Create-A-Servant Secret Santa Contest 2024 Edition

[Salt Pillar]

Questioner mentioned, billions must contend with the epistemological implications

[Vididii]

Accept God's love, Shinji.

[sutaa]

We can tell it's Salt's sheet because no-one else would reference Questioner?

[Morg van Destro]

Pool 23

Something Wicked This Way Comes: Or maybe not, that's up to you. Basically, I want harbingers of change, heralds of an era’s twilight, or omens of what is to come— someone who is involved in a transformational period pretty directly. Whether they are the final blow to a crumbling dynasty or they are the ones to start a rebellion, their presence signals an end and a beginning. It doesn't need to be something which they have done directly.

Distorted: Someone who is for 'good' or 'bad' fundamentally incompatible with the era they're in. Fundamentally, people who are out of sync with their current reality, individuals fundamentally incompatible with the era they inhabit. It could be someone like Don Quixote or Iori, someone who was born in the wrong era or it could be someone who has simply persisted for far too long outliving their own age and/or purpose.

The Ones Who Shaped The Ending of Their Stories: The ones left behind to pick up the pieces, I'd like figures who, while they didn't start the fire, but they sure were responsible for what rose from the ashes.

Hey. I'm dealing with a sudden emergency, and I'm almost certainly not going to be able to finish my sheet by tomorrow night. I'd appreciate it if you could tell the person who gave my prompt and apologize for me.
Honestly shouldn't have even stopped to type this, but checking off tiny successes makes me panic a little less.

I can't shame this one in good conscience.

But if I could

[Vididii]

Ah yeah, emergencies are a bitch, hope it turns out alright.

[Baron Magnus]

I retract my shame poem.
Emergencies suck and its perfectly understandable that you'd miss this because of it.
I hope that this emergency was resolved for the better.

[Salt Pillar]

We can tell it's Salt's sheet because no-one else would reference Questioner?

??? not nearly unhinged enough to be mine

[Morg van Destro]

Pool 24

Prompt One: The Last Straw
All it takes to break a camel's back is a single straw to be added to an overtaxed animal. All it takes for a dam to finally break under the weight of water is a single drop to upset the equilibrium. All it takes to change the world is the

wrong

right

person in the

wrong

right

situation. Write a hero or villain, who finally broke the balance of the world.

Prompt Two: Heir to Evil
Monarchy, a system of government used across the land of men and the land of gods, of one absolute ruler. But men and gods are fallible, are capable of cruelty, ignorance, in simplest words, evil. But when the evil is gone, dead by age or another's hand, one must still inherit the crown, bloodsoaked as it is. Write a new king or queen, picking up the pieces of their parent, or reveling in the destruction of the past.

Prompt Three: Grand Chaos
Fate/Grand Order, simultaneously the best writing this franchise has ever had that simultaneously carries absolute insanity and the dumbest things you have ever seen or read, by people pulling feats or abilities so far out of their ass to justify why this figure from the most obscure history or folk tale or mythology you've ever seen can kill God. (Then again look at CaS in general, maybe we're not so different.) So in that spirit, commence some asspulling so far your hand is out your mouth and make an obscure nobody the most Important Person Ever.

---

"Why are the Western nations small and yet strong? Why are we large and yet weak? We must search for the means to become their equal, and that depends on human effort... In the matching of words with deeds, we are inferior to the barbarians. The remedy is to seek the causes in ourselves. This can be changed at once, if only the Emperor would set us in the right direction."
- Feng Guifen, 19th century Chinese Reformer

"Looking back upon the memories of the past fifty years, I perceive how calamities from within and aggression from without have come upon us in relentless succession, and that my life had never engaged a moment's respite from anxiety."
- Empress Dowager Cixi

---

╼ R i d e r ╾
「 A Hundred Days to the Collapse of the Divine Mandate 」
~ ★★★★★ ~

"H-Hello there. It is a pleasure to meet you, Master. My name is... 'Zaitian'. Aisin-Gioro Zaitian. although you may also know me as-"
*The shadow behind him places her hands on his shoulders, and the boy visibly flinches at her touch. She lowers her head and whispers to his ear*
"Ah, no, no, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-! I'll do it again correctly this time, I promise! Um, just as practiced, deep breaths, stand up straight, don't slouch, and... s-smile... uuuuugghh..."
...
"...Greetings, you have summoned the Guangxu Emperor of the Great Qing Empire. As Emperor, I vow in the name of the noble House of Aisin-Gioro and the esteemed Yehe Nara clan to dedicate myself to the country once again, even now that I have been summoned as your Servant. Th-That said, as you can see, I am... but a child. My wisdom is shallow, and my judgment unsound. My reign was filled only with failure after failure. Therefore, um... as decreed by Her Honorable Majesty, Empress Dowager Cixi, I humbly place myself under your care. Please grant me your counsel, and, er... d-discipline me if you believe it necessary. Thank you."
...
"T-That's enough, right..? I didn't forget anything, and I didn't make any mistakes, did I..?"
*The shadow wordlessly turns her back on him, after which you could feel the tension dissipate from his shoulders*
~ ♬ ~

= Aisin-Gioro Zaitian, the Guangxu Emperor of Qing =

Class	Rider
Other Classes	-
Alignment	True Neutral
Origin	China (19th century)

Bond I

	Parameters
STR	E
END	D
AGI	D
MGI	E+
LCK	D
NP	C-

	Profile
Likes	Reading, modern technology, freedom, being listened to
Dislikes	Overly-domineering authority figures, not being taken seriously, traitors, disappointing others
Talent	Observing others, studying, apologizing
Natural Enemy	Empress Dowager Cixi, Yuan Shikai
Armament	Traditional Chinese sword, soldier familiars, the "shadow" following him around
Catalyst	An edict calling for reforms bearing his name (any other catalyst, even those highly associated with him, has a greater chance of summoning the "shadow" instead)

_________________________


Bond II

Class Skills

Riding (D?)

While he was familiar with horses and royal carriages throughout his lifetime, he rarely operated them by himself. He was not especially well-traveled either, ultimately resulting in a pitiful rank unbefitting of his Class. That said, one of Rider's personal Skills, Affection of the Empress Dowager, appears to cause minor fluctuations to this rank for unclear reasons. *The shadow gently nudges him, and his body immediately freezes up in response* "I-I'm sorry, but I'd rather not speak of this at all. There is... nothing remarkable about this Skill whatsoever."

Magic Resistance - (D+)

Cancels Single-Action spells. Magic Resistance of the same degree of an amulet that rejects magical energy. As a relatively recent Heroic Spirit, Rider had little contact with the supernatural. However, it appears he has picked up some basic knowledge of magecraft from his aunt, who was supposedly skilled in traditional Manchu divination, shamanism, and curse arts. The effectiveness is boosted through Affection of the Empress Dowager. "O-Of course Her Honorable One, Madam Empress Dowager, is gifted in such affairs. Laws and politics have their places, but she needed some extra reassurance in case the usual methods fail to enforce her will. N-Not that she ever needed this much. She could, um... m-make her enemies disappear just as easily without uttering a single spell. It was just... an added measure." *The shadow crosses her hands, satisfied* "Eh? What about me? W-Why would you ask something like that..? I'm... obviously nothing compared to her, haha..." *There is fear underneath his laughter*

_________________________


Bond III

The restrained Emperor. The final hope of the Great Qing. The incapable. The savior that never was.

Our story began not with the Guangxu Emperor himself, but with two of his predecessors. The 19th century was a period of great turmoil for China. In the first half, western influence presented unforeseeable challenges for the Qing empire, from the two Opium wars to numerous unequal treaties. At the head of the Qing government at the time stood the Xianfeng Emperor, who tried his best to guide his people through this tumultuous era. Unfortunately, his reign was marked with tragedy as negotiations broke down, the Qing continued to lose territory, and multiple revolts broke out- including the infamous Taiping Rebellion- which left millions dead. Worse, before he could even begin to pick up the pieces, the Emperor died of illness at the young age of 30. His only heir was a five year-old boy who would ascend the throne shortly after as the Tongzhi Emperor. Before his death, the Xianfeng Emperor had appointed eight of his most trusted men to act as regents for his son until the boy was old enough to rule. However, in an unexpected move, two of the Emperor's consorts- Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an- launched a coup that ousted these eight men from power, becoming the young Tongzhi Emperor's de facto guardian. The two would exert control over China together for decades to come.

The Tongzhi Emperor was largely uninterested in politics, which worked out nicely for the Empress Regents in charge. Recognizing the need to return "national order" to the empire after the previously-mentioned conflicts, Cixi (under the Emperor's name) organized the Tongzhi Restoration (1860-1874), a national strengthening movement that was supposedly aimed at modernizing the Qing while retaining its traditional values. Unfortunately, this "restoration" was largely seen as... far from successful. Reformists at the time believed that the movement was mostly performative in nature. It was poorly organized, with little in the way of communication and supervision from the imperial court, and there was little attempt to actually exploit western ideas or methods for improving the country. As such, the Tongzhi Restoration "barely scratched the surface of modernization, without achieving any breakthrough in industrialization". Many of the Empress' detractors wondered if this movement was nothing more than a superficial attempt for her to maintain power, silence the opposition, and prevent national panic.

The two Empress Regents' plans were thrown into disarray once again in January 1875, when the Emperor died of smallpox at age 18. He repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction at how the two regents ran things, but at the same time, he was reluctant to participate in state affairs, content to entrust everything to others. This made him a useful puppet for the two, and his premature death proved troublesome. He also left no heir, further complicating the process of succession. And so, the two co-regents began pulling strings to ensure a smooth transition of power. Breaking imperial conventions that a new Emperor must come from the generation after the previous one, candidates were instead considered from Tongzhi's generation due to the Empress' insistence that this new Emperor would not act as a successor to Tongzhi (who they deemed unfit to rule for most of his reign), but to the previous Xianfeng. In the end, the chosen successor was Tongzhi's cousin and Cixi's nephew, the four year-old Zaitian. He ascended the throne just a month later, in February 1875, assuming the regnal name "Guangxu".

Personal Skill

All Under Heaven is In Chaos (B)

A Skill Rider shares with his successor, albeit for different reasons. Throughout the 19th and early 20th century, the Qing dynasty was besieged by misfortune after misfortune; the Opium wars, the Taiping rebellion, the first Sino-Japanese war, and repeated conflicts with the west, among others. This unrelenting barrage of national humiliation caused the citizens to gradually lose faith in the Divine Mandate entrusted to the Emperor, which eventually led to the emergence of local warlords and other regional factions. As an Emperor amidst these troubling times, Rider was a recipient of resentments, expectations, accusations, and desperation piled upon him by the citizens of the crumbling empire. A variation of Innocent Monster that distorts Rider's Saint Graph whenever he fails a Skill check or commits anything that "disappoints the will of the masses". It somewhat strengthens his overall parameters and combat power, but also causes his mental state to deteriorate overtime, an effect similar to Mental Pollution that transforms him into a mad Emperor consumed by crushing guilt and unreachable ambitions. "I was four when I ascended the throne, and from the moment I could speak, my aunt-" *The shadow turns towards him, her expression unclear* "I-I mean Her Honored Majesty, the Empress Dowager, she taught me that I would be the one to restore the Qing empire to glory. Even my regnal name which she decided on, 'Guangxu', was meant to reflect that. 'The continuation of splendor'... Now, growing up, I often heard... unpleasant whispers around the Forbidden City. Many believed that I was nothing more than a replacement for my cousin, the previous Emperor. Whenever I looked at Her Honored Majesty's eyes, so full of... I don't know; ambition? Expectation? Resignment? Disappointment? I... I couldn't help but feel that she thought the same of me, to a certain extent. Um, still, it's not like I begrudge any of them for having doubts in my capabilities! If anything, I hold genuine love for my country, and I longed for the chance to truly make a difference. To return the empire to greatness once again. After all, the people's happiness is my happiness. That was what my teacher, Weng Tonghe, once taught me. I waited, and waited, and waited, but in the end..." *He notices the shadow peering over his shoulder* "M-My apologies, it's... it's nothing. It's best that we do not continue this topic of conversation."

_________________________


Bond IV

Not everyone supported Guangxu's ascension. Two others were considered for the position of Emperor; two other relatives of Tongzhi, princes Zaicheng and Zaiying. Some considered that either of these two would be better suited to rule due to being older and more experienced. However, Cixi immediately shut down that idea, citing the two to be "bad influences" to the late Tongzhi Emperor. Just a decade prior, their father had also lost favor with the imperial court due to "monopolizing state power, accepting bribes, practicing favoritism, behaving arrogantly, and showing disrespect towards the Emperor", which further lowered the family's standing in the Empresses' eyes. Guangxu, on the other hand, came from a family that was more supportive of imperial policies, and had displayed "good character" since childhood. Of course, more pragmatic thinkers argued that a younger Emperor was simply easier to manipulate compared to an older one. Whatever the case, the two Empresses adopted Guangxu into the main imperial family and spent no time declaring themselves as his co-regents.

For the next few years, Cixi and Ci'an jointly managed state affairs while the young Emperor received strict education to prepare him for his reign. Growing up, many praised the Emperor's character. He became a self-disciplinarian early on, when at age five, he told his teacher that he considered frugality to be a more important virtue than accumulation of wealth. At age seven, he insisted on walking through snow and told his servants not to clear the snow out of his way or wash his feet afterwards. He also considered the Tao to be more important than his own views. While he could be a bit of a problem student at times, he expressed genuine love for his people and was deeply empathetic of their struggles.

Empress Regent Ci'an passed away in 1881, when the Emperor was nine. This left Cixi as the boy's sole regent. His teacher, Weng Tonghe wrote in his diary that during those days, Guangxu was often seen with swollen eyes, poor concentration, and even refused to eat for several days, which he attributed to the deep grief he felt upon losing one of his mother figures. Little did the boy know, that as the Empress Regent exerted more and more control over his education, personal development, and eventually, political decisions, his worst days had just barely begun.

Personal Skill

Affection of the Empress Dowager (A+)

"Do you know, I have often thought that I am the cleverest woman who ever lived and that others cannot compare with me? Although I have heard much about Queen Victoria... still, I don't think her life is half as interesting and eventful as mine. Now look at me, I have four hundred million people, all dependent on my judgment." - Empress Dowager Cixi As China was faced with misfortune after misfortunes, Emperors, politicians, and soldiers alike fought for the preservation of the Qing, at times through diplomacy, at other times through warfare. However, despite the many ways everyone fought for the country, it was said that there was a single woman at the top who manipulated every decision made in the imperial court; the Empress Dowager Cixi. While she never officially held a position of power equal to her husband, the Xianfeng Emperor, she still effectively controlled the Qing government for fifty years, first as Empress Dowager, and later as Empress Regent. From a young age, he was forced to leave home and enter the palace, where he was strictly controlled and disciplined by the Empress. Rider greatly relied on his aunt, whose decisions dominated much of his rule. At some point, despite his official title as Emperor, many of his ministers, and even some foreign diplomats began to forego seeing him entirely, instead communicating their concerns directly to the Empress Regent. In truth, this Skill is closer in nature to a Viral Phantasm commonly possessed by Anti-Servants. A semi-sentient curse, combined with a child's fear towards a ruthless authority figure. The Empress manipulated everything, and none of Rider's decision was ever truly his own. As such, it's only natural that the Empress would follow him even now... in a manner of speaking, at least. The shadow summoned alongside Rider is not the actual Cixi. She is a traumatized child's perception of the Empress; faceless and untouchable. As such her form, despite being vaguely humanoid, may shift around randomly and cannot be fully discerned by anyone other than Rider himself. Being a representation of Rider's deepest fears, the shadow can only physically interact with the boy himself and not with the rest of the world for the most part (making it undamageable and even undetectable to enemies), though she could still gather information from surrounding areas, cast supporting spells, and at times, assume partial control of Rider's body. Most importantly, she is also able to temporarily reinforce Rider's parameters. Unfortunately, the Empress has a mind of her own, and she would not hesitate to "discipline" her nephew with parameter reductions, or inflict debilitating debuffs upon him through the same curse spells meant for his enemies if the young Emperor ever displeases her. Incidentally, it appears this Skill provides some justification on the Emperor's Class; he has no notable mount of any sort. Instead, he is the mount, a vessel for the people's aspirations and most importantly, the Empress' boundless ambition. "I... relied on her..? No, no, that's not right! I didn't- No matter how many times I asked, she always refused to-" *The shadow places a hand on his shoulder, as if very expectantly waiting for him to complete that sentence* "Ah, um... nevermind. I am eternally indebted to Her Honored Majesty, Empress Regent Cixi of the Great Qing. Her guidance had been- and still is- invaluable to me. She... n-never once laid her hands on me, and her, her... words of... encouragement really shaped me into the person I am now! Her vast wisdom is second to none, and there was no one else in the empire who shone as brilliantly as she did! Everything I was, everything I am... e-everything I could ever be... I owe it all to her." *His eyes, seemingly on the verge of holding back tears, betray his smile*

_________________________


Bond V

It did not take long for the young Emperor to learn that even after he began his formal rule, the power structure of the Qing court still depended heavily on Cixi's whims. He did not know just how far his own authority could reach. From 1891, Cixi seemingly allowed him to take a more proactive approach in governance while spent several months of the year relaxing in the Summer Palace, but he never became capable in skillfully managing court politics. According to contemporary accounts, while he could manage day-to-day state affairs, the decisions he made and much of the administrative process were still overseen by the Empress Regent, who one-sidedly arranged appointments with ministers and closely supervised the Emperor on every meeting. Over the next few years, he implemented several measures to reduce national expenditure, which proved to be one of his few administrative successes. However, these policies caused senior Manchu officials to lose their wealth, alienating the Emperor from the Qing upper class as potential allies, and bringing them closer to Cixi's side.

The summer of 1894 saw the outbreak of the First Sino-Japanese War over influence in Korea. Guangxu was initially confident that China could easily win over the small island nation. Seeing an opportunity to prove himself capable to his people, and at the urging of several of his ministers, he ignored Cixi's wishes for diplomacy and declared war on Japan. This turned out to be a grave mistake. Within weeks, the Qing found their best military forces utterly decimated by the heavily modernized Japan. This soured the government's opinion on Guangxu even more as they blamed him for leading Qing men into their deaths in the war. It was at this point a majority of the Qing court began ignoring the Emperor's status entirely, instead submitting tributes and proposals directly to Cixi for approval. Things were immediately made worse when in 1897, Germany established a military occupation in Jiaozhu Bay, Shandong province, when the Qing military was too weak to fight them off. This prompted a "scramble for concessions" among foreign powers, where Russia, Britain, France, and Japan followed Germany's footsteps and began imposing even more unfair treaties to the Qing in order to take their territories.

It was here that the Emperor reportedly expressed a desire to abdicate. After losing so much territory and being indirectly responsible for the deaths of so many, he believed that he had "lost the people's unity" and disappointed his ancestors due to his failures as a leader. However, he could not bring himself to leave his throne just yet. The country was in disarray, and abdicating amidst such a crucial period would be tantamount to the cowardly act of abandoning his people in their greatest time of need, the one thing he could not bring himself to do.

"I knew many people then had lost their faith in me. They said I was incapable and unreliable as a leader, and I... I couldn't even bring myself to dispute that. But I had to do something. If nothing else, before I retire once and for all and leave the Empress Regent to save the day again, just as everyone had hoped she would, for once in my life, I had to make up for my failures. So by the end of 1897, I began discussing the possibility of reforms with the few allies I had left by my side. Er, I wasn't hoping to do this to earn the love of my people back or anything like that! That dream... has long passed by then, haha... I-It's just like I said, I had to do something, anything for them, after... everything that happened. Little did I know..."

Personal Skill

Fated at the Boundary (EX)

“Our present trouble lies in our clinging to old institutions without knowing how to change… Nowadays the court has been undertaking some reforms, but the action of the Emperor is obstructed by the ministers, and the recommendations of the able scholars are attacked by old-fashioned bureaucrats. If the charge is not 'using barbarian ways to change China' then it is 'upsetting the ancestral institutions.' Rumors and scandals are rampant, and people fight each other like fire and water. To reform in this way is as ineffective as attempting a forward march by walking backwards. It will inevitably result in failure. Your Majesty knows that under the present circumstances reforms are imperative and old institutions must be abolished.” - May 1898 memorial to the Guangxu Emperor, written by reformist Kang Youwei A conceptual antithesis to Pioneer of the Stars, a rare Skill reserved for individuals who stood at significant turning points in human history and almost achieved greatness by "making the impossible possible". Faced by western powers, local warlords, and the Empire of Japan from all sides, it would be no exaggeration to call the Qing dynasty a sinking ship by the end of the 19th century. However, many historians and contemporary observers alike agreed that there was one way the empire could be saved; rapid modernization. Such a thing would not be without its sacrifices, but by following the path of Japan before it and enacting nationwide reforms, it might had been possible for the empire to return to glory, or failing that, at least mitigate the damage it would receive in the following century. That was what Rider had tried to accomplish through his ambitious Wuxu Reform in 1898. Unfortunately, these reforms proved unpopular with the Manchu nobility and was swiftly suppressed within three months, earning its nickname of the Hundred Days' Reform. In the following years, this failure to modernize proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back, cementing the fall of the Qing and the "century of humiliation" for China. Much like Pioneer of the Stars, allows for the realization of "impossibilities", but these "miracles" are doomed to stop just one step short of Rider's intended goal. Against a warrior with twelve lives, he might somehow devise enough plans to take out more than half his lives, only to fail in taking the warrior's final life. Upon taking a lethal, unblockable attack head-on, his Saint Graph would somehow hold together... just long enough to inflict a killing blow on the enemy, or say his final farewells to his allies. In a game of Russian roulette, he would lose his life just one round away from victory. Typically, the "greater" his intended goal, the greater the cost of this Skill would be, ranging from grievous injuries to death. Ultimately, while he may receive the sweet taste of victory from time to time, true greatness is fated to remain forever just out of reach for him, unless an even greater miracle could overturn this Skill. "My aunt, er, the Empress despised the Japanese. 'Learned all the wrong lessons from the west', she would say... not that she had much praise for the west either. Still..." *The boy looks around awkwardly, making sure the shadow is not listening in on him* "Um, while I hate them as well for all the atrocities they committed... you have to admire their resolve to take in foreign knowledge and modernize. Less than a century before I came along, the Qing regarded Japan as their 'little brother'... then in just a few decades they overtook us in technology, sciences, politics, and... everything else. What happened during this Sino-Japanese War was my fault and no one else's. Their blood is on my hands. I know that. Even so, I swear, I had the right idea about the reforms! The Empress and those old men in the Forbidden City... they could preach all day long about 'protecting our cultural identity', 'maintaining universal peace', or 'upholding the Divine Mandate', but those sentiments alone are useless if not accompanied by action! Both the Japanese and the west were like hungry vultures circling the Qing, ready to ravage our corpse the moment we take our last breath, and we needed to do everything in our power to fend them off, even if it meant making sacrifices! I... I was so close, I knew it!" *The boy sighs as his shoulders drooped* "B-But in the end... I was naive. Blinded by ambition, once again. I failed to gauge the impact such reforms would have on the people. I failed to anticipate their reactions. I failed to take precautions against the pushback I would receive. Th-This always happens to me. Failure after failure after failure... I was so close, and yet so, so far away. Why!? Why couldn't I rule just a little bit like her!? Why couldn't I... ever understand anything!? I... no, in the end, I'd always known the answer, don't I? I just... didn't- didn't want to admit it. The blame lies with me for failing my people, just as always. That said, since she is not here at the moment, may I... embrace the selfishness of a child, for just a moment?" ... "Thank you, Master. H-Here goes... AAAAAAHHH, I HATE THEM ALL! I JUST WANT THEM ALL TO LISTEN TO ME, FOR ONCE! WHY IS THAT SO HARD!? SHE COULD MOBILIZE THE ENTIRE COUNTRY WITH THE FLICK OF A FINGER! HOW!? AND WITH ALL HER INFINITE WISDOM, WHY COULDN'T SHE UNDERSTAND MY POINT OF VIEW!? Why... Why doesn't anyone ever take me seriously..? I-It would have been one thing if they pointed out flaws in my idea and offer alternatives or some constructive criticism on how to save the country, but they wouldn't even afford me that much! They just came in and... tore everything down, as easily as kicking a sandcastle on the beach! Everything I had finally built with my own two hands, gone without a trace just like that... *Hic* W-WHY!? AAAAAAAAHHHH!!" ... "A-Ahem, sorry. I did it again... I feel much better now. Anyway, that's how it is; throughout my 33 years on the throne... not once had I ever felt anyone treat me as anything more than a child, though perhaps some part of it was justified. M-Maybe that's why I've manifested in this form. The world... still refuses to take me seriously, even now, hahaha..."

_________________________


Bond VI

Noble Phantasm

A Dream Fated to Perish in a Hundred Days Bǎirì Wéixīn "Sigh, I knew it... one day, I'll have to use this again... Um, all right then. A part of me has been looking forward to this, j-just a bit, hehe. Now, Your Honored Majesty- no, you... you old hag! With all due 'respect', can you please shut up for a moment? I'm reclaiming my Divine Mandate, whether you like it or not. Even if this juvenile dream is fated to fall like leaves in autumn, so long as this life has yet to leave me, I shall stand against you with all my might. Bǎirì Wéixīn." ~ ♬ ~

The Hundred Days' Reform; a childish, haphazard "revolution" led by a young Emperor as a desperate attempt to save his homeland. Inspired by similar reforms conducted by Emperor Meiji and Peter the Great, during the summer of 1898, Rider issued more than 180 reformist edicts aimed to transform the very foundations of the Qing. These edicts demanded sweeping changes in numerous areas, including government, bureaucracy, education, international politics, and military affairs. Abolishing the traditional examination system, applying the principles of capitalism to strengthen the economy, removing redundant positions from the government, encouraging capable citizens to study abroad, building a modern education system (putting more emphasis in mathematics and sciences as opposed to Confucian texts), adopting modern military training methods... those were but some of the radical changes the Emperor demanded so that China may contend with both Japan and the western powers. That said, for Rider himself, this Noble Phantasm symbolizes more than modernizing the country. It was his one act of defiance after a lifetime of living under the Empress' thumb, and arguably the only decision he made as Emperor uninfluenced by the will of people more powerful than himself. The ultimate symbol of 「taking control over one's life」, upon its activation, Rider establishes a territory; a "country" to truly call his own. Here, Rider gains perfect knowledge of the flow of magical energy, and the positions of every ally and enemy within the territory. As for this Noble Phantasm's main use, so long as Rider is aware of Skills, specialties, or attributes possessed by both allies and enemies alike within its range, he could freely reallocate these effects to everyone in his "country". Through this, he could introduce one Servant's Weakness (Poison) to an enemy Servant previously known to be invulnerable, grant Protection from Arrows to a giant, hulking Berserker about to charge an enemy Archer head-on, temporarily remove an ally's Weak Constitution by transferring it to someone else, and many more. In the case of other Noble Phantasms, while he cannot transfer their ownership, he could still increase or decrease their ranks by one (two for other Chinese Heroic Spirits). The main caveat of this Noble Phantasm is that he could not remove a Skill or introduce a completely new one out of nowhere. The foundations of a country could not be fully erased or added on to, merely readjusted, and this is no different. These Skills must already belong to someone within the territory. Furthermore, this Noble Phantasm does not grant Rider complete knowledge of every individual's Skills and attributes, meaning he cannot "transfer" Skills he has no knowledge of. Finally, the greatest danger of this Noble Phantasm comes from- "Aiya, Zaitian... How did you grow up to be such a foolish, disrespectful child? I raised you better than that, didn't I? Is this how you choose to repay us? I swear, even lowly dogs know not to bite the hand that feeds them. Goodness, and you used to be such a sweet boy growing up... I had such high expectations of you, once. What a shame." That voice alone, the hoarse, unsettling voice that continued to haunt the boy in his worst nightmares, is enough to shatter every bit of confidence he had mustered to reach that point. It was not the western invaders or the Japanese imperialists who ultimately crushed the reforms. The edicts quickly drew animosity from the Qing elites and Confucian traditionalists who saw them as rushed, unrealistic, and most importantly, a danger to their status. The country could not keep up with these sweeping changes... though one could argue that they did not want to keep up. At the head of this opposition was none other than the Empress Dowager herself. Within days of the first edicts, she had already worked to thwart the Emperor and his reforms. It only took a few weeks for her to gain the unanimous support of the military and traditionalist factions, but for her, it was not enough. The boy must learn. And so, over the next three months, she began systematically dismantling the reformist faction, forcibly removing the Emperor's allies from the Forbidden Palace and sowing rumors of the Emperor "selling" China to the west. When the desperate Emperor appointed two foreigners to his advisory council- the British Timothy Richards and the Japanese Ito Hirobumi-, Cixi used this opportunity to convince the masses- who was already wary of foreigners- that the Emperor had surrendered himself and the nation to a foreign plot. In September of that year, she officially launched a coup, branded the Emperor a national traitor, and placed him under house arrest for the rest of his life. Within weeks, most if not all of these edicts were reversed and many of the Emperor's allies were arrested or executed. Many outside China considered the restoration of Cixi's authority as "a return to darkness", and the final nail in the coffin of the Qing dynasty. This Noble Phantasm has the "safe" limit of a mere ten minutes. Any longer than that, and the Empress would be furious, causing Rider's parameters to rapidly drop and inflicting layers upon layers of curses upon his Saint Graph, causing great pain to him. At times, she may even forcibly take control of Rider's body, getting him to take his own life unless he has enough mental strength to resist her. Finally, under certain circumstances, the prolonged activation of this Noble Phantasm may act as a catalyst to summon the Empress Dowager Cixi herself, much to Rider's horror. “Some historians said that if the Emperor had implemented his changes one at a time, allowing the reactions to flare up and cool down, rather than bombarding the country with reforms, the history of China might have been different. Russian rulers have always taken the approach that one cannot cross a chasm by small steps, and they have wrenched their country out of medieval obscurity through sweeping reforms. But then they did not have an Empress Dowager at the helm.” - X.L. Woo, historian

"I think the reforms, however brief it was, and knowing it ended in despair... still reignited my spirits, just a little bit. I was so ready to throw everything away as punishment for my sins, but for a moment, overseeing everything, standing on my own two feet and building everything with my own hands... it really reminded me of the kind of leader I wanted to be for my people. Like our noble founder, Hong Taiji who laid the foundations of the empire. Like the Qianlong Emperor, who brought prosperity to the empire through the development of art and culture. Like my uncle, the Xianfeng Emperor, who- despite all his shortcomings- still tried to face the challenges threatening the empire to the best of his abilities, no matter how grim the situation... I wanted to be like them. I wanted to be even half the ruler they were, even knowing I... I probably could never, haha... I... I'll never stop trying, though, as foolish as it sounds. That's... That's the only thing she can never take from me..."

_________________________

Bond VII

~ ♬ ~

Following the disastrous outcome of the Hundred Days' Reform, Empress Regent Cixi placed Guangxu under indefinite house arrest while she reclaimed total, de-facto control over state affairs. The Emperor was detained in the Yingtai Pavilion of the Zhongnanhai, a residential complex located just adjacent to the Forbidden City, China's center of governance. He was allowed books, letters, and occasional guests under the Empress' watchful eye, but his role in the government was over.

And yet, despite this bleak outcome for the young Emperor who had once dreamed of saving his country, he was not content to merely rot away in his imprisonment. For ten years, he reflected on the failure of the previous reforms, pored over countless literature, kept up to date with world news, consulted experts from various fields, corresponded with foreign envoys, and drafted plans for more thorough, gradual reforms I would apply with my deepened understanding of state and international affairs. Every day, he gazed at the Forbidden Palace just outside his window, its magnificent halls barred to him. He yearned for his freedom, for the day he would return there, no matter how far away such a day would be.

Personal Skill

All Kinds of Talents (D)

As a boy, under the tutelage of Confucian scholar Weng Tonghe, Rider was taught calligraphy, classical Chinese literature, and the Chinese, Mongolian, and Manchu languages. From age ten, he began reading historical works, including the decrees and policies of earlier Emperors, ultimately instilling within him a sense of duty for the sake of "keeping the state in order" and "maintaining universal peace", two core values of his education enforced by both the Empress and his teacher. Rider's passion for learning arose once again in his final years when, placed under house arrest and forbidden to interfere in matters of the state, he began studying seriously about politics, international relations, and modernization. When the Emperor was not buried in his books, he passed the time tinkering with clocks, simple automatons, and other foreign contraptions. While it cannot be said that Rider is a true master at any specific field, as a Servant, he could still perform everything he practiced in life with the proficiency of up to rank C. He is highly observant of others, and possesses a good degree of social and political savviness beyond his years. His planning skills, while they may appear haphazard or immature more fitting of his age at times, are actually quite sound. Actually communicating these plans and amassing support for himself, however, remains a challenge for him. The Empress' sheer charisma had always overshadowed him, after all. That does not miraculously change now. "What brought along my renewed interest in studying, you ask? Haha, well, that's..." *The boy looks around again, his guard finally relaxing once he's absolutely certain that she is not present* "She still isn't here. Th-That's good, because... she definitely would not like what I have to say next. In those ten years I was imprisoned in the Zhongnanhai... I was waiting for her to die. The Empress had led the Qing for so long, and as much as I hate to say this, I am grateful for all the good things she accomplished during her time, However, it was clear to me that so long as she remained at the helm of the imperial court, nothing would ever change, and we all knew that so long as she drew breath, she would refuse to entrust power to anyone else. So waiting for her to die was... the only option I had left. Despite everything I faced, I refused to give up my ambitions. Her death would mark a new beginning for the country, and with no one else to turn to, the people would look to me for guidance. So I sought to shed the naive ignorance of my youth, all for the sake of becoming a better leader for the Qing once the time comes. Once she's gone and I assume the throne once again, I could still fix things, I was absolutely sure of it. Unfortunately, despite all my best efforts, at the end of those ten, long years, after everything..."

And then, the day finally arrived. Cixi passed away on November 15, 1908, after naming the two year-old Puyi- Guangxu's half-nephew- as his successor, the Xuantong Emperor. Her death, and the child's ascension marked a new era of strife and conflict against foreign powers. The Qing would fall just three years later to the newly-established Republic of China.

And what of the previous Emperor? The one who waited patiently from the confines of his gilded prison, still earnestly believing that he could save the Qing dynasty from the brink of destruction?

The Guangxu Emperor, eleventh and second-to-last Emperor of the Great Qing, was found dead in his pavilion on November 14, 1908. Just one day before the Empress who had dominated his life for so long. Arsenic was found in his system, hundreds of times higher than the minimum lethal dose. Conspiracies arose regarding his death, none of which were fully accepted by historians. The initial theory was that the Emperor might have taken his own life in despair, a theory deemed unlikely considering his character. The next most prevalent theory was that Cixi, aware of her own impending death, ordered him poisoned out of fear that he might reverse her policies. Others argued that it was Yuan Shikai, a prominent general who had turned against him during the reforms and served Cixi's traditionalist faction, who ordered him poisoned, worried that the Emperor would punish him for treason should he regain power. To dispel these speculations, the Qing imperial court produced documents and medical records suggesting the Emperor died of natural causes, but that did little to discourage the theories. Ultimately, his death remain shrouded in mystery.

In the few decades following his death, he remained a controversial figure in the Republic of China. Qing sympathizers considered him a weak, incompetent leader who weakened imperial power, and the only Emperor to have been put under house arrest. Meanwhile, the nationalists praised him as the first Chinese leader who tried implementing modernizing reforms and "an open-minded Manchu noble who could accept western ideas".

_________________________


Bond VIII

Likes	"To tell you the truth, I am quite fond of..." *He turns to the shadow, who shakes her head* "Of course, o-okay then... it's nothing. As an Emperor, um... if I even deserve to call myself that, considering what happened, haha... nothing brings me more joy than my people's happiness! D-Do you believe me? I know you might think I'm lying because she is here, but this part is definitely not a lie, so please, please, please believe me..."
Dislikes	"U-Um, what was it again? The west, Japan, and..." *The shadow whispers something to his ear* "Right, right, ahem... The... The western pigs who poisoned the country with their opium, and the Japanese dogs who throw themselves at their master's feet without a single thought of their own. I... hate them more than anything else!" ... "Er, that's it, right!? Y-You won't hit me, right!?" *The shadow turns away without a word*
Wish	"The restoration of the Great Qing! After more than two centuries of prosperity, the shameful end we faced at the hands of foreigners was just... utterly unacceptable. So I shall wish for the Qing to rise once more." *The shadow lightly taps his shoulder* "A-Ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, also... also, if the Qing were to be given another chance, I would like to entrust everything to- to the honorable Empress Regent- no, Empress Regnant Cixi. I remain foolishly ignorant to the ways of the world, and I *hic* have brought nothing but shame to both the country and my esteemed ancestors. Therefore, I shall... ugh... I shall defer to Her Honorable Majesty's judgment in all matters from here onwards!"

Bond 5

Likes	"As I said, it's prosperity for the empire, happiness for the people, and... eh? Other than that? W-What else is there? I mean, um... is it really okay for me to talk about that?" *He looks around, making sure the shadow is not listening* "Okay then... she would call me a radicalized, national traitor and a disappointment to the family if she were here, but for so long, I've found myself absolutely fascinated by the march of progress. S-Sure, to a certain extent, I agree that it's important to take pride in our culture, but it's just as important to... keep up with the times and make sure the rest of the world doesn't leave you behind, don't you think?" ... "During my time in the Zhongnanhai- no, even before then, I read biographies of other great men and women who managed to enact large-scale reforms to change their countries for the better; Emperor Meiji, Peter the Great, Queen Victoria... I had to hide those books from the Empress though. She would probably burn them if she ever found them, since the entire country absolutely despised foreigners back then, and for good reason... A-Ahem, but the point is, for so long, I yearned to be like them. Like the bright-eyed child I was- and maybe still am-, I wondered if my name could ever be found in important treaties, royal documents, and history books like them. If... If that makes me a traitor, then... maybe I really am a traitor, haha... w-what am I saying..?"
Dislikes	"Just as Weng-lǎoshī once taught me, I aimed to live a virtuous life as an Emperor. Growing up, the dao was important to me, so were principles of frugality, harmony, and universal peace. But, um, how should I say this... this isn't really anyone's fault per se, and I'm still grateful for everything my teachers taught me, but... I hate it when others misunderstand my actions, only to ascribe everything to 'virtue'." ... "When Empress Regent Ci'an passed away, it's true that I wept and even refused to eat for several days. But my tears were not shed primarily out of grief or empathy. It was fear. The late Empress Regent was far from a good mother figure. In fact, I refuse to call either Cixi or Ci'an 'mother' even now. But compared to her... let's just say Ci'an was more partial to the 'carrot' in the expression 'carrot and stick'. And with her gone, I was left alone with her. I was ten when Ci'an passed, and that was when the idea first came to me; if I got sick from not eating for so long, I wouldn't have to see Her Honorable Majesty for a few days, or a few weeks if I was lucky. If... If my sickness turned out even worse than I anticipated, well... I wouldn't want that, but at least maybe I wouldn't have to see her ever again..? At least, that's what I thought back then. Um, fortunately I got better later on, but still... th- there was not a single virtuous thing there, was there!? I lived through every day under crippling fear, and that fear followed me here even now, but everyone just closed their eyes to that, only to praise my 'noble character' or whatever! I didn't need any more praise, dammit! I just... I wanted someone, anyone to open their eyes to me, for once..."
Wish	"Will I ever be able to shine as brilliantly as my ancestors once did? I... don't think I need her to remind me of my many shortcomings. The failure of the Wuxu reforms taught me that I still had much to learn. So, I don't know if I could ever make my ancestors proud... but if nothing else, I'd like to try. I could wish for the old hag and that general to receive the harshest punishment I could imagine, but more than that, I want a chance for my life to truly begin. For me to make my own decisions, and for others to actually listen. Haha, it's... honestly a little pathetic that I would need a Holy Grail for such a simple wish..."

_________________________


Bond IX

Wu Zetian (Lover) (Morg van Destro)	"Eh? Why have I been silently following her around all this time? Well... I admire her. Her character, her competence, her dedication to the country, how everyone would actually listen to her words... she's everything I'm not. B-But... I can't even bring myself to offer her a simple greeting. It's not her fault, I swear! She just... her mere presence reminds me too much of her. Like... it's a very silly thing. My mind knows it's not her, but just hearing her voice or standing too close to her would just... make my body instinctively freeze up, despite how much I will it to move. Am I explaining this clearly enough? S-Sorry, I'm still working on this myself... I wonder if I could ever be mentally ready to greet her properly..." *The shadow, on the other hand, seems very eager for the two of them to meet directly. Perhaps she considers getting acquainted with the Tang Empress to be a good learning experience for the boy, or she simply wishes to save face in front one of the few Chinese rulers she actually respects. Either way, she would not hesitate to separate them the moment the other Empress proves herself to be a "bad influence" to her nephew.*
Di Renjie (Scotcheroos)	"No way... the Cases Solved by Judge Di Di gong'an was one of my favorite books during my time in the Zhongnanhai. Looking back, my aunt probably considered the work... safe, or free of subversive themes for me to read, or maybe it's just because she always held some reverence towards Empress Wu. Outside your image as a detective, though... you remind me a bit of Weng-lǎoshī. Except even he left my side when I needed him most... No, no, I'm probably being naive again. He must have had his reasons... W-Wait, he must have, right..? He wouldn't just... leave me behind like that, would he..? Did I disappoint him..? A-Ahem, sorry, that just... happens with me sometimes. Pay it no mind. It is an honor for me to make your acquaintance, Chancellor."
Valentinian II (Sutaa)	*There are so many things he wishes to say to the boy. So many words he had wished to hear from others growing up, but the moment Rider tries to reach out towards the poor Binder... a cold grip catches his hand and pulls him away, and he could feel those many words he prepared leaving his mind* "I-I see... in the end... I'm still not strong enough..."
Peter the Great (NMR-3)	"Woooow, the books really failed to do him justice! He's like a hero straight out of legend, but he also feels... very human. More than that, he was free... For a long time, I wondered if I could be a bit more like him when it comes to ruling and making difficult decisions... er, I don't think I could reforge the church bells like you did, though. If I do that to the temples in my homeland, I feel like my ancestors would curse me or something, haha..."
Duleep Singh (WhiteFrenzy)	"The prince of a gilded cage, trapped so far away from home... his life was spent following the whims of others, whether it be the diamond, the queen, or the world... He went through so much, but he still remains true to himself even today... I'm... a little jealous... a story penned by your own hands, huh... I pray that day will arrive soon for you, foreign prince." *You could almost feel the shadow sigh in disappointment. How could her nephew have such terrible taste in role models? Perhaps he truly is beyond help...*
Shi Yousan (Scotcheroos)	*The shadow could be seen carefully eyeing him, before whispering something to Rider* "Excuse me, Master, but she... she has a message for you. 'Even a country with strong roots could fall not to barbarian invasions, but to rats gnawing at its foundations. Dismiss him immediately'. I'm just the messenger here, but after what happened with General Yuan... I'm inclined to agree. Please trust me on this one, Master. His competence is not worth the chance of him stabbing you in the back the moment you need him most."
Hong Xiuquan (BnEl15)	"He was gone long before I was born, but both Empress Regents used to tell me all sorts of... terrifying bedtime stories about him since I was a child. They said, he would come back to snatch me away if I misbehave. As I grew older, I figured they must have exaggerated some parts to turn him into some kind of... boogeyman for naughty Qing children. Looking at him now, though... maybe they didn't exaggerate as much as I thought..."
"Seikanron" (BnEl15)	"Emperor... wait, no... Mr. Ito..? That's you, isn't it..? I knew it, though I really hoped I was wrong. After all, um... I respected you, once. Both you, and the Emperor. You especially, Mr. Ito; for what it's worth, your counsel was very helpful to me during the reforms, so thank you for that. But now... I can't believe I actually agree with her of all people, but... you've hurt enough people in this form. I-I'm sorry, but... you have to be put down. If not by me, then by someone else..."
Empress Dowager Cixi (Avenger) (Lady Vanatos)	*You've seen his reaction to the Empress conjured by his Saint Graph. You can imagine his reaction to the genuine article. The Avenger still does not know of Rider's existence. With tears in his eyes, he begged you to never, ever let her know he has been summoned, at least until he's mentally ready to face her... however long that may be.*
Xuantong Emperor (Kamera):	"...I'm sorry. In the end, I couldn't save you either. Not from her expectations, and not from the tragedy that befell the Qing. Please forgive this useless uncle of yours. Still, despite everything... I'm glad you've found your own sense of fulfilment as a citizen of the country. May your future days be filled with happiness." *The Emperor bows, and the younger boy turns away after giving his response. The shadow could briefly be seen reaching out to him, but outside everyone's expectations... Rider swats her hand away. It was a split-second, instinctive move against his better judgment. He wasn't sure what he was thinking either, but...* "He's... He's gone through enough, don't you think..?" *The shadow retracts her hand. As usual, it's difficult to discern what she is thinking, but at first glance, she seemed to express mild surprise, which quickly shifted to... some kind of amusement?*

_________________________


Bond X

A Weightless Crown
~ ♬ ~


Source

Ashamed as I am to admit it, after I turned ten or so, I began forgetting the faces of my biological parents.
Empress Regent Cixi allowed my father, the Prince of Chun, to teach me along with Weng-lǎoshī for a time, but after Ci'an passed away, it seemed like their relationship soured, and due to things my childish mind could not comprehend at the time... I never saw him in the Forbidden City ever again.
They wrote letters from time to time, but as I grew up, those letters gradually grew less frequent... or maybe she intercepted them, I don't know.
If nothing else, I took comfort in knowing that they were probably all right.

Last I heard, the Empress Regent gave my parents several important titles and awards for their... "willingness" to surrender me to the state, as heir to Tongzhi. Not that those things did much to fix their relationship with the Empress. My father had always been wary of her ambitions, and despite the titles awarded to him, he preferred to throw himself into his work as Controller of the Admiralty, surveying the coasts and staying far, far away from the ruthless court politics. There were times I envied him for that.

Still, I remember this one thing he taught me.
"The crown is no mere headwear. It harbors the hopes of the people, the responsibility of governance, and the illustrious history of the Qing. You will come to learn its true weight one day, and when the day comes, I pray that you do not crumble under the pressure, and that you will continue to serve the country with pride and virtue in your heart."

I remember this lesson the most because... he was wrong, or so I thought.
For more than a decade, I kept waiting for that "weight" and sense of importance to arrive, but it never did.
Putting on the crown felt more ceremonial than anything, especially when I knew full well that I hardly made any decisions myself.

And then, that day arrived.

The Hundred Days' Reform. I think that was the first time I truly felt the weight of the crown.

Traditions that had defined the Qing for centuries, the lives of countless people, the very fate of the nation... all of it, in my hands.
Sure, it was overwhelming at first, but after the initial shock, well...

I did not feel burdened at all.
In fact, I felt free. Freer than I had ever felt before. Like a bird taking flight for the first time and seeing just what lies before the horizon.
Really, it came to a point where I started questioning myself if it was all right for me to feel this happy when the nation remained in turmoil and its future greatly depended on my decisions during that time.

How will the Qing navigate through the rapidly changing world of the 20th century?
What new institutions must be made to accommodate these new challenges? Which ones should be reformed, or dismantled outright?
Which governmental positions could be deemed redundant and abolished?
What new expertise should our people learn to contend with the difficulties of this new era?

...Well, not like it mattered.
You know how that reform ended.
I was forced to spend the rest of my life in that pavilion, and my crown lost its weight once again.

Still, I received a taste of that weight before.
Even as I spent my days in that cage, as the world continued to turn without my involvement, even if my life felt like it was over before it ever truly began, even if that old hag still follows me into my darkest nightmares...

I'm still here.
I'm a coward, a failure, and a bad student who still has much to learn... but I'm still here.

Maybe one day, I'll feel that weight again when I put on my crown, but until that day arrives once again...
I'll persist, just for a little while longer.

Creator's Notes

"Auntie, can I modernize the country?"
"No."
"Why not? Meiji and Peter from next door did exactly that and things turned out great for them."
"If Meiji and Peter jump off a cliff, would you jump as well?"
"I mean, if jumping off a cliff leads to the country becoming a world power, then..."
"No."
"I'm going to activate my Noble Phantasm."
"Don't you dare."
"Fuck you auntie, I'm doing it anyways!"
"Aiya... Don't make me come down from the Throne with the belt, young man!"
"Aww, okay..."
[Inflict NP seal on self]

Uuuuuuuuuugggghhhh.
Writing this is like bullying a child, and it feels awful. I tried my best to write his personality beyond "shy, traumatized boy" without having to explicitly spell them out in the personality section, and I only hope his lines are enough to convey that. In case I didn't though... he is shy and self-deprecating, but he's definitely not as incompetent as Cixi made him out to be. He's decently confident once he gets the ball rolling, and while he still displays the impatience and immaturity of a child sometimes, he... really isn't that bad at what he does. Of course, the mere presence of "Cixi" (and to a lesser extent, other domineering authority figures like Wu Zetian) is enough to turn him back into a neurotic, stammering mess. Also, perhaps like many children from... less than harmonious families, he's hyper-aware of other people's actions, down to the smallest gestures, sometimes to his demerit.

Whatever the case, I hope whoever gave me this pool is satisfied. A late Merry Christmas and Happy New Years' whoever you are. Your present this year is a traumatized child.

Credits to Spelror for the art... unless I am Spelror, in which case, credits to me.
Credits to BnEl15 and Wyvern for inspiring me with the formatting... unless I am BnEl15, in which case, credits to me.
Credits to Delrey for helping me actually put the formatting I have in my head into the sheet... unless I am Delrey. Who knows~ :nobunobu:

Now, let's see how much of the prompts I managed to fulfill...

The Last Straw
The most obvious one. Whether you blame Cixi for her traditionalist ways, or Guangxu for trying to speedrun the entire Meiji Restoration in a matter of months, the failure of the Hundred Days' Reform was the final nail in the coffin for the Qing. By the time Puyi came into power, the Qing was already doomed. (1.0)

Heir to Evil
Well... there's a heir (Guangxu) to evil (Cixi) in this sheet all right. It's just that even after the "evil" officially stepped down from the government. She's still there and very much unwilling to relinquish her power from behind the scenes, despite the heir's best efforts to "pick up the pieces". (0.75)

But, ackshually, if you interpret this sheet with the loophole that you didn't summon Rider Guangxu, but Rider Cixi with Guangxu as her mount, you could argue that Cixi served as successor to her husband Xianfeng (not exactly evil per se, tried his best, but was ultimately just kinda incompetent faced with the Taiping Rebellion, the west, and everything else), and she tried to salvage what she could from the terrible state her husband left the country in. But she's not exactly a heir in the strictest sense of the word... (0.25)

Grand Chaos
Uh, I... might have overstressed the importance of Guangxu's reign, or his role in the fall of the Qing? There are probably a bunch of other factors outside his control, other than the failure of the reforms. Also that NP is pretty wanked for what's basically a puppet Emperor taking his life back for the first time in forever. Probably not what you're hoping, but it's... something? Kind of? Idk. Incidentally, the only reason he's a 5* is because Cixi carried him hard and gave him four more stars. If there's a way to summon him without Cixi's shadow, his mental state would be considerably better, but he'd also be a Nobukatsu-tier Servant. Then again, King Tut is a 5* as well, so... (0.10)

​Total: 2.10/3

[Vididii]

YO THAT FC FUCKS

[sutaa]

I can't believe the composite Spelror/BnEL/Wyvern/Del being would do this

BUT CONGRATS EVERYONE

Time to actually read all these sheets

[Baron Magnus]

and thats a rap, thanks OddEye for closing us out!

Now to collect my scant predictions and compile them.

[Marethyu77]

And here's already the QoL post, because why wait ? I'll keep adding the missing titles later

---

Pool 1 :

Oidipous

Οἰδίπους

A Fate of Tragedy, Unmatched in Riddles
Class : Rider
Submitted by: OddEyedDuelist

Pool 2 :

Yasutake Fujibayashi

間林清陽

Dissonyant Shinyobi
Class : Stranger
Submitted by: WhiteFrenzy

Pool 3 :

Takemikazuchi

建御雷

A Blade Has Edges, And This One's Sure Are Sharp
Class : Saber
Submitted by: Spelingerror

Pool 4 :

Kaguya

かぐや

|

Hou Yi

后羿

| Hunaphu & Xbalanque
Legends of

Pokemon

Sun & Moon

Class : Assassin | Archer | Archer
Submitted by: Baron Magnus

Pool 5 : Lucrezia Borgia - 3rd place
What Is Love ? Jesus As A Personality Trait, Apparently
Class : Assassin
Submitted by: Frigix

Pool 6 :

Ougon Bat

黄金 バット

Here Comes The Batman
Class : Berserker
Submitted by: Random

Pool 7 : S H A M E (

Irene of Athens

Εἰρήνη Σαρανταπήχαινα

, on CaS4 page 20)
S H A M E
Class : S H A M E
Submitted by: Saron

Pool 8 :

Khepri & Hatshepsut

𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 & 𓄂𓏏𓀼

The struggles of the hieroglyphs in BBCode
Class : Watcher
Submitted by: pinetree

Pool 9 : Pythia & Python

Pythia

Πυθία

&

Python

Πύθων

&

Delphyne-Omphalos

Δελφύνη-ὀμφαλός

Drawing Cogito Prophecies From the Well
Class : Caster & RiderCaster & Rider | Anti-Archer
Submitted by: Salt Pillar

Pool 10 : Kullervo |

Herostratus

Ἡρόστρατος

|

Santa Clause

Laplace's Demon

A Child of Death, A Man of Fire, A Demon of Kindness
Class : Avenger | Archer | Watcher (Santa)
Submitted by: Morg van Destro

Pool 11 : [REDACTED]Jan Tregagle
[REDACTED]
Class : Rider
Submitted by: Vididii

Pool 12 :

Midas

Μίδας

Fingers of Gold, Ears of an Ass
Class : Ruler
Submitted by: ErrantGalatine

Pool 13 : Boleslaw the Brave
Not Coleslaw
Class : Saber
Submitted by: Voikirium

Pool 14 : Guinevere
CAMELOT YURI
Class : Ruler
Submitted by: Axe

Pool 15 : Dr. John Hunter
There's Little Difference Between Grave-Robbers and Archaeologists Research Surgeons
Class : Berserker
Submitted by: Scotcheroos

Pool 16 : Jules Verne
Voyageur Extraordinaire With a Self-Imposed Protagonist Syndrome
Class : Voyager
Submitted by: Marethyu77

Pool 17 :

Thomas Palailogos

Θωμᾶς Παλαιολόγος

How Often Do Men Think About The Roman Empire ? A Lot
Class : Lancer
Submitted by: MuramasaMachII

Pool 18 : Jack Parsons | James Bond007 |

Niimi Nankichi

新美南吉

- 1st place
Dreams Never Come True - Don't Stop Me Now | At Your Secret Service | A Fox's Tale
Class : Foreigner | AssassinPretender | Watcher
Submitted by: sutaa

Pool 19 : S H A M E
S H A M E
Class : S H A M E
Submitted by: Vance

Pool 20 :

Great Yellow-Browed King

黄眉

W a t e r m e l o n
Class : Pretender
Submitted by: AspiringShoulder

Pool 21 :

Kūkai

空海

aka

Kōbō Daishi

弘法大師

Death Would Be A Kinder Fate
Class : Foreigner
Submitted by: DelRey

Pool 22 : Giordano Bruno
Nuh Uh Your Honor, God Is Everywhere
Class : Caster
Submitted by: Dark Squirrel

Pool 23 : S H A M E Hope it gets resolved soon
S H A M E Good luck
Class : S H A M E
Submitted by: Dr Stein

Pool 24 :

Aisin-Gioro Zaitian

愛新覺羅·載湉

- 2nd place
A Weighless Crown & An Overbearring Shadow
Class : Rider
Submitted by: BnEl15

[pinetree]

Morg are you not gonna reveal the shameful so we can guess the others?

[Morg van Destro]

I suppose it's probably for the best to.

7=Saron
19=Vance
23=Stein

[sutaa]

Vance shamed twice?

[Morg van Destro]

Mis-copy. Already fixed.

[Baron Magnus]

My current guesses.

I'll update when I have something more concrete than vibes.

Pool 1: ???
Pool 2: White
Pool 3: Mare
Pool 4: Me
Pool 5: Random
Pool 6: ???
Pool 7: Shame
Pool 8: ???
Pool 9: Morg
Pool 10: ???
Pool 11: Vidi
Pool 12: ???
Pool 13: Shoulder
Pool 14: Delray
Pool 15: ???
Pool 16: Pine
Pool 17: ???
Pool 18: Axe
Pool 19: Shame
Pool 20: ???
Pool 21: Smoke
Pool 22: Mura
Pool 23: Shame
Pool 24: Spleror

Thanks to Serra for some thought provocation.

[Scotcheroos]

Welp! Everyone place your bets and guesses on who's done which sheets!
(And also votes, we need them votes to be submitted when possible)
(Hope you're doing alright, Stein)

[Alexcoene]

Before this started, I didn't expect one of my favorite sheets there to be "James Bond", truth to be told. Also f'd up that one sheet did a much better job at driving home the message of 'spy fiction glorifies a truly fucked up profession' than Alan Moore did in 200+ pages of comic.

[ErrantGalantine]

I have no guesses for 90% of the entries But I'm gonna bet on
13—Volkirium
17—DelRey