(Bi)Monthly Rework-a-Servant Contest

[Serra]

Heads up, Pretender's mostly ready but I've barely been able to work on her this week, I'm gonna try to finish her sheet within the initial deadline but I might not be able to. I wouldn't be opposed to a slight extension, especially since there's only four entries so far and we did get the prompt a day late, but if there's no one else in my same situation and/or you'd prefer to refuse it for other reasons, that's ok too

[DelRey]

im fine with that.

[MuramasaMachII]

“MoonCancer Johannes Kepler.

One of the most famed astronomers in all of history, known for his discovery of Kepler’s laws and mapping the orbit of Mercury.

He was a magus who not only studied under Tycho Brahe, but ended up seeing the Moon Cell as well. In our reality, Kepler became one of the foremost destroyers of Mystery and eventually qualified as a Heroic Spirit that threatened the Mysteries of the stars: a MoonCancer.

But what if he took a different path? Would he become some sort of–”

“Good evening, Master. Come, and let me show you the dreams of the Moon.”

“Who-”

“Who am I? Call me ….” Foreigner of Levantia.”

⏴Foreigner⏵
Emissary of the Lunar Reverie
⌜Duracotus⌟⌜Johannes Kepler(Alter)⌟
Stage 1 - 3:

Final Ascension:


Class: Foreigner
Alternate Classes: MoonCancer
Alignment: True Neutral
Origin: Germany, Somnium.,The Moon Cell
Attribute: Heaven
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Strength: B
Endurance: C
Agility: A++
Mana: A+
Luck: C
NP: ???
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~⏴Extra Stuff⏵~

Likes: Unknown
Dislikes: Threats to the Moon Cell, tedious jobs
Natural Enemy: A certain virus, his MoonCancer self
Catalyst: A weathered copy of Somnium
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Class Skills~

Existence Outside the Domain C

The Class Skill of Foreigners, representing the connection with an entity beyond reality and human logic. ”Foreigner is pacted with an entity called the Daemons of Levania, otherworldly watchers who observe and compile data from the Moon.”In reality, Foreigner is contracted with The Moon Cell and serves as its terminal and Emissary.


Insanity A

A Mental Pollution type Skill which robs its holder of their sanity, often associated with Foreigners and their inhuman rationale. In Foreigner’s case, this Skill is expressed as an almost inhuman level of rationale combined with delusions of his novel, Somnium.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Personal Skills~Mechanised Armour(Photonic) B

Similar to a certain English scientist’s skill, this Skill denotes a mechanical shell which surrounds Foreigner. However, this armour also has a few differences. Firstly, while Babbage’s armour cannot be removed at all, Foreigner’s is automatically removed upon activation of his Noble Phantasm, sealing away this Skill. Moreover, Foreigner’s armour is made out of photonic crystals, a highly advanced storage medium which allows for quantum computing that also makes up the Moon Cell. Foreigner uses this aspect of his armour to ‘stream’ data from the Moon Cell, allowing him to gain information about possible Servant enemies and his surroundings. Thirdly and finally, instead of boosting his Strength and Endurance parameters, Foreigner receives a bonus to his Mana and Agility parameters.


Harmonice Mundi - Musica Universalis EX

Johannes Kepler’s personal brand of Magecraft, based around the heliocentric model of the world. While his MoonCancer counterpart uses orbit focused spells and can channel all of the Classical Planets, Foreigner cannot, due to the effect of his normally greatest Magecraft technique: Musica Universalis. It allows the user, by translating a planet’s equations into music notes, to ‘attain the music of the spheres’; in other words, it allows Kepler to attune himself to planets, essentially becoming its Divided Spirit. While his MoonCancer self can momentarily connect to all the Classical Planets and use part of their abilities, Foreigner is permanently attuned to the Moon ever since he observed the Moon Cell. As such, Foreigner can harness the full power of the Moon, giving him passive abilities as well as specialised Magecraft techniques. His passive abilities include a small Bounded Field making him conceptually ‘on the moon’, granting him one sixth of Earth’s gravity. The other notable passive ability is

Máni Umwandlung

Lunar Apotheosis

which gives Foreigner boosts to his Parameters and Magecraft based on the visibility of the Moon, with a full moon in the night giving Foreigner the greatest increase. However, this also means that during the day, Foreigner receives a decrease to his parameters, and generally acts lazy.



Mystic Eyes of Celestial Calculation A

Normally the pinnacle of Johannes Kepler’s Magecraft, Musica Universalis, which has been merged with elements of Tycho Brahe’s system. While his MoonCancer counterpart can imbue projectiles with the concept of planets and their orbits, Foreigner’s connection to the Moon Cell has effectively repurposed this Skill. Instead of manipulating planets, Foreigner can create ‘pseudo-moons’ that rotate around him, acting as a defence system. Moreover, he can summon storms of miniature meteorites with a large area of effect by analysing the Moon’s craters and its impacts. Since the Moon Cell is often called the ‘Eye of God’, Foreigner gains a rank in the Clairvoyance Skill at the rank of C+. Combining all of this notation, Foreigner can activate his most powerful Magecraft which can also be used as a trigger for his Noble Phantasm:

Impact the Heavens, Diana

Katastrophe des Himmelsgewölbes

. This technique uses the equations that constitute the Moon and materialise it as a Conceptual Weapon floating above Foreigner, which he can use as an armament hitting with the force of the Moon’s density compressed into a single strike.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lore and Personality

Foreigner is Johannes Kepler, a German 17th century astronomer, mathematician, and mage.

Or well, that's what he should have been. Summoned as an Alter, this Kepler is the one who got drawn to the Moon Cell with an irrational passion. In his delirium, he dedicated all of his life to his discovery, not knowing the side effects of being attuned to the so-called Eye of God: the sheer amount of data compiled in the Moon Cell eroded his memory over time, changing him into a cold-hearted being of rationale, a machine for the sake of the Angelica Cage. The death of his wife Barbara pushed Kepler over the edge, and two days later, a resounding bright light flashed throughout the Kepler household. All that was left was a simple letter... Johannes Kepler was no more.

Summoned as a Foreigner, "Duracotus" functions almost always off of pure logic, as if he was a tool or an extension of his Master's will. Though this is true, occasionally he will have bursts of emotion showing the remnant of the noble astronomer inside. It is because Foreigner's memories are decayed and because of his decisions in life that he acts this way; he believes that he is unworthy of the name "Johannes Kepler" and therefore introduces himself as the main character of his novel. Another thing to note is that Foreigner's description of his Insanity Class Skill is lying: it has nothing to do with his Somnium focused speech patterns. In reality, Foreigner's Insanity is the delirium he had when alive, his desire for the Moon Cell and to give up everything for it.

If he could wish on the Grail, Kepler Alter's would be to remove this version of him from the Throne, so he could finally go to Heaven and see his wife again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Noble Phantasm(s)

SE.RA.PH Descent

Somnium Träumerei

“Subvolva tilts towards Terra, Pseudo-Texture Establishment — active.
Das verborgene Auge starrt vom Himmel — Photonic Crystals overclocked.
Ich bin der Schlüssel, Gott wohnt im Mond.”


Rank: ???

Class: Barrier / Anti-Team

The greatest application of Duracotus— no, Kepler Alter’s connection to the Moon Cell, syncretized with what some call the ‘first science fiction novel’. This Noble Phantasm is only active once the full moon is visible in the sky, allowing for the greatest connection between Foreigner as a terminal, and the Moon Cell as his ‘central command point’. As Foreigner recites the incantation, his armour breaks away from him and floats into the sky, reforming into a lily made out of crystal channelling the moonlight. Once he finishes, the light glows before disappearing, creating an almost exact replica of the range around Foreigner laid over top of it. In reality, the incantation is more like an access code, materialising the Moon Cell’s data as a Bounded Field that functions as a downscaled version of the Angelica Cage. Using this information and the Moon’s association with dreams, Foreigner can access his enemies’ “mental data” and manifest them as Cyber Ghosts, allowing for both physical and psychological warfare. The greatest part about this is that the Cyber Ghosts’ strength relies on their origin’s perspective(ie. A former enemy or source of fear would be stronger than a minor irritation in the past), and that instead of drawing mana from Foreigner, Somnium Träumerei directly draws mana from the Moon Cell. However, all techniques must have their weaknesses. Firstly, since Kepler Alter is no longer wearing his armoured shell, he is much easier to defeat. Secondly, this Noble Phantasm can only be activated during a full moon, though Foreigner can simulate one using

Impact the Heavens, Diana

Katastrophe des Himmelsgewölbes

. The greatest weakness though is the existence of the Moon within this Noble Phantasm; by impacting it with enough force, the crystal flower projecting the Bounded Field is destroyed, cancelling this Noble Phantasm as well and sealing Kepler Alter’s Mechanised Armour(Photonic) Skill for two nights.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Quotes and Relationships~

Tycho Brahe: “I feel like I know you…so why can’t I remember?!”

EMIYA: "So you’re here too, Nameless Hero? Hm? So you’re someone else…”

Twice H. Pieceman

Moon Cell Administrator

(Justiciar Hux): “The Administrator…he gives me so many tedious jobs when I just want to rest…” “YOU! Did you do this to me? Did you take away my memories?!”

Bradamante-Myrddin(Vididii): “You can cancel magecraft with your Noble Phantasm? Does that mean you’ll be able to… no, forget I asked.”

Chikata Fujiwara(Morg van Destro): “You, you say you’re nobody’s slave? How laughable. You’re bound by your own hypocrisy, and yet you refuse to admit it."

Yamato Takeru(Random): “Now you, you’re interesting… that Noble Phantasm of yours is almost beautiful. However… your teaching techniques all too horrid? No, not horrid, it’s more like they remind me of someone..”

Banu Musa(Ismail2002): "A program who wants to believe she's human...you're interesting!A program who wants to believe she's human Now then, child of the Banu Musa, show me your humanity! Show me how to be human once more!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Craft Essence

A Remnant of the Past


"Teacher... Tycho... please forgive me, old man. Barbara, I miss you... you were the last thing keeping me human. I guess this is goodbye to you, Earth...Levantia awaits.

-November 30th, 1612

"Foreigner... I'm so sorry for you... you've been through so much."

"No need to have pity, Master. Besides, I brought you up here for a reason."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I didn't bring you up here to show you the Moon Cell... I brought you here to free me from the Moon Cell."
______________________________
~Author's Notes~ Well, this was something. I've had the idea to do something with Kepler for a while involving Somnium, but this contest gave me a reason to go deeper. It was definitely interesting thinking up what Kepler would be like as an antagonist, and what the repercussions of attuning to the Moon Cell could be.

I did have an idea to make it a whole Salem-style Singularity where everyone's basically trapped in a simulation of 17th Century, caused by the Moon Cell of course. "Duracotus" would probably appear as an ally at first, disguised as an old man probably, but he'd later be revealed to be the mastermind of the Singularity. He'd probably have created it so he could try to resurrect his wife, I guess.

But anyways, enough ranting. I hope you all thought this was interesting, so adieu for now! :astolfo:

[RoydGolden]

Where do you click to reveal the sheet?

[MuramasaMachII]

Ah, I should've said that. It's the ellipsis after "Call me".

[pinetree]

Why hide your sheet like that

[MuramasaMachII]

Eh... I don't really know? Like, when I thought of it, it sort of added to the narrative aspect I guess?

[PA270]

I love the sheet, but I have to admit it's a little obtuse. I was worried you may have made a mistake with your BBCode until I tried to quote reply and saw the actual content

[Serra]

Two days ago.

Yaiba no Sori

"Blade Curvature."

Saber was drawing her sword.

If that event, whose beginning and end seemed to be one and the same point in time, was allowed to take place in its entirety, it would mean certain death.

No, not exactly.

The idea of a curved sword existed before Saber's time.

However, she was the first to devote herself to it. She was the reason swords meant for combat in Japan became more common than ones with straight edges, and the reason they remained the predominant type there. Even when those swords with curved edges ended up all but ceasing to be used in practical combat, they were never replaced by other swords in Japan, but by gunpowder weaponry. She was the reason for the legend of those swords.

In comparison to swords with straight edges, curved swords aren't as optimal for piercing and thrusting.

However, the main advantage of a curved edge lies in the ease of drawing one's sword and segueing into a slicing motion.

That's what Saber had seen and chosen as the ultimate goal of her sword style. And the heights she reached with her sword were what everyone who ever wielded such a sword wished to reach.

Yes.

If that event, whose beginning and end seemed to be one and the same point in time, was allowed to take place in its entirety, it would mean a certain CUT.

Armour would fall into pieces and become unusable. Any measure of defensive magecraft would likewise be no exception. That which was physically impossible to cut would be cut as well, along with that which would've impeded the cut, such as the notions of intangiblity and abstractness. Within the arc her sword would trace, they would not be allowed to exist nor to have existed.

The fact that the cut would result in death was not inherent in that dreadful technique itself, in the swordplay of a legendary fighter.

Within the gaze of the once-fallen rebel burnt a spiteful fire.

'This event, whose beginning and end are as the same point in time, will take place in its entirety, and will mean certain death.'

That was the promise in Saber's eyes.

...

In other words, it was merely a feeling, right?

It would not be a surprise if someone who were cut just grinned and managed to bear with it.

Due to her vastly superior speed, that was her target's only chance.

What a stupid technique, after all!

...

She kept her promise.

________________________

Yesterday.

"You forced me to unleash my Noble Phantasm so early on, yet you didn't even recognise me through it... Truly, I've been stuck with a subpar Master this time around.

"Even so, my own magecraft should be enough to keep your knowledge of my True Name shielded from any mind readers. This Bounded Field would've alerted us of the presence of any familiars, too. Lastly, on the same night in which I fell Archer, Assassin was defeated by our temporary allies.

"These conditions are enough. I will tell you my True Name now. Listen carefully.



"Though famed as one of the three Great Vengeful Spirits, I've been summoned as the Heroic Spirit of the Sword, Saber.

"The infamous rebel, Taira no Masakado. That's my real identity.

"If it appears at odds with the appearance you would've expected of me, simply remember that the central government didn't even bother to settle on what to record as the reasons behind my uprising.

"Of course, they knew the truth well. It simply never interested them."

Saber of the Tengyō no Ran
⫷ My Rebellion, Half Erased, Half Rewritten ⫸

Class: Saber
True Name: Taira no Masakado
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Source: Historical fact and rumours
Region: Japan
Attribute: Human
Natural Enemy: Tawara Touta
Catalyst: A swarm of butterflies

________________________

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

________________________

Class Skills

Magic Resistance | A



As expected of an expert magus summoned in the Class with the highest baseline Magic Resistance, Saber has achieved a top-notch Rank in this Skill.

Riding | A



Saber fought on horseback on many occasions, while simultaneously coordinating the actions of the troops at her command. It's said a certain horseriding festival has its roots in their military exercises. Moreover, in legend, Saber's army is said to have incorporated various monsters and unusual creatures, some of which could be ridden. Piloting all sorts of vehicles and riding on all sorts of Phantasmal Species other than dragons isn't a problem for Saber.

________________________

Personal Skills

Oblivion Correction | C+



Even summoned as a Heroic Spirit in the Saber Class, she can't completely renounce and deny her own nature as one of the Three Great Vengeful Spirits. Her inability to forget, in spite of the world around her and the passage of time, must remain part of her in this manifestation as well. This Class Skill of the Avenger Class can't help but manifest as a Personal Skill for Saber.

Charisma (Chaos) | C



A variant of the Charisma Skill particularly effective towards increasing the parameters of those with a Chaotic alignment—though still effective to a lesser extent for those who lack that alignment as well. This is not Nature of a Rebellious Spirit, because that Skill is effectively incompatible with the capability to rule. Of course, not all rebels with a Charisma Skill possess the (Chaos) variation, and there are in fact some who possess a Charisma without that qualifier or even specifically the (Law) variation; similarly, rebellion leaders aren't the only ones who are allowed to possess the (Chaos) variation. Basically, the (Chaos) variation here is due to Saber's specific temperament and history rather than a generic signifier of rebellion.

Taira Butterfly Channel | A



Saber's magecraft. Though Saber never held the official position of onmyōji at the imperial court, it can be largely classified as a form of onmyōdō. The Thaumaturgical Foundation behind onmyōdō is rather varied. It has ties to feng shui, wuxing, and the concepts of yin and yang, but is overall influenced not only by Taoism, but also by Buddhism, Shintoism, and various other beliefs widespread in Japan at the time. Divination and curses are an important part of onmyōdō.

Shikigami are beings that share a spiritual connection with onmyōji, much like familiars do with Western magi. Unlike most familiars, however, shikigami are incorporeal creatures able to fulfill a curse with a single aim. They might be used to, for instance, animate a specific object, but other elaborate goals can also be accomplished through shikigami, such as partially or completely disguising someone's appearance. Depending on various factors, however, shikigami may develop wills of their own.

Beyond the shikigami that are generally associated with onmyōji, Saber has turned her attention towards accomplishing a degree of control over countless monsters and other unusual creatures, without losing to their burgeoning will.

Lastly, what sets Saber apart from practically every other Japanese magus of her era is the presence of a Magic Crest-like structure as part of her body. It contains, among other spells, methods to control shikigami and other creatures that can be cast in simultaneous batches with considerably less effort and mana expenditure than would be required of the average onmyōji. As expected of an expert magus of her era, she's extremely tight-lipped about the actual specifics of this magecraft and how she acquired her Crest, even towards her own Master.

________________________

Officially, Taira no Masakado was the leader of the first recorded uprising against the central government in Kyōto, the

Jōhei Tengyō no Ran

Jōhei-Tengyō Rebellion

, also known simply as Tengyō no Ran. He was a (male) samurai and provincial magnate who lived during the Heian period. However, the motivations behind the rebellion have been lost to history.

Some say the uprising started over a certain rank or post in the capital that had allegedly been denied to him: the sources supporting this position are split in regards as to whether the true cause was a genuine desire of Masakado's to take over that position, or instead the disdain felt by one of his paternal uncles at what he perceived as Masakado's failure to attain it.

Others lean towards a territorial dispute being the main cause, and suggest that one or more of Masakado's paternal uncles may have been illegally ruling over certain lands that had been left to him by his father, occupying them and acting as if they'd effectively taken them over.

Others still state the rebellion started over a woman, whose identity is rather disputed among the sources that argue in favour of that specific cause.

Of course, there are also other causes entirely being suggested, and various sources put forward different combinations of these factors and/or others as what led to the uprising. In any case, he was eventually reported to have been killed during the Battle of Kojima in 940. The two leaders of the armies that opposed him during that final clash were his cousin Taira no Sadamori, whose father he'd previously slain during the conflict, and Fujiwara no Hidesato, also known as the legendary Tawara Touta.

"...Yes, my relatives swarmed over the territory I had inherited from my father, and attempted to rule it as their own. Yes, I'd gone to the capital to acquire a standing there so I could leverage a higher position against their greed, and found myself ignored, every door shut thanks to their interference. Yes, that only led my uncles' actions in my domains to grow bolder, and in turn their attempts to ridicule my rule only made the capital think less of me. My troubles within my domains and my troubles in the capital kept feeding into each other.

"Up until the uprising burst at my command, no one in the central government had any idea what I was about to do.

"As for love... I admit it. A new love was there. But it came later. Near the very end of my rebellion. It was never one of its causes.

"I won't give you a name. I won't speak of it any further. Indeed, taking your incompetence into consideration, I may have said far too much already.

"Nonetheless, being able to share this much in person, without any intervening meddling or distortion, after such a long time... I've been given an opportunity for honesty. It feels good. For that, I must thank you."

________________________

Now.

That Servant's wound spams, warps, and forcefully shuts, with the sound of a slammed iron gate. His unmoved expression remains equally iron-like.

"It's over, Saber!"

Something between a sad shout and a triumphant whimper escapes Berserker's Master. He'd been on the verge of surrendering just a moment before. Yet, unexpectedly, Saber's trump card had failed to eliminate his own Servant. What's more, it gave out her true identity, and, through it, a way for Berserker to win! The tables have just turned, haven't they!?

"That Noble Phantasm could only belong to Taira no Masakado!"

According to the records that were passed on from the time of Masakado's rebellion, he had two main weaknesses as a warrior.

Firstly, his legs would give up from time to time due to a sickness. This ended up costing him battles.

Secondly...

Taira no Masakado was essentially invulnerable.

Invincible armour seemed to cover every single part of him, head to toe.

But, as with other invincible heroes of legend, the likes of Siegfred and Achilles...

A single spot was the exception.

That weak spot on his forehead was found by an arrow shot by Tawara Touta, and led to Masakado's death.

"Berserker! Pierce her forehead! Kill her!"

Saber had put distance between the two of them after invoking her Noble Phantasm's True Name.

But Berserker's speed rivals her own.

The massive weapon closes in. Its tip slips past Saber's defense, headed for a killing blow.

An explosive sound is heard. The violence of the impact?

No.

The woman who appeared a short distance ahead of Berserker seems to be unharmed.

But she only mostly looks like Saber.

The very tip of Berserker's weapon did, in fact, reach her forehead an instant ago.

In that infinitely small fraction of a second, the shikigami who had been regulating her disguise had been dismissed. And, in their place, she'd called on others, to heal her grazing wound and augment her speed.

As infinitely brief as the contact between her forehead and Berserker's weapon had been, it would've certainly been devastating for the true Taira no Masakado.

That woman was never worried about not looking like that legendary rebel.

But she'd needed her disguise to be enough to conceal her real identity.

"You thought exactly what I'd have liked you to think. I'm glad.

"That means that, for a time, I've been able to show you the image of his rebellion at its height. More than that, I've been able to potray someone whose 'truth' has been forgotten by the world. And... Someone who ended up forgetting even himself.

"But I'm not him. I was never a Saber to begin with."



Pretender of the Tengyō no Ran
⫷ My Rebellion, Half Erased, Half Rewritten ⫸

Class: Pretender
True Name: Takiyashahime
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Source: Historical fact and rumours
Region: Japan
Attribute: Human
Natural Enemy: Tawara Touta, Ōya Tarō Mitsukuni
Catalyst: A swarm of butterflies

________________________

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

________________________

Yaiba no Sori
Blade Curvature

Type: Anti-Unit
Rank: B++
Range: 1~3
Targets: 1 person

Though the effect of this Noble Phantasm has already been explained, there is a trick to it. While disguising as Saber, Pretender presents this Noble Phantasm as a technique, although enabled by the shape of the sword. In actuality, it's not a technique, but a Mystic Code in the shape of a sword. This Mystic Code grants the wielder an amount of the swordfighting prowess necessary to perfectly replicate that technique, in proportion to the similarity between the wielder and the real Taira no Masakado at the height of his rebellion. Needless to say, among the individuals who are not in fact Taira no Masakado, Pretender's can be said to be second to none. In fact, her compatibility with this Mystic Code surpasses by far that of the Foreigner-class Servant Taira no Masakado. On the other hand, in the hands of a wielder with low compatibility, the increase in swordfighting prowess may be negligible, and if the wielder's compatibilty were to be outright negative, this Mystic Code would be even worse for combat usage than a regular curved sword of the era. In the worst case scenario, it may become unable to cut anything at all. This Noble Phantasm was bestowed upon Pretender during a certain night of ritual, along with her Magic Crest-like structure.

________________________

Satsukihime was one of Taira no Masakado's children. She's said to have inherited his prowess in onmyōdō and taken the new name Takiyashahime after his death, becoming a terrifying sorceress, widely feared across all of Japan. At the same time, however, the central government had been sending envoys to find out and quell the remainders of Masakado's rebellion. One of them, Ōya Tarō Mitsukuni, eventually visited the ruins of the Taira's Sōma Castle, and was trapped inside by Takiyashahime. However, he never let his guard down and quickly found out her identity. A monstrous army assembled that day, and, during the clash, an earthquake invoked by Takiyashahime ended up breaking down the ruins entirely. Most narrations of their meeting end soon after, with a staredown between the envoy of the central government and the rebel sorceress on top of her hideous mount. There are no further records of Takiyashahime ever appearing after that day.

________________________

Class Skills

Magic Resistance | A



As expected of an expert magus summoned in the Class with the highest baseline Magic Resistance, Pretender has achieved a top-notch Rank in this Skill.

Riding | A



At Sōma Castle, Pretender fought on the back of a giant Phantasmal Beast resembling a frog or a toad, while simultaneously coordinating the actions of the troops at her command. They were composed of possessed skeletons, contracted ghosts, and various other monsters or unusual creatures, some of which could be ridden. Piloting all sorts of vehicles and riding on all sorts of Phantasmal Species other than dragons isn't a problem for Pretender.

________________________

Personal Skills

Oblivion Correction | C+



"The image of the rebellion at its height". "Someone whose 'truth' has been forgotten by the world". "Someone who ended up forgetting even himself". She remembers all of this. She remembers it, and chooses to portray her honest memory of it to the rest of humanity. Her inability to forget, in spite of the world around her and the passage of time, must remain part of her in this manifestation. This Class Skill of the Avenger Class can't help but manifest as a Personal Skill for Pretender.

Charisma (Chaos) | C



A variant of the Charisma Skill particularly effective towards increasing the parameters of those with a Chaotic alignment—though still effective to a lesser extent for those who lack that alignment as well. This is not Nature of a Rebellious Spirit, because that Skill is effectively incompatible with the capability to rule. Of course, not all rebels with a Charisma Skill possess the (Chaos) variation, and there are in fact some who possess a Charisma without that qualifier or even specifically the (Law) variation; similarly, rebellion leaders aren't the only ones who are allowed to possess the (Chaos) variation. Basically, the (Chaos) variation here is due to Pretender's specific temperament and history rather than a generic signifier of rebellion.

Taira Butterfly Channel | A



Taira no Masakado was not himself.

Not near the very end of his rebellion.

He would forget. Constantly. Not things that would be noticeable to most of his troops, but ones that would be obvious to the people closest to him. He would theatrically rant about love out of nowhere, without being able to say anything about the object of his affections, as if he were clinging desperately to a love of love itself. Over time, his children and their mother began to feel the presence of an entity near him unlike anything they'd ever known. There was no way to be certain of its existence, yet they all felt the same. That same recognition of its existence, and that same fear that they could never hope to pacify it or drive it away through their own power. Eventually, they realised their father had even forgot the reasons behind his own rebellion.

Then came the day when Tawara Touta drove an arrow through Masakado's forehead and Masakado died. And, eventually, both his body and his head were buried.

Satsukihime prayed.

In the dead of the night, for twenty-one nights, she secretly visited and prayed for her father from the bottom of her heart. And her prayer was as much of a tearful farewell to him as it was a desperate curse against everything that led him to forget himself and to the end of his uprising.

On the twenty-first night, there was a response.

Fury. The burning of a spiteful fire; a thing gelid and merciless; rumbling and screaming in silence, like the moment between lightning and thunder. Vengeance. Complete and utter incompatibility with the state of things as they were. Rebellion. Rebellion. Rebellion.

The ara-mitama, the wild aspect of the nascent kami, was not at all like what Masakado let transpire of himself to his family most of the time. And yet, it was undeniably much more like her father than whatever had accompanied him in the last days of his life.

Countless new thoughts flooded Takiyashahime all at once, starting from that of her new name. It was as if a new side of the world had been unlocked. A sword she never knew of had formed beside her; the secrets of onmyōdō were hers to command; a new organ of the soul, a mark of her father's legacy, soon to take the shape of a butterfly, the symbol of his uprising from the start...

Before she realised it, she was up and marching.

The time for her prayer had ended.

For the sake of rebellion, she was willing to tread down any amount of warpaths. Even if they became too many too count. Even if the end in sight only seemed to ever get further away.

...She would not be given that opportunity for long as a human.

________________________

Now.

The space beneath Pretender warps into an iridescent void from which emerges a creature of profound ugliness.

A frog, or toad, or other sort of amphibian, the size of a warhorse rippling with muscle, if not larger; rows of warts and spiny horns deck the sides of Pretender's new mount. The Phantasmal Beast unhinges its jaw, unrolls its thorny tongue like a red carpet, and two rows of armed skeletons come marching forth from within its guts, bones held together by contracted shikigami.

The flow seems neverending, having already far surpassed the amount of bones an amphibian of that size could swallow over a lifetime. The skeletons are joined by wailing souls of the dead, and monsters one is barely able to discern lurk in the darkness, approaching ever closer.

Without interrupting the constant flow of skeletons, the toad rises its tongue, and brings it down towards Berserker like a flail.

The Servant, unmoved as ever, repels it with his massive weapon...

...But, in the precise window of timing Berserker's instinctive motion has afforded her, Pretender's already jumped past him.

Her army already has him surrounded. It won't be enough to take him down, but it'll keep him from pursuing her. Which means...

"Say, Berserker's Master, do you know my wish?"

The addressee in question doesn't answer, his breath short and his heart caught in his throat. He's poured all he could in magecraft to augment himself enough in an attempt to outrun Pretender for a scant few seconds. He knows it won't be enough. He doesn't have a plan. She might not even be at her full speed.

"Thanks to this War, I've already portrayed what I wished to portray. Then, once I get the Grail, I'll make a different wish. The systems that govern humans everywhere are full of flaws and weaknesses... Wherever they creak, they must be pushed! Cruelty thrives in every angle; history is written by the victors; as long as humanity treads that path, the rebellion can't be allowed to end!"

Her expression is at once blissful and fanatical. Is her composure from a few moments earlier entirely gone, or is this what had created it in the first place? With the remainder of the air in his lungs, Berserker's Master sends out a scream sour enough to curdle his own blood, then...

Vanishes.

In his place, Berserker.

Berserker's Master is now in the middle of Pretender's armies.

They will surely kill him very soon.

That is, unless Berserker kills Pretender first.

Though a last-ditch effort, that was the point of this chess-like 'castling' manoeuvre.

Pretender now has no known means of avoiding a confrontation with Berserker. And he's still very much capable of killing her.

"...I see. Then..."

...She's already begun usage of her second Noble Phantasm when she invoked her mount and her army.

But she has yet to pronounce its True Name.

...A moment later, Pretender is floating serenely in the starlit sky.

She looks on the land she's about to deface. Smiling. At peace.

"No memories will be erased or rewritten for the sake of convenience any longer. No cruelty will be hidden or glorified ever again. For the sake of the truth... For the sake of that dream...

Subete ga Kuzurenasai

All, Come Crashing Down

!"

A horribly dissonant cracking sound. The strained laments of the earth and the screams of souls long gone. A fissure opens.

It's massive. Berserker jumped away from it as soon as he could feel it coming, yet he's been caught by the entities that have come to inhabit it. A multitude of monstrosities reaching out from their abode over themselves, tying themselves to him like countless sets of chains. And...

The epicentre of the disaster is exactly in between him and his Master. The latter drowns out his own last sight of the starlit sky with his own screams.

The earth closes above them.

Both Servant and Master disappear into the dephts.

In the sky, Pretender continues to smile.

Subete ga Kuzurenasai
All, Come Crashing Down

Type: Anti-Fortress
Rank: A++
Range: 1~99
Targets: 1000 people



________________________

Creator's Notes

Faceclaims are Meira and Watatsuki no Yorihime, both from Touhou, neither related to the other in any way other than some design cues but it works there because they're from separate continuities. Source for artworks used, in order: 1) https://twitter.com/kaiza1130/status/856519740818309120, 2) https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/7668162, 3) https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/88575563... As for the source for the last one, I can't find it right now, but the artist is Rokugawa Tomoe. Btw, I focused a lot on the ambiguities in Masakado's story but the stories of Masakado's children have a lot of different versions, too! Had to google translate some stuff to glean the maximum amount of info possible, unfortunately. Point being, in some cases Takiyashahime is instead the same person as one of her other siblings, and/or a nun, and there's versions that have her use just frog spells in the main instead of onmyōdō, and even some that use tsukuba-dō like Random's Caster for this does (I've headcanoned that the 'bandit king' among her siblings is the tsukuba-dō user instead, since it's consistent with some other stuff). So, yeah, I didn't mention much of that because I was already writing a Pretender, but there's lots of stuff to visit with sheets from this era, actually. Hope you had fun!

[TrueMrMultiverse]

Really interesting Servant-the twist was nice and they're personality is very good.

[Serra]

Really interesting Servant-the twist was nice and they're personality is very good.

Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked it!

Thought I should offer some feedback on the other sheets, too!

Bradamyrddin: Far more fleshed out than the more barebones Pretender version. There's been a great improvement and I like this take a lot. This has so much going on and yet it's all synthetised so well and weirdly ends up making a lot of sense. Above all, this is just a servant that feels really fun, y'know? The sheet's also succesful as an event teaser: it's got me looking forward to the New Era Coven, too!

Chikata Fujiwara: Oh, this is a straight up repost rather than a full-on rework. Ok. This could've been a cool opportunity to flesh out his Rider form you've mentioned instead, imo. Bit sad we didn't get to see it. That aside... His straightforward evil, bombastic nature, and lack of subtlety are definitely fun to read. Imo, they don't mesh perfectly with his plan to covertly replace vassals with other shikiōji: he doesn't super feel like the kind of being who'd come up with that, so to speak. But, well, contradictions like these aren't exceedingly rare. Also, if I understand correctly, he has Ninjutsu (False) because of Ongyouki not being the actual originator of ninjutsu but merely someone who was considered to have originated Ninjutsu at some point, and yet, with his NP, Caster gets Ongyouki to grant him true Ninjutsu: that's a bit odd. On balance, I do definitely like him, though.

Yamato Takeru: I love this. His characterisation is as fun as ever, the expansion on his role as a poet and what it means to him to come without his sword as an external object are extremely well done both in kit and personality, and his NP as a sort of collective Reality Marble makes a ton of sense.

Banu Musa: I think making their book the actual Servant is an interesting idea, even if it doesn't have much personality of its own showing through. Also, I like Proto_Code, that's a neat way to change up the NP of the original version and it makes use of the fact that this Servant is artificial in an interesting way: I liked the details about building her own magic circuits out of etherlite. That said, both 1 terabyte and 2 terabyte just for audio recordings are a lot, I don't think she's going to have to worry about running out of memory either way. I'm not too sure about the new NP because it may be a bit too close to this Servant's Item Creation Skill in general, even if the speed and the extra storage space are different.

'Duracotus': I think you missed turning the collapse on the 'Quotes and Relationships' section into a collapse3 so that the line to Twice Pieceman would work properly without collapsing the whole 'Quotes and Relationships' section when clicked. Part of the line to Banu Musa also seems to have got a copypaste error in it. I'm not too sure why those last two lines of his Personality section are in that section instead of a collapse on Insanity, since you're already using collapses in the Class Skills section for Existence Outside the Domain. I would also say that Impact the Heavens, Diana feels a bit out of scale with the rest of what's going on with this Servant in terms of straightforwardly direct damage output. These quibbles aside, this is overall a great reimagining that works as a fun counterpart to his MoonCancer self. I could see the both of them showing up in the same story, too.

[Frigix]

Night falls on the Tsar's Imperial Palace and it is time for the children to go to bed.

Tonight, their dear friend is here to tell them a bedtime story.

"Rasputin... the Kochtchei, does it actually exist?"

The Koshchei is a character who often appears in the stories Rasputin tells to the children. He is a demonic sorcerer from Slavic tales, a monster whose role is to kidnap the princess.

Anastasia, who is herself a princess, felt a bit uneasy.

"Hmmm, an intriguing inquiry, Anastasia. I contend that the boundary separating truth from fiction is rather nebulous. He is, in essence, a creature of fairy tales... yet, could there be a kernel of truth within? Who can say? Perhaps he lurks closer than you think."

…

"Ha ha! Come on Rasputin, stop scaring me!"

"Ha ha yes... I guess I would be bad if you ended up having a nightmare because of me."

But is it really just a joke?

"Anyway, finish your story Rasputin! I want to know if the princess ends up being saved! I hope so!"

"Aaah, very well, Princess Anastasia! Pay heed to my words... yet fear not, for it is but a tale spun from the realm of imagination."

…

“Or maybe that is just a lie."

Whether the story he plans to tell is true or false is uncertain, but one thing is certain... you can’t trust him.

He couldn't breathe.

Dark, so dark!

God, help him! He is but an innocent soul, offer him mercy! Offer him light!

But all there is is darkness.

His conscience seemed to slowly be consumed by the abyss.

How suffocating.

How frightening.

"I don't want to die!"

This was the only thing that would cross his mind.

"I don't want to die! I DON'T WANT
DIE!"

Terror at its purest.

And that's when...




Holy Devil of Tobolsk
The Greatest Charlatan





Class: Caster
True Name: Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin
Also known as: The Mad Monk, the Greatest Charlatan, the Zarathustra of Tobolsk, the Holy Devil
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Qualified Servant classes: Assassin, Berserker, Avenger
Attribute: Human
Source: Historical Facts



That's when...

He woke up from this nightmare.

His mother by his side, she reassured him. The child had survived this awful illness.

In Siberia, a fall in the river is fatal.

For the first time, the boy had almost died.

But...

"But your brother did not survive."

Ah...

Thank God he was the one to die.




Parameter

Strength: E	Endurance: A	Agility: D
Mana: C	Luck: A+	Noble Phantasm: A

Likes: Alcohol, sex
Dislikes: Death, water, the Soviets
Talent: Deceiving

“Greetings! I am Grigori Rasputin, a Caster-class Servant, for indeed, I am a wielder of occult arts. It brings me great pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master, and I am eager to cultivate a strong bond between us! Please do keep in mind your vital role in ensuring my protection when the need arises~!”


Identity

Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was the confidant of Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Tsar Nicolas II, which allowed him to exercise a strong influence within the Russian imperial court. Originally from the confines of Siberia, he presented himself as a "strannik", a wandering mystic, and claimed to be a patriarch and prophet and affirmed his loyalty to the Russian Orthodox Church. However, no ecclesiastical source attests to his belonging to any religious order, which made him a suspect of having belonged to the sect of the khlysts. The most generally accepted hypothesis is that he is above all an adventurer, passing himself off as an itinerant pilgrim, endowed with a great power of seduction. In 1907, enjoying a reputation as a healer, he was invited for the first time by the imperial couple to the bedside of young Alexis, heir to the throne suffering from haemophilia. Rasputin gained influence, especially during the global conflict. The Tsarina and her family consider him a healer, a mystic, even a prophet. His enemies described him as a debauched charlatan, driven by an excessive sexual appetite and even as a spy. His presence thus contributes to discrediting the imperial family and constitutes one of the cogs in the fall of the Romanovs where the Bolsheviks will execute the entire imperial family, including Princess Anastasia who will be known as a martyr of this revolution and whose potential survival will be theorized at length. Rasputin was assassinated thanks to a plot fomented by members of the aristocracy. Some gray areas remain about his life and his influence, his biography being mainly based on partial testimonies, partly fueled by anti-monarchist propaganda, rumors and legends. After his death, his myth inspired many writers and artists.

Class Skills

Item Creation: C

Item Creation is a magus ability to create objects and potions with magical properties. Caster has a surprisingly advanced knowledge of medicine which allows him to concoct various remedies. He is also able to create certain magical items using his Noble Phantasm. "Come on, you must have heard the story, right? I saved the youngest child of the Tsar using my healing magecraft, I am a magus who will dispel any spells that will ever be inflicted on you. Just take this herb or something."

Personnal Skills

Silver Tongue: EX	Silver Tongue is the ability to charm, convince and manipulate an individual or group. It is not charisma but psychological techniques used to weaken and subdue the minds of others. Unlike the Charisma skill, Silver Tongue is not adapted to sway entire populations over the long term but only a specific group of people. At EX rank, this skill reaches the pinnacle of high-level hypnotism, with the capacity to exert influence over reality itself to a certain extent. Caster stands as one of history's most accomplished charlatans, having successfully gained the unwavering trust of the Russian imperial family to the extent that he could compel the Tsar to make crucial political decisions. Beyond mere charm, this skill embodies a form of hypnosis capable of performing miracles through the simple process of auto-suggestion. In essence, it possesses the power to heal ailments through words alone, convincing patients of their own wellness. Caster's specialization lies in the manipulation of rulers, enhancing the effectiveness of this skill when applied to the appropriate target, effectively doubling its strength. "I suppose there is no point in lying to you, you seem strangely unaffected by my fine speeches. Yes, I am a liar. But first and foremost I am the greatest liar in history. Master, I did not lie to you when I told you that my services were yours. Of course, I always ask that you offer me effective protection in exchange. Do better than Nicolas and we will both benefit."
Counter-Hero: C	Counter-Hero reduces the parameters of "heroes" the Servant faces in combat. It is a class skill of the Saver class. More specifically, this skill is categorized as "Anti-Sovereigns" due to its association with Caster's perceived role in the downfall of the Romanov dynasty, which ultimately led to him acquiring this skill. It functions as a curse, fueled by Bolshevik propaganda, that casts him as an adversary to any form of monarchy and, to a greater extent, any regime. Because these rumors are accompanied by Caster's genuine talent for manipulating rulers, this skill surpasses its expected effectiveness. As a result of this skill, the parameters of sovereigns decrease by one rank. However, for those who do not preside over a monarchist regime, only their physical parameters are affected. "Ho! HO HO HO! Yes, I feel like I'm going to have a lot of fun!"
Sexual Vitality: C	Sexual Vitality is a particular trait of servants famous for possessing attributes symbolizing sexual vitality. A sexual relationship with the servant allows a much more efficient transfer of magical energy. Caster was famous for having a particularly high libido, even more amazing is his reproductive organ which measured 29 cm. For a human being, he’s quite the monster. "As long as I'm alive, I might as well enjoy all the pleasures this world can offer me. After all I can die at any moment...let me immerse myself in vices. Ha ha ha… HA HA HA HA!"

Ghost Story


Rasputin's Master was a naive man, certainly a talented magus, but because he lived in the world of the unknown he easily believed in the charlatan's magical powers. Even though he had tried to teach him to doubt the supernatural.

A naive man is easy to manipulate, but when he is too naive he just becomes a burden.

Yes.

He was far too kind and naive.

He had seen it when he talked to his wife and children.

His Master was a good person.

...

But the other Masters were not so kind. Some of them were cruel, ready to pull cheap tricks. Rasputin knew this, because he had been contacted by one of them...

Rasputin then turned his head to the left, towards a shadow that was invisible to everyone.

"You guessed what I wanted to do, Andrei, didn't you?"

Then he turned his head to the right.

"No... Anastasia, you know better than anyone what being deceived is. You probably know my way around best, don't you?"

"Who are you talking to?"

Hearing his servant talking out loud alone, his Master expressed his confusion.

"Oh nobody, I'm talking to ghosts."

"You told me you don't believe in ghosts..."

"Quite right. That's why I talk to nobody."

There's nothing but lies.



Noble Phantasm

The Devil’s Tricks KOROL’ OBMANSHCHIK Type: Anti-World Rank: C

Korol' Obmanshchik is the Noble Phantasm that embodies Grigori Rasputin's talent for deception. He is, after all, the greatest liar in history, at least according to himself. Korol' Obmanshchik is actually partly born of his ability to hypnotise. It isn't magecraft, and it's quite different from the spells mages usually learn to control people's minds. This technique makes the human mind particularly susceptible to his lies. This is how he made those around him believe that he was a mystic, a man capable of performing esoteric miracles, when in fact he wasn't. As such, his Noble Phantasm represents "the illusion of being a magician" and allows him to perform magecraft. Something that goes so far as to fool the world itself. It is worth noting that he can only perform his false magecraft because he knows the basics of real magecraft. Some would say that makes him a magus, but apart from his lack of magic circuits, Caster doesn't really believe in magecraft or anything related to it. "Hmm? How can I possibly deny the existence of magecraft when I can perform it myself? I apologize, but it appears there might be a misunderstanding here. What I do isn't something real; it's more akin to sleight of hand... How can I clarify this for you...? Well, let's put it this way: I'm acquainted with those who embrace magecraft, and because I understand their mindset, I possess the ability to mislead them. But that’s because they lied to themselves in the first place.” Therefore, this Noble Phantasm is the combination of Rasputin's legend as the greatest charlatan and his knowledge of what magi "think they know". Perhaps because he is very religious at heart, he has recognised a certain "truth" about magecraft. In his eyes, magecraft is what demons do to bewitch people; it is nothing concrete, but merely illusions created to distract humanity from the true miracles of God. As long as there is a significant portion of the population that believes in the art of magecraft, Caster will be able to effectively use his hypnosis technique on the world. During his lifetime, he used this ability on many occasions to heal the young Alexei or to perform divinations. Because it is not strictly speaking a magecraft ritual, Caster's spells are hardly affected by things that dispel and destroy thaumaturgy (but not by things that directly cancel it, such as Magic Resistance). It is also important for Caster to understand the actual thaumaturgical theory of a spell in order to cast it. Finally, Caster's spells are not actually cast using orthodox techniques, and are therefore less powerful than the originals. However, when Caster reveals his identity to those around him, this flaw is offset by the belief that "Rasputin is a black sorcerer". When the man whose legend is that he is a sorcerer performs these illusions, the lie becomes more authentic and just as effective as the truth. Caster has his fame to thank for this. "Of course, I am a demon after all.”

Immortal Sorcerer of Russia KOCHTCHEÏ Type: Anti-Unit (Self) Rank: C+

Kochtcheï is one of Grigori Rasputin's Noble Phantasms, more specifically based on the most famous legend associated with the man: his immortality. As a matter of fact, even before his assassination, he had once been seriously wounded by a peasant woman called Chionya Guseva. Despite his critical condition, he survived. Even before that, when he and his brother fell into the frozen river and caught pneumonia, he was the only one to survive. But what really makes Caster immortal is the legend of his murder. Apparently, he was first poisoned with cyanide, but showed no symptoms of poisoning. He was then fatally shot with a pistol. A few minutes later, however, he got up and tried to escape. He was shot again and brutally beaten to make sure he was dead. His body was then dumped in a river. When he was found, the autopsy showed that he had died of drowning, not of his wounds. A phenomenal will to survive that allows him to overcome death. As long as Caster "doesn't want to die", he will have the strength to get up and heal himself from any injury. This ability is combined with an increased resistance to poisons and bad statuses (rank C or lower). This makes Caster one of the most resilient servants in the Throne of Heroes, but there are several ways to kill him. Firstly, if more than 50% of his body is destroyed, he will not be able to recover from his injuries. Secondly, he is extremely susceptible to any attack related to the element of water, as he ultimately died from drowning.

A Demon


A long time ago... Rasputin was friends with the Tsar and his family. After all, he had saved them. Or so they thought. He remembers it as if it were only yesterday. Whenever there was a problem, the Czarina would come to listen to the man's advice. Rasputin is a very good liar, but he is far from being able to provide a solution to every problem.

Or sometimes... the only good solutions don't satisfy the person who asked for them. Here lies a lesson in human nature: those in pursuit of truth seldom desire impartiality. In a world cloaked in deceit, where masks adorn all faces, truth and subjectivity entwine. To put it succinctly, Rasputin merely bestowed upon his "friend" the truth she yearned for.

Perhaps this would not have been a problem if the magician had said these words to reassure her. But it wasn't. If this charlatan was so insincere, it was to gain the favour of the Imperial Family. The very foundation of that relationship was based on a lie.

To the world, that lie was the truth. To him, it was nothing but a lie.

Rasputin could see very clearly what these actions were causing: distrust and hatred for the Imperial Family. His very presence was a danger to that family. In the end, it might even kill them. But if he broke off his relationship with the Tsar... Rasputin would be left alone and vulnerable. Isn't that terrifying? In a world brimming with hostility toward him, he would stand vulnerable and defenseless.

That's why he'll keep lying.

"Good night, children".

Even these children are not safe from his selfishness. He still vividly remembers the face of little Anastasia, that naive little princess whom he had deceived without any scruples.

The life of a whole family in exchange for his own.

That kind of thinking... was definitely demonic. Rasputin was incapable of generosity because he was far too afraid. Even if it entailed the sacrifice of a thousand children, if it bolstered his odds of survival... he would commit such horrors without hesitation.

So Rasputin knows better than anyone... that he is a demon.


Personnality

Caster is a charlatan, in other words, an exceptional liar. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he lies as naturally as he breathes. He's an intelligent man who, despite his rustic demeanor, possesses a sophisticated and mesmerizing way of expressing himself. Engaging in a conversation with this man is enough to fall under his mystical charm. For each individual, Caster is capable of wearing an entirely different mask. But who is he truly? Behind these lies and deceptions, what is the core of his thoughts? Caster wants to survive. More than anything in the world, he wants to endure in this cold and harsh world. A mentality well-suited for a peasant who grew up in Siberia but accentuated by the trauma of coming close to death in his childhood. The truth is that Caster is profoundly thanatophobic, plagued by a pathological fear of death. He is willing to do anything to preserve his life, even committing the most horrendous acts if it means he won't die in the end. To him, the most suitable method of protection against death is to receive direct shelter from the highest authority in the land. Although there are numerous flaws in this approach, the sensation of being safeguarded by a powerful figure is one of the few things that can somewhat ease his mind, so he prefers this form of protection. However, this doesn't mean he hasn't learned from his mistakes; he is now prepared to abandon this authority figure if they were to lose their power. It's easy to think of him as nothing more than a demon, a remorseless man who inflicts harm for his own gain. But Caster is aware of this aspect of himself and is the first to despise himself for it. Despite appearances, he is a man of faith, and that's why he genuinely believes himself to be a demon. He is the worst of individuals, a living wretch, but no matter what his morals dictate, he is incapable of restraining himself because his selfishness outweighs everything else. He has accepted his role as a monster, but in exchange, his mental health leaves much to be desired. The monk is constantly haunted by his past; two children appear wherever he goes. One is Andrei, the brother who should have survived. The other is Anastasia, the girl who was killed because of him. He knows they are illusions, but the weight of these deaths bears heavily on his mind. "Andrei... I am a terrible man, am I not? When I look at you, I feel no sadness. On the contrary, I'm delighted that you died in my place! Aaaaaah! How monstrous, I am nothing more than a selfish man. I want to be judged, and yet, I'm the first to flee from my judgment! ...And you, Anastasia. My dear Anastasia... Oh, you were a victim from the start. I did nothing but deceive you and your family. Andrei is my past... but you are my future. I have nowhere to hide. I have nowhere to forget. I cannot be forgiven, and I cannot pay with my life. Anastasia... please, speak to me. You, who has seen my fate, tell me what all my sins should cost me! I would run, but prove to me... that I am indeed the devil." But that's not all; in addition to his thanatophobia, he is severely afflicted by aquaphobia, the fear of water. This was a condition he already had in life, stemming from the trauma of nearly drowning in a river as a child. This explains why he never bathed. However, this phobia is now exacerbated by the circumstances of his death (drowning). He is absolutely terrified of water; even drinking it is agonizing for him. When he is near bodies of water, he can display symptoms of high anxiety and hysteria, becoming abnormally irrational. Therefore, despite being a man who exploits the mental vulnerabilities of his adversaries to manipulate them, he is likely the one who’s the most psychologically fragile. "What is a demon? I will answer that question... a demon is someone who is fundamentally evil. Someone who, no matter what they do, cannot change their nature. This is the true identity of Grigori Rasputin. I am Kochtcheï, the devil himself! My body refuses to believe in the goodness of the Lord, and here I am imprisoned in this world of illusions. I will continue to deceive men because I am selfish. I will continue to sin because I am far too attached to this repugnant material world." Wish for the Holy Grail His wish is simple; being a selfish man, Rasputin likely desires immortality. However, this wouldn't necessarily alleviate his fears and anxieties. Ultimately, what would truly help him is probably someone or something convincing him that death is not as frightening as it seems. That he can have faith in this grim and uncertain future.

Relationships

Aleister Crowley	"Ah, Aleister Crowley, my dear old friend! He's the one who enlightened me on the arcane theories of magecraft. If memory serves me right, there's even a legend suggesting I was his tutor, isn't that amusing? Ha ha ha! But, of course, that's far from the truth; I'm but a charlatan, with naught to teach to a genuine magus."
Neco-Arc	"Y-You… didn’t we have an agreement? Oh? You’re just watching?"
Ivan the Terrible	"...the darkness eh? Yes, I suppose I'm everything you hate."
Joseph Stalin	"Hmm? My opinion on the King of Communists? Well, technically, I have nothing against communism. However, I must say that the idea of collaborating with them is rather disagreeable. Of course, I'd gladly do so if I were to receive their protection!"
Anastasia	"Aaah, Anastasia. She was the Tsar's youngest daughter, and I used to share old Russian tales to her and her siblings. Admittedly, it was all part of my scheme to make them grow fond of me, allowing me to manipulate them... In a way, the turmoil I stirred up ultimately contributed to her tragic demise. Little Anastasia now lingers in my thoughts, serving as my silent judge. This is the burden of being a demon – living in a world of illusions that relentlessly remind me of my unforgivable transgressions."

Sins

"AAAAAAAH... AAAAAAAAAH!"

Rasputin screamed with all his might, but no matter how loudly he cried, it would never allow him to forget the crimes he had committed.

First, he had killed his Master, then the man who had pushed him to betray him... and then the sorcerer had made a pact with his deceased Master's child, using her before brutally ending her life as well...

There were no excuses to be made, even if Rasputin were to explain the reasons that had driven him to commit these horrors, it would all be a lie. He had done it because he was the immortal sorcerer, a demon who thought only of himself and his own life. Rasputin had accepted it, and yet... and yet! The murder of that child had driven him to madness.

After all...

Her death had been almost orgasmic.

It's terrible, it's horrifying! He couldn't help but continue to sin; his body compelled him to act this way, and his sanity slipped further into madness. Shouldn't he be punished? Deep down inside, that desire was growing. He wanted to live, but he also wanted to be punished. Rasputin was absolutely terrified. He could feel the gaze of all those he had deceived. The only way to cleanse himself of these crimes was to die, but he didn't want to!

So many conflicting thoughts that unfortunately did Rasputin no good. He curled up on himself, trembling and paralyzed by these ghosts of the past.

"Rasputin."

Huh?

Someone was speaking to Rasputin. Not just "someone"! The man knew exactly to whom that voice belonged. He slowly raised his eyes to see the ghost of Anastasia staring at him.

"Y-You're speaking...?"

"It would seem so."

"Aaaah... ah... ha ha! I see, this is my judgment, isn't it? For what I did to you... I'm going to pay, right?"

Rasputin was ready to flee as far as possible; after all, he was a coward who only cared about his own life. Deep down, he may wish for judgment, but staying alive would always be his top priority.

"To flee when it was you who asked to be judged...? Well, I'm not here to kill you; I have no punishment for you... Rasputin, would you allow me to be the one to tell you a story for once? Would you listen to my judgment?"

...

Rasputin nodded; what else could he say to the little girl he had killed?

"This world... is terribly wicked.

The life of each individual is built upon the suffering of others.

Your happiness is founded on my death.

The prosperity of the people has been built on our deaths.

Well, I'm not sure if we can really call that 'prosperity.'

"I was innocent, I never did anything wrong!"

Do you truly believe I think that?

Before my despair, there was the despair of others.

That despair served as the foundation for my dynasty.

I am not innocent.

Just like you, I am a demon.

Everything on Earth is a demon.

The creatures that devour others to survive.

The trees rooted in the corpses of thousands of living beings.

...

This planet, it's hell.

You want to live, don't you?

So do I.

You've accepted that being a demon is necessary for your survival. Then I shall do the same.

My dear friend, our fates are so intimately intertwined. In the eyes of all, I have probably been the same demon as you. I accept this fate.

I shall... become all the evil in the world."



The mutilated body of Princess Anastasia layed on the ground, gradually being covered by the falling snow as her consciousness slipped away.

Ah... why did she have to die? The teenager had just turned 17, and there were so many things she still longed to accomplish... For instance, she hadn't given up on her dream of becoming an actress!

...

Is it all in vain, isn't it?

In this world, people die.

Confronted with her own existence and her circumstances, Anastasia had suddenly realized the cruelty of the world in which she had lived.

...

Even so.

She wished so dearly to live.


The Great Witch of Russia
All the Evil in the World




"Thus Rasputin and I are now one and the same! Now, let me introduce myself, I am Anastasia-Rasputin, the Great Witch of Russia, the Devil, Lucifer herself!"

Class: Pretender
True Name: Anastasia-Rasputin
Also known as: The Great Witch of Russia, Kochtcheï, Lucifer, Satan, the Demonic Duchess, the Devil, Schwipsig
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Qualified Servant classes: Caster, Avenger
Attribute: Human
Source: Historical Facts and Rumors

Parameter

Strength: D	Endurance: EX	Agility: C
Mana: A++	Luck: EX	Noble Phantasm: A

Likes: Movies, alcohol
Dislikes: Death, those who sincerely believe in an illusory justice
Talent: Lying


Identity

The distinction between falsehood and truth is blurry. Just because something exists doesn't make it true, and the absence of something doesn't necessarily render it false. This is likely how Anastasia-Rasputin came into existence. Princess Anastasia is dead. Yet rumors and legends which state the contrary have spread. From this falsehood, a possibility emerged. How can one ascertain whether Anastasia is truly deceased or not? Once summoned as a Servant, Rasputin was haunted by the little girl he indirectly killed. She was but an illusion, a manifestation of his guilt, existing solely to remind him of the crimes he had committed. Rasputin was being judged by this child. The problem was that Rasputin is convincing, far too convincing. After all, he was a man capable of deceiving the world. Thus, because Anastasia's death could not be proven, and because this girl yearned to live, Rasputin's lie became truth. The two individuals united through their shared desire: the will to live. In history, Anastasia is known as a victim—a young girl whose existence was trampled in the name of a "greater cause." Because Rasputin fundamentally saw Anastasia as one of his sins, a victim of his vices, the aspect of the innocent victim is what stands out the most in this version of Anastasia. Then, because Rasputin assigned her the role of judge, the girl judged humanity. She came to a conclusion: all are demons, all are at fault, including herself and Rasputin. But rather than being consumed by hatred, Anastasia-Rasputin had no desire for destruction within her, at least not against humanity but against this world. Her desire, above all, is for life. To be the scapegoat... why not? Even if she lives in hell, she will be alive. After all, Anastasia is intimately intertwined with Rasputin's subconscious. He who wanted to live but also be condemned. Anastasia possesses a similar mentality and embraces her host's desire. Anastasia will assume the victim role she's been given, the one who suffered for the benefit of others. Rasputin will resume his demon role, the one who is the cause of all others' problems. Anastasia-Rasputin will be the witch, the devil who bears all the world's sins. The Grand Duchess will finally reign over her people. People who will despise her. Isn't it for the best? A world where all sacrifices are redirected toward one individual. Where crushing others... is no longer necessary. Of course, such a world is utterly aberrant, and for it to become a reality, Anastasia-Rasputin must become a new physical principle. To achieve this, she must obtain an all-powerful authority.

Class Skills

Curse of the Witch: EX	Curse of the Witch is a varient form of the Avenger skill that represents the state of witches as victims to whom all bad things are attributed. Unlike the Avenger skill, it's not the ability to turn hatred into strength but rather something resembling a fusion between the particular nature of martyrs and the Innocent Monster skill. All wounds, curses, rumors, insults, pains, and despair are redirected toward the user, who is not here an avenger but a mere victim. Enduring all the world's evil, the Servant automatically becomes something demonic, a witch. The skill originates from Anastasia's fundamental role as a victim; history remembers this young girl solely as someone who suffered. This trait mixed with the people's hatred for the Tsar's family, but especially the hatred and bad rumors associated with Rasputin. One was the world's greatest victim, the other the greatest scapegoat in Russia. Exploiting their compatibility, Anastasia is resurrected in the form of a witch. She takes the blame for Rasputin upon herself and becomes an entity trying to approach the Devil, the reason behind all of humanity's woes. Embracing this role willingly, the power of this skill quickly increased as more and more humans began directing their misfortunes towards Pretender. Her form changes in an attempt to embody that of Satan. "Once, I was like Rasputin, although today I am more of a martyr than anything else... there was a time when I was hated. Or to be more precise, the entire imperial family was despised. 'If the country is in such a dire state, it's probably because of their existence!' That's what all of Russia thought. At that time, we were undoubtedly seen as demons. I won't deny that indeed we were unquestionably at fault. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I've always been a demon. Like any human being on Earth, I have the potential to be the embodiment of evil. It just took me a while to realize it; everything becomes simpler afterward."
Anti-Human Order: C	Anti-Human Order is an ability that puts a stop to everything created by humanity, as well as the laws that work in humanity's favor. It is a skill originally possessed by the Beast Class, called Authority of the Beast. This Anastasia was originally an existence meant to judge Rasputin, but she has chosen to go as far as to judge all of humanity. Slowly becoming the Devil, she bears all the sins of humanity and becomes a monster that encompasses everything that can harm the human race. However, it stops there; Pretender has no desire to destroy humanity and instead wishes to reign over them in a perfect utopia. It's a skill that has evolved from Counter-Hero to become a talent for manipulating and affecting the human soul. "After what I've experienced, some might think I would reincarnate as a vengeful spirit. But what's the point? In my death, I saw the true nature of this world, and it led me to despair. Compared to what I felt at that moment, my hatred means nothing."
Item Creation: C	Item Creation is a magus ability to create objects and potions with magical properties. A skill inherited from Grigori Rasputin's original Saint-Graph. "Ha ha, what kind of witch can't make potions after all?"

Personnal Skills

Devil's Whispers: EX

Devil's Whispers is the ability to charm, persuade, and manipulate an individual or a group—an enhancement of Silver Tongue. By transforming into something even more demonic, the skill reaches new heights, now capable of influencing entire populations. The laws of the world are twisted to redirect humanity's desired feelings toward a specific individual. Here, this charm is used to support her Curse of the Witch and thus redirect all misfortunes toward herself. It's through these lies that this curse has reached such a high rank, capable of turning Pretender into a true imitation of the Devil. "You know, I may be in no place to say this, but I think there's nothing wrong with what I'm doing. People always lie to themselves, and I'm just redirecting that lie toward myself. In the end, it's an advantageous situation for them, isn't it?"

Warning!

Warning!

Warning!


Status Updated



"Lying is one of humanity's greatest vices. So it's obvious that a witch like me, who controls and manipulates human hypocrisy, would truly become Satan. Father, Mother, do you see me from heaven? Sorry, I've decided to live in sin. I have become... the Lord's adversary."

Class: Beast III
True Name: Lucifer
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Attribute: Beast
Source: Humanity


Noble Phantasm

The Eternal Adversary KOCHTCHEÏ Type: Anti-Unit (Self) Rank: EX

In Russian fairy tales, Kochtcheï is a negative character, the main antagonist of the hero. His main function is to kidnap princesses from the tales. He is also referred to as "immortal," more precisely "Deathless," because this demon always possesses a special attribute that makes him immortal. An evolution of the Noble Phantasm formerly possessed by Grigori Rasputin, it now more than ever represents the power of a cosmic evil. Because Anastasia-Rasputin now embodies the adversary, the great antagonist of this world, the Devil. Whereas Rasputin's immortality had limitations, this one is superior in every way. It's not just a Noble Phantasm that resurrects the user, but something that compels Pretender to exist. Thus, the source of this power is highly diverse: Koschei's immortality, the eternal nature of the devil, Rasputin's immortality, and ultimately the legend of a still-living Princess Anastasia. Everything that makes up Pretender culminates in an extraordinary capacity for eternity. Thanks to this Noble Phantasm, despite receiving all the dam suffered by others, Pretender is capable of continuing to exist. "It's a story that Rasputin used to tell me often when I was a child. There was always the malevolent, immortal sorcerer Koschei who kidnapped the princess. It seems that now the princess has become the sorcerer."

Four Million Demons WITCH PARTY Type: Anti-World Rank: EX

Witch Party is the Noble Phantasm of Anastasia-Rasputin, an evolution of Korol' Obmanshchik. It is something akin to the Witches' Sabbat, or to be more precise, a Noble Phantasm capable of summoning millions of demons. This is a power she obtains by becoming the princess of hell, the fallen angel Lucifer himself. In concrete terms, what is referred to as demons are the lies of Pretender because the true demons of this world are the falsehoods and illusions that prevent humans from reaching the truth. This specifically targets witchcraft or "magecraft," which, for Pretender, are nothing more than fictitious rituals attempting in vain to replicate the miracles of God. In practical terms, it is a Noble Phantasm that allows her to manifest anything in reality, or rather, everything that magecraft is capable of achieving, including magecrafts that do not yet exist. It is an almost omnipotent Noble Phantasm, and its possession signifies that Anastasia-Rasputin has reached the level of a Beast. It's worth noting that there is a limit to the size and number of lies the user can create. However, to a human observer, this power is so vast that even if it is limited, they would be unable to notice it. Anastasia claims that she can create a maximum of "44,435,556 demons," whatever that means. One thing is certain, this power makes her the queen of demons. "Did you know? After my death, I was canonized as a saint of the Orthodox Church. That's why I truly became the fallen angel Lucifer. Of course, once I became a genuine article, I could only become a Beast-class servant. Ha ha... we're far from the charlatan now. Anyway, yes, I am a scourge of humanity. But my existence will only help humankind."

Epilogue

Becoming a force capable of changing the laws of the world, the stakes were now much higher than what this Holy Grail War was originally meant to be.

However, even behind the lies of the Caster servant, the world had prepared a solution.

"Whoa! What are you doing, Caster? Even for a lie, proclaiming yourself as Satan isn't a very good idea..."

In a nonchalant manner, the hooded man replied.

"Rider."

"Grand Rider, to be precise."

A faint smile appeared on the lips of the Beast of Lies.

"So, what brings Grand Rider to my humble abode? A man with such good intentions... that's rare."

"I'm here to put an end to your demonic plans. It's a bit cliché... but I am a prophet of God, after all, so it's my job."

"Oh, is that so? Well, let's get on with it then. Exterminate me and be done with it."

"Huh? Um... are you okay? I thought you would resist a bit more..."

"I'll do my best to resist, after all, I want to live. But, well, that's a desire shared by all living beings, and it won't make me particularly more powerful. What more can I say? I don't stand a chance against you."

"Huh... yet you seem much stronger than me right now."

"Many lies are greater than the truth. Much effort is put into matching and sometimes surpassing the truth. But once the truth is proven, the lie loses all its credibility. No matter my strength, it will all be reduced to nothing before a man as sincere as you."

"Ha ha... well, that's a bit anticlimactic. I'm not even sure if it's worth using my Noble Phantasm after this... anyway, I suppose I will. Sorry if I hurt you; I just can’t stand watching something so sad."

And so, the most sincere of man finally removed his hood.

At that moment, the world seemed to be bathed in light.

And the name of Grand Rider was revealed:

"████████"

Seeing this truth was a surprisingly pleasant feeling.

Until today, Pretender had only seen the truth with disgust. This sincerity and cold world were far too repugnant for her to continue to gaze upon.

That's why death was terrifying.

The world that Anastasia-Rasputin had wanted to create was nothing more than a selfish world.

Certainly, the result would be a place where only good exists. But it would fundamentally be a lie.

Even if an answer is never reached, one should at least strive to know and understand.

That's why... seeing such a generous truth had satisfied her.

...

The lie had disappeared, and the world returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

"To think you called yourself a demon... this lie oozes empathy and generosity. In my opinion, you were quite a good person, Anastasia."

Needless to say, the girl had already disappeared. But he still wanted to say those words; not acknowledging the goodness of his adversary would have left a bitter taste in his mouth.

So, the man left now that his work was done.

Whatever one may say, a lie is not necessarily bad. But it's not necessarily good either. Or rather... a lie can be spoken for good reasons and by a good person, but it will at the end only bring despair.

THE END

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Huh... huhuhuhuhu...! Do you really intend to listen to this pathetic moral lesson? Clearly, you haven't understood anything.

Lies
LIES


The woman continued to chuckle for a moment.

Apparently, it wasn't quite over.

Still with her confident demeanor, the witch turned her gaze towards you.

Yes, you.

Hahaha... really now? Have you forgotten who I am? I am the greatest charlatan in history. I pity you, just like all the inhabitants of this world, so let me explain your complete misunderstanding of the sheet. Or perhaps, on the contrary, what I'm about to tell you is just another lie to confuse you.

Oh, didn't I say something similar right at the beginning?

Anyway, I hope you now understand a little better what I'm trying to explain to you. Don't tell me you've never wondered... Who do you think wrote this sheet? It's not me, and it's not Rider either.

...

Here's a better question: do you believe that these little letters on a forum express an ounce of truth?

No, absolutely not!

Words are just illusions. Let’s take one of those so-called mundane tasks for example, those tasks I hate so much.

The act of composing a shopping list. It's not as though the act of writing magically brings those items into existence. You've simply compiled a list of words and arbitrarily assigned them to real objects. But unless proven otherwise, nothing asserts their existence because the future does not yet exist. The same goes for the past and for speech; if you suddenly tell me something that happened to you four years ago... it is a lie.

Because that thing doesn't exist. All you have are words that claim that this thing happened one day.

But there you go.

The things you express through these words are just sounds that you pass off as something they are not. They are illusions of a past that may or may not have existed.

The fact is that only naive humanity chooses to believe in language.

The key word here is subjectivity.

Humans are beings who choose the truth. Whatever one says, even if one enumerates logical arguments, their basis remains unknown. Sure, you can say that an apple is green, but does observation prove that it is green? No, no, no! Observation proves that you and others see the apple as green. It may seem superficial, but that is indeed the greatest misunderstanding in history.

There has been a confusion between subjectivity and objectivity.

In this world, man is the one who chooses his future. We live in a whirlwind of lies and egos. I'm just repeating it... but the distinction between truth and falsehood is blurry.

I am speaking of such simple things.

And yet…

You all act as if it was natural, rarely thinking about such questions.

This world is perfect for a charlatan like me.

In the very same world, someone is claiming that Kepler is a magician endowed with lunar powers, all hailing from an extraterrestrial computer!

The moral of this story is that one must doubt everything.

Rasputin never harbored guilt, not in the least! Historical sources clearly depict him as an eccentric individual with a convoluted philosophy, one who believed that divine approval accompanied sin. He was nothing more than a delusional man who placed unwavering faith in the falsehoods he had woven for himself! Oh, and let us refrain from delving into the matter of the size of his... artifact; the anecdote surrounding its retrieval is simply preposterous. Now, when it comes to Anastasia... she's but a child, incapable of exerting control over the mind of a madman like Rasputin. Regardless of the circumstances, both Rasputin and Anastasia are undeniably human; they are neither demons nor the devil incarnate. And a Beast-class servant? Seriously?! Ha ha, there are so many things wrong with this aspect!

Anyway, enjoy this lie.

You might very well be one too.

Author's Notes

The story of two people who wanted to live, but ended up lying so much that their truth was lost. Deception overload. You might wonder what the point of this sheet was. Originally it was something I was going to post on the 1st of April, but I was too busy with life to actually finish the Servant. The end result is quite an enigma, it ended up attracting the greatest adversary of God. Someone who despises humanity so much and yet, hating it means that they loved humanity in the first place. A Beast. Or maybe not. There's actually a being who might know what the fuck is going on, someone from a certain "Great Cat's Village".

Or that might also be a lie.

Anyway, I'm very curious to know what you think of the sheet. I have a feeling that some people might like the beginning but hate the end, which is kind of what I wanted in a strange way.

[MuramasaMachII]

'Duracotus': I think you missed turning the collapse on the 'Quotes and Relationships' section into a collapse3 so that the line to Twice Pieceman would work properly without collapsing the whole 'Quotes and Relationships' section when clicked. Part of the line to Banu Musa also seems to have got a copypaste error in it. I'm not too sure why those last two lines of his Personality section are in that section instead of a collapse on Insanity, since you're already using collapses in the Class Skills section for Existence Outside the Domain. I would also say that Impact the Heavens, Diana feels a bit out of scale with the rest of what's going on with this Servant in terms of straightforwardly direct damage output. These quibbles aside, this is overall a great reimagining that works as a fun counterpart to his MoonCancer self. I could see the both of them showing up in the same story, too.

Thanks for enjoying the sheet! And for the formatting nitpicks, I definitely see what you mean... BBCode just tends to be one of those things I need to work on I guess? Oh, and the reason why those two lines for his Personality are there is because I thought it'd be a better reveal. You know, the realization that the whole reason he acts that way isn't because he's affected by the Insanity skill, but because he believes he's not worthy of being "Johannes Kepler". Also, it fit more in with his lore, and how this version of Kepler was radically obsessed with the Moon Cell. Also, the reason why Impact the Heavens, Diana is like that is well... to be honest, I got inspiration from a certain Sun-themed buff man from Nanatsu no Taizai.

[DelRey]

contest ends in 1.5h. I will most likely forget to end it then and there because I will go to bed
voting starts afterward

[Morg van Destro]

Serra: him as Rider isn't different enough in Skills or personality for me to modify him. It'd basically just be a different pic and NP. On the plan, he's all about control, and making them his puppets appeals more than simply killing them. On Ninjutsu, Ongyouki is the most traditionally shinobi of the oni, and is the one who feels like they'd be an actual ninja, so it felt a bit ironic that he'd only get the true form at a higher rank from his creation.

[Random]

Voting time. I'm gonna do it.

1pt - Frigix

2pts - Vididii

3pts - Serra

[TrueMrMultiverse]

3 Points-Random

2 Points-Vididi

1 Point-Serra

[Serra]

1 point - MuramasaMachII

2 points - Vididii

3 points - Random

[Vididii]

Honestly, it sucks with such a small contest sometimes, because I have literally everyone else in a runner-up slot. Chika's a sorta nasty little cunt in a down-low, snide, entertaining sorta way, Keplalter's imagery hits me just right after delving into Armored Core as of late, and the Rasputin/Anastasia linkup is just REALLY DAMN COOL.

But without further ado-

1 Point: Ismail2002

2 Points: Random

3 Points: Serra

[MuramasaMachII]

1 Point: Ismail2002

2 Points: Random

3 Points: Frigix