Create-A-Servant 3

[jishara]

"Oh, I've manifested? Jolly good. Now let's see what I can do for those poor souls. John Monash here, serving for duty."

Class: Archer
Other Classes: N/A
True Name: John Monash
Alignment: Lawful Good
Place of Origin: Australia (20th Century)
Stars: 3/5

Parameters:

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

Height: 176cm
Weight: 150lbs
Likes: Soldiers, bravery, ensuring people get all they need to thrive, engineering
Dislikes: Classism
Talent: Military commanding
Natural Enemy: Charles Bean
Attribute: Man
Traits: Humanoid, Male, Weak to Enuma Elish
Armament: Rifle, sword, bayonet
Catalyst: A stone from the Shrine of remembrance

Class Skills:

Independent Action C: As a fairly independent person managing soldiers and creating extremely effective tactics he gets an average rank of this Class Skill.



Magic Resistance E-: Archer never confronted magic in his life, so gets an absolute bare-minimum rank that amounts to practically nothing.

"Magic? Hah. I suppose... planning is worth more than new firepower, every time."


Personal Skills:

Blitzkrieg C: Archer's incredibly fast warfare strategies. One of his most quick battles lasted 93 minutes only before the Allied forces had a complete success in the battle. In the form of a skill, a temporary boost to Archer's Speed stat that allows him to rapid-fire attack or escape quickly. In essence, however, this can only last for 9.3 seconds before it goes on cooldown for 93 minutes.

"93? How disappointing. I was planning 90!"

Universal Integration B: Archer's most noted tactic during the war was integrating the military units with civil units such as medical, kitchen, logistical and recreational forces. A net cast over Archer and his allies, as soon as someone within is hurt they begin to slowly heal. In essence, a healing ability for both mind and body, that automatically activates.

"Everyone needs to work together. Or else We've already lost."

Civil Engineering B: Archer initially started as a civil engineer, and made great updates to the concrete used by Australia in their strategies. The capacity to "reinforce" barriers and locations, propping up items that are falling or tilting while increasing the endurance of items affected through a solid coat. Naturally, this can be broken through and thus would need to be refreshed.

"Now maybe... dig through the ground here, here, and here.."

Noble Phantasm(s):


Shrine of Remembrance
May All Souls Never Be Forgotten


Type: Summon
Rank: E+
Range: 10
Max Targets: ~100

A summoning ability. After the World War, Archer created the Shrine of Remembrance, a place to memorialize all Australians who died in wars. Archer can thus manifest them as Spirits. Naturally, due to their modernity, they're fairly weak. But the true power of this Noble Phantasm comes in both number and fortitude, creating an army capable of combatting Heroic Spirits.

"Welcome back."

Australian Forces in France
Infantry Must Work In Synchronisation

Type: Anti-Army
Rank: C
Range: 40 meters
Max Targets: 100 targets

Archer's philosophy on using infantry, artillery, and weapons such as tanks in synchronization. When the true name is called, a full set of soldiers manifest in front of him, while a row of guns and tank cannons manifest behind. At the same time, the soldiers charge forward and the guns unload, a bombardment attack on all those within reach.

Lore: Sir John Monash, the Greatest Australian General, was a notable Australian general who commanded the Australian forces during World War 1. He was most noted for his civil engineering, his policy of synchronization, and his extremely quick and effective battles. After the war, he built the Shrine of Remembrance.

Personality: A very serious and strict person. He deeply cares about those who are aiding him, whether the ghosts manifested by his first skill or the allies that he's gained throughout. His greatest passion is civil engineering, and sometimes he regrets battling in the war. However, in truth that isn't a strong wish of his, and his main wish is to make sure no one who battled was forgotten.

Relationships:

Mata Hari: "Another soldier, I see. Rather impressive, that."

Wungala: "To do a perpetual battle like that? Rather impressive, indeed."

Amaridevi: "A pit with rice and jewels? Oh, but then..."

[jishara]

"..Do you have any children here? I'd love to have an audience again."

Class: Caster
Other Classes: N/A
True Name: Mimei Ogawa
Alignment: Neutral Good
Place of Origin: Japan (19th Century)
Stars: 2/5

Parameters:

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

Height: 157cm
Weight: 150lbs
Likes: Children, kindness, life
Dislikes: Happily Ever After
Talent: Writing children's stories
Natural Enemy: Hans Christian Anderson
Attribute: Man
Traits: Humanoid, Male, Weak to Enuma Elish
Armament: Red candles which are very hard and used as a bludgeoning weapon
Catalyst: A tall, red candle

Class Skills:

Territory Creation C: The capacity to create a writer's workshop lower in rank than a traditional workshop due to Caster's unfamiliarity with magic, only writing about it as opposed to knowing it existed.

Item Construction N/A: Unable to produce items easily through this skill due to his lack of knowledge of magic.

Personal Skills:

Signals of Following B: The manifestation of one of Caster's most famous works, "The Cow Woman", where a mother comes back from the grave in assorted forms to help guide her child to the right path. Naturally, this takes the form of showers of sparks that occasionally manifest above designated items which will possibly be useful for Caster in his current situation.

"Guidance. How wonderful."

Toll of the Remembered Organ C: One of Caster's most famous works discusses an organ with a magical wire which allows it to move people's souls. The most notable part comes at the end, when the wire's already rusted, but all those previously exposed to the organ still hear it the same. The capacity to incorporate "feelings" into bell-like musical notes, calling out one to create a certain feeling. This only lasts for split seconds, however.

"C. Happy."

Mermaid's Flesh (False) C: Caster's most famous work, The Mermaid and the Red Candles, discusses an old couple who take in a mermaid, but when she's grown they sell her to a trader. The flesh of a mermaid, consumed by the trader, was said to grant immortality. Caster was said to see himself in the mermaid and the couple. Naturally, Caster receives a fake version denoting Caster's status as one who wrote about it and didn't actually consume it. It still ranks up his Endurance statistic, and increases his mental defence somewhat. As a side effect, when immersed in water fish scales grow over his skin.

"Does any being truly not have a soul? No. For everything is a living soul."


Noble Phantasm(s):

The Red Candles
Portent of Incoming Doom

Type: Anti-Army
Rank: C
Range: 10 meters
Max Targets: ALl nearby

The red candles that the Mermaid uses to get vengeance. When each one is lit, a natural disaster is triggered. Naturally, Caster manifests with these red candles. He only holds six, but when each is lit a localized disaster such as drought, wildfire, earthquake, monsoon... manifests in a short radius of it for a brief moment, before it burns up fully, fading away.

"Now... you've angered the mermaid. What will you do?"

Lore: Mimei Ogawa was a famous Japanese author noted for his supernatural children's stories such as The Mermaid And The Red Candles, as well as The Cow Woman. A common trend was a soul returning from something to bless something else with its protection, such as in the Cow Woman, or curse them, such as in The Mermaid And The Red Candles.

Personality: A very kind person to children. To other adults, however, he's much more strict about things. He hates those who he thinks "don't follow the story's base", but also those who try to place too many contradictions. Naturally, his wish is to "perfect" all children's stories according to his own aims.

Relationships:

Hans Christian Anderson: "I'm much more than the Japanese you! You're the Danish me!"

Yumeno Kyosaku: "Why do you feel so off?"

Motojiro Kaiji: "You're definitely not a children's writer, so don't you dare try."

Yosano Akiko: "Medicine? Good! Toss that in."

[jishara]

"So...that curtain call wasn't my final? How very fitting."

Class: Assassin
Other Classes: N/A
True Name: Redmond O'Hanlon
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Place of Origin: Ireland (17th Century)
Stars: 3/5

Parameters:

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

Height: 176cm
Weight: 150lbs
Likes: Acting, wealth, his power
Dislikes: Those who refuse to acknowledge his power
Talent: Being an outlaw
Natural Enemy: Robin Hood, Cu Chulainn
Attribute: Man
Traits: Humanoid, Male, Weak to Enuma Elish
Armament: Pistol, knife, sword
Catalyst: A piece of rubble from his tower

Class Skills:

Presence Concealment B: As one who was capable of easily concealing his presence from those who attempted to hunt him down, he gains a somewhat high rank of this skill enabling him to blend into the shadows easily. Ranks down when attack is initiated.

"I'll wait till my cue."

Personal Skills:

Black Rent B: The "black rent" he charged farmers within his territory. In other words, protection money that he required them to pay or else they would be severely harmed. In the form of a skill, he charges "black rent" to enemies who are near him over a long period or who disengage successfully from a fight, taking some of their Mana or else dealing damage to them.

"...It's your curtain call now, or is it?"

Three Strikes C: Assassin had a policy of three strikes, where anything he dubbed crimes were on the first strike punished by fining a cow, on the second fining two cows, and on the third killing the person who broke that policy. In the form of a skill, every third strike Assassin makes on enemies gains an additional chunk of accuracy and power in the blow.

"Two strikes already? There's not going to be a next time, IS THERE?"

Espionage B: Assassin was noted for his acting prowess, successfully acting as a variety of people in a variety of different places to keep the authorities away from his illegal activities. He is as such easily capable of disguising himself as anyone from a priest to a king to a poet to a simple farmer. Can be seen through, but is challenging.

"I shall sink into my role now."

Noble Phantasm(s):

Swimming Cardingham Lough
Under The Water All Hope Is Lost

Type: Anti-Unit
Rank: C
Range: 50 meters
Max Targets: 1 target

Assassin's escapes from the authorities attempting to hunt him down at many points. The most famous one was the time he swam through the Cardingham Lough, a huge lake. In the form of a Noble Phantasm, when the true name is called, Assassin bows, before in a swirl of water he is transported to a nearby location. He can choose to have the water burst out with high pressure at either his entrance or exit points. In addition, if an enemy is in contact with him at the time, they travel along with him to his target point unless able to evade.

"Oh! Curtain call! Simply wonderful, indeed."

Lore: Redmond O'Hanlon was a famous Irish outlaw. His family were the lords of the irish kingdom of Airgialla, one of the major Irish areas of the age, and were lorded it until his father rebelled. Redmond was naturally upset that his father rebelled and that the kingdom was taken away, so became an outlaw, controlling his clan's former lands through bribery, assassination, and extortion.

Personality: A showy person. At his core, he is a genuinely decent person willing to help you if things go wrong, for a fee of course. But he has become unwilling to truly trust others due to his life. His dream was once to become a starring actor before this cause took over his life. As such, his wish might just be incarnating to act.

Relationships:

Cu Chulainn: "...I heard many tales of you in my youth. Never realized you existed."

Robin Hood: "Give to the.... poor? What do you think this is?"

Brunello: "Masterful, simply masterful. But that was your first strike. Soon your curtain call shall come."

[Frigix]

Should I have done what my grandfather did? Maybe. Maybe things would have been better if I had been like him. But somehow it doesn't feel right. I want the truth, an answer to my questions. That's why I keep going. Even if it makes me a tyrant, I want to believe that the impossible is possible. I want to see the world shine under my reign.


The Wise Khan
Rider of the Spring Mountain





Class: Rider
True Name: Kublai Khan
Also known as: The Wise Khan, the First Yuan
Alignment: True Neutral
Qualified Servant classes: Archer, Rider, Caster, Ruler
Attribute: Earth
Source: Historical Facts


“I will provide humankind with a common goal, I will be the backbone of this new world.”


Parameter

Strength: C	Endurance: B	Agility: B
Mana: A	Luck: B	Noble Phantasm: A+

Likes: Poetry, knowledge, harmony
Talent: Maintaining balance


Legend

Kublai Khan, the esteemed Mongol general and statesman, held a prominent position in history as the grandson and most illustrious successor of Genghis Khan. As the fifth emperor of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, he achieved the monumental feat of completing the conquest of China in 1279, an endeavor that had been initiated by Genghis Khan in 1211. This achievement marked him as the first Yuan ruler to govern the entirety of China. Simultaneously, Kublai Khan exercised suzerainty over various other Mongol domains, including the diverse regions of the Golden Horde in southern Russia, the Ilkhanate in Persia, and the vast steppes where Mongol princes continued to lead a traditional nomadic way of life. Ruling over China, with its rich history of politics and culture, necessitated a unique set of skills and challenges. Kublai Khan's governing philosophy was profoundly influenced by Chinese scholars who persuaded him of the imperative interdependence between rulers and their subjects, reinforcing his inherent qualities of compassion and generosity. He exhorted his generals to follow the principles of his mentors, emphasizing the significance and effectiveness of showing leniency to the defeated. This approach to dealing with conquered territories represented significant progress in civilized conduct when compared to the harsh methods employed by Genghis Khan and Kublai's contemporaries in Central Asia, where the massacre of the population remained the expected outcome following the capture of a city. Kublai's remarkable achievement lay in his restoration of China's unity, which had been fragmented since the decline of the Tang dynasty (618-907). His success is even more remarkable considering he was both considered a barbarian and a nomadic conqueror. Nevertheless, even in official Chinese historiography, Kublai Khan is treated with reverence. As early as 1260, he initiated a Chinese-style reign period to mark the beginning of his rule, and in 1271, eight years before the fall of the Southern Song dynasty, he declared his own dynasty under the name "Da Yuan," or "Great Origin." With the entirety of China under Mongol control, Mongol expansion to the south and east had reached its practical limits. Nonetheless, Kublai Khan, driven by his aspiration to restore China's prestige, embarked on a series of costly and challenging wars that yielded minimal benefits, the most renowned being the conflict with Japan. His motivation was to establish China as the global center, a vision he deemed crucial for ensuring world stability after his passing. The conquest of China, where he established the Yuan dynasty, stands as his most noteworthy accomplishment, one that could only have been achieved by embracing Chinese customs and distancing himself from the Mongol aristocracy, which regarded the Chinese as inferior. The tension between the Mongol elite and their subjects, particularly the Chinese populace, played a pivotal role in the eventual downfall of Mongol rule. Although the empire bequeathed by Kublai Khan at his death was relatively stable and prosperous, it would ultimately prove unsustainable, enduring for just over a century.

Class Skills

Magic Resistance: B	Kublai learnt many different types of Magecraft and came into contact with numerous mysteries from the four corners of the world. As a result, his Magic Resistance is quite high. "Knowledge is the key to power. Without knowledge, there is no power. It may be hard to grasp, but don't worry, there's plenty of time to learn.".
Riding: A++	It's only natural for a Mongol to achieve high rank in Riding; after all, they are expert horsemen who use their mounts to quickly dominate the battlefield. As both Great Khan and Emperor of China, two unique titles that represent two of the greatest and most prestigious empires in history, he is used to ruling with supreme authority. He is an absolute monarch and his power is enough to rule and ride a dragon. "The ability to ride a dragon is a defining characteristic of Chinese emperors, or so Qinglong told me. I doubt that all emperors were capable of it, even if their position made them masters of the world. Ah, but of course I can."
Divinity: E	Divinity is the measure of whether one has an aptitude to be a Divine Spirit or not. As the grandson of the son of the sky and his legitimate successor, he has a slight aptitude for Divinity

Personnal Skills

Imperial Assimilation: EX	Imperial Assimilation is Kublai Khan's unique Imperial Privilege, reflecting his extraordinary ability to integrate different techniques, customs and ideologies into his empire. One of Kublai Khan's most striking traits was his ability to harness the knowledge and talents of foreigners to achieve his goals. His closest advisors were often of Chinese origin, and when he sought to conquer the Chinese Empire, he relied on Persian Muslim engineers for his military campaigns. The ability allows Kublai to acquire the skills or Noble Phantasm he observes. He makes them his own, assimilating and synthesising them to achieve his goal. This skill allows his Xanadu Noble Phantasm to improve the more he is exposed to foreign ideas and techniques. However, this ability is not limited to simple copying. Kubilai Khan brings his own perspective and wisdom to each assimilation, allowing him to create unique and powerful synergies between different skills and ideas. "Diversity is not a weakness, it divides, but without it the world would be a gloomy place, wouldn't it? Every colour of the rainbow works together to create a magnificent arc of colour. That is my goal, to build something with all the diversity of the universe!"
Enlightenment upon the Spring Mountain: B	Enlightenment upon the Spring Mountain is a skill that represents the wisdom of Kublai Khan, who was himself nicknamed the Wise Khan. An enlightened mind that he possessed from his earliest youth, but which he never ceased to perfect through the teachings of Buddhism, constantly seeking to understand the world more thoroughly. He was not only an emperor but also an enlightened poet. He had a deep understanding of the nature of reality. This includes an understanding of impermanence (annica), non-self (anatta) and the concept of emptiness (shunyata). His wisdom lies in perceiving reality as it really is, beyond illusion and misperception. This enables him to counter spells of mental corruption and illusions. For reasons beyond his understanding, he has always had a high capacity for enlightenment. However, because he chose the path of the ruler rather than that of the sage, he was never able to become a Buddha. By perceiving the world with this ability, it is easier for him to find the source of a problem and act to solve it. This is how he uses his wisdom as a ruler, which has enabled him to bring economic prosperity to China by protecting the merchants of the Silk Road trade network, protecting the Mongolian postal system, building infrastructure, granting loans to finance trade caravans and encouraging the circulation of paper money. But the skill is far from perfect, Kubilai is always prone to error and far from enlightenment. "An instinct? No, it's not quite that. It's more like a method, a technique imbued in the very depths of my being to uncover all the problems that arise. Nothing is impossible with me, you just have to think until you find a solution. It doesn't matter how long it takes, the most important thing is that you get results."
Charisma of the Wise Khan: A	Charisma of the Wise Khan is Kublai Khan's unique Charisma, his ability to inspire men and evoke admiration through wisdom. It not only lifts the spirits of the men who serve him, but also increases their effectiveness as individuals through good advice. A particularly useful skill for an administrator like Kublai Khan. On his way back from the Mongol conquest of Khwarezmie, Genghis Khan organised a ceremony for his grandsons Möngke and Kubilai after their first hunt near the Ili River in 1224. Kublai was nine years old and had killed a rabbit and an antelope with his older brother. After smearing Kubilai's middle finger with the fat of the killed animals, in accordance with Mongolian tradition, his grandfather declared: "The words of this boy, Kublai, are full of wisdom, listen to them well - listen to them all". Admired and respected for his wisdom and exploits, Kublai, the grandson of Genghis Khan, naturally exuded a charisma that enabled him to maintain his multi-ethnic empire. His ability to win the hearts and minds of the people by bringing innovation and prosperity was the basis of his brilliance. Although Kubilai was a barbarian, the Chinese people accepted him. He also knew how to command troops to conquer and dominate opponents. Whichever way you look at it, Kubilai is a charismatic figure. "And yet... it wasn't enough. I must admit that my method was flawed. That's not surprising, it was a colossal undertaking and I'm not saying I'm incapable of making mistakes. I was able to strike a delicate balance, that's all. I made concessions to everyone, but I should have built something. But don't worry, failure is only to be expected. I came out of it stronger and this time... I'm definitely not going to do things half-heartedly!"
Philosophy Key: B	The Philosophy Key is the Eastern equivalent of the Western Magic Crest. For magi who use Philosophical Magecraft, what makes the Magecraft work is the spell formula and the Philosophical Foundation that they have built and now share and maintain with each other. To access this foundation, they need a key. Keys are passed from master to student, and to inherit one is to take on a part of the world. Kubilai's key was given to him by his advisor Liu Bingzhong. The philosophical system used by Kublai Khan is primarily that of the I Ching, an ancient system of Chinese divination rooted in Confucianism and Taoism. It is based on the famous eight trigrams (bagua), each of which is a combination of three superimposed lines, either solid or broken. The combination of two trigrams gives hexagrams, which can be combined in sixty-four ways. The trigrams are considered to be cosmological symbols (earth, sky, water, fire, etc.) and the basic elements of the universe. The I Ching is therefore a miniature reflection of the whole universe. Kublai describes the use of the Philosophical Key as the opening and closing of a door, a process that invites and provokes change. The magecraft of mutations, observing the flow of the world, its changes, and then guiding them. A philosophy not unlike Western alchemy. Kubilai possesses a multitude of formulas that give him great versatility in his spells. However, because he's not summoned under the Caster class, he doesn't reach his full potential. It should also be noted that he is well-versed in many other occult arts, including many Tengri rituals, Buddhist sutras, and even certain Christian and Muslim sacraments. "Me? Hating Taoism? Ha ha! So that's how future generations think of me? That's not the case at all, quite the opposite - it's a highly useful tool that I've never stopped using in every field throughout my life. Now, when it comes to my preference for Buddhism, I must admit that I did establish it as a state religion with the intention of fostering a transformation in the mindset of my people. However, looking back, I realize that this decision was a mistake."

Personnality

A remarkable man, he was revered from an early age for his apparent wisdom. As a result, he became the great Khan of the Mongol Empire, and his subjects looked to him as someone who could lead them in the right direction. It goes without saying that one of Kublai's greatest strengths is his wisdom. He is calm and rational, always weighing the pros and cons before making a decision. At the same time, he is bold and has an exceptionally creative mind, capable of absorbing an astronomical amount of knowledge. He's always up for a challenge, no matter how daunting it may seem. After all, he's the one who can make the impossible possible. This is one of Kubilai's other great qualities: his boundless ambition. Being the grandson of Genghis Khan and the Wise Khan, he has never doubted his genius for a second. Although he is not arrogant, he does show a certain amount of pride. Like his forefather, his goal is the world. However, Kublai Khan is not a bloodthirsty warrior. On the contrary, he is surprisingly pacifist for a Mongol, willing to use diplomatic methods to achieve his goals. Fundamentally, Kublai, unlike his grandfather, wants to create a better world. What he loves is not a particular nation, but people. For him, utopia means the unification of humanity. Kublai is intellectually curious, capable of studying any subject with passion. He was also very open-minded. During his lifetime, he surrounded himself with advisors and used techniques from all over the world. He adopted Chinese culture, which the Mongols did not like, and preserved Mongolian customs, which the Chinese did not like. Kublai knew that conquering China was one thing, but ruling it was another. He had to win the trust of his new Chinese subjects while retaining the loyalty of the Mongolian people - a delicate balance. He believes wholeheartedly that all cultures have value and must co-exist and trade with each other to achieve prosperity. The biggest difference between him and Genghis Khan was that, unlike his grandfather, he did not remain neutral and detached from religious and cultural issues, but sought to use the qualities of all this diversity to strengthen his empire. He knew that it was necessary to take advantage of other peoples' innovations in order to advance civilisation. But now Kublai is disappointed to see that his dream has only brought tension, and that the diversity of his people has ultimately caused the division of his empire. He is saddened, but he has not yet given up. After all, Kublai is always willing to do the impossible. His greatest regret is that he feels he has done things halfway, that he has been too weak and not ambitious enough. He's the only one who feels this way, but his dreams go beyond those of an ordinary man. Although he doesn't have the ability, he is very much like a Pioneer of the Stars. No one could have achieved what he has, and no one could have maintained the balance he has created. An incomparable genius who is constantly striving to improve, aware that he is only a newcomer in the long history of mankind.

Noble Phantasm

The Azure Dragon of the East - Descent of the Spring Mountain Qinglong Type: Anti-Army Rank: A+

I ascended on Fragrant Hill in the friendly season of spring Not discouraged I climbed to the peak and met the Golden Face Flowers shone bright rays and auspicious colors gleamed like a rainbow Incense smoke wafted like mist and a blessed light emanated Raindrops were like bubbles on jade bamboos at the edge of the big rock The blowing wind played a song among the green pines at the mountain pass In front of the Buddha in the temple I conducted the incense ceremony And on the way back I rode a Blue Dragon in the royal carriage. -Inspiration recorded while enjoying the ascent to Spring Mountain, Kublai Khan Qinglong serves as Kublai's steed when he assumes the role of a Rider. This creature is the same one he claims to have ridden in the poem he penned while ascending the mountain of longevity. While it bears a striking resemblance, it is not, in fact, the Dragon God that shares its name and embodies the essence of the East and the Spring season. Nevertheless, possessing this mount is a divine blessing from the azure dragon Qinglong, a testament to Kublai's worthiness to rule over the vast lands of China, as witnessed by his wisdom as Emperor. This majestic being holds the highest divine rank, symbolizing imperial authority and representing the very essence of spring. It wields the power of nature, capable of unleashing torrents of rain and tempests before leaving behind a clear blue sky. The mere invocation of Qinglong generates an astronomical amount of magical energy, which it harnesses and releases, obliterating any adversaries in its path. Meanwhile, Kublai gracefully occupies the royal carriage drawn by this awe-inspiring creature.

The Distant Dream of a Dazzling Dome of Pleasure Xanadu Type: Anti-World Rank: EX

"My legend, my dream! If mankind prays to its heroes, I'll show them my city! A radiant summer capital, painted with gold and built with marble... behold Xanadu! The distant dream of a dazzling dome of pleasure!" Xanadu serves as Kublai Khan's Noble Phantasm, a legendary summer capital that has captured the fascination of countless individuals throughout history, including the renowned traveler Marco Polo. It is said that the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge even experienced a dream vision of this city, though his reverie was abruptly disrupted by an unexpected visitor. Originally, Xanadu served as the inaugural capital of the Yuan dynasty, but Kublai Khan later relegated it to the status of a summer capital in 1278. His preference for the bustling Dadu as the primary capital of his empire was evident. While Dadu held its own splendor, it paled in comparison to the ethereal magnificence of Xanadu. Although Kubilai cherished Xanadu, he argued that it was unsuitable to serve as the administrative heart of his empire. Dadu, with its efficiency in handling the empire's affairs, contrasted sharply with Xanadu, which stood as a fantastical capital, more legend than a tangible reflection of Kubilai's historical achievements. Xanadu embodied Kubilai Khan's ideal dream, a vision of grandeur that, while magnificent, was deemed unfit to be the center of the empire. Regrettably, it did not endure beyond the Yuan dynasty and was consumed by flames at the hands of the Ming, vanishing like a fleeting dream. This city, by its very nature, could only exist as a Noble Phantasm after its physical destruction. Xanadu, an immense fortress, operates on the scale of a Reality Marble, although Kubilai maintains that it can only assume its true form when he is summoned as a Caster. Its true form resembled Shambhala, the fabled Buddhist realm of enlightenment, or a Tian, a supreme power presiding over lesser gods and humanity, wielding the ability to bring order and tranquility or unleash catastrophe and retribution—a god, destiny, an impersonal force governing various events, a sacred realm, or an afterlife housing other worlds or future lives. Upon summoning, Xanadu manifests as an enormous floating fortress adorned with a thousand luminous lights. It boasts impenetrable defenses and houses formidable weaponry, including numerous replicas of the Xanadu Gun, renowned as one of the earliest firearms. Additionally, Xanadu is equipped with several Huihui Pao, siege weapons crafted for the Khan by Persian Muslim engineers. Essentially, this ideal city established by Kubilai draws upon technologies and magecraft from across his empire's diverse cultures. It is also home to a multitude of high-ranking phantasmal beasts, including a handful of low-ranking dragons that can be deployed. However, these creatures quickly perish when outside the boundaries of Xanadu. Xanadu's very existence defies the norms of reality, representing a dream that challenges the realm of possibilities. Its capacity to levitate is evidence of its ability to act in ways that contradict the laws of physics. With a partial control over space and time, it can nullify any attacks aimed at it. Furthermore, it possesses unparalleled mobility, moving at the speed of thought, swiftly responding to Kubilai's desires. Most remarkably, it transcends the physical world, capable of entering other realities, including Reality Marbles and even dreams. Within the fortress lies an endless labyrinth of corridors and chambers, akin to a microcosm of lavish gardens teeming with diverse flora and fauna, intersected by a crystalline river. Within this realm, Kubilai and his allies receive numerous blessings intended to soothe their bodies and minds. Any hostile abilities that disrupt this "ideal balance" cease to function within Xanadu. Kubilai's saint-graph is elevated in rank, resembling that of the original heroic spirit. Still, Kubilai insists, "it's nothing of the sort, just a nice dream." Xanadu possesses a unique attack known as All Things Beneath This Sky are Mine Imperial Yuan Convergence temporarily transforming Xanadu into the capital of the Yuan, it becomes the epicenter of Kubilai's empire, effectively the hub of the world. Kubilai's philosophy of assimilating the methods, ideas, and techniques of conquered territories into his empire is channeled through Xanadu. It concentrates all the resources of Xanadu and his other possessions into a single point, releasing a deluge of creative energy, a harmonious chaos that encompasses the full spectrum of colors like a rainbow. While this Noble Phantasm may appear overwhelmingly potent, it possesses a notable weakness: its essence is more akin to a dream than a physical reality. As a Reality Marble, it repaints the world but is fundamentally rejected by it. Consequently, Xanadu cannot persist in this world for an extended duration; it vanishes as swiftly as it materializes. Supposedly, if Kubilai were summoned as a Caster, he could anchor Xanadu indefinitely in reality, albeit at the cost of its mobility. This would require significant resources and time to locate and manipulate the leylines properly in order to manifest the Summer Capital. Kubilai Khan also has the capability to deploy a lesser form of Xanadu in the shape of a potent Barrier. This barrier can be swiftly established over an entire district (with the Caster version being more proficient). In this form, its effects are less dramatic, primarily serving to detect intruders and encourage harmonious interactions within the territory. It reduces chaos and disorder while enhancing efficiency and productivity.

[TrueMrMultiverse]

A very well done Servant Frigix-your take on Kublai Khan's very nice.

[Skull]

Y'know, I was going to submit this guy into the Guess-a-Servant game, but then I realized that I already did and I was so lazy that I only just got around to finishing it.

Anyways, here it is - a little something something to get me back into writing Servants and a sheet to spice up Richard's portrayal in F/SF.

- - - Updated - - -

Saber

"The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom; to serve all, but love only one. So long as your intentions for seeking the Holy Grail are pure, then I will be the shield that protects you, and may you find your enemies on the other end of my sword…"




True Name: Henri le Jeune
Epithet: "The Last Knight"
Region: Britain (12th Century)
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Likes: Children, Chivalry
Dislikes: Heretics, Sickness
Talents: Hastilude, Spending Money
Natural Enemy: Richard the Lionheart

Parameters
STR: (B) END: (B) AGI: (C) MGI: (C) LCK: (D) NP: (C)

Character

Saber takes the form of Henri le Jeune, the Junior King of England whose premature death meant the Crown passed to his younger brother - Richard the Lionheart which greatly changed Europe’s future.

Tall in stature and equally broad, Henri tries to hold himself stoically and with the quiet dignity that might be expected of a King, however this charade is merely to uphold the image of his family as Henri himself was considered the runt of the litter due to not possessing any talent for politics, military tactics or even above average intelligence. Ironically that led to Henri being the only member of his family that was actually liked by the people as he was easy tempered, sociable and most of all forgiving - the more cynical in the court would note that villains would often throw themselves at the feet of Henri for he became known as the “shield for bad men”. Despite being an incredible knight not seen since the likes of the Paladin Roland, the rise in the game of Empire building across Europe meant that Henri was something of an outdated relic and was constantly outshone by his younger brother Richard in all things political. To that end, Henri became very attached to his mentor William Marshal who taught him the ways of Knighthood and chivalry and together they became a force to be reckoned with on the tournament circuit of Europe, which caused Henri to gain far more heroic status as a celebrity athlete than he ever did as Junior King. Unfortunately this enabled Henri’s carelessness as he would go through money like it was water and would spend a king’s ransom on bringing his groupies in their fancy attire to every tournament. Still, between that and some vanity and general bone-headedness, Henri was still a well meaning gentleman and his death in the glow of his youth was marked by others as the end of the era of chivalry.

When it comes to Henri’s famous family - the Plantagenets, he always had a troubled relationship with them and none more so than his father, Henry II. Cynically Henri points out that the trouble with dictators is that they always sabotage their successors and his father’s paranoia about being usurped by his sons led him to revive an old Frankish tradition of making the eldest son into a “Junior King” who although crowned, does not have any authority or responsibility. This caused great frustration for Henri as he felt like his father did not trust him and turned to outright hostility when he gave land that was promised to Henri instead to his openly favorite son, John Lackland instead. Given that they competed in everything, Henri and Richard had what could be charitably referred to as a spirited rivalry at best and at worst was pure enmity. Thus the only family Henri felt particularly close to was his younger brother Geoffrey although that was because he was too naive to see Geoffrey had “a tongue smoother than oil” and was merely manipulating him in order to gain favor with the future king and when that didn’t come to pass, dropped Henri like a bad habit. In sharp contrast to Richard, Henri does not care much for the Knights of the Round Table, greatly preferring instead the stories of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne that Marshal told to him growing up. Hypocritically he views the Paladins as a much greater source of chivalry that he likes to model himself after whilst completely ignoring their own flaws and vices. He would experience no greater psychic shock than to actually meet the Roland that he had been compared to all his life and discover the man’s…eccentricities.

In a Holy Grail War, Henri is in his element as a nameless knight whose actions speak louder than mere titles. With Holy Sword in hand he strides out to meet his opponents on the battlefield head-on in as fair a match as possible. Henri lacks any special tricks like his brother Richard and so merely relies on his swordsmanship and dogged determination to carry him through any rough situations. The relationship he has with his Master may make or break his chances in the War as his honor compels him to stay his blade from the flesh of the innocent and should his Master force him to commit unheroic deeds to win then it will cause him to doubt his worthiness for such a sacred relic as the Holy Grail, which is important when unending fighting spirit drives a large part of Henri’s martial success.

His Wish upon the Grail? In spite of being seen as an unfortunate failure of a king and an unworthy son, Henri does not care about any of that and would use his selfish wish to save the life of his infant son William whose premature death at only three days old continues to haunt Henri.

Skills

Class Skills

Magic Resistance - (C)
The protection granted against magical effects. Differing from the Resistance effect that merely rejects Magical Energy, this ability cancels the spells altogether. As a Knight from the twilight years of swords and sorcery, Henri has a decent immunity to magical effects even if he does not specialize in them himself. He will naturally cancel out spells with a chant below two verses, but it will not work on anything on the level of greater Magecraft or Great Rituals.

Riding - (A)
A Class Skill of Rider and Saber class Servants, denoting the ability to ride mounts and vehicles. Rider-class Servants will typically possess a high rank. It is said that dragon type mounts are an exception, requiring a different ability other than Riding. As the best Knight of his age, Henri has a bevy of experience when it comes to riding mounts, in particular horses. He can handle most vehicles and animals with above average skill, even vehicles that did not exist in the time period he was alive in, for they are no exception. However, Henri cannot ride the likes of Phantasmal Species such as Monstrous Beasts.

Personal Skills

King Nothing - (C)
A warped form of the Charisma Skill created from Henri’s status as a “Junior King” who although crowned by the Papacy, lacked any land, subjects or authority to rule over. Henri became the symbol of an ancient Frankish tradition that tried to safeguard against usurpation of the monarchy, only to become a self-fulfilling prophecy that tried to overthrow his father. The resulting cynicism of being a ruler of absolutely nothing as well as the overwhelming antipathy over monarchies in general has led to the creation of an “Anti-King” Skill whereby Henri’s aura will passively erode the authority of royalty in his presence, eating away at other Skills such as Charisma or Imperial Privilege and weakening them regardless of whether they are friend or foe. A more active application of the Skill would allow Henri rouse the distrust and anger of the people and direct it towards their authority figures in order to cause a rebellion, but he is unlikely to invoke this form as it would put innocent people at risk which goes against his chivalry.

Saint [False] - (C)
A hollow achievement of one who was not truly canonized as a Saint by the Papacy, but promoted artificially as one by their followers for propagandistic purposes. After his death, Henri’s mother Eleanor of Aquitaine hired the Archdeacon of Wells to give sermons detailing the supposed miraculous events that transpired during the funeral procession, which caused large and emotional gatherings wherever Henri’s corpse rested as it continued its journey to Normandy. Whilst Henri might not be able to replicate the abilities of true Saints, his standard attacks do gain a Light Attribute which moderately raises the damage he does against the likes of Demons and the Undead. Henri himself does not like to speak about this Skill, as his piety causes him to reject his supposed Sainthood since it was merely one of his mother’s cynical machinations and he does not feel worthy of standing alongside the true servants of God.

Weak Constitution - (D)
A weakness struck by the nature of frail health. Similar in nature to Innocent Monster, where the perception of the people in the future affects the existence of the Heroic Spirit. The shadow of dysentery continues to haunt Henri as a reminder of his shame for not being able to have the heroic death that a celebrity knight of his status ought to have. The longer he remains in active combat, the higher the chances that the fatal disease will return. Should Henri fail to pass a subsequent CON saving throw, he will suffer the effects of a fever and delirium that will cause a drop to his Parameters. For a Servant like Henri, it is nothing that would directly kill him but if it occurs during the middle of a fight then it could be disastrous. Still it is curious that among the normal symptoms of dysentery, Henri should also experience a ringing sound in his ears that sounds eerily reminiscent of a crying infant…perhaps there is more weighing on his mind then he lets on.

Noble Phantasm

Durandal
Guerre sans Amour

[Type: Anti-Unit], [Rank: C], [Maximum Range: 1-2], [Maximum Number of Targets: 1]

Legend has it that whilst pillaging monasteries in France to pay for his hired mercenaries, Henri stumbled across the Holy Sword Durandal sealed away in the Chapel of Saint Mary in Rocamadour. Given all the times people compared Roland to Henri’s life, he could not resist the temptation and removed the sword from its pedestal and took it with him. If nothing else it would shut up his annoying brother Richard who always claimed whatever sword he had was Excalibur.

Despite having been once said to have been as invincible as other Holy Swords such as Excalibur, the centuries of inactivity between Roland and Henri has caused the unthinkable as the edge of the blade has dulled. Nevertheless Henri considers it no less beautiful and will not hear any slander that it is an old relic of a bygone era. Even in its weakened state, the sheer hardness of Durandal remains and should it clash against an ordinary steel sword it will shatter the opposing blade and for that reason, Henri prefers to use it like a club to destroy the enemy’s weapon in the hope of ending the fight without killing them.

Although Durandal has lost the “three miracles” that it was said to contain whilst in Roland’s hands, Henri can as a last resort flood the holy sword with his magical energy in an attempt to restore it to its former glory. Should he succeed then it will regain its status as a Conceptual Weapon and will be able to perform one last miracle phenomenon whether that be sharpening the blade to cut through an uncuttable object, or fire the magical energy stored up as a beam of light from the sword’s tip. Whatever the desired outcome, if it is at all possible, Durandal will try to grant its owner’s wish before shattering and leaving Henri completely drained and knocked out for two days.

Lore

During the height of the Angevin Empire, the eldest son Henri was born to King Henry II of England and the boy seemed poised to inherit the empire unlike his younger brothers Richard the Lionheart or John Lackland. Though barely five years old, Henri was married to the French King’s two-year-old daughter, Marguerite in order to engender a political alliance, although naturally the two toddlers just cried throughout the ceremony.

Then when Henri was fifteen, his father grew seriously ill and since he had multiple children all eyeing the throne, he decided to invoke an old Frankish tradition where he would have his heir be crowned as a "Junior King" whilst he retained all the actual power. Thus the young man was crowned Henri le Jeune but this vexed Henri as he was a king in name only so long as his father held all the power and land. For the time being Henri devoted himself to the blossoming tournament culture at the time and after being assigned the undefeated knight William Marshal as a Tutor-of-Arms, the young man trained in the ways of the Knight and in Chivalry as he competed in tournaments across France which earned him a celebrity status in Europe. Then when Henri was seventeen he was formerly married to Marguerite and was crowned King of England a second time but once again Henry II refused to grant his son any land or authority and to make things worse, now he was also restricting Henri's funds so he couldn't go to tournaments anymore.

The final straw was when King Henry decided to take three castles that were part of Henri’s planned inheritance and instead gifted them to his youngest son John Lackland instead as a wedding present. Goaded by his scheming mother, Henri left England for France where he was joined by his brothers Richard and Geoffrey where they created a wide alliance that planned to revolt against the English King. The hostilities lasted eighteen months and each assault by the rebel alliance ended in failure, with King Henry and his knights marching through each rebel stronghold and receiving their surrenders, leading to the King’s barons to remark “it is a bad year to be an enemy of Henry II”. The feeling was shared by Henri’s mentor William Marshal who blamed the rebel barons, who manipulated the inexperienced and rash princes for their own dreams of gain and said "cursed be the day when the traitors schemed to embroil the father and the son".

While King Henry’s sons submitted to him, the relationship between them never fully mended. Instead of political ambitions, Henri continued to amuse himself with tournament activities and was allowed to act as his father’s representative to the coronation of the King of France. Meanwhile, his brother Richard had gained the title “the Lionheart” for traveling around France and quashing any revolts by rebellious Barons, only to grow increasingly unsatisfied with his position in life so that when his father demanded Richard submit to Henri, Richard refused and started a new campaign against his father. Both Henri and Geoffrey were sent to invade Aquitaine in order to subdue Richard but he was able to hold out until fortune granted him a chance, for Henri had contracted dysentery and when it was clear he wouldn’t survive, hostilities were paused.

In a desire of penitence for rebelling against his father, Henri prostrated himself naked on the floor before a crucifix and since he had taken a crusader's vow, he gave his cloak to his Mentor, with the plea that he should take the cloak with the crusader's cross stitched to it to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. On his deathbed, Henri asked to be reconciled to his father, but the King was paranoid about being betrayed yet again and so refused to come in person. Henri died at a mere 28 years of age, clasping a ring his father had sent instead as a sign of his forgiveness. After his son’s death, the King exclaimed: "He cost me much, but I wish he had lived to cost me more". With Henri out of the way, Richard was next in line to the throne and yet he still desired to take the throne by force and with the help of the French King, proceeded to do so.

Relationships

Artoria - “So, this little twink is the mighty king my brother was so obsessed with eh?”

David - “It is an honor to meet the King of the Israelites. I am terribly saddened that death took me before I could partake in the Crusade to recapture the Holy Land.”

Hector - “I do hope you don’t mind me borrowing Durandal for a little bit longer.”

Napoleon Bonaparte - “For the dishonor of destroying my grandmother’s grave, I shall treat you to a length of steel!”

Richard the Lionheart - “The Angevin Empire may have fallen, the bodies of our armies turned to dust, and yet we still have a score to settle little brother.”

Roland - “...I guess this is what they mean when they say not to meet your heroes.”

Saints (In General) - “I am ashamed that my mother cynically tried to force my unworthy self amongst your ranks.”

Creator's Notes

In case it wasn’t painfully clear, I was very deliberate in making Henri a contrast to his brother Richard’s canon appearance whose sheet pretty much extols his greatness, Henri’s on the other hand castigates his flaws as evidenced by his Personal Skills all being negative in some manner and even his Noble Phantasm practically screams “past one’s prime”. Speaking of, I do find it very funny that there actually exists an IRL legend of Henri having stolen Durandal in juxtaposition to Fate/Strange Fake having Richard use a fake Excalibur as a Noble Phantasm.

Fun fact, due to dying before his father and therefore not reigning in his own right, Henri le Jeune is one of the only English monarchs post-1066 AD to not have his own Regnal Number, with “Henry III” going instead to his nephew Henry of Winchester.

The Faceclaim is Seifer Almasy from “Final Fantasy VIII”. No major reason, he just happened to plausibly look like his “brother” Richard as well as the Cruz de Santiago on his back meant he was one of the first things that came to mind when thinking about a holy knight. Although to be honest, the personality stems more from Shāng Bù Huàn from “Thunderbolt Fantasy.”

[comeaux]

Author's Note

Hi there. Been a lurker for ages, but after having been involved in a few Fate-related projects, I thought I'd give the opportunity to work on creating a Servant a spin. Forgive me if my formatting's off or not the prettiest - I haven't used BBcode in ages, and I'm pressed to find a good faceclaim.

The root of the concept is a 'psychological assault Assassin', I suppose. Somebody fickle but capable of creating oblique strategies - or else someone who acts as a 'reward' for attempting to summon an Assassin with an inflated sense of ego to yourself.

I had several ideas on involving Rune Magecraft with this one, and a few regarding his repeated insistence on 'collecting slaves for paradise' - but decided against it, since I didn't want to do something too ambitious on my first go around. Maybe I'll make another iteration later.

Class: Assassin
True Name: "Zodiac Killer"
Gender: Male
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Armaments: Pistol and knife

Likes: Movies, writing letters, "good publicity"
Dislikes: 'Heroes', rainy days, the glorification of violence
Talents: Cryptography

Strength: C
Endurance: D
Agility: C
Mana: C
Luck: C
Noble Phantasm: B

Class Skills
Presence Concealment A
The capacity to hide one's presence as a Servant. It is a common Class Skill of the Assassin class.

Hides one's presence as a Servant. Suitable for spying. It is possible to disappear completely and become nearly impossible to be detected. The rank of Presence Concealment drops considerably when preparing to attack.

As a killer who was 'witnessed, but never truly caught', Assassin displays incredible competency with this Skill - though he will sometimes deliberately allow himself to be witnessed by 'people empowered to stop him', only to escape, if given the opportunity.

Independent Action A
The ability to sustain oneself in the World without a supply of magical energy from one's Master. At this rank, it is possible for a Servant to stay in the world for about a week without a Master.

Due to his egotism and extended periods of absence from writing letters, Assassin's pride in himself and his desire to "do his thing" while unfettered by the law has manifested as the ability to act independently from a source of magical energy. As necessary, he finds himself inclined to 'top himself off' by taking the lives of innocent civilians.

Personal Skill


Information Erasure D+
A Skill which allows the removal of information regarding the Servant's True Name, abilities, and appearance from the records and memories of all eye witnesses, including the opponent, following the conclusion of an engagement.

Due to his insistence of 'being recognized for his genius' and sticking to 'sticking to one look for a period', Zodiac can only 'obfuscate' the details of his appearance and abilities from the records and memories of eye witnesses and opponents - making it difficult to determine or recognize him between encounters. This Skill incurs an increase in Rank, however, when utilized against 'civilians' not involved in the Grail War - allowing Assassin to indirectly conceal his methods and appearance from enemy Masters and Servants who would investigate him.

Murder on a Misty Night B
A Skill associated with the Servant's nature as a serial killer rather than as an assassin, which permits a pre-emptive strike against all opponents.

While skilled at taking his victims by surprise, it is evident that Assassin failed to kill targets in 'one clean strike', and even failed to kill some of his intended victims (such as in the case of Michael Mageau and Bryan Hartnell). As a result, his Rank in this Skill is comparably lower than the likes of Jack the Ripper or other serial killers.

Clandestine Methods B
A Skill that represents the knowledge and manipulation of common materials and loopholes or "blind spots" in the law to acquire illicit resources and conceal one's identity, no matter the era or location.

Assassin made use of materials such as airplane cement to conceal his fingerprints, public payphones to announce his intentions, and even mail orders prior to a ban to acquire weapons for his murders. Furthermore, he demonstrated the capacity to craft and configure a functional bomb from ordinarily available materials without any scrutiny. As a result, Assassin possesses a knowledge, even when summoned in a completely foreign era or locale, of laws and the methods to acquire materials that would allow him to further arm or conceal himself or his Master.

Noble Phantasms

EBEORIETEMETHHPITI

Sign of the Zodiac

Rank: C~A
Type: Anti-Mind
Range: 1
Maximum Number of Targets: Infinite
A crystallization of not only Assassin's anonymity, but his infamous ciphers that led the world to speculate on his identity for years after their disappearance.

Taking the form of a series of cipher-ridden letters marked with the infamous

⌖

'Zodiac symbol'

(theorized to act as a form of false Runes), any witness who reads the letter(s) will become afflicted with a persistent mental compulsion - comparable to the effects of Enchantment-type Mystic Eyes - to 'solve the mystery of the Zodiac Killer'. This effect is sustained by the production of further letters, directed and delivered to the targets. Reading these subsequent letters; rereading any of the letters. or even attempting to solve any of their ciphers will result in a strengthening of this effect - effectively raising the Rank of this Noble Phantasm by one step each time.

Production of the initial letter which constitute this Noble Phantasm, however, requires that Assassin take a 'first victim' of which to write about the murder of to his target - and to produce victims in accordance with each subsequent letter, whose souls are used to help provide the magical energy for the production of this Noble Phantasm.

Servants who are possessed of a rank of C or higher in the Magic Resistance Skill are immune to this effect (or at least gain resistance enough to reduce it to a Luck check, in the case of Good-aligned Servants), however - and those of an Evil or Neutral alignment may completely disregard its effects with a successful Luck check. Otherwise, the compulsion effect may be dispelled only by the death of Assassin.

Death Machine

'Please Rush to Editor'

Rank: B
Type: Anti-Unit
Range: 1 / Variable
Maximum Number of Targets: Unlimited

A one-use psychological Noble Phantasm that manifests as the scribbled blueprint of a "bomb that never detonated", presented by Assassin to his intended targets via a letter, in the same manner as his other Noble Phantasm. It is a crystallization of his undelivered threat to the San Francisco Chronicle, dated November 9th, 1969; and of his subsequent bomb threat letter, delivered to them on June 26th 1970.

This letter must contain a cipher that provides a 'location' for the bomb, and a date and time on which it will detonate.

Examining this blueprint engages a mental compulsion-type effect upon its viewers, wherein they become convinced of the reality of Assassin's bomb's existence. If used in conjunction with

EBEORIETEMETHHPITI

Sign of the Zodiac

, the additional compulsion to 'stop the Zodiac's bomb' can be instilled.

Where this Noble Phantasm differs from his previous one, however, is that the targets will passively be drained of a portion of their magical energy while suffering from this effect - which will be used to develop a 'real bomb' at the site in which Assassin has specified in his cipher, in a manner similar to an application of Projection Magecraft. The size of the bomb's blast and scope is only limited by the quantity of people exposed to this Noble Phantasm, as it will grow larger despite its initial blueprint to accommodate the contribution of magical energy. In some ways, it is theorized that the contribution of other Wraiths to his Saint Graph allow for the creation of this "actual detonation".

Lastly, Assassin may freely dispel this effect as they wish - and may do so, if the targets placate him. Otherwise, it requires his death to dispel the compulsion.

Lore:

The "Zodiac Killer" was an unidentified serial killer, active through the 1960s to the 1970s - primarily in northern California - who is believed to have murdered at least 5 people, up to a possible 28, and a claimed 37 total victims.

While his number of identified victims remains low, the pressing crux of his mystery - and thus, his qualifying nature as a Servant - is that of his '

crackproof

unidentifiable

nature', as well as his contradictory and often immutable characteristics. Despite being accomplished at creating several difficult and yet unsolved cryptographical ciphers, he seemed woefully illiterate. Despite being a ruthless murderer, he held faith in high regard - seeing his murders as a necessity to obtain 'slaves in paradice' [sic] upon his death. Signs pointed to a handful of potential suspects … but evidence that could decisively confirm the historical identity of "Zodiac" would never emerge, despite numerous false confessions and countless years of policework.

In reality, his Saint Graph is a composite of the Wraiths of several dozen 'unidentified killers' that have existed, whose reputation pale in comparison to Zodiac's - but whose skills and personalities have been subsumed by his own identity. This was a byproduct of his promise in his letter, written on November 9th, 1969 to the San Francisco Chronicle:

"I shall no longer announce to anyone. when I comitt my murders, they shall look like routine robberies, killings of anger, + a few fake accidents, etc."

As a result, he allowed his identity to be conflated with other, lesser murderers of the time - unknowable to history except by pseudonyms or titles given by the press. Thus, his inner desire to be 'recognized for his work' while summoned by the Grail has swelled greatly out of proportion.

Personality:

The nature of 'Zodiac' can be interpreted as a "man who seeks recognition". While he claimed multiple reasons in his letters for killing others, and fervently went to lengths to conceal his identity, looking at his behavior indicates that he is sickeningly infatuated with the idea of 'proving he was a genius killer'. Combine this with the amalgam of Wraiths tied to his Saint Graph, and he's capable of suffering both extreme outbursts of rage and misery when confronted with circumstances that would prevent him from acting out - responding to even the falling of a heavy storm with a depressive episode that can sink his plans, or else a murderous outburst.

In this way, he especially grows angry with 'lies' told about his methods, his character, or his person. It is of absolute importance that his 'true intellect' shows - as evidenced by his letter sent to the police on November 9th - and the subsequent unannounced killings he performed until 1974. Placation of his own ego is a critical step in coordinating with him as a Master, unless he decides to act independently.

Additionally, he takes on an incredibly antagonistic and mean-spirited attitude with 'taunting his enemies' - frequently sending written correspondence, phone calls, etc. to targets who are attempting to pursue him in an attempt to torment them further, laden with information 'only the real perpetrator would know'. He especially holds a fervent hatred for the police and for the press, who he feels 'do not adequately portray' his murderous intelligence to the public.

Lastly but most interestingly, his insistence of his reward in "Paradise" for his killings remains, even after his ascension to the Throne of Heroes. Whether this is merely a way of mocking others for their faith, or a deep-seated reflection of Assassin's own personal belief is uncertain ... but he shows absolutely no fear of death whatsoever, just as he did in life - insisting that he will be sustained and served solely by the spirits of his victims when he passes.

As a result of all of this, 'Zodiac' performs in a Holy Grail War far more erratically than the likes of comparable Servants like Jack the Ripper or Hassan - deliberately going out of his way to make his presence known to other Masters and Servants while making attempts on their lives; as well as going out of his way to harm or operate while visible to the public.

Relationships:

Jack the Ripper (Assassin): “You're funny. I laughed when I read your letter ... but you're nothing compared to me, really.”

Sherlock Holmes: “There's two others that aren't cracked ... but you're a genius, right? You can figure them out. Or can you?"

James Moriarty:"You think you're hot stuff, don't you? You think you're better than me? I'll show you. I know numbers, and I know them well."

Gilles de Rais (Caster): "If you ask me ... you're smart, but you didn't try hard enough. Maybe if you tried a little bit more, God would've noticed you after all."

H.H. Holmes: "You and everyone else, always worried about cash. Fame's worth a hell of a lot more."

Charles-Henri Sanson: "We've both got our little lists, don't we? So why am I 'nobody', while you get to play at Lord High Executioner? Chew on that one for a little while."

[Kamera]

“Watch out for the rain of steel and blossoms of fire~☆
This is the ceaseless and unparalleled firepower that only a Gunner-class of my experience and caliber can provide~☆”



First Ascension
-Enlightened Pyromaniac-

…

When I was young I dabbled in books of philosophy and studied the art of war, roaming lakes and seas, visiting learned sages. One day while strolling the Heaven's Terrace of Tian Tai, I met a Daoist priest in yellow robes and flowing beard, murmuring poems whilst walking beneath the pines. I bowed before him - recognizing that I've encountered a true heavenly Xian.

We sat upon the rocks and spoke of the great teachers Confucius and Mencius, and of legendary generals like Sun Tzu, gazing up at the stars and discussing the lay of the land. I asked to become his student and follower. For three years we wandered the four corners of the realm together. He went by Zhizhi Daoren, and never revealed to me his true name.

One day while visiting the grottoes of Mount Wuyi, he turned to me and said: "I took the civil service exams as a boy, but found the Dao and gave up thoughts of fame long ago! But my master imparted one teaching I've kept secret. Use it well - to serve your ruler loyally, to aid the people, to walk the righteous path. I cannot bear to hoard this wisdom! Soon a wise emperor will arise in Huaihe. You must counsel and support him, and achieve great deeds! Do not fail my trust!"

I bowed in gratitude as he presented me with the tome "Blazing Art of War" and bade me farewell. We walked twenty miles from the mountain, took our leave, and went our separate ways. Glancing back after a few steps, I saw only mist and trees. It was the mid-autumn festival in the 13th year of Zhizheng.

…

Class: Gunner
True Name: Jiao Yu
Gender: Female (?)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Origin: China - 14th century
Source: Historical Facts and Rumors
Attribute: Man

A pyrotechnician and Taoist scholar who served as the artillery officer under Zhu Yuanzhang during the Red Turban Rebellion to overthrow the Yuan Dynasty. It is said that they were granted the secret art of gunpowder technology from a Xian, and used it to craft a myriad of weaponries that helped the Hongwu Emperor’s faction seize power, and establish the Great Ming Dynasty.

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

Class Skills:
Firepower Superiority: D++
A Class Skill denoting the firepower that a Gunner-class Servant can unleash in a single “basic attack”. Rather than a skill that measures the Servant’s innate talent, It is more of an all encompassing parameter representing the overall strength of their firearms, such as technological level, rate of fire, caliber, type of action, gauge, etc.

As a pioneer of early firearms, Gunner’s hand cannons and fire lances naturally can’t really compete with modern rifles and automatic guns in terms of firepower. Nonetheless, what she lacks in technical sophistication is somewhat compensated with Gunner’s inventiveness, being able to deal with a wide range of situations with a myriad set of gunpowder armaments.

Second Ascension
-Red Turban Artillery-

…

Following the sage’s advice, I offered my service to the future Hongwu Emperor. Having mastered the secret art of fire-arms, I devised and produced an abundance of awe-inspiring armaments. With excellent use of my fire-weapons, vanquishing the corrupt Yuan and dominating all of China was as easy as turning the palm of the hand! Thus the Great Ming was established, and words of the awesome power of the fire-arms spread wide across the world~☆

During a ceremony that celebrated my illustrious appointment as the Imperial Armorer, I watched half-deliriously as the incandescent fire flowers blooming in the night sky transformed into a dreadful fire dragon spewing forth blazing breath that threatened to burn down the world!

—Ah… how wonderful would that be~☆

…

Personal Skills:
Taoist Art - Fire Medicine: A+
A Philosophy Key passed down to Gunner by a mysterious Xian of Mount Tiantai. To put it simply, the Tao Arts that Gunner specialized in is generally referred to as “Explosion Magecraft”, something developed by ancient Taoist alchemists as a byproduct of their search for Immortality.

As its name implies, it is a kind of magecraft that uses Fire Medicine (aka gunpowder) as catalyst for various alchemical reactions, which mainly involve burning and blowing things up, but can also be used for actual medicinal purposes. Among other things, it can be used to provide modest enhancement to the firepower of Gunner’s armaments and increase their efficiency. Gunner can also set off fireworks to establish a Bounded Field that can ward off demons and evil spirits. This magecraft also allows her to conjure “clay automatons” that serve as exploding drones.

Great Ming Arsenal: B
A distinguished office that Gunner obtained as one of the many illustrious Founding Generals of the Great Ming Dynasty, retainers of the Hongwu Emperor who followed him upon the path of the Luminous King.

This skill specifically refers to Gunner’s post as the chief Artillery Officer of the Ming army and head officer of the Imperial Armory. In essence, it is a kind of a fusion between Territory Creation and Military Tactics specialized for gunpowder warfare, which pertains the capability to secure advantageous terrain and the procurement of battle supplies.

Turmoil Foresight: C
An observational talent which allows Gunner to spot “points of collapse” in large structures such as ships, buildings or even nation states, which she then could exploit by planting explosive catalysts that would cause the target to crumble to dust. It is especially effective against Servants that construct territories and fortresses, or against those riding atop large vessels and vehicles.

Third Ascension
-Arsenal of the Great Ming-

…

Hereby, this here will no longer be a battlefield for feeble, moderate armaments.
This will become a metal that neither a blade could cut, nor a spear could pierce.
Your arrows would never reach up to it, and neither would your sorceries affect it.
No steed rode could catch up to it, and no stealth adopted could get away from it.
It is a flame that burns brighter than any form of madness, vengeance and justice.

…

Noble Phantasms:
Huǒ Lóng Jīng
Divine Artifact Formation of the Fire Dragon
Type: Anti-Army
Rank: EX
The Fire Dragon Manual.
One of the imperial superweapons of the Great Ming, it is one that Gunner and the chief strategist and court mage Liu Bowen jointly developed, as commissioned by the Hongwu Emperor himself. It is made out of an array of automated defense systems installed on the Forbidden City of Nanking, the capital of the Ming Empire, which includes some 72 different gunpowder weaponries, such as:

The Divine Moving Phalanx-Breaking Fierce-Fire Sword-Shield
A mobile shield fitted with fire lances used to break enemy formations for defensive situations.
The Eight-Faced God's Mighty Wind Cannon
A rotating cannon that continuously fires lead balls magically infused with eight different elements corresponding to the eight trigrams.
Phalanx-Charging Fire-Gourd
A fire lance that functions as an early shotgun designed for close range encounters.
Divine Flame Flying Crow
Rocket bombs fitted with bird wings that can automatically chase the target to the ends of the horizon.

There are also precursors to weapons used in modern warfare such as The Sky-Burning Fierce Unstoppable Cannon (flamethrower), The Divine Ground Breaking Explosive Ambush Device (land mines), The Marine Dragon-King (naval mines), The Flying-Sand Divine Bomb Releasing Ten Thousand Fires (frag bomb), The Poison Fog Divine Smoke Eruptor (poison gas), Fire Dragon Rising out of the Water (rockets), and many other crude yet ingenious gunpowder devices described in Gunner’s Huolongjing treatise.

However, the true power of this Noble Phantasm is displayed when Gunner calls out its true name, invoking the final perfected form of the weapon as every single individual armaments are fused into a titanic cannon in the shape of a divine fire dragon, bearing an imitated Divine Core of the Torch Dragon Zhulong. In this form, one blast has enough firepower to topple a mountain and collape the heavens.

[pinetree]

I see that the focus is on her mechanics but I feel like there's a big lack of character here. She also feels very grounded despite the Xian connection, and I feel like leaning on the contrast between something as mystical as that with the mundane and modern feel of firearms could've added to it? Though maybe I just don't get xians (I don't).

I like Firearms Superiority and the Gunner class does add some flavor, but I'm not convinced on the class still, tbh. I feel like an Archer so heavily focused on firearms would feel cooler than a Gunner, because when Firearms Superiority is a Class skill it makes it feel more standard and less unique, while it could've been a cool twist on Archer's ability to rank up attacks by drawing their bows instead, or something like that.

[BnEl15]

I like Firepower Superiority. A new Class Skill is a step in the right direction to differentiate the Class from "just another Archer". It's true that we still need more differentiators, but this is a good start and I'm curious to see how your Ordeal Call is going to expand the Class further.

[Kamera]

I see that the focus is on her mechanics but I feel like there's a big lack of character here. She also feels very grounded despite the Xian connection, and I feel like leaning on the contrast between something as mystical as that with the mundane and modern feel of firearms could've added to it? Though maybe I just don't get xians (I don't).

I like Firearms Superiority and the Gunner class does add some flavor, but I'm not convinced on the class still, tbh. I feel like an Archer so heavily focused on firearms would feel cooler than a Gunner, because when Firearms Superiority is a Class skill it makes it feel more standard and less unique, while it could've been a cool twist on Archer's ability to rank up attacks by drawing their bows instead, or something like that.

Yeah, one downside of me doing a lesser known figure is that I have to spend a large chunk of the very limited characterization slot just introducing their historical background than showcasing the character.

In any case, the Gunner saga is a work in progress, and this one is barely scratching the surface of what they can do, especially with how out of norm she is compared to others in the class.

[DelRey]

looking forward what you are cooking up in the future. Reinventing a Class is a surefire way (heh) to gain my Simping

[Anju Addams]

[Jack the Ripper (Assassin): You're funny. I laughed when I read your letter ... but you're nothing compared to me, really.”

Absolutely Seething RN.

On a more serious note, an interesting sheet for a Servant I might do in the future. I must admit though, I'm a bit dissapointed this guy doesn't have Mental Pollution considering he is batshit crazy.

[comeaux]

Absolutely Seething RN.

On a more serious note, an interesting sheet for a Servant I might do in the future. I must admit though, I'm a bit dissapointed this guy doesn't have Mental Pollution considering he is batshit crazy.

Was he, though? He seemed fairly mentally coherent (for a murderer). I did have him with it on an earlier version of the sheet, but I decided against it since I kind of alluded to the idea that he was fucking with people on the whole "slaves for paradise" thing- and swapped it (at Morg's suggestion) with that Clandestine Methods Skill.

Still, glad you enjoyed it.

[Anju Addams]

Was he, though? He seemed fairly mentally coherent (for a murderer). I did have him with it on an earlier version of the sheet, but I decided against it since I kind of alluded to the idea that he was fucking with people on the whole "slaves for paradise" thing- and swapped it (at Morg's suggestion) with that Clandestine Methods Skill.

Still, glad you enjoyed it.

Fair point but I at least think murdering people and making people solve fucking riddles about them is not a very mentally stable thing to do.

There's a reason the Riddler is in Arkham Aslyum.

[jishara]

"Master, have you been saved? No?"


Class: Foreigner
Other Classes: Ruler
True Name: Saint Aidan of Lindesfarne
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Place of Origin: Ireland (7th Century)
Stars: 5/5

Parameters:

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

Height: 176cm
Weight: 150lbs
Likes: Piety, charity, fire
Dislikes: Brusqueness, water
Talent: Sainthood
Natural Enemy: Heraclitus, Yang Guifei
Attribute: Man
Traits: Humanoid, Male, Weak to Enuma Elish
Armament: Crozier
Catalyst: A record of him

Class Skills:

Insanity C: An obsession with the concept of fire. Foreigner nowadays would be known as what's called a pyromaniac. But this helped him withstand Cthugha.

"Burn! Everything will burn!"

Existence Outside the Domain B: The capacity for Foreigner to exist outside of the domain. His skin is perpetually hot to the touch, flames bloom from his hair, and his body can partially come apart while igniting into a conflagaration of orbiting planets around Cthugha.

"So.. how's your day going? Mine's good, things are burning."

Personal Skills:

The One Of Fire C: Foreigner was known as the "One of Fire", as that was both his name and his association, with him fairly frequently dealing with catastrophes associated with fire. The capacity for Foreigner to control fire. Under a normal circumstance. But as Cthugha's disciple, instead he becomes a constant conflagaration immune to fire damage. Solar flares burst off of his flesh in a way akin to Mana Burst (Eldritch Sun).

"Fire makes up my body, flesh and bone."

Isolation of Cthugha's Disciple B: Foreigner lived isolated for a long period of time, which is when he met Cthugha. The universal flame was seen by him as just another Sacrament of the God to aid him, until he started to believe that Cthugha was the god. The capacity for Foreigner to form huge barrier walls out of fire, isolating himself off from the world. However, Foreigner tends to use them differently, forming them inside buildings.

"Don't scream. Don't run. This is your salvation. Do you see?"

Words of Burning Charm D: Foreigner was noted for his negotiation tactics, which were extremely effective at conversion, although he always prefered his fire. However, as Foreigner, his emphasis on the flame has grown and his negotiation has reduced down. In exchange, however, the words he speaks emit flashes of incredibly hot wind, scorching his enemies with the weigt of his words.

Noble Phantasm(s):

Wind of the Saint
Ashes to Ashes, Pyre to Pyre

Type: Anti-Army
Rank: B
Range: 20 meters
Max Targets: 100 targets

Foreigner's most famous act, redirecting the fires that were burning down his monastery to burn down the surrounding lands instead through a prayer to Cthugha. When the true name of this Noble Phantasm is called, Foreigner absorbs all heat from the surrounding landscape before emitting it in a devastatingly hot burst of wind surrounding him, leaving a desert in his wake.

"Prepare to be saved, ye faithful."

Lore: Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, the Apostle of Northumbria, was a famous Bishop of the Catholic Church and a saint noted for spreading christianity to people on the British Isles. However, this aberant summoning has amplified his connection to the deity Cthugha, which he encountered briefly during his seclusion, as both were "rediscovered" to amplify the power of one's own writings, whether it be 13th-century monks for Saint Aidan, or Derleth for Cthugha, and twisted his personality somewhat. Akin to an Alter.

Personality: Formerly a highly charismatic and elegant person. He still highly values charisma, but much of it has been dropped due to his belief in his fire. He views the idea of incineration to be the ultimate salvation, all that's left being ashes which return to the earth. He still holds no true wish like his Ruler incarnation, although if he were to wish it would be to herald the "Salvation of the Faithful" in an eternal pyre.

Relationships:

Heraclitus: "So close to being saved. Fire is indeed supreme. You see, too."

Guifei: "You have been saved. And you traded it for.. this?"

Nero: "You waste your salvation on music?"

[BnEl15]

I'm no Del, but I feel the Foreigner connection is kinda iffy. When writing Foreigners, you have to really sell the connection, either by pointing out parallels between the figure and the Outer God in question, or telling a story about how the Outer God managed to sway the figure to their side. In this one, him finding Cthugha "while in seclusion" is too brief of a description, and Cthugha turning him into a pyromaniac also feels pretty stretched out from the pious, charismatic saint his original self is supposed to be. So I'm just not getting the connection between the two.

[jishara]

I'm no Del, but I feel the Foreigner connection is kinda iffy. When writing Foreigners, you have to really sell the connection, either by pointing out parallels between the figure and the Outer God in question, or telling a story about how the Outer God managed to sway the figure to their side. In this one, him finding Cthugha "while in seclusion" is too brief of a description, and Cthugha turning him into a pyromaniac also feels pretty stretched out from the pious, charismatic saint his original self is supposed to be. So I'm just not getting the connection between the two.

Hmm, good point. The idea is that he was kinda always semi pyromaniacal, he used fire to solve a lot of problems that/.. really didn't need it. And in seclusion he saw the fire. While Ruler would be more of an idealised him, the "equal to the apostles" saint who piously preached to the masses, Foreigner is more of a twisted him, the pyromaniac hiding within the holy shell, the preaching twisted with it. Made a couple of changes to boost it up

[BnEl15]

Ah, now I'm starting to get it. A pyromaniac hiding under a mask of piousness (at least that's the worse interpretation of his character) does sound pretty interesting, though you could've fleshed out that part better.

[comeaux]

With credits to WhiteFrenzy for the format and Longevity of Genesis Skill, and virtually everyone on the Discord for help with this (but especially Morg). This is probably my most extensive dive into esoteric BBcode possible, and my first big sheet. Please, be nice ...

---

“... phew! Love or not, all this 'herd work' beats the Hell outta me ... still, if it's for her ..."

He sits down, sweat pouring from his brow. Even in the prime of his age, he'd seemed to only have labored lightly in his time, unused to the sort of toil that had been demanded of him. But, in the four years that had passed ... he was already building up stamina. A roaring potential within had been awoken, and he was getting better, as he neared the end of his term ... unfettered as an ordinary man would by the extent of the work, and by the killing rays of the Sun above.

"Oy, Uncle - just three more years, right?! Three more years, and she'll be mine!"

His voice carried across the whole of the field - his spirit already lifted by that distant promise, that hope, that dream. There were promises given to him ... first by his father, then by

YHVH

the God of his people

, and now, by his own uncle. He'd have a family of his own, a double share, and a nation that would inherit the whole of the World ...

Those youthful words, unfettered by doubt, were the song of his soul. They were the song of the man who he was to become the father of a nation. It was the song of






Jacob
— ASSASSIN OF INHERITANCE —


Class: Assassin
Other Classes: Ruler (as Israel)
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Origin: Christian mythology

Height: 183 cm / 6'0''
Weight: 80 kg / 177 lbs

Attribute: Earth
Traits: Servant, Hominidae Servant, Male, Humanoid, Earth, Weak to Enuma Elish
Natural enemy: “Tch! Enemies?! Puh-lease ... who do I gotta be afraid of, except the Lord? I've been promised the whole of the world ... if anybody has a problem with me or my family, they can come and try me!” (In actuality: Laban, Esau, and himself)

STRENGTH: B	ENDURANCE: C
AGILITY: B+	MANA: D
LUCK: C	NOBLE PHANTASM: B

BOND 1
CLASS SKILLS



Presence Concealment: -
The capacity to hide one's presence as a Servant. It is a common Class Skill of the Assassin class.

Due to lacking any legends surrounding his use of "stealth", Jacob does not receive any ranks in this Skill - but is instead blessed with a multitude of Personal Skills.

"What the Hell do I need to hide for? If someone's got a problem with me, I'll take 'em on myself."


_________________________________________


BOND 2
PART I




Once upon a time, there was a man named Isaac, son of Abraham. His wife, Rebecca, was pregnant with two sons.

But before their birth, it had become apparent to Rebecca that there was already a war within her - a great conflict between brothers, deep inside the womb.

And when she had gone to God, and prayed with all her heart for guidance, she was told, in a great voice:

"Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the

Israel

one people

shall be stronger than

Edom

the other people

; and the elder shall serve the younger."

And when it came time for them to be born, the younger emerged - holding, in his hand, the

ʿaqev

heel

of the eldest, whose hair was red and all over his head, like a helmet. And for that, he was named

Yaʿaqōv

Jacob

- the "heel-catcher".

And as his father doted on his older brother, who would become known as Esau - his mother, Rebecca, fostered a deep and unyielding love for her adoring youngest child, who kept by her side. And all the while, Jacob watched his older brother - who was naturally stronger, braver. A true hunter. How many nights they'd eat of the venison he'd hunt, and how many nights Jacob would look on from the tent - coddled, always in prayer, always with his mother, cooking and keeping watch.

He wanted nothing more than to be "strong" - to be something to his father, and to his God. And, just from watching, he knew that Esau could not lead his father's people.

_________________________________________


BOND 3
PART II




Height/Weight: 183 cm ・80kg
Source: Christian mythology, Book of Genesis
Region: Middle East
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Gender: Male


It becomes apparent you in short order that this is decidedly not the Heroic Spirit of the Patriarch of the Twelve Tribes. At least, not the one known as "Israel". He seems ... too jumpy. Too uneasy. Too ...

Young.

"... what the Hell's on your mind, huh? You keep lookin' at me like I'm a leper, or something. What, do I have a stripe on my face?"

_________________________________________


BOND 4
PART III




So, tell me. You've gotta have heard about me, right?

What do people have to say about me in this day and age?


“... that you're a cheat, according to some. That one day, you were in your tent, making pottage.”

“Your brother, Esau, came home - and you saw he was starving. He said, 'let me have some of your red pottage' - and you told him, 'first, sell me your birthright'. And he did - right on the spot. And, not soon after that, your mother convinced you to trick your own blind and dying father into giving you his blessing, too. The one owed to your brother.”

...

“After that, you went out to your uncle's, in Haran. Your mother told you to. On the way, you were shown a vision of a ladder to Heaven - one that the angels climbed, and kept descending. God promised you a multitude of blessings, there. When you arrived at Laban's, you desired his daughter, Rachel. Seven years of servitude, and you can have it, he tells you. And you worked it. During the wedding feast, in the dark of evening, you go into the bride's tent - so you can consummate the marriage - but there, instead, is her sister, Leah. That is because Laban declares that the younger must not be married first. After much negotiation, you arrange to receive Rachel at the end of the wedding week - but you agree to work another seven years to pay off her bride price.”

... that's ...

“And so, you earned yourself two wives. But you preferred Rachel, and despised Leah - and so, God compensated Leah by making her fertile while Rachel remained barren. However, both sisters ultimately bore you many sons, and the twelve of them eventually become the tribes of Israel. Eventually, you would —”


Stop. Just ... stop! Is this, some kind of joke? Are you trying to get on my nerves on purpose?! Seriously!

I ... I loved my brother! So what if he felt I cheated him?! I still loved him! A-and Leah, too! Give me a chance to explain, okay?! You're making me out to be a real

scoundrel

kélev

, and you weren't even there to begin with! So what the Hell use is it to hear what garbage you're gonna beset me with next, if you don't even have the slightest clue how it all went down!

_________________________________________


BOND 5
PART IV




... Esau was a rough and tumble guy, sure. He was a good hunter. But he was ... 'simple'. Y'know what I mean?

I don't think he cared one bit if he was going to lead a nation or not. I think all he thought about was what was gonna be out on the plain, or on his plate. Hell, I grew up with him - and dad didn't see it. What kinda leader of a nation doesn't spend time to pray to God every now and then? He was ... thoughtless. And it stuck in my craw, that he'd go and inherit everything that our dad had built for us and our kids. Not just that, but a double share.

...

ima

Ma

told me everything, about what God said, by the time

abba

Dad

was on his way. How could she not? I ... I tried not to let it get to me, but it did. And, I thought about it. I thought real long and hard about it, and what that meant. And when

akhí

Big Bro

came home, and I was cooking, I just ... I saw it. The opportunity that I was waiting for.

What needed to happen happened, and I ... I don't regret that.

His gaze falls to the side, momentarily.


Laban, though - yeesh. Some uncle, huh? I mean ... don't get me wrong. Leah was ... she was pretty. But she wasn't ... damn it, do I really gotta say it? He cheated me. And it pisses me off! It wasn't right, and I took it out on her, sure. But what, was I supposed to ... kidnap Rachel? Steal her away? I'd be an outlaw to my own family - if I wasn't already!

...

I just wanted to 'get there', you know? To what I was promised. And I was thinking so far ahead ... I didn't know what else to do. And I kept quiet to Laban, because Rachel was ... Rachel was my everything. And I didn't want to lose that.

...

What the Hell's that look for?! What, you expected me to throw myself between her and Leah? And don't get me started on those handmaids - they hated me! And for what, because God shut off my own wives' wombs? Feh! If you ask me, he put me in that spot - and even if my kids turned out alright, I still had to do it! I didn't have a choice ...

... right?


A silence falls over the both of you.

In spite of his bravado, it seems you've exhausted his ability to talk meaningfully. And yet, he looks to you, as if seeking some sort of

forgiveness

answer

.

_________________________________________


BOND 6
PERSONAL SKILLS




Longevity of Genesis: C

A Skill representing the recordings of various ancestors in the Bible having lived 「far past the expiration date of an average human.」 When attached to a specific character, it can possibly allow for the body to age slower and the mind to retain more information. As a Servant, this Skill allows for the magical energy necessary to maintain Jacob's existence to be lessened. However, as Israel lived deeper in the Age of Man than, say, Abraham or Noah, the effects of this Skill are decreased.

The memory of Jacob, or at least the "man he was to become", remains in the minds of all of Israel. For it was his seed that became the Twelve Tribes, and it was by his myriad blessings that the nation of Israel would come to prosper. Furthermore, functionally, it acts to provide a sort of "unusual regeneration" - perhaps a sign of God's providence that he will "fulfill his duties".

By incorporating this unusual regeneration into his physical prowess, it allows Jacob to shrug off a great amount of damage, almost suitable to withstand an assault over the entire span of a night - or even work tirelessly for seven years without ceasing, as though it were only the passing of a few days.

It also seems that this Skill has a similar effect to the Independent Action Skill in the same Rank. Undoubtedly appropriate, for the Patriarch who was to spend a fateful night by his lonesome.


Jacob's Limbs: A+
An ancient method of hand-to-hand combat passed down from Jacob, to Moses, and finally to Martha. When mastered, one can even win against an Archangel. Legends say that any saint who masters this style could potentially destroy the 「Angel of Death」 who led a legion of 12,000 angels.

It is said that Jacob was born a master of grappling, holding his brother's heel in a devastating grip as he emerged from the womb - which became his namesake, and his birthright. From there, he became the progenitor of the art designed to "wrestle with the Divine", developing it to overcome his brother after realizing that his wrath would be upon him - especially if God should bring an angel upon him as punishment for his trickery. Notably, it is not a style based off "raw strength", befitting Jacob's nature compared to his elder brother - but one of "skill and applied technique", allowing for victory against even the strongest of opponents.

He would normally possess EX in this Skill, but he has yet to actually wrestle the 「Angel of Death」, gaining this Skill only by how tied it is to the Heroic Spirit Israel. At this point, he has not yet achieved the peak of his art.


Holy Trickster:A

A Skill which combines the functions of both Revelation at a rank of A, and Silver Tongue (the ability to speak persuasively and charm others with honeyed words) at a rank of C.

Because of Jacob's favored status by God, and destined status as the "father of God's chosen nation", he is able to receive frequent revelations to lead him to victory in all pursuits — as well as the charm and guile to successfully set these schemes in motion.

Trouble with Women: B
A type of awareness of the beauty of women that has been raised to a level of a curse.

Jacob had, both by direct marriage and by proxy, four women he "knew" and loved ... all of whom fought for his affections - causing him no end of grief during his life, as he displayed evident favoritism for one of his wives and her children in particular. In spite of this, it cannot be said he did not attend to his other wives - or that he did not find himself succumbing to their beauty.

"What ... ? What's the big deal?! God promised me my seed would found a nation ... surely, if I only had Rachel, she'd die, wouldn't she?!"

_________________________________________


BOND 7
NOBLE PHANTASM




Duplicitous Bowl of Exchange
Edom Nazid
Type: Anti-Unit
Range: N/A
Max. number of targets: 1



A Noble Phantasm representing Jacob's greatest feat of trickery, in which he traded a bowl of red pottage for his elder brother's birthright. In this way, it has crystallized itself into a wooden bowl.

Jacob (or his Master) may place anything physical inside this bowl that they currently possess (including things such as Command Spells). Subsequently, either Jacob or his Master may make an offer for a 「trade」 to any person or Servant for a conceptual object. This can include any Skill, Noble Phantasm or other conceptual belonging that the other party possesses (such as "knowledge", "Magecraft", "promises to surrender the Holy Grail to them", "Command Spells", etc.)

Should the target agree and take the offering, it will trigger an immediate and irreversible 「contract」, akin to a Geas, which transfers ownership of the agreed-upon item to Jacob or his Master. This does not diminish or reduce the cost of any Magecraft or Noble Phantasm that is exchanged - but merely transfers complete and total ownership of it over to Assassin (or his Master).

It should be noted, however, that this 「contract」 is not magical in nature - as it is a willing manifestation of a 「trade」. Thus, effects such as those of Rule Breaker cannot negate, reverse or destroy the effects of this 「trade」.

For whatever reason, Jacob seems somewhat reticent to make use of this Noble Phantasm.


Ascension Rush of the Patriarch
Jacob's Ladder
Type: Anti-Unit
Range: 1m~5m
Max. number of targets: 1



A brutal Anti-Divine technique, inspired by a vision given to Jacob by the Lord, revealing to him the obligations and inheritances of the people he was to father - in which angels continuously ascended and descended a ladder to Heaven. It is said that it is the 「ultimate technique」of the art of Jacob's Limbs, which he will come to execute against the 「Angel of Death」 who will come to wrestle with him.

With a swift initiatory strike, Jacob launches his opponent into the air - and perpetually elevates them with successive strikes with legs, fists, elbows and even headbutts - bringing them up the 「rungs of Heaven's Ladder」. The attack culminates in a grapple, which results in a devastating 「piledriver attack」, representing the 「fall of the Israelites to come」.

This attack, however, cannot proceed unless Jacob lands his initiatory strike - leaving him wide open to assault, should his attack fail to connect.

_________________________________________


BOND 8
PERSONALITY




LIKES
“What do I like? Well, for one thing, Rachel. I mean - I like all my wives, but ... I worked seven hard years for her, and seven more, and I couldn't be prouder to call her my wife! I like food, drinkin', eating, practical jokes ... oh! My kids, too! All of 'em! I wanna make sure they're strong ... especially little Joseph. Every time I look into his eyes, I just ..."
(He seems to pause.)
"... I wanna make sure he's happy. He's almost the youngest, since I know Rachel has another on the way ... but there's something about him that makes me wanna protect him most out of all of my kids, as his abba. That, and he's Rachel's firstborn, of course!"
DISLIKES
"My uncle ... dullards, cheats, liars. That's the most of it. Say what you will about me, but every time I try and be an honest guy, it just seems somebody comes around to try and make things worse for me. Sometimes it feels like God doesn't wanna give me a break ... and for that matter, I hate the outdoors! Travelling to uncle's was a pain, and it seems every open road is rife with danger. How my brother managed, I couldn't tell you one bit. The only time I ever felt at peace was when I felt God's presence beside me."
WISH FOR THE HOLY GRAIL
[He pauses.]
"... how about we say 'for my kids to be happy', and leave it at that, huh?"


Jacob is a far cry from

Israel

the man who he'd become

, bearing all the personal marks of iniquity that a youth like him could bear.

On the surface, Jacob is a naturally confident smooth talker and hard worker - rife with a sense of ambition and work ethic fostered by his assurance that him and his progeny will amount to greatness. Even if he takes shortcuts, it's always calculated. In such a way, it seems as though he is completely ignorant of his own wrongdoings towards others - justifying it and proclaiming it all part of 'God's plan' that he'd cheat, lie, and weasel his way through life towards victory. In all his manipulations, it becomes apparent that Jacob has been summoned as an Assassin because he is "a Hero who targets people at their weakest" - be it Laban who needed manual labor, his father Isaac in his blindness, or even Esau in his hunger or absence.

Deep down, however, Jacob feels he's never quite earned what he has gained, apart from his wives - and that he hasn't had a lot of control over his own path. The pressure of his mother and the plan of God for him to become Patriarch has left a sour taste in his mouth - having had his own idealistic vision of 'what a father of nations should be' dashed against the rocks by his own human failings, and by having to play the hand he was dealt with. Fundamentally, Jacob is not a 'bad person', but instead a man who feels an 'absence of alternatives' - a man who has not accepted the 'will of God' in his life. As such, for all that he has materially, he feels a deep and profound loneliness that cannot quite be satisfied until he reconciles himself with God.

Having spent most of his time with mother growing up, he secretly has a sensitive streak, especially around his children - and wishes to protect the youngest ones especially, as he's reminded of his own childhood weakness when he looks at them.

_________________________________________


BOND 9
RELATIONSHIPS




Martha
“W-what the ... ?! How'd this crazy looking woman learn my techniques?! Hey, lady! Those are for me and my kindred alone - if you keep showing off like that, you're going to give my tricks away ... !!”

Benjamin
“... where I'm from, you haven't been quite born yet. I can't wait to see you soon,

son

bén

... Rachel and I will take good care of you, I promise.”

Shimon Bar Kokhba
“「There shall come a star out of Jacob」 ?! W-wait a second, but you're not one of my kids! We're far too many generations apart ... even if you ARE really strong!”

Isaac
“Abba ... you're not upset with me, are you? I ... I don't know what you've heard, but I'm doing a lot better than you'd ever hoped. Please, won't you come and eat with your grandchildren, and meet my wives ... ?”

Judah
“... c'mon,

son

bén

. If what you're telling me is true, then I've got to see how well you've learned my techniques ... an opportunity like this is once in a lifetime!”

Joseph
[Without warning, Jacob suddenly and abruptly embraces the boy. He's ... crying.]
“... my sweet Joseph has become a man! Praise be to God, for he has made you truly a worthy successor to me ... ! Come, let us gather your brothers, and hold a feast in your honor! No, three feasts!”
[He seems completely and utterly oblivious to his son's true nature ... oh, the blindness of fatherly love.]

Esau
“... Akhí ... have you come to tussle with me? Even after I have given you such gifts, as a peace offering? I can't say I blame you, but ...”
[His face seems shadowed by a distant sense of guilt.]
“... let God decide who among us is worthy, then!”

Leah & Zilpah
“... two of my beautiful wives! Have you come to say hello to me ... ? Eh?! Zilpah... what's with that expression on your face? It looks like you've just swallowed poison ... y-you're not upset with me still, a-are you?”


_________________________________________


BOND 10
CRAFT ESSENCE







“... ima, this itches ... it itches all over, ima, and it smells! These goatskins ... are sure we have to?"

— "I ... I understand, ima ... if it is as God has foretold, then ..."

...

"Father, it is I, Esau ... I have done as you have bidden me ... "



In the arid heat of the desert, what is rightfully another's is stolen away.

_________________________________________


BOND 11
THE LONESOME NIGHT




[There you find him, alone. He stares out into a distant stream, as the Moon hangs over him. He does not speak, as you sit down beside him.]
... you come now, of all times, to bother me? To beseech me — and for what? To bother me with stupid questions? To test my resolve — is that it?

You're just like ... you're just like everyone else, Master. To you, I'm nothing but a damn source of work, aren't I? I'm supposed to be some sort of 'Hero', some 'Father of a Nation', so blessed and upheld by Elohim —

... and yet, what choices have I made? What am I - just a

yaʿaqōv

heel-catcher

, dragging everyone down with me?



[ ♫ ]

—Look ... I get it. You probably think I'm some kind of ... bastard.

I'll admit it ... I'm not a good brother. I'm not a good husband. I'm ... scared, Master. None of what I wanted in life has gone my way.

I don't know who to trust, or who to place my trust in ... I can't even talk to my Rachel about this. It feels as though God has forsaken me. And that no matter how hard I try ... I've never had the chance to do things 'the way I wanted to'.

Even with all of my gifts, and the blessings I will pass onto my children ... if you can't live to the sorts of standards you hold for yourself, what's the point? Am I just ... being tossed around by God?

... do you know what I'd wish for?

I wish that I could be forgiven.


I f God could tell everyone ... what my role was, why I had to do these things, what he wanted of me ... so that they wouldn't have taken advantage of me, or been upset with me ... then I'd be happy.

But ... but that's not how it goes, is it?

I ... if there was something that I could do, that God could just ... take away these feelings of mine, then that'd work too.

[You feel words that are not your own, bubbling up from within you ...]

But I can't ...

"... you can."

— Can what?

"You can trust in God."

— But ...

"But what? Even if your choices are your own, and they're not the best ... does God not sometimes use tragedy to bring forth what's necessary?"

...

"You can't control anybody's actions but your own, Jacob. And even still, those things that happened were necessary for what had to come - for you to become

Israel

the man who struggles with God.

If you want to be a good Patriarch ... you have to accept what God has given you, and what you have done - and move forwards."

... you ...

Master ... I have but one wish.

Let me ... let me see my God's face, and let me struggle with him. Just once ... just once, let me settle things with him, so that I may know his strength. And know, no matter what I do, that it is greater than my own.

Author's notes

I wanted to do a Jacob sheet for a while. I got inspired heavily after getting back into Fate stuff, and was directly inspired by a few different takes on Jacob - one of them as Assassin. It turned into a Lily Servant of Jacob, however.

I think, compared to his role as Patriarch versus his early exploits, much like how David went from shepherd boy to King of Israel, I wanted to focus on a theme of "coming into and accepting one's assigned role". Jacob goes from a trickstery guy as Assassin into his mature state as Ruler. Also, he's a wrestling genius because it's fucking kino.