(Bi)Monthly Rework-a-Servant Contest

[Scotcheroos]

Manifests

Ahem

I don't have much to say here, given that I admittedly don't have a lot of energy because of Thanksgiving yesterday. I am tired.

1 Point: Pasiphae
2 Points: Hylas Alter
3 Points: Jerker by Vidiidi

Imma go try to get more sleep now

[DelRey]

Comp:

Lancer - Lu Bu by OddEyedDuelist
Lover - Pasiphae by Alexcone
Berserker - Jeanne D'Arc by Vididii
Assasssin - Odysseus by Dark Squirrel
Berserker - Hylas Alter by Vance

---

Winners:

Third Place goes to Alexcone with Pasiphae with 7 points
Second Place goes to Vididii with Jerker with 11 points
And Winner is Dark Squirrel with Odysseus and 11 points but one more 3-Pointer

Congratulations everyone! Thanks for participating. Next contest will be held in March, since January is reserved for Secret Santa Servant Edition!

[OddEyedDuelist]

Congrats to Squirrel for the win!

[Alexcoene]

Didn't expect to get that much points, eheh. And congrats to Dark Squirrel!

[Vididii]

Eyyyyy, congrats Squirrel!

[Dark Squirrel]

Hey thanks! Now i'll have to think of a prompt... But not before three months!

[Vance]

Is it about that time?

[WhiteFrenzy]

I forgot we also had this one this month... Oh gosh.

[Vididii]

WE'RE SO BACK

[OddEyedDuelist]

LET'S GO

[Dark Squirrel]

Yeah I'll just need to catch my breath before shouting the prompt, life has been hectic the past month.

[DelRey]

Greetings my friends,
DelHangover here. Apologies for the late start, of course the deadline will be extended accordingly.
But the wait is totally worth it, because I think this might be the coolest prompt yet. Enjoy!

Hobbies.
Summer Saint Graphs, Halloween shenanigans, Christmas malarkey of all kind, Heroic Spirits have been known to change their Spirit Origin to fit a more laid-back, even festive moods.
Some are also known to act as waiters, maids, booksellers or lifeguards.
Finally, some have taken on new trades, new skills as they got a second lease on existence: taking up gardening by trading their spear for a hoe, taking cooking classes, making garage kits wholesale.
What does a Servant look like when they dedicate themselves entirely to their hobby once they are summoned? How would their Spirit Origin change if at all? Do they approach their hobbies as casually as possible or do they go hard, as seriously as they approached their tasks and trials in life? And what hobbies are even those?

[Vididii]

We're so back.

[pinetree]

Okay I might actually do this one

[Dark Squirrel]

Okay I might actually do this one

Glad to hear it!

Sorry I took so long to come up with it.

[Gray]

It is a rather good prompt.
I may not have the time to participate this round as it takes me forever to get an idea rolling, but it's a nice combination of flexible but with a definite direction to lean towards.
Good Job!

[OddEyedDuelist]

The young warrior takes his position. Atop an unspeakably tall mountain, he stands ready to take on his foe. However, the young warrior was not armed with a bow or a sword or a mace, nor was he mounted on a horse nor a chariot.
He was unarmed, with a skateboard serving as his mount.
The unspeakably tall mountain was a ramp. A ramp that resembled a mountain - with fake decorations designed to simulate a journey from the mountains to the depths to even the heights of the heavens. Ramps described as rocks and trees and animals dotted the path down.
It may even be more accurate to describe the teenager and his opponent not as warriors, but as racers.
Yes, this was not a battle to a test but a test of skill. Of tricking off ramps to woo the crowd and get a better look at surrounding obstacles, of the courage to recklessly lean into a turn for an extra burst of speed, of the thrill of racing down a slope at top speed while pitting your bravery against another's.
This was skateboarding at its most…
“HYPE!”

Rider of the X-treme
Other Classes: Archer
True Name: Abhimanyu
Alignment: Awesome Good
Place of Origin: India
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 66kg
Likes: “Awesome Things”, His Dad, Skateboarding, Going Fast (it makes him feel alive)
Dislikes: “Lame Things”, Duryodhana
Natural Enemy: Akshayakurama

Parameters
STR: C
AGL: A
END: B
MAG: C
NP: B+
LCK: A

Class Skills

Riding A+ (Skateboarding)
The ability to command a skateboard with unmatched swagger and skill. Whether building momentum through repeated ups and downs on a halfpipe, converting that momentum into daring tricks, or building speed during a downhill race, Abhimanyu can command his board as if conditions were perfect.
Of particular importance during downhill racing (and skateboarding in general) is balance. As such, Abhimanyu is spectacularly well-balanced so long as he is on top of his skateboard, unable to be shaken by even the fiercest of winds.

Magic Resistance D
Abhimanyu’s Magic Resistance has been lowered in comparison to the rank he had in this skill as an Archer class servant. This is due not only to his new class as Rider, but also because Abhimanyu is now committed to a purely physical sport where mysticism typically isn’t expected. As such, Abhimanyu can now only defend against single-verse magecraft.

Personal Skills

Air Time A
Tricks. The act skateboarding is known for. The ollie, the kickflip, the 360 are all amongst the tricks skateboarders are expected to master. Typically, like most things done for flare, tricks are not frequently used in downhill racing - especially given the catastrophic consequences of missing a landing at high speed.
As a servant, however, these rules do not apply.
Thanks to this skill, every moment Abhimanyu spends off of the ground is converted into a burst of speed once all four wheels touch down. Tricks performed in the air provide extra increases to that speed when he touches down - harder tricks providing greater speed rewards as well.

Streetwise Navigation C
Skateboarding is largely regarded as a sport of the cities. Indeed, many skateboarding tricks have their uses most obviously shown in navigating the urban maze that are modern cities; the ollie and kickflip to leap over stairs the skateboard would surely fail to go down and, of course, the famous rail grind.
As such, this is a skill that allows one to navigate urban environments easily, being able to seek out the most stylish way around obstacles.
As Abhimanyu focuses on downhill racing, Abhimanyu’s rank in this skill is used not to find the most stylish route through an urban obstacle course, but rather to find the quickest access downhill in order to build up speed.

Revolving Revolution EX
“The embodiment of my skill and my ability to look totally awesome while demonstrating it.”
That’s how Abhimanyu explains this skill. And he isn’t too far off. This skill works on a similar principle to the Father of Europe’s [Traversing the Path of the King]. If Abhimanyu acts “stylishly”, the effectiveness of his other skills will be exponentially increased. The cooler the tricks, the higher the jump, the faster he goes, badass one liners to the crowd or slicing taunts to the opponent; all of it contributes to the increasing effectiveness of Abhimanyu’s skills.
“So yeah, I guess on a technical level, it ‘ramps up’ my skills. Eh? Eh? Ramps up?”
A pun like that is an example of something “unstylish” that would invert the effectiveness of this skill.


Noble Phantasm

Fragment of the Avian God
Garuda Prakashaya
Rank: B+
Type: Anti-Lameness
One of the two central features of this mysterious singularity.
The divine spirit Garuda split into several fragments, which, bizarrely, took the form of skateboard parts. This Noble Phantasm, approximately 50% of the Divine Spirit’s power, is held by Abhimanyu, with the other 50% being held by Ravana’s son, Akshayakurama.
Garuda, in Hindu Mythology, was a powerful god who battled Naga and the heaven’s before agreeing to become the god Vishnu’s mount. As such, at his full power, Garuda would be nigh unparalleled in the realm of Mount Noble Phantasms.
At only 50% of his power, however, Garuda’s powers are much tamer.
By invoking this Noble Phantasm’s true name and kicking the ground to push the board forward, Abhimanyu can enable Garuda to temporarily manifest in his full form - creating a fantastic burst of speed. The key power of this Noble Phantasm, however, is not within the speed itself, but rather what that speed can be used for. A sudden burst near the finish line, boosting off a ramp for extra air time, even speeding up one’s descent in a daring maneuver are all options this Noble Phantasm makes available for Abhimanyu. As such, this Noble Phantasm is not simply a trump card, but also an ability that can be used to supercharge skills such as [Air Time] or [Revolving Revolution] by making their activation conditions easier to achieve.

Lore
The most famous son of Arjuna, and a tragic figure in the Mahabharata. In spite of his spectacular talent and courage, he was brought down by the dishonorable actions from the Kauravas, being attacked by all of their greatest warriors at once.

When Chaldea detected the X-Treme Garuda singularity, Abhimanyu was one of the first servants dragged into it. However, he was completely unaware of the true circumstances behind the singularity, instead becoming completely enraptured by skateboarding for its own sake. It was only after being defeated by Akshayakurama in a race that Abhimanyu became aware of the greater stakes of the singularity and gained Garuda Prakashaya. Since then, he’s faced multiple challengers, racing to his heart’s, all in preparation for his fated rematch.

Personality
Abhimanyu has fundamentally not changed from his Archer class counterpart. He is still the hot-blooded, self-possessed, quick learner that he has always been. However, he has “lightened up” considerably. While less immediately stubborn and arrogant than normal, he is also less immediately helpful than normal, preferring to focus on skateboarding rather than any “chores”. Indeed, Chaldea was only able to recruit him by promising that he would have the chance to improve and show off.
In short, he has acquired the attitude of a teenager whose latest passion has become the only thing in the world that’s important to him.

The Rival
--Meet the Competition--Akshayakurama is a figure from Hindu Legend not unlike Abhimanyu. A remarkably talented young warrior who nonetheless died fighting an impossible battle. However, where Abhimanyu was brought down through dishonorable means, Akshayakurama simply had the misfortune of battling the god Hanuman. Additionally, while Abhimanyu’s talent was recognized, Akshayakurama’s was ignored by his father in favor of his supremely powerful brother Indrajit. As such, where Abhimanyu is bright and hotheaded with a high opinion of himself, Akshayakurama is a gloomy young man with low self-esteem.

Upon being summoned to the Singularity, Akshayakurama almost immediately found Garuda Andhere Ka, the counterpart to Abhimanyu’s Garuda Prakashaya. And once more, unlike Abhimanyu, he pursued the Singularity’s Holy Grail with unyielding commitment and ruthlessness. He lacks the flash and style of Abhimanyu, instead skating with an almost savage directness, never leaving the ground, taking turns cautiously, and rarely taking shortcuts. His Noble Phantasm allowed him to eliminate the advantages others gained via risk taking and enabled him to quickly reach the finals, where he would face Abhimanyu.


The Final Race
--Are you ready!?--“So, you ready to do this?” Abhimanyu tapped his board against the ground a few times as he took his position, gaze flicking to his opponent.
Akshayakurama did not respond, instead taking his position silently.
A tense moment passed…and the signal to go was given!
The two racers' styles became clear immediately.
Abhimanyu tore off towards the first ramp, taking off into the sky, while Akshayakurama raced between the ramp and the obstacles, going at an average pace but taking the opening turn quite tightly.
Abhimanyu landed a few feet behind Akshayakurama but quickly caught up.
“Eyy, good job on that turn, man!”
“Shut up.”
Akshayakurama pushed against the ground a few times, propelling himself forward as Abhimanyu scouted out the next obstacle to leap over.
This pattern repeated over and over. Abhimanyu would launch over a ramp, Akshayakurama would proceed slowly and steadily between the obstacles.
Abhimanyu would exchange trash talk or the rare compliment, Akshayakurama would brush him off.

“Catch me if you can?”
“Bet I can land a 360 on this jump.”
“Woah! That turn was super tight! You were practically hugging the rail! That takes guts.”

Until finally…
“Just shut the hell up already, won’t you?!” Akshayakurama’s voice was angry as he finally turned his head to face Abhimanyu. “Quit treating this like a game, why don’t you? There’s stakes to this, you moron!”
Abhimanyu followed Akshayakurama silently between obstacles, head tilted slightly.
“I mean yeah, of course there’s stakes. I mean, whoever wins this wins the tournament. What, should the loser pay for pizza too?”
Akshayakurama’s eyes widened in shock, and then narrowed in fury.
“You…there’s a Holy Grail on the line! The power of Garuda, the God who once battled all other gods, the mount of Lord Vishnu! With his power, I could avenge my father and myself! I could do so much! And you think there aren’t stakes higher than pizza on this!?”
Abhimanyu took a turn slightly wider than Akshayakurama, falling behind.
“That’s why you're doing all this?”
“Yes you dolt!”
“Sounds like a wasted opportunity to me.”
The look Akshayakurama gave Abhimanyu could have killed more people than the Kurukshetra War did.
“Wasted opportunity…wasted opportunity!? Where do you get off talking about a wasted opportunity!? You, the apple of your dad’s eye, the young tragic hero everyone mourned, the-”
“Dude, shut up about my dad, we’re about to jump.”
“What!?”
Abhimanyu’s warning was right, as the two argued, they had rode onto a path with an unavoidable ramp. Smiling, Abhimanyu kicked his foot against the ground, building speed right before he truly hit the ramp.
Akshayakurama crouched slightly, building a lesser amount of speed.
Abhimanyu’s leap took him high, Akshayakurama’s descent was immediate and controlled. Abhimanyu spun around in the air, gripping the bottom of his board as Akshayakurama went for a turn…
And Abhiamanyu landed square on the other side a fair bit ahead of him.
“See, that’s what I’m talking about!” Abhimanyu said, slowing down slightly as he focused more on Akshayakurama than the course. “What’s the point of skating at all if you’re just going from point a to point b? Go run a marathon if that’s the goal.”
“Shut up!”
Akshayakurama rushed forward. Another diverging path ahead. He could gain a solid lead again if he just avoided the obstacles-
Abhimanyu caught Akshayakurama as he skated by, pulling him with him onto another ramp road.
“What the hell?” Akshayakurama cursed.
“Try and hit a trick this time!” Abhimanyu laughed.
“You bastard! What do you not get!? This is my chance! The chance to become my brother’s equal, the chance to make my father-”
“Dude! Quit with the dad talk!” Abhimanyu’s voice was angry for the first time, enough to stun Akshayakurama into silence. “My pops isn’t here right now! Your pops isn’t here right now! Ya wanna know what is? This course! So are you gonna keep acting like you’ve got someone to impress, or are you gonna do something cool!”
Akshayakurama remained silent as the duo approached the edge of the ramp, Abhimanyu launched off with his typical style, spinning in the air…and Akshayakurama followed suit.
The duo landed, rushing towards the final branching pathway. A safe path, or the most intense ramp yet.
Abhimanyu leaned forward, veering towards the ramp, shifting his stance slightly as he prepared to call forth his Noble Phantasm.
And then he noticed Akshayakurama was right by his side preparing to do the same thing.
“Abhimanyu…” a grin broke across the young rakshasa’s face, “You best be ready to pay for that pizza!”
“You’re on!” Abhimanyu laughed, grin practically splitting his face in two.
“Garuda Prakashaya!!!”
“Garuda Andhere Ka!!!"



Youngster’s Winging Through the Sky
--Take in the Sights--A great bird winged down from the sky, unbeknownst to the two racers, landing directly in front of the Master of Chaldea. His power was obvious. He stared for a moment at the two youngsters racing in the sky, before noticing the confused gaze of Humanity's Last Master.
"Ah. Allow me to introduce myself. The name is Garuda.
I am indeed the “mastermind”, as it were, behind this Singularity. I was never “truly” divided. Aspects of divine spirits are a core tenant of Hindu faith, after all.
I created Prakashaya and Andhere Ka as part of this Singularity, hoping someone like those two youngsters would get a hold of them. They just so happened to be my perfect candidates.
The life that leads someone to becoming a heroic spirit is not an easy one. I’m sure you’ve observed that in your time, Master of Chaldea. Yes, in many ways their lives are glorious, admirable, and exciting…
But in many ways, they can often be pitiable.
Especially in the case of those two youngsters. Their fathers, their fates, their need to be warriors hung over their heads for so long.
To allow them to indulge in something as inconsequential as the events of this singularity…
I like to think it brings them a freedom similar to flight, if only for this brief period of time.
Go on, Master of Chaldea, take the Holy Grail, I’m sure that our racers have found something more…fitting to fight over.
But make sure to watch the end of the race! I'm sure it'll come to a photo finish!"

And to the Winner Go the Spoils
--Enjoy the Victory--
“Eyyy, thanks for the Pizza man!”
“Oh don’t be a sore winner. I almost beat you anyway.”
“I’m sharing the pizza with you! You didn’t even pay just for me!”
“You still don’t have to rub it in!”
“Ah, don’t be a sore loser.”
“Y-You, I-That tears it! I’m gonna leave you in the dust next time!”
“I’d like to see you try!”
“Alright! Same time tomorrow! Be there and I’ll show you what real speed looks like!”
“You’re on!”

Creator's Notes

- Yeah the back half of this is damn near as much a short fiction piece as it is a servant profile, I'll admit.
- Still, the character and story concept were so closely linked in my mind, I figured I should just commit to the idea and go all in!
- Hope you all have a good day!

[sutaa]

c_a_s_t_e_r
HENRY VIII
merriest of the murderous monarchs

ALTERNATE CLASS
Rider
ALIGNMENT
Neutral Evil
IMAGE VA
Kijima Ryuichi
IMAGE SONG
KOU / Obsessed
NATURAL ENEMY
What a bore that girl turned out to be!


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STR E | END E
AGI C | MAG C
LUK C | NP C

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« I »Territory Creation E
Disparate, disarrayed fragments from a theological upbringing, a stray smattering of something approaching an understanding of sacraments, a whole-hearted if haphazard effort at crudely cobbling-together a Caster's capacity for creating a space convenient to one's self as a practitioner of sacred arts. Arts altogether, as the case may be. As the slovenly act of establishing territory's unfamiliar to the king so close to God, more adjusted to the notion all he surveys is already his as a matter of fact, Caster's pseudo-Workshop comprises the whole of his immediate surroundings, reinforcing his sense of aesthetics and bending the space around to suit.

A space ideal for passing the time with pleasurable company to the sweet soothing serenades of bardsong, and very little else, for what more does he require? Music was key in cementing the cultural supremacy of the Tudor court over their boorish French cousins, so many foreign ambassadors heaping praise upon Henry for his entertainments. More than any king prior did he bid music flourish in his court, this man who expanded the royal entourage of musicians more than tenfold in his lifetime, who collected then mastered every instrument to touch English soil, who happily nurtured any talent that caught his eye that he might make them his own. Such is his lust for beauty.

Around Caster is a space of perfect acoustics, where it is possible to enjoy the sound of music regardless of background interruptions or light conversation. Musical Noble Phantasms and Skills likewise receive a sharp reduction in their mana upkeep, the king's patronage that insists they play on.

"Am I not generous, that I invite minds less bound by the parameters of absolute audiophonic perfection to partake of my parlour, share in the sheer joy of making merry together? That dullard Francis across the pond - and what a bore that man was, honestly - never did appreciate the finer things in life. Do you know I once wasted the finest party Europe had ever seen on breaking bread with that wastrel? Do try to keep up better than he did, friend. Now let us begin! With the bards as my backdrop, I plan to drink till I wake suffocating in a maiden's teats on the morrow!"

Item Construction (Composition) C++
The sole true composer amongst the long line of English kings, whose love for beauty ran so deep intertwined with an abundant ego that he felt compelled to imprint his mark upon it, with abandon claim music as he would any other maiden - that is, between sheets. One surviving source on Tudor music is the Henry VIII Manuscript, dubbed such for the fact some hundred-and-nine pieces are attributed to the reigning monarch himself, an extensive assortment of compositions covering multi-part choirs to brief instrumentals, all part of the king's court.

Being a collection penned over the course of the king's youth, a number of these pieces display the clear hallmarks of an amateur composer, with the actual quality of Caster's work very much up to doubt; where the young king does not fall prey to schoolboy errors like open chords or parallel fifths, he contents himself with copying wholesale elements from other pieces that took his fancy, or else making minor adjustments to the works of other composers before signing his name at the bottom. The latter itself was not uncommon for the period; what greater honour could there be, for any common melodist, than the king himself making an arrangement of your work? Should Caster perceive another Servant's musical Skill or even Noble Phantasm, he may be able to produce a Mystic Code with similar effects - though as he's no concept of efficiency and merely imposes his personal aesthetic be it appropriate or no, the reproduction tends to be shaky at best.

For all its flaws, Caster's more professional pieces make clear an overwhelming passion burning in his breast, as the man once dubbed True Heart, songs full of chivalry and heroism, of romance and the chase, the vivid imagery of a king in love. When not with himself, with the world and what resides in it. The creations that come from his heart are the most impressive, if also the most destructive.

"Now while I have your attention, on the topic of this Greensleeves piece - certainly not one of mine, far too much of the continent in it for that, a touch too girly for my tastes, but if I do say so myself there's a hint of... Yes, there's potential here, once I've made a few adjustments! Now, for the remixing stage. Does this need a virginal section? I think it needs a virginal, stretched nice and wide - we'll ram an organ in there, good and hard, and then a pleasing chorus at the climax. Oh yes, it's all coming together now."

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« II »

Renaissance Man A
Caster's court was the envy of much of Europe on account of its sheer sophistication, for the spare child Henry, never expected to sit the throne, had received a thorough education in fields well beyond the scope of mere statecraft, hence it was that he prided himself on being a cultured king. A man worldly and well-versed even at a tender eighteen, not merely a consumer of the arts but a creator in his own right.

Impressing upon dignitaries and citizenry alike the extent of his elegance became a tool of diplomacy, warfare unto itself, the cultural superiority of Caster's kingdom over its contemporaries. Over the French if nothing else. To the point where even into his later years as a life of joyous excess took its toll on Caster's body, still the lords and monarchs of the continent would vie for his favour. The Tudor emblem that persists today is a gorgeous English rose; the world is Caster's own garden, the image of himself he cultivated that of the protector-patron of all things beautiful. Should the king, after all, not take very good care of what's his?

Functions equivalent to Charisma meeting Eye for Art when faced with those a similar disposition, artists and the like, leaning ever so slight more in the direction of art collectors. Caster's natural inclination is to position himself as the cultural paragon of any gathering and the intellectual better of any conversation partner, thus he is rare to accept those who might refuse him this right; when his trusted cardinal Wolsey had the sheer nerve to establish a choir that might rival the king's own, Caster immediately poached the man's star treble to retain his supremacy.

A certain natural ease also comes to him in identifying cultural Noble Phantasms from his era. The king loves all that is beautiful, for he sees reflected there his own beautiful soul, his own genius for recognising it so.

"I could take you under my wing, you know; for a greasy little nobody, you do have good bone structure. Perhaps a touch too asymmetrical up top? But have no fear, for all who know the name Henry know me to be a merciful man, and I see the spark of a fellow dilettante of the delightful in those eyes! Beauty is a babe who makes you beg before you set foot in her bedchamber. Ephemeral, eternal, fleeting, forever beyond your reach. You long to touch, to ravage her, but soon enough like last evening's banquet you wolf her down and she's gone! All we can do is sink deeper still. Look upon my works here. For all time's ravages, right now, they are flawless. With a good education, you could aspire to be me. The stuff music is made from."

Soft Golden Sounds A
A Tudor musical aesthetic distilled into a Skill, the division of instruments into a simple hierarchy; at the bottom sit hard instruments, trumpets and horns and the wider assortment of brassworks, barely instruments at all in Caster's view, only good for amusing the peasantry or else attracting attention, devoid of artistic merit. At the top rest the soft instruments, strings and woodwinds, sublime and serene, the only instruments permitted to join the Tudor king's private service.

A Skill that takes this simple philosophy then applies it in full to all that resides within Caster's territory, a rule that boils down to the louder one is, the less important it is what they have to say. A sword that swings with the sound and temper of a hurricane is dull in both definitions and is not permitted to nick Caster's skin, whereas a humble twig that sings sweetly with the breeze may shatter a mountain. Silence, however, is not golden; that which fails to perform at all suffers an even harsher penalty than that which sings ill-pleasing. Knives glinting in the dark will never reach him.

As the king counts him as conductor, thus overseer where aesthetics are concerned, it is a given that Caster himself need not abide by this rule.

Power that should be far beyond the ken of a Renaissance king, particularly one not so famed as a musician. But Caster has devoted himself in his entirety to his love of beauty in this incarnation. The Divine Right of Kings rested in his other selves does not reside here; for a brief period in the Tudor era alone, the king was not merely head, but the supreme master of the Church, an absolute connection to God equivalent to the fool at the Vatican. In surrendering his authority as king, Caster transforms his personal tastes as to how the World ought work into a pseudo-Divine edict. A power within reach for the man who in the end became music.

"Only the best were permitted to follow me. The sounds they made were soft as a woman's touch and just as sweet. Not to mention lovable in all the same ways; gorgeous when one cares to listen, never too bold, easily spoken-over. Music that knows its place is to please, and to please me most of all. The trouble is, I do like the ones that challenge me here and there. One of my few weaknesses, which invites me to remind myself I am strong when I crack the whip. You follow, yes? This too is performance. Any piece that thinks itself worth being played over me, I shall see broken over my knee."

Golden Rule (Wicked) C
In the early days of the Reformation, the monasteries of England were steadily dissolved. One by one these monuments to a faith ushered-out were dismantled, their land seized, coin confiscated to line the king's coffers anew. One view would hold that this was the wise reallocation of wealth that would have wasted away or otherwise have been spent on foreign interests back into the rightful hands of the state. Another would call it little better than plunder. The king profited regardless.

The power to seize coin rather than merely attract it. Wealth over time naturally finds its way into Caster's possession, particularly wealth held by those who've fallen afoul of him, a mechanism that siphons the treasuries of men less deserving that they might bolster Caster's own. Funds sufficient to indulge base desires will always be in supply, albeit Caster's personality ensures little beyond that, in fact makes the possibility of stockpiling funds an impossibility, for the only thing he enjoys more than acquiring riches is the sheer joy of spending them. By the end of his life Caster held one of the largest collections of instruments on the continent, had funded two music colleges, and ensured all his favourite courtiers were handsomely-paid. None of it came cheap.

A power over wealth that reaches into then falls short of the territory of a Collector, in part due to his fitful ways; it matters not how much he acquires in the way of riches, or luxuries, or even pleasurable company, for there is always more that he does not have, and the extent of a new addition to his collection ceases to satisfy the moment he claims it. Though his appetites are less severe in the current class, he cannot truly escape them. No matter how beautiful the performance, how dazzling the stage, how joyous the marriage, his cravings cannot be sated. The song yet unsung and the wine yet untasted will always be sweeter still.

"Yes, yes, we're all familiar with the scripture. Excess is sin, or so they say! But did the good Lord in turn warn us not of the dangers of Sloth? Those chaps had purse strings tighter than a nun's unmentionables in Winter. The priests huddled in their hidey-holes with their thumbs lodged firm up their backsides were content to sit on their coin, let it waste away! I ask you, is that not sin? So I did what any good king would do. I shared it all out! Spreading wealth is no different from spreading love, or spreading seeds for that matter, not that I open my own purse strings for just anyone. To savour life's pleasures requires we taste them. Chastity then is its own sort of beastly, hideous ignorance."

Adulation in Verse E
Sacred music. Fitting for a man who personally penned two pieces to be sung the choir at mass. Yet untainted by the later turn towards secularism in his reign, Caster's compositions qualify as sacraments in their own right, their power bolstered by his own faith.

...

As this incarnation dedicates himself more to his lifelong love of frivolity in all its forms over matters of faith, the effect is for the most part unremarkable, Caster's dedication to the divine as far from his mind as can be. Though his lips may sing a song of God, his mind remains on himself alone always. Fitting for the king who wrote as the holly grows green and never changes, so I am ever true to my lady given his later famed relationship with the notion of matrimony. Who penned the piece Though Some Saith, dedicated to defending his good name, where he protests I hurt no man, I do no wrong, I love true where I did marry.

"What utter nonsense. Art need not conform to this cage we find ourselves in, for its bars cannot contain what the spirit dreams up, the stirrings of love in any man's heart. Yes, tis what's in this heart that matters most, damn it all! No matter what became of me, what rests deep inside me never wavered! In this prison the poets call society, what does it matter if the body betrays the spirit's ideals? What does it matter if the flesh falters, when in this chest, in this heart of mine, my ideals burn blazing and true?"




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« III »passetyme with gude companye
the king's ballad ringing glorious-loud

Company with honesty
Is virtue vices to flee:
Company is good and ill
But every man hath his free will.
The best ensue,
The worst eschew,
My mind shall be:
Virtue to use,
Vice to refuse,
Shall I use me.

Perhaps the greatest of Henry VIII's compositions, in addition to his most famous. Due to its catchy melody, simple lyrics and overall ease of play, the song soon spread out from the royal court into a popular piece in taverns across not only in England, but over the seas and into the continent. An exceedingly-popular folk tune that long outlived its composer. A piece written in the king's youth, before the path he tread has tinged quite so red, an exaltation of the joyous exuberance of his court, that is, where it was not justification for its incessant excess. What is life, if not joy? What to occupy the mind, if not entertainment? What is repose, if not opportunity for vice? What is best, if not to pass time with good company?

At any time within the bounds of his territory Caster may bid it be performed; no instruments are required, nor need a chorus be at hand, for the true composition resides in Caster's very soul and the music will ring out from somewhere unheard at his command. The effect is quite simple. A song that inspires 「joy」in the listener. That, and the sudden desire to make merry with Caster and the other listeners. Ever so briefly, all one's worries slip away, lost on the breeze that the body then the heart might be carried to dance to Caster's tune. A Noble Phantasm that helps dispel negative effects and, if all else fails, to rouse people's spirits.

But the king is never so gentle.
Even in this peaceable incarnation, his is a tyrant's heart. He cares not how you feel. His desire to indulge is an edict itself.
Rather than inspiring it, it may be more accurate to describe this as a song that 「imposes」joy upon the listener.
After all, to be idle is sin! Drop your swords and dance! Wipe your tears and while away the hours!
Caster's music embeds itself in the soul by banishing all emotions bar joy.
Or perhaps in a sense applies a royal compulsion of 「you do not have permission to be anything other than happy.」
For Berserkers and Avengers, this amounts to a denial of their very selves.
For those hurt by Caster in life, a rejection of their experience.
For enemies, a restriction on their capacity for violence in Caster's presence.
Beings that lack the ability to feel joy at all are able to resist, or those with exceptionally strong wills.
But those individuals in turn are marked as 「buzzkills」in the minds of the currently-affected.
And violence against them is not only permitted, but encouraged!
Banish that miserable lot! Off with their heads!
You are not allowed to do anything but pass time! Pass time with King Henry VIII, greatest of all good company!

...

...

...

divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived
my six sorry maidens, dance with me once more

King Henry VIII,
to six wives he was wedded.
One died,
one survived,
two divorced,
two beheaded.

The true Noble Phantasm of Henry VIII, possessed in one form or another by all his incarnations. Regardless of his efforts, Caster's image in the public consciousness will forever be that of the man with six wives, and over all his compositions for their grandeur, it is the tune that narrates their fates that is best-known to children all over England. For the summoning that represents Henry VIII's connection to music, then, this is his ultimate legacy.

A curse that follows Caster always, though he has the ability to invoke it himself, this Noble Phantasm likewise has a chance to activate of its own volition whenever Passetyme with Gude Companye is deployed, particularly against a target who has Caster's emotions particularly incensed. The conductor-composer-king became music itself, thus the right to decide when the song stops or starts is denied him, no power at all to deny the curse once it's deployed.

From a place up above descend wires, strings. With force they bury themselves into Caster and one other individual and, like puppets, together they dance. The experience is agonising and connected by the wires is felt twofold, each enjoying the agony of the other. This is music, of course, and music is performance. A Noble Phantasm that activates six times in six movements. If the song is Henry VIII and his six sorry wives, then everyone knows how this goes.

When the dance ends, the wires dig deeper into Caster's dance partner. Depending on which movement it is on, the dance ends a different way.

First. Rip the heart free from the chest.
Second. Neatly slice the pretty neck.
Third. Gently constrict the lungs.
Fourth. Carve loose the face.
Fifth. Tear the head from the body.
Sixth. The king himself succumbs, and with strings cut a puppet-corpse sinks to the floor.

A curse that will invariably claim six lives. If he restrains from deploying his primary Noble Phantasm, Caster can spare himself and those around him this torment. But why oh why would he do that?

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« IV »Relationships
Mary Tudor Lily
"Ah, and there she is! My dear eldest, here to darken the door of yet another celebration. Although, for some reason... Ah, I see, I see. Bloody Mary, is it? Hah! Despite the distance we kept, seems I imprinted far more of myself on you than either of us would like. I never was much of a father to you, was I? Who knows. Perhaps one day, I'll find it in me to feel sorry for that. Now, would you mind being a good girl for once and stepping back? You're not one I'd care to dance with and besides, you have your own role to consider. You're supposed to usher in the next act once I'm done, no?"

Daniel Steibelt
"Yes, yes! Do play on! The sounds from the Tower used to keep me up at night, but this? Sheer, unbridled seething, set to song! But this won't do at all. For all I'm enjoying watching you flail about chasing the dead, even an untrained set of ears can tell something's missing. Your piano wails like an unmarried woman, virtuoso, with how rough you rest your hands upon her, because she knows that when you play with her, you're thinking about other men. Where's the love?"

Jean-Baptiste Lully
"Dying for art, dying as art, whatever the case. Ahh, what a treat it might have been, had a little fellow like you been in my court. But some things are not meant to be; a pair of patrons would never work out, not to mention the obvious problem of a man who looks at his king with eyes like yours. But while we're here, why don't I add my touch to one of your pieces? I'm sure it can only benefit."

Arachne
"My oh my, how macabre. This is your own little act, is it? What a complicated web you weave here. Still... I'm to be the fly, am I? There are certainly worse ways to go."

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« V » This Open Heart

If you insist on scowling at me like that, then allow to me to share more of my song with you.
Jewels are lucky things. Humans have but one life, thus one chance to shine.
When Arthur left us and they forced me upon that throne, I grappled for too long on what a king should be.
How a king should rule, because my education had never prepared me to be close to God in this way - until I made my decision.
The ideal king is one who follows his heart.
The beating in my chest is the only rhythm I can trust, so entrust myself to it I did, following my own drum!
And for that, some called me True Heart.
This is no different. The me that stands here is my reward, the song as history recalls me.
The score is set, I act until the end.
I have died once already. You can only tell it's music when it stops playing.

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« VI »Initial art by Supino.
Skill art 1 by Toppogi.
Skill art 2 by ksk.
CE art by dustbox.

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[Vance]

“So how's it going up there? The wind is feeling nice, yes?”

“Our destination is growing closer. The journey was a long one.”

“Ugh, a simple “ it's good” or “it's bad” would've been good enough, Terry.”

“Haa~. The wind feels…nice, I suppose.”

“Want me to go faster?”

“...Yes.”



“Alrighty! Full speed ahead!”

True Name: Therese Charlotte Luise
Class: Rider
Alignment: Neutral Summer
Source: Historical Fact
Region: Bavaria
Armaments: Exosuit
Talents: Charity, Info-gathering

Parameters:
Strength: E
Endurance: D
Agility: C
Mana: C
Luck: A

Class Skills

Magic Resistance D+
The ability to resist magical effects. Unfortunately, Rider is from a modern period of humanity and thus her personal resistance is not quite up to par. Nonetheless, her ride is quite the stalwart protector.

“You should appreciate the things I do for you.”

“I do. I just don't see the point of repeating facts.”

Riding B-
A skill denoting the capacity to ride magical beasts. Practicing extensively with the horses of Oktoberfest has given Rider a respectable rank in the skill. However, this has sort of gone to waste as her ‘steed’ is, in truth, a symbolic construct turned motorcycle.

“So why a motorcycle?”

“Why not a motorcycle?”

Personal Skills

Long Distance Dash (Motorist) B
A skill born through coming together with Bavaria. The representation of crossing great lengths of distance with an inexhaustible stamina. However, in this case, it translates to going on a cross-country motor drive. Nonetheless, Rider can initiate a sudden boost in Agility and during a full sprint, her Strength and Endurance parameters experience an increase. It even strengthens the initial impact of her noble phantasm.

“The breeze feels really nice.”

“It does.”

Disgruntled Disengagement A
The outward expression of dissatisfaction by Queen Therese during her marriage with King Ludwig. No longer being suppressed by the Ruler class, Rider has no obligations holding down her emotions and so freely lets them loose. The biggest examples of her displeasures existed when she left her husband's side in protest to his rampant infidelity. A skill allows Rider to simply walk away from brewing conflict, free of any influence but from those of her own emotions.

“Cool, cool. So I think it's a good time to talk about Lu-.”

“Bavaria…”

Theresianorden C
The Queen's Sponsored Outreach. A noble phantasm turned skill through the duration in this sort of saint graph. While named after the organization of charity she was known to have set up, it, in truth, encapsulates all of her efforts to be a good queen for her kingdom even if it is one she was foreign to. Gathering information and allies to create a strong network of continuous coordination was her way of things and this skill is what allows for it.

“Hey, now. You said wait till you're in a better mood. You're in a better mood.”

“I'm aware of that, yes. However, it seems we reached our destination…which is currently being attacked.”

Noble Phantasm

“Right, it's always something. Alright, we take care of this then we talk.”

“Of course. Now if you would.”

“Scharlachrennen activating and moving out.”



Scharlachrennen d'Wiesn: Scarlet Race Among The Road
Rank: C++
Type: Anti-Unit
The noble phantasm of Therese within the Rider class.
The unfolding of the motorized statue of Bavaria into an exosuit that enhances Rider’s power dramatically. It is a transformation that is frequently accompanied by forward charge so most of the time, she almost always has a free attack due to the sudden increase in mobility. Combining the brute strength of Bavaria and the coordinate relay of Therese, Scharlachrennen is a force to be reckoned with, much stronger than what is proposed by the rank of the noble phantasm.

Though as the name of the noble phantasm refers to the Scarlet Horse races featured during the first Oktoberfest, it bears little resemblance to the mechanism of the noble phantasm.

Bio

Upon transitioning into the class of Rider, Therese seems to have returned to a younger state. Though it is seen easily through her physical appearance, it is quite difficult to know if she has de-aged mentally as well. At the bottom line, despite retaining a cool demeanor, her attitude and vernacular has become quite a bit more expressive than her Ruler incarnation so maybe something has changed. What has definitely changed is the relationship Therese has with Bavaria.

She had originally intended to become a Rider in order to ride the horses of Oktoberfest yet found herself bereft of the noble phantasm, leaving Bavaria the task becoming her ‘horse’. While it is ultimately unknown as to why Bavaria, who watches over Oktoberfest, deigns to keep around Therese, the comradery between the two has become quite warm. Though make no mistake, Therese retains some of her cool, charitable demeanor. The happiness of other at the expense of herself is still her modus operandi but if not happy then she looks to be at the very least, content with herself.

“Mm, someone asked me to make Terry smile. Nothing more, nothing less.”

[Vance]

Was the deadline extended by a day or is it voting time?