Create-A-Servant 3

[Wyvern]

dammit I still have the whole page to read, good thing I already know of Koga's caster from months ago

also, yesterday I noticed and started wondering
wtf is up in Brazil? Wyvern, WF, Comun, pinetree, i think I missed another Brazilian here even
You all eat Talent for breakfast or something there?

We are VERY passionate people when we can be bothered to.

And now I have to work on half a dozen sheets to make up for lost time. Just kinda bummed out that the Hammer experiment didn't pan out very well.

[Kabalisto Koga]

We are VERY passionate people when we can be bothered to.

And now I have to work on half a dozen sheets to make up for lost time. Just kinda bummed out that the Hammer experiment didn't pan out very well.

Well when i think on the modern humen from Brazil i think of passionate people like also the Carnival in Rio as when you see Folk vestivals one can sense the spirit of the people .

other Question did you or others now loooked at the contest as voting wise are not much participation aswell as some servant feedback in general few there ?

[DelRey]

We are VERY passionate people when we can be bothered to.

And now I have to work on half a dozen sheets to make up for lost time. Just kinda bummed out that the Hammer experiment didn't pan out very well.

the quality this contest was again very high. The exceptionally long ones gained the most votes so far. Perhaps you could not sell the Class itself well enough, because the others dont know the concepts behind it like I do. But dw, it is a good sheet. I still believe in this class

[Kabalisto Koga]

Without being too attention seeking now , but i wonder as my Contest servants have until now get just few if any points if in contrast to the from the others how the Quality of my Contest servants are in relation to the others ? Is it the layout that in the last time had get attention bringing like a blinking Atvertisement sign ?

[NINE-lives]

How come there is no reviews for this new sheet?

[DelRey]

Top Creator Notes:

It is about music again! Click on the short quote right when the sheet starts, the bigger Noble Phantasm and the CE name. The CE itself is also more like a comic, click click click stuff. Cant trust sheets nowadays, huh?
Also needless to say, please read the stuff in order.

It is also another step in the evolution of my formatting. Best enjoyed on desktop tbh.

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“Music is enough for a whole lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.
But is your life worthy for music?
Is your music worthy to live for?
Can you live for it?
Would you die for it?
Could you kill for it?
Or...”



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"...is it to die for?"


"I greet you, Master. I am Avenger. My name is not of value and forgotten by most. But if you insist on uttering my name... it is Sergej.
Despite my Class, I am a harmless and useless Servant. If you want to discard me, then please do so quickly..."

A V E N G E R
of the Forgotten Piano
= Sergej Rachmaninoff =
__________________________________________________

Class	Avenger
Alternative Classes	***
True Name	Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff
Aliases	Rachmaninov
Origin	Russia, Historical Fact
Height/Weight	185cm/72kg
Alignment	Neutral Evil
Attribute	Human

STR	END	AGI	MAN	LCK
E+	C	D	B	D

Likes	reminiscing about his bright past and dark future, Russia, Tchaikovsky
Dislikes	sound of rain, laughter, himself
Talent	playing piano, gripping strength, spreading his mood
Natural Enemy	himself, Pyotr & Petrolina Tchaikovsky, Franz Liszt, Ashiya Douman
Armament	Box Cutter, which blades turn into piano keys
Catalyst	articles about his First Symphony

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< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- Class Skills -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >Class Skills

Avenger D
Class Skill of the Avenger class, representing the state of an Avenger as one that gathers people's hatreds and grudges onto oneself. It is easier for one to accumulate hatred and resentment. The rate of mana generation becomes higher when receiving damage.
Avenger gathers something worse than hate: pity and ridicule. At least that is what he believes.

Oblivion Correction E
Class Skill of the Avenger class. People are creatures that forget many things, but an Avenger never forgets. The critical effect of Avengers who attack from beyond one's memory is strengthened.
His failure was never forgotten, living on as an example of wasted potential. He will never forget the critique for his first symphony and how awful his creation sounded like.
But there are slights in his memory, even as an Avenger. When they happen it appears as if he hears a distant sound.
As a forgotten pianist, his attacks come as a surprise.

Self-Replenishment (Mana) B
Class Skill of the Avenger class. One's Magical Energy endlessly surges until their revenge is accomplished. Recovers a minuscule amount of magical energy every turn.
Surprisingly high for someone who gave up on proving his worth to the world.

< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- ⦾-- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >.< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- ⦾ -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >

"Huh? Holmes did you see that? You have to have seen that, right?!"
"Could be a bug again. I let Sion-san take a look at it."
"But the program would not initiate if it did not detect some obfuscation variables, you know? And he does not seem like I imagined him."
"O' great minds of history, is something amiss? You seem to be taken aback at my information? Oh I know, it has to be because of my low Class Skills.
O' woe is me, even as a Servant I can not escape my inadequacy. Please pardon my subpar skill ranks. I am most certainly the weakest Avenger in this bastion of humanity.
Ah why was I even summoned as one to begin with? I wonder..."
"You are a Ruler, do you see something?"
"Not really, but... I will keep an eye out."


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< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- Personal Skills -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >Personal Skills

Blessing of Bonoc B+
A Blessing of the Russian God Bonoc. Believed to be one of the major Gods of the Pantheon. He resides over chthonic aspects like water, earth, cattle, harvest and wealth; but also over arts like poetry and music.
Avenger can only thank him for not ending his life prematurely. He received a gracious blessing from him, awakening his slumbering artistic talents...from time to time.
Plus modifiers are applied to the exercise of music magecraft.

Golden Tone C
The musical equivalent to Soul Painting.
A musical ability to convey exactly what one feels. A sound from the heart directly to the soul of listeners.
Avenger's unacknowledged talent on the piano and his sorrow taken form in music.
The melody of his heart is a sad and tragic one. He shares his anguish with every note and the audience will live through the gloom he felt all these years.
He was someone once willing to end his life, creative block was too much to bear.
His music is dangerous to those who may consider the same.
Longer exposure to his music will lower the targets Luck Parameter.

Formless Potential A-
A Skill denoting one whose potentials remained unfulfilled before the world. The user's parameters will appear to fluctuate randomly, making them appear much stronger or weaker than they truly are. Their Skill names are also heavily obscured, while its ranks also fluctuate randomly akin to their parameters. The user can choose to divulge information on his true Skills and parameters with his Master at will.
Avenger had the potential to become a musical phenomenon in Russia, but the failed performance of his first symphony as an independent musician ruined his career.
Skill names are not obscured for allies and the fluctuations are not as strong as they should be for this rank.

< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- ⦾ -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- ⦾ -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- ⦾ -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >
"Okay, this rules out a bug, right? Could it be related to the last skill?"
"Could be, but we do not have enough information to say for sure. Something is hidden, only what? And what prevents us the insight?"
"It is not the first time we encountered Servants with Camouflage Skills. They popped up everywhere since Dagonet. Our systems should break through this."
"Ah Lady Da Vinci, Mister Holmes, I know I am already a burden here, but I would delight to drink some tea and -- oh are those my data? I see, you are planning to desummon me, am I correct? Of course, I apologize for wasting your time and space here. If you would at least allow me to say goodbye to master Pyotr and Petrol--"
"No no no no, we don't do that here, Sergej! We never tried to desummon a friend! Well, I tried once, but this little twinkle boy is just..."
"Rachmaninoff-san, are you by chance keeping something secret from us?"
"Ah, Mr. Holmes...your gaze permeates my soul like a winter breeze in Mother Russia. But please, look into my eyes. I promise I am not hiding anything from you! I am just me, a sad pianist. I lay bare the truth about my skills, despite my unsavory curse of the Formless Potential. I may have never reached my true potential, but all my abilities are for you to see...right?"
"..."
"Holmes?"
"I have heard enough. Da Vinci, let us put this case to rest, shall we? Sergej here never lied to us. You were looking for tea? I have a nice collection, let me get a Russian Tea for you. One second..."
"Lady Da Vinci...is something wrong with me?"
"Sergej...I don't know...but Holmes said we should rest this case. I think we just made a mistake somewhere. So do not worry! Go and try his tea. I deal with our buggy system, okay?"
"Very well..."


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< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- Noble Phantasm -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >Noble Phantasm

Pyesy Fantazii

Pieces of Fantasy, Bladed Piano Keys which were the Coda of my Life's Song

Avengers weapon of choice. The Box Cutter with which he tried to kill himself. A reminder of that rainy Sunday. Bonoc gifted him this weapon as a means of fighting as a Servant.
It also serves as his portable piano. The blades of this knife can spread out before him like piano keys. He can shoot them as projectiles at the enemy, but they are not really strong.
Even if parts are destroyed, he will always have enough to build a complete keyboard.

Prelyudiya do-diyez minor

Nostalgic Memories of Promise, I dedicate my wasted Potential to you

The Prelude in C-sharp minor was one of Avenger's works before the career-ending First Symphony premiered. They are the last traces of a promising future and now set to music the pain of living.
It starts off somber and sorrowful, but during the end it passionately erupts into a burst of his negative emotions, before it returns to the more slower tones, symbolizing his silent agony.
His Noble Phantasm is neither

Requiem for Death

a hymn in sympathy to a death god

nor

Dio Santissimo Misericordia de mi

a massive attack of bloodlust

, but a resonating well of unhappiness, which washes over the audience like a deluge.
The melody gnaws on the listeners Mana resources like a demon and lowers it by up to two ranks.
Because Avenger proclaims his sadness over the wasted potential he had as a musician, all skills related to music and "future successes" are sealed during the performance and all boons currently active are at least halved. With an unsuccessful Luck check they can be sealed sealed too.
Avenger can dedicate this piece to an ally and all the Mana that was sapped away is to a large part gifted to them. This is especially powerful if the target is either a musician or Russian. But the performance drains Avenger's Mana too and will leave him vulnerable afterwards.

"No, no, something is not right. It is my best work, why does it hurt me so much to play it? It is the last echo of my shining past, the proof that I was there before my sound was swallowed by shadows.
It is supposed to be my light...why am I aching? Why don't I hear it? Why do I hear people shouting? This sound...it is this sound again...are those...
Bells?
Aaahhh nooo, my head, it rings, it rings, it rings,..."

"And so it begins."
"Holmes, what is happening to Sergej?!"
"He unveils it himself. The facade of his life is crumbling. Even I do not know what will happen next. It is neither a Mental Schism, which reveals another Personality, nor a strong Distortion of a Faker or the act of a Pretender. Rachmaninoff-san never lied to us."



A L T E R - E G O
of the Dark Piano
= Sergej Rachmaninoff (Lily) =

"What? No, no, no, No, NO! I am not an Alter-Ego, I am the real one!
Ah! Thats it! Someone is hiding inside me, like with all the other Alter-Ego's here in Chaldea. Right, Holmes? Da Vinci? Who hides inside me?"
"I am sorry, Rachmaninoff-san. As a Ruler I can see it clearly now. You are indeed Sergej Rachmaninoff,
but you are not the true Rachmaninoff either."
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< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- Class Skills -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >Class Skills

Melancholia C
A Skill representing the state of the of the user as one that gathers his own hatreds and grudges onto oneself. It is easier for one to accumulate self-hatred and -resentment.
The rate of mana generation increases when mentally attacked and during self-harm.

Self-Replenishment (Blood) B
Granted through his connection with the Slavic God.
Through the gods influence Alter-Ego has an increased production of blood for self-preserving reasons.
When Alter-Ego was at his lowest point he attempted to kill himself by cutting his wrist. To prevent the loss of his vessel he granted him this strange boon.
With it comes a higher rate of Mana regeneration and therefore healing factor of bleeding wounds.

Oblivion Correction (Self) C
The user is someone who forgot, but from the depths oh their subconscious whisper memories that wish to see the light of day.
When hit by attacks, especially Mental interference Attacks, there is a certain chance that they can be heard, like a bell in the rain.

"It makes no sense! You have to lie! All of you! This never happened! I do not remember people cheering for me and wishing for encores! I never left Russia, I would never! This is..."
"Sergej, please calm down. We would never trick you! You are you now, does it matter that you are--"
"Please, no more..."

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< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- Personal Skills -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >Personal Skills

Formless Potential (False) B+
Alter-Ego believed in a false life. The hymn that played in his head was never his.
Through Veles' dark magic and authority over the underworld, he could pluck Alter-Ego's Saint Graph from the moment of his greatest despair and alter his memories to make him believe he lived a false life.
It diverged during his depression after his failed First Symphony Performance. Instead of seeking help through hypnotherapy and continuing his music career, Alter-Ego believes he continued to wallow in his sadness, never to compose or perform publicly again. During that time his depression was allowed to foster. But in those false memories, he still kept going, clinging on the fine underlying note that was his life, even if he himself did not wish to hear it anymore.
As a skill it acts as a Camouflage-like effect for himself and others. He does not realize that he is an Alter-Ego of the true Rachmaninoff. And while those familiar with his actual life know something does not add up, the god backing him prevents insight to his real skills.
Until the evening bell tolls.

Curse of Veles B+
A Curse of the Slavic god Veles, who took on his Russian name to better manipulate Alter-Ego.
He is the Ruler over the Underworld and several other chthonic aspects like water, earth, cattle, harvest and wealth; but also wine, oaths, dark magic, trickery and arts like poetry and music. His domain over wine is a deluded form of blood sacrifices for him.
Veles feeds on Alter-Ego's soul, at least a part of it.
The soul consists of many parts to form a whole, like organs form a body. Some organs can regenerate. One of those is the human creativity. It is endless, welling up inside some gifted individuals. It is what Egyptians called Ib, the heart of the soul, seat of emotions and the mind. Or more famous the concept of the Romans: The Genius.
Veles sustains himself by siphoning the creativity and emotions of his victims, throwing them into a pit of depression and writer's block. At the same time he is able to stimulate the soul so the victim receives an epiphany in short bursts, giving the illusion of a blessing. Their inspiration returns, only for Veles to suck it dry again soon after to strengthen his waning existence.

Last Gloomy Tone… B
Alter-Ego's unfulfilled talent as a musician and his suicidal tendencies, enhanced by the ploys of the Slavic god, take form in this skill.
He may have believed it is his own music which moves his audience to tears, but the truth is that it is Veles' doing.
The god cursed the pieces he plays so that they summon the dark spirits of the Slavic Underworld. They will roam the area of his performance and curse all listeners, while also lowering the Luck Parameter of all of them, the longer they are exposed to it.
The skill is named after the two most famous examples of this Curse inflicted upon musical pieces: Gloomy Sunday and The Last Sunday.
Gloomy Sunday is infamous as "The Hungarian Suicide Song", which according to urban legend drove around 100 people into suicide and was banned from radio for several decades.
The Last Sunday aka "Suicide Tango" was the most popular song in the interim war era of Poland and soon after Russia. But it's fate would be to be played by Polish Jews in Concentration Camps to see their own kind walk towards their death.
Further positive modifiers are applied when a blood sacrifice is given.

"It is...all a lie? I am a lie? The skills I have are a lie, the future I did not have is a lie, then what of me is true?
What is the point of my existence?! Is me being here even real? Is this all a phantasmal mania I see? Am I still in this room alone with the rain outside pouring?"
"Sergej, please, we are not your enemy! It is the Divine Spirit which lied to you."
"NO! Silence! I will not trust anyone anymore! This is all...pointless...I have to...play...I will show this world the only thing real about me!
MY PAIN!"

"Yes. Excellent. Now is the time. Show Chaldea and it's heroes your music."

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< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- Noble Phantasm -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >Noble Phantasm

Pyesy Fantazii

Pieces of Fantasy, Bladed Piano Keys which were the Allegro of my False Life's Song

It is mostly the same Noble Phantasm as before, but he uses it with more ferocity. While playing his despair and sorrow away, he does not care about his own anymore.
He does not notice the sharp edges of the blades anymore and often bleeds during his performances. This further triggers his Last Gloomy Tone... Skill.

Moskovskiye Kolokola

False Memories of Promise, Bells which never rang

The Bells of Moscow, the name given to Alter-Ego's Prelude in C-sharp minor by the audience. The first cords were believed to be inspired by the Kremlin bells. They were tolled when a political prisoner was executed.
According to some the piece is an adaptation of Alter-Ego's dream he once had. He saw a procession and a coffin in the distance. He walked towards it, the closer he gets the faster he approaches. He had the urge to open the casket and when he did he saw himself lying within it. It followed a realization of his own death.
But both are not true, yet now represent Alter-Ego's existence. False and tinged in death.
Similar to Curses of the Readers, a Curse of the Listeners was applied to this song. Perhaps it even influenced himself?
It had many other names as well, like The Burning of Moscow or The Day of Judgement. Each note he plays resounds through the aether like an evening bell.
The Slavic god who cursed his music will then begin to send out his dark spirits to gather parts of the listeners souls.
The spirits were sent before too. Were they invisible to him or did he choose to not see them?
They erupt from the earth below Alter-Ego like a well and roam Alter-Ego's improptu concert hall. Some gather together and form a shadowy piano around the crimson bladed piano keys.
Greedy spirits fill the sky and darken the atmosphere. They steal the listeners Genius and rob them of their creativity and emotions in form of Mana, leaving them weak and depressed, worst case suicidal.
Skills related to future and current successes are sealed, removing active bonuses. Especially Servants in young bodies are hit harder, because they often rely on the accomplishments of their older selves. They are also natural and rich sources in creativity and imagination. Veles himself stayed away from children on his own principles, but Alter-Ego can not control this ability like he can...
Contrary to the previous iteration, Alter-Ego will not dedicate this song to anyone. In fact it benefits no one except the Dark God Veles, who will gather all Mana for himself in the hope to prevent his own fear.

*ending notes*
"Ah...now I understand. Why do I feel pain while playing this? It is because I never liked this piece in my real life, was it not?
What have I become? Chaldea is now suffering, I have blood on my hands and I became a piano key for a scheming god. How low can I sink?
Veles? Are you happy now? I am not...nor will I ever be..."
"Happiness? Perhaps. Relief. Yes. You served me well, be pleased with my gratitude. I have what I wanted, after all those years. I got my revenge. My goal was accomplished."
"Your revenge? Your goal?"
"You suffered, you were in pain, you felt the dread of identity. We are even, almost. I am satisfied. Further would make me like it. And my goal is now accomplished. I owe gratitude to you and Chaldea. I shall return soon as thanks, with the last punishment to make it just."

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< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- Quotes and Relationships -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >Quotes and Relationships

“I feel like a ghost wandering in a world grown alien. As if the rain on that day washed away my reality. But...what is real anymore? I believed I was a man with no talent, no inspiration and no future. It was the opposite, yet now it is the truth. But...perhaps...I have a present in this strange place. Perhaps there is a role for me, among the greatest of mind, bravest of warriors, but also the vilest of people and counterfeits of glory.
I may be the copy of a blueprint, but what if I can grow? Perhaps that young man was right.
Maybe I can become...at least equal to the original. Will I then feel worthy of my name and place here?"

Antonio Salieri:
"I feel a kinship with you. Tell me, are you still you or the Gray Man?"

Lew Tolstoy:
"You dragged me deeper into the abyss. Was my music so terrible? Was I so unworthy of your time?"

Alexander Scriabin:
"My friend, you live! Yet...I...do not know if we are the actual people who once met. We were young back then. What has happened to you? What god took hold of you? I wish mine granted me inspiration like yours, but...at what cost?"

Franz Liszt:
Both have a complicated relationship. There is a mutual respect and adoration for the other's work, but their philosophies on life greatly differ. Life-affirming against self-deprecation do not mash together that well after all. It also does not help that both compete as the most famous pianists with the largest hands in their field. Both spanning broad was enough to play a 13th. (This means they had a hand span of more than 28cm or 11.2 inches. The average hand length for men is 7.44 inches or ca. 19cm.)

Fakers, Pretenders:
"So you all play other persons? And your prior summoning is the reason why Chaldea's system noticed my lived lie? I will never be able appreciate you. I just want to be me, no not me, the real me. Knowing I am false and that the truth lived a better life than me is...you destroyed my fragile world and mock it with your existence. Stay away from me. Do not listen to me, or I will play an Allegro that dooms the rest of your life."

Pyotr & Petrolina Tchaikovsky:
"Master, I am so sorry...so sorry. I was not only a bad pupil, that wasted potential and your time, but also a bad friend; a bad human to not have noticed your inner pain. You must have hurt not being your true self? I now understand all too well..."

Ashiya Douman:
"Cursed Existence, your presence alone is like a dark cloud. I have heard, you are a Pseudo-Servant of yourself? And part of you is this thing...
Stay away from me at all costs."

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< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- Lore and Background -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >Lore and Background

The Sergej Rachmaninoff before us is real and not real at the same time. A strange existence, a poor soul which was unfortunate enough to be born with incredible talent, which aroused attention from a desperate god.

Rachmaninoff was a legendary Russian composer and pianist and became one of the most influential musicians of his time, and one of the most acclaimed pianists of the 20th century. Nowadays he is hailed as the greatest pianist of all times.
He was born in April 1873 in Novgorod, Russia to a noble family and enjoyed a happy childhood. He studied music with his mother from age 4; continued at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, and then graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1892, winning the Great Gold Medal for his new opera "Aleko", a great and rare honor.
He was highly praised by his idol Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who promoted Rachmaninoff's opera to the Bolshoi Theater in 1893. But the disastrous premiere of his 1st Symphony, poorly conducted by A. Glazunov, coupled with his distress over the Russian Orthodox Church's pressure against his marriage and the death of Tchaikovsky caused him to suffer from depression.
The real Rachmaninoff suffered from it and writer's block for three years, before seeking help from Nikolai Dahl. His hypnotherapy helped him recover within only three months. Rachmaninoff then composed one of his greatest works, his 2nd Piano Concerto, and dedicated it to him.

But it was during those three years, in which the story diverged for Alter-Ego.
His bottomless talent was born from great creativity, which attracted Veles.
A lingering presence in the world, which was desperate to stay his true self. Veles was once known as Chernobog, but Chernobog is not known as Veles. Chernobog is a description of one side of a conflict between gods. "The Black God" Chernobog and "The White God" Belebog were names for various opposing gods in the vast Slavic realm, most famously between Veles and Perun, the god of thunder and the sky.
Future reconstructions of the Slavic Mythology led to the construction of a separate existence that is only "Chernobog" and became the most famous Slavic Deity across the world. A god was born which was not of Gaia, but of Alaya, from mortal belief that this god once existed. It's fame overshadowed Veles in recognition and worship among pagans. Then through their inherit connection...Veles was in danger.
Veles was at the brink of being absorbed by this entity known as Chernobog. The real god was threatened to become a mere aspect, an Alter-Ego of a false thing born from misunderstanding.
With the Age of Gods long gone, Veles was weak and was forced to strengthen his individual existence through other means. As a god of the underworld he had authority over souls, so he could feed on them to sustain himself. But this act of actively killing humans for his gain would make him similar to the Slavic "God of all Evils", accelerating his absorption into the Core of Chernobog. So he did not kill any humans, but sucked out the parts of the soul, which can heal itself - the Genius, their creativity and imagination, the well where art is born. That they were tied to their emotions and that it would lead to depression was just collateral damage.
When Veles noticed the young man with endless talent...
His lingering presence alone is enough to bring bad luck upon the people and Rachmaninoff felt it. He is part of the reason he well into depression. But when the devout orthodox christian began hypnotherapy, he met the weakened Divine Spirit in his mind and expel "the devil" from his soul. Veles swore vengeance for this insult. At Rachmaninoff's lowest he even prevented his early demise and that is how she shows gratitude?
After his recording in the Throne Veles could use his abilities to take his Saint Graph from the time when he still lingered within him and alter his memories to a point, where it split from the real Graph. After the bleaching of the Earth Veles had no new "batteries" to sustain himself from the lack of humanity. But there was one human bastion rich in Mana that could finally save him.
During the time of the year when the fabric between life and death is weakened, Veles let Alter-Ego be summoned and inhabit him once again to feed. And when he was finally full of emotion and inspiration, he could use his Noble Phantasm to finally gather enough Mana through converted imagination to gain proper independence from the artificial god.

Rachmaninoff perceived himself as an Avenger not because he felt the urge of vengeance,
but because his existence itself is an act of revenge.
Him realizing he is an Alter-Ego helps prevent the god of becoming one.
He was the unfortunate means to an end. Mortal suffering to prevent divine suffering.
The legends about his famous music, which is now his Noble Phantasm, are the fitting blueprint for his manifestation.
Rumors, which were never true, but are now seen as real mirror the character of the Rachmaninoff, which never was, but now is.
But now Alter-Ego is free from the god, his purpose fulfilled. The god's influence remains, but now he can be himself.
His own being, with his own new life as a Servant.
What will he do with his new found life?

So what will you do, Rachmaninoff-san? Like Master said, you really did make this sunday pretty gloomy, even for many upbeat Servants, but in the end, no real damage was done to us. Our Mana Generators are running hot today to balance out the loss all our friends sustained today, but we will manage."
"Sergej, we invite you as well. You are not the only Alter-Ego here. But we do not treat them as less than the real one, they are full individuals with the same rights and respect. Please stay."
"We can claim the System of the Mana Generators had an error and was tainted, leading to the bad moods we all experienced. This just happened while you were playing."
"I appreciate it. I think I will stay. But no, I am done living a lie. I will be honest and tell them it was my own rage that ruined the day.
For now I just need time alone...and a piano if possible."
"Of course! I can even custom-build you one! How about one which fits your gigantic hands?"

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< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- Craft Essence -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >Craft Essence

The First Gloomy Sunday
(click too)

It rains again. Ah...what is it that one of the most beautiful melodies in the world is the simple sound of rain? So calming, so nostalgic. But it also sounds so lonely...a prison of rain around me to condemn me in my cell of solitude. If only my companion was not myself. Oh my dear homeland, are you mocking me with this melody like everybody else out there?

Yes...even nature itself laughs at me still. The gazes still haunt me, the words still hurt me...but when they stopped it wounded me.
Ah...what is the point? What place in this cold world for a pianist that can not play anymore?
"Yes...what is the point?"
I heard my knife whisper. For months now I heard the small blade sing songs of death and release. It's symphony was my lullaby at night and my morning kiss at dawn. Perhaps, today is the day I will make you my muse? No...it is...

The pain...how can pain bring such ecstasy? Bore deeper and sing to the rhythm of my spilling blood, inspire me for one last play. I feel the relief, like shackles fell from my tired back. I am filled with inspiration as blood spills from this cursed man's body. Was it life itself that held back my music? The deeper the metal glides into myself, the more I feel the forgotten inspiration to play.

No! I can not take it any longer! You served me well, my muse! But you are no longer needed. I need both hands to play my last piece...my...swan song! Away and bear witness to Rachmaninoff's last notes played on this rainy sunday!

Long have I forgotten how it feels to let my hands run free among the keys. My fingers play like children on a playground, frolicking and their laughter are my final notes. Despite my body growing cold, I feel a warmth in my heart. Am I still me? Am I still the protegee I was celebrated as a boy? Hear this melody? It sounds so divine so flawless, so...

...ah. A wrong note. Of course. Fool I was to believe I could change. I will stay the failure that I am until the end. My fingers cramp, guess playtime is almost over my friends...

I begin to feel tired. The melody sounds worse and worse. What a better fitting end than to hear my own botched music again? I wish I could cry, but I can not anymore, even if I wanted to. The well of my genius and tears ran dry long ago...soon it is over. I have to...find some ending notes...
...
I am so sorry...what have I done? Playing and dying all by myself...is so lonely...
Please...anyone...I do not want to die...I just want to kill this memory, this part of me...I...

"It is not your time yet. Let the underworld wait a little longer...Your creativity is like this rain, Sergej. An unending well which sustains the fields."
That is the last thing I heard before sleep embraced my eyes.
...
I woke up next morning, no blood, no knife.
Was it a dream? Was that...me?

__________________________________________________
< - ⪻ - ⪡ - ⫷ -- Notes -- ⫸ - ⪢ - ⪼ - >Notes:
Thats a weird one, huh? I could finally create that guy, I wanted to do him since Liszt, but I lacked ideas after reading about him the first time. Ironic, because now I have so much stuff about him. I admit this is almost more like an OG or an end to some means to use an obscure Slavic God and to namedrop two fascinating pieces of music, the Gloomy Sunday and Suicide Tango. I actually like to listen to the latter from time to time.
If I could have participated in my own contest, this would have been my entry I guess.
Most inspiration came actually from the CE. It uses a short fanmade comic of Levi, used most of it and added another pic at the end. Erwin now is Veles I guess?. Other pics in the comic were just how levi's parents scream at a beat up version of him as a kid and him in a hospital bed, getting a "goodbye kiss" from Erin.
Who would have thought I could use that badass anime guy for a depressive russian pianist?
Special thanks to Morg for preventing me to make him a super edgy servant. Like super edgy. The servant went through so many different concepts, I fear it is too forced and is a second Florence Foster Jenkins for me, which I regret later. And dont ask about the formatting. I can not see red anymore, because his was the prototype and today I have seen it so many times to check the aesthetic, i think the colors look ugly again

Oh and you might wonder why both main NP played the same piece? Actually the Alter-Ego version is the real one. As real as it can be, because Rach was the first big league pianist of whom recordings exist. We know he is the greatest pianist, because we actually now how he plays. The recording is hundred years old now. It is incredible, imagine hearing Liszt play Liszt, who was hailed in the same standard back then or Mozart play Mozart.
I cant recommend his music enough, it is really good. But perhaps...you wont have heard the last of him here? :umu:

[Baron Magnus]

I can't say it was any one thing that did him in. It was a pretty high quality servant sheet and I liked it. However the same can be said of every entry. He was in fact in my top considerations. It's just that those three and one other eeked out ahead, for me personally. I can't speak for anyone else of course.

[DelRey]

Now I can take a quick look over the newest servants:

Santa Muerte: There she is, was it actually planned to release her during halloween season? I really like the Presence of Life skill, it is weird, but makes sense at the same time. I quit like it.
The theoretical concept of Soul Decay is really good and explains all the spooky stuff around the world. I personally dislike that you made Santa Muerte an embodiment of all kinds of mythological death. Namedropping valhalla, weighing of the heart, etc. I do not think this is actually needed and mostly boils down to the "meta" of mythologies everybody knows, disregarding others on one side and on the other when you want to do another death related entity from another region, you wrote yourself into a corner, because well, their aspect is taken up completely. but that is just my opinion to reach too strongly into a big concept across the world.
Else her third NP is damn OP, but fitting of a grand. Explains your recent comments on "oh shit a Grand, Im gonna die."
the typical in-depth Fortuna experience that teaches you something new and concepts that could very well be canon. Nice stuff.

[NINE-lives]

Rachmaninov: holy shit that CE is edgy! I still don’t quite get it. I guess Rachmaninov was cursed by veles to have his creativity taken away.

[Kabalisto Koga]

Rachmaninov : Well that was somewhat scary and creepy the music and i don't know if you noticed it self Delrey you made basically a Forreigner servant outside the Particular class in build up and that you used the connection to the Slavic mythology were unexpected ,especially as i atleast from one side have Slavic ancestors must i admit well done as i had really a uneasiness.

As you are quite adept in musician servants have you tipps and hints for a Richard Wagner servant ?

[RoydGolden]

"You have questions, yes? A burning curiosity you'd give anything to know the answer to... well, worry not wanderer for I shall grant what you seek. The only price I ask...

...Is your peaceful dreams."

Watcher of the Dark Oracle:

Appearance:


True Name: Trophonius

Alternate Classes: Berserker, Caster, Assassin

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Strength- E-
Agility- B
Endurance- EX (D within his Noble Phantasm)
Mana- A
Luck- D
NP- EX

Personality

A bitter and spiteful person. Watcher bears a deep hatred to his father the god Apollo for not helping him and his brother when he called out to him on that fateful day. He's a selfish person whose unable to accept his own guilt over his brother's death but continues to lash out at everyone around him.

Watcher takes a sadistic pleasure in tempting humans with answers to their burning questions only to torment them with madness. He believes the true nature of humans to be overwhelmingly pitiful as rather than struggling for the answers to the questions they seek themselves they merely pray to the gods to grant it to them (oblivious that he himself is little better). Watcher finds that bullying humans and driving them to madness is one of the few pleasures that allow him to temporarily escape the memory of the shameful weakness that defined his legend.

Watcher truly loved his brother Agamedes and the guilt from his death is what rendered him such a broken and bitter person. As such, while he claims his reason for attaining the Grail would be to get revenge on his father Apollo by plunging the world into a neverending nightmare, his true wish is simply to reunite with his brother and say "I'm sorry" from the bottom of his heart.

Likes: his brother, nightmares
Dislikes: Apollo, kings, humanity expecting him to grant their prayers
Talents: offering half-truths, psychological torture
Natural Enemy: King Hyreus, Merlin, Apollo

Class Skills:

Territory Infringement- B-
Denotes the ability to slip into an occupied territory without being noticed, bypassing any manner of barriers that'd bar entry. It's the hallmark of the Watcher Class who are defined by being able to observe anywhere undetected. Watcher's version is strengthened by the anecdote where he and his brother schemed to infiltrate the king's treasury using the weak-points they'd constructed to pilfer his riches there.

However as Watcher was ultimately caught in the ruse thanks to the king's diligent inspection and only escaped by sacrificing his brother, this Skill receives a - modifier. While he can enter most any territory unnoticed, even disabling security systems and Bounded Fields meant to keep out intruders, there's a high chance his presence will be detected when attempting to take action. A kind of curse.

Magic Resistance- C+
Confers protection against magical effects. At this rank spells with a chant below two verses are cancelled. Cannot cope against the likes of High Thaumaturgy or Greater Rituals. Having no anecdotes of encountering or combating magic in life Watcher's resistance is nothing special amongst Servants. However a son of Apollo who became venerated as an oracle after death, Watcher obtains greater defense against light and fate-manipulating spells.


Personal Skills:

Familiars (Bees)- A
Watcher can summon endless amounts of familiars in the form of ghostly dark bees, his patron animal at the Oracle of Trophonius. These bees comprise his usual "body" as Watcher is unable to manifest in the physical world with his real body. Watcher can freely glean anything his bees see as well as directing them to attack his foes, in which case their sheer numbers are capable of harassing even a Servant while a normal human will be easily swarmed to death.

Daemonic Existence- EX
Having ascended to the level of Daemon after death, Watcher is a spirit that personifies an abstract concept. In this case he passively agglomerates the "questions" and "wishes" of those around him and grants them, even at the cost of driving the requesting to madness. Closer to a phenomenon than a physical being, akin to a certain Night of Wallachia.

This Skill serves as a curse that keeps Watcher from acting directly in the World, while also protecting him from most harm due to his ambiguous body. Humans looking at Watcher will see a vaguely humanoid swirl of darkness showing shards of their memories floating within. His only distinguishing features are a tuft of blonde hair and pair of piercing green eyes to testify that he was once a man at all. Conversely mindless observers like security cameras will be unable to perceive Watcher's presence altogether. Offensively physical blows simply pass through Watcher, merely disrupting his body that easily reforms while magical attacks have more of an effect but only temporarily incapacitate. Only Conceptual Weapons specifically designed to counter the concepts Watcher embodies are capable of permanently destroying him.

However this Skill doesn't apply to Watcher's "true" body within his Noble Phantasm, in which case he only possesses Endurance at rank D.

Madness Swallows Madness- EX
A Skill Watcher possesses as patron of the Oracle of Trophonius, which was said to grant the burning questions of those who came to it in return for madness. Watcher is untouchable to even the highest level of mental interference attacks, as they're merely swallowed up and overwhelmed by the greater "madness" he embodies and nurtures within him. Conversely Watcher's very presence is a mental interference of the highest order, assaulting those who glimpse him with feelings of fear, confusion and unease.

Noble Phantasm

Spílaio Trofóniou

Cave Of Nightmares

Rank: EX

Type: Anti-Mind

"Ufufu... you humans are all the same way. Your pitiful curiosities lead you into my grasp just like insects chasing a ravenous fire. Now enjoy being confronted by horrors, nightmares and maledictions beyond reckon. And, should you prove worthy to make it to the end, perhaps you'll see the answer to that precious question of yours. I wonder, will it herald hope, or despair...?"

The legendary Oracle of Trophonius erected for Watcher after his death. According to myth those seeking answers would drink from two rivers called

Lethe

Forgetfulness

and

Mnemosyne

Memory

, then descend into a special cave to undergo a psychic trial. There they'd experience nightmarish visions and come back frightened senseless having totally forgotten what they'd seen. Finally the consultee was to be seated upon a chair of Mnemosyne, where the priests of the shrine would record their babblings and compose an oracle of them.

Normally a tangible territory Trophonius could reproduce by securing the leylines of his surroundings, in the Watcher Class this Noble Phantasm has taken a new form to better reflect its title "Cave of Nightmares". Invisibly encompassing the domain of an entire city, it automatically ensnares anyone who feels "burning questions". This can be anything from wanting to know the whereabouts of their long-lost brother to the identity of a rival Servant in the Grail War or even a more vague yearning to know what the future holds. Regardless, this Noble Phantasm does nothing until someone with a burning question falls asleep, in which case they're drawn inexorably into Watcher's Cave like moths to a flame.

Once snared, the target "wakes up" to find themselves in a vast and damp cavern with winding tunnels seemingly leading in every direction. This is no mere dream but actually Watcher's Noble Phantasm that only exists within the realm of dreams. Only their soul is captured so the target's body will merely appear in a deep sleep to the outside world, though those with a magical sense can tell something subtly off. If they want to escape and gain the answers they seek the target will have no choice but to navigate the cavern and reach the center.

However that is no easy task. As well as plumbing its labyrinthine depths they'll be confronted by horrific illusory visions showing regrets from their past and fears of the future, as well as having to fend off water-serpents and Watcher's bee familiars. If they succeed in making it to the heart of the cavern they'll be faced with Watcher himself, with his Daemonic Existence Skill sealed making him vulnerable to regular attacks. Upon defeating him they'll be shown an answer to their question (if such exists) and be returned to reality. Conversely and true to the old wives' tale if they die they'll perish in real life as well.

This Noble Phantasm only lasts for as long as a normal sleeping period so when that ends the target will wake up normally and be freed from the Cave. However they won't have any clear memories of what they went through and only remember having a horrible dream. Any humans caught in this Noble Phantasm will also siphon a modest amount of Mana to Watcher, bolstering his own supply in return for potentially instigating a rash of mysterious coma-cases all across the city. The effects of these deprivations are mostly unnoticeable should the target survive except for resulting in some mild weakening and fatigue the next day.

Servants don't need to sleep so they won't normally be drawn into this Noble Phantasm unless they're aware of its true nature and willingly let themselves, in which case they can just by slipping into spiritual form. Thus its powerful for separating Masters from Servants and making it easy to pick the former off. The primary weakness of this Noble Phantasm is that Watcher's true body is located inside the Cave beyond the waking world, so if he's killed there he'll be permanently defeated and removed from the Grail War.

Servants with the ability to interfere in dreams and appear places they shouldn't like a certain Incubus may also be able to enter this Noble Phantasm without fulfilling the proper condition.

---

Day two of the edgy Light FCs commence. I was mainly inspired to write this guy up by his portrayal in Riordan's The Dark Prophecy which was how I found out about him at all. This is my first try at the Watcher Class too. I considered others like Caster or Avenger but ultimately decided it was the most fitting to represent this aspect of him. Also a very unusual NP that basically mocks the purpose of a standard Grail War (straightforward clashes between Servants) but since Watcher is meant as an anomalous Class I thought it'd make sense.

Might write up a lighter Caster or Assassin version of him sometime since there were interesting bits of his legend I couldn't work in here. As usual comments and critiques would be welcome. Thanks for reading!

[NINE-lives]

3 Ridiculously edgy sheets in a row! Lets see if someone can keep it up and make a fourth ridiculously edgy sheet!

[RoydGolden]

3 Ridiculously edgy sheets in a row! Lets see if someone can keep it up and make a fourth ridiculously edgy sheet!

Hah, admittedly it did occur to me that this entry was one of my most fitting for Halloween what with the "nightmare" theme.

[MalacodaZero]

I think all of the servants posted today seem pretty swell to me, I think I like watcher the most as his first personal skill makes me think of the famous scene in Wickerman with Nick Cage and the bees lol

[Lady Vanatos]

Sergej:

Bruh, give me yer creative juices you use to make these sheets. I demand your juice

[NINE-lives]

Maybe we should all release our dark and edgy sheets over Halloween and post all our “cute” and “sweet” sheets over Christmas.

[Kabalisto Koga]

Maybe we should all release our dark and edgy sheets over Halloween and post all our “wholesome” and “sweet” sheets over Christmas.

Well then i should finish and work on my Remainer of Darkness and that certain Guardian .

[Spammin Spiff]

Funny enough, I only have one somewhat "dark and edgy" servant and I'm taking my sweet time with it (I've been doing little bits and pieces for months now), so it probably won't be done anytime soon. However, I do hope to get about one or two "non-spooky" sheets done this weekend.

[pinetree]

Ater-Ego Rachmaninoff: Damn, DelRey really came here just to prove he could've won his own contest. Ruthless.

[Wyvern]

Rey's style has evolved into a Mr. Perfect Cell amalgamation of all the creators' good stuff. His own collapse magecraft + my tables + the coloring and font use of Frenzy. Who knows how many others strains went into making this chimera that threatens to put us all out of business!