Monthly Create-A-Servant Contest

[kiwi]

Insert obligatory 'Are you challenging me?' reference.

yes.

tomorrow...

[TheLordOfAwesome]

Um... I'm having a bit of a problem thinking up of an idea. WOuld it be against the rules to fudge it a little and make the Servant a teacher in their background even if that wasn't necessarily part of their background? Like, I can think of how to work it in without making something up whole sale.

[Drangle]

Um... I'm having a bit of a problem thinking up of an idea. WOuld it be against the rules to fudge it a little and make the Servant a teacher in their background even if that wasn't necessarily part of their background? Like, I can think of how to work it in without making something up whole sale.

Well, in my observation the contest is pretty lax about enforcing adherence to the prompt, as long as a token effort has clearly been made. Ask yourself if making this figure a teacher "in the past" alters the figure's overall character enough that it results in a sheet that seems to have a place in this month's ccontest.

By way of example, suppose the prompt was "Scientists" and somebody submitted a sheet about, idk, Sir Kay. The sheet remarks that Sir Kay was "interested in science" in the lore and relationships section but the abilities and noble phantasm have naught to do with that interest. They would get away with it, probably, but they probably wouldn't get a strong positive reception. In contract, imagine someone made a sheet about a religious leader, like a Pope, and emphasized that figure's strong opposition to the advancement of the sciences. I think that would be received much better, because while it also stretches the literal ask of the prompt, it's still "on-theme".

So if you ask me, if you can make a sheet that really feels like its "about" education/mentorship, and not just some sheet that has been squeezed and squashed to fit in a teacher-shaped hole, then go for it.

[asterism42]

I generally leave most decisions as to whether a Servant is a permissible entry to the person who gave the prompt

[BnEl15]

Well, in my observation the contest is pretty lax about enforcing adherence to the prompt, as long as a token effort has clearly been made. Ask yourself if making this figure a teacher "in the past" alters the figure's overall character enough that it results in a sheet that seems to have a place in this month's ccontest.

By way of example, suppose the prompt was "Scientists" and somebody submitted a sheet about, idk, Sir Kay. The sheet remarks that Sir Kay was "interested in science" in the lore and relationships section but the abilities and noble phantasm have naught to do with that interest. They would get away with it, probably, but they probably wouldn't get a strong positive reception. In contract, imagine someone made a sheet about a religious leader, like a Pope, and emphasized that figure's strong opposition to the advancement of the sciences. I think that would be received much better, because while it also stretches the literal ask of the prompt, it's still "on-theme".

So if you ask me, if you can make a sheet that really feels like its "about" education/mentorship, and not just some sheet that has been squeezed and squashed to fit in a teacher-shaped hole, then go for it.

I agree with this interpretation. I don't mind seeing more creative takes on what you think a mentor is, so long as you can justify it.

[DelRey]

My side-entry. Dont take it too seriously

"So...here I stand. Watching them all. Watching them wallow in the sin of indecency.
But they are not like described...
Nevermind that! I have to guide them back! Apparently they are all heroes!
It is my duty to bring them back to their senses! A proper Bringer of Light and Hope should not act like those fools!
Just like the old times!"
But she is not entirely convinced yet. Even she knows that...

< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- ⨻ -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- ⨻ -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >

...this seems like normal behaviour here on the beach...

Gatekeeper of Decency

First Ascension
Second Ascension
Third Ascension
Final Ascension
Spiritron Dress: Athena Skiras, Port Celebration
Spiritron Dress: Athena Koryphagenês, the Head-born
Spiritron Dress: Athena Gorgolaphas, the Gorgon-Crested

If summoned outside Summer

First Ascension
Second Ascension
Third Ascension
Final Ascension


Spiritron Dresses Athena Koryphagenes and Athena Gorgolaphas can be transferred through her Divine abilities.

Class	Gatekeeper
Alternative Classes	Rider, Lancer, Shielder
True Name	Athena
Aliases	Athena Parthenos, Pallas Athena
Origin	Greek Mythology
Height/Weight	165cm/50kg
Alignment	Lawful Neutral
Attribute	Heaven

STR	END	AGI	MAN	LCK
C	A+	C	A	A

Likes	decency, handicrafts, white robes
Dislikes	indecency, 'hook-up culture'
Talent	warfare, tactics, guiding
Natural Enemy	Ares, 'fuckboys', inappropriate jokes
Armament	distaff
Catalyst	greek summer garments

---

Class Skills

Divine Core of the Virgin Goddess A
A Skill that expresses one being a perfected goddess from birth. A composite Skill that comprises the Skill Divinity, preserves the absoluteness of the mind and the body, repels all mental interference, prevents the body from growth and prevents the figure from changing no matter how much calories are absorbed. This skill is especially useful at the Beach, where culinary temptations are as present as indecent ones.
A Skill that also shows her former role in the Machine God Fleet. Athena was the living Fire Wall of the Gods, preventing any foreign influences to breach through the gates of their inner network.
Why she was named the virgin goddess is pretty obvious by now.

Territory Defense EX
A Skill defining the Gatekeeper Class. It denotes the ability to steadfastly guard a designated place. While the user remains in position, their defensive capabilities receive a significant boost. At the same time, the Skill’s effects are dependent on the Gatekeeper’s ability to repel invaders - should the user let intruders through, the effects of Territory Defense would be lost.
A special rank for this manifestation of Athena. While she was hailed as the protectress of the State in general and specifically of cities and harbors, the reason why she has the EX rank is…for another reason. Or rather another region. She is the famous Virgin Goddess after all. As long as she is Athena Parthenos, her Defenses are more than superb. Her defenses are especially good against attacks that thrust their weapons, so weapons that would stab her are less effective…

"Stop giggling!"

Magic Resistance A
It is only natural for a goddess of her calibre to have a high rank even without the magic properties of Chaldea's suncream. Cant get sunburn if your body is well protected from the rays of the sun and gazes of the gawkers by dressing appropriately.

Riding negative EX
I dont know what to tell you here. She is the goddess that invented the Chariot and should have a high rank, but instead of sealing it, she invented the negative EX rank. Apparently to deincentivise any weird implications.

"Just to prove a point!"
she says. But she also regrets it. She really wants to ride that Banana boat, the chariot of the seas…but those indecent fools with their indecent thoughts wont let her…

---

Personal Skills

Beach Rose EX
A Skill that determines how many looks from the opposite sex/of public attention one can gather at the beach. It is similar to Beach Flower, but this Rose has Thorns. Those who look at the owner indecently are inflicted with a full rank down in their Luck Parameter.
She once blinded a man who saw her bathing. She knew it was by accident, but still.

Virgin Creation A
Skill that represent the techniques and arts to artificially give birth to and raise a "Korie", a virgin maiden. A forced evolution of her usual skill Hero Creation. Or so she claims. In truth this skill is more in line with the Subversive Activities, centered on the Beach:
The talent to reduce the enemy forces in the preliminary stages before going in for a flirt. An expert of ruining amourous attempts. However, the higher the ranking of this Skill, the more one's spiritual status as a 'spoilsport' increases.
As the goddess of tactical warfare she has the strategic know-how to foil any plan the opposite sex might have in store to infringe upon the purity of any maiden under her care. In her repertoire to protect women from beach predators are lines like "Your boyfriend is looking for you." or "Are you ready to go now?" and clumsy attempts to spirit the women away by 'accidentally' spilling a drink over them and rushing with them away.
Needless to say her help attempts receive mixed responses. Especially telling them that they make a wonderful virgin out of them sounds weird in the 21st century.

Concept Improvement D
The special right and unfair advantage of improving any tool, from any given time or place. A bow becomes stronger, a sword becomes sharper, an axe becomes heavier, etc.
Gatekeeper is revered as the goddess of the handicrafts and is best known for her weaving skills. On the beach she limits her skills to exactly that. To enforce Public Decency she 'helps' her fellow maidens at the beach by 'improving' their frivolous garments by adding more textiles to their swimsuits. They may look great, but if one does not stop her, your bikini becomes a summer dress and you can not go to swim anymore.

---

Noble Phantasm

Athena Parthenos

Domain of the Great Patroness

Gatekeeper was the namesake of Athens and the Athenians dedicated a great temple for her on the famous Athenian Acropolis: The Parthenon.
The temple was named after her Epithet Parthenos, meaning the Virgin.
In it they build the best known cult image for their Patron goddess, the Athena Parthenos statue. An 11.5m tall.
A massive sculpture for Gatekeeper that was sadly lost in history. It was described by the ancient historian Pausanias as followed:

"The statue is created with ivory and gold. On the middle of her helmet is likeness of the Sphinx ... and on either side of the helmet are griffins in relief. ... The statue of Athena is upright, with a tunic reaching to the feet, and on her breast the head of Medusa is worked in ivory. She holds a statue of Victory [Nike] that is approx. four cubits high, and in the other hand a spear; at her feet lies a shield and near the spear is a serpent. This serpent would be Erichthonius. On the pedestal is the birth of Pandora in relief."

This great structure of dedication and love for the goddess becomes her Noble Phantasm.
Similar to how Nero summons her Noble Phantasm, she summons the Parthenon around her. A great and wonderful Temple adorned in many sculptures and flowers for summer festivities in the name of the Virgin Goddess. Behind her towers the tall statue in her likeness, smiling down upon her worshipers.
Allies of Gatekeeper are cleansed from negative effects on them and receive a full immunity to Charming effects. The Parthenon acts as a Temple for Athena herself and provides a constant regeneration of Mana, which she shares with her allies.
Enemies inside are target of a check, which was modified by Gatekeeper fitting the occasion. The more they acted 'indecent' on the beach, the harsher they are judged. The enemy will receive strong negative modifiers to their LCK and STR Parameter and 'war or combat-related' skills like Military Tactics are affected as well. For some reasons Lancers and Riders are affected harder? But that seems to be a recent addition to this Noble Phantasm after interacting with some Chaldea residents on the beach.
The defilement of the state beach shall end here. It appears as if she chose to be summoned due to a reason and that this Noble Phantasm should help against the problems they encounter.

"I heard there is something happening in Chaldea that warrants my help. Huh? There is nothing going on? What do you mean? There is so much indecent...are you already affected? Or wait, am I too late? Or even early?"

---

Quotes and Relationships

The Pallanides - Nike:
"Still trying to fool the masses, Nike?"

Medb/Summer Medb:
"You are a deplorable woman! Begone from my eyes. Your...your...Thotery is not permitted!"

Jesse Livermore:
"Hooh Athena Agoraia, Athena of the Market Place is one of her titles, yes? Interesting. I suppose small aspects that where left back then were inherited by this woman. Yes, I can feel it. My aversion towards her is bigger than towards others."
(I added a new Summer Spiritron Dress for Livermore, check it out.)

Priapos:
"This weird outfit can not fool anyone, Priapos. Hello, my complete opposite, still thinking with the wrong end of your body, I suppose? Huh I should try it out? Excuse me, I am not even able to think of such obscene situations. It has a reason why humanity spread the word that I was born without such nasty and unholy things! I was born from the head! I am a spiritually higher being compared to the likes of you...What do you mean with "he should have swallowed her", Priapos?"

Sigmund Freud (Summer):
"Summer does seem like a fleeting dream sometimes, Master, but I will not forget this one. Who would have thought to see a real Greek Goddess manifest on the Beach? And Athena of all people!
I am actually quite fond of her myths and here is a funny insight, my friend. You know her most famous surname? Pallas Athena? Well the name could be roughly translated as 'Athena, the Spear-Brandishing'. But some theorize it once was Pallax Athena, meaning Virgin Athena! Considering our friend Casanova and why he is a Lancer, that makes it a pretty ironic twist on things, right? Hahaha I should name a drink after her, making even the greatest virgin into a brandisher of-"
"Because of you pervert and that weirdo I let into my divine family I will try to seal my Lancer Variant from now on. And moreover...I will keep my eyes on you."

"Master, Master. I was farming at the beach like you asked. I beat up all the giant chickens. But here look at this little cock I found in the bushes! Isnt he cute? He may not be the biggest compared to the rest of them, but he is still young! You are still a grower, not a shower! And size doesnt matter, right little friend? But he seems to be sick! I tried to feed him some nuts, but he almost suffocated on them! Poor thing, I had to massage his throat to prevent that, but then he puked out all his seed unto my face. After that he felt weak and he laid flaccid in my hands. He seemed so embarassed. That is why…"
"Athena….please stop, Blackbeard over here gets a stroke if you talk more."

Notice: New Spiritron Dress unlocked. Designation: Athena Alektor, Athena of the Rooster.
Yes she had this title.

---

Lore and Background

No introduction needed, it is the famous Greek Goddess Athena herself! A surprise appearance of a celebrity like herself and right from the start in a Summer Outfit! Athena was known under many names, but one in particular was forgotten in time:
Interstellar Fire Wall - Type Tactical Interceptor / Super Spiritron Computer Αθηνη.
As such she received several attributes from the mortals that worshipped her. One particular story shaped her myth especially, from which all her subsequent Authorities derived from - her birth according to the Ancient Greeks. It was believed Athena's mother was Metis, one of the elder Okeanides and the Titan-goddess of good counsel, planning, cunning and wisdom. It was said it was Metis that devised the plan how Zeus would bring his Father to regurgitate his siblings. In an ironic twist of fate, Metis ended up being swallowed by Zeus, after Ouranos and Gaia prophesized that she would bear Zeus a child, that would repeat the cycle and would overthrow him. And so Metis was killed, but soon after Zeus would have severe headaches. God Hephaistos then split open his skull to alleviate his pain and forth sprang Athena, fully armored. She became his favourite daughter.
The story of her birth would be the basis for her Authorities.
Her father was the most powerful and her mother the wisest among the gods, so Athena was a combination of the two, that is, a goddess in whom power and wisdom were harmoniously blended. From this fundamental idea may be derived the various aspects under which she appears in the ancient writers. She seems to have been a divinity of a purely ethical character, and not the representative of any particular physical power manifested in nature; her power and wisdom appear in her being the protectress and preserver of the state and of social institutions. Everything, therefore, which gives to the state strength and prosperity, such as agriculture, inventions, and industry, as well as everything which preserves and protects it from injurious influence from without, such as the defense of the walls, fortresses, and harbors, is under her immediate care.
The way she was begotten also depicts why she is unaffected by the powers of the goddess of Love Aphrodite. She was not produced by an act of love or the carnal union of two bodies, but by 'consuming wisdom' and releasing it into the world from thy own mind.
But there is another aspect buried inside her that are seen in this legend. Athena was one of the eleven machine gods, which blueprints were absorbed by the foolish god Khronos. Athena in particular was devised to be in part a successor to Rhea, the Cosmic Vault Type Development Department, which was also in charge of guaranteeing the evolution of the fleet. For that reason Athena also had the role of planning to one day allow the dethronement of Zeus for a newer and better generation, just like Khronos was to Ouranos and Zeus to Khronos. A program embedded in all machine gods somewhat. Athena's program still exists, but the lack of ability to create new machines made her eyes turn towards the new species. For that reason she became the goddess concerned with the creation of new 'gods', heroes, making her a famous mentor for many Greek Heroes.
By the way, Hera and Zeus inherited the same program, but they act upon it differently. While he produces the new fleet by spreading his seed into the world, Hera wants to be the only womb to be fertilized and have more control over the next generation. This difference in motivation led to many other stories between the former machine gods.

---

Craft Essence

The Last Safe Summer Days

"There was actually a reason I was summoned. I was asked by my kin to counteract something that was about to happen that could perhaps threaten us. But seems like something interfered. Perhaps it was the World itself. I can not lie, when I got here I thought it was too late, he was even among us, but he was different, you all are. So instead of helping perhaps I can even help prevent it. Yet there is this feeling that I should not, as if it is taken care of elsewhere. I am a goddess, I only serve great god Zeus and we all serve a purpose for Gaia. But with all those heroes here present, enjoying what they could not do in their life...yes I like it here. I want to guide them all, so they can one day surpass us gods as it is supposed to be. Oh I am so sorry! Enough of my rambling, I now know that the world is in good hands. No matter what may happen, you and your friends will surely solve any issue. Let us enjoy the rest of the summer together, shall we?"

---

Editors Notes:
I should have released her two weeks ago or so, but this contest derailed my plans. She is the result of me trying to make the opposite of the 'huehue Lancer is penis" joke I like. The distaff she uses as a weapon is this little spearlike thing used when weaving.
I start hearing the technical intermission from this summer like the Sage in Reincarnated as a slime anime.

[BnEl15]

Summer Athena: No line for the recent Diomedes over at the usual thread? He'd probably be a breath of fresh air compared to the rest of Chaldea's thottery and... fuckboy-ery? Aside from that, I'm loving the whole "reverse dick joke" you've come up with here. That "negative EX" rank is such a stupidly genius idea. Using one of the best 3H girls as FC is a bonus point, and I'm sensing some ominous foreshadowing on her NP and bond CE. I wonder where you're going with this...

[DelRey]

oh right when i read diomedes I thought I can use him as a quote, but I dont remember what she would say. I just quickly finished her so I can concentrate on stuff elsewhere

i just remembered I should have waited a few more days. Marianne will get more official art in few days because she won a popularity contest in Fire Emblem Heroes. Heads up, if I edit the sheet soon, it is because I add even more art to her big gallery

and idk what you mean

btw: 3H Gatekeeper gets also more art coz he won the popularity contest as well. Shitpost Gatekeeper that is just the boring amalgamation of all the guards waiting at the gates inc.

[NittyGritty]

oh boy i still havent started my sheet

[Manthano]

A... Summer Athena?
Definitely a unique take. There's a lot to love about this sheet. The humour might be risque but still in relatively good taste (Aristophanes would approve), and some ideas - like Nasuverse Athena being a firewall, and the hints at some serious chaos in the future her NP and CE drop are just perfect. Love the NP in general.
The guide of heroes is back in action!
(but somebody really should pour a bucket of cold water on Blackbeard, and make sure the water is as filthy as his mind.)
A summer event with Aphrodite being all "Let's have Fun!" and Athena going "Yes, but wholesome fun!" would make for lots of hilarity. Can't make those who enjoy thottery stop enjoying it, can't force those who don't enjoy it to like thottery, but there's no such thing as going too far just to prove a point.
(Poor roosters, though. Going from symbols of watchfulness to dick jokes, lol.)
Anyway, liked the sheet a lot.

[DelRey]

thank you, glad you liked the NP, because that was a major problem for me to make something in line with her theme.

[realcasually]

DelRey, your Athena is perfect but I'm so mad right now because you've fuckin sniped me out of the water here. I'm still gonna DO it, it's not... a traditional Athena and to be fair neither is yours what with the summer thing (which I love) but... still. Ouch. It was gonna be a WHOLE THING

[DelRey]

Hooh? Are you challenging me?
Very well, I am looking forward to your take on her

[Enigmatic]

Geez. This one has very few entries. Only 6 so far. I'm still working on mine, and realcasually has said they're working on one, so that's potentially 8. I'm just shocked at how few there will be this time around.

[Spammin Spiff]

I'm working on mine as well. I probably could've finished it last week, but I am a master procrastinator.

[Enigmatic]

I feel that. I probably could have done the same, but I am a slacker, a procrastinator, and easily distrac-! Oooh, shiny!

[DelRey]

10 with mine.
I wonder if it is still the Summer Slump or the prompt.
But in essence 'Mentor' is similar to 'Ruler'. Every country had Rulers and most heroes had Mentors.
But there were always some last minute entries, pumping the numbers up.
If not we have a new low in a while after almost having a record high last time.
I hope we get more entries, else a win would feel less rewarding when not many participated

[GilgameshKingOfMemes]

The difference between them was unmistakably. The family who raised her, who took her in as a part of good will. She could not escape the reality of inferiority so constantly empathized when before them.

What kind of fairy was she? To wander so aimlessly, to live in weakness without a set purpose. It was something all Fairies must know, yet she persisted without it.

She was so far from the ideal.

She dreamed endlessly of fairies.

In a miracle of fate, one day this girl did find a name she could bear. A dream of the ideal fairy, something she could wear like a shell.

It was her wish.

A wish could come true.

Even if it would last only a moment, like a mirage, it was something which could fulfill her soul. Which would give purpose to her short existence.

She’ll be shining light for all of Britain.

A true knight.

Fairy Knight of Chastity




“Well met Master! I am the great Fairy Knight, Britomart, the ideal of all fairies in Britain. On behalf of my lord, Queen Gloriana I shall assist you in your future endeavors so long as your virtue stays true……… (I’m hoping that sounds right. This Chivalry talk is killing me, I swear.)


Servant: Lancer
True Name: Britomart
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Strength: C
Endurance: B
Agility: B
Mana: A
Luck: EX
NP: B+

Profile

Knight of Chastity:

“A good knight must be chaste. They cannot carry out the will of my lord without purity. Such is righteousness. My friends, never shall you wander lost down the path of temptation.”

A fairy knight which bears an inherited ideal as its purpose. A conception of a knight washed ashore from panhuman history, it is one aspect of the identity they have taken as a fairy. They have become a person who acts with the ideals and virtues of chivalry present in the epic poem The Faerie Queene. Brave, majestic and courteous, they are a knight which travels to bring aid to others and facilitates certain moral values within others.
They ended up being a fairy which compels others to look up to them before they even knew it. While a straight laced perfectionist of noble character, they always act with a sufficient gentleness to never come off as too overbearing or cold. They are thus able to conduct themselves with a sort of charm which makes countless fairies and humans alike swoon. Even so, as a knight which embodies Chastity, all attempts at romance are calmly and firmly rejected with sufficient grace.
Regardless of how tempting it may be….


Country Fairy:

“It would be improper to behave like those of the village, you can’t just kidnap the first cutie you see and run off. The book clearly establishes this not the behavior of a knight. I must stay strong, cleanse myself of these poor habits of my family….. Does chasity mean I can’t have lovers? Let me check the dang poem again...”
Someone who grew up in a poor countryside village, she was but a mere country hick. The Fairies who took her in were all kind to her, and she was raised with sufficient dedication. But she could never live up to them.
She always felt estranged from their sensibilities. They were rambunctious and mischievous but she could never keep up. They were the sort of Fairies which treated kidnapping like a natural part of life, abducting slaves and lovers and whoever else if it merely caught their fancy. Never powerful enough to keep up with their play she so often fell behind, mainly keeping to herself.
Thus, when she finally found knighthood, she took to the role eagerly. Perhaps too eagerly. While she has adopted the virtues and name of Britomart, they are ultimately still a persona. Someone far more tomboyish and wild at heart, the ideal of the chivalrous knight is an act that must be rigorously upkept less she falls back into the life of a powerless country hick.
Even if she could never catch up, the nature of Fairies around her have ultimately influenced the development of her personality. Thus she attempts to live up to the virtues of Britomart just as much as she tries to enforce them. Though due to being so estranged from the context of the original story she has pulled her knighthood from, it can be considered just as empty a mimicry as the rest of human culture in the fairy kingdom.
Thus while she exposes certain virtues, it is hard to say she actually understands what it all means. In many ways then she is very much playing knight, engaging in her values more for their aesthetic and “inherent rightness” than their actual purpose. Even so, it’s not necessarily entirely empty either, rather it is an ongoing process based on what she truly feels.
In the end a question remains. With this she has found her purpose, yet it still rings hollow and aimless. What is truly good, truly ideal? It’s an unknown which plagues her mind as a knight.

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance (C+)
A skill which grants protection against magical effects. Differing from the Resistance effect that merely rejects Magical Energy, this ability cancels the spells altogether. Cancel spells with a chant below two verses. Cannot defend against magecraft on the level of High-Thaumaturgy and Greater Rituals. As a Knight who embodies chastity and cannot be led astray, their ability to resist charm and temptation is significantly increased compared to other magic inflictions.

Personal Skills:

Divine Right of the Fairy Queen (D)
An altered and weakened version of the skill Divine Right of Kings created due to the limitations of being born in a world with no concept of deities. In this case it is instead a right of “inherent goodness”, a means by which one is ensured authority by “perfection” and “virtue.”

In essence it is a skill which compels others to act based on their own moral compass. So long as they believe in good, then as a fairy who is “good” by nature they are one who must be obeyed.

At this rank, while not functioning on the level of something like mind control, it is more of a subtle compulsion. Those who talk to Lancer will be convinced that their moral values align and are constantly coerced into following her command by virtue of mutual interest. So long as she shines brightly as a full believer of what is “good”, then those who hold such morals steadfast in their heart must follow.

By using this skill it compels those who follow to put their faith in her. As an ideal she attempts to establish herself as a higher power. In many ways it serves as a form of self deification, a delusion of grandeur and purity which generates true divinity within. In a Lost Belt such as Fairy Britain, such a status is a death sentence.


Ideal of the Fairy Knights(A)
A skill which embodies one's essence as an ideal which attracts knights into your service and teaches moral virtue. Due to their nature, knights which fall under her care grow to become extensions of her very will. Currently they are capable of obtaining the favor of 11 other knights, each of which is blessed with “a fragment of the ideal which is Gloriana” and come to embody a virtue.

Those who are enhanced by this skill are capable of molding their “fragment” into the essence of the knight whose name they were given. Due to specifically embodying the story characters alone, these manifestations are mainly determined by imagination and interpretation of text.

Compared to the Knights of Morgan, in this state they may as well be no different than Don Quixote tilting at windmills. However by being bestowed this power and form, they become targets influenceable by their Noble Phantasm.

To Dream of Fae (B)
A skill which embodies the transformation of a human into a fairy. A skill inherent to humans, who after being replaced with a changeling, are raised as fairies to become one of them. In a sense then it is the ability to undergo a supernatural metamorphosis by obtaining the name of a fairy.

At the current rank it is a skill which denotes a major but not full transformation into a fairy. Specifically, their main body and flesh is mostly that of a human, but they possess a separate spirit of a fairy. It is an invisible force but grants one partial access to the inherent power of a fairy granting partial development of Fairy Patterns and Fairy Eyes.
Beyond being the means of using one of their Noble Phantasm, it drastically increases one's mana capacity.

Besides just being able to obtain the name of a fairy, it is a skill which denotes a human who has received the gifts of the Fairies as a part of the transformation, such as prophecy or smithing. In Lancers case it is an extreme combat instinct like that of Eye of the Mind (False). Before their transformation they had never engaged in combat, but by donning the name of a knight they transformed into someone capable of fighting.

A woman unable to live up to the powers of the fairies around her, she has long dreamed for a chance to shine. Endlessly she dreamt of the kind of fae she could be, until one day she found a name she could call her own.


Glory:

“She’s my guiding light. Without her I would be worthless, lost. A fairy dies without purpose, and thus she is the very thing which keeps me alive…. Even so, her distant visage…. I can't tarnish it with this eye of envy.”

She is guided by a voice, an ever distant and holy sound whose voice rings gently like bells. It speaks calmly, but with power and authority. It’s never seen but it’s presence radiates something divine. She is a virtue, an ideal, an inescapable dream perfect in all ways. It is the voice of Gloriana, the fairy queen. It is something Britomart strives for endlessly, a better self she wishes to become.
The true nature of Britomart is an existence divided in two. She is an existence who is both fairy and human. In the work she has pulled her identity from, both the fairy queen Gloriana and the chivalrous knight Britomart are but symbolic representations of the true name this servant is based upon. Her name is Elizabeth I, the queen of England who ruled an idealized “Golden age.”
The voice of Gloriana then is simply Britomart's own voice rather than a foreign entity. Even so, it’s not something she can acknowledge, it never feels like it’s true. Deep down too, it rings hollow. An ideal birthed by others, from a world foreign to her, it’s something which is pursued for the sake of it. It’s something fundamentally a part of her. It’s something unreachable. It’s something meaningless.

Changeling:

“Ah, to be born human, such a weak thing. The agony…. At least now I get to be somethin proper. A fairy, a knight…..Yet the light, the one that was always so blinding. Why does it still shine?”

The truth of Britomart identity is that of changeling. Not the fairy which replaces a human but rather the human which was taken. While the purpose of stealing children varies amongst Fairies, Britomart was taken simply for the purpose of family. They were a human taken to be raised amongst fairies, destined to become a fairy themselves.
Different from the humans who were slaves and cattle, they were someone whisked away with the intention of creating a new fairy. Even if it’s just a means of passing the time.
So the human child was raised as a fairy, given gifts and powers and lavished in the kind of care only a fairy could provide. Even so, as a human they could only fall behind. It was hard to make it by at all, often having to rely on her natural charisma and graces to make it by.

The longer it took for them to become a fairy, the greater the gap between her and her kin weighed down upon her heart. Lacking power, lacking purpose, she had spent much of her early years searching for a way out of the shadow in which she was caught. The idealization of which was found within the Faerie Queene, a strange text which had washed ashore, was something which took her instantly.
It was something which moved her, and pushed her to action. A voice called to her and offered her knighthood. Through a power within her, she could finally become a fairy by taking this knight as a true name. Taken in by a dream, she sought to become something truly valuable to Britain, and a new Saint Graph was installed. Such was the wish of a single young girl. Something which was unexpectedly granted to her, like a miracle of fate.
“Oh Elizabeth, dream no longer.”


Noble Phantasms:

Bladudian Lance
Wind Spear of Ebony

Type: Anti-Unit, Anti-Army
Rank: D+++

An enchanted spear which is meant to embody the military might of England. Inspired by the lance of Bradamante, it is a spear that can knock down any opponent. However, as a Noble Phantasm it takes on a far more symbolic role which borrows from the history of the real Elizabeth I, granting it a wind based anti-army attribute. In this case it is a spear which grows more powerful in influence when used to defend Britain.

More than just a spear which knocks down an enemy, it embodies a righteousness which incapacitates those who raise their blade against Britain. In essence it is a power which subjugates, forcing enemies to bow beneath you and forces them onto a lower level.

When used against a single opponent it’s a mighty wind inherent to every thrust, and like a curse it will continue to generate a wind until the opponent is lifted off their feet and forced to the ground.
When used in defense of Britain however, it becomes a wind which blows away all foes. By borrowing the wishes of those who put their faith in her, it generates a storm which will continue to increase in intensity until it either exceeds the inherent collective strength of the opponent or generates enough mana to transport the threat from Britain.

In many ways it is a wild storm which will drain mana from the land until it reaches its desired level, after which it will self-destruct against the enemy forces. Ultimately however it can only measure up against physical strength, and thus cannot take into account the strength of certain abilities.

At its max possible output, it instead converts itself into a curse of banishment, one which blows the threat beyond Britain’s shores and texture.


Eternal Queen Gloriana
Britain’s Ever Distant Ideal

Type: Anti-Unit
Rank: B+

The end goal of all knights in the Faerie Queene, it is the castle of Gloriana and the symbolic embodiment of the virtues of England. It’s a Noble Phantasm which embodies the presence of the Fairy Queen Gloriana within the narrative of the poem despite never actually appearing. It represents a very flattering and perfect version of Britian and it’s empire. It is thus a fantasy and dream within the mind of a single knight. It serves as a source of power which blesses others.

As a story which was never finished, it is a place in which no knights could ever hope to arrive regardless of how hard they strive. It’s a vision, an ideal truly out of reach, but like the sun eternal, shines down on those who look at it. As a Noble Phantasm then it is one who functions as an invisible force which transforms and compels those who fall under its sphere of influence.

Anybody who has been knighted by Gloriana through their second skill becomes a viable target of this Noble Phantasm. In the presence of Britomart every knight is bathed in a glorious light and for a time they may bear the true powers of the knights they meant to embody. That is to say, rather than being a knight which mimics a story, for a time they are bestowed with the essence and nature of those knights. No longer just emulating abilities it’s something which grants one skill and Noble Phantasms. In a sense it is like the installation of Saint graphs used by Morgan and her fairy knights, but limited in construction.

In a way it extends the fairy transformation Britomart has undergone to the knights in question, altering the True Names and Saint Graphs of her knights, into the “imaginary fairy knights” born of the poem. Due to many of the legends which serve as a basis for the knights in the original story not being remembered by the land, the Saint graphs of the servants they install are essentially shaped and filled by the powers and memories of Elizabeth I who served as the foundation of Gloriana, borrowing her power. Essentially, it is the equivalent of a fairy wearing human imagination as a shell. This way skills and Noble Phantasms can manifest like a proper servant, but they are often missing a certain essence that renders them less powerful.

When summoned by Chaldea however, with access to proper human history and their heroic spirit records, the missing essence of these manifestations can be filled with true heroic spirits.

As a Noble Phantasm it can manifest the visage of the castle, but even without being able to be entered, it is an inherent defensive Noble Phantasm. If Britomart is their human persona on Earth, then Gloriana is the manifestation of their spirit as a fairy. Separated and sealed in a castle which conceptually cannot be reached by traveling any distance, any attacks which target the soul and spirit of Britomart will fail to reach. Thus such attacks against Britomart will fail to be actualized as their essence exists outside the body so targeting her is the same as missing.

Upon her death it vanished like a mirage. An unattainable dream passes when there’s no one left to strive towards it. Crushes beneath the foot of Morgan, that small pleasant utopia did fade.

Dream:

“I’m glad! I’m truly happy! At the bottom of it all… all of ya….I’m glad there was somethin true…”

After “awakening as a fairy” they would run around aimlessly as a knight errant. A voice guided her based on “virtue” and she relayed its word to all. The fairies and humans who took interest in this strange figure would be knighted and gain the names of other knights. They were an unusual gang of weirdos who entertained the countryside with their strange quests and general antics. Regardless of their quirks the group was helpful and a pleasant change of pace many were happy to see.

Wherever she wandered she would bring the word of Gloriana. It was something she held onto tightly in her heart, and with every time she’d speak it would rub off on her. The more she relied on this idealization of Elizabeth the more it influenced her. In some ways it was helpful. As she grew the more she could understand the meaning of the virtues which had been adopted, and utilize these lessons in her work. In other ways it was more insidious. A piece of propaganda born of an expanding nation, the will of England crept in. The spreading of values slowly shifted from a desire of betterment to the desire of subjugation. It was a creeping power which demanded obedience blooming in her heart.

With it her expeditions expanded, but in turn her name could spread even further. At the time, it was the same as a death sentence. A false queen, something invisible and divine. Such things could not exist under Morgan's rule. Thus it took only an instant for their merry band to crumble. To be incinerated in hellfire so that not another fairy may dare utter their name. Despite all the power they could gather, it took only an instant for her dream to dissipate into the ether. Forced to a sudden end by the queen's black magic, legend of the strange knight errant vanished into history.
Even if the ideals were empty, there was something tangible there valuable for Britomart. Something real beyond the aimless chivalry of knighthood. Surely she could lament such a pitiful, meaningless existence. Dying a fool, led astray but lies and fantasies of knights and outdated virtues, powerless from the day they were born unable to defend Britain or bring merit to the inhabitants of that land.
Even so, in the end there was surely bliss.

Relationships:


Saint George: “The Red Cross Knight! I never would have envisioned you would be summoned! ……What are you sayin who are you?”

King Arthur: “My Prince! ….. King? So you finally married my liege! ……. What the hell is a Guinevere?”

Bradamante: It seems they are capable of talking about love and lovers endlessly, even to the point of Briomart slipping.

Merlin: “.....D-Do you…… Do you perhaps, maybe happen to have that mirror?”

Morgan: “To think even the witch would be here….. It's a heavy failure upon my heart, but at least it seems true evil cannot win forever.”

--------------------------------------------------------

Maybe a bit of a stretch for the prompt, the servant is both teacher and student this time around, though in a way the Faeire Queene is the real mentor in this situation as it was a bit of a moral guide she inherited. The original idea was mainly about Gloriana as a sort of moral guide embodying the purpose of the poem, but it grew in scope the more I learned about. Fitting it in fairy history was a bit of struggle so for the time being its a bit vague. I kind of wanted to run with the idea that the human was essentially lost belt Elizabeth becoming a fairy, but I'm still not entirely sure how certain humans show up again in this setting so its just a small implication for now. Still, thanks for reading.

[realcasually]

“...Greetings, my student. I am Mentor, a Lancer-class Servant and your teacher from this moment forth. You may act as my Master, but make sure to pay attention. You have much to learn. Fear not. I will be your guide. Let us begin.”



<click to view final Ascension>



Class: Lancer
True Name: MentorA̴̡͎̥̬̳̰̠͊̇͋͆͠t̶̟̅h̴̞̦̱͎̓͑̉͝e̶̗̟̲͂͂̂͜n̵̫̱̄͒͋̆̍͊̇͛̕ ͔ä̸͉̪̬̹͙͚̗̼͍́̈́̍̈́̅̕͘
Alternate Classes: Ruler, Shielder, Alter Ego, Pretender
Gender: MaleḞ̵̡̱̫͎̅̿̄̎͜ẻ̵̻̦̑̋̅m̶̧̡̢̭̹̠̀͆͊́̑a̶̜̯͐̃̕͠͝l̵̤̳̠̽̈͝ ̢̢̦e̴̮͕̯͍͛̄̔̃͠͝
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Origin: Greek Mythology
Attribute: Heaven
Traits: Humanoid, Servant, Weak to Enuma Elish, Heaven or Earth, Greek Mythology Males, Male

Parameters:

STR: C-

END: B-

AGI: C-

MGI: B

LCK: B

NP: A

Lore:

During the ten years of the Trojan War, Odysseus, then king of Ithica, had no choice but to take leave of his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus to lead his army against the Trojan threat. Unwilling to let his son grow up without the guidance of a father figure and not truly knowing if he would make it back to his family alive, Odysseus placed Telemachus under the care of a guardian-- a wise man of renown named Mentor, who he assigned the duty of protecting, guiding, and advising Telemachus so that he would grow into an heir worthy of the throne.

Odysseus would remain away from Ithaca for another decade, facing his own hardships-- the famous Odyssey. While his father battled perils on his journey home, Telemachus would have his own conflicts to face. With the king absent and his wife and son seen as questionably able to hold his seat of power at best, they were troubled by the constant presence of suitors attempting to claim Penelope’s hand and the throne.

While Mentor should have been the one to guide Telemachus into taking the throne in his father’s absence, it so happened that the man Odysseus had trusted with the wellbeing of his flesh and blood was unworthy of that very trust. Mentor was a fool playing at being a wise man, and under his guidance Telemachus grew insecure, indecisive, and filled with doubt at his own ability to claim his birthright.

However, Odysseus’s tale was being followed by more than just mortal eyes, and greater powers had taken a vested interest in his rule over Ithica. The goddess Athena took umbrage with watching this so-called ‘wise man’ poison a bright young mind with ill advice and place the reign of her favoured bloodline in jeopardy.

And so, with her divine power, Athena descended to the mortal realm and took on the form of Mentor. (What happened to the actual Mentor? “Irrelevant.”)

This new “Mentor” would return to Telemachus and take a far more active role in instilling him with the wisdom it would take for him to lead a prosperous kingdom, and the skill in battle to do what must be done to secure his father’s throne and his own future. Telemachus, so outfitted, would set out not long after on his own travels to find his father as Odysseus made his way home to Ithaca, and the two of them would hatch an ingenious ruse to deal with the incessant suitors.

When finally their family was made again whole, the family would settle in Ithaca and rule just and long-- and the intervention of Athena was never discovered. Therefore it is from Mentor’s name, though Athena’s wisdom, that we get the word for one who teaches today.

...But wait. If Mentor was such a useless individual, how is it he has been recorded on the Throne of Heroes and summoned here now? And was Mentor not known to be a man? Who is this mysterious figure?

“...The answer is obvious. Please do not disappoint me with ignorance, Master.”

Description:

“Mentor”, perhaps self-evidently, is really the goddess Athena. In order to circumvent the limitations of the summoning system that prevents her from manifesting as a true Divine Spirit, she has chosen to occupy the form of “Mentor” as a limiter in a similar manner to Artemis and Orion. However, the character of Mentor is such an irrelevant figure in the annals of myth that he is not actually recorded in the Throne of Heroes as a true Spirit Origin-- more akin to a Phantom. As such, Athena’s summon in the form of someone only famous for being impersonated by Athena results in an almost complete perfect summon of Athena herself, with most of her own Skills and Noble Phantasm intact. However, this loophole does have its drawbacks-- Mentor’s Parameters and the ranks of her Skills are severely downgraded from their true power-- or left completely sealed-- and she is left unable to access them in their proper capacity.

Personality-wise, Mentor is not unlike what one would expect from her true identity, as the Phantom Mentor is too weak to exert any influence over her persona. She prides wisdom above all else and exemplifies this trait. Her mind is among the sharpest ever recorded, and she is quick to deliver quick and decisive insight into any situation that draws her attention. Though she is oft associated with battle-- and indeed, she is one of the first to offer herself to the front lines-- she is far more invested in matters of learning, and when not tasked by the Master can often be located in the library expanding the knowledge gifted to her by the Throne, or engaged in conversation with other scholarly or intelligent Servants on a wide variety of subjects.

Mentor is a direct and humourless figure, and it would not be entirely inaccurate to describe her as emotionless entirely. Despite common belief, she is possessed of the capacity for emotions-- indeed, those who possess enough empathy to read her true feelings (an incredible feat in itself) will notice a sense of superiority about her own vast intelligence and acumen, and a general disdain for the shenanigans that tend to occur around her. She is above such matters, and it irritates her to be involved in situations or with individuals she deems as unworthy of her time-- especially matters of love, which she considers a foolish distraction that does not hold sway on her in the least. On the other hand, her fascination with knowledge and learning can result in a sudden excitement when the opportunity to study something she does not already know arises, and tends to result in a hyperfixation on knowing everything there is to know about the subject until she can be considered an expert. Anybody who is capable of proving that they are more educated than her on any given matter will often draw a surprisingly uncharacteristic pettiness from her, and result in her stubbornly attempting to outdo them until her superiority is assured.

However, she quashes any display of these feelings entirely, remaining measured and neutral in all things at all times when possible.

While Mentor is more than capable of working with others, she remains mostly antisocial, even described as shy (though measuredly so), though with a few exceptions. Besides her fascination with learning more from figures of great intelligence, the easiest way to draw Mentor’s attention is to approach her as a teacher. If Mentor believes one is imploring her for genuine guidance and knowledge, she will perceive them as her student and take upon herself the burden of guiding them and bestowing upon them lessons of divine wisdom in her many fields. Mentor cares greatly for her students-- a distinction which will include the Master-- and shows a surprising and open kindness with them that few others can say they receive.

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance
Rank: D+
The Lancer Class Skill. Grants protection against magical effects. Differing from the Resistance effect that merely rejects Magical Energy, this ability cancels the spells altogether. At this rank, Single-Action spells are cancelled. Magic Resistance of the same degree of an amulet that rejects magical energy. While normally Athena should possess a greatly increased rank in this skill, possessing the form of Mentor has reduced it to this low rank.

Increases own debuff resistance by 12.5%.


Goddess’s Divine Core
Rank: -
A Skill that expresses one being a perfected goddess from birth. A composite Skill that comprises the Skill Divinity, preserves the absoluteness of the mind and the body, repels all mental interference, prevents the body from growth and prevents the figure from changing no matter how much calories are absorbed... obviously, Mentor has no business possessing this skill, so it has been sealed completely.

Personal Skills:

Military Tactics
Rank: C-
Tactical knowledge used not for one-on-one combat situations, but for battles where many are mobilized. Bonus modifiers are provided during use of one's own Anti-Army Noble Phantasm or when dealing against an enemy Anti-Army Noble Phantasm. While Athena’s Authority as the patron goddess of war tactics should grant a higher rank in this skill, Mentor’s legend as an incompetent has resulted in a heavy downgrade.

Increases party’s NP damage for 1 turn.


Wisdom of Divine Gift
Rank: EX
This Skill represents a gift of wisdom given by various Greek gods. However, since the Divine Spirit of Athena is the goddess of wisdom and the source of such gifts in mythology, Mentor’s circumstances gift her with this skill at an EX-rank, unaffected by the negative modifier that cripples her other abilities. Other than those characteristic of heroes, almost all other skills of proficiency A Rank can be displayed. Also, with a Master's agreement, other Servants can be granted Skills. However, this does not apply to Skills that originated from a different region or period.

Increases one ally's Quick performance for 3 turns.
Increases their Arts performance for 3 turns.
Increases their Buster performance for 3 turns.


Aegis: Divine Boundary Field
Rank: A
See Noble Phantasms.

Grants party Invincibility for 1 turn.
Increases party’s buff removal resistance for 1 turn.
Increases party’s defense for 3 turns.

Noble Phantasm:

Athena Promachos

The One Who Fights On The Front Lines

Type: Anti-Unit
Rank: A
Range: ???
Targets: 1

Description:
Athena Promachos is one of the many epithets of the goddess Athena. Specifically, this dictates her as the Athena who leads an army from the front lines of the battle, contrasting her other notable epithets such as Athena Parthenos the virgin, Athena Atrytone the unwearying, Athena Ergane the patron of craftsmen and artisans, Athena Polias the protectress of the city, and the legendary Pallas Athena. It is also the title of an enormous bronze statue of Athena sculpted by the legendary artisan Pheidias. The statue was regarded as an Athenian landmark, one of three figures of Athena on the Acropolis (the others being the gold and ivory Athena Parthenos, and the identically bronze Athena Lemnia), and was so large that the tip of her spear could reportedly be seen across the sea by approaching sailors.

Athena has brought with her into the form of Mentor her iconic spear, which has taken the name of this warrior’s epithet and this tribute of artistic worship. These aspects have combined with the remnants of her divinity to bestow upon this weapon the ability to ‘fight on the front line’ wherever she may be located on the battlefield by conceptually redefining the space.

Before the True Name Release of this Noble Phantasm, Mentor will attempt to achieve the maximum height possible by taking advantage of her environment. She will then thrust her spear high into the air, channeling as much of her divine energy into it as possible-- perhaps even, for a moment, achieving a remnant of her former power. The effective range of this Noble Phantasm is set by the maximum distance at which any individual is able to see the spear from their location. Once a visual link has been confirmed, the exact position of that individual is set as “the front line of the battle”. This distinction allows Mentor to call on that same divine energy to immediately reposition herself to that location and deliver a powerful blow, regardless of the distance necessary to be covered or any obstacles that would normally impede such movement. The target does not have to actively sight the spear in order to trigger the spatial warp-- only possess the possibility of having seen it. Therefore, deterrents such as blindfolds will not stop Athena Promachos from triggering.

There are few restrictions that hamper this ability, as it is a paltry use of Athena’s Authority, other than a clear line of sight. Those worth noting are the fact that while blindness on the part of the user is not an inhibitant, any obstacle that would prevent the line of sight from occuring in the first place will cause the transmission to fail, as will any kind of cloaking or invisibility on the target’s part-- Mentor does not have to have a visual on her target, but she must possess an awareness of where she is attempting to jump to and strike in the moment of the skill’s activation. This is normally bestowed upon her by the link, but which will fail if no clear target can be found.

Due to Athena’s nature as a goddess of tactics in warfare and an honourable being, the ability will not trigger against obvious noncombatants either, and Mentor cannot be fooled into targeting the wrong individual even if they meet the criteria for triggering the attack. Shapeshifting and other illusions, if they do not hamper line of sight, will not impede Athena Promachos.

Ignores Evasion for 1 turn. (Activates first)
Increases own attack for 3 turns. <Overcharge> (Activates first)
Deals damage that ignores defense buffs to one enemy.

Aegis

Divine Boundary Field

Type: Barrier
Rank: A
Range -
Targets: 1

Description:
A defensive armament which was created by the Gods of Olympus. It has been at times referred to as a set of armor, or a shield. Originally a conceptualized defense used by the Gods, which is essentially an extremely formidable barrier. To wield this in her current Servant container, Mentor is only temporarily capable of projecting this barrier and it will drain mana at a rate equal to the energy output of the attack she is blocking. While Mentor’s mana reserves are capable of dealing with this drain for most attacks, the counterpoint is that in her current form she is not capable of sustaining the barrier for extended periods and will therefore prioritise using it to block the most dangerous attacks, which in turn can be hazardous to the Master. Usually, though, Mentor’s tactical wisdom can be relied on to gain the most efficient use of this Noble Phantasm.

Relationships:

Orion:
“...Sister. I see we have undergone a similar process in order to appear here. Your talents will be useful in the execution of the mission... *sigh* Must you act in such an unbecoming manner? You are supposed to stand with Hestia and I and represent chastity and grace. Your... dalliances with the hunter are... embarrassing.

Odysseus:
“My favourite benefactor. A wise king and a brave warrior who has borne my Aegis well. Yes... you have indeed made me proud, student. Make no mistake-- you are the recipient of great honour to have my patronage. But there are few other mortals who can say to have earned my blessing, and you and your son both carry that prestige. Be pleased with yourself, Odysseus, king of Ithaca.”

Achilles:
“Achilles... a mighty warrior who served his destiny admirably. Though... not the best student I have ever had. Chiron deserves appreciation for reigning in his headstrong nature. He is... difficult.”

Jason:
“Ah, Jason... one of my wisest heroes. Hmm? That surprises you? Make no mistake, he is a genius. If only he did not shy away from danger so and squander his gift... or choose to ignore it in matters of the heart. Such things only ever lead to folly... and they call me strange for shunning romance.”

Heracles:
“...I aided the hero Heracles in many of his labours. He was one of my favoured champions. I find it... distasteful to see him like this, his wisdom given way to animal savagery. He was above this when I knew him in life, even if he was prone to temper. If only he had been summoned as an Archer instead. “Be careful what I wish for?” Master, explain yourself.”

Medusa:
“...I know what it is that I did. No, my motivations for cursing the Gorgon sisters were not so petulant as jealousy of their beauty. I care not for the lusts of mortals. So why...? ...the reasons of gods are not designed for mortal understanding. Perhaps I will teach you of that lesson another time, Master. As it stands... my actions were chosen with purpose, regardless of the outcomes. I bear no ill will to the serpent regardless of how entitled she is to her loathing.”

Hestia:
“The most reasonable of my siblings. Sister, I am glad to see you well. It is pleasant to have the only member of our family who is not so obsessed with ‘drama’ here. It is... relatable. Though I do not wholly understand the reason for your outfit, it suits you.”

Fairy Dame Guinevere:
“How curious. A muse who plays at being a mortal. You create heroes, and bestow great talent in the arts upon your chosen. I knew of muses in my time possessed of such talents. However... you must learn temperance. A hero is worthless if their greatness is so purposefully cut short as you burn out their talent for your own amusement. There is wisdom in patience.”

Bodhmall and Liath Luachra:
“A demigoddess. It is fascinating to meet one from a culture not my own. Your... relationship is intriguing. You find it not to be a distraction, but a boon in combat? Working in perfect tandem and fighting for love is your advantage on the battlefield? Interesting. This merits further study. Please tell me more.”

Prometheus:
“You... you are not the Prometheus I knew. He acted out of love for humanity... you love only yourself. That is why I was the only one to see the wisdom in his actions. You, perhaps, deserved his punishment. But... it seems the brothers and sisters I knew are different in your world too. The me you know is... different. Perhaps a selfish sinner such as you is exactly what humanity needs to flourish once again. Go without the blessing of Athena, Prometheus, but go too without her disdain. You have earned neither.”

Agrippina the Younger:
“It is unbecoming of mortals to proclaim themselves divine. Reduced as I am by this mortal shell, do not that your meagre divinity holds any candle to my own. Mind your hubris, even if your feats of political acumen are deserving of praise. Your manipulations are subtle and clever, but do not fool yourself into believing them.”

Craft Essence:

I am Mentor.

I am the teacher of Telemachus, bid by King Odysseus to raise his son into a wise and just leader while he journeys forth to war against Troy.

I know who it is I really am. I know my True Name. I do not try to hide this fact from others, from my own kin who took a path like mine to join this fight for the sake of humanity.

I am wisdom. I am strategy. I am honor on the field of battle. I am a shield, a spear, a city, a ship.

I am from beyond stars, beyond knowledge. I am part of a whole, from out of the chaos and into the great expanse.

I am a people. I am a destiny.

I am a teacher. I am...

I know who I am. This name exists to contain the me I am inside the me I am not, to hold me together at the seams of my thoughts.

I cannot be fooled by my own deception. But even so... I know too well the risks of losing myself. I must stay vigilant of myself, against myself. And so I acknowledge the symbols for what they are-- Terminals. Fragments of who I was. Signposts on the road to lead me back to myself.

--

“What are these, Master? A silly question. They are owls, of course. Of course they are. Don’t you have more important things to worry about than questioning the obvious?”

When equipped on Mentor, increases party's Arts performance and NP generation rate by 10% while he is on the field.

CREATOR'S NOTES

Well. You did ask for a Mentor.

It was this or Machiavelli and I still couldn't figure out how to make him unique, so back on the shelf Nicky went and this hit me in a bolt of inspiration when I found out where the word 'mentor' actually came from while frantically Googling an alternative. Hooray for taking things too literally!

Still mad DelRey essentially beat me to the punch here but what can you do. I think our versions are resoundingly different enough that they can be considered independently!

I have not included Wu Mei on her relationships because as WhiteFrenzy said in that absolute masterpiece, she's more of an NPC who has no actual ties to other Servants in Chaldea or outside of the Servant Universe so it didn't make sense to. Let the record show I did not forget and that I in fact pledge my soul to the Servant Universe queen.

Never really included alternate Ascension art in a Servant before, but I couldn't not given who I chose for the FC and having that picture available to me, especially while having chosen a Lancer. And I KNOW the art is blurry I had NO way of making it not be while editing the picture onto the background. Sue me.

Cutting it a little close because I've been procrastinating a LOT of things this month, but ultimately, I'm really happy with the way this turned out! Feels good to get back in the saddle again. Best of luck to all the other entrants. There haven't been many this time around, but what there's been has been fantastic.

[Drangle]

“TEN-SHUN! Listen up, MAGGOT! Servant, Watcher. You ARE my Master, I AM your Servant, and over the course of my summoning, it will be my primary objective to make you into the perfect killing machine. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?”

Faceclaim

"Oh, quit your belly-aching, sunshine. There's never been a war I couldn't win, and that goes for Holy Grail Wars, too. Now, shape up to ship out!"

Source: Historical Fact(?)
Class: Watcher
True Name: Sun Zi
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Place of Origin: China

“Something you wanna say, Private? Oh, I get it. Figured I’d be a bearded old man, like in the books and statues? Lesson number one, all warfare is based on deception! Historical records remember me as a man because making even something as mundane as my gender public knowledge is a TACTICAL LIABILITY!”

Parameters

• STR: E
• END: E
• AGI: C
• MGI: A
• LCK: D
• NP: D~EX

“Wipe off that smirk, Private! I’ll have you know that luck is a crutch for people too daft to win with skill alone, and that E-rank strength is plenty sufficient to snap your spine like dry bamboo, runt!”

Likes: War, outsmarting people, green tea
Dislikes: Peace, Needless combat, insubordination
Natural Enemy: Anyone promoting peace
Attribute: Star
Armaments: Scrolls, straw dummy "troops"

Class Skills

Watcher A:
A representation of an unusual contract between Master and Servant. In this case, Watcher insists on avoiding direct combat, to the point of not even manifesting in a complete physical form. Instead, she offers support to the Master to do the fighting. Support substantial enough that the mage’s prowess is elevated to comparable levels to a Servant.

Territory Infringement (Ch. 10) A:
Watcher’s ability to defy the normal properties of Territory Creation and similar effects. This skill is recontextualized as an extension of her Noble Phantasm, encapsulating the teachings of the tenth section, Classification of Terrain. Her understanding of distance, hazards, and barriers allows her (and her general) exceptional advantage in overcoming magical effects that augment them.

“Eyes straight, Private! So help me, I will BREAK you, take the shattered pieces, and sculpt them back up into the finest general this side of The Root. NOW DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY, BOOKWORM.”

Personal Skills

Divinity C:
It seems that simply via enough people globally treating her treatise like philosophical gospel, she is granted a middling rank of Divinity. Peculiar, but larger stretches than this have been documented.

“I'd say more on this, but, well... some things are above your clearance level, Private. For now.”

Nine Terrains, Nine Contingencies EX:
An extraordinarily unique skill representing both Watcher’s principles of adaptability in warfare and her unique summoning scenario. Watcher has access to eight scrolls, called “stratagems”. Each one, when deployed, can modify the Master’s skillsets and parameters to emulate one of the seven core classes, plus an eighth one, which is “classified”. Without a doubt, this could be called the lynchpin skill of Watcher’s gameplan.

While a stratagem is deployed, the Master dons appropriate (ancient Chinese looking) garb, be it armor or robes or the like, and is given appropriate armaments, including a ramshackle wooden war machine for a Rider. Only one stratagem can be employed at a time.

While a Master is under the effect of each stratagem, they have a functional baseline of C in all parameters except NP. Knight class stratagems have an upgraded STR of B, the Lancer stratagem additionally had an AGI of A, but a LUK of D. Rider and Assassin both have AGI of B. Caster has STR and END of E, but MAG of A, while in contrast, Berserker has STR of A and MAG of D.
The Master is also given a simulation of the appropriate Class Skills, all at rank C, save for Presence Concealment, which is granted at A, and Madness Enhancement and Independent Action, which rank at D.

“Why’s there eight scrolls when the skill’s called Nine Such-and-such? Ain’t you been paying attention? What’s all warfare based on? That’s right, deception! This way, enemies are always on their toes, wondering where the ninth scroll is, and what it could be! Classic psyops.”

Know Thy Enemy A+:
A modification of Tactician’s Command. Watcher is able to observe a single enemy and announce some observation about them. This empowers herself and her allies to attack the enemy at their weakest point, bolstered by this new information. This skill is more effective when Watcher announced actually relevant information, but is substantially effective regardless due to the psychosomatic effect of “attaining information on the enemy”.

“I did not give you permission to fail, maggots! If fighting is sure to result in victory, you must fight! Today is a good day for someone else to die!”

Know Thy Self A:
A variation on Tactician’s Advice. Rather than directly delivering advice to allies, Watcher delivers a cryptic pseudo-philosophical message to prompt introspection. Those affected will rapidly digest the sage words and come to their own conclusion, which will more often than not be the “correct” course of action. This effect may also be partially psychosomatic, but scans have been inconclusive thus far.

“There's no room in my army for losers. Remember: a master catches more bears with honey than with steel. Be the leaf.”

Noble Phantasms

Watcher’s Noble Phantasm varies depending on the active stratagem.

Chapter Six, Strengths and Weaknesses
The Art of War
Rank B, Anti-Unit, maximum 1 target.

Sun Zi takes in both her general and their adversary, assessing their various strengths and weaknesses. She calculates the ideal way to take down the enemy. For just a moment, Sun Zi manifests semi-physically and swiftly drubs the enemy with a sheathed sword, to indicate where to strike and in what order, and her Master, with blinding speed, replicates those blows with a proper blade.

“A true master strategist can win a fight without drawing her blade. Watch and learn.”

Chapter Twelve, Fire and Weaponry
The Art of War
Rank A, Anti-Army, maximum 100 targets.

Sun Zi summons countless training dummies in a semi-circular formation around the enemy, then commands them to unleash a joint volley of flaming arrows via spring-loaded crossbows. The enemy is harried, but the Noble Phantasm’s true power is in how it enflames the battlefield. Sun Zi, who knows where the fire is, suddenly has a tremendous advantage over her enemies, who are disoriented from the fire and smoke. The enemies incur a defensive debuff while Sun Zi and her “general” receive a boost in power with the space so long as the fire persists.

“Fire should be used judiciously. Any fool can use fire to destroy. A master uses it to create. And ideally, what it should be used to create is opportunities.”

Chapter Four, Tactical Positioning
The Art of War
Rank C, Anti-Unit, maximum 5 targets.

A field of spinning training dummies and swinging sandbags are conjured around the enemies, battering them about relentlessly but harmlessly. Sun Zi waits for the perfect moment, then commands her Master to strike, charging through the entire obstacle course and skewering all foes within using a single artfully-timed thrust.

“Spatial positioning is critical in any engagement. Look for opportunities to strike without neglecting the possibility of the enemy seeing such opportunities in your own formation.”

Chapter Seven, Maneuvering Forces
The Art of War
Rank A, Anti-Army, maximum 100 targets.

Sun Zi conjures a herd of oxen with training dummies astride them, then commands the herd to stampede toward the enemy. As they approach, Sun Zi outfits her general’s wooden mount to resemble a tank, with gunpowder and bamboo apparati simulating mortar cannons and rocket propulsion. The false cavalry serves as a diversionary feint as the chariot of war closes the distance with improbable speed. A substantial army can be expertly trampled, as even their best efforts to avoid the oxen could leave them wide open the charging vehicle’s more targeted assault.

Unfortunately, the modification are unstable and are rendered inoperable at the assault’s conclusion.

“An army’s travel time is valuable information, and that means it’s open for misinformation. If your enemy is given to understand how long it will take you to reach them, prove them wrong.”

Chapter Five, Allocation of Power
The Art of War
Rank EX, Anti-Master

Sun Zi projects her own strategic genius into her Master, granting them a heightened awareness of themselves. This state could be called a sort of “temporary enlightenment”, allowing the Master to maximize their own independent abilities as a mage, rather than granting new abilities. For example, a mage that specializes in fire spells will be able to cast them with astonishing efficiency, as well as an innate understanding of how to most creatively use said spells. The power of this Noble Phantasm is difficult to quantify, as the scope of its effect varies dramatically depending on the Master.

“Your body is like a battlefield. Your magical circuits are roads, your magical energy are your troops. See the pathways, understand the playing field, and you and your army will be undefeated.”

Chapter Thirteen, Usage of Espionage
The Art of War
Rank A+, Anti-Secret, Up to 20

Sun Zi manifests some number of training dummies, dressed in black. She can camouflage these into their environment. One places in a forest may look to a casual observer like a branch, while one in an urban environment might look like a lamppost, an innocuous pedestrian, or some other such thing beneath notice. These “scouts” are able to observe their surroundings with a supernatural degree of perception, and are set up to telepathically “report” to Sun Zi with anything of note. Sun Zi is able to process this information and pick out the most critical pieces.

This Noble Phantasm’s only weakness is that, if a scout dummy is in danger of being discovered, it (unlike a living spy) is unable to adapt its disguise without the aid of Watcher or her master, and can easily be destroyed if left unattended.

“There is no one better to ask about your enemy’s movements and weaknesses than your enemy.”

Chapter Two, Waging War
The Art of War
Rank D, Anti-Army, maximum 10 targets.

A number of training dummies filled with explosive powder crop up around the enemy, and Sun Zi’s master is compelled to attack the dummies, detonating them in a specific order dictated by Sun Zi to maximize damage to the enemy. This Noble Phantasm, without extensive preparation, can cause massive harm to the Master in question, potentially killing them. It is not advised to ever issue the command to use this without the explicit recommendation from the woman herself.

“Such direct tactics should be avoided at all costs, but if the situation arises such that direct confrontation is the only option, one must be prepared to do so with all their being. Now, show me your war face!”

Lore

Sun Zi, perhaps more widely known to the western world as Sun Tzu, was a military philosopher in ancient China. Much of her life is unknown, due to a combination of both how she led her life and scale of time, but she is reasonably believed to predate the Warring States period, and regarded as the father of strategy.

Most of what is known of Sun Zi is deduced from the text she is cited to have written, the most commonly cited military treatise in human history: The Art of War. From this, it was clear that he believed in an unusually Taoist-inspired approach to warfare, and that there were myriad ways to wage war beyond simply troops fighting troops. All else known of the strategist are from anecdotes, such as the story of her whipping a harem of concubines into a regimented platoon to prove a point.

Further details of her life are, as she puts it, “classified”.

Personality

“Watcher” is difficult to get a read on. She seems to have two modes: a hot-headed drill instructor, and a sage mentor. Both sides seems so equally sincere and she flows between them so fluidly, that denoting one as her “true self” and one as a façade is impossible. It is unclear if she believes any of the fortune cookie philosophies she espouses, and its equally unclear if the militant meanness is an act to get enemies to underestimate her.

Regardless, if one can adapt to her duplicitous attitude, communication is possible. She will gladly give respect to a master that’s demonstrated themselves as capable, even “promoting” them by giving them a nickname other than Private. Potentially.

The Forbidden Stratagem

A scarlet comet passes overhead as an ebony-cased scroll is unfurled...

“Tch. Pathetic. I feed you the most flawless instructions, disorient the enemy with feints and subterfuge, and still you falter. You fail only because you still think failure is possible. Very well. I suppose if I must…”



“Consider this your final lesson, Private. Humans are beasts. Vicious, savage, rabid animals. The only thing that makes us any different is that we can think, but that only makes us worse. It makes us capable of hostility, aggression based not on survival. Humans cannot coexist in peace. Look at the Abrahamic Bible that Westerners are so fond up. Their god got the human population up to four before people started spilling blood. It’s been human nature since we first learned to use tools, and it’s no different today."

"Every nation on this miserable planet is at war with someone or something, even if they don’t yet realize it. This is the default state of humanity. And if war is a part of who we are, why fight it? Yes, to be human is to wage war. And all warfare… is based on deception.”

The true class of Sun Zi – or more accurately, Sunzi Chiyou – is Pretender. Upon deployment of the eighth stratagem, all buffs are siphoned away from the Master, and she manifests physically, armed with all the techniques and armaments she would normally impart, and fully prepared to combat the enemy herself.

Parameters while acting as Pretender

• STR: A
• END: A
• AGI: C
• MGI: A-
• LCK: D
• NP: EX

"World leaders will spin delightful yarns, give speeches about reasons for declaring war. Freedom. Justice. Expansion. In the end, the simple truth of it is, nations go to war because it is all they're good for. People will try peace, thinking it's what they want. Economies falter, ideologies crumble. Society shrivels in atrophy. And where does it bring them? Back to me."

Skills (Corrections)

Anti-Human Order E:
Pretender is an avatar of what she considers her ideal state of the world: war eternal. While this is obviously a concept that is anti-humanity, paradoxically, the extermination of humanity is the last thing in the world she wants, as that would lead to world peace. What she truly desires is for humanity to persist indefinitely, but as the worst possible version of itself. This contradiction is what keeps her from truly becoming a Beast, and as such, she has this skill, but at a low rank.

Divinity C:
As one could likely gather, the true source of this divinity is Chiyou’s deification as a god of war after her death. In fact, her rank should be somewhat higher, but presumably suffered a substantial demerit due to the deceptive and malevolent nature of this manifestation.

"I will say, though. I had thought I'd mastered war. Perfected it. But a true master is always learning. And modern man has given me so much to learn. Information has always been the most powerful weapon any commander has access to, and now... heh. Information spreads faster than ever, like fire on a lake of oil. Misinformation, sensitive rumors, petty slander. All capable of reaching millions within an hour. Many leaders have even studied the art of telling lies by only using true information. People live in fear of this uncontrolled maelstrom of half-truths, retreating into group identities in which they can feel safe, assembling their own understanding the truth, labelling any group with an alternative understanding as liars, as enemies. It's... beautiful."

Noble Phantasm while acting as Pretender

Certain Victory in One Hundred Battles
Unfathomable Formation
Rank EX, Anti-Populace, maximum 10,000 targets

“A master must be serene and inscrutable. Please, allow me to lay bare the lies of the world.”

Pretender temporarily exerts her full authority as a god of war, entering a zen-like state and ascending as she surges with power. In this state, her arsenal is expanded to unbelievable levels. Trebuchets, slings, phalanx shields, drones, dirigibles, railguns, stick grenades, intercontinental ballistic missiles, even small-scale atomic warheads. Anything and everything that can be called an implement of war is at her disposal. And yet, she uses them in what seems to an observer to be a completely random and haphazard way.

For this attack, Pretender does not pull upon a prepared strategy, but instead devises one on the spot, completely divorced from established tactical doctrine and dictated purely by the “force of war” that flows through the fabric of the world. Weapons are fired and launched in rapid succession according to a sequence so perfectly devised that not even Pretender herself could explain the rationale.

Due to this Noble Phantasm being strategic in nature, yet almost entirely isolated from the logic of the human mind, it is staggeringly difficult to defend against by means of evasion. Furthermore, each blow landed is reinforced by a crystalized concept of “certain victory”, rendering many physical defenses obsolete.

"Of course, mankind must not be allowed to destroy itself. Without man, there can be no war. Man knows this, and thus, when weaponry advanced enough to scour the Earth, your strategies changed. You remembered the fundamental truth I imparted all those centuries ago, that war is not merely an exercise in people killing one another. It is deception. Assuredly, thousands die every day in conflicts that have no true purpose. But it's a smokescreen of blood to hide the real battlefield. Countless formations of digital catapults, loaded with convenient lies, fired at their own men. The intentional nurturing of fear, enmity, hatred. An entire species born to lie."

True Lore

Chi You was a general-king from the mythological Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period of ancient China, both worshiped and feared. Described as an unstoppable warrior with various inhuman, almost demonic abnormalities. He had the horns of an ox, a skull made of bronze, four eyes and six arms with which he used to demonstrate master of several weapons at once. He could spit fire, control the weather, and it rained blood for weeks when he was finally slain. Presumably, this isn’t all totally completely accurate and unbiased, as evidenced by Chiyou being a woman.

In myth, Chi You was regarded as brave and admirable, yet also terrifying. She was an obstacle for Huang Di, the mythical first emperor, to overcome. She was nearly unstoppable as a leader. He was wise, powerful, and cunning. To gaze upon Chi You was to know defeat was at hand. She WAS war itself. It was only by joining forces with another sovereign was Huang Di able to defeat him, and as such he became revered as an avatar of everything there was to war, and considered one of the “founders” of China, even though she was a force in opposition to it. A demon among men who knew only war and was ultimately beloved for it.

Sun Tzu, meanwhile, quite possibly did not exist. In any record of a battle claiming she was a part of it, earlier more detailed records of those same battles made no mention of the name. Further, The Art of War seemed to contain anachronisms for the time that she would have been alive, mentioning things that were not yet invented. Sun Tzu is a historical ghost, yet the existence of The Art of War implies that it was authored by someone.

It is unclear what exactly the nature of this unorthodox summoning is, and Pretender is obviously not forthcoming with specifics. Perhaps Chiyou was summoned and found a suitable disguise in the legendary tactician. Perhaps Sunzi was summoned, and as Chinese tacticians are wont, searched for another body to act as their intermediary, and picked Chiyou for some inscrutable reason. Perhaps they reached an agreement, and this “deception” is a collaboration. Perhaps it was Sunzi, with her philosophy of deception, that had the affinity for this class. Perhaps only one of them was ever real. Perhaps neither.

It has even been postulated that somehow, some way, the historical Sunzi was Chiyou, still alive centuries later and using a pseudonym. This seems improbable, given, the simple fact that the class she now inhabits is called what it is. But the theory does have a certain strange aura to it…

"Hey. Want to know a secret? I threw the Battle of Zhuolu. I could tell, at the time, that if I beat Yan Di and Huang Di, that was it. I would be unstoppable. The Nine Li tribe would go on to conquer the entire world, unchecked. But if all the world was unified under a single nation, who would we fight? What purpose is there for a banner if there are no foes left to terrify with it? And so, for the sake of a world without peace, I conceded."

"...Do you believe me, I wonder? Or have you been paying attention?"

Personality while acting as Pretender

Sunzi Chiyou is neither the tranquil elderly instructor, nor the browbeating commander. She is something in-between. Sunzi Chiyou speaks with a chilling matter-of-factness, as if her every sentence is explaining an obvious observation. Her actions in battle are both brutal and calculated in battle, but she derives seemingly no excitement from it. Attacking, blocking, destroying edifices to lessen the enemies advantages, burning forests to facilitate an escape. All these things are mundane to her in this state, reactions as natural as scratching one's face when it itches.

She does not believe in the concept of "civilians". Since war is a inherent property of humankind, any adult is a soldier, and children are in training. A "civilian casualty" is simply mitigating enemy numbers in a future war. She will claim that when she is not at war, she is restless, but she is always at war. Even when she is not in battle, her mind is operating at full tilt. Scheming, plotting, devising countermeasures for every eventuality.

And when the scroll goes back in its case, and it's time to be a Watcher once more, she goes back to Western-style discipline and Eastern-style koans, as though nothing transpired.

Relationships

Altera: “You’ve got gumption, kid. I like that. You remind me of a younger me. Ambitious. Unmatched. A terror to all who oppose her! I’d love to sit down and discuss the finer points of destroying civilizations over some tea! A haircut wouldn’t kill you, though.”

Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi: “Aha, my so-called successors. I’ve read up on you, top-notch work. I also see you’ve opted to get these fresh-eyed ninnies to be your eyes and ears. Can’t say I know much about ‘em, but they must be hot stuff if you picked them. Perhaps a friendly battle of wits is in order…”

Jing Ke: “Well, well. Here’s a little lady with a noble purpose, who had the smarts to go about it with subtlety rather than sheer force. Shame you didn’t have more contingencies in place, or you might have actually iced that clown. Ha! Really, didn’t realize the Throne of Heroes was letting people in for ALMOST doing something! Let’s run some drills, make sure you don’t make that mistake twice, hm?”

Oda Nobunaga: “Hmm. You didn’t shy away from tactics that other might have called unthinkable. I can see why you were called a ‘Demon King’ by history… Oh? You called… yourself that? While you were alive? Well… ambitious, I’ll give you that. Funny, though, soon as the Warring States period ended and your country was whole, you lot got restless, starting poking around for other wars to fight… Hm? Oh, ignore me, just talking to myself.”

Iskandar: “Bah, you call yourself a military mastermind? Where’s the subterfuge, where’s the psyops, where’s the faint smell of burning flesh in the morning, carried down on the battlefield breeze? You’re soft, knucklehead. An idealist. I daresay you could learn a lot from your alleged 'pupil'. Diiismissed!”

Florence Nightingale: “MEDIIIC!”

Ishtar: “Hoho, didn’t think I’d run into another war god in these parts! What division you from? Mesopotamia? I’ll be honest, can’t say I much understand why you’ve got love and beauty mixed up in there. What, war for war’s sake too dirty for you, princess? Afraid to face the ugly truths?”

Xiang Yu: “Fascinating… At first glance, I saw a whole lot of myself in you. But in actuality, we couldn’t be more different. Every atrocity you perpetrate, you do for the sake of PEACE?! What a waste of fine military hardware…”

Qin Liangyu: “Think I’ll go easy on you, just you’re a lady, cupcake? GUESS AGAIN! Your loyalty to your country is admirable, but it’s gonna take a lot more than sentiment to make your mark here. This is WAR! People DIE! I'm assigning you a syllabus tomorrow to make you into the avatar of carnage you were always meant to be, missy!”

Mata Hari: "SPY IN OUR MIDST, MEN! Oh? One of ours? Ah, excellent. Carry on, soldier. Maybe with a shirt on."

Qin Shi Huang (Lostbelt): “You… Remind me of someone. Someone I hate. And if what I've heard about the version of China you come from is any indication, I don't much care for you either. Get out of my sight before I say something we'll both regret.”

Chen Gong: “This guy… He just GETS it. And he’s got the cojones to manifest by himself, to boot! You’ve got moxie, son. I’d relish a chance to pit my strategic prowess against yours. Hm? Well, I suppose a collaboration could be exciting in its own right. But if you even think of using that Noble Phantasm on me or my men, my boot will hold a military tribunal up your ass. Have I made myself clear?”

Bodhmall and Liath Luachra: “Any fan of guerrilla warfare gets a modicum of respect in my book. Your relationship fascinates me, but even in the world of information warfare, there’s some things one doesn’t ask and one doesn’t tell, so to speak. Just tell that hippie-dippy redhead to get a stinkin’ job!”

Creator Notes

War never changes… This idea latched to my brain a few weeks ago and I had to get it out. Holy hell was this a lot. I couldn’t tell if I wanted this one to be goofier or more serious than my other entry, so it’s... kind of both? Some parts of the relationships got so overtly jokey I hade to

hide

cut

them.

And yes, I know that the "standard" format is the NP name is little and on top and the title is bigger below it, but that... doesn't look right to me. So I do it backwards. Sue me.