Monthly Create-A-Servant Contest

[DelRey]

For real though, whatever I'm going to end up doing -- and I do have a few ideas -- it's not a Foreigner. I'd like to think I'm more creative than that.

I feel called out
Kappa

[TheLordOfAwesome]

Question, would Servants like Nursery Rhyme or Maxwell's Demon — i.e. the embodiment of a concept — be viable for this contest? 'Cause I have an idea in mind and want to be sure.

[BnEl15]

Berserker of Existential Isolation
"How foolish... You're all talking about things you don't have the slightest understanding of. Idiots, all of you. It's only because of your stupidity that you can be so sure of yourselves."


Source

"Why... Why are you looking at me like that..? I-Is it not enough? AM I NOT ENOUGH!? Stop... STOP LOOKING AT ME AS IF I'M NOT HUMAN!!"


Class: Berserker
Other Classes: Caster
True Name: Franz Kafka
Alignment: Chaotic/Lawful Neutral
Origin: Austria (19th century)

Parameters:

STR: D
END: D
AGI: C
MGI: D
LCK: E
NP: A

Likes: Writing, feeling superior over others, contemplating life, humans
Dislikes: Receiving judgment from others, making mistakes, incompetent people, humans
Talent: Writing, overthinking, imagining made-up scenarios
Natural Enemy: Anyone who ridicules him
Armament: Pen, basic magecraft
Catalyst: Burnt remnants of his works

Class Skills

Madness Enhancement (EX)

The Class Skill that characterizes a Berserker, raising basic parameters and strengthens one's physical abilities in exchange of hindering mental capacities and/or in exchange for their sense of reason. Berserker presents himself as an eloquent, composed man who self-righteously scorns others who cannot understand him... or at least that's one part of him. Underneath it all, his mind is highly unstable, riddled with erratic changes between superiority and inferiority complexes, as well as intense persecutory delusions, the belief that the world is constantly against him and trying to undermine his efforts. At the root of it all lies his perceived inability to comprehend "what it means to be human", which further incites his envy towards those he truly considers "human". All in all, Berserker believes himself to be at odds with the rest of humanity due to his perceived "mutual inability to comprehend one another".

As a Skill, Berserker's Madness Enhancement ​may fluctuate greatly; mutual understanding may be possible at his best, when he has a clear understanding of the reality around him. At his worst, however, he's a dangerous, raving madman convinced that the entire world is out to get him, solely motivated by fear and envy.

Personal Skills

Delusion Trigger (C~B)

A

curse

Skill

granted to those who possess abnormally warped views of the world around them, allowing their delusions to bleed into reality and affect their surroundings, potentially inciting cases similar to mass hysteria. In most cases, those who possess this Skill are completely unaware of it, due to how strongly their delusions are intertwined with their identities and how they view the world around them. This means that they have little control over this power, and may occasionally become a danger to both themselves and others.

In Berserker's case, his "shared delusion" takes the form of his bleak, jaded outlook on humanity. Unlike the usual madness and anarchy commonly associated with mass hysteria, those within Berserker's surroundings will gradually feel a crippling sense of loneliness and isolation from the rest of humanity. It drowns each individual with thoughts that no matter what they do, it will never be enough; they will always be different, an outsider to the rest of humanity. It encourages (dangerous, excessive levels of) contemplation and self-reflection, while at the same time discouraging communication, mutual understanding, and prosocial behavior. After all, "you will never become one of them, so what's the point of reaching out and calling for help? The blame will always lie upon your inadequate, pathetic self​".

While this shared delusion does not directly impede physical or cognitive performance, it dangerously threatens any kind of established alliances and close relationships as people are pushed to forego teamwork in favor of keeping secrets, bottling up emotions, and drowning in self-loathing. If left untreated for long enough, these insecurities may manifest as self-harming or suicidal tendencies. This Skill's effectiveness may fluctuate depending on Berserker's emotional state, and while those possessing high mental resilience may resist its effects for some time, they can never be fully immune to it so long as they remain human, as no matter how much they deny it, to be human is to fear inadequacy and isolation.

Contradictory Mind (B)

Berserker is a man riddled with contradictions, one who cannot comprehend the essence of humanity itself, and thus considers himself "abnormal". Yet what does the word "abnormal" entail? At times he would consider himself as a genius with ideas superior to the mindless rabbles called humanity. Thus, the blame lies upon the humans who failed to understand him, instead preferring to rot away in their own ignorance and idiocy. Yet at other times, he would consider himself as a repulsive being unfit to be called "human". Thus, the blame lies solely upon himself for being the man he is. No matter how many of his friends and fans tried to convince him otherwise, he continued to believe that it's never enough; he's not "human" enough, and his works aren't perfect enough, no matter how much he tries. Due to this, he envies those he consider more "human" than he is; not only those adored by the masses, but also those who could sincerely laugh and cry at the presence of close friends and family. Truly, one who

adores

resents

humanity and

resents

adores

himself. This contradictory aspect of his randomly transforms Berserker's alignment into two kinds, namely lawful and chaotic.

All Books Must Be Burned (Self) (A)

Perhaps due to his absurdly high standards and his hatred towards his own perceived imperfections, Berserker burned roughly 90% of his works and only published the few he truly considered worthy of publishing (even then many of them remain unfinished, either due to his premature death or simply him losing interest in said work). In his last will, he also ordered all of his possessions, including journals, letters, and unfinished drafts to be burned. Fortunately, most of this will was ignored and many of his works were published posthumously, granting valuable insight to his character and personal struggles. Nonetheless, many details regarding his life and his works may have already been permanently lost to the flames.

Functioning similarly to low-rank Information Erasure, this Skill obfuscates details regarding Berserker's actions. Evidence of engagement is not removed, however, enemies may have significant difficulty recalling Berserker's form and abilities, creating vague or conflicting testimonies, the same way there were multiple conflicting interpretations regarding Berserker's character and the true nature of his works.

Secondly, this Skill also symbolizes the contempt and dissatisfaction Berserker felt towards his works, believing them to be worthless abominations. Grants him the conceptual ability to "burn what he himself created". Anything Berserker creates with his own hands (for example handwritten messages, origami, even scrap paper that Berserker randomly drew on) can be transformed into a small bomb that may suddenly burst into flames whenever he wills it. He could take this Skill even further and temporarily "burn up" his Spirit Origin (his basis as a Servant), the same way he tried to "burn" away traces of his existence in his works. By doing so, smoldering flames would radiate from his fists, increasing his combat potential somewhat. However, using these flames for long periods of time would further deteriorate his sanity due to both the pain and the constant reminder that "these hands cannot create a single masterpiece", not to mention, his Spirit Origin would also continuously take damage to fuel these flames. Incidentally, this Skill causes Berserker's hands to be covered with ash, something which he covered by wearing pure white gloves and/or hiding his hands in his pockets.

Human Observation (A-)

A technique to observe and understand people. At this level, it is not simply observing but the capacity to hypothesize about one's livelihoods and preferences, and even the lives of people whose name are unknown. This requires a tremendous memory that does not forget easily. Despite his conflicting stances on humanity as a whole, one cannot deny that Berserker remains highly perceptive and empathetic towards others. Even if he cannot grasp the essence of humanity itself, he understands full well what others are going through... which turns this Skill into a double-edged sword. While on one hand his sensitivity towards human plight and emotions may help him deal with others, at the same time, the more he observes "the beauty of humanity", the more he curses his own imperfections and inability to comprehend the human heart, which in turn may worsen his mental state.

Noble Phantasm(s)

The Metamorphosis - Vermin's Desolate Lament
Die Verwandlung

"N-No, why do they keep looking at me like that..? Just when I thought- no, in the end... It's never enough, is it..? All that scorn and disgust in your eyes... Stop it... STOP IT BEFORE I GOUGE OUT YOUR EYES!!"

Type: Anti-Populace/Anti-Mind/"Mental Suicide Noble Phantasm"
Rank: A
Range: 1-500
Max Targets: 200 people

The Metamorphosis, one of Berserker's most famous works depicting a man who one day woke up as a disgusting vermin (despite popular misconception, it was never stated that he turned into an insect), and the misery that he unwittingly brought to both himself and his loved ones. His family looked at him with disgust, and while the man's mother and sister initially tolerated his presence, even they came to fear and resent him for his existence alone. Like many of Berserker's other works, The Metamorphosis is often thought to be semi-autobiographical in nature, with numerous similar characteristics shared between Berserker and the main character.

A Noble Phantasm that activates automatically whenever Berserker's inferiority complex surpasses a certain threshold. Due to the effects of Delusion Trigger, once the threshold is met, Berserker's warped self-image is broadcasted and forcibly enforced upon every human (and humanoid Servants) within a 500-meter radius. From then on, every affected individual will perceive him as an unspeakably, disturbingly revolting creature. This Noble Phantasm assaults the targets' five senses and seemingly transforms Berserker into an unholy amalgamation of "every disgusting feature rooted within humanity's collective unconscious" including foul stench, gooey substances dripping from multiple orifices, discolored skin, slimy tentacles, maggots falling off body parts, damp, squishy scales, trypophobic patterns, and more. This "transformation" would paralyze all targets with an awful mix of disgust, fear, and confusion as they see Berserker as something incomprehensible; an entity so far removed from humanity's understanding that their minds would effectively crash just by trying to register his presence. While it would take some time for this Noble Phantasm to reach its full power, at its peak, simply witnessing Berserker's visage would be enough to drive most humans to madness.

Of course, this "transformation" really is just a powerful illusion broadcasted from Berserker's mind, his true form remains unchanged. Nonetheless, this Noble Phantasm would shatter his psyche even further. Seeing the people's horrified, disgusted looks directed at him would be akin to having his worst nightmares realized. This would in turn activate his Madness Enhancement and cause his parameters to rapidly increase as he drowns further within his own madness. Here, he would effectively lose all reason and go on a brutal rampage "just to stop those abhorrent looks on their faces".

In order to cut down Berserker while this Noble Phantasm is active, one must be able to "temporarily discard their humanity" by suppressing their own senses and instincts. Of course, doing so would be much easier if one does not possess human sensibilities to begin with. On the other hand, this Noble Phantasm is also a lethal double-edged blade for Berserker's Master because of two things. First, despite its immense power, Berserker becomes insanely difficult to control in this state, requiring either a Command Spell or certain Noble Phantasms with calming or purifying effects to deactivate. Secondly, while the Master-Servant contract allows the Master to resist this Noble Phantasm's effects for some time, as long as they're human, they're bound to fall to the illusions eventually. Truly, a borderline suicidal Noble Phantasm representing how his delusions could destroy not just himself, but also the world around him.

The Trial - The Name of Your Sin is ■■■
Der Process

"The world... is a dark and lonely place; there is no salvation, no light at the end of the tunnel. Alas, your only mistake is... to be born in this pitiful world at all.​"

Type: Anti-Unit/Anti-Mind
Rank: B
Range: 1-500
Max Targets: 1 person

The Trial, another one of Berserker's most well-known works. The tale tells a story of a man who was suddenly arrested on the morning of his thirtieth birthday. The man has been indicted of "a certain horrendous crime" and must stand trial for his transgressions. During the days leading up to the fateful trial, the man found that he was completely alone; not a single person offered to help him, instead preferring to harshly mock and judge him for his crime. The result of the trial remains ambiguous, and one year later, just before his thirty-first birthday, two men appeared before his doorstep to execute him. They led him to a small quarry outside the city and killed him with a butcher knife (some believe this abrupt, arguably forced ending to be intentional from Berserker's part for some unknown reason). Yet the biggest mystery within this story is not the ending; rather, it's how throughout the story, the man's crime was never revealed both to himself and the audience, which kept readers simultaneously curious and unsatisfied. Like with many of his other works, The Trial is also thought to be filled with symbolisms and metaphors alluding to Berserker's own life, particularly his extreme self-consciousness, paranoia, and persecution complex. In a way, perhaps the story is an unanswered cry for help coming from deep within Berserker's heart, as someone who lived as if he was constantly on the run from a sin even he does not know of. It is the very reason why he resented the society who judged him, out of fear that his unknown sin may one day be brought to light.

A Noble Phantasm that attacks the target with Berserker's deep-seated fears. Once it is activated, the target would at first grow increasingly self-conscious of their actions, becoming aware of and ruminating over the tiniest potential mistakes. Afterwards, the delusions would start as the target would start to believe that others are constantly watching and judging their every move (akin to countless unsatisfied readers curious to find out about their "sin"... only to pass further judgment upon them). Leave the delusions untreated long enough, and they would manifest into the target's reality as hallucinations. The target would see nonexistent figures observing them from the corner of their eyes, and hear whispers talking about their "sin". Eventually, the target would be driven into a state of psychosis where they can no longer differentiate reality from their hallucinations, being utterly convinced that anyone and everyone is out to pass judgment for their "sin". Berserker likens it to being in a dark, endless tunnel with no escape aside from death itself.

Description

Berserker's True Name is Franz Kafka, a German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. Character-wise, there's no simple way to describe Berserker's personality, aside from "a misanthrope riddled with paradoxes and contradictions".

"I am constantly trying to communicate something incommunicable, to explain something inexplicable, to tell about something I only feel in my bones and which can only be experienced in those bones. Basically it is nothing other than this fear we have so often talked about, but fear spread to everything, fear of the greatest as of the smallest, fear, paralyzing fear of pronouncing a word, although this fear may not only be fear but also a longing for something greater than all that is fearful."

"I can love only what I can place so high above me that I cannot reach it."

“We are as forlorn as children lost in the woods. When you stand in front of me and look at me, what do you know of the griefs that are in me and what do I know of yours? And if I were to cast myself down before you and tell you, what more would you know about me that you know about Hell when someone tells you it is hot and dreadful?”

At first, Berserker may seem extremely arrogant and self-righteous. He regards other humans as idiots who stood below him and failed to understand his ideals. Yet even then, it's not that he completely hates humanity. No matter how much he belittles them, he truly does enjoy seeing the best humanity has to offer like mutual understanding, cooperation, hope. He could be persuaded to give his all to realize these things, and due to his perceptiveness and empathy, there's no doubt that he would succeed if he truly puts his heart into it. However, in that sense, it's as if "he could save others, but not himself". No matter how much he helped and how many smiles he saw, he could not see himself as part of them, as if he spent his entire life waving through a window separating him from the rest of humanity. He never could find an answer to his ultimate question: "What makes a human human?"

Underneath his usual charismatic bravado, Berserker is extremely paranoid and insecure. He's convinced that deep down, society found him physically and mentally repulsive, no matter how many people would try to convince him otherwise. While he would try his hardest to improve himself in order to be accepted, gradually, he may grow disillusioned by this concept, believing that no matter what he does, it would never be enough. In this state, his longing would transform into envy and resentment, and the same man who wanted to see the best of humanity would not hesitate to commit murderous atrocities just to spite the world who rejected him.

Due to his unstable mental state, Berserker's wish may constantly change based on his emotions, ranging from destroying the world (for failing to understand him) to destroying himself (for failing to understand the world). Of course, from both of these extreme scenarios, one can infer that his deepest wish is simply "to be understood"; for someone to reach out and save him from the endless darkness and somehow convince him that despite all his shortcomings, at the end of the day, he truly is human after all.

“This tremendous world I have inside of me. How to free myself, and this world, without tearing myself to pieces. And I would rather tear myself to a thousand pieces than be buried with this world within me. That, indeed, is why I am here, that is quite clear to me.”

Lore

Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was a German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of realism and the fantastic. It typically features isolated protagonists facing bizarre or surrealistic predicaments and incomprehensible socio-bureaucratic powers. It has been interpreted as exploring themes of alienation, existential anxiety, guilt, and absurdity. His best known works include Der Verwandlung (The Metamorphosis), Der Process (The Trial), and Das Schloss (The Castle). The term "Kafkaesque" has entered the English language to describe situations like those found in his writing.

Kafka was born into a middle-class German-Jewish family in Prague, the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, today the capital of the Czech Republic. He trained as a lawyer and after completing his legal education was employed full-time by an insurance company, forcing him to relegate writing to his spare time. Over the course of his life, Kafka wrote hundreds of letters to family and close friends, including his father, with whom he had a strained and formal relationship. He became engaged to several women but never married. He died in 1924 at the age of 40 from tuberculosis.

Few of Kafka's works were published during his lifetime. The few that did received little public attention, which may have fed into his sense of inadequacy and inferiority complex. In search of his vaguely defined "perfection", he left many of his works unfinished or with abrupt endings as to work on other projects (most of which he would also scrap in the future, believing them to be far beneath the absurdly high standards he set for himself). In his will, Kafka instructed his executor and friend Max Brod to destroy his unfinished works, including his novels Der Process, Das Schloss and Der Verschollene (translated as both Amerika and The Man Who Disappeared), but Brod ignored these instructions, allowing Kafka to obtain fame posthumously as a writer.

Kafka had a lifelong suspicion that people found him mentally and physically repulsive. However, those who met him invariably found him to possess a quiet and cool demeanor, obvious intelligence, and a dry sense of humour; they also found him boyishly handsome, although of austere appearance. Brod thought Kafka was one of the most entertaining people he had ever met; Kafka enjoyed sharing humour with his friends, but also helped them in difficult situations with good advice. According to Brod, he was a passionate reciter, able to phrase his speech as though it were music.[85] Brod felt that two of Kafka's most distinguishing traits were "absolute truthfulness" and "precise conscientiousness". He explored details, the inconspicuous, in depth and with such love and precision that things surfaced that were unforeseen, seemingly strange, but absolutely true.

The true nature of Kafka's works have also been a frequent matter of dispute between psychologists, historians, and literature analysts. Some considered them to be a cry for help for numerous mental issues. On the other hand, Kafka's friends found his most dark and depressing books hilarious. They had a point, though - some pages of The Trial were deliberately made this way. Alternatively, it could be argued that those who take the stories too seriously (without recognizing the very dark but nevertheless present humor) are the ones interpreting them wrong. Kafka himself was said to have laughed himself to tears while reading his work aloud. Thus to this day, the meaning of his works remain an enigma, same as the man who wrote them. Is it a heartbreaking tragedy or an absurd comedy? Perhaps it is both; a testament of the man who both laughed and cried at his inability to see himself as human.

Relationships

Yu Mei-ren:
"You, elemental. It seems you've spent quite some time in this world. If you would, please tell me a story about humanity; the best, the worst... I'd like to hear all of them."

Lostbelt Kings:
"Individuals from pruned worlds... You have my curiosity. Just how did history unfold there? What of your people? What were they like? I feel like knowing that might just bring me closer to the answer I'm looking for."

Foreigners:
"Of course, the Outer Gods are anything but human, but you, their vessels? Your love, your fears, and your struggles... they're all real, I know that much. You're all much more human than I could ever be."

Sherlock Holmes:
"Why are you looking at me like that..?"

Osamu Dazai:
"A very good question, Mr. Dazai; just what does it mean to be human? Are we considered one? Ahaha, you understand me well, though perhaps... that's the only thing we understand; the solitude and desolate silence we share... Ah, how pathetic we are."

Sigmund Freud, B.F. Skinner, Kiara Sessyoin:
"Good, there are professionals here. My apologies in advance, Master, but if you ever feel like this contract places a heavy strain upon your mind, please sever it immediately and seek help from those professionals. Hm? Me? Ahaha, I appreciate the sentiment, but you should know by now that I am far beyond saving."

Creator's Notes/Fun Facts

Finally, a sheet where I can (somewhat) put my psych knowledge to good use. For an oversimplified version of his character, he's that guy who would unironically call everyone else "normies", and consider himself to be "extraordinary"... except he's not quite sure on whether being "extraordinary" is a good or bad thing.

- When people think of horror authors, many of them would consider Lovecraft, Poe, or maybe Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley. Kafka offers a different kind of horror; existential isolation and anxiety, that sinking feeling in your chest when you realize that for all the wonderful ideas you have, in a way, you're still alone in this chaotic universe. No other person may fully understand your character, or worse, they might just judge and scorn you for those ideas, simply because they can't understand them.

- Kafka is a non-conventional Berserker in a sense that he cannot win through brute force, unlike most Berserkers. His parameters (outside of his first NP's effects) are pretty low, and he doesn't even have any powerful weapon to wield, aside from his flames. Rather, he "wields his own madness like a weapon", by spreading it to his surroundings and (perhaps unintentionally) causing chaos. Seriously, thanks to Delusion Trigger, from the moment he's summoned, he unwittingly transforms the surrounding area into a psychological horror/mystery setting, like imagine a small rural town where everyone seemingly has something to hide, cooperation is almost impossible, and there's an increasing trend of people self-harming or committing suicide for seemingly no reason at all.

- When devising an NP based on The Metamorphosis, I feel like the most obvious take would be to transform Kafka into a giant cockroach monster or something. However, I like my version better cuz' it symbolizes his inner turmoil, the fact that it's all in his head. No one actually transforms into a giant cockroach, and according to one interpretation, the whole story was just a hallucination/dream Gregor Samsa suffered due to a psychotic break. Similarly, Kafka isn't actually a disgusting, inhuman monster, he just believes himself to be one. While the NP forces others to accept his delusions, that's all it is: a delusion. Something not real, which is why Kafka's true form remains unchanged.

- The "■■■" on his second NP subtitle differs between individuals. As an example, for Artoria, it may be her failure at preventing the fall of Camelot, while for Lancelot, it may be his adultery with Guinevere. However, if I were to propose a catch-all answer for "■■■", it would be "humanity". After all, to be human is to seek acceptance, make mistakes, fear judgment from others for said mistake and all the repercussions it entails. This means that as long as you've made at least one perceived "mistake" in your life (which means most humans and creatures having similar human sensibilities), this NP will find a way to burrow into your subconscious and affect you. Conversely, since both of Kafka's NPs rely so much on the target "having a human heart", he absolutely sucks when it comes to facing inhuman enemies.

[NittyGritty]

The Demon of Paris





“She will be mine. It is God’s will.”


Lore


Caster’s true identity is Monseigneur Claude Frollo, archdeacon of Notre Dame and the main antagonist of Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel Notre-Dame de Paris (usually known as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame).


Caster lost his parents to the plague. Naturally intelligent and faithful, Caster studied hard and became the Archdeacon of Josas in order to take care of his younger brother. Sadly he could not save his brother from alcoholism. His high status within the Catholic Church granted him access to the Vatican’s vast resources on the “enemies of God” and through this he studied alchemy, a blasphemous science, in the hopes of creating an “angel of deliverance”. His isolated nature and clandestine activities led to him being labeled a “sorcerer” by the people of Paris. Perhaps once being an orphan compelled him to take in a deformed child abandoned by the Romani and raise him as his own.


It was seeing the beautiful Romani girl Esmeralda that would herald Caster’s downfall. After failing to woo the “gypsy temptress”, all the while struggling internally with his immortal soul, he came to the conclusion that if he couldn’t have her, no one could. He coldly had her hung from the gallows, laughing and celebrating as he watched from the top of his cathedral. However his adopted son, who had also fallen in love with Esmeralda, and who had grown tired of his adoptive father’s abuse, cast him from the top of Notre Dame, at once embodying the torturer of souls. Caster fell to his death in the shadow of the cathedral he held so dear.


Class: Caster
Other Classes: None
True Name: Monseigneur Claude Frollo
Aliases: Judge Claude Frollo, Dom Claude Frollo, Archdeacon Claude Frollo
Place of Origin: Paris, France
Source: Notre-Dame de Paris


Parameters

STR: E

END: D

AGI: D

MGI: B+

LCK: C

NP: B


Height: 5’11 (152.4 cm)
Weight: 145 lbs (65 kg)
Likes: Architecture, his Brother
Dislikes: Women and Romani people
Talent: Alchemy
Natural Enemy: Jean of Arc, Mata Hari
Attribute: Man
Alignment: Lawful Mad
Armament: Homunculi
Catalyst: A cathedral schematic signed by Bishop Maurice de Sully


Class Skills

Territory Creation (A+): Creation of a territory advantageous to oneself as a magus. At this rank creation of a Cathedral, which is equivalent to a Divine Temple, becomes possible.

Item Construction (C ): The skill to manufacture magical items. At this rank alchemical tools can be easily manufactured alongside implements of execution, including Black Keys.


Personal Skills

Zealotry (A+): A Skill where normally unattainable mental strength can be obtained by having so much religious faith in something that it is beyond the understanding of those around the user. At this rank Caster is immune to most mental interference magecraft.

Protection of the Faith (Fate) (B): The absoluteness of one’s body and mind that was born from their beliefs. But if it is too high, it causes abnormalities in the personality. A variation, Caster was a fatalist who believed his actions were God’s will, independent of his desires.

High-Speed Incantation (B): The ability to speak magical incantations at an accelerated speed. High-thaumaturgy related to alchemy and baptism rites can be performed at high speed.

Mana Burst (Temptation): This pious man struggles with his carnal desires, his skin burns with barely contained lust, until it eventually erupts forth from him in a burning fire of passion.


Noble Phantasms



Quasimodo
~Seven Days Hence Christ’s Return~


Type: Anti-Army
Rank: A+
Range: 1-40
Max. Targets: 20


An abandoned Romani child who was called a “creation of the devil” because of his deformities. He was taken in by Caster after being abandoned on the foundling’s bed in Notre Dame Cathedral. Raised as a bell-ringer he lost his sense of hearing but gained strength likened to that of a monster. Although a kind person, public revulsion at his appearance and violent acts that he was ordered to commit led him to embody the visage of a monster befitting his strength. The only company he kept were the grotesques that adorned the top of Notre Dame and he desired to have stone skin like theirs.

The Romani child that was Quasimodo had expired soon after being abandoned. Caster had taken the child’s corpse and used it as the basis for his strongest creation. A monstrous homunculus that could resist the armies of France. Caster intended his creation to purge the wicked from the streets of Paris, but the heart of the abandoned child contained within still yearned for its mother and so its gentle nature had it labeled a “failure”. In the end the monster betrayed his creator and tossed him from the Cathedral, his half-formed face momentarily taking on the appearance of Satan within Caster’s eyes before dropping his master to the streets below.

Upon completion of this Noble Phantasm a massive grotesque-like homunculus with stonelike skin will be brought to life and follow Caster’s every order. It functionally has Monstrous Strength at B-rank, is extremely tough and can belch out molten metal from its mouth. However the monster has a glaring weakness; it is deaf and can only rely on its sight and sense of smell to navigate. It is a monster befitting the title “creation of the devil”.





Esmeralda
~”Oh! Love! A man and a woman mingled into one angel!”~


Type: Anti-Unit
Rank: C
Range: 0-20
Max. Targets: 4

The Romani girl that caught the eye of Caster as well as other men. In truth she was not actually Romani but rather born to a French family and cruelly swapped by a Romani family in exchange for their misshapen son. Esmeralda was a kind and gentle soul who captured the hearts of men around her. She once saved a man by agreeing to marry him, a kindness that unfortunately would not be paid back. After being sentenced to death by the French Parlement, she was rescued by her temporary husband and Caster in disguise, only to have the man she saved steal her goat, leaving her alone to face Caster’s final ultimatum. Rejecting Caster’s proposal, she was hung from the gallows as her birth mother pleaded for her to be spared. Her corpse was unceremoniously dumped in a mass grave where it was embraced by Caster’s adopted son until he expired as well.

This Noble Phantasm is not the real Esmeralda but rather an internalised fantasy held by Caster. Unable to reconcile his temptation towards the Romani woman with his oath of celibacy to God he constructed an artificial Esmeralda who would stay within the confines of the cathedral and dote on him. Construction of the homunculus was incomplete as he was still pursuing the real Esmeralda. Had he survived his final day he likely would have finished her.

As an incomplete Noble Phantasm it cannot be manifested into the world, its construction has to be completed. Once finished the horrifying construct will come to life, although through Caster’s warped perception of reality it will appear as how Esmeralda did to him. This perception can be forced upon those who look upon Esmeralda through a mental interference curse, their own idea of a desirable woman mapped onto her grotesque form. Infatuation will cause those affected to act irrationally and compete with others for Esmeralda’s affection. Caster is extremely protective of this Noble Phantasm and will put himself in harm’s way if it is threatened.




Ceci tuera cela
~”Whoever was born a poet became an architect”~


Type: Anti-Mystery
Rank: B
Range: 0-100
Max. Targets: ?

“Ceci tuera cela”, a famous quote said by Caster that perfectly encapsulates his author’s literary intentions. Translated it means “This will kill that”, a lamentation that the written word (specifically the printing press) would destroy what Caster’s author believed to be a universal language loved by all: architecture. Whereas the written word was difficult to reproduce and subject to censorship, the beauty of Notre Dame Cathedral stood tall for all to see. God’s will laid bare to the masses. Nothing risked being lost in translation or ignorance. Oddly, “Ceci tuera cela” would come to embody the violence surrounding Caster. He killed the innocent, his creation killed him. This killed that, and yet all the while the walls of Notre Dame remained standing. The eyes of the kings of Israel stared down upon the sinners and judged their actions accordingly.

Upon activation this Noble Phantasm will root itself into a structure of Caster’s choosing, reinforcing it’s walls and foundation to be able to withstand the might of other Heroic Spirits. Only Spirits with feats of immense strength or a suitably powerful Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm could hope to penetrate the structure’s outer defenses. Once inside the structure, Servants will find their foundations gradually attacked, the mystery that powers them fading bit by bit as the cathedral enforces its will of “this will kill that” upon them. The spoken word was killed by the edifice which was killed by the printing press which was killed by the radio which is now being slowly killed by the digital age. As a consequence, ancient Spirits will experience foundational erosion at a much higher rate than more modern Spirits. The interior layout of the cathedral can be altered to suit Caster’s whims for means of defense and the outside can be superficially altered to resemble the cathedral that still stands at Paris. If a Servant were to make it to the pinnacle of the structure they would find the source of its power; the ringing bells of Notre Dame, whose resonance foretells the fate of all.


Personality

Caster is a deeply disturbed individual. On the surface he appears composed and stoic, but underneath this facade is a tormented soul. He could be likened to a volcano; seemingly innocuous and innocent until what lies beneath bubbles up to the surface.

Caster believes himself to be a man of God and throws his soul at the whims of the Almighty. He does not believe in free will, only the will of God. Combined with his sadistic personality makes him a particularly dangerous individual to be around for in his eyes all things that transpire do so because God has willed it.

He will sometimes question whether a course of action taken is truly within God’s plan but will usually conclude that any doubts he may have are just God testing his resolve. Caster is a gynophobe (afraid of women). He is unable to speak to them unless he finds them attractive, in which case he will try to “save” them in a thinly veiled attempt to “seduce” them.

An antisocial man such as himself keeps few friends but does seem to enjoy the company of other men of God as well as those he sees as “deformed”.

If he were to win the Grail he would wish for his “beloved” to return to him.


Quotes


“Greetings Master. I am Claude Frollo, Archdeacon of Notre Dame. Our enemies will fall before us as it is God’s Will.”


“I know my experiments disturb you. I urge you to trust me. It is all going according to ‘the plan’.”


(nervously trying not to look at some of the female Servants)
“M-master? Why must the women here dress so...liberally? I will have to plan a special sermon just for them on ‘modesty in the workplace’.”


(to Asterius)
“Poor creature. What circumstances lead you to bear the horns of a devil upon your head?”


(to Mata Hari)
“Listen, those other guys? They don’t understand you the way I do. Come. Let me help you. Let me...save y-wait, where are you going?”



Author Notes


begone thot

[Morg van Destro]

I'll be honest. I was expecting monsters in the more traditional sense. Instead, the first entries are monsters in the most human sense, which is frankly more terrifying. This is gonna be an interesting one. Personally, I'm waiting for the horror movie actor Servants like Vincent Price and Boris Karloff. Just imagine Berserker's reaction to a man famous for portraying her.

...I wonder if I should try for this one. Couldn't hurt, but I just don't have the mind for this stuff.

[RoydGolden]

Servant Alter-Ego:

Appearance:

Source

True Name: Enepsigos

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Alternate Classes: Caster, Avenger

Strength- C
Agility- A
Endurance- B+
Mana- EX
Luck- D
NP- A++

History

Alter-Ego's identity is Enepsigos, a female demon mentioned in the apocryphal Testament Of Solomon. She's often identified with the gods Artemis, Hecate and Kronos (Saturn). In truth Alter-Ego is the vengeance of the old pantheon whose worship was usurped by Judaism and Christianity. Their ancient power rapidly fading, the three deities forged a desperate alliance and fused the last of their essences into a single vessel that became Alter-Ego. Now, called forth by the power of the Grail she seeks to pass judgment on the world that forgot and abandoned her.

Personality

Thanks to her essence being mingled with that of several different gods, Alter-Ego has a strange and erratic personality. Her left side acts playful and seductive, promising her Master a good time if they become hers. Conversely Alter-Ego's right side is stoical and analytic, often chiding her other half for her carelessness. This means Alter-Ego frequently argues with herself, making it hard to reach a mutual understanding with her. For the sake of convenience she addresses her sides as "Older Sister" (left side) and "Little Sister" (right side).

However both halves of Alter-Ego agree on some things. She secretly carries a great loathing towards humanity for having demonized her into a monster despite her individual components being once great goddesses. Her left side is more innocently cruel when it comes to humans, playing with her "toys" before going in for the kill, while her right side will waste no time emotionlessly slaughtering them.

Alter-Ego actually detests her current chimeric state, finding it disgraceful for "perfect" deities like herself to have to resort to such "unsightly" means of survival. Her divinity itself is a strong sore spot for Alter-Ego. She'll erupt in a rage if anyone calls her a demon, furiously attacking them while insisting she's actually a proud goddess.

Alter-Ego seeks the Holy Grail to amplify the power of her Noble Phantasm and truly bring the moon down to earth. However as spiteful as she is her purpose for doing this is not simple destruction. Rather as a goddess whose domain is the moon itself Alter-Ego wishes to forcibly merge the Reality Marble of the moon with Gaea, creating a new blank "

canvas

world

" she may dye in her image. Alter-Ego would take this chance to usher forth a new Age of Gods where herself and the other forgotten deities may reincarnate, no longer bound to the faith of humans. The fact that mankind would be annihilated in the aftermath of Alter-Ego's wish is a mere pleasant side-effect for her.

Likes: herself, the old gods, the moon
Dislikes: her current state, humanity, being called a demon
Talent: split-personality
Natural Enemy: Solomon

Class Skills:

Goddess Divine Core (Chimeric)- A
Expresses one's nature as a perfected goddess from birth. A composite Skill that includes Divinity, preserves the absoluteness of the mind and body, repels all mental interference and prevents one's figure from growing or changing no matter how many calories are ingested. As the amalgamation of three distinct gods, Alter-Ego possesses a highly aberrant version of this Skill that actually gives her three separate Divine Cores. These are the Divine Cores of Artemis, Kronos and Hecate; the gods who originally formed Alter-Ego.

She can freely tap into the power of any of the deities who comprise her, but only one at a time. Depending on which side's authority she draws on Alter-Ego obtains a different unique ability. Artemis' boon is by default active and grants her enhanced healing when bathed in moonlight, from Kronos she can manifest and wield an unearthly scythe able to slay otherwise immortal beings by accelerating their flow of time until they eventually crumble to dust, and Hecate boosts her High-Speed Divine Words Skill to EX-rank. Switching between these in close succession could result in Alter-Ego's Divine Cores becoming unstable and grating against each other, potentially tearing her Saint Graph apart.

This Skill also makes Alter-Ego capable of surviving attacks that destroy her Spiritual Core, as she has two extra "redundant" Cores in stock. In essence giving her a unique variant of Battle Continuation. Each Divine Core is located separately in Alter-Ego's body, one in each head and the last serving as her heart, so a targeted consecutive attack would be needed to bring down all three of them. When one Core is destroyed Alter-Ego loses the ability related to that respective deity. However she can "grow back" the Core in a few days given sufficient Mana supply so long as at least one is intact, akin to Heracles regenerating his extra lives.

Territory Creation- EX
The ability to build a special terrain that is advantageous to oneself as a Magus, such as for the purpose of collecting Mana. At this rank, Alter-Ego can establish a Territory that overwrites the World's very texture, recreating a sliver of her former abode on the moon. Within it, any checks Alter-Ego makes that depend on the presence of the moon are treated as automatically successful.

Avenger- C+
A Skill nominally exclusive to the Avenger Class, representing the state of one who piles up the grudges and hatreds of others upon themselves. It becomes easier to accumulate loathing and resentment, while negative emotions directed at the user are instantly converted into strength. The grudges of an old pantheon stripped of its former glory and the hatred of those who smeared her as a demon are what grant Alter-Ego this Skill. Their scorn becomes her strength, and she won't stop until every last one of the "humans" who put her in such a disgraceful state are eradicated.


Personal Skills:

High-Speed Divine Words- A-
A power to perform thaumaturgy without the use of Magic Circuits. The language of the Age of Gods back when words played a heavy role in spellcasting. As such, it is a power long lost to modern Magi.

Alter-Ego holds mastery in the old Greek, Judaic and European styles of sorcery thanks to absorbing elements of gods and demons from various disparate culture-spheres. She can heal and curse others, commune with spirits of the passed and conjure illusions under the light of the moon. However since Alter-Ego's Magecraft is a "patchwork" integrating multiple different styles her spellcasting contains "holes" that can be noticed and exploited by practitioners who devoted themselves in the utmost to one particular style.

Clairvoyance- EX
Connotes enhanced eyesight. At higher ranks it reaches the level of X-ray vision, future-sight and other supernatural forms of perception. Alter-Ego was known for peering into the future. According to one anecdote King Solomon himself sought out her prophetic powers, having the demon bound in unbreakable magic chains and brought to him. When consulted she foretold the fall of his kingdom and birth of the future Messiah. However Solomon discarded her predictions and returned Alter-Ego to her fetters. Only later when his kingdom was torn apart by God as punishment for chasing after foreign women did he see the partial truth of her visions.

Numeral Of The Demoness- EX
A unique condition of Alter-Ego's existence. Her strength waxes and wanes in proportion to the position of the moon in the sky. When the moon is approaching its peak which depending on the phase can be in the three hours between 3 PM and 6 PM, 9 PM and midnight or 3 AM and 6 AM, her physical and magical power increase threefold. This comes from Alter-Ego's deep connection with the number three and the moon thanks to her nature as a tripartite goddess, her three forms symbolizing the lunar phases.

Noble Phantasm

Yaréakh Náfal

Lunar Longing Lapidation

Rank: A++

Type: Reality Marble, Anti-Planet (False)

A Noble Phantasm culminating Alter-Ego's longheld goal of drawing the moon down to earth, much as the witches attempted in their caves. At its full potential Yaréakh Náfal serves as the fruition of that wish, bringing the moon crashing down on earth. However as threatening to destroy the planet itself would surely bring the attention of the Counter Force upon Alter-Ego and she lacks the magical power to pull off such a feat anyways, she contents herself with merely an imitation of it.

Upon invoking its true name Alter-Ego projects a Reality Marble containing simulacra of the earth and moon, with her opponent suspended in between. With a sweep of her hand Alter-Ego commands the replica-moon to plummet down on its counterpart. The foe whose caught in the middle faces the fate of being crushed between two heavenly bodies, torn apart by the immense gravitational pressures and heat-force accompanying such a cataclysmic impact. Needless to say, a direct hit is sure to obliterate all but the hardiest enemies.

Even so as it's only Alter-Ego's Reality Marble this Noble Phantasm naturally pales before the power of a true planetary collision. It's possible for strong enough opponents to block or even destroy the false moon and survive. This Noble Phantasm deals greater damage against foes conceptually tied to the Earth itself, like elemental-spirits.

---

So here's my entrant for the contest. This was inspired by bouncing ideas off Shiki-pon a while back, so thanks for that. For the horror theme, being a product of gods fused together into a twisted mockery just to survive as well as creepy conjoined twins who want to wipe out humanity should hopefully qualify.

[realcasually]

I kinda purposefully left the prompt open to interpretation-- hopefully it wasn't too vague... Whatever your interpretation of "horror" is! The genre is a wide and varied one with many subgenres, after all.

(I have to say, I really hope I see at least one slasher Servant. I don't know how you'd do it, but if you can do it... do it.)

Gotta say I really love Kafka so far, and the 'creepy twins' archetype as the ultimate possible version of them is super creative. Plus Frollo, that's cool just on principle. Keep 'em coming!

[BnEl15]

Speaking of slashers, I came across this article on the Halifax Slasher, a case of mass hysteria where multiple people claimed to have been attacked by a knife-wielding madman. Turned out no such madman existed and the previous attacks were all self-inflicted for various reasons. Would be an interesting phenomenon to explore, and since I lack the creativity to expand on it further, you're all free to take this idea, if anyone's interested.

[DelRey]

Speaking of slashers, I came across this article on the Halifax Slasher, a case of mass hysteria where multiple people claimed to have been attacked by a knife-wielding madman. Turned out no such madman existed and the previous attacks were all self-inflicted for various reasons. Would be an interesting phenomenon to explore, and since I lack the creativity to expand on it further, you're all free to take this idea, if anyone's interested.

Reminds me of the anime Paranoia Agent. It explores a similar phenomenon, where all victims of it used it as some kind of escapism. It has a strange concept, but touches on several social issues in japan, a weird final and bomb opening. Since such psychological themes are interesting to you, maybe it is something for you and inspires you to make a servant out of it

[Morg van Destro]

...Well, this is unexpected. I should just be a blathering mess, shouldn't I? How odd. Oh, forgive me... Master. Yes , that's what you are. I apologize. It's strange to have all these... thoughts. That word feels right. My name? I'm not sure... no, I do have one, in a sense, but it doesn't feel quite right. Unless... Yes. I am Foreigner, but you may address me as Mr. Zombie.

Source: A scene from Night of the Living Dead (1968), illustrated by Vox. [Javier Zarracina/Vox]

Class: Foreigner
Other Classes: Berserker
True Name: "Mr." Zombie
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Place of Origin: Haitian Folklore (?)/Pop-culture
Height: Varying (original body: 180 cm.)
Weight: Varying (original body: 78 kilo.)
Likes: Humanity. Investigating the World. Eating
Dislikes: Chainsaws
Natural Enemy: Humanity

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

Class Skills:
Existence Outside the Domain (B):
Rather than being tied to some being of power, Foreigner is tied to the concept of insatiable hunger. This ravenous need to consume is an omnipresent force that drives almost all zombies, becoming an existence equal to a god’s in process. The act of eating can be considered a form of worship to this “God of Hunger”, and the consumption of life is befitting the highest form of praise from it.

Divinity (E):
Becoming an avatar of the “hunger” that invades all zombies, Foreigner gains minor Divinity from his “patron”. Even so, you’d be hard pressed to find those who’d deign to recognize it. It is thought that this Divinity is what gives Foreigner his intelligence and personality.

Personal Skills:
Insatiable (EX):
So long as his goals aren't complete, he will never be satisfied. It doesn't matter if he makes up a goal on the spot. He will do everything he can to achieve it. Whether it is feeding his eternal hunger or curiosity, he will devote himself entirely to the task to the point of ignoring all else. This can be troublesome, as it’s possible he may even ignore a command spell when in such a state.

Unfeeling Body (A):
The body is nothing more than a shell to be manipulated. One that can be wielded dexterously, but a shell, nonetheless. The mind died long ago, yet it continues despite it. Pain, affliction, mental interference, and loss of limbs all go unnoticed by that which never had feeling. This Skill acts similar to a high-ranking Battle Continuation. Despite this, destruction of his head will still kill him, so he protects it at all costs.

Monstrous Strength (A):
Temporarily amplifies one’s strength. An offensive special characteristic possessed only by monsters and Magical Beasts. Increases one’s Strength parameter by one rank upon usage. The duration for this increase depends on the rank of “Monstrous Strength”.

To use this Skill is to indulge in all the monstrous aspects of being a zombie. He becomes stronger, faster, and hungrier. The only drawback to prolonged usage is the slow loss of self Foreigner experiences. The longer he uses the Skill, the more he becomes nothing more than a mindless beast driven solely by the "hunger".

Natural Body (Zombie) (A):
The possession of a perfect body as an undead being since “birth”.

Foreigner’s body has never known true life. His initial appearance is almost indiscernible from a human’s with only his deathly pale skin being a reminder of his state of undeath. A purely magical construct, this body has become exempt from the rot and decay rampant in most of his “species”, maintaining it in a strange state of unchanging limbo.

Noble Phantasm

Zumbi: Hunger’s Fetish (B)
Anti-Humanity
The only Noble Phantasm befitting a zombie, this is not a crystallization, but a curse spread through infection of the body. Biting, scratching, or exchanging fluids transforms any living being into a zombie. The time with which the change takes effect varies to the magical resistance of the infected individual. Normal humans begin changing twenty minutes after infection while a Servant with A rank Magic Resistance will turn within a week, though they begin exhibiting signs after one day.

The zombies created by this Noble Phantasm possess the Skills Monstrous Strength and Unfeeling Body of Foreigner at rank C. They are truly the mindless monsters of pop-culture, controlled only by Foreigner through his connection to the “hunger”. Zombies created from beings of power, however, also retain their former skills and intelligence, tempered by their new hunger and Foreigner’s influence over them, possibly making them deadlier than they were before.

The crowning jewel of this Noble Phantasm is that, if his own body is destroyed, his consciousness will be moved to one of his zombie creations. Just as the infection can never be defeated until every zombie is destroyed, neither can Foreigner.

Lore

There have been hundreds upon hundreds of different interpretations of them, but the core of the zombie remains the same. Whether or not it was born from Haitian folklore and voodoo has become meaningless as the concept is changed and warped with every iteration to varying degrees.

A horrific, restless horde that chases down and feeds on the living, destroying any obstacle in their way in their endless pursuit. Eternally feeding a bottomless appetite while wearing the faces of loved ones.

These creatures have lost everything of who they once were. They remember who they were. They’re trapped within their rotting bodies, unable to do anything but watch as their corpse acts without input. They are intelligent, acting with a grace and ease portrayed by many other undead entities. They are an unstoppable horde. They are individualistic hunters. They’re fast. They’re slow. They’re a disease. They’re a cure. They’re magical. They’re scientific.

They are hungry.

Above all else, this remains the same. Differing visons. Differing themes. Differing messages. No matter the tale, setting, or origin, their hunger connects them all.

Even so, it’s rare to question where this hunger comes. Could it be as simple as “they have a mouth, so they must eat”, or is there something far greater driving it?

Foreigner doesn’t know, but he’s fairly curious about it.

Personality

Foreigner has no identity other than knowing he is a zombie. He has no memories and is supposedly nothing more than a blank slate from the moment he’s summoned. Instead, his hunger for flesh is only matched by his hunger for knowledge. He has a deep desire to understand how he came to be and where his own existence ends and the “hungers” begins.

Generally quiet and introspective, Foreigner spends most of his time learning about the world and, more specifically, humans. Whether this means reading every book he can get his hands on or just observing them through movies or real life, he actively seeks out information on them. He will often ask questions or for clarification, working to understand as much as he can. All this gives him a somewhat childlike quality, which only makes it more surprising when he speaks on the different subjects he has studied with a strange clarity and unexpected diction.

When interacting with others, Foreigner is openly friendly and curious about them despite his nature. He openly admits he often wonders how any given person might taste, but it is always followed by him assuring them it is not his intention to do so. He's even said that eating their brain would show him every single experience they ever had, which would certainly be useful in his efforts to understand them. Still, he refrains from doing so.

Foreigner, as many have realized, is oddly hesitant to indulge in his hunger. He has stated he does not need to feed to survive, but the "hunger" constantly calls him to. Indulging in it, feeling the addictive bliss of consuming life, comes at the cost of his mind, something Foreigner is loath to part with easily.

Relationships

Frankenstein (Berserker): A patchwork of flesh. Are you human or something more? Either way, I wonder how many different flavors you possess because of it.

Peter Stumpp (Assassin): A fellow devourer of flesh. I can feel its influence within you. The "hunger" calls, and you answer it so willingly. If only I could be as simple you.

Peter Stumpp: Ah. Now that's more in line with what I expected from a werewolf. I don't think I'd even need to infect you.

Holy Servants: An abomination? Me? Don't be ridiculous. What bearing does God have on that which never had a soul?

Jack the Ripper: I feel a strange kinship to you. You don't exist either. Two conglomerations of stories. At least, we would be if not for that girl.

Pale Rider: A pair of contagions, aren't we?

Nzambi (Caster): Should I call you mother? If I infected you, would you call me father? Whatever the case, there's certainly a connection between us.

Hati (Mooncancer): The urge to consume the moon. I have to say, I find it quite intriguing.

---

Two days later, and he is finished. This was a weird one, but I can say I was as motivated to make him as I was Vortigern, whom I still consider my best Servant. This was fun. BTW, if anyone has any suggestions for Servants to interact with, I'm all ears.

[WhiteFrenzy]

Hewwo, sometimes I still appear here to show that I'm alive. (ALSO THIS MONTH'S THEME? HELL YES. REALCASUALLY YOU'RE THE BEST.)



Franz Kafka: YO WHAT THE HECK. Bn you can't just come barging in and throw this sheet in our faces like that and then just leave that's so rude. BUT YOOOO. THIS SERVANT SLAPS. I've never really consider that angle before but he truly works amazing as a Berserker... Those skills? Amazing job with them. All of them tie perfectly with a facet of Kafka and they all work together seamlessly. Those NPs? Hoo boy. Way to go, taking some of his most famous works and twisting them just enough for them to become some of the coolest abilities I've seen in this thread yet. The first one in particular stands out somehow in my mind, I think I love it more than I should hahaha. Seriously, I wish I could weave an entire page of compliments to this man, I truly wish that... What a first entry.

Claude Frollo: Now this is a certified NittyGritty Sheet™ gotta love the way you spin these legends. (And good work for not falling into the temptation of mentioning his Disney version. I like how this one is mostly based on the original by Victor Hugo.) Also! I loved, loved so much what you did with Quasimodo and Esmeralda. That was such a cool twist on their story, and those NPs reflect this very well... Sure we had a cool Caster figure that built homunculi in the past in this franchise, but I think you did an amazing job in making this Servant unique with what he had. He's an absolute nightmare and a very fitting figure for this month's prompt, truly. Good for you for claiming him this early!

Enepsigos: Leave it to Royd to make something outrageous and amazing at the same time. I'm always left in awe after I read your works, always wondering just HOW it's possible for someone to continuously outdo themselves every time hahaha. But really! This entry is really good! I absolutely adored the lore behind this abomination, the "alliance" between dying pantheons and the way this is mostly like some sort of Homunculus-Phantom-Spirit, an abomination in the purest sense of the word, than a proper Servant. (Besides the "creepy twins" trope is a stapple on the horror genre so that's a winn too.) This concept slaps so much! That NP too? It gave me the Dragon Ball flashbacks, such a cool concept. (Not so cool for the earthly spirits, they are so dead.) I'm so happy that you took the time to participate this month too, your entries are always so nice and this one wasn't an exception. Thanks a lot for the read.

"Mr." Zombie: Now this is the sort of Servant that threads that healthy line between "concept" and "truth," absolutely great to admire. While I'm here left curious about the Zombie from the actual Fate lore (sighs) at least someone here gave me something to amuse me while I wait for more. And what a great concept it is! Truly, when you stop to think about it, a zombie Servant would be a thing of nightmare... And I think you translated that quite good in this sheet. Imagine that it only takes one use of his NP to transform a story in one of those Night of the Living Dead-situations... That's a scary thought. And way he can only die if everyone he infected also dies with him? Yikes. (And the fact that he's intelligent enough to not indulge everytime in his hunger is even scarier - the poor Master who summons this dude... I feel they'd totally learn how to sleep with one eye open and advance humanity's evolution this way.)

[realcasually]

Hewwo, sometimes I still appear here to show that I'm alive. (ALSO THIS MONTH'S THEME? HELL YES. REALCASUALLY YOU'RE THE BEST.)

OH STOP IT'S NOT THAT CREATIVE (but thank you so much, if you intend to enter I hold my breath imagining what kind of masterpiece you'll drop on this aah)

[Morg van Destro]

Speaking of slashers, I came across this article on the Halifax Slasher, a case of mass hysteria where multiple people claimed to have been attacked by a knife-wielding madman. Turned out no such madman existed and the previous attacks were all self-inflicted for various reasons. Would be an interesting phenomenon to explore, and since I lack the creativity to expand on it further, you're all free to take this idea, if anyone's interested.

You probably weren't expecting this, especially not from me, but it hit me for some reason, so your wish is granted

---

How interesting. You managed to somehow summon me despite how greatly my existence was erased. A very commendable accomplishment, Master. I am Caster, and is it too forward to ask you partake in an experiment?

Source
Class: Caster
Other Classes: Assassin
True Name: Halifax ‘Hali’ Slasher
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Place of Origin: Historical Fact (?)
Height: 170 cm.
Weight: 64 kilo.
Likes: Experiments. Children. Reading.
Dislikes: Ignorance. Being forgotten.
Natural Enemy: The Clocktower
Catalyst: Artifacts associated with Jack the Ripper. (Prerequisite: Both Assassin and Berserker classes must be already occupied, otherwise it will simply summon Jack or, in extremely rare cases, Caster's Assassin form.)

Parameters:
STR: E
END: D
AGI: C
MGI: A
LCK: A
NP: A

Class Skills:
Item Construction (C):
Specializing in illusory magecraft, Caster’s inherent ability to construct magical items is only at average level.

Territory Creation (B):
Caster has the ability to create a mansion that everyone in the surrounding area remembers as having always been where it is placed. This mansion is a replica of the one she lived in when training in magecraft with her adoptive father, one she often creates with an illusion of the man himself within.

Personal Skills:
Illusionism (A):
At A Rank, the introduction of nightmares unto the realm of the psyche is a matter of course; and even within reality, an illusion on the scale of a single village may be manifested with ease, to the end of successfully beguiling humans. At this level, it is even possible to go beyond people and deceive the environment.

Mass Hysteria (A):
A Skill born from the many cases of mass hysteria she created wherever she went. This Skill makes those around her more susceptible to mental effects, allowing Caster’s illusions to have an even greater sway over them and their environment. It also allows her to instill certain feelings toward the illusion in those affected by it.

Appreciation of Literature (B):
Caster’s fervent study of all books she could obtain and her devotion to collecting knowledge has gifted her with a massive amount of information to draw on. If any Heroic Spirit is a prominent character in literature, there is a high chance that Caster will be able to identify them.

Human Observation (B):
Having spent most of her adolescent life carefully observing people and spending the majority of her adult life doing the same has given Caster insight into those she sets her sights on, being able to discern their character and actions to a certain degree. This Skill, however, is only effective on adult targets, as children are something she failed to understand even when she was one.

Noble Phantasm

Monster Without a Name: Perception is Reality (A)
Anti-Army

Caster’s Reality Marble, this Noble Phantasm does not manifest as an inner world imposed on reality but rather as illusions integrated into reality, to the point that they are indistinguishable from it. These illusions have true presence, able to interact and affect the world by imprinting their actions on the world’s consciousness. The removal or destruction of these illusions causes the world to correct itself, mending the contradiction by changing the world’s collective memories of how the change occurred.

With this Noble Phantasm, Caster can create weapons of nearly any shape and size, all with the power of a B ranked Noble Phantasm, or even manifest creatures and beings that obey her commands. These creatures range in power, and it is even possible to create the illusion of a Heroic Spirt, though in a very diminished form compared to their original power.

While there is a limit to how many illusions she can manifest at once, said limit is about the same as creating an entire village of said illusions, meaning she is not likely to reach that limit during most encounters.

Lore

In 1888, the world was introduced to Jack the Ripper. The Ripper struck fear into the heart of London as a faceless shadow hunting through the night, rising from the darkness to mutilate his prey before fading away once more. Even after his disappearance, he remained burned into the minds of the world, reminding them that no matter how brightly they light the night, the shadows will always conceal unknown dangers.

Amongst the fearful citizens, one girl, whose name has been lost to time, was not afraid, but truly amazed.

Abandoned and growing up on the streets, somehow managing to survive in the dark alleys and horrid “beasts” of Whitechapel, the girl would have likely continued as she was. An invisible fixture in the world. One that would be forgotten as though she had never existed. That is, until one fateful night.

The night she met Jack the Ripper.

Perhaps “met” is not the right word. This girl witnessed one of the murders, surprised to see a little girl carefully carving into a woman. She was entranced by the girl caked in blood, something deep within her stirring, though what it was remained unknown to her at the time. Then, Jack turned, and their eyes met. No words passed between them, and fear was nonexistent in that alley. Instead, the girl felt a connection, the first in her life, as the Ripper smiled at her and went back to her carving.

When the fear of Jack truly spread, the girl began to understand what it was she felt that night. She was in awe that such a small girl who could smile so innocently could cause the most stalwart of men tremble in fear at the thought of her.

A drive awoke in the girl, one that could not be sated by the sad existence she had been living up till that point. Hidden away and ignored by the world, her thefts that once were only filled with change and scraps were joined by a collection of books, as various as the subjects they covered. Through sheer willpower, dedication, and what she would soon discover as magecraft, she taught herself to read within only a few months, and eventually came across that which brought her closer to her new dream.

A magus, their name just as lost as the girl’s, had discovered that the killings of Jack the Ripper were caused by a creature of magical nature, eliminating it before any more could be lost. In his search through the back-alleys and dark corners of Whitechapel, he came across a seemingly unremarkable girl, like so many he had passed before, but something made him stop. As he did, the girl also took note of him, their eyes meeting an exchange she had not felt since that night with the Ripper.

The man saw intelligence swimming in those eyes alongside something more. Something captivating. It urged him to investigate further, telling him that, if he would only look, he would find something truly extraordinary.

After a moment of consideration, he seized upon the opportunity, reasoning that, as he was the last in his family line, he may be able to take this girl on as his heir. Upon examining her, he found this to become extremely viable, realizing that this unremarkable little girl was somehow born with high quality Magical Circuits.

Uncaring of her opinion on the matter, not that she would have objected to begin with, her took her away from that shadowy world into one possibly much darker. He taught her all he knew of magecraft, the girl absorbing the information like a sponge as he began engraving his Magic Crest into her body over the course of several years, a process far more likely to end in her demise than success.

Enduring the pain and taking his teachings to heart, her proficiency in magecraft grew every year. Finally the whole crest had been implanted, and he presented her as his family’s successor.

Somewhere along the way, both the man and girl had realized the convenience of using one another, him for an heir and her for his knowledge, had fallen away and brought forth genuine affection for each other, one that could only be shared between father and daughter. As such, when the girl told him she would be going off to study and grow her magecraft on her own, he had no objections, knowing in his heart the girl he found all those years ago would make him proud.

Having initially thought the family’s deep understanding and research into illusion magecraft would be nothing more than a steppingstone, the girl discovered it was exactly what she had needed. Studying and experimenting, all the while contributing the knowledge to the crest, her masterpiece of magecraft was complete. The only thing left to do was to test it.

In 1938, in tribute to the killer who inspired her, the girl created the Halifax Slasher to terrorize the streets of Halifax, England. An illusion that overwrote reality to the point it could actually interact with the world as though it too was real. Assaulting various people, the illusion was not created to kill, but to harm and, more importantly, create terror. Once she was satisfied with the result, she removed the illusion, but was surprised by an unintended effect.

Many of those her illusion had attacked came forward, claiming they had done the harm themselves for various reasons. Perplexed, she conducted more experiments and discovered that the removal of something so real it could genuinely interact with the world caused the world in turn to reject it ever existed, as though it was trying to mend a hole torn in it.

It was then she came to a conclusion she hadn’t realized she’d been searching for, one born that night Jack had smiled so innocently at her as she brutalized a woman.

“What did she see that allowed her to perform such an act and still be so pure?”

While she had no answer to that question, it led her to a fundamental truth.

Perception is reality.

Spurred on by this, she journeyed around the world, experimenting with her illusions in more settings with a few even becoming well known. Her experiments ended, however, in Blackburn, England, when the Clocktower confronted her about her activities. Whether she had realized it or not, she had created a Reality Marble that imprinted upon reality in the form of her illusions. One that, rather than being rejected by the world or overwriting it, could somehow integrate into it, making it closer in essence to a Marble Phantasm.

Realizing that they wanted to take her life’s work away and knowing not even her magecraft could likely stop them, she called on one final illusion based off an urban legend generated over a century ago. One she'd heard mentioned in passing and derisive tones.

Spring-heeled Jack appeared behind her, engulfing her in flames of blue and white before maiming her beyond recognition. The mages quickly killed the beast, the illusion vanishing and leaving them to wonder what had done such a horrific thing. But it was already too late. Her body was destroyed, the crest and the secrets therein lost as well.

As though she too was one of her illusions, the world, magus and human alike, forgot about her, but not what she had done.

That is, except for one man. A man who took what remained of her and gave her a proper burial at the home where they both truly existed for the first time. It was only after that man finally died that they both truly faded away.

Just another case of hysteria. Just another thing people experienced that never truly existed.

Personality

Caster is a figure always seen in a cheerful, contemplative mood. She’s always ready to perform a new experiment with her magecraft, whether the subjects are willing or not.

She has a refined manner of speech, born of preference rather than upbringing, and adores conversation of any sort, though she prefers to listen rather than speak. She often spends her time either talking to Servants that were brilliant minds in their time, learning from them as she did from her adoptive father and books, or reading in the Chaldea library.

She deals with combat situations with the same detachment as her experiments, preferring to act and observe from a distance so she can assess the results and change her tactics accordingly. It’s an extreme rarity to see her on the battlefield rather than an illusion. This rubs some Servants the wrong way, feeling more like test subjects than allies.

Underneath it all, though, is a desire to be remembered. A want to do something that makes a true impact on the world as she was unable to in life. To have a name that echoes beyond her days, and to be truly seen in the eyes of others. Sadly, this is impossible, and she is well aware of that fact. Still, if such a drive was able to bring her to this point, then maybe a bit more can push her that last little bit farther.

Relationships

Jack the Ripper(Assassin): Jack... Do you remember me? Please, you must! I... *ahem* I am sorry. You reminded me of someone important to me.

Servants who were prolific writers: I love your work. Please, you must tell how you came to write it.

Nursery Rhyme (Caster): To have been brought into existence and cemented in the world's consciousness by another. To be born in such a way must have been quite the experience.

Maxwell's Demon: Fascinating. A demon created by people's perceptions and desires. It seems the "Devil's Proof" enforces my belief.

Viking of Stamford Bridge (Berserker): I see you also are without a True Name. Are you not saddened only your deeds are remembered? ...Yes. Having both would be preferable for me as well.

Phantom of the Opera: Another without a name. Perhaps our descriptors and deeds are all anyone truly cares about. What a worrying thought.

Sasaki Kojirou: You bear a name that is not your own? Is a human's existence so worthless it can be substituted this easily?

Consort Yu: A frequent library-mate.

The Little Girl: Hello, little one. Tell me, what is your name. ...No, not your Class name. Your True Name. ...I see. They lost yours as well. ...Mine? Well... I suppose you can call me Hali.

The Halifax Slasher: *watches him walk away after he finished his rant* I am sorry. All I can do for you now is apologize.

Little Red Riding Hood: It must have been very difficult for you. If you wish to talk about it, my door is always open to you.

TARRARE (Foreigner): You poor, brave child. You should be allowed your innocence, as is the right of every child. What a truly despicable being to steal that from you.

Descartes' demon: An illusion made conscious and manifest. So many possibilities. I would love a demonstration.

Roberta Hooke: It truly does hurt to be forgotten in spite of your achievements. I still must say that I envy you.

---

This one was made today in a strangely feverish fervor. I really don't understand why it hit so hard, but it just urged me to create it, so I did. Hope you like it.

[BnEl15]

Halifax Slasher: Wow, when I imagined this figure in my head, I imagined them as an amalgamation of nameless wraiths like Kojiro, Berserker Jack, and maybe a dash of TATARI. You certainly went above and beyond in writing her backstory, and it always interests me to see people combining history with Nasuverse concepts, which you did pretty well. Overall, good job.

[Morg van Destro]

I think she's up there with Vortigern for me. Something about her just fills me with pride.

[Kabalisto Koga]

I think she's up there with Vortigern for me. Something about her just fills me with pride.

you are rightly proud this is a ggreat servant idea i must say Morg ,well done , i would be curious what she would think o my Shamanes given that she is a similar amalgation ?

[kiwi]

Berserker of Existential Isolation

i like this quite a bit
this entry gives off a certain vibe. kind of a metaphysical dread, an oppressing feel. in fact, i'd even call it.... lynchian...?




no, that's not quite right...

The Hash-Slinging Slasher

I had an idea for this particular figure in my head for a while, glad to see you take it in such a different direction that I'd have, haha. Good work.

[Morg van Destro]

I had an idea for this particular figure in my head for a while, glad to see you take it in such a different direction that I'd have, haha. Good work.

I'm fairly certain everyone had a less out-there version in their minds. I don't even understand where she came from, which makes me happy because it means I can still surprise myself.
Side note: I had totally forgotten about your Servant, Koga, but your reminder made me realize she would have something to say, so I put it in Relationships if you haven't already seen it.

[Kabalisto Koga]

I'm fairly certain everyone had a less out-there version in their minds. I don't even understand where she came from, which makes me happy because it means I can still surprise myself.
Side note: I had totally forgotten about your Servant, Koga, but your reminder made me realize she would have something to say, so I put it in Relationships if you haven't already seen it.

Thanks Morg ! Have you read her Profile as a whole ? If so then how do you think of her as she is one of my favorites ?

Also i am hopefully in the next days ready with my contest servant .As i am curious about your oppinions ?

[Morg van Destro]

You really went all out with her, not that I've seen you as one to take half-measures with your creations. The detail, as always, is staggering, and the Skills and NPs are really creative as well. Personality-wise, I somewhat wish we had gotten more on how the older half acts, as almost all relationship stuff just seem to be from the younger's perspective, and the personality segment doesn't really emphasize the difference in how the two act to much of a degree.

On the subject of your next Servant, I await with baited breath.