Hey everybody! I admit, I hit a wall as of late with these and this one might have a biiiiiiit more wank than ideal. But I've just been kind of enraptured with this figure, seeing as she is - despite her youth as a Heroic Spirit - probably one of Russia's greatest historical figures, so...
Here we go, I guess?
“I ask you, are you the one who has summoned me forth? [...] Oh, wonderful. Truly WONDERFUL. Oh, thank you so, I could kiss you, I am sooooo- ohoho, you are aware my eyes are up HERE, yes? [...] Oh, you are just too precious, love. Ocharovatel'no, hehehe. Oh! Introductions, ofcourse. My name is Catherine II of Russia! But you may also call me ‘Vsadnikr. Alternatively, you may call me… any time~”(Source)
True Name: Catherine the Great (Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst)
Class: Rider
Gender: Female
Other Qualifying Classes: Saber, Caster, Ruler
Title: Empress of Love; The Star of the North
Armament: A saber.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Country of Origin: Russia
Source: Historical Record (1728-1796)
Likes: Love, Russia, Chinese pottery, intellectualism
Dislikes: Rumours of her death, dissent
Talents: Championing the arts, reform
Natural Enemies: Her mother, Peter III of Russia, Caesar Augustus
CV: [EN] Carrie Keranen (Satsuki Kiryūin, Kill la Kill)
[JP] Ryoka Yuzuki (Yamanaka Ino, Naruto Shippuden)
Parameters
- Strength: D
- Endurance: B
- Agility: C
- Mana: C
- Luck: B
- Noble Phantasm: A
Class Skills
Magic Resistance
Grants protection against magical effects. Differing from the Resistance effect that merely rejects Magical Energy, this ability cancels the spells altogether.
- D+: Cancels Single-Action spells. Magic Resistance of the same degree of an amulet that rejects magical energy. Ranks Up against ice and snow-related spells and abilities.
Riding
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.
- (A) A+: All vehicles and all creatures up to the level of Phantasmal Beast and Divine Beast can be used as mounts. However, that does not apply to members of the Dragon Kind. Ranked Up due to her Imperial Privilege.
Personal Skills
Charisma of Absolute Freeze
A composite Skill consisting of a person's charm as well as the natural talent to command or unify an army or country. Increases the ability of allies during group battles. A special Charisma that circulates only among those of Tsar blood.; it is through this that the power of Matushka Rossiya can be accessed by a Heroic Spirit.
- A: Can be said to have achieved the greatest level of popularity as a Tsar of Russia. Her ability to channel and be a conduit for Matushka Rossiya is so great it has crystallised into a Noble Phantasm of an equivalent Rank.
Golden Rule (Wealth & Body)
A rare Skill that combines two kinds of Golden Rule: the measurement of one’s fortune to acquire wealth; and possession of a natural and perfect goddess-like body, preserving beauty.
- B: It was under Catherine's tsardom of Russia that it went from a backwater nation to achieve the great dream Peter the Great had envisioned, as a rich and influential powerhouse in art, culture and military scope. Catherine was also famed for her incredible beauty, and the rigorous care she took of her body in her prime. The Empress of Love could not be any less than both beautiful and resilient, after all.
Imperial Privilege
An ability that, due to the insistence of the owner, Skills that are essentially impossible to possess can be obtained for a short period of time. In cases when the Rank is А or above, even the "burden to the body" can be acquired (such as Divinity)
- B: For Catherine, these skills include swordsmanship, Intrigue, Incitement, Persuasive Orator, Eye for Art, Natural Born Genius, Workshop Creation and more.
Magecraft
Knowledge about modern Thaumaturgy.
- C: While a largely self-educated mage, is adept in Jewel Magecraft and, thanks to her Matushka Rossiya Noble Phantasm, Elemental Magecraft 9specifically combining the elements of Water and Wind to create Ice Magecraft). (In life, Rider’s innate potential to cast Magecraft was unique among her family and a secret she had to keep. Even from her lovers. The only man who ever knew was Frederick the Great, who, on that fateful meeting when she was but little Sofia, privately encouraged the pursuits of her talent.)
Noble Phantasms
Spoiler:
Personality
Anyone who has had the privilege of speaking to Rider outside of combat will tell you that she is, above all else, a remarkably intelligent and well educated woman. She LOVES to discuss the arts, theatre, music and philosophy in great depths with any ears willing to listen; the thrill of a debate of ethics just as much a joy to her as a slow waltz on the ballroom. Catherine has a sly and mischievous side as well in stark contrast to how shy and soft-spoken she was as a child; emboldened by her changing fortunes and the escape from her mother’s and husband’s shadows.
Rider is also a very ambitious woman, however. When she sets her mind to a goal, she will commit to it with fervour and zeal until it has succeeded. Anyone who gets in her way? She will not hesitate to use whatever force or trick at her disposal she has necessary to quell them. She is deeply proud of herself in every regard - her successes, her beauty, her Skills and her victories - but she can also be scathingly critical of herself on even the smallest of things. Such as her writing. She definitely feels like she needs someone to spice up her non-existent plot threads and the lack of intrigue in her scripts.
While many stories about her private life were exaggerated after her death, an attempt by her political rivals to vilify and sully her image, it is not entirely untrue that Rider is as much a lover as she is (if not more so than)a fighter. She is deeply enamoured with the very concept of love itself. She is a vigorous, flirty and enthusiastic lover that many would diagnose as a “nymphomaniac”, but the term does not bother her. It is, after all, one of the strongest and most intimate ways to show someone that she adores them. And although she may flaunt her beauty and has a streak of promiscuity, she truly does adore anyone who’ll let her into their heart and vice versa; showering them in gifts, praise and doing whatever she may to make them happy. But whatever you do, do NOT bring up the rumour about her death involving a horse. You will die. And you will deserve it.
If there was one regret from her life? It is that she relapsed in her later years from the progressive champion of liberalism and equality to the same authoritarian, stagnant beliefs as many a Russian ruler before her. In doing so, she strained her family and, in the long run, further contributed to the mindset and entitlements that led to the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
If she could have just one wish upon the Holy Grail? It would be a chance to fix her mistakes. To go back and commit fully to the widely adored and beloved queen she had been at the start of her reign. To maybe save Russia from the bloody history she helped to write..
Relationships
Peter the Great: A deeo admiration for the great legend. If only her foolhardy manchild of a husband were more like his namesake…
Frederick the Great: “They call me ‘the Great’. But I say where most look to Alexander? You, dyadya, are the man to whom all Greats must be compared. Blagodaryu vas… for everything.”
Joanna Elisabeth or Elizabeth of Russia: “You… you do not control me, anymore.”
Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova: “O-Oh… Oh my dear sweet podsnezhnik.” (sniffle, sob) “I am so sorry. I- I am so- so sorry…” (hugs tightly)
Ivan the Terrible: “I may love Russia. But you? I could afford to live without.”
Nicholas II: “Don’t you dare even look at me. YOU PIG IN HUMAN CLOTHING!!”
Grigori Rasputin: “You.. just who, or what, are you? So foul, and yet so charming; so kind to my kin and yet such... darkness...”
Cleopatra: “Sestra! Oh, delightful! How truly delightful! We were cut from the same cloth; you and I! Husband-kings, who needs them, huh?”
Hatshepsut: Deeply admires a fellow great queen. But, uh, she’ll kindly pass on the “Oniichan” part of Egyptian royalty, thank you kindly. "Cleo had the right idea..."
Bradamante: Both are so in love with the very idea of love that they’d be best friends on the spot.
Iskandar: “O-...oh my… oh MY… I’m sorry, I just wasn’t expecting you to be so… so…. HUGE. [...] You know, if you’re looking for your next ‘large tracts of land to conquer’~”
George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Marquis de Lafayette, Benjamin Franklin: Was actually a vocal supporter of American independence. Would certainly have loved the chance to meet any of these men one-to-one. Or all at once, either way was more than fine... Not Aaron Burr, however. Burr’s just kind of a jerk.
Thutmosis III, Augustus: “...you certainly are a ‘zaklinatel'’, aren’t you? Uppity little der'mo… afraid of strong women, that's what you are..."
Napoleon Bonaparte: “How many times must you be taught this lesson? You should never pick a fight with Matushka Rossiya! LEAST OF ALL, Babushka Catherine!”
Chiron: "I- uh- l-listen, I'm sure you are a... wonderful man but... it's not you, it's... well, no, it is you. You are part horse. Please do not take it the wrong way but... you are a horse."
Asterios: {an incoherent mess of sputters and screams of horror at the realisation THAT dreadful rumour has ACTUAL precedence]