Gang by bylackbre
? - Seven School Mysteries by zikari8

[SleepMode]

Thanks for compiling the entries.

[4score7years]

Thanks for compiling the entries.

+1

And yes, our submission period is now over. Voting period can begin, and will end the morning of November 2nd EST (3 Days from now)

[Spartacus]

I haven't read these all yet (I'm saving them for tomorrow), but I checked the servant/phantom names for each. Given the nature of the competition, including the names feels like a big spoiler, but I wasn't sure how to name them otherwise. Let me know if any are missing/any information is incorrect or incomplete, or if you want a name change to hide the true name.
Caster - Queen of Sheba + Pharaoh's daughter by Spartacus

Thanks dude.
Here, I'll correct mine.

[Saron]

Ah, voting has begun?

Let's get cracking then!

3 points: Happy Prince and Bluebird
Most of the submissions for this contest were "One bad guy fused with demon" characters, mine included. But this one was fascinating as it was the fusion of two good characters who just want others to be happy. It's heartwarming to see such a pure creation here.

2 points: Jean-Henri Fabre + Mothman
I love cryptids, especially the Mothman. The first one in the contest and the first I read, I really like the concept of his Personal Skills and the Noble Phantasm. Can definitely see him as a mid tier villain in a story.

1 point: Sasaki Kojiro
Oh boy oh boy, it's best boy Kojiro. I always felt that an exploration of him being an angry or cruel villain mad for revenge against Musashi was a missed opportunity. You definitely explored that concept and it's fantastic!