The boy continues on, turning corner after corner. He’s sure his father told him the correct way to navigate a labyrinth, but he doesn’t remember it. Why doesn’t he? The burning Servant wonders.
Is it due to his Personal Skills? Probably not, he’s almost sure his captor sealed them somehow. He doesn’t remember because of his own callousness.
“What? Why would I be callous? I’m one of the… most attentive people I know…”
Step. Step. Fall. Step. Climb. Step.
Or maybe his father never said anything of the sort. Maybe he’s not even Íkaros. Memories he’s unable to believe continue to assail his mind, like icicles stabbing his very brain.
Memories of his mistake, and his death, and of what came after.
Even then, he’s grateful for how muddy his mind feels. At least it helps him deal with the searing heat that assaults his body.
Fire spews out of his back like massive geysers, burn him inside and out.
Step. Step. Fall. Step. Climb. Step.
He still refuses to stop. He can’t bear the thought of staying here any longer.
The labyrinth is not normal. It’s like someone lifted it up vertically, and Íkaros now has to traverse it as best as he can. Each time he falls, the fire on his back intensifies.
Occasionally, he finds openings in the bizarre cave. Exits leading to black oceans and red skies, with thousands upon thousands of fiery comets falling from it.
Every time, he believes he can simply fly away, dodge the heavenly bullets. Why hasn’t he done so yet, then? Did he try and… fail? What?
Even then, he’s sure he’ll find a way out of here. If someone can do it, then that someone is him… right? Does he still believe that?
Did he ever?
Step. Step. Fall———no.
There was no fall this time, someone grabs his hand before he can fall from the ledge that should be a wall.
“I have you kid. Let’s get out of here. C’mon.”
Íkaros can’t recognize the man in the darkness of the cave, but he feels like there’s only one person he can be.
“Pérdix?” He asks, already sure of the answer.
It’s another boy who fell — another? —except his fall wasn’t for pride, it was betrayal. Denial of a legacy.
“Come, I can see the sky over there.”
They move together through the precarious path. Step. Step. Climb. Step.
They come upon dozens of times. Another dark ocean shore, another sky of fiery cometfall.
“Shit. I should’ve called someone else, there’s no way I can help you out of here.”
“I can just… fly away. Noooo problem,” says Íkaros, barely able to stand without leaning on Pérdix. Sweating a storm and bleeding just as much.”
“How can you say that? I can't believe he didn't get rid of your skills before throwing you in here. What’s even the point then?! This is just torture!”
“Not so, Black Partridge. The skills are part of who he is, I would never take them off, even if I did lessen their influence. He must grow through transformation, not abandonment.”
“You’re the one who made him like this, hypocrite! How about you show your faces to us, ugly fuck?!”
“Indeed, I manipulated his Graph to be as it is. As I did to yours. It is all for a purpose, all so that my Master can grow from your examples.
“And yet… You are fortunate, for we have been summoned by an uncaring system to a Master that does not need me.
“So there’s no need for you to be tools. Pawns for the sake another’s growth. In this dutiless summon, I finally have the chance of helping you both.
“Therefore, make use of it. Rejoice over the chance fate has granted you. May Íkaros realize his own weaknesses and fly high, freed and perfect. May you, Pérdix, rise up to the challenge of saving your kin and grab ahold of the future you have tossed aside.”
“Don’t try to twist this into a lesson! This won't teach us anything! This shit is clearly impossible!”
“Nothing seems possible for a man blind to possibilities. My trials may be harsh, but it is necessary that they be so.
Life does not hold back, so neither will I. As Daedalus’ suffered his mistakes, so will you suffer yours. Become better, surpass his legend.”
“Who are you?” Asked Íkaros, barely conscious. “How do you know dad?”
“I am he who infects and heals, who exists unheeded and honored. I am of three fathers and no mother, born unkown at the Aeropagus, then born again as your brother, for Daedalus shaped who I was then and now.”
Height: 203 cm Weight: 307 kg Likes: Riddles. Dislikes: The Prideful. Attribute: Heaven. Alignment: Lawful Evil. Origin: Greece, Rome, The Bible. Alternate Classes: Watcher.
STR
C
END
B
AGI
D
MGI
A
LUC
C
NP
A
Lore
Gatekeeper is not a class meant to fight in a Grail War, whatever its form might be. Rather, they are trials who are meant to be overcome so that their Master takes their rightful place in the war and in life. They are shapers of destiny. The gates they guard don’t lead to a place, but to a goal.
The Areopagus is where the council that governed Athens sat. It’s the ultimate symbol of justice in the intellectual city, said to have been the site of Ares’ trial over the murder of a son of Poseidon. A place that retained its importance throughout the years, despite changing function, even retaining its council after they were taken over by Rome.
It housed altars in honor of the Olympians, represented through twelve idols.
However, there were thirteen altars. One of them did not have an idol.
The thirteenth is known as the altar to Agnostos Theos, the Unknown God.
It honored an unnamed god of whom they knew nothing.
This altar had been built by order of Epimenides, a Cretan philosopher. It’s said that, when a plague came over Athens, they called for him to advise them on which god they should make sacrifices to in order to cure the sickness. They had already prayed to all known gods, and none would answer.
Epimenides let loose some sheep on the Areopagus and said that wherever any one of them laid down, they’d sacrifice it to the god who was the patron of that spot.
All of the sheep walked together, ignoring each of the altars, until they sat in an empty spot honoring no god.
So the philosopher ordered that an altar with no idol be built there, in honor of the unknown god who would save them from the plague.
Ages later, a famous historian would name this god the “Un-Greek.”
Daedalus' intellect and ingenuity became famous due to his impressive ability in all arts and sciences.
People particularly enjoyed his sculptures of gods and other revered beings, the xoana, which were said to appear to be almost alive.
So it was only natural that they'd invite him to construct a new idol when one was needed. He was to build a statue unlike any other.
That’s because he was not going to depict of the adored gods he had worked on before. The council wished to go against Epimenides' old instructions.
He was given a challenge that only an artisan of his ability could overcome:
To depict a god unknown. To give form to the vague faith of the 13th altar.
To show them who was the Un-Greek.
After Daedalus was banished for murdering Pérdix, the xoanon of the Un-Greek was left abandoned. Lost to time and history.
And yet, here he appears named Daedalides Theos — God, son of Daedalus.
The Divine Work
Daedalides Theos is the aspect of the Divine Spirit Un-Greek tied to the one who assigned it an appearance. The divinity shrouded in mystery that survived through the ages, from classic times to anno domini.
He represents all of Daedalus' work, because he is the living proof that his abilities were equal to the divine, that this man was such a genius that he was able to give shape to what was shapeless. To give form to even a god.
However, Daedalus is not without his faults. Every one of his most famous creations showcases his inconsequential, near-sighted nature.
It’s through his works that Daedalus’ legacy lives on. They teach us about his life; about the lessons he learned and the lessons he ignored. Having their physical forms eroded by the passage of time, they are now constructs of meaning rather than matter.
Bygones that survive due to tales and records.
Past existences elevated to a higher seat, forever tied to human consciousness.
A Heroic Spirit.
“And so, we must continue it.
“For all the glory of his works, Daedalus wasted his chance to have an apprentice, someone to truly carry his will onto the next generation and evolve it for the sake of humanity.
“You can do it.
“I am a Gatekeeper for the prideful and the disillusioned. As Daedalus said 'Keep the middle way, for if your pinions dip too low the waters may impede your flight; and if they soar too high the sun may scorch them.' So too I say to you.
“Do not fool yourself into believing you’ve reached the highest of highs, nor give in to the temptation of complacency, skirting on the bottom of ambition.
“Be prudent, and by overcoming adversity, achieve your deserved destiny without blinding yourself to the world.
“Be the person Daedalus could not. This is what I offer you.
“Be the Caster that’ll carry on his legacy.”
Class Skills
Gatekeeper A.
A Class Skill representing the state of a Gatekeeper as one that leads their Master through a series of trials so that they might become something more.
This skill allows Gatekeeper to alter the Luck stat of any student to give them trials. Rather than manipulating them to his liking, Theos is fond of waiting until his students commit some blunder naturally, at which point he’ll make sure to manipulate the situation so that they suffer the worst possible consequences for it.
The ultimate strict teacher. A staunch believer that 'suffering builds character'. Some say even the plague of Athens was simply a mechanism through which he led the people there to worship himself.
Trial Defense E.
It is the skill to guarantee the integrity of the trails as they are administered. It can manifest as either observation or manipulation of others. At high ranks, one might be able to manipulate the destiny of all those involved with their Master.
Theos is a hyper-focused teacher who only looks at the actions of his students as well as their reactions to his tools, then proceeds to adapt his lessons depending on how it goes. If things stray away from his proposed lesson plan, he’d rather use his Noble Phantasm than manipulate the destiny of uninvolved people.
Personal Skills
Divinity E (C).
The measure of whether one has Divine Spirit aptitude or not. Those who have A rank Divinity or above have reached the Throne of Gods, although they are still just short of being a true god due to lacking a Divine Core.
As Daedalides Theos is ultimately simply an idol to a local god of uncertain existence, his Divinity is the lowest possible rank. However, since he is also the only proof of this god’s existence, and the only way it can enact its will on the world — should it be real —, the effects are effectively that of C Rank, as if he was 1/3 god.
“Born” of Epimenides, Daedalus and the Unknown God. It doesn’t matter to this xanon automaton how small his divine aura seems to others; this is a god who thrives on going unsuspected, even being confused with the Almighty Abrahamic God due to that. An unnamed one worshiped for his actions rather than his nature.
Fulfiller of Needs EX.
A skill representing one adeptness at answering to another’s needs. The user can create or summon tools unnaturally well-suited for fulfilling certain roles.
The god who would solve a plague simply by being invoked. This is a skill that he had naturally, but that has been enhanced massively due to his nature as the representative of Daedalus’ works. Those were creations that not only served their purpose perfectly to the ones that requested them, but also caused Daedalus’ great misfortune, consequently becoming incredible allegories and tales to teach him and any others who heard of them.
Gatekeeper is able to both create and summon anything that he deems necessary for his teachings.
For instance, he could bring to him two examples of the extremes he wishes to caution his Master against.
Just as the inventor had two mortal dangers in mind when he warned his son to act moderately — the sun and the ocean—, so too Daedalides Theos prepares two destructive examples that pose a threat to his Master and all others around them.
Sadistic Nature A.
A skill that augments one's aggression in battle. It appears to be a positive skill, but the longer its owner stays in battle, the more their abusive disposition will grow, causing them to lose their usual composure.
The front of a composed, stern teacher gradually fades as Gatekeeper engages in battle or watches his pupils face adversity. This is particularly noticeable once he puts someone inside his Noble Phantasm.
Daedalus’ genius caused him misfortune after misfortune, and continued to do so throughout his whole life, even after it was obvious that he’d learn nothing from it.
If something like it was done by a recognizable entity, one couldn’t call it anything but sadistic. One may think it weird that he’d find so much pleasure in the suffering of those he hopes will live up to the greatest things Daedalus’ accomplished, but considering the inventor was born in Crete before moving to Athens, it might be reasonable to assume Theos has inherited the hatred from his other “father”, Epimenides.
Trial Retake E.
A skill possessed by some Servants of the Gatekeeper and Watcher Classes that allows one’s Master to redo moments considered key to their growth. Its capabilities can vary wildly depending on the rank, going from “administering the same test again in a different circumstance, even after they failed” to “creating a time loop in which a student can attempt a test until they achieve success.”
Daedalus’ life attempted to teach him the same lessons again and again, yet he never let go of his pride or his shortsightedness, even revealing himself to Minos after losing his own son to escape. It’s unknown whether or not he finally learned his lesson after that, but considering those stories survived because of their usefulness as examples to teach others, and that no other tales about his life after that have surfaced, one can hopefully assume that he did change, in the end.
Similarly, Gatekeeper is inclined to give repeated lessons, but just like in legend, reapplying the same lessons through such similar tests is not always the most effective choice.
Noble Phantasm(s)
Ο Δαίδαλος Άλλαξε
Cyclical Trial Grounds, Enact Your Change
.
Type: Anti-Unit
Rank: A
“As he did, endure hardship. As he did, overcome it. But go beyond. Do what he never accomplished: learn from it. O Daídalos Állaxe.”
Daídalos’ Change. Not only what he created, but his life itself. The messages it imparts. The allegories it uses. The goal it seeks.
This is the crystallization of Daedalus’ legend. A massive factory of teaching mechanisms, a world of trials.
A Reality Marble that projects the inner world of an entity with a singular purpose. Daedalides Theos is able to manipulate the world it creates freely, allowing him to plot very specific circumstances that would not have been possible for his student to experience in the outside world. Perhaps it is a closed-off world due to Daedalus’ most famous work being an inescapable labyrinth, but there’s no need for the space within to actually resemble such a thing.
Unfortunately to Gatekeeper’s Master, a dizzying maze that drives one to despair is exactly the kind of thing that fits his tastes.
It’s the perfect way to humble those who think they can do anything or to scare the ones who already gave up into trying to succeed against impossible odds.
The challenges within are varied and are tailored to the life of each student, but Gatekeeper is fond of employing things such as: an undefeatable foe constantly chasing them, a horde of identical creatures that are weak but respawn indefinitely, a confusing maze full of exits that are actually more dangerous than the labyrinth itself or a large featureless room that enacts mental attacks onto the target.
Of course, there’s always something the student can do to succeed, but due to Gatekeeper’s sadistic tendencies, they better do it fast, lest the teacher might start enjoying this too much…
That said, even if that happens, or if the student simply fails by themselves, the test can simply be reapplied from the start. With a combination of Trial Retake and his mastery over the Reality Marble, Theos can even cure fatal injuries or reverse mental trauma. Such retakes also reset his excitement levels, increasing the chances of success for the students.
All of this is for the sake of incentivizing ingenuity and training problemsolving skills, while also shaping their personality to be “moderate”, as Gatekeeper likes to call it.
In other words, it’s a factory that creates self-aware geniuses. Not to mention, the perfect environment to grow a Caster: Developing Territory Creation will give them a safe haven from Daedalides Theos’ world manipulation and Item Construction will give them more options and the chance to surprise Gatekeeper.
Its methods are incredibly inefficient, and the end result is hard to achieve, but there’s no way around it: attempting to recreate something that Daedalus’ was born with and then honed for years is not easy, specially within the duration of a Holy Grail War.
Relationships
Íkaros: “Oh, Master. You want to know what became of them? Well... it seems the Saint Graph's hold of Íkaros' heart was too strong. My first mistake as a teacher, but how could I, even in my divine insight, imagine that he'd ever have the chance to be more than my tool? As I taught before, I have now learned: fate is cruel.”
Pérdix: “What is that reaction? I think you misunderstand me, Master. Íkaros is not gone, he continues to exist as his imperfect self. How? Why? Well, I can only say that kinship is a wonderful thing, and that I did not fail my brothers completely.”
Zeami Motokiyo: “That man makes me think it's only my divine nature that allows me to teach humans. How can a trial be administered by one who just overcame it? How can it even be called a trial when the teacher softens every blow with niceties? There's no value in attaining the key to a Gatekeeper's goals if the Servant is giving them freely. A shame.”
Nannerl: “Fellow Gatekeeper, might I intrude? I see that we are not fellows in name only. You can't bring yourself to end Master's story, while my trials are not meant for someone like him. As two teachers without students... Oh? Issues with your brother? Well, it seems fate is not as cruel as I thought, I also have much to say about mine.”
Last edited by pinetree; February 16th, 2022 at 07:29 PM.
Thanks a ton.
And yeah, it's that one problem, no idea how to fix it. I redid the entire thing like three times.
I'll probably try again today when I have the time to go over it again to correct some typos.
move the [/COLLAPSE3][/CENTER] after the GER Redesigned line to the very end of the sheet.
that way you have the reveal of the class and pic and then the second reveal for the rest of the sheet.
and if you do not want the second collapse3 anymore, just remove the respective tags and it unveils the whole sheet with one click.
Note to self: Never try using Collapse again without turning on Source Mode.
Originally Posted by DelRey
and if you do not want the second collapse3 anymore, just remove the respective tags and it unveils the whole sheet with one click.
I did, it was being added automatically for some reason. Every time I previewed or posted it, it cloned the collapse tag and the image.
I think it had to do with where the [CENTER] tags were placed, but I had no idea about it because I just used the editor buttons instead of writing out the code.
“Sss… sss, sss…” “Ah! Ahem. This will do for now. Greetingsss, Massster. You were probably expecting something a bit more sssubstantial when you summoned a Ssservant, huh? Regardless, I’ll try my bessst. Hm? My True Name? My True Name, let’s sssee… Ssserru. That should be sssufficient, yes?”
Class: Assassin Other Classes: Trickster, Beast True Name: "Serru" Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Place of Origin: Babylonian Myth
Parameters
STR: D END: B AGI: A MGI: D LCK: A++
Likes: free food, causing trouble Dislikes: ammonia smells, large birds of prey Talents: theft, poisoning, swallowing Natural Enemy: Gilgamesh (Non-Caster) Attribute: Earth Armament: Fangs Catalyst: An ancient shed skin (NOTE: this catalyst may summon a certain other Servant, depending on circumstances)
Class Skills
Presence Concealment A:
Since this Servant’s entire claim to fame is going unnoticed, they have this at a considerable rank.
Independent Manifestation D:
A skill borrowed from the Beast class that Assassin also qualifies for. As an existence that has divorced itself from death, a great deal of freedom from their Master is afforded.
Personal Skills
Icon of Treachery A:
A skill denoting one’s cultural associations with betrayal, one whose name is literally synonymous with "traitor". This skill causes those who interact with this Servant to feel ill at ease, as if betrayal is an inevitable result of any allegiance with Assassin for reasons they cannot pin down. Not even their own Master is immune to this effect.
Assassin, in this manifestation, is a representation of the archetypal “mythological snake”, resulting in an exceptionally high rank. Only two Heroic Spirits are estimated to have a higher rank.
Shapeshift (Snake) D:
A limited form of metamorphosis. By shedding their skin, Assassin is able to shift into either a serpentine form or a humanoid form. This skill has little basic in their own mythology, narrow as it is, and seems to have been granted as an accommodation, though it is possible that Assassin somehow picked up this skill in their many centuries of life. They are quite insistent that they are still “a snake” in either form.
No relation to Shapeshift (Great Snake), as Assassin is merely a regular snake.
Seductive Charisma (Snake) B:
A modification of the Charisma skill, with a focus on preying upon a target’s instinctual desires. While in their “legend”, if can be called that, Assassin exhibited no charisma whatsoever, being linked to the “archetypal snake” has associated them with the idea of “temptation”, which may be the source of their humanoid appearance and personality.
This skill makes for an interesting contradiction with their first skill, occasionally leaving people distrustful of Assassin, yet paradoxically unable to resist their wiles.
Noble Phantasm
Rejuvenation, Deprivation Ouroboros
Anti-Aging Type, EX Rank
The beginning and end of Assassin’s legacy, crystallized. Assassin sheds their skin, restoring all their vitality and youth while cleansing any negative effects. This technique leaves behind a snakeskin that “contains” all the ailments that Assassin had “shed”, which can be used as a whip to temporarily transfer those ailments to another, along with an increased sensation of “mortality”, thus eroding innate resistances to “instant death” type effects. This Noble Phantasm not only represents their moment of Assassin acquiring the gift of endlessly rejuvenating vitality, but depriving humanity of that same gift, hence its flexibility as both recovery and offense. However, each shed skin can only be use offensively once.
The word “ouroboros” refers to a recurring motif in various cultures of a snake devouring its own tail, a symbol of self-sustaining infinity. Historically, it has never referred to any specific snake, mythological or otherwise. Assassin has opted to take the name for themself, citing their authority as the “ur-snake”, as well as the clear symbolic relevance.
Lore
Walterinnesia, also known as the black desert cobra, is a genus of venomous snake, thought to contain a single species before the subclassification of W. morgani. “Snake” more broadly refers to any limbless carnivorous reptile of the suborder Serpentes. It is impossible to provide details about this “specific” snake, because there is no specific snake. Assassin’s “True name” does not exist. “Serru” is merely a nickname adapted by this Servant, derived from the Akkadian word for snake.
After all, that’s simply all they are. Just a single, arbitrary snake that got very lucky.Great king Gilgamesh, the man who was two-thirds god, had lost the one dearest to him. It opened his eyes that no matter how strong you are, death comes for us all. Thus, he went on an epic journey across all of creation, fighting monsters, scaling mountains, all in search of an answer. THE answer.
Upon meeting Utnapishtim, he pleaded with him to divulge the secret to eternal life. Gilgamesh was subject to various trials to prove his capacity to attain what he sought, and at each turn found the tasks impossible. Eventually, Utnapishtim offered a compromise. While it would not make him truly immortal, an herb existed, growing only in a specific grotto on the ocean’s floor. An herb which would grant rejuvenation everlasting, eternal youth.
After applying some cleverness and physical exertion, Gilgamesh was able to retrieve a handful of the herbs. However, he was far too proud and too terrified of death to blindly trust this unknown flora. He resolved to return to Uruk and test the herb on an elderly man to ensure it worked as intended.
He stopped to bathe in a spring on his trek triumphant back to his kingdom. And the moment he took his eyes off it, a hungry snake made off with the legendary plant, shedding its skin as it slithered away. All that time, all that effort, all the sacrifice. Amounting, in a single instant, to nothing. Less than nothing.
Gilgamesh could only laugh.
It was only by being broken by this utter defeat that he realized the true nature of the world and humanity’s place in it. Gazing upon the ramparts of his city, he saw that the only “immortality” any human could achieve is a lasting legacy. By being a wise and just king, worthy of respect and admiration, he would live forever in memory. And as a testament to that, even five millennia later, his name is known globally.
Yet the one who taught him that lesson, well… nobody even knows their name. Nobody thought to ask what happened to this bit player, a simple-minded animal stumbling into endless longevity. True, it is said that this incident is the origin of snakes shedding their skin, the original passing down a portion of its gift. But how long did that original live? Decades? Centuries? Millenia? What would that do to an animal? Would it gather wisdom and intelligence with age? Become elevated above beasthood by sheer scale of experience?
Such questions were never asked, because the Epic of Gilgamesh is about humanity. And that? That was just a snake. Not worth elaboration.
Relationships
Kiyohime: "A ssserpent that hates liars? Tch, what'll they think of next..."
Medusa, Stheno, Euryale: "Hmm. Everyone says those purple-haired girls were the 'original snakes' here, but they sure have a lot of LEGS. Can't stand fake girls..."
Ibuki-Douji: "Ehhh, a fair bit more snakely. But it feels like fence-sitting. Are you a snake or an oni? Commit."
Gilgamesh (Archer): “Ha, to think we’d cross pathsss again… I couldn’t even tell what emotion he was feeling when he realized who I was. Mostly anger, I’d bet. We should… keep our dissstance.”
Cleopatra: "I thought her at first to be a victim, but she's craftier than she looks. A testament to the widespread damage a single reptile can have on civilization, hmhmhm..."
Quetzalcoatl: "Oh, look at Miss High-and-Mighty. What, crawling on your belly not GOOD enough for a goddessss? Gotta fly around? Sickening..."
Ryouma Sakamoto: “Who? …Oh, right, that’s Oryu’s man, isn’t it? Gosh, she’s the best, so fun! We should go frog hunting sometime again soon…”
Gorgon: “Ah, now that's a fine ssspecimen. Wouldn't mind getting conssstricted some time, hmhmhm..."
Asclepius: "Hmm. I don't sense the usual unease from this one. Must've had a pet snake growing up."
Chiyome Mochizuki: “Our sstyles seem sssimilar. I’d love to learn some shinobi techniques from her one day, but… she’s utterly terrified of me. Ah well…”
Gilgamesh (Caster): "Interesting. This one doesn't fear me. Almost treats me like an old friend. Gives me the feeling he knows something I don't. Not sure I care for it."
Zahhāk-e Mārdoush: "Oh dear. I'm sorry, but whatever this 'Serpent King' had going on is... above my paygrade. I'm far more likely to eat grains than brains, ahaha... Ha."
Wakanuke: "I'd love to learn more about this girl's techniques but... something about her terrifies me to no end."
Priapus: "Ugh. This may sound hypocritical, but what a creep! Undressing me with his eyes, always bring up his 'pet python'... Can't you pass along that this anaconda don't want none?"
Bond Lines
Bond 1
“Glad I haven’t been too much of a disssappointment, so far. Feel so odd, being a little no name nobody surrounded by all these pillars of humanity or whatever… Hm? You’ve been wondering if I’m ‘a guy or a girl’? What a preposterous question. Of course I’m not. I’m just a sssnake, silly. Just worry about keeping me fed, and I'll kill as you deem necessary.”
Bond 2
“Hrrnn... Master, I'm trying to sssneak around for practice, but I'm dummy thick! In this form, at least; I'm quite beautifully thin in my limbless state. Honestly, I don’t know how you lot can put up with being like this all the time. You have to balance constantly, and to move forward you have to… fall slowly? At an angle? The fingers are fun, though. It's like ten tiny tails! Hmhm, think of the missschief I could get up to...”
Bond 3
“Da Vinci keeps asking ‘which Beast’. I apparently qualify for. Like, there's apparently numbers involved or some crap. Dunno how I’M supposed to know that. Don’t these people get it? I’m just a snake. I don’t even know why I’m in the Throne of Heroes. I’m just… an extra in the play of reality. Beneath notice. Maybe the universe was looking for the Garden of Eden fella, but picked me by mistake. I hear I'm a dead ringer for him.”
Bond 4
“…Sssometimes, though, I wonder. What would have happened if I hadn’t been there? If the King of Heroes found his easy way out, returned to his throne without ever having grown. Would he have been emotionally stagnant for the rest of his life? A life that, one would imagine, would be a lot longer. I heard the guy was a... wedge of the heavens, or something along those lines? The one who severed humanity from reliance on the gods, inspiring them to carve their own destinies. The First Hero. Hard to picture how differently humanity would have developed if I hadn’t robbed him blind.”
“…But of course, at the end of the day, it’s idle curiosity. I don’t care what happens to humanity. As long as I have a belly full of sssmall rodents and a place to sssunbathe, everything else is just… extra.”
Bond 5
“Tell me, Masster… Do you trust me? I know you have your Command Seals and whatnot but… well, I’m a wild animal. Unpredictable. Unreadable. Does the prospect of me sssinking my fangs into you and pumping you full of venom ever… play on your thoughts?”
“…What? Me, transparent? What do you mean I ‘only hiss when I’m not being serious’?! I’m always serious! And I’m always hissing! Sss, sss, sss! ...Tch, whatever…”
Creator's Notes
The moment I struck upon this idea, I simply had to make it real. This entry is mostly for my own satisfaction, and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets no attention.
Note to self: Never try using Collapse again without turning on Source Mode.
I did, it was being added automatically for some reason. Every time I previewed or posted it, it cloned the collapse tag and the image.
I think it had to do with where the [CENTER] tags were placed, but I had no idea about it because I just used the editor buttons instead of writing out the code.
This goes out as a tip for everyone: write and format the sheet as if there is no reveal. add collapse at the very end. Easier to troubleshoot, easier to format before and you know where you put the tags.
and yes it is the placement of CENTER. saw this often
Welp. I gave into peer pressure and did a thing for Zahhak. And by peer pressure, I mean two people told me I should. Welcome the Persian Lostbelt.
Last edited by Morg van Destro; February 17th, 2022 at 07:03 AM.
Do you like jazz short stories? Do you want something to distract from making Servants? Do you wish the idea of Shirou Kotomine didn't immediately bring edgelords to mind? Well, I can't promise it's good, but some would disagree with me. Fate/Without Justice
So this could be considered a remake of my old Houdini sheet. The genderbend is definitely more justified this time around. Be sure to look out for Collapse-text in her personality and Skills to get the full story (and the reason she fits the prompt). Honorary mention to Serra for giving me ideas on her NP. As usual comments and critiques would be welcome. Thanks for reading y'all!
"Rejoice, my trusty Assistant! For the world's greatest magician has returned from the cold grasp of death to regale you in an even more dazzling performance! Now then... let's get this show on the road!"
Summoning Catalysts: A broken pair of handcuffs, a wedding ring with the name "Rosabelle" etched on it
Region: Hungary, America
Alignment: True Neutral
Armaments: A cane and array of magician's props.
Strength- D
Agility- B
Endurance- C
Mana- C
Luck- B+
NP- B
Personality/Background
Cheerful and bombastic. A natural entertainer whose every word and gesture is soaked in charisma. Her way of expressing herself is extravagant, and she gesticulates grandly as if performing before a crowd even when speaking to only a single person. Put more negatively, an overly dramatic showoff who insists on being the center of attention at all times and acts like she'd wither and die if separated from her audience for only a single second.
"Hey, how rude! Shouldn't you more respectful to the King of Escape Artists?" she asks while indignantly pouting.
...Ahem. To introduce her more properly Caster is certainly a woman of many talents, if not quite as many as she likes to boast about. She is a gifted magician, shrewd skeptic and keen inventor who clawed her way to fame and fortune from a poor upbringing as a Hungarian immigrant. Certainly, the kind of story that would be used to illustrate the dream of 「anyone can rise to the top」 extolled in her home country. "That's right, that's right. Keep on praising me like that and I might just get you a backstage pass for my latest show~" she encourages, shamelessly basking in the approval.
Of course, her no. 1 specialty is escape artistry. Caster brags of being able to slip out of any bonds no matter how fiendish and is equally eager to demonstrate before an audience. She will happily agree to being tied down as tight as can be, by every kind of ropes and shackles, and retain her unshakeable grin while merely asking the rigger to time how long it takes before her inevitable escape. Caster seems to get an almost ecstatic thrill out of pushing her limits and feeling the audience's breathless gaze upon her as she squirms out of ever more devious devices, giving the impression of an exhibitionist masochist at times. "A- a bondage fetish?! No, no, no, this is just my pride as an entertainer!" she exclaims, slightly unconvincingly. It seems that's a sensitive subject for her so please be discreteful of a maiden's secrets. "What secrets!? Do you want me to sue you?!"
...In any case, there's more to Caster than just her role as an escape-artist. She's also a skeptic who used her exhaustive knowledge of stage-magic to debunk many false claims of the supernatural over the course of her life. However Caster's current feelings towards the occult are somewhat mixed. She certainly bears nothing but hatred for the phony spiritualists who profit by exploiting people's false hopes, likening them to vultures that feed off the tragedy of death. Towards them Caster would show a more sadistic expression, reveling in cutting their pathetic claims down to size. "It's just my nature. When I see something so repulsively fake, I can't help but want to crush it, even if it has nothing to do with me," she says while wickedly grinning.
However at the same time Caster finds herself wistfully wondering if there really is a power beyond humanity. If all the tragedy and pain in this world had a meaning, and people torn apart by cruel fate would someday be reunited in a brighter tomorrow, Caster can't help but yearn for such things. She takes her summoning as a Servant for a gleeful chance to explore the horizon of occult she never got to witness in life.
Caster is an optimistic realist who believes highly in the brilliance and potential of humankind. She sees her escapes and feats on stage as showing how amazing humans can be without relying on gods or demons. While somewhat open to the supernatural she's dismissive of those who over-rely on such things, proclaiming that people should make their way through life on their own convictions rather than putting all their faith in intangible miracles.. (Even if... she secretly counts herself amongst those too weak to do so.)
...With all that out of the way, one remaining mystery surrounds Caster's identity. Why is she summoned in the form of a bunnysuit-clad woman despite having been undeniably recorded as male in life? "Isn't it obvious? Of course the audience would be more excited to see a beautiful girl escape peril than a man! That's why I insisted on materializing myself in this form, it's basic show-business!" she declares as if it were only matter-of-fact. Truly an individual with public relations and showmanship engrained into her bones...
However. Is that really all there is to it? Occasionally Caster shows slivers of a more wistful and melancholic side that seem alien to her usually larger-than-life demeanor. Sometimes when she thinks no one else is around she can even be found muttering quietly as if to another person, her voice carrying immense longing and sorrow. This Servant calling herself Harry Houdini, is she really who she claims to be? "E-enough questioning Assistant, you're embarrassing me~. Every magician has their tricks you know and it's rude to pry in a maiden's secrets. S-so please, if you want to see me keep raising everyone's spirits like my usual self, don't look any further than this.""
"...I told you not to look. But I guess it can't be helped, every magician's trick has to come to light someday. Even if... my true pathetic self would be better off staying hidden."
In truth, "Caster's" true identity is actually the Faker-Classed Servant Bess Houdini. The wife and assistant of the legendary magician most famous for the legends where she devoted herself for ten years trying to contact his spirit after death. A woman who carries a quiet but intense yearning and regret, totally unlike her husband's flashy energy. That said, it is not as if their personalities are totally out of sync, as shown by how Faker can imitate him so easily. The thrill she got performing on stage alongside her husband and the sense of justice that hated false spiritualists who prey on the grieving like herself are certainly feelings that blaze strongly within her memories.
...More than anything, their deep love for each other. She undoubtedly loved the man known as Harry Houdini, having been captivated by him ever since they first met when she was initially engaged to his brother Theo. Some might've seen a showboat who paraded on stage yet she grasped the natural kindness beneath his arrogance. His incorrigible smile that eased the people's worries, his grand gestures that stirred their hearts. She saw that his very way of living as an entertainer was one aimed at "granting happiness to the people".
And yet. Every rose has its thorns, and the love she tenderly nurtured for 32 years became a curse that dug into her heart upon Harry's passing. Ten years she spent obsessively trying to wrest his spirit from the beyond, during which her mental state decayed and she suffered repeated suicide attempts. Finally after many disappointments she gave up her quest, recognizing her beloved was truly gone, yet her Servant self still clings to the tragic beauty of that dream. Faker feels guilty over usurping the name "Harry Houdini", yet due to her lack of fame finds it a necessary step to manifest as a Servant and fulfill her goal. The nature of which goes without saying; the revival of Harry Houdini.
No matter what she has to sacrifice. No matter what arduous pain she has to endure. This time, this time, she will certainly accomplish their longed-for reunion.
Faker constantly deprecates herself, accepting that she's merely a pale shadow of Harry Houdini and for that reason chooses to act like him most of the time, believing that no one else would prefer her true self. However she was a strong-willed and spirited woman in life who enjoyed smoking and drinking unlike her teeototaler husband. Thus while Faker currently puts on airs of a tragic widow her core nature is still that of a tomboy, and her passionate side bursts out when angered. Mainly occurring whenever someone tries to con the innocent or badmouth her husband's legacy around her, in which case Faker will adopt a far rougher and more vulgar manner of speaking and violently try to break the offender over her knee. "Try that again in front of me ya' little shit! Maybe for my next trick I oughta' make your shrimpy dick disappear!"
...Of course, Harry surely loved that side of her too.
Attitude to her Master
Caster refers to her Master as her "assistant" and tends to drag them along on her selfish whims. If her Master is a good person she'll be playfully affectionate and promise them tickets to her private shows for supporting her. Conversely should she be summoned by a ruthless Mage that has no qualms sacrificing innocents for their goals Caster will act outwardly loyal while quietly conniving to stab them in the back when she has the chance.
...When her true identity as "Bess" is revealed Faker acts colder to her Master, doing her best to keep a distance out of guilt for deceiving them. However if her Master proves to affirm her for who she is and not just "Harry Houdini" Faker will reluctantly find a place for them in her heart. Even so there's still no competing with her husband.
Likes: daring escapes, the potential of mankind, airplanes
Dislikes: superstition, allegations she has a bondage fetish, unimaginative people
Talents: escape artistry, debunking the paranormal, showmanship
Natural Enemy: Arthur Conan Doyle, Britomartis, Don QuixoteLikes: smoking and drinking, her husband, the hope of life after death, pets
Dislikes: frauds, her own inconstancy, the severance of death, animal cruelty
Talents: singing, making costumes, performing on stage alongside her husband
Natural Enemy: Sherlock Holmes, Medea, Ea-nasir
Class Skills:
Territory Creation- B
The ability to formulate a territory advantageous to oneself as a Magus. At this rank, creation of a "Magician's Stage" equivalent to a Workshop becomes possible.By drawing on the memories of performing alongside her husband Faker can (re)create a "Magician's Stage" equivalent to a Workshop. While on stage she can perform to a minor degree Magecraft in the form of "magician's tricks" such as healing (restoring objects that have been cut in half) and spatial displacement (pulling a dove out of a hat). However for unknown reasons Caster dislikes employing this Skill, claiming it "brings back bad memories".
Item Construction- D
A talent to craft items tinted in magical energy. As a stage magicianassistantCasterFaker can create a variety of costumes and props for use in herher husband's performances that qualify as low-level Mystic Codes. Curiously her historic ingenuity for restraint-devices is not displayed by this Skill.Curiously her historic ingenuity for restraint-devices is not displayed by this Skill. (Unsurprisingly, since she isn't actually the one who invented them.)
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄Camouflage- C
A Skill that allows a Servant to disguise their Class and parameters. At this rank Faker can appear as another Class and obfuscate the descriptions of some Skills. Granted by her Noble Phantasm, this allows Bess to effectively impersonate her husband Harry Houdini in the Caster Class. "Honestly I thought being a woman would be a tougher sell there, but looking at other Servants in Chaldea it seems you just roll with that kind of stuff now. Lucky me I guess."
Personal Skills:
Showman- A
Denotes one's aptitude for entertaining the masses as a performer. As a renowned stage magician Caster's every word and gesture serves to captivate the masses. Her dazzling escape from countless deadly perils that enthralled people's imaginations, resulting in Caster obtaining the moniker as a Servant "King of Entertainers". This Skill serves as a subspecies Charisma that allows Caster to command attention from an "audience". Furthermore each person aware of and cheering her name donates Caster a small transient bonus to her Luck parameter, based on the expectation "Harry Houdini will always escape from any adversity" engraved into the public consciousness.
Of course, audience approval is the lifeblood of an entertainer and Caster is always seeking new ways to spice up her performances, seeking examples in the popular media of the era she's summoned into. "For instance, what's this 'reverse bunnysuit' I've heard about...?" she once remarked with innocent(?) curiosity, only to be instantly vetoed by every staff-member of Chaldea (except Dr. Roman) who practically died of embarrassment (and mental nosebleeds) at picturing such a lewd image.
...Being not nearly the showman her husband was Faker obtains this rank by overtaking Harry's Spirit Origin.
"To be honest... I resent them, just a little. The crowds always cheered Harry on no matter what sort of deadly peril he got into. No matter how close he came to dying they'd still clap and ask for more, blindly faithful that their darling hero would live to see another day. Maybe... if not for them he'd still be alive."
Handcuff KingHandcuff King (False)- A+
A special condition carved into Caster's Spirit Origin as a culmination of all the bonds she slipped in life. Normally being restrained would only be a hindrance but in Caster's case she flips it around to paradoxically display the greatest power while bound. Any status ailments such as binding, poisons or curses that would ordinarily "restrict" Caster's performance are inverted so that she actually functions better while under their effects. For instance if bound in shackles Caster would be able to still maneuver nimbly and even use them as weapons. If blindfolded, her other senses would sharpen to compensate. Poisoned, her body would gain a boost in metabolism to overcome it. At this rank even targeted by a petrifying curse Caster would still be able to move as a living statue and strike with greater strength thanks to her stone body.
Caster normally goes into battle with at least her arms bound, bolstering the damage of kick-based attacks. Adding more stringent restraints like a hobble-skirt and ankle-fetters could further amplify her combat power. Of course in that case actually reaching the enemy to strike them might prove difficult. So this Skill is still a double-edged sword.
...As Harry is the one who rightfully possesses the anecdotes of daring escapes Faker attains a (False) version of this Skill while disguised as him.
"When the odds are against you and you're backed in on all corners... that's the moment when a magician turns the tables for a dazzling escape! At least that's what he always told me... huh, who am I talking about? N-no one Assistant, aha..."
Weakness (Flight)- C
A Skill that masquerades as Navigator Of The Skies on her stat-sheet. Caster has a great love for airplanes, which she sees as brilliant symbols of humanity's progress in claiming what had once been an unreachable domain of the gods for themselves. In life she tried to pioneer her image as an aviator, claiming to have performed the first flight over Australia although this was untrue. As a Servant she'll try to fly any airplane she sees, to the point of insisting she has the Skill to enable such feats. However perhaps because of the movie The Grim Game where the plane she was supposed to be on crashed in mid-flight a peculiar curse (prank) has been written into her Spirit Origin ensuring any flying machine Caster pilots will inevitably and explosively crash without anyone being hurt. As such it's advised to keep Caster away from planes for her own and everyone's peace of mind.
"Ahh, flying truly is best... the refreshing feeling of wind in your hair, the land stretched out below looking like a toy model... the smell of leaking fuel and clanging of emergency alarms... wait, what about that last part?! Don't tell me we're going to freaking crash again?!?"
Metamorphosis- B
An evolution of the Disengage Skill aimed at escaping the ultimate prison; death itself. At least so Caster herself explains when questioned why a simple escape-artist obtains such an outrageous ability as a Servant. In any case activating this Skill causes Caster's image to become intangible and ghostlike allowing her to briefly phase through attacks and obstacles as if they weren't there.
While a useful (haxed) Skill for slipping out of the many predicaments Caster finds herself in, she herself dislikes relying on it, claiming it'd be "cheating". "A true magician escapes perils with nothing but their mortal wits and tenacity! Using the supernatural is an absolute no-go!" she proclaims nodding insistently as if expecting praise. However based on the bittersweet expression on her face whenever she discusses this Skill, it can be assumed the reasons for Caster's reluctance go deeper than her pride as an entertainer. Perhaps it has something to do with the pair of skeletal arms appearing to embrace her when she uses it...
...In truth this Skill is born from the signature act Faker performed many times together with her husband. She would first be lowered into a coffin bound in chains to prevent escape. Houdini would then climb on the sealed coffin and briefly enshroud himself in a curtain. When the veil was lowered Faker would be standing atop the coffin with her husband imprisoned inside, the two of them having swapped positions instantaneously much to the delight and fascination of onlookers.
As a Servant the concept of "trading places with Harry Houdini" has been altered now that her beloved only exists beyond the grave. This Skill allows Faker to appear in the same place Houdini is; in other words, the Afterlife. Being momentarily on the Other Side Faker's body becomes ethereal and intangible while a pair of ghostly arms wrap around her, attacks and obstacles phasing past her as if she didn't even exist. Only a gentle coldness lingering on the places she passed through evinces to Faker's corporeal presence. However she can only maintain this state for a few seconds before having to return to reality. Faker claims to experience a reassuring presence of her beloved in the liminal space she enters when she uses this Skill, and conversely an equally intense grief when she's ripped back from his arms yet again. As such doing so only aggravates her fragile psyche.
"Back then... we promised that no matter where the other was or how cruelly we were separated we'd be able to get there to stand at their side. But you broke that promise didn't you...? Jerk..."
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄Familiars (Pets)- D++
Faker was said to have quite a fondness for pets, having amassed many of them in life (possibly to compensate for the couple's inability to bear children) including two dogs, a turtle and a talking parrot. According to one anecdote Faker came across an underfed-looking dog at a Harlem butcher's shop where she decided to give him a bone. When the butcher refused she promptly bought the dog from him and went off on her merry way. Faker's adored pets from life still follow her as a Servant, continuing to attend devotedly by their mistress' side.
This Skill allows Faker to summon any of the pets she owned in life in spirit form. They have different abilities based on their species such as the two dogs Charlie and Bobby are trained in escape-arts and can nip at her opponents' heels, Laura the parrot can fly and imitate voices (including minor sound-based Magecraft) and Petie the tortoise can enlarge his shell to serve as a shield.
In its greatest potential Faker summons "Jennie", an 10000 pound Asian elephant that Houdini famously made vanish on stage. Jennie is Faker's strongest familiar by far having A+ ranked Strength to trample over foes and the ability to evoke a Water-element Mana Burst through her trunk. However she also costs the most intensive amount of Mana to maintain and hence Faker only calls on her as a last resort.
Jennie
This Skill also gives Faker an aura that makes animals friendly to her. This effect works more smoothly the more tame and domestic the animal was already. Stray dogs would easily melt into obedience from her calming voice and affectionate demeanor while the likes of a rampaging elephant would require far more effort to subdue. By "adopting" an animal Faker then gains the ability to summon it alongside her other familiars. However since this would involve risking their lives she dislikes doing so except for simple scouting.
"Crazy cat lady? N-no it's nothing like that, I didn't even own any cats back then... although, I am curious what it'd be like to have one..." she trails off wishfully.
A crystallization of the promise Faker and her husband made before his passing. Harry, despite being a notorious skeptic of the supernatural, swore that if he were to die first he would do everything in his power to escape from the beyond and return to her side. He even passed her a secret message so she could verify it was really him speaking from the afterlife and not a phony. The code was "Rosabelle – answer – tell – pray, answer – look – tell – answer, answer – tell". "Rosabelle" was the inscription on Faker's wedding band evoking her favorite song she'd performed when they first met while the rest consisted of an alphabetic cipher used in their mentalist acts together where words could be swapped out with letters. Together it spelled the phrase "Rosabelle believe", urging her to hold out hope that their reunion was possible.
For ten years Faker continued holding seances on every Halloween night to contact his spirit, only to finally give up hope when her efforts went unanswered. On the final anniversary of her perseverance she publicly denounced belief in life after death, and reverently blew out the candles on her ten years long vigil. Even so, the mysticism and romance surrounding her efforts continued to fuel rumors that Houdini's return had actually taken place, and seances are still performed in his name up to the present day.
The foremost effect of this Noble Phantasm is simply asserting and embodying the concept that "Harry Houdini cannot return from the dead". As such the one answering the Grail's call is the one with the closest compatibility to Houdini's own legend thanks to having lived and performed alongside him for decades- in other words, Faker herself. Faker manifests as a Servant with the parameters and Skills of her beloved thanks to being recognized by the World as the closest match to Harry Houdini. While the only thing enabling her to be summoned for Faker this blessing is merely a bitter reminder of how she failed to reunite with the man she loved.
Upon invoking this Noble Phantasm's true name Faker further attempts to summon her beloved. However this conjuration is woefully incomplete and only succeeds in dragging back a fragment of Houdini's soul from the Other Side, taking the form of disembodied parts warped and multiplied grotesquely. Faker normally opts to summon a nimble pair of ghostlike arms with broken handcuff chains dangling from each wrist to attack and defend for her. When pressured she can also manifest a greater swarm of arms lashing out blindly, or even have them burrow beneath the ground to erupt out from under a target.
Stemming from Houdini's simultaneous longing for and deniance of the supernatural these hands instinctively seek out beings rich in Mana and mystery, yet upon contact only destroy what they crave, each touch draining Mana from the target's body. Towards Mages this only weakens and exhausts them from prolonged contact, yet the greatest potential is shown against purely spiritual beings. Servants would find even a grazing touch scraping away a portion of the Mana that comprises their essence, leaving gaping patches where their material forms lose cohesion and dissolve. If fully grasped they must pass an Endurance check lest be torn apart and dragged away to whatever unknowable fate awaits them on the Other Side.
Normally materialization of the soul is a miracle only Mages who reached the Root would be capable of, yet from her immense grief and legends of unwaveringly chasing after her beloved's departed spirit Faker has unknowingly tapped into a fragment of that True Magic. However breaching the boundaries of life and death so blatantly is an act that incurs significant consequences even for a Servant. This Noble Phantasm can only be used ten times for her instantiation as a Servant, together symbolizing the decade she waited for her husband. Furthermore with each invocation the strain of contacting the dead decays Faker's parameters and Skills tied to the name "Harry Houdini" while slowly bringing her Spirit Origin closer to her older self when she relinquished her dream. This is visually reflected in Faker's hair slowly whitening.
After a single conjuration her parameters would only be slightly reduced and a barely noticeable white streak appears in Faker's hair. On the fifth attempt her parameters would be half their original values and Faker's hair appears half-white. Up to the ninth, she'd be a haggard shell barely recognizable as a Servant with E- in every parameter and her hair becomes entirely white save for a faint sliver of its original lavender. The tenth and final time Faker uses this Noble Phantasm she immediately fades away in the aftermath. Having exhausted the ten years she reached out for her husband the World reasserts the conclusion "Harry Houdini cannot return from the dead", resulting in the dissolution of the Servant masquerading as him. Her existence as a Servant is merely an ephemeral dream born from one woman's stubborn refusal to accept the finality of loss--- even so as long as she's given a second chance to grasp for that impossible miracle she will always continue to fight.
"I'm sorry dear, I wasn't able to save you again... But I will keep trying, I promise... someday, nothing will ever be able to keep us apart..."
Another side-effect of this Noble Phantasm is that Faker begins periodically hearing the whispers of her beloved, a chorus of loud voices blurring indistinguishably together like chittering insects. It's somewhat unclear whether the voices she hears are truly Harry Houdini imploring her to free him from the Other Side or merely refractions of Faker's own warped psyche. In any case this effect grows stronger and more frequent with each invocation, weakening her hold on reality. Eventually she might accept using it a final time to commit suicide and "be together with him" again. This can be likened to a steadily rising Mental Pollution Skill, increasing Faker's protection against mental influencing thaumaturgy in return for exacerbating her unstable and morose demeanor. A Command Seal can be expended to temporarily seal this aspect.
So I did a bunch of tinkering to Houdini's profile. Added first to third Ascension arts, swapped out Mental Pollution (Whisper) with a new Personal Skill and folded its effects under her NP. I think the sheet's in its "final form" now.
Now we return to your regularly scheduled dose of angst. This is a pretty straightforward sheet with not much secrets in it. In-universe, the "< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >" text is something he'd say starting ascension 3 or so, but I guess in your case, you can just open them whenever. Enjoy.
Saber of the Unchanging Nation
-- Protecting the Unifier's Legacy --
"Self-loathing is such an ugly word, don't you think? I prefer to call it self-awareness. Clear understanding of what you can and can't do. See, it's not that I hate myself. I had dreams of my own, which I seriously pursued to the ends of the earth back then. And I actually made it to the top after sacrificing so much. It's just that... there's nothing else afterwards. Wars were a thing of the past, the fields were bountiful, the people were content with their lives... Honestly what else is there left for me to accomplish? With that in mind, I gave up my own dream in exchange of protecting my late grandfather's. It's what he would have wanted... or at least I hope so."
Class: Saber
Other Classes: Rider True Name: Tokugawa Iemitsu
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Origin: Japan (17th century)
Parameters:
STR: D
END: B
AGI: C
MGI: C
LCK: C
NP: A
Likes: Proving himself, his grandfather, traditional tea ceremonies, delegating duties to others
Dislikes: Change, threats to peace and stability, western colonialism, decision-making, people who take things too seriously (himself)
Talent: Minimizing foreign influence, religious persecution
Natural Enemy: Amakusa Shirou Tokisada
Armament: Katana
Catalyst: An official decree penned by his hand, a burnt Jesuit banner
Class Skills
Riding (C)
A Class Skill of Rider and Saber class Servants, denoting the ability to ride mounts and vehicles. One can flawlessly manage beasts and vehicles if they have received the proper training and adjustments. Most vehicles and animals can be handled with above average skill. However, cannot ride the likes of Phantasmal Species such as Monstrous Beasts. A subpar rank for a Shogun who never rode anything special or worth mentioning.
"Hmph, middling at best. Such weakness disgusts me, but I suppose it can't be helped. Worry not, Master. I have other means of attaining victory, which I'm sure would impress the likes of you."
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >"Painfully average... at least that's what my father would say. Not that I'm surprised, though. I've always been the type to get by through hard work to make up for my lack of talent. In a way, it worked, and I achieved exactly what I set out to do. Now if you want a simple, straightforward story with a happy ending, you'd be better off stopping here. It's a story about a boy who's constantly looked down upon by his family, who decided to prove himself to the world and succeeded in his endeavors. It'd be a shame for such an inspirational story to end on a sour note, wouldn't you think so?"
Magic Resistance (-)
Grants protection against magical effects. Differing from the Resistance effect that merely rejects Magical Energy, this ability cancels the spells altogether. This Skill's effects have largely been subsumed by his personal Skill, All Kirishitans Must Be Crucified.
"I made it my life's work to keep my grandfather's dream alive. A bit of western mysticism would not make a single dent upon the eternal Tokugawa Bakufu. Still, even the smallest bush fires could devour entire forests if left unattended for too long. So just to be safe, I made sure to spare no effort in crushing every possibility of resistance, and ensuring that peace reign long after my death."
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >"Well, that was an ominous name for a Skill. Ahem, anyway, I consider myself decent enough at handling magecraft. That old monk Tenkai taught me well. Besides, by signing that decree, I also preserved Japan's mystery for another two centuries, all while magecraft and mystics all around the world were rapidly declining. If it weren't for that Skill, I'd like to believe my Magic Resistance would be at least B-ranked!"
Personal Skills
Shinkage-ryū (C-)
A Skill denoting mastery in a certain school of swordsmanship founded in 16th-century Japan. Aside from possessing a number of sword techniques, Saber also displays increased resistance to mental attacks, thanks to a strict training regimen that puts emphasis on calming one's mind through zen meditation. Saber was a student of master swordsman Yagyū Munenori, who served as one of his closest advisors during most of his rule. He is decently talented in Yagyū Shinkage-ryū, however, his heart may still waver, reducing the effectiveness of this Skill.
"An impregnable, unwavering heart, huh... what nonsense. Sen- er, that old man... he served me well. A valuable asset to the very end. I really couldn't ask for a better retainer. As a matter of fact, it's thanks to him that I can stand as a Saber before you right now, instead of a Rider. Ufufu, rejoice, Master, for the Eternal Shogun will descend upon the battlefield directly to bring about the peace he envisioned! Tremble before my skills with the blade!"
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >*Looks around the room*
"Sensei... he wouldn't happen to be here now, would he? I'm sure he wouldn't let that remark slide, and it hurts me as well to say it, but I have to stay in-character. Anyway, I lied a bit there. Rider is the Class that best captures my Shogun-ness. It's arguably my best Class, for someone as pathetic as I am. On the other hand, I can only manifest as a Saber by borrowing his katana. My skills are nothing compared to Jubei-kun or Munefuyu-kun, much less Sensei himself. As for why I chose to appear in this Class? Hmm... maybe it's guilt, or some sad attempt at redemption? I'm not sure. I've given up on such dreams long ago."
All Kirishitans Must Be Crucified (B++)
The countrywide persecution of Christians that occurred during Saber's rule. While the Tokugawa Shogunate initially held no ill will towards Christian missionaries and the communities they founded, the colonization and exploitation of neighboring countries under the guise of missionary work gradually caused the Shogunate to distrust them, eventually culminating in a decree to expel foreigners out of Japan and punish practitioners of Christianity for "contravening governmental regulations, traducing Shinto, calumniating the True Law, destroying regulations, and corrupting goodness". At first, these practitioners would be forced to convert, declaring their allegiance to the Shogunate by stepping upon the cross. Failing that, they would be crucified, a cruel end mirroring that of their savior.
This Skill allows Saber to impose a powerful physical pressure upon those of Christian faith. Secondly, this Skill also acts as a replacement to his Magic Resistance. While it is roughly equivalent to B-ranked resistance towards magecraft in general, its effects differ when he is targeted by faith-based magecraft. At first, those attempting to cast these types of magecraft towards him will experience a pulsating pain from their magic circuits, akin to a "warning". Disregarding the pain and casting the spell anyway would cause said spell to blow up in their faces, its strength proportional to the caster's faith towards the source of their magecraft (deities, concepts, higher powers, etc.), and bypassing any resistance effect they may have to essentially smite them with their own faith.
"The peace my grandfather created was built upon the blood and bodies of countless men and women. So much tragedy, so many lives lost, all of them hoping to see an end to all the fighting. Yet these infidels would seek to undo everything we've accomplished? I've seen what they can do, Master. They come to you under the guise of peace and friendship. At first they sought lodging. Then trade posts. Then military bases. How much longer do you think it would take before they start yet another war!? ...If they're so devoted to that God of theirs, it's only natural that they should perish like He did."
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >"Was that a mistake? I... no. It's not a mistake. Japan was finally at peace after so long. The people were happy. I wouldn't let them undo my grandfather's legacy just like that. I admit that Shimabara was a tragedy. I still remember the smell of burning bodies after we took them off the cross, and sometimes, I remember the defiant look on that young man's face- no older than 17- before Nobutsuna beheaded him in my worst nightmares. But in the end. It's... not a mistake. Surely it's not. The lives of a few rebels mean little compared to the stability of the entire country... right..?"
Kinslayer (C)
The act of killing one's close relative. In order to secure his position to the throne after his father's death, Saber pressured his younger brother, Tokugawa Tadanaga, to take his own life in a move that caused much controversy. Unsurprisingly, it angered a number of ministers and court officials loyal to Tadanaga. On the other hand, with no other successor present, it paved way for Saber's ascension to Shogun. Furthermore, he was quick to replace the loyalists in his court with close allies he could trust.
Saber holds a degree of conceptual advantage against anyone of the Tokugawa bloodline. Furthermore, he also receives a considerable damage boost whenever he attacks those closest to him. Truly, an abhorrent Skill that incentivizes stabbing your loved ones in the back.
"No surprises there. Any threat to my rule must be swiftly removed. Blood relation means nothing in that regard."
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >"Tadanaga... ah, just as I thought, this is more like a mark of shame than anything else. I doubt I'd ever use this Skill... or at least I hope I won't have to. Anyway, let this story of mine serve as a reminder to keep your ambitions in check, Master. Having ambition to pursue some dream is all well and good, but that same ambition can drive you to do some pretty terrible things if you don't put keep them in check. Besides, how would you feel if you reached the very top through such methods, only to find out that your dream... simply isn't worth all that suffering?"
Sankin-kōtai (B)
A political system that Saber established to maintain the loyalty of his subordinates. Daimyōs are forced to move between the capital city, Edo, and their home provinces periodically in an alternating manner. This system was put in place to prevent these daimyōs from amassing too much wealth and power by keeping them separated from their home provinces, as well as forcing them to regularly devote a sizable sum of money to fund their travels to and from Edo. All the while, their families must reside in Edo as "hostages", just in case any of these daimyōs were to plan any kind of rebellion against the shogunate.
A Skill similar to Demonic Defender of the State, Saber may mark a region as his personal dominion by securing the surrounding leylines. From there, any living creature within this domain will have their mana capacities capped at 80%, with the remaining 20% periodically siphoned to Saber himself. Aside from sealing certain ultimate techniques that would require 100% mana to unleash, this Skill also grants Saber an ability similar to low-ranking Independent Action, allowing him to linger for a few hours without receiving mana from a Master.
"Paranoia? Nonsense. I believe it is a reasonable precaution to take for anyone in my position. See, it's important to balance rewards and punishments. You reward your subordinates with wealth and influence for their services, but reward them too much, and they could grow complacent. Worse, they might just decide they're better off without you. Therefore, the key is to give them enough reward to keep them happy, but not enough to sever their reliance on you. It also helps to keep a looming threat of punishment nearby should they decide to... step out of line."
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >"Truth to be told, that part about keeping hostages is mostly Nobutsuna's idea. Luckily there weren't any... uncooperative daimyōs during my reign. I'd hate for Edo to be the scene of another massacre. Anyway, speaking of Nobutsuna... Sensei is a legendary Master of the sword, Lady Kasuga is good with children, old man Tenkai is a wise monk with many war stories to tell, and Nobutsuna has a brilliant mind, both as a war tactician and a politician. With folks like those all around me, sometimes it really makes me wonder what I'm good for..."
"Oh? You dare challenge my will? How insolent. Still, I suppose it would be wise to respond to such threats accordingly. That is to say, for the good of the nation, I'll crush you until there's nothing left. May you perish under the force of eternity. Sakoku."
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >"N-No, not yet. I can't die just yet. After all, if I fall here, who else will keep my grandfather's dream alive? I may be indecisive, naive, and hopelessly incompetent, but at the very least, I can't afford to fail him. Not after everything else I did. This is my atonement. Sakoku."
Type: Anti-Country
Rank: A
Range: 1-500
Max Targets: -
The isolationist foreign policy that Saber issued to keep outsiders away from Japan. For 214 years from 1635 to 1868, relations between Japan and other countries were severely limited, and nearly all foreign nationals were barred from entering Japan, while common Japanese people were kept from leaving the country. During this period, Japan essentially became a country lost in time. The world continued to turn for those 214 years, bringing numerous discoveries and advancements. Meanwhile, Japan maintained its status quo, almost completely untouched by the rest of the world. Mystery, governmental and political systems, societal norms, technology, and everything else remained the same- for better or worse- until Japan was forced to rapidly modernize in the wake of Commodore Matthew Perry's black ships.
Conceptually speaking, a Noble Phantasm that "causes things to stay the same, no matter what". Upon its activation, Saber establishes a bounded field that prevents everyone in it from leaving. The world treats this territory as "17th century Edo", and the mechanisms of the world are altered to enforce this condition. The Servant fame boost system is inverted upon those not of Japanese origin, weakening them because the world deems their existence as "something that should not be there". Technology invented after the 17th century becomes inoperable, because "these things should not have existed by then".
Upon Servants and other living creatures, certain other conditions are applied, as per this Noble Phantasms concept of "stagnation". First, their parameters are effectively "locked" for the duration of this Noble Phantasm, preventing both positive and negative alterations to it (with the exception of that inverted fame boost effect). Secondly, both buffs and debuffs are prolonged in "a world where nothing may change". Be it attack boosts that should only last for a few turns, or poison that should naturally disappear after a few hours, these effects are prolonged indefinitely so long as this Noble Phantasm is active. Saber can maintain this Noble Phantasm for up to twelve hours, after which he would need a few days before he could use it again. That said...
By sacrificing range for utility, Saber can "lock" more abstract concepts, though he does not seem too proficient in this technique, not to mention the mana cost. For example, he could lock his own health to prevent it from dropping, acting similarly to Battle Continuation. Conversely, he could lock the opponent's health to prevent them from healing. He could also lock their mental or emotional states to keep them predictable. Finally, he could outright seal certain Noble Phantasms that insinuate the idea of "change" (such as weapons changing forms and/or utility). While these effects could be very powerful in theory, Saber could only use them on one target at a time, for a very limited period of time (most of these effects can only last for a few minutes, an hour at most) before the mana cost overwhelms him.
Companions of the Eternal Shogun
Edojō no Saihen
"Such pathetic attempts at resistance. I don't even need to dirty my own hands for this. Come forth, my retainers, arms of the eternal Shogun. Devote yourselves to me once again, and bring glory to my name."
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >"Man, I really am pathetic, huh? Even now I can't accomplish anything worthwhile without relying on those more capable than me. Sometimes I feel like I'm the one dragging them down. That my parents were right, and they'd be better off serving Tadanaga, or any other Shogun rather than a screw-up like me. Oh well, it's far too late for regrets now."
Type: Anti-Unit (Self)
Rank: C
Range: -
Max Targets: -
Rearrangement of Edo Castle. An incident that happened not long after the death of Saber's father, Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada. The late Hidetada left his most trusted advisors and veteran daimyōs to act as regents and ministers to his son. Following his brother's death, however, Saber promptly dismissed everyone from their positions and replaced them with childhood friends, caretakers, family acquaintances, and other people he could absolutely trust. Unsurprisingly, many protested this decision. His worst adversaries considered him as nothing more than a child, a puppet Shogun with no will of his own, instead serving as a simple mouthpiece for those with ambitions the man could not comprehend. Yet at the end of the day, puppet or not, Saber successfully created a strong, centralized administration system that became the foundation of Edo period's two centuries of peace.
A generic army-summon Noble Phantasm that allows Saber to summon his allies- those he appointed during the rearrangement- to help him in combat, or to ask for their counsel... at least, that would be the case under the Rider-Class, as the Class that best represents his Shogun-ness. In this sub-optimal Class, few would answer his call. Saber can only call upon four of his closest retainers; those who had accompanied him since childhood. While the four of them most likely qualify as Servants in their own rights, this Noble Phantasm is an "imperfect summoning" that treats these retainers as mere shadows, extensions of Saber's own Saint Graph. This considerably weakens their parameters and robs them of any Noble Phantasm they would have normally possess as proper Servants. From there, there are two things Saber could do; either he could physically manifest one of these shadows to help him fight, or he could synchronize his Saint Graph with theirs, rearranging his parameters and granting access to their Skills.
Summonable retainers include:
The Swordsman
"Ah, pardon me, my lord. It appears I must leave my post temporarily. The young master calls for me. Hm? Shadows? Why should he rely on mere shadows when the real deal is right here? Besides, he hasn't seen battle in a while. This should be a good exercise for both him and me."
Yagyū Munenori. Saber's sword instructor during his childhood, who would go on to become one of his primary advisors. A stern mentor figure who is also a master of the Yagyū Shinkage-ryū style of swordsmanship. A Saber-Class Servant. Synchronizing Saber's Saint Graph with the swordsman would rank up his STR, and grants access to even more Shinkage-ryū techniques.
The Nurse
"Eh? Wha... So this must be Chaldea... I certainly didn't expect us to reunite under these circumstances! Anyway, so you've summoned little Takechiyo, huh... Well, you can leave him to me! As the Tokugawa's finest wet nurse, I've attended to his needs since he was in diapers, and that won't stop now!"
Lady Kasuga. Saber's wet nurse, assigned to him by his father, Tokugawa Hidetada. During her lifetime she accumulated high political prestige, being responsible for numerous negotiations with the Imperial court, maintenance in the shogunate cabinet, hiring officials and stabilizing the Ooku system. Apparently she has manifested with a different appearance compared to how she was in life due to... a prior encounter she had with Chaldea. A Lancer-Class Servant who brandishes a naginata, she is also proficient in certain charm spells and crafting aphrodisiacs due to her position as manager of the
Women's Quarters
Ooku
. Synchronizing Saber's Saint Graph with the nurse would rank up his END, and grants a positive modifier during negotiations and diplomacy.
The Tactician
"Come now, Takechiyo-kun. Don't tell me you're giving up now. I'd be all too happy to take the position of Shogun from you if those responsibilities felt like too much to bear, but you're making this far too easy. Well, I suppose it can't be helped. For the good of the shogunate, I shall descend upon the battlefield one more time."
Matsudaira Nobutsuna, also known as "Izu the wise". A childhood friend and page to the Shogun, who would later serve as his chief tactician and successfully crushed the Shimabara Rebellion. A Rider-Class Servant who wields siege weapons, reminiscent of the ones he used to bring down Hara Castle, the rebels' final stronghold. Synchronizing Saber's Saint Graph with the tactician would increase his AGI, allowing him to manifest horses and weapons to increase his mobility.
The Monk
"Hm? Tenkai? Er. yes, that's me. The one and only. Any resemblance I have to a certain traitorous warlord from the Warring States period is purely coincidental. People do tend to get us mixed up for some reason. I've been summoned here under Iemitsu-dono's orders. On a completely unrelated note, you wouldn't happen to have Oda Nobunaga here, would you?"
Nankōbō Tenkai. A mysterious Buddhist monk who served the first three generations of Tokugawa shoguns. Despite possessing vast knowledge on historical, religious, and political affairs, much of his past is shrouded in mystery... at least, that's what he wants you to think. If the poorly-covered Oda Clan crest and his awkward demeanor around a certain Demon King of the Sixth Heaven is any indication, his true identity is actually very obvious (not that he'd ever admit it). Despite being a Caster, he's also familiar with the use of firearms such as matchlocks and arquebuses. Synchronizing Saber's Saint Graph to the monk would increase his MGI and grant him access to certain thaumaturgical techniques.
All in all, Saber's rule was defined not solely by his own will, but also the wills of those who stood by his side for so long, even when most of his family overlooked his potential. To his adversaries, however, his reliance upon these retainers would only cement his status as a puppet in their eyes... not that he had enough energy left to care.
"Hmph, now that my retainers are here, do you see how foolish you were for thinking-"
...
"H-Hey, don't ignore me! Eh? Wait, what!? You mean, you're all acquainted with the Master already!? W-Why didn't you say that sooner!? That would save me the embarrassment of coming up with that dramatic entrance!"
"That's little Takechiyo for you. He gives you the impression of a cold, unfeeling ruler, but he's really a big softie deep down! I think that's also one of his best qualities, though!"
"Lady Kasuga is as perceptive as ever, I see. I consider myself unmatched when it comes to the sword, but when it comes to judging one's character, she surpasses me in every possible way."
"S-Slander! That's all slander! My best retainers are slandering my name!"
"You're trying too hard at this, Takechiyo-kun. Both you and I should know that it's useless to lie before her of all people. Do you remember that time we lied about taking snacks from the kitchen? She certainly gave us a spanking to remember after that..."
"Y-You! Tenkai! Um, you're still on my side, right!?"
"Sometimes it might be better to let go of your troubled past and accept yourself for who you truly are, Iemitsu-dono."
"That's not the wise motivational quote I need to hear now, you shitty monk! And I especially don't want to hear that from you of all people!"
"Shush now. If you still insist on maintaining that act of yours, I'll just have to regale the Master with some tales of your childhood..."
"Oh, that actually reminds me of one! You see, back when he was around five..."
"LALALALALA, YOU CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING MASTER! LALALALALAAAA!!"
Lore
Prelude: End of the Warring States
The Japanese Warring States period, also known as the Sengoku Jidai (1467-1615). A turbulent era filled with chaotic battles, assassinations, and political intrigue as numerous warlords waged wars all across the island nation in pursuit of wealth, power, and influence. Among these warlords, three of them stood out more than the rest. Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, commonly dubbed as the "Three Great Unifiers" of Japan. However, nearing the end of the era, the relationship between the three of them were... less than cordial.
Nobunaga perished in the Honnō-ji Incident of 1582, betrayed by his general Akechi Mitsuhide. Following her death, Hideyoshi declared himself as her successor, and completed her campaign to unify Japan, introducing a number of influential reforms along the way. After Japan was pacified, Hideyoshi set his sights on Korea, leading an invasion in 1592. This campaign ended in disastrous failure, damaging his prestige until his death in 1598 and leaving the Toyotomi Clan severely weakened politically. Ieyasu saw this chain of events as an opportunity to stake his claim upon the nation. He waged wars with the remnants of the Toyotomi, culminating in the Siege of Osaka in 1615, where the Toyotomi were thoroughly crushed.
Thus ended the Warring States period. The Tokugawa, under Ieyasu's leadership, emerged victorious, ready to build a new shogunate atop the charred remnants of the old. The wars were over, and a new era of peace graced the unified nation.
It was during this peaceful era that our story properly began...
Act 1: Takechiyo
Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604-1651) was born with the childhood name Takechiyo. He was the third generation head of the Tokugawa family, as grandson to Tokugawa Ieyasu and son to Tokugawa Hidetada. He had two sisters, Senhime and Masako, and a younger brother, Tadanaga. From a young age, Tadanaga was his parents' favorite, this gradually created a growing sense of animosity between the brothers. Largely neglected by his parents, Takechiyo found solace in his grandfather, Ieyasu, who made it clear that the boy would be next in line as Shogun after Hidetada. Yet despite that, Takechiyo still found himself wishing for a chance to prove himself before his parents. He would not settle simply for his grandfather's endorsement. One day, he swore to make his parents see that he would be the better Shogun, once and for all.
Following Ieyasu's death in 1516, the neglect only got worse. Hidetada continued to pamper Tadanaga, while Takechiyo found company in those assigned to him by his father, including his sword instructor, his wet nurse, his page and childhood friend, and a local Buddhist monk who had served Ieyasu previously. For a while, these people, brought to him a newfound sense of companionship that he had been deprived of for so long. Even so, he couldn't bring himself to forget his ambition.
In 1617, Hidetada was originally going to appoint Tadanaga as his successor. However, protests from Yagyū Munenori and Lady Kasuga, both influential people in the Tokugawa court, successfully persuaded him to reconsider, if only to honor the late Ieyasu's wish. And so Takechiyo was officially appointed as the next Shogun. Hidetada bestowed upon him the name Tokugawa Iemitsu, a name he refused to wear until he had truly proven himself worthy of the position.
In 1623, when Takechiyo was 19, Hidetada abdicated the position of Shogun, though he still held sway over a part of the government as Ōgosho (retired Shogun). Takechiyo was made as the official head of bureaucracy. At this point, it can be said that the young Shogun had it all; the power and acknowledgements he long yearned for. Yet despite it all... he yearned for more. Deep down, he remains convinced that his families and ministers still favored his younger brother over him. This ambition proved to be his undoing, as he resorted to increasingly extreme methods in pursuit of it. He removed any subordinate who openly declared their support to Tadanaga, at times through political conspiracies, at other times through force or even assassinations. When his lover tried to talk him out of it, he murdered him as they shared a bathtub.
Tokugawa Hidetada died in 1632, finally cementing Takechiyo's position as Shogun. Fearing that Tadanaga loyalists might infiltrate his court and conspire against him, he dismissed his ministers and installed his oldest friends and acquaintances in their place. He also placed Tadanaga under house arrest, before ordering him to commit seppuku in 1634.
Thus ended the story of Takechiyo. A boy who wanted to prove himself to his family and his people. Yet when he looked back... he saw nothing but misery. In a way, he succeeded. There was no one else in his way, and he was free to enact whatever policy he'd like as Shogun. His livelong dream was fulfilled, but... everyone he wanted to impress were dead, some of them by his own hands. His grandfather, his parents, Tadanaga, his lover... He ruined countless lives just to arrive at that point. Worse, there was nothing else to accomplish by then. The nation was at peace, and wars were long over. Without these "opportunities", Takechiyo found himself to be grossly incompetent in bureaucratic affairs.
And so... he gave up.
The young Shogun regretted everything. He wanted to disappear. He wanted to go back and apologize for everything.
Yet as much as he wanted things to go back to how they were, such a thing was impossible.
...Not that he'd deserve that right by now, after everything he did.
His parents were right.
Takechiyo was a mistake.
Takechiyo should not exist.
His dream ruined countless lives. Death would be far too kind for him by that point.
He must atone, and after what his own dream did, what better way is there to atone if not by keeping another's dream alive?
His grandfather's dream of a peaceful, unified Japan.
Thus, the young Shogun discarded his childhood name. His entire life up to that point had been a mistake.
He had not proven anything, and there was no one else left to impress.
He sat upon his throne as he broke the vow he made in his youth.
Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third Shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty.
Act 2: Iemitsu
From then on, Iemitsu ruled with great wisdom and efficiency, although some of his decisions were unsurprisingly riddled with controversies. His supporters believed him to be the second coming of Ieyasu, while his enemies considered him a mere puppet who couldn't make his own decisions, instead blindly following his retainers' wishes for better or worse. They joked that the true Shogun was not Iemitsu himself; it was the people who stood beside him.
The intervention of western powers became a relatively serious problem during Iemitsu's reign. Hideyoshi strictly limited their influence a long time ago, while Ieyasu and Hidetada granted them more freedom. Iemitsu himself was initially neutral towards these foreigners. However, these relations gradually soured due to foreign merchants arming local lords, news of the Spanish conquest of the Philippines, cultural and religious domination tactics endorsed by these foreigners, and their constant requests to build more military outposts along the coasts of Japan. Due to these reasons, westerners were considered a serious threat by the Shogunate, and Iemitsu resolved to remove them from the country entirely through the Sakoku decree in 1635, which forced westerners to leave the country (bar a small designated area near Nagasaki), followed by another decree that effectively locked Japan from the rest of the world by forbidding anyone from entering nor leaving the country.
With most foreigners expelled from the country, the only perceived threat left in (what Iemitsu believed to be) Ieyasu's vision of peace was the growing community of Kirishitan (Christian) practicioners. And so began a large-scale persecution upon these communities, with many of them forced to convert or face execution by crucifixion. All of this culminated in the Shimabara Rebellion (1637), where shogunate forces, led by Matsudaira Nobutsuna, besieged the Kirishitan rebels' final stronghold. It was a massacre that claimed the lives of at least 27,000 people.
It was a massacre... but a necessary evil for the sake of the country's stability. It was what Ieyasu would have done.
At least, that's how Iemitsu rationalized his decision.
And in a way, he was right.
The Shimabara Rebellion was arguably the last great conflict that occurred in Japan before the two centuries of peace that soon followed. Aside from the Sakoku decree, this was the one other thing that historians commonly credited Iemitsu for; bringing forth a long-lasting era of peace and stability that were thought to be impossible just a few decades prior.
Tokugawa Iemitsu had proven himself at last.
It's what his grandfather would have wanted... right..?
Description
Likes:
"Irrelevant. The stability of the country must come first before its ruler's wiles. Allowing your vices to get the better of you while you hold the fate of the entire nation at the palm of your hand would result in disastrous consequences for everyone involved. Such is a Shogun's responsibility."
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >"Hmm, I wonder about that myself from time to time. Once, I thought that standing above everyone else and receiving acknowledgements from those who underestimated me in the past would bring me that happiness I've long yearned for, but in the end, that didn't turn out to be the case. So... why don't you tell me, Master? What would you have done in my place?"
Dislikes:
"Foreigners who foolishly expect us to bend to their whims, without any understanding of our culture and history. How impudent. My predecessors fought long and hard for the sake of peace, and these scums sought to undo it for the sake of mere profit. It's futile to reason with them by that point, so I did what I must in order to keep their intervention to a minimum."
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >"For the record, I'm not lying about that part. Do I have my own regrets regarding how things unfolded? Yes. Could I have done things better with the benefit of hindsight? Maybe. But at the end of the day, I really did consider them to be a threat. Harsh or misguided as may actions may be, I simply couldn't let them spit on my grandfather's dream just like that. It's... the only thing I could have done to atone for my previous mistakes."
Wish for the Holy Grail:
"Isn't it obvious? To undo the mistake that was the Meiji Restoration. It only took two or three decades after the Tokugawa dynasty fell that you began to pick fights with China, then Russia. Then you spent much of the first half of the 21st century waging wars in the name of 'patriotism' and whatnot. What value is there in patriotism and national pride if your people are starving, or even worse, dead? It really was a mistake to open our borders. The Sakoku decree should have lasted for another thousand years if it means peace and stability for the nation."
< - ⪻ - ⋘ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- �� -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⋙ - ⪼ - >"Isn't it obvious? To undo the mistake that was my rule. My grandfather was wrong. I never should have been Shogun. Now I'm sure that Tadanaga would have been a much better fit for the position, and I could only see that after I killed him. I just wish... things could have gone back to the way they were before."
A cold, unfeeling Shogun. One who prioritizes the stability of the nation above anything else, willing to commit whatever atrocities necessary to "protect the nation's future". His attitude is somewhat similar to other "arrogant Hero-King" types, with a single exception; rather than gloating or holding back, the slightest threat to peace will be met with maximum retaliation in an attempt to crush them in the swiftest, most efficient way possible. Understandably, many scorned him. Many considered his methods to be brutal and disproportionate. The Eternal Shogun does not care. So long as the people are safe, his own feelings on the matter are irrelevant.
...At least, that's the character Saber spent the latter half of his life perfecting. A perfect Shogun to replace the utter failure named Takechiyo. Someone fit to carry out Tokugawa Ieyasu's dream as the third generation head of the Tokugawa Clan. Any remnant of the young, naive Takechiyo is locked deep inside him, and it would take considerable effort just to get him to reveal that side of himself.
As for Takechiyo himself... honestly there's not much to say on him. He's naive, but not that naive. He's incompetent, but not that incompetent. And it's not like he's actively malicious either. He's just... so painfully average that it's difficult for others to acknowledge him. No matter what he did, he simply lacked presence, so the only way to get others to notice him was by ensuring that he'sthe onlything noticeable. After all, if Tadanaga and his allies no longer exist, everyone will have no other choice but to notice him, right?
...Yeah, that was a mistake.
As things are now, Takechiyo is essentially a person who had given up. Outside his role as "Tokugawa Iemitsu", he had long given up his dreams, passions, and ambitions to wallow in self-deprecating jokes. Back then, one of his few good qualities were his sheer determination to accomplish whatever it is he set out to do. He's long since sealed that part of himself after learning where his ambitions took him last time. Now, he's basically the type to spend his days lounging around unproductively in your room while refusing to take anything seriously. It's either that, or spending a few hours in secret every day to write edgy monologues for his Iemitsu persona, a secret hobby he would carry to his (second) grave.
Saber is surprisingly self-aware regarding his predicament. It hurts him to maintain the lies he built up as "Iemitsu", and at this point, a part of him believes that he's only doing this out of obligation, but he just can't bring himself to stop. He considers himself too far gone with his act, and backtracking now would be insulting to the many people who believed in the Eternal Shogun's cause. Besides, to him, this is the only way he can keep his grandfather's dream alive to atone for his past mistakes. That fact hasn't changed even now. Ultimately, Saber is fully aware on how self-destructive his entire character is, how this act would break him sooner or later (if it hasn't already), but he embraces it regardless because he believes it was the only path available. The only fate a failure like him deserves.
Relationships
Amakusa Shirou Tokisada:
"So you're the boy from back then... well, here I am. The Tokugawa's long gone anyways, and I don't think my sad attempt at 'atonement' is going anywhere, so I might as well be done with it now. Kill me now if that would make you feel any better."
Kama:
"The Ooku, huh. So that's how you became acquainted with Nobutsuna and the others. So there was a version of me somewhere who chose to melt in your embrace. ...Yeah, that totally sounds like something I'd do. I guess no matter how much I tried to hide it as Iemitsu, a part of me had always wanted to disappear from it all, and you gave him an easy way out. Oh well."
Charlot:
"Ah, the little prince. I remember when I was like that once. Then life punched me in the face. No, wait, that's not entirely accurate, is it? I punched everyone else in the face, then live punched me in the face after there was nobody else to stop me."
Zahhāk-e Mārdoush:
"Man, you're just the type to take everything waaay too seriously, huh? I can tell. I get wanting to make your old man proud, but the moment you started listening to snakes and weird demonic voices for advice, I thought you'd have seen the red flags coming. Well, I suppose we all make mistakes in the heat of passion. That's why it's better to give up your dreams before you drown in it and lose everything else in the process!"
Perdix:
"Hey, you! Don't let anyone else ruin your life for you! It's your life, and you're the leading actor, so act like it and ruin it yourself! In a very roundabout way, it's a compliment. No, I mean it, You were blessed with far more talent than I could ever hope for, so you'd be better off using all that talent for your own sake this time around. Don't let old grudges hold you back from reaching new heights. Naive as it sounds, I believe living and dying in your own terms would be better than what you've got going right now. Eh? Why don't I look in the mirror? Ahaha, that's a very good question..."
Wakanuke:
"History didn't remember much about you, but it looks like you've went through your fair share of adventures, huh? Gah, that aside, your sheer positive energy is far too infectious for someone like me! You're seriously throwing off my Iemitsu act, dammit! If things had been different... I wonder if I could've been more like you."
Maria Anna Mozart:
"I admire the sheer dedication you put into your craft. It's enough to make me feel worse about myself. Ah, no offense, it's just that I feel weird meeting someone who's so similar, yet so different from myself. I don't know if you're familiar with the feeling, but I didn't want to keep living underneath my brother's shadow back then, that's why I..."
*He couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence*
Pope Alexander VI:
*One of the few people Saber hates with a burning passion. Not only was the pope someone who used religion for the sake of his own nefarious goals, he also reminded him a bit too much of his younger self. He would momentarily snap out of his self-deprecating mindset to crucify him on the spot*
King John of England: "Assuming another identity just to dissociate from your failures as part of a misguided attempt to prove yourself? That's gonna break you sooner or later, y'know? Trust me, I know how that feels like. As for why I don't stop despite knowing that? ...I dunno. Guess I just can't be bothered to. Maybe I'm already broken since god-knows-when."
Oda Nobunaga:
"Just as I thought, unregulated arms trade with the west is a bad idea. My grand-aunt here is a big fan of westernization and all, but it's largely thanks to her that the entire nation got plunged to war. Who knows what would have happened if my grandfather hadn't been there to pick up the pieces..."
Oichi:
"Mother told me about you once. How you lost your life to the flames amidst the Warring States, wishing until the very end that none of your children would know another war. A tragic fate indeed, one that I- H-Hey, what are you doing!? Nice try, but giving me a hug won't make me call you 'granny'! Not in a million years! It's just too embarrassing! It- *hic* it won't work at all! And now I've got something in my eye, dammit!"
Sakamoto Ryoma, Katsu Kaishuu, Yamaoka Tesshu:
"An unyielding voyage towards an uncertain future, huh... I know I should hate you for putting an end to the Tokugawa rule, but I can't really disagree with your convictions. No matter how much I tried to deny it, every day, a new sun rises, and I've always known that Japan can't stay isolated from the rest of the world forever. It's just that your sheer determination to welcome that future despite all the dangers present then... Ah, it's far too bright. I can't even compete with that now, can I?"
Tokugawa Ieyasu:
"Hey, grandfather, can you tell me..? What should I have done then? Could you ever forgive me? Could I ever make it up to Tadanaga after everything I did? How could I even be half the man you were? I... Please, please just tell me in a way that even an idiot like myself can understand..."
The Eternal Shogun rules alone.
That had been the one and only rule he upheld back then.
Even as his allies fell, as his enemies scorned his name, he would pay them no mind.
It's only natural for a ruler to be hated, cursed by his people.
That was his burden. His atonement.
For the sake of the country, so that the sacrifices his grandfather made had not been for naught...
The Eternal Shogun rules alo-
"Oi, Takechiyo-kun, are you still keeping up that whole 'Eternal Shogun' crap?"
"Iemitsu-dono is certainly dedicated. He's actually not half-bad with the brush, if I do say so myself. These scripts are something else."
"Wha-hey, I told you to knock before entering my room! Even my retainers aren't exempt from this rule!"
"You have a point, Lord Tenkai. The young master would not appear too out of place as a playwright or kabuki actor had he not been born a Tokugawa. That said, if you had so much time to spend writing, you could have gone to me for a spar. We still have much to catch up on."
"H-Hey, don't ignore me! And both of you, don't just sift through my scripts like that! Out! All three of you, out!"
"Aww..."
---
Ahem, with that out of the way, where was I?
Ah, that's right.
Come what may, the Eternal Shogun rules alo-
"That's where you're wrong, Takechiyo."
"GAH! L-Lady Kasuga, were you just waiting behind the door this whole time!? You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"Actually, all four of us were. According to her, it's about time we have this talk, and we agree."
"Look, Takechiyo, no matter how much you blame yourself for everything that happened. It would be a mistake to think that you were ever alone. You have us by your side, whether you like it or not."
"Back then, we simply stayed silent and obeyed, believing it to be the best course of action as your retainers. But at this point, if I may be so bold as to say the following..."
"I believe we're more than a lord and his retainers. I've raised you like my own son in the past, and I'm sure the other three had their own memories of you that made them more than simple retainers. And that means we can no longer sit idly by as you suffer alone. We should have done this a long time ago."
"So we want you to put more faith in us. Tell us whenever something is troubling your mind, and let us work together in finding an answer."
"Besides, we're not the only ones. Between the Master, and many others you've met in Chaldea... You're no longer alone, Takechiyo. You never were."
"How about it? Such opportunities, those bonds you've cultivated with others... They don't come easily in this life or the next. You shouldn't let them go so easily."
---
The Eternal Shogun rules alone.
...But it doesn't have to be that way.
Creator's notes
Hmm, not entirely satisfied with how this one turned out. I doubt I can win with so many amazing entries present so far, but oh well.
Want to add another minor layer of angst on top of what you have here? The Nasuverse's Ieyasu actually died pretty early on during his reign, and he continued to "live" through an alternating system of body doubles. Therefore, maybe Iemitsu here isn't even a descendant of the true Tokugawa Ieyasu. Maybe his grandfather, the Ieyasu he tried so hard to imitate, whose dreams he clung to for so long, isn't even the real Ieyasu. Maybe...
Speaking of the Tokugawa System, Iemitsu's second NP just became an unintentional callback to Ieyasu's where he swaps between his body doubles and assumes their Skills. What a coincidence.
Character-wise... yeah, he's kinda pathetic. As "Iemitsu", he's like a Gil who lacks the power to back up his words, while his "Takechiyo" side is probably like a more annoying reverse-Jason with no legendary Argonauts to back him up. You're gonna need a lot of character development in snippets to fix that. I picture him as a limited 3* in a GudaGuda event, and an excuse to add 4 NPCs without putting too much effort into them.
Last edited by BnEl15; February 18th, 2022 at 04:05 PM.
Iemitsu: Pretty good sheet. The contrast between his shining emperor persona and the meek self-effacing boy inside is well-done. His first NP is a very cool and creative take on the concept "stagnation". Could he "lock" a projectile's momentum so it keeps going forever (or at least until exiting his range)? The second NP is a bit more generic "nakama power" deal but it fits how you've presented his legend. Out of curiosity any thoughts on my "Harry"/Bess Houdini above? I tried to go for the same combo of comedy and angst you nailed in your Reynard & Isengrim sheet.
That's fair. It makes sense to wait for voting. I just felt for some reason there was more commentary until I posted up my sheet, but that's probably just me being self-conscious. And yeah, I was definitely inspired by your and WhiteFrenzy's formatting flourishes for writing this sheet.
i can see where you are coming from, but I personally am in a hot phase for my main entry now and decided to put more time there. I used the time to make a quote for houdini for example.
Perhaps others are busy too and give feedback at the end.
Iemitsu: Pretty good sheet. The contrast between his shining emperor persona and the meek self-effacing boy inside is well-done. His first NP is a very cool and creative take on the concept "stagnation". Could he "lock" a projectile's momentum so it keeps going forever (or at least until exiting his range)? The second NP is a bit more generic "nakama power" deal but it fits how you've presented his legend. Out of curiosity any thoughts on my "Harry"/Bess Houdini above? I tried to go for the same combo of comedy and angst you nailed in your Reynard & Isengrim sheet.
Locking projectile trajectories is actually another creative way to use that first NP. I have other out-of-the-box ideas on how it can be used, but I didn't want it to feel like an overcomplicated JoJo part 8 Stand description, so I decided to keep things simple.
As for Houdini, I like her. A creative take on a figure that many had done before. Your inclusion of quotes and more descriptions also gave her more character than some of your previous sheets, which I like. I say she's one of your best sheets in a while.
Last edited by BnEl15; February 18th, 2022 at 11:20 PM.
Locking projectile trajectories is actually another creative way to use that first NP. I have other out-of-the-box ideas on how it can be used, but I didn't want it to feel like an overcomplicated JoJo part 8 Stand description, so I decided to keep things simple.
As for Houdini, I like her. A creative take on a figure that many had done before. Your inclusion of quotes and more descriptions also gave her more character than some of your previous sheets, which I like. I say she's one of your best sheets in a while.
Thanks man. Thinking "this could be a JJBA Stand" is definitely a compliment for me when it comes to reading Skill/NP descriptions. This one sounds like it could be a combo of part 5's Kraftwerk and PHF's Rainy Day Dream Away with your own unique spin. Quotes are hit-or-miss coming from me but in this case I really felt I had a good feel of her character and wanted to flesh it out.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by DelRey
