Monthly Create-A-Servant Contest

[Gl4re]

I was actually knee-deep in Hindu-Buddhist syncretism which I abandoned ASAP a soon as Santa was beamed into my head

[pinetree]

Thank you Comum and asterism for the help with the examples

[Serra]

Should I take Archer down and dump them in CaS3? I know the 'first entry' slot would still be filled and I wouldn't be able to replace it anyway, but it wouldn't make much sense for something that doesn't fit the prompt to show up in the monthly compilation lol

I know I got the exact specifics of the prompt wrong but I really don't think it's too restrictive, it's still very much inspiring a lot of non-joke ideas. I had to scrap a couple more ideas recently (more about those in the spoiler) but I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of what it allows, so I'm not worried about being unable to come up with material for a second entry

Spoiler:

The 'serious' idea (both in terms of 'actually based on syncretism of cultures and religions that has at some point in history been hypotesized to have occurred in real life' and 'serious in tone, not a joke, not lighthearted') I've been working on these last few days kind of sank today because I realised "wait a minute, the process of it all would've been very interesting and complex, but the end result was just "yeah this sect was more ascetic than usual and spoke in tongues" without any other actual lasting overlap with the worship of different religions, which means the payoff is definitely not worth the setup". Very much got lost in the process and couldn't get to any actual goal


Two other ideas I've essentially scrapped would've involved either Baal (which I don't really want to mess with because it's got both a canon Pseudo-Singularity to itself and a Demon God Pillar host sheet by Kamera) or an instance in which through history Serapis may have been syncretised with myths that were neither Greek nor Egyptian (but I don't really want to directly tackle Serapis either for the reasons already brought up lol v)

Well, Serapis was already done previously by BN, so that has been explored and half.

[RoydGolden]

Should I take Archer down and dump them in CaS3? I know the 'first entry' slot would still be filled and I wouldn't be able to replace it anyway, but it wouldn't make much sense for something that doesn't fit the prompt to show up in the monthly compilation lol

I know I got the exact specifics of the prompt wrong but I really don't think it's too restrictive, it's still very much inspiring a lot of non-joke ideas. I had to scrap a couple more ideas recently (more about those in the spoiler) but I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of what it allows, so I'm not worried about being unable to come up with material for a second entry

Spoiler:

The 'serious' idea (both in terms of 'actually based on syncretism of cultures and religions that has at some point in history been hypotesized to have occurred in real life' and 'serious in tone, not a joke, not lighthearted') I've been working on these last few days kind of sank today because I realised "wait a minute, the process of it all would've been very interesting and complex, but the end result was just "yeah this sect was more ascetic than usual and spoke in tongues" without any other actual lasting overlap with the worship of different religions, which means the payoff is definitely not worth the setup". Very much got lost in the process and couldn't get to any actual goal


Two other ideas I've essentially scrapped would've involved either Baal (which I don't really want to mess with because it's got both a canon Pseudo-Singularity to itself and a Demon God Pillar host sheet by Kamera) or an instance in which through history Serapis may have been syncretised with myths that were neither Greek nor Egyptian (but I don't really want to directly tackle Serapis either for the reasons already brought up lol v)

I don't think pine actually said your entry was disqualified. If he meant that he should've been clearer IMO.

[pinetree]

Should I take Archer down and dump them in CaS3? I know the 'first entry' slot would still be filled and I wouldn't be able to replace it anyway, but it wouldn't make much sense for something that doesn't fit the prompt to show up in the monthly compilation lol

I know I got the exact specifics of the prompt wrong but I really don't think it's too restrictive, it's still very much inspiring a lot of non-joke ideas. I had to scrap a couple more ideas recently (more about those in the spoiler) but I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of what it allows, so I'm not worried about being unable to come up with material for a second entry

Please forgive me for once again throwing shade on your first entry but my problems with it are not the qualifications for the contest. I don't think there's anything wrong with tying together a bunch of unrelated legends through flimsy excuses for a comedic sheet. In fact that's the exact kind of stuff I'd expect from a joke sheet in a syncretism contest.

My problems are with execution, not concept. I think it fails in introducing us to the concept of one entity travelling around and becoming others by going straight into the journey narration instead of first giving us a longer introduction It lacks punch by going straight into silly emoticon mode instead of trying to introduce us to a seemingly serious historical context before pulling the rug under the reader. I also think it misses the opportunity to make multiple jokes throughout the entire thing by sticking to the stiff storytelling format. Not focusing on what an absolute disaster of a love life someone who is both Artemis and Orion would have felt particularly weird, etc, etc.

I understand that as the previous winner my comments might come off as judging whether or not you're qualified, but those were just my personal opinions on the sheet. If I saw something wholly unfit for the contest I'd be more emphatic about it.

[Morg van Destro]

I was really hoping for more of a combination of all the different versions of Santa across the globe for an entry with him rather than one that basically only draws from Odin. Let's get some Saint Nicholas, Ded Morez, a touch of Krampus, and our American bowl full of jelly mixed into him. I'm probably the only one, but I'm just kinda disappointed by this one, but I can admit part of it could be my Apathy toward Stranger as a Class.

[Alexcoene]

Krampus isn't a version of Santa tho, he's a companion. And I like a more focused sheet rather than trying to do everything at once.

[Gl4re]

I was really hoping for more of a combination of all the different versions of Santa across the globe for an entry with him rather than one that basically only draws from Odin. Let's get some Saint Nicholas, Ded Morez, a touch of Krampus, and our American bowl full of jelly mixed into him. I'm probably the only one, but I'm just kinda disappointed by this one, but I can admit part of it could be my Apathy toward Stranger as a Class.

While I understand what you mean, I definitely did not only draw from Odin. Miracle for Sinterklaas, Nature Spirits in the Wild Hunt for Ded Moroz, Charisma as a nod to various rulership identities... The nods are all there lol. It only looks like Odin is prominent because 'the Wild Hunt' is a Nasuverse thing that exists on a wider scale and am pulling from. But we also know that the Wild Hunt in the Nasuverse is everywhere and attributed by a lot of identities. I have my own sneaking suspicion that historical Saint Nicholas could be connected to it too...

[pinetree]

I do agree that the many aspects could be integrated better, the references through the skills do feel surface level, but I think the Legend section solves it quite handly by making the class itself a statement in regards to the many versions of Santa Claus, allowing the rest to be more focused on the classic image of the character.
My only real criticism is the NP. It feels very tacked on to the point I made up my own version of it before I was done reading and got disappointed with the rest lol

Though the great application of a fan class I was already partial to, the heartwarming personality and narrative and the cute interactions with the other contestants easily overshadowed my opinion on the NP.

[Gl4re]

I do agree that the many aspects could be integrated better, the references through the skills do feel surface level, but I think the Legend section solves it quite handly by making the class itself a statement in regards to the many versions of Santa Claus, allowing the rest to be more focused on the classic image of the character.
My only real criticism is the NP. It feels very tacked on to the point I made up my own version of it before I was done reading and got disappointed with the rest lol

Though the great application of a fan class I was already partial to, the heartwarming personality and narrative and the cute interactions with the other contestants easily overshadowed my opinion on the NP.

That's totally fair. I see why you'd feel that way about the NP. I'm just glad I was able to sell the rest of it then!

[Morg van Destro]

While I understand what you mean, I definitely did not only draw from Odin. Miracle for Sinterklaas, Nature Spirits in the Wild Hunt for Ded Moroz, Charisma as a nod to various rulership identities... The nods are all there lol. It only looks like Odin is prominent because 'the Wild Hunt' is a Nasuverse thing that exists on a wider scale and am pulling from. But we also know that the Wild Hunt in the Nasuverse is everywhere and attributed by a lot of identities. I have my own sneaking suspicion that historical Saint Nicholas could be connected to it too...

Ded Moroz has little relation to the Wild Hunt, something that has a much more prominent connection to Odin, not to mention the runes. Ded would be more relating to his older aspects as a wizard or snow demon.
And to Alex, Krampus had been seen as both a companion and an aspect of him, which could warrant inclusion.
In the end though, this is more just a difference of approach, and I realize that. Still not a bad Servant. I can just be picky.

[pinetree]

Nuclear's Sukunabikona: Very cute. I was wondering how long it'd take for someone to bring in the Snake vs Ox motiff El-Melloi build up and I like how your choice here manages to connect itself to that very cool piece of worldbuilding while avoiding the more obvious takes on one of the figures mentioned.
I adore how you formatted everything, especially how considerate you were to add all the explanations and sources. Really added to the feeling of autheticity of the character and the syncretization choices. The NP by itself is kinda boring but I like the setting you built within it with the interactions and the Spiritron Dress.
I gotta say though, I spent the whole sheet amused by the very tiny bara boyfriend and was thouroughly disappointed when I went back and saw he was 2 meters tall.

DracoScribe's Loki=Rod: I think you did well in integrating the two characters while still keeping them separate. Mentioning the strength of Loki's perosnality as the main fact for them not becoming a single entity is a great justification. That said, it did work against you when you started to emphasize more and more Loki as a kind father. That image just doesn't fit the trickster god and I think you should have gone so hard into it. His earnsteness in the wish and relationship sections, as well as the descriptions of him as a warm father really go agains the usual image of Loki and it kinda took me away from the sheet. I don't think you needed to change his personality, but showing that side more sparingly or even just hinting at it without talking about it directly would've been better choices, specially because then you could introduce some mystery into the character: is that side of him just Rod? Is it still Loki?

The skills are fine, I like the use of Silvertongue, but I think the NP leaves a lot to be desired. The transferal from one home to another is a cool concept to choose for the NP, but making it into a hulking transformation doesn't fit either the trickster or the fairy guardian. When I moved on and read the next section I got disappointed you didn't relate the change of home in the NP with the migration of the norse people who preserved Loki as a home guardian instead of as a evil god.

Overall though, very effective sheet but it could've been more fun if Loki hadn't been suppressed by the Rod aesthetic.

[DracoScribe]

DracoScribe's Loki=Rod: I think you did well in integrating the two characters while still keeping them separate. Mentioning the strength of Loki's perosnality as the main fact for them not becoming a single entity is a great justification. That said, it did work against you when you started to emphasize more and more Loki as a kind father. That image just doesn't fit the trickster god and I think you should have gone so hard into it. His earnsteness in the wish and relationship sections, as well as the descriptions of him as a warm father really go agains the usual image of Loki and it kinda took me away from the sheet. I don't think you needed to change his personality, but showing that side more sparingly or even just hinting at it without talking about it directly would've been better choices, specially because then you could introduce some mystery into the character: is that side of him just Rod? Is it still Loki?

Aha, aha, aha... That... That is probably my headcanon leaking through and, even worse, making me execute the rest poorly. Because with what you said in the tail end, the part of the mystery of whether the kindness is from Loki or Rod, would really fit, and I wish that came to mind. But in my head Loki is just as much as that evil trickster and insane and broken god as he is this comepletely-headcanon-family god version of him, and I know that, but that doesn't make it easy to actually tell when the excuses I'm using to make that a reality are being a detriment so I appreciate you saying so. even if the part that wants criticism to improve is fighting with the part of me that has fucking low self confidence rn but that's squarely on me Now I just hope I can notice such a thing for any possible next time I make a sheet like this...

The skills are fine, I like the use of Silvertongue, but I think the NP leaves a lot to be desired. The transferal from one home to another is a cool concept to choose for the NP, but making it into a hulking transformation doesn't fit either the trickster or the fairy guardian. When I moved on and read the next section I got disappointed you didn't relate the change of home in the NP with the migration of the norse people who preserved Loki as a home guardian instead of as a evil god.

well it was that, or...wait I didn't save it!?!?!? GAAAAH. Ugh... I don't wanna look for it again... Basically it was either that picture or this other one I found that was as skinny as I wanted but had horns and a tail that I didn't want to think up an explanation for. Either way...I get what you mean. I didn't want it hulking either but I wanted to show off the coal aspect of the transfer/tethering and so ended up once again doing what I did with Cope and Marsh's FC: "it was good enough so imma just use it even if i have some reservations". At this rate I might just outright not use any image that I have reservations on when it comes to sheets, but well, I only just made 5 so far, so I'll hold off on that decision until I get more "data"/a larger sample size/more experience in this.
And also: DANG IT I MISSED OUT ON ANOTHER PERFECT IDEA AAAAAHHHH IT FITS SO WELL AND LETS ME DO MORE SYNCRETISM BS AND STUFF AND MORE TYING INTO THE WHOLE "FAMILY GOD LOKI" THOUGHT AHHHHH.
i wanna rework this sheet so bad but my want of not wanting to do that for contest sheets 'cause it feels unfair is stronger so i just have to writhe in "I SHOULDVE DONE BETTER AAAAHHHH" feels

Overall though, very effective sheet but it could've been more fun if Loki hadn't been suppressed by the Rod aesthetic.

I'm glad you still liked it to some degree even if your critique are now sticking out like a sore thumb for me. Like a rrally big fat sore thumb. Doesn't help I did notice that Rod was basically taking over Loki but I wasn't sure how to make it more even other than, to me, the "Loki personality" was dominating Gatekeeper's personality while Rod was dominating the mechanics part.

...on the bright side at least my headcanon come to life wasn't a complete disaster...?

ANYWAYS! Totally obvious subject change to distract myself!

My thoughts on the other Servants!

Sakunabikona: Oh hey, another Persona belong to a party member. XP But more seriously... Hmm. I read this twice, because the first time I was honestly more fascinated with all the "notes" than the sheet itself, so even though I read it completely, it felt like it hadn't really sunk in. Second time though... Second time, I realize I wasn't really off on what I processed of my feelings. Basically, I don't find this a bad sheet at all. If anything, this guy's personality is just the kind I like and I like his whole hot spring theme and just showcasing the legend of this guy in general. But what stuck out to me the most was all the connections in the lore and by consequence the notes that could be expanded on (which i am gonna copy-paste the bbcode of for whatever i feel like using in the future because YES i wanted this), how he's connected to Shennong and Nandi along with his best friend connected to Fuxi and Shiva, among other things. The experience was like...as an example with a little anecdote, when Elden Ring's first proper trailer came out (or at least one of its earliest trailers), there was a scene that showcased just how beautiful and expansive this game was, as the player character looked over the surroundings perched atop a cliff. While pretty much almost everyone else was going either "it looks so good" or "wow look how big that world is", I went "oh! look at the detail on the sword! i wanna see it better!". Basically while the rest of the sheet was great, I was hyperfocused on something I much prefered. And unlike with that Elden Ring anecdote, where I know the point of the shot was to showcase the environment while I focused on something that wasn't intended, I have no idea if it's a good or bad thing I focused on the interesting syncrenization facts in the case of this sheet and contest, but well, that's how I feel about it.

Santa Claus: Welp. I'mma preface this by saying: you're my first sure candidate for 3 points.

Now allow me to elaborate on why.

I had suspicion that this sheet would have a "fairy tale" like quality, the kind of quality that leave children staring wide eyed in wonder, with that line of "a little bit of magic and diamond dust". So it came as no surprise that we get the jolly good man Santa. But immediately I am beset my expectations and worries. "Am I going to like this?" I thought. "Will this be a version of Santa Claus I like?" But then I began to read, and immediately with the first skill, I start to smile. "I think I'm going to like this one. A lot," I thought, and I do. The skills were the basics of Santa Claus, with a beginning of the hints of the syncretism. The NP was outright saying so, and while I don't blame pine's thought on it, my immediate thought was he'd use it to make a White Christmas, though I guess maybe that's further proof the NP shouldn't have been the Wild Hunt. But I digress... Next we get to the Legend and onwards and that's pretty much when I went "okay you've won me over". And Santa himself best sums up why I feel that way: “But isn’t that just it? In the end, it’s just faith and magic. That was enough to bring me around.” Because, well, really that's what he is. Or at least how I view him as. A symbol of Christmas that doesn't matter what religion you worship or region you're from. A symbol of something that is reminder of the generosity and kindness people are capable of.

So yeah. First candidate for my three points.

Wish I could say more but I felt like going into full on "storyteller mode" when I tried thinking of expanding even on my thoughts, so I'mma just stop there. XD

[Drangle]

Dang, Santa was gonna be my second sheet...

[Nuclear]

Nuclear's Sukunabikona: Very cute. I was wondering how long it'd take for someone to bring in the Snake vs Ox motiff El-Melloi build up and I like how your choice here manages to connect itself to that very cool piece of worldbuilding while avoiding the more obvious takes on one of the figures mentioned.
I adore how you formatted everything, especially how considerate you were to add all the explanations and sources. Really added to the feeling of autheticity of the character and the syncretization choices.

The NP by itself is kinda boring but I like the setting you built within it with the interactions and the Spiritron Dress.

In hindsight, I suppose the NPs were the weakest part of the profile, because my approach with them lately is basically more as a summary of who the Servant is + i'm not that good at being creative about making things go boom lol. Were I to tweak the loadout, I'd probably change the hot spring into Territory Creation, and give him with an Issun Boshi-based conceptual NP that lets Sukuna beat out enemies with greater divine status than him, which would be a smoother transition from Sukuna's motive in grafting that legend to his Spirit Origin as stated in the character section.

I gotta say though, I spent the whole sheet amused by the very tiny bara boyfriend and was thoroughly disappointed when I went back and saw he was 2 meters tall.

I could never make Nessen a manlet. He just has too much big spoon energy.

(Slightly) more seriously, I aimed to heighten (pun not intended) the sense of gap moe by making the guy named "Tiny" really tall and rugged, and then flipping that on its head by making Sukuna be a doji cinnamon roll. tl;dr different strokes

Sakunabikona: Oh hey, another Persona belong to a party member. XP But more seriously... Hmm. I read this twice, because the first time I was honestly more fascinated with all the "notes" than the sheet itself, so even though I read it completely, it felt like it hadn't really sunk in. Second time though... Second time, I realize I wasn't really off on what I processed of my feelings.

at the very least, i'm happy you found something to like there www

[Serra]

@pinetree: Oh, ok! If the sheet fits the prompt enough to qualify and the issue's just the quality, I'm fine with leaving it up there, then. You raise a lot of valid points on Archer; I don't think I'll do a sheet with a similar joke again, but I'll make sure to take them in consideration in general for the future.

It lacks punch by going straight into silly emoticon mode instead of trying to introduce us to a seemingly serious historical context before pulling the rug under the reader.

I think part of what caused this issue here is that I was very concerned about getting complaints about how it treated canon characters and didn't really address any Machine God stuff unless I immediately made clear that it was an entirely separate universe and none of it was at all serious; due to that, I probably overcompensated by steering too hard in the other direction right away. In hindsight, it might've been better if I had a more serious start instead and I'd just removed the post-Chang'e identities to develop the rest of the journey better, especially since, as you pointed out, I ended up underutilising the Artemis and Orion stuff in terms of story.

[TheOnePaladin]

Alright, time for my first ever post on Beast's Lair. Here goes...!

Archer of Divine Flame



Normal Appearance

Divine Arms of Dawn Unleashed



Sources
GIFTS OF FIRE - Marty James John Šulek
worldhistory.org
wisdomlib.org
vyasaonline.com/encyclopedia/agni/

and of course, Wikipedia




About

True Name:	Matarisvan	Class:	Archer
Aliases:	Prometheus Agni , Firebringer	Alignment:	Chaotic Good
H/W:	177 cm/73 kg	Source:	Hindu and Greek myth
Gender:	Male	Attribute:	Heaven

Parameters

STR:	D	MAG:	A+
END:	A	LUK:	B
AGI:	B	NP:	EX

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Skills

[Class Skills]

Magic Resistance	A	Cancels spells of A-Rank or below, regardless of the type. As a servant from the past age of gods, Matarisvan has nothing to fear from modern magi.
Independent Action	A	The signature skill of the Archer class. Thanks to the proud spirit he gained as the son of Garuda, Matarisvan can operate without a master for about a week at a time, and can also function for some time even if his core is damaged or corrupted by foreign elements. To use his Noble Phantasm without a master or while heavily damaged, though, would be practically suicide.

[Personal Skills]

Divine Core of the Fire God (Hands)	A (D)	A skill signifying that its bearer is a god. Protects the mind and body of the vessel from being altered, repels mental interference, and includes the Divinity skill, which reduces the value of "Purge Defenses" on any targets that have them according to the rank of this skill. Since this is the Divine Core of the Fire God, it also causes the user to be considered pure "flame"; granting them the ability to wield flame, immunity to heat, strengthening them when they come into contact with fire, and even the capability to grow or split into multiple simultaneous "flames". It also gives them the necessary Authority to wield the divine flame known as Agni's body. Or it would, in most cases. As an avatar of Agni and a son of Garuda, Matarisvan would have had an extremely high aptitude for this skill. However he was purposely created to be almost fully human. The one exception is his hands: those signifiers of progress and innovation contained the essence of Agni, expressed through his aspect of Prometheus. In other words, they are none other than the true Arms of Dawn whose purpose is to bring humanity forward towards a better tomorrow. This melding of a Divine Core onto a human being has created an overlap of Saint Graphs that in most cases would be unstable, but since Matarisvan is an avatar of Agni, there is no real conflict except when Matarisvan must call upon the full potential of these Arms. Most of the time, the Arms are in "sleep mode", but in order to unlock this skill's full rank, Matarisvan must fully connect his human side with the Divine Core. Despite the compatibility, this damages his humanity, slowly erasing the difference between the human Matarisvan and the god Agni. Also, since the Arms function as a second core for Matarisvan, removing or damaging them is just as deadly as damaging his regular servant core. While in sleep mode, this skill's benefits are limited to Matarisvan's hands themselves, and all non-defensive capabilities are only available at the decreased rank. Matarisvan can use the hands to create other, inferior arms of dawn that obey his commands and can fight his foes with blasts of flame. These arms of dawn are extremely useful in the restoration of improperly summoned or degraded servants to their "origin point". Therefore, even if Matarisvan materializes in a subpar summoning, it is possible for him to achieve "Max Ascension" all on his own with enough time and magical energy.
Prince of Birds	B	As son of Garuda, king of birds, Matarisvan has a natural affinity with other animals (except snakes), as well as a pair of majestic wings. This composite skill represents that, granting him both Animal Dialogue (enough to be able to get help from animals that aren't antagonistic towards him) and wings whose effective strength is boosted by this skill's rank. These let Matarisvan fly at high speeds and unleash gusts of wind that are much more powerful than his strength parameter would suggest he is capable of. "Just because I have wings, doesn't mean I'm not human! Think of them like...an extra toe, or a vestigial tail. What do you mean this is a little bit more than that?"
Self-Modification	B	The result of Brahma's blessings to Matarisvan and Agni. Allows for the partial assimilation of anything consumed by Agni's flame which also allows Matarisvan to regenerate any damage he has sustained. This can, however, backfire. Should something be too difficult for the flame to purify, it can corrupt and damage Matarisvan; he is especially vulnerable to this if he consumes too much at once.

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Noble Phantasm

[

Agni-Jataveda

All-Encompassing Flame, Purify This Sacrifice

Grand Fire of Wisdom

]

Rank: EX
Type: Anti-Fortress
Targets: 1-100

The actual, heavenly body of the deva of fire, Agni, brought forth into the world. Normally, it materializes as no more than a small spark that is hidden within the hollow sami stick that Matarisvan carries around. In this state, the spark of Agni's body bolsters the stick, turning it into an effective quarterstaff that is no less durable than a magic sword. It also reinforces his basic strikes with bursts of holy fire that consumes and assimilate whatever it burns, adding its power and substance to both Matarisvan and the spark of Agni. To release the True Name of Noble Phantasm, Matarisvan must grab the spark from its hiding place in the stick by fully unlocking the potential of his Divine Core. Deva in hand, he designates a target as the sacrifice; an offering to the deva of the altar. Once the parameters have been set, the spark that is Agni's body begins to grow, spreading rapidly towards the target area before engulfing it in divine, primordial flame, immolating everything inside in a flash. Afterwards, the spark returns to its normal size and can be returned to its container. The damage dealt by the body of Agni is considered "Purge damage", embodying the curse placed upon him that causes him to consume the world. In the process of burning a target, the consumed material is "purified", destroying any harmful elements, such as remnants of the target's personality, before it is assimilated. Purification is more effective against beings with the Evil alignment, and is resisted by Good-aligned beings. The purifying effect can also be resisted by a strong will, such as is found in those with the Battle Continuation skill. Since Purification can take some time depending on the amount and contents of the material, trying to burn too much at once is liable to cause the fire to absorb things that haven't yet been purified. Assimilating unpurified material can be harmful; it ladens Matarisvan and Agni with spiritual waste that dampens the flow of their energy, burdening them with the target's flaws and weaknesses. It even has the potential to corrupt Matarisvan's mental processes with the target's remaining emotions. Because of this, it can be dangerous to use this Noble Phantasm's True Name unless Matarisvan can be certain that the target is vulnerable to purification. Even then, a True Name release requires the Authority vested within his Arms of Dawn; the use of which wittles away the human side of his saint graph.

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Legend

Legend When mankind was young and still developing, there was a crucial and seemingly unbreakable partition between man and heaven. Though the gods could exert their influence on man below, man was entirely unable to take the initiative; totally dependent on the gods above to establish themselves, whether for good or for bad. Man was missing the crucial component of self determination; the fire that allowed communion with the gods and the development of civilization. But there was seemingly no way to bridge the gap, since the secret of fire rooted in heaven, hidden from mankind even when Zeus Indra ’s lightning bolts carried it to the ground. It was into this conundrum that the deva of flame Agni, the full spectrum that is Agni, was thrust. His aspect of knowledge, Prometheus Agni , devised a foolproof stratagem to overcome the issue. If the secret of fire could not bridge the gap between man and god on its own, then a god-man would have to be created who could take that knowledge from the gods directly. So Prometheus Agni created an avatar, a demigod born from the king of birds Garuda. His name would be Matarisvan; the one that takes forth the fire. As son of Garuda, Matarisvan inherited incredible endurance as well as the power of flight. But his greatest strength was the ability to cross the gap between the human and the divine, to harness and reveal the secret of the divine fire; should he be able to find it. In the interim between his creation and adulthood, however, Agni had seemingly gone missing. The truth of the matter was that Agni had hidden himself, ashamed of a curse that had been given to him. For the rash Agni, Epimethius Agni , had almost caused the wife of the primordial sage, Bhrigu, to be kidnapped by a rakshasa. In his rage, Bhrigu cursed Agni to be a devourer, one who consumes all earthly things that he touches. Ashamed and afraid for the world lest he come into contact with it, Agni hid himself away. Matarisvan had his work cut out for him. He journeyed across the land, searching for Agni. Enlisting the help of the animals, Matarisvan pursued Agni, who fled each time he was almost caught. Finally, Matarisvan found the spark of flame, Hephaestus Agni , hiding within the hollow of a sami tree. Taking the tree in hand, Matarisvan brought the still distraught Agni to Bhrigu and Brahma, and asked that the curse be changed. Brahma agreed; not only would Agni be a consuming flame, but also a purifying one, able to elevate all that he touched; just as Prometheus Agni intended all along. In return for this service, Matarisvan and Prometheus Agni were blessed with a portion of every sacrifice that Agni consumed. With the now-purifying spark of Hephaestus Agni in his grasp, Matarisvan was able to teach Bhrigu’s family the secret of fire, who in turn spread it far and wide. And Matarisvan would have been content to spend the rest of his days aiding humanity in this fashion, spurring it towards greater innovations. Unfortunately for him, there were karmic consequences to the introduction of the sacrificial fire to mankind. Sacrifice after sacrifice poured in, and the overabundance created a spiritual indigestion, akin to a cancer that affected both Agni and Matarisvan to the core. Almost unable to function, Matarisvan called upon his heritage as Garuda’s son to power through. He began plucking out his own liver, forcing it to regenerate anew each day, in an attempt to remove the rot from inside himself; but to no avail. On his last legs he went to inquire of Brahma about how to heal himself. Brahma gave him a simple command: if his flame could consume the whole of Khandava, a forest filled with the enemies of the deva, he would be cured. It wasn't as simple as it seemed, however. Zeus Indra , who owned the forest and was not keen on Matarisvan's attempted at arson, fought him off by summoning a heavenly thunderstorm. With no one else to turn to, Matarisvan approached Indra’s own spiritual son, Arjuna, who he was certain would be able to match his father. In return for his help, Matarisvan gave Arjuna a divine weapon which Agni had stockpiled: the famous Gandhiva. Arjuna kept his part of the deal, countering every one of Zeus Indra 's raindrops with his own arrows. Despite being almost dead, Matarisvan reached out his hands and brought forth the divine body of Agni into the world, directing it towards the Khandava forest. In mere seconds, it was entirely consumed and purified, the newly acquired boons once possessed by the creatures within the forest flushing away Agni's spiritual illness entirely and freeing him from his torment. But not Matarisvan; the human hero had expended the last of himself fulfilling his task, in the end becoming part of the very flame he brought down for mankind.

Personality

Personality Likes: Burning intellect! Burning dreams! Burning passion! ...what else would you expect from the avatar of Agni but a fiery personality? There is nothing Matarisvan loves more than a good chase. Physical, intellectual; its all about the challenge for this servant. His proud spirit won't back down, even when things look hopeless. Like a blooming conflagration, he likes to go all out and hates getting bogged down in the small details. It might seem weird, but he's a surprisingly good teacher, since he gets his students fully invested in whatever he decides to teach. "The holy grail? I can see a lot of potential in something like that... but wouldn't that make things a bit too easy?" Hates snakes as a matter of principal. Has had bad expriences with an old wise guy, so he's always cautious around those types.

Combat

Combat Matarisvan isn't really a trained warrior, and relies mostly on his natural ability when push comes to shove. He wields a staff-sized stick that contains the spark of Agni inside. He mostly uses it as a club, rushing down his attackers while fanning the flames with his powerful wings. This, in conjunction with his Self-Modification skill, his high Endurance, and his ability to summon arms of dawn to pepper his foes at a range, make Matarisvan great at battles of attrition...if he can muster up the patience for them. Even using his Divine Arms of Dawn doesn't give him much pause (though his master might wish it would). His own Noble Phantasm, on the other hand, is one of the few things that make Matarisvan hesitate. Having learned his lesson from his death, Matarisvan is uncharacteristically cautious in using it. "I just don't like having indigestion. Especially indigestion of the soul. Can you really blame me, Master?"

Relationships

Relationships Man Who Seems Very Passionate About The Moment: "Master...I don't know what it is about him, but I feel drawn to this one like a flame to a moth! I get the feeling that deep down he's a good guy somehow. Adventuring together sounds like it could be a lot of fun, so there's no need to keep ordering me to stay out of arm's reach!" Demetrius: "A fellow martyr; I can see you've also got that fire inside that lets you go out in a blaze of glory, rather than fade away. You get full marks from Professor Matarisvan!" Sun Eater: "Master... I know you're telling me this one's on our side, but the god-flame in my staff is burning up with anxiety just looking at her! ...In other words, can I try my luck at taking her down in a 1v1?" Loki=Rod: "This flame...could you be a kindred spirit? That same fire that I grasped with my hands, alternately bringing growth and destruction; I have to know if that's the real you. Come at me!" Sukunabikona "Now this is some good service. I feel all fired up! If you ever need help heating up the hot springs, give me a call- it's the least I can do to return the favor." A Fellow Gift-Giver: "Say, could I maybe...you know...come along with you on one of your Jolly Wild Hunts? You know, to help deliver presents? That'd be the greatest gift you could give me. Though I won't lie, these comfy socks are a close second!" Freda: "Love, sorrow; these mixed feelings make me want to drown everything in flame. I think it'd be best we kept our distance from each other." Cuca: "The blood running through my veins is telling me you're an evil snake, but the divine fire I'm holding disagrees. Could it be that just because you're an evil snake, it doesn't mean you're an evil snake?!" Lieutenant Mars Thingsus: "Oh, no need to worry, Lieutenant. The whole theft thing is a bit of a misnomer, I swear! All legal and by the book. Just a bit of sleight of hand, that's all!" Lleu Llaw Gyffes: "That other spear of yours makes me sick to my stomach with just a glance. Those flames don't elevate a thing; if it were me, I'd break the damn weapon and bury the pieces where no one would ever find them." Corn Maiden: "To have continued to grow beyond the end of your own story...you really are a fitting hero for children, whatever your past might might have been. Keep that fire alive, Corn Maiden." Agape and Chione: "Master, that one seems to be avoiding me like the plague even though she obviously keeps throwing glances my way. I don't know if I should feel unlucky or not about that, even though I know they are nothing but trouble..." The Horned god: "You've got passion in spades; I like that. But if I learned one thing from my travels, its that without restraint, any fire, physical or emotional, just ends up destroying everything you care about." The Last Link: "So this is the end result of my life's work, huh. Taking the whole world and bringing it to the heavens in a blaze of brilliant wisdom, without being consumed by the fire in the process! Burning, absolutely flaming! ...Forgive my outburst, but seeing you makes all the emotions of my heart burn more brightly than I ever thought they could." Sir Orfeo: "Love is just another kind of fire; yours is all the more commendable for the fact that it is guided by your unbreakable will. You know, with that lyre of yours, maybe you too could have brought Agni's spark down to the people."

Author's NoteHi! Thanks for reading my sheet! Sorry for any clumsy formatting; anything I've done right I owe to a mix of Random's, DelRey's, and Gl4re's posts. I've wanted to make a Prometheus based servant for a while now, and this finally gave me the chance to do so, especially when I found out how many shared elements the stories of Matarisvan and Prometheus have. It was a little tricky fitting the punishment aspect of the Prometheus story in, but Matarisvan being the son of Garuda (an eagle god) and Agni having a stomach issue that was solved with the aid of Indra (Zeus)'s son gave me just enough elements to be able to tie it directly to Prometheus' punishment, so I'm really happy about that.

Overall, this prompt required quite a bit of research to make work, and I know that everyone else that's been putting out sheets so far has done some pretty creative stuff. I'm looking forward to seeing what else comes from it!

[Spelror]

Paladin's Matrisvan: your first post? I would say it was better than mine! I'm not very sure on what Purge Damage and Purge Defense is though... Perhaps you noted it somewhere and I haven't caught it? Either way It's quite a read. (Also, I find that the collapse3 function is better than the collapse function. no fussy tapping in and out. ).

[Alexcoene]

Welcome to the forum! This is a very good first sheet and representation of an obscure character. However, while I like the link with Prometheus given in his lore, there is nothing showing that in his abilities. Maybe something representing him giving wisdom to humanity could have been good.

In other news, bringing up Hindu sacrificial fire is a funny coincidence considering what I'm working on.

[TheOnePaladin]

@Spelror Thanks! I appreciate the tip about Collapsing; I'll mess around with it next time. As for the Purge defense and damage, it occasionally gets mentioned in official skill descriptions like divinity. Seems to basically be "stuff that could destroy the world" like Enuma Elish. I figured it would fit for Agni since that was his curse.

@Alexcoene Glad to be here! The link is actually his Divine core; the Arms of Dawn. It's confirmed in Fgo that those are actually Prometheus'. I made it his Divine Core, which is what grants him the Authority to use his NP, so that it could represent the fact that it's literally Prometheus' arms that are able to give the fire (Agni-Jataveda) to humanity.

Looking forward to seeing what you have in store!