Create-a-Servant 4

**BáthoryErszebet210** · August 14th, 2024, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by MuramasaMachII

Alright, there's different reasoning though.

1. Nero qualifies as Beast through syncretism to the Beast of Revelations, since "666"(the Number of the Beast) means Nero Claudius Caesar. Her method of love, her entire existence so to speak, is represented as the Logos of Depravity. She loves humanity because she loves their

depravity

desires

. This is a Biblical Reference to the Biblical cities of Sodom and Gommorah being depraved, Nero even being VI/ Sodom's Beast.

2. We have no data on Space Ereshkigal, and even then, she's from the Servantverse. If you want a good idea of how a Lostbelt Beast could work, look at either Oberon = Vortigern who was close, or Marethyu's Nahaš sheet.

Well, technically, Elizabeth Báthory (Harbinger) is also a Lostbelt Beast

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by RoydGolden

I don't know as much about her Beast self, but love (and her selfishness in expressing it) is Nero's whole deal. And Eresh does love humanity, that's why she wanted to cage them in the underworld to protect them. Does your Eli have anything like that?

Well, Elizabeth Báthory (Harbinger) qualifies as a Beast-class Servant due to the manifestation of her deepest, most malevolent desires and her transformation into an entity that embodies a universal threat to humanity. In the Fate/Grand Order universe, a Beast-class Servant represents an "Evil of Humanity" or a being that has transcended human limitations to embody a primordial concept or threat that endangers the world.

Reasoning:

Elizabeth Báthory's obsession with eternal youth and beauty, coupled with her sadistic nature, led her to commit atrocities that placed her beyond the realm of human morality. In her quest for immortality, she became a creature of darkness, drawing upon ancient vampiric powers that twisted her soul and body into something inhuman. Her transformation into Elizabeth Báthory (Harbinger) represents the culmination of this descent—a being who embodies the primal fear of death and the corruption of life.

As a Beast, Elizabeth represents the concept of Eternal Hunger and the Fear of Aging and Death. She preys upon the life force of others to sustain her own existence, reflecting the fear and revulsion humanity has towards the inevitability of aging and mortality. Her vampiric nature, amplified by her connection to the myth of the Blood Countess, allows her to corrupt and consume life on a massive scale, making her a threat not just to individuals, but to the very fabric of human society.

**Dark Squirrel** · August 14th, 2024, 05:47 PM

Yeah but does she love Humanity? Otherwise she can't become one. See Doughman's failure in Shimōsa.

**BáthoryErszebet210** · August 14th, 2024, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by Dark Squirrel

Yeah but does she love Humanity? Otherwise she can't become one. See Doughman's failure in Shimōsa.

She would and wouldn’t at the same time, but hey, she’d be successful unlike Douman in Shimōsa.

**WhiteFrenzy** · August 14th, 2024, 07:56 PM

If you say so...

Me, I think it's a cool sheet concept-wise, it's just not a Beast material.

Speaking of a beast of the GOAT variety tho - SERRA! I LOVED YOUR SERVANT WHAT THE HECKKK.
Also I can respect the effort in formatting. It must have been hell.

**Marethyu77** · August 15th, 2024, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by MuramasaMachII

If you want a good idea of how a Lostbelt Beast could work, look at either Oberon = Vortigern who was close, or Marethyu's Nahaš sheet.

Nobody expects the snek (part 2)

**BnEl15** · August 18th, 2024, 02:40 PM

Inherited Grief Saga

[Episode 1 - Proof of Eternity]

[Episode 2 - Proof of Conquest]

[Episode 3 - Proof of Attachment]

[Episode 3.5 - Proof of Irrelevancy]

[Episode 4 - Proof of Origins]

[Episode 5 - Proof of Coveting]

Saber of the Khalsaji
-- Darkness Encroaches Upon the Lion's Den --

Class: Saber
Other Classes: Rider, Berserker
True Name: Ranjit Singh
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Origin: India (18th century)

Parameters:

STR: C
END: B
AGI: B
MGI: C
LCK: B-
NP: EX

Likes: His people, his homeland, learning about other cultures, collecting jewels
Dislikes: Those who threaten his empire, those who would take away his prized jewel, compromising, ~~self-insert protagonists~~
Talent: Managing an empire, providing stability and reassurance to his people, amassing wealth
Natural Enemy: Prataparudra II, Shah Shuja Durrani, Gulab Singh
Armament: A golden shamshir (curved sword), horse, the Koh-i-Noor
Catalyst: His sword, the jewels he once possessed

Class Skills

Riding (B)

Most vehicles and animals can be handled with above-average skill, even vehicles that did not exist in the time period one was alive in, for they are no exception. However, cannot ride the likes of Phantasmal Species such as Monstrous Beasts.

"I was familiar with chariots, horses, elephants, and even tigers. I had too many of those to count back then, so if you ever fancy a ride of your own, my friend, all you need to do is ask. I don't know if I could manifest them outside the Rider-Class, but... I'm sure I could work something out. Why am I not a Rider, you ask? Hmm... No special reason, really. A Rider gives the impression of a genius military commander ordering his troops from the backline. A Saber is more of a... legendary warrior leading the charge while commanding respect and awe from his people. In a way, it's just... cooler? More inspirational? Yes, let's leave it at that. Image is important for a king, you know?"

Magic Resistance (C++)

Cancels spells with a chant below two verses. Cannot defend against magecraft on the level of greater magecraft and Greater Rituals. The Indian subcontinent was a land rife with mysticism and cultural traditions, slightly delaying the decline of mystery compared to most other places in the world. However, by Saber's time, this decline had already reached a critical point, resulting in this Skill's subpar rank. That said, due to his attempts at preserving "culture", his interest in faith and spiritualism, as well as his familiarity with various different backgrounds in his court, he seems to have gained a wide array of additional resistances.

"My empire was mostly secular in nature, but faith remained an important pillar intertwined with my people's day-to-day lives. So I made sure to study all these different faiths extensively; Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam, and everything else in between. For those not covered by traditional scripture, I had my own division of court mages and occultists to tend to answer my questions. I would not go so far as to consider religion as a means of exerting control over the populace, but in the end, it always pays to keep an open mind. In this world, or the next."

Personal Skills

Noble Phantasm(s)

Lore

The founder and first Maharaja of the Sikh empire, which spanned over the northwest of the Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century.

Born in 1780 as the son of a Sikh military leader, Ranjit Singh was no stranger to regional conflicts and warfare since childhood. At the time, the Punjab region had numerous warring confederacies vying for dominance, twelve of which were under Sikh rulers and one Muslim. He rode into battle for the first time at age ten, alongside his father. The first attempt on his life was made when he was thirteen, in which the boy prevailed and killed the would-be assassin instead. His father died just a year prior, his mother died not long after his eighteenth birthday, and his closest advisor was assassinated soon after. Having grown up amidst such turbulent times, it was no surprise that when he finally came of age and inherited his father's position, he held great ambitions for the future.

From age 18, Ranjit Singh built upon his father's legacy and began unifying the various warring factions in the region through a mix of diplomatic and military operations. After that, he began his expansion, pushing northwest against the Durrani dynasty of Afghanistan. His defense of Amritsar in 1798 brought him to fame, and afterwards he launched a successful counteroffensive to the city of Lahore, where the Afghans had set up their base, led by Zaman Shah Durrani. The Afghan Shah managed to escape, but the Sufi Muslim and Hindu citizens of Lahore welcomed Ranjit's rule after suffering oppression under the Afghans. Just a year later, the ruler of the nearby Jammu region ceded control of his territory to Ranjit. As his territory grew, Ranjit finally crowned himself "Maharaja of Punjab" and agreed to to a formal investiture ceremony, which was carried out by Baba Sahib Singh Bedi – a descendant of Sikh Guru Nanak. On the day of his coronation, prayers were performed across mosques, temples and gurudwaras (Sikh places of worship) in his territories for his long life.

Over the next decade, the Sikh empire's expansion continued under its esteemed Maharaja. Amidst the chaotic landscape of the Punjab, Ranjit Singh quickly established himself as a wise and benevolent ruler. He was a brilliant strategist whose conquests were swift and efficient. At the same time, he showed mercy to his enemies, avoided unnecessary collateral damage, and respected different cultures, which led to him being loved and heavily relied on by his people. He dubbed his rule as the Sarkar Khalsa and his court Darbar Khalsa. From 1806, his rapid expansion also drew the interest of the British government, another dominant power in the region at the time. Believing that large-scale conflict against the British would only cause unnecessary bloodshed, Ranjit instead signed several treaties allying the Sikh empire to them, leading to a relationship of mutual cooperation. That said, he remained cautiously distrustful towards the British, aware of the designs they had for the Punjab.

In 1813, following an invasion of Kashmir, Ranjit Singh took the exiled Durrani Emperor Shah Shuja Durrani as a political prisoner, and only set him free after taking the Koh-i-Noor as his prize. Upon ascertaining the jewel's true value, he seeds of paranoia began to sprout in his mind, in part due to having another precious jewel stolen from him while he was intoxicated in the past. He took pride in the stone, paraded it around the empire for public viewing, and wore it proudly as an armlet during important celebrations, but he was very reluctant to part with it, and kept it in a maximum-security prison whenever he wasn't wearing it. Nonetheless, this alone was not the cause of his downfall. His paranoia mostly relegated to the back of his mind, the Maharaja continued to conduct himself as a great ruler who genuinely loved his people.

Over the years, the Sikh empire continued to expand. In 1818, Ranjit and his son Kharak captured the city of Multan (now Pakistan), ending the Afghan's influence once and for all influence in the Punjab once and for all. Ranjit's ambitions did not stop there, however, as he sought to expand even further west, now actively conquering Afghan territories. Unfortunately, not all was well within the empire. Whether it was a curse or something else, darkness began to creep in...

The Sikh empire was starting to grow too large for its own good. Despite Ranjit's progressive policies, infighting and religious conflicts began to break out. For every internal dispute that occurred, Ranjit was quick to spend the massive wealth he had accrued over time for reparations, and he had enough charisma to reassure his people that things will be all right. And yet, therein lied the fatal flaw; despite his best efforts, Ranjit Singh could not see that he had done nothing but paint over these cracks without realizing the root cause of these issues, which only caused them to spread more and more underneath the empire's idyllic exterior. At the same time, the British continued to enact their plans, subjecting the Sikhs to increasingly disadvantageous treaties over their land and resources. With every successful conquest, Ranjit Singh's reputation only grew. His people celebrated his achievements, and citizens from his newly-conquered territories easily welcomed his rule. Yet underneath it all, a rot was spreading. His already-massive wealth increased every time he conquered a new region, but so did the price required to maintain the empire's standing. Gradually, the Sikh empire could be likened to an ever-growing machine that demanded more and more wealth in exchange for ideals, happiness, peace, and stability. Ranjit Singh came to realize this, but there was nothing he could do other than feed this machine even further.

1837. Nineteen years. That was how far Ranjit Singh had been able to feed the machine. That year, he defeated the Afghans once and for all in the Battle of Jamrud, establishing the western border of the Sikh empire. It was deemed unfeasible to expand even further west, and despite the having nigh-infinite wealth by that point, the empire also incurred numerous expenses to fend off invaders, pay off the British, develop infrastructures, and address internal divisions. Slowly but surely, this drain on the empire's treasury became too significant to ignore. Unfortunately, when the people began to question their Maharaja (even out of concern), this only pushed him further down the slippery slope. Needing more and more money to fix the issues plaguing his empire, he grew increasingly obsessed with procuring wealth, at the cost of slowly losing his convictions on what makes a good king. Of course, in the end, it was never enough, and he could do nothing but watch as his beloved empire headed down the path of ruin.

By that point, the Sikh empire filled with contradictions. The people prospered, they loved their ruler and celebrated every decision he made. At the same time, said ruler grew increasingly desperate to avoid the doomed fate that awaited his empire. He could not burden his people with this heavy responsibility. The British were greedy, scheming vultures just waiting for the right moment to pounce, he could not trust his own sons with something as monumental as the empire's faith... in the end, he believed himself to be the only one capable of overturning this tragic conclusion. It was during this time, in his final years, where he- blinded by his own doomed ideals and the empire's insatiable desire for wealth- came to see the Koh-i-Noor as a symbol of hope. It's priceless value could avert the inevitable. His people's smiles would continue for many days to come, and they would have a bright future ahead of them. Such was the delusion that plagued him.

Near the end of his life, Ranjit Singh developed a crazed obsession towards the Koh-i-Noor. He was almost inseparable from it, supposedly talking and even reciting barely-coherent prayers towards it. To those closest to him, it was as though he was truly driven mad by the jewel. He finally passed away in his sleep in 1839 after suffering multiple strokes that left him mostly immobile. Even in his last days, he refused to part with the Koh-i-Noor, using gestures to instruct that the jewel should be buried with him and not entrusted to any of his successors, a wish his advisors did not follow. Unfortunately, just as he feared, the Sikh empire did not last long afterwards. Internal conflicts intensified, and unlike their father, none of his sons were capable enough to contain them. The once great empire fell to a mix of infighting, coups, and successive assassinations of the royal bloodline. By the time the British officially annexed it in 1849, it was little more than a corpse of its former self, with the all-consuming "machine" broken long ago.

Ranjit Singh himself is remembered as a great unifier and reformer beloved by everyone. He was certainly a very progressive leader with larger-than-life dreams who held genuine love for his subjects... only to drown in the (literal) price of his ideals.

Description

Likes:
"I value each and every one of my people. Consider it this way; every person you meet on the street had led a life filled with unique stories, perspectives, characters, and so many other things beyond your wildest dreams. Aren't you at least a little bit curious about what fresh ideas they could bring to the table? I also believe that there is no limit to what we can learn from others. The world is vast, and each of us were only born with a tiny piece of the whole puzzle! There's always new knowledge to be discovered just beyond the horizon! Hahaha!"

Dislikes:
"You see, some people considered my dream naive or unrealistic due to 'human nature'... as if that explains anything. Even if it does, it's such a lazy way to handwave everything we accomplished. Humans are capable of great things once we band together, and my empire was proof of that. It's also part why I'm so magnificently awestruck in Chaldea. Once again, you've proved that my wish is more than a mere pipe dream... thank you for that."

Bond 5

Likes:
"My answer will not change. I love my people above all else. Sure, running my empire wasn't always smooth sailing, and as expected of humans, we all have our disagreements every now and then, but when push comes to shove, I can always trust my people to unite as one to lift each other towards greater heights. No matter what difficulties come our way, even if fate would disprove that foolish notion time and time again... I will always choose to believe in the inherent goodness of humanity. I have to. Otherwise, for everyone to be told that their dreams were impossible from the very beginning, after everything we sacrificed to get there... that would just be too cruel, wouldn't it? 'Human nature'!? Screw that! Humanity HAS to be inherently good! Haha, yes, the things we had achieved back then- countless people from various faiths, backgrounds, and cultures standing side by side for the greater good- was not some impossible, one-time miracle! My ideals were fully attainable, had I been able to keep that machine going just a little longer! See!? I'm not mad! It's the entire world that's mad by saying that my dreams were doomed to fail from the start!"

Dislikes:
"Compromise. As a man who sought to pursue his ideals to the very end, that is a word I hate above all else. Even so, as I came to learn later in my life... the world cannot run on ideals alone. I hated every instance of me having to compromise my ideals. Whenever I aimed for a ten, I had to settle for a seven or lose it all. Aim for a five, and only two would be achievable. I hate that feeling. And yet, I have no choice but to embrace it. Even the noblest of principles are worthless if they cannot protect anyone, and in the end, I prioritized the love I held for my people over my own ambitions. Ah, don't get me wrong, though; I do not, will not ever regret prioritizing them. It's the duty of any good king, to do that, and if someone had to suffer so that everyone else has a chance at happiness, I just figured that I should be the one to do it. That is my responsibility. I don't mind becoming a monster, if it's for their sake. Hahaha, that's why..."

Wish:
"...I suppose I've gone too far to turn back now. If this is the Koh-i-Noor's answer for my prayers all those years ago, then I shall accept it wholeheartedly. Hahaha, ah, thank you, THANK YOU, my precious Mountain of Light! You truly did provide my people with a chance at salvation! I failed them before, but not again. Never again. I shall use this Holy Grail to revive my empire in all its splendor. This... is my atonement. So, I offer you a thousand apologies, 'Master', but... this is something I have to do."

Saber is a wise, capable, and understanding leader, as you'd expect him to be. He greets everyone with a warm smile, and is quick to treat even the newest acquaintances like old friends. He deeply values camaraderie and companionship, and you can always trust him to lend an ear for your troubles, or provide everyone with a good time with his jokes and infectious positivity. With decades of experience under his belt, he's also a trusted source of both practical and philosophical life advice, like that cool uncle you'd knock back a few beers with on a nice afternoon. Despite his status as Maharaja, he also shows little care for caste systems or overly-complicated court ethics, instead valuing everyone's perspectives and treating them as equals regardless of rank. All in all, it would be no exaggeration to consider Saber an ideal ruler for his people.

Bond 5

Source

Relationships

Parikshit (BnEl15):
"I-Impossible, is that really him!? The king of Kuru who built the foundations of Punjab- no, the entirety of India!? Ah, he's as radiant as I expect him to be. He united the people of a dying, war-torn land and constructed a bustling empire with their unified efforts. I'm sure you could praise his skills in politics and governance, but I think the most inspirational thing about him is the fact that for him, a future where the land prospered was not enough. He wanted his people to smile, despite the misery that plagued them following Kurukshetra. I'm... nothing but a fraud compared to him. Still, it's not like me to wallow in my own misery. I'll have you know that a leader should never be too proud to learn new things! And on that note, I have tons of questions to ask him, and I might as well ask for an autograph while I have the chance!"

Diponegoro (BnEl15):
"I see, so that's your choice... well, I suppose it is a respectable choice in its own right, after everything you went through. Sigh... I wonder if it's a choice that most, if not all rulers have to make at some point, despite varying circumstances. To choose between your ideals, or your own humanity. As much as I tried to balance the two, in the end, I..."

Tokugawa Iemitsu (Anti-Binder) (BnEl15):
"I can sympathize with him. A ruler carries with them the hopes and dreams of everyone who appointed them to the throne in the first place. As much as I hate to admit it, at least some compromises are inevitable. Now, I can't say his actions are fully justified either, but if nothing else... I can understand where he was coming from. For better or worse, taking in new perspectives and changing your stance on some things are just part of growing up, after all. Even if these changes might not always lead to your desired outcome."

Emperor Komei (BnEl15), Louis XVI (MuramasaMachII):
"You have my utmost respect. Despite how everything turned out, the love you held for your country was undoubtedly true. Never let the world tell you otherwise."

Ptolemy I Soter=Serapis (BnEl15):
"Ohoho, now that's an interesting way to enforce social cohesion. I doubt something like that could have worked for me, though. It was just... a different time entirely. Besides, even if it could work, I don't think I have it in me to do something so, uh... deceitful, for lack of a better word. Er, I don't mean that as a slight against you, I swear! You could say I'm just too... straight-laced to ever resort to such methods. Maybe that's just another weakness of mine, haha..."

Gilgamesh:
~~"Howdarehehowdarehehowdarehe-"~~
"Uuuuuuugghh. Out of consideration for his ego- I mean, his feelings, I would never say this to his face, but just seeing that pompous fool hurts me on a spiritual level. I conquered land after land, plundered treasuries after treasuries, all to keep my empire running for a little while longer. The Koh-i-Noor answered my prayers for a time, but up to my final moments, I never stopped praying to it- or to any other higher power willing to listen- so that my empire would be spared from tragedy following my death. But him? He had everything I ever desired, possibly more, and he treated them like nothing. Either he would keep them locked up in that treasury of his or fling them like coins without a second thought. What's the point of hoarding wealth for the sake of wealth itself? There must be some other, more important purpose to it, purpose he clearly does not have. Really, if he has so little regard for those things he call 'treasures', do you think he'd give me a few tons of them from his treasury? I'm sure none of them could rival the Koh-i-Noor in value, but they would still go a long way in helping me reestablish my empire. Hahaha..."

Chirizuka-kaio (Scotcheroos):
~~"YoucouldhavesavedthemIcouldhavesavedthempreciouspr ecioustreasurescometomesavethemsavethem"~~
"Please... let me hear the voice of my beloved Koh-i-Noor again. I'll do anything just to hear it speak to me one more time. I was very close before. I'm certain of it."

Master (Bond 4 Interlude):
"Sigh, apologies, my friend... no, 'Master'. You have treated me with the utmost kindness and understanding, which is why I believe you deserve to hear this admission from me. I hate you. Yes, you heard it right. The way you commanded respect and love from all of humanity's finest, from all corners of the world, with such ease in Chaldea. I made countless sacrifices to keep my empire alive for a mere two decades. Every bit of hope I gave to my people were obtained by depriving others of that same hope. I made concessions and carved away my own ideals into nothingness to ensure my people's happiness. But you? Without ever having to make the choices I did or lose the things I lost, you have the entirety of human history standing behind you. No words could fully describe this feeling of resentment I hold towards you. I understand it's pathetic of me to hold a grudge against a child forced into this position with the fate of the world at stake, but... I have to put these feelings to rest one way or another. Now, please face me in battle. Help me bury this unsightly side of myself."

Proof of Eternity

Shah Jahan I

:
"Love is a powerful motivator indeed. I would do anything for the sake of my people, and I still can't imagine the lengths you would go to for your wife. The Taj Mahal really is a sight to behold, its splendor enhanced even further by the boundless love of its creator."

Proof of Conquest

Nader Shah

:
"Sigh, another simple-minded conqueror who plunged the entire region to chaos for little more than a show of his own power. A monster barely even fit to be called human. Those jewels you so mindlessly pillaged from your conquests... give them to me. That is an order. They would be put to far better use than what a mere brute like yourself is capable of."

Proof of Attachment

Shah Shuja Durrani

:
"Ah, Shuja, Shuja... still at it again with your twisted display of 'love', are you? Those threats won't work on the one person who saw your pitiful, defeated expression in that prison. You must surely resent me for everything I did. I don't blame you, and I wouldn't mind taking my due penance when the time comes later, but... not now. Not yet. Can't you see? My dream is on the verge of coming true, and if you are to stand before me once again... well, you know better than to test my patience. So kindly remove yourself from my presence. I will not ask a second time."

Proof of Irrelevancy

Gulab Singh

:
"Gulab, old friend, how have you been? It's wonderful to see you again. I have been- eh? Why are you standing so far away? Come closer."
...
"As I was saying, I have been looking forward to our reunion. We have much to talk about, after all. Where to start... Ah, let's start from what you did to my treasury at Lahore! No, no, don't stand up. I insist. Sit. Good boy. Now, tell me something, in all your years serving under me... have I not rewarded you enough? Did you wish for even more wealth, land, or titles to your name? Had you just asked, I wouldn't mind giving you some just to address your concerns. Eh? That's not it? Then... Why? What madness compelled you to rob my treasury when you knew that my people needed its wealth more than anything else? Please, I want to understand... but I implore you to choose your words carefully."
...
"In the meantime, why don't I brew some tea for the both of us? I- Where do you think you're going? Sit. Don't worry, this tea is not poisoned or anything. I can tell we have a very long conversation ahead of us. Haha, I haven't even started on the topic of your filthy, undeserving hands touching MY Koh-i-Noor!"

Proof of Origins

Prataparudra II

:
~~"KILLKILLKILLKILLKILLKILL"~~
"How presumptuous of you. Thirty-eight years. That was how long I had been able to keep my empire alive by feeding it all the wealth it required to make it to take each step towards the future. Call me naive or deluded if you will, but if I'm not mistaken, that's still a little more than your thirty-four-year reign, is it not? That alone is proof that my methods were more effective than whatever it is you did for the Kakatiyas. Maybe the jewel never favored you in the first place, in which case I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands. Alas, I doubt things could work out so easily between the two of us."
...
"Ahem, enough pleasantries, then. I held my tongue long enough. How dare you, king of the Kakatiyas. The Koh-i-Noor spoke to me. It spoke of the undue hatred it endured in your hands, all in the name of a sad, misplaced grudge, because you simply could not bring yourself to open your eyes and gaze at your own failures. But enough about your oh-so-tragic sob stories. I care not what insults you hurl at me, but to regard the Sikh empire as the result of a mere illusion is something I cannot overlook. You trampled upon the countless dreams of those who sought to keep my empire alive, and spat upon the one path we had towards salvation. In the end, you really are a rabid animal who needed to be put down. Now, would you mind reenacting your final moments with that knife? I could lend you mine if you'd like, or would you prefer I do it for you? Ah, but please hand over the Koh-i-Noor to me before you do that. I'd hate to get your blood on it, and I'll be sure to show it more care than you are ever capable of."
*Saber is already less inclined to hold his tongue when interacting with most other wielders of the Koh-i-Noor, but his hatred towards the king of the Kakatiyas is something else entirely. After all, underneath his exterior, he too is driven by a delusion that could rival her own. Furthermore, the nature of his delusion is also one that stands at a complete opposite of Prataparudra's own. Even having them in the same room would be a bad idea.*

Proof of Resolution

???

:
"I should hate you for everything you did. You are one of THEM. Those outsiders who gnawed at my empire's borders bit by bit, who gave not a sliver of concern for the many victims you left in your wake. And that was before your nation declared an all out war, looting whatever was left of the Sikhs. On top of that, what did you do to my beloved Koh-i-Noor!? You dared to subject it to such barbaric torture!? Aah, it must be weeping in pain even know! Pain that even you could hardly imagine!"
...
"Eh? You... could actually imagine it..? You, how could you begin to-"
...
"Hmph. So that's how it is. I have any number of reason to kill you now, but... I am not a monster. I cannot let myself forget that. It seems even your kind has a human heart deep down. I've... really fallen so far, huh? To blind myself to such a thing... Sigh, my apologies. Out of respect for your accomplishments, and the love you hold in your heart, I shall stay my blade. But please do not consider us as 'friends'. I am quite the tolerant man, but as I felt back then, I doubt I could ever consider your kind as anything more than coworkers working for the same goal. Forgiveness will not come so easily."

Proof of Journey

???

:
"Aaahh, you, YOU! Why... why are you here now, of all time!? After everything I did! WHY!? I, I... I did my best, didn't I!? So why!? How could the world throw away my people's wishes so easily!? Is it still not enough!? Why isn't it enough!? Am I not enough, despite all my efforts!? Tell me, please... what else can I do..?"

Bond CE

Creator's Notes

Haha, the cool uncle who's so charming, friendly, capable, and 10/10 best ruler ever turns out to be... angsty. Gasp. Who would have thought. I'd say he's still less angsty than Scotch's Prataparudradeva in the previous episode, though. Congratulations, Scotch, you have truly surpassed your teacher as the master of angst. You have my greatest respect.

Anyways, I took a pretty long time to finish this despite very much looking forward to the next episode. I wasn't sure what direction to take with his character at first, but in the end, he became a subversion of the "Humanity, fuck yeah!", mc-energy Saber tropes. No, seriously; "most heroic Class", seemingly lawful good on the surface, has big, noble dreams, and has a powerful enough skillset to realistically make it to the endgame of a HGW. In a fic, he'd totally be the mc's Servant/wise mentor figure who gave mc a ton of character development, only to appear as the final boss in one route in a reversal of what happened in that one FSR ending.

Anyway, while I'm satisfied enough at how he turned out, I still feel like real larger-than-life figures in the vein of Artoria, Iskandar, or Ranjit here aren't my usual specialty. I'm much more in the zone with smaller-scale stories and character dynamics... like what you're going to see with the next guy.

(Very obvious teaser warning, do not click if you wish to remain unspoiled)

Episode 6 Teaser

**Scotcheroos** · August 19th, 2024, 06:36 PM

I'm not good at writing angst. I'm not in denial, you're in denial >:C

(Glad to see EPisode 5 and looking hella good as usual. Now's the part where I try to coerce people into giving their thoughts on Ranjit because we need feedback and thoughts, dammit-)

**BáthoryErszebet210** · August 19th, 2024, 09:58 PM

Name: Menelik II
Japanese Name: メネリク2世
Class: Ruler
Origin: Ethiopia
Source: Historical Fact
Alignment: Lawful Good
Armament: Royal Scepter, Shield, Sword
Outfit: Menelik II is dressed in traditional Ethiopian royal regalia, with a vibrant red, gold, and green robe adorned with intricate patterns symbolizing his imperial status. He wears a golden crown encrusted with gemstones, and his scepter is a symbol of authority and protection. His shield is decorated with the Lion of Judah emblem, while his sword, though ceremonial, gleams with divine light.

Likes: Unity, Justice, Progress, African Sovereignty
Dislikes: Colonialism, Oppression, Betrayal
Talents: Leadership, Military Strategy, Diplomacy, Nation-building
Natural Enemies: European Colonial Powers, Oppressors, Invaders

Lore:

Menelik II, the Emperor of Ethiopia, is best known for his remarkable leadership during the Battle of Adwa in 1896, where his forces decisively defeated the invading Italian army, preserving Ethiopia's independence. His reign was marked by significant modernization efforts, including the introduction of railways, telephones, and other modern infrastructure. Menelik II is also celebrated for his commitment to justice, unity, and the preservation of Ethiopia's sovereignty.

In the Throne of Heroes, Menelik II is revered as a symbol of resistance against oppression and a guardian of African pride. His presence as a Ruler-class Servant embodies his role as a just and wise leader who wielded power not for personal gain but for the protection and betterment of his people.

Personality:

Menelik II is a calm, wise, and resolute leader. His demeanor reflects his deep sense of responsibility and commitment to justice. He is not easily swayed by emotions but instead carefully considers all options before making decisions. His humility and sense of duty are evident in his interactions with others, as he sees himself as a servant of his people rather than a ruler above them. Menelik II possesses a strong sense of fairness and will not hesitate to confront injustice, even if it means standing alone against overwhelming odds.

Parameters:

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

Skills:

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance (A):
As a ruler who defended his nation from foreign invaders, Menelik II possesses a high level of Magic Resistance, nullifying most modern magecraft.

True Name Discernment (B):
Allows him to identify the true identity and abilities of other Servants, reflecting his wisdom and strategic acumen as a ruler.

Personal Skills:

Lion of Judah (A):
Menelik II is descended from the Solomonic Dynasty, believed to be linked to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. This skill grants him authority and charisma, enhancing his leadership abilities and providing a significant boost to allies' morale and combat effectiveness.

Divine Protection of the Land (A+):
As a ruler who fiercely defended Ethiopia’s independence, Menelik II can invoke the protection of the land, increasing his and his allies' defense and resistance against foreign threats. This skill also allows him to create powerful defensive barriers.

Strategist of Adwa (A):
Reflecting his brilliant military strategy during the Battle of Adwa, this skill enhances Menelik II's tactical abilities in battle. It allows him to predict enemy movements, formulate counter-strategies, and boost the effectiveness of his allies' combat tactics.

Modernization Pioneer (B+):
Menelik II was a pioneer in modernizing Ethiopia. This skill grants him the ability to enhance and upgrade infrastructure, equipment, and even certain Noble Phantasms, making them more efficient and effective.

Noble Phantasm:

Aksum
Legacy of the Empire

Type of NP Attack: Quick
Rank: A+
Type: Anti-Army/Support

Menelik II summons the ancient city of Aksum, the heart of the Ethiopian Empire, where the Ark of the Covenant is believed to be kept. This Noble Phantasm manifests as a vast, impenetrable fortress that protects allies and overwhelms enemies with divine power. Inside Aksum, Menelik II’s allies gain significant boosts to their abilities, including enhanced mana regeneration, increased physical and magical defenses, and immunity to most debuffs. The fortress itself can launch powerful attacks imbued with divine energy, capable of decimating enemy forces. The mere presence of Aksum on the battlefield acts as a beacon of hope and resistance against oppression.

**Skull** · August 22nd, 2024, 07:32 PM

Feel free to point and laugh that I got something wrong about this incredibly esoteric Class that hasn't been adapted into FGO yet.

----

Watcher

“Only the wise know just where predestination ends and free will begins. Meanwhile, you must keep on doing your best, according to your own clearest understanding. You must long for freedom as the drowning man longs for air. Without sincere longing, you will never find your God.”

True Name: Mother Shipton
Epithet: “The Witch of York”
Region: England (15th~16th Century)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Likes: Schadenfreude, Unpredictability
Dislikes: Insects, Priests
Talents: Herbology, Pranks
Natural Enemy: Humans

Parameters
STR: (E) END: (E) AGI: (C) MGI: (A) LCK: (C) NP: (A)

Character

Watcher takes the form of Ursula Southeil, better known as the Witch and Soothsayer “Mother Shipton” who foretold the fates of several rulers within and just after her lifetime, as well as the Great Fire of London, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Counter-intuitively, despite being known as a famous Witch, Shipton considers herself more akin to that of a scientist, especially when it comes to her knowledge of and experiments in plant life and mineralogy. This has even creeped into her vocabulary whereby she often uses gardening based idioms and metaphors to describe her view of the Grail War. In her natural habitat, Shipton is a calm and methodical person, dispassionately carrying out her duties swiftly yet seamlessly. Anti-social by nature, her callous and blunt interactions with others led to much offence given and resentment built up against her. It seems that being both human and not, Shipton spent her life having a foot in both realms and yet was an outcast in both. Because of this, she has grown to resent the arrogant and prideful, often setting them up for failure when they foolishly approach her and voicing her iconic “Kaka” cackle as she watches with Schadenfreude at their humiliation. That’s not to say Shipton is completely misanthropic, as she was known to make a living as a herbalist and sell remedies and potions to the local populace, which led her to occasionally favouring the kinds of people who are kind and humble. However both hatred and kindness are fleeting and she will eventually revert back to her docile apathy to life - the source of which comes from her soothsaying. The ability to constantly predict the future with pinpoint accuracy has left Shipton desensitised and bored with life. For that reason she takes a special interest when something unexpected happens that goes against her future vision. One of the few things left that Shipton genuinely cares about is her family, both her mother Agatha and her husband Toby and so if someone were to disrespect them then that would incur some uncharacteristic ire from Shipton.

In a Holy Grail War, Shipton takes a backseat as is common for the Watcher Class. After evaluating her Master, she is content to let them run amok with her Noble Phantasm in tow. If an enemy Servant does locate her, then she will be prepared (unless they were able to evade both her future sight and clairvoyance) and she will attempt to negotiate with them. Once forced to defend herself, Shipton will fight with a mixture of her giant garden shears and her magic. The worst type of person to run into is a holy man as not only will it frustrate her as she has bad memories of priests, being a Mixed-Blood means that Shipton is especially weak to any kind of anti-demon attacks.

Her Wish upon the Holy Grail? Naturally it would be to prevent the premature death of her husband Toby and to have a family reunion at last by introducing him to her mother.

Skills

Class Skills

Magic Resistance - (B)
The granting of protection against magical effects. Differing from the Resistance effect that merely rejects Magical Energy, this ability cancels the spells altogether. Despite having been born in the Age of Man, the combined magical inheritance of her Witch mother and Devil father means that Shipton has a great immunity to spell effects from any place or era and as a Servant will automatically reject any spells with a chant below three verses. Even if she is targeted by Greater Magecraft and Greater Rituals, it is difficult for her to be affected in short bursts of exposure.

Territory Infringement - (C)
A characteristic Class Skill of the Watcher Servant. It is the ability to bypass any territory or barrier, regardless of whether it is supernatural or mundane in nature. Just by placing her hand on a door handle or similar portal, Shipton will be able to silently manipulate the locking mechanism and stealthy gain entry for her and anyone she brings with her. There are exceptions to this infiltration ability, as Shipton cannot override the power of thaumaturgy that is higher-ranking than her own. She also naturally has great difficulty in entering places of religious importance since she is a child of the Devil.

Watcher - (C)
The signature Class Skill of the Watcher Servant, one that represents the Watcher Class's special contract status towards the Master. As one who observes the loom of fate and can even pull at its threads, Shipton is capable of altering the Luck Stat of her Master to help them survive a fatal encounter. As she is not strong enough to overturn destiny itself, this Skill leaves her Master with a higher probability of dying in the future after its use. In addition, her connection with her Master allows Shipton to be able to remotely track their movements by hijacking the senses of nearby insects and even have a limited form of communication.

Personal Skills

Future Sight - (B)
One of the main types of Precognition - an Extra Sensory Perception ability. Much like the famous Court Magus Merlin, Shipton was the union of a human woman and the Devil and this too grants her the ability to divine the future. Upon being presented with multiple simulations of the near future, Shipton is able to calculate and predict the most likely scenario to come to pass and that knowledge helps her avoid unfortunate circumstances. In combat, by limiting the ability to only glimpsing the next few seconds, Shipton is able to gain an advantage in taking the first Action per Round, regardless of the DEX values involved.

Green Thumb - (A)
The study of plant life - from the cultivation, reproduction and chemical manipulation of all things within botanical taxonomy. Despite being raised away from her parents, Shipton was able to support herself financially by studying the local flora and becoming a herbalist who created potions and remedies and sold them to the townsfolk. As a Servant, Shipton can identify the properties of the plants she comes across by sight alone and can use them to construct various items such as undetectable poisons, psychotropic aliments or healing salves. Shipton is only limited by the quality of the ingredients and the time taken to gather them.

Witchcraft - (B)
The mark of a practitioner of Black Magic - one who casts malevolent spells aimed to harm others. Before she became Mother Shipton, Ursula was the daughter of the Witch Agatha Southeil and so even separated from her mother, she was destined to follow in her footsteps and learn the arts of Witchcraft. In particular, Shipton was famous for her experiments in petrification within her cave and she enjoys using it on human beings. Aside from that, she has the typical repertoire of a Witch, from familiar summoning to shapeshifting and curses. Despite her reputation, Shipton is more likely to use her powers to pull pranks rather than harm innocent people.

Noble Phantasm

Rollright Stones
Trials of the Whispering Knights

[Type: Anti-Unit], [Rank: A], [Maximum Range: ∞], [Maximum Number of Targets: 1]

Upon being summoned, Mother Shipton will evaluate her Master and determine whether or not they are worthy of being subjected to the Trials. If she is satisfied, Shipton will present the “King’s Stone” to them, a spherical rock with the Kanji “王様” crudely carved into it. Without warning she will then thrust it into her Master’s chest, as it breaks apart and sinks into their body. Once done Shipton will explain that her Master now has the unenviable honour of ownership over her Noble Phantasm but this is a double-edged sword as it means that now they are reenacting a tale from long ago…

Centuries ago Mother Shipton was researching a method to achieve immortality to escape her impending death from old age when suddenly she was approached by a foreign king. The king sought to become the ruler of England and requested the Witch’s help to do so, upon which she issued a trial. If in only seven steps the king could witness the nearby village of Long Compton then he would indeed sit on the throne. Boldly the king took seven strides forward but his view of the village was blocked by the elevated scarp of the Cotswold Hills. Cackling at his misfortune, the Witch transformed the king into a solitary monolith called the King’s Stone, whilst the alarmed knights who accompanied him formed a huddle where they muttered amongst themselves about how to retaliate but the Witch simply petrified them as well into a stone circle that became known as the Whispering Knights. Legend has it that when the clocks strike midnight, the stone figures come to life and are forced to do the Witch’s bidding before returning to their stations when the sun rises.

Having explained all that, Shipton exposits that by having the King’s Stone inside of them, her Master now occupies the “role” of the unfortunate monarch and must claim the Holy Grail before the sun rises in seven days time, otherwise they too will be turned into stone and be added to the Witch’s collection. However to offset that potentially horrible fate, the Master will have access to the other side of the folktale and so during the nighttime, they will be capable of summoning the Whispering Knights. These four rock-men Familiars are stationed as inconspicuous statues during the day, but after sunset their petrification is undone and they gather to serve their “king” once more. Unlike a Servant, these Knights are not incorporeal spirits and so they must physically move from one location to the next and must be wary of being seen by the public. However their life as rock-men means that even in human form, their cells are still silicon based instead of carbon and this grants them a number of abilities. Primarily it increases the Knights’ durability but by using a degree of focus, they are capable of hardening their skin into a variety of mineraloid states in order to camouflage into their surroundings for the purposes of stealth and reconnaissance. They can also alter their physiology, down to the atomic level and selectively bond and break the chemical bonds with other mineral based masses they come into contact with, allowing them to effectively “swim” through the ground or phase through man-made constructs such as brick or concrete walls.

However whilst the Knights are far stronger than the average human, they are a shadow of their former selves and have had their consciousnesses reduced to the level of a dog or a cat and so a Servant should have little problem evading one or two of their simplistic attacks. It is because of their lack of any intelligent thought that Shipton thinks of them as mere brutes and wouldn’t miss them at all if an enemy smashed them to pieces. But as they follow their “King’s” orders without question, with enough practice the Master could learn how to coordinate their actions and formulate strategies whereby their commands would allow them to overwhelm and slay a Servant.

Lore

Born during a violent thunderstorm inside of a cave just outside of the town of Knaresborough, 15 year old Agatha Southeil gave birth to a hideously deformed baby and as the raging storm suddenly ceased, she called the baby “Ursula”. The stories say that Agatha was not only an orphan but a Witch and had used her powers to summon the Devil in order to conceive a child. Regardless of the truth, the identity of the father was never discovered, despite the efforts of the local magistrate to investigate.

After two years of being ostracised from society and raising her infant daughter in the cave, the Abbot of Beverley eventually intervened. The priest removed them from the cave and secured Agatha a place in the Convent of the Order of St. Bridget in Nottinghamshire, and Ursula a foster family in Knaresborough. Agatha and Ursula would never see each other again. Growing up, Ursula was a troublesome child for her foster mother to raise. Even as a toddler she would leave her cradle, favouring high places to perch and play magical pranks on the local villagers - especially if they had mocked her ugly appearance - all the while cackling with her iconic laugh.

As Ursula grew so did her knowledge of plants and herbs and she became an invaluable resource for the townspeople as a herbalist. The respect she earned from her work gave her the opportunity to expand her social circle and it was then she met the local carpenter Toby Shipton. When Ursula was 24 years old she and Toby Shipton were married. From this point on Ursula adopted her husband's surname and became known as “Mother Shipton”. The people in town were shocked at their union and whispered of how he must have been bewitched to marry her.

Two years later, in 1514, Toby Shipton died, and the town believed Ursula to have been responsible for his death. The grief of losing her husband and the harsh words of the town prompted Ursula Shipton to move into the woods, and the same cave she had been born in, for peace. Here she continued to create potions and herbal remedies for people. Mother Shipton's name slowly became more and more well known, and people would travel far distances to see her and receive potions and spells. As her popularity grew she grew bolder and revealed she could see the future. She started by making small prophecies involving her town and the people within, and as her prophecies came true she began telling prophecies of the monarchy and the future of the world. Many of which, such as the storm that destroyed the Trinity Church, the Great Fire of London, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada - all came true.

Creator's Notes

As always, all comments and criticisms are duly welcome.

**WhiteFrenzy** · August 24th, 2024, 08:51 PM

We had some great sheets lately but these last ones just caught my attention in a way that I had to come here.
So, excuse me for a sec...

Ranjit Singh: Honestly, I think there's something extremely human about this sheet, even though the subject is very supernatural. It's a phenomenal entry in the jewel saga and I'm so glad I'm alive to witness history being made like this. And despite his legend being so over the top, so grand and larger than life, I think you managed to translate the better details into a competent Servant that is both hearthwarming in his love for his people and it's also heartwrenching, and even scary, in his determination to keep this happiness with the help of the Koh. It's overall just a very sad tale of a love perverted by this curse, yet again... And because of that, it makes all the more tasty.

Mother Shipton: I do love my sheets that are more books than sheets, but from time to time is just so refreshing to see a sheet that does just that... What a sheet does. It presents a lovable, interesting character, it makes sure we all are on the same page in regards to what it represents and then it presents the Skills and abilities. And it makes it in a way that is very, very well-written and sucks you in. Anyway, you're truly a master of your craft and I found myself just amazed and even a bit envious of your ability... BUT YES, DID I MENTIONED I LOVE MOTHER SHIPTON? BECAUSE I DO.

**Skull** · August 25th, 2024, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by WhiteFrenzy

BUT YES, DID I MENTIONED I LOVE MOTHER SHIPTON? BECAUSE I DO.

Aww...she wuvs you too. <3

**BáthoryErszebet210** · August 25th, 2024, 07:30 AM

What do you think about my Menelik II servant sheet? I know I don’t have a pic for him but there is a description of his outfit and what he is like.

**Dark Squirrel** · August 27th, 2024, 10:09 AM

Top level notes

What had started as a perfectly quiet day for Fujimaru Ritsuka, Last Master of Humanity, aboard the Storm Border, the mobile headquarters of Novum Chaldea, had immediately become busy when he was called to the control room by Leonardo da Vinci, Technical Advisor to the Director of Chaldea.

"Fujimaru-kun, buongiorno!”

“Good morning Da Vinci, Mash, Director!” Fujimaru saluted in turn each of the people present in the room. In addition to the Italian Heroic Spirit, there were also Mash Kyrielight, member of Chaldea's staff and his first Servant, as well as Goredolf Musik, Director of Chaldea.

“So why did you call me to the control room just after breakfast?”

"We found this on the main console this morning when we were about to start the routine check-ups." Da Vinci wasted no time in explaining, handing Fujimaru what looked to be a small, rectangular piece of white cardboard.

"What is it?"

"It's something you should be familiar with: a business card. But what is important is what is written on it."

“There’s something written on it? Oh, yes, I didn’t look at the other side of it!”

Fujimaru started reading aloud the handwritten note:

“Dear Organisation for the Preservation of Humanity, Novum Chaldea,
I wish to inform you that I will steal the Holy Grail that has materialised in Paris. As such, you do not need to waste your precious time, best used facing the Bleached Earth Phenomenon, with it.
Warmest regards,
Arsène Lupin.”

"Arsène Lupin? Who is that?" asked Fujimaru as he handed the card back to Da Vinci.

"He's the protagonist of multiple stories by French author Maurice Leblanc, Senpai. He is the biggest influence on the figure of the Phantom Thief, like the Summer version of Carmilla, or Amakusa Shirō when the fancy takes him, like that one time at the museum," answered Mash from the console on which she had been browsing Chaldea’s vast records.

"But if he is fictional, how can he have sent us a card?"

"Maybe it's a similar situation to other Heroic Spirits like the Phantom of the Opera, or Mr. Jekyll? Where it’s actually the real person behind the novel? We have met more than a few of them over the years, Senpai!”

"Or maybe it's just a prank. You are too naive, Fujimaru. You can't believe everything so easily. We didn't detect a Singularity in Paris, after al…" started to say Goredolf, when he got interrupted.

An alarm had suddenly started sounding, along with an automated announcement:

"Alert! Singularity detected. Alert! Singularity detected. Alert!…"

A moment later, a new person entered the room.

"I'm sure you guys heard the alarm, but I will confirm it just in case: SHEBA has detected a new Singularity," said Sion Eltnam Sokaris, liaison to the Atlas Institute and invaluable ally to Novum Chaldea. "And it is located in..."

"Wait, let me guess!" interrupted Da Vinci. "It's in Paris, isn't it?"

"Wow, Da Vinci, you really are a genius! It is indeed located in Paris, in the year 1908," answered Sion brightly.

"Ahahahah I'm afraid I can't really take credit for this one," grimaced Da Vinci as she handed her the card.

Sion spent a moment reading it, before commenting:

"This is more serious than I thought. According the SHEBA, this Singularity isn't big enough to threaten Proper Human History. But if there is someone in there that can interact with us that are outside, then this could turn out to be really dangerous!"

"Then there is no time to lose! Fujimaru, Kirielight, you are to head there immediately, and resolve this Singularity!"

“Yes, Director!” answered as one Fujimaru and Mash, well-used to this type of situation.

“If only Holmes were here… There is no one better suited to catching a thief than a detective, after all…” lamented Da Vinci.

The loss of Sherlock Holmes in the irregular Singularity Traum still hung heavy over the members of Novum Chaldea.

"Do not worry, Fujimaru! Even if we do not have a consulting detective with us anymore, you will not have to go alone. My darling Trismegistus II has calculated which Servants are compatible with this Singularity. We will rayshift them along with you."

As the two young people prepared to enter the coffins that would break their bodies into Spiritons to be sent to the past, two more

Servants

people

entered the room.

"Yan Qing! Robin! With the two of you, everything will be alright!" exclaimed Fujimaru upon seeing the two Heroic Spirits.

"Hang on, how come there isn't even one compatible Servant native to the time period? Or a French one, at that?" asked a voice over the intercom.

"Ah yes, you are French, are you not, Morbier? How well do you know Paris?" asked Goredolf in response.

"Wow, how rude, Chubs. You're asking me, just because I'm French? Not all French people are Parisians, you know," answered Jingle Abel Meuniere, the Novum Chaldea staff member that was the closest thing Goredolf Musik had to a friend in the organisation.

"Yes yes. But you are Parisian, are you not, Meulin?"

"... Yes, I am. But that doesn't mean you're right, you hear! And anyways, that didn't answer the question!"

"Why a Servant is a compatible with a Singularity is often far from obvious. We should count ourselves lucky those two are. At least we are not sending Fujimaru and Kirielight alone in the field."

"I know, I know... But I can't help but wonder, you know? The oddities are really starting to pile up," said Meuniere with a concerned look on his face that could be felt even over the intercom.

This was the last thing Fujimaru heard before the Rayshift procedure started.

Once the transfer was over, he was quite happy to find himself not in free-fall as had often been the case during previous operations, but standing in a street, with his three companions close to him.
“Da Vinci, we arrived safely. Can you see anything unusual on your scans?” asked Fujimaru, following the standard procedure of keeping the control room appraised of his situation.

“…” Only static emerged from the communication device worn on his wrist.

“Da Vinci? Director? Sion? Anyone?”

“…”

“Senpai, we appear to have been cut off from Chaldea as soon as we arrived.”

“So it’s going to be this kind of Singularity, uh…”

“You’re taking this in stride, Master! I guess you’re pretty used to this happening?”

“Yes, sadly this is turning out to be the norm…” sighed Fujimaru.

“Alright, let’s start with the basics, then. Is there anything to orient us by?”

“According to our briefing, we should be somewhere close the Palais Garnier, the great opera house of Paris. Senpai, can you see it? It’s a big building in the middle of a square with a glass dome and golden sculptures,” said Mash, looking around.

“Yes, I see it. But… There appears to be a big commotion around it…”

“I don’t know much about modern times, but I think those are police vehicles, Master.”

“Yeah, my bandit instincts are screaming at me to get out of there before I get caught.”

“Since we came here because we knew a famous thief would be here, does that mean a theft has already been committed?”

“It wasn’t a theft,” said an unknown voice coming from the shadow of a nearby porch. “Unless you want to get poetic. What happened tonight was a murder. Good evening, members of Finis Chaldea.”

All four turned towards the source of the voice, the three Servants taking up fighting positions and shielding their Master, quite literally in the case of Mash, none of them having detected the newcomer before they spoke up.

Fujimaru squinted at the silhouette of the speaker, whose intervention had surprised him.

“… Holmes? Is that you? But it’s impossible…”

“It’s not impossible, Senpai. A fresh summon of a Servant we met before is always possible.”

“Sherlock Holmes, eh?” The speaker straightened, and moved out of the shadow.

“No, you are not Holmes. But you give off the same feeling as him…”

“So you already know a version of Sherlock Holmes. It likely wasn’t me. I am already working on the case that brought you to this Singularity. Since you will likely not let me solve it on my own, let us do our best to solve this case together.”

~ ♬ ~

Alter Ego of the Chase
-- The Case Will Not End Until The Culprit Is Caught --

Bond Default

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━╋━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Bond 1
“Yang Qing! Noooo!” yelled Fujimaru as the gallant bandit’s Spirit Origin faded under the assault of Raffles.

“Senpai, we need to escape while we can!”

“Yeah, don’t let that sassy bastard’s sacrifice be for nothing!”

Robin and Mash had to drag their Master away while Sholmès led their retreat from the Assassin Raffles. The British criminal had lulled them into a false sense of security with his easy-going personality, before springing his trap on them.

“Damnit! He’s also blocked off this street!” explained Sholmès angrily from further away. “Kirielight, Hood, keep your Master safe a little longer. I will find another way.”

“That’s easier said than done!” Grimly, Robin Hood prepared to fight against the elusive Servant.

“Don’t make this difficult, now. I dislike violence, and would much prefer this be over sooner rather than later,” amicably said their opponent, striding confidently forward.

“We don’t have to fight! Just work with us to solve this Singularity!”
desperatly pleaded Fujimaru.

“No can do, my boy. I’m afraid there can be no break in play once this game has started.”

“This game…?”

As a light twinkled in Sholmès’ eye upon hearing those words, an explosion rocked the Parisian street.

From the cloud of dust rose a cloaked figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

“You will threaten those innocents no longer, criminal!”

“The pot seems to be calling me black, how amusing. Now kindly get out of my way, I dislike Nightwatchsmen.”

The cloaked figure gestured and another explosion rocked the neighbouring buildings.
Raffles unsteadily started to get back to his feet, quite clearly wounded, when…

“Ungh!”

Seemingly out of nowhere, Sholmès had appeared, landing a heavy blow that connected with the British criminal’s chest. He quickly followed up with more punches to his opponent’s face and torso, before dealing him a violent uppercut that sent his foe flying.

“Aaah… To think, I would be defeated by a close cousin of mine…”

“Your chronicler may have been sir Conan Doyle’s brother-in-law, but mine was Maurice Leblanc. Our connection is more tenuous than you imagined. At best, you are the criminal and I am the detective. This is how it was always fated to end.”

“… Is that so? That’s what I get for rushing to hit a shot…” lamented Raffles before disappearing.

“Thank you for your help! Your rescue couldn’t have been better timed!” Fujimaru profusely thanked his rescuer, who stood a few meters away, aloof in the shadow of a doorway.

“No need to thank me. I merely refuse to play the game set up by a criminal.”

“A game? A criminal? What are you talking about?”

“Hang on, Master. There’s something more important going on.” interrupted Robin Hood, as he positionned himself between Fujimaru and their still-unknown saviour. “Who are you? There’s no way we can trust you just because you saved us. After all, he was pretty nice to us by comparison to Rocambole.”

“Humpf. I am Judex, the Avenger who preys on the corrupt of this world. And I am here to oppose the one who would rule over this Singularity and use it to take advantage of the weak: Fantômas!”

“Fantômas?! As in the mysterious criminal said to have acted in Paris at the start of the 20th Century? But… He is just a character from a novel!” exclaimed Mash.

“Wait a minute, Mash… Didn’t you also say the same thing about Rocambole, and Raffles, and Lupin? It can’t be a coincidence!”

“The real connection is that all of them are criminals hiding their real identity behind masks, real or metaphorical. And I will be the one to take them all down!” snarled Judex. “But you are mistaken: there is no Lupin here. Fantômas is the only one left now that you have dealt with Rocambole and Raffles. I took down the others myself.”

At this point, Sholmès scoffed. “Preposterous! No Lupin? The mastermind is Fantômas? That’s nonsense! I would not be here if Lupin wasn’t as well. You appear to have been fooled yourself, Mister Judex.”

“Burglared Holy Grail War: Masked Ballet of the Monte-En-L'Air” – That is the name given by Chaldea to the Singularity in which they met Herlock Sholmès. After their arrival Fujimaru, Mash, Robin and Yan Qing were quickly brought up to date by Sholmès, who explained that multiple thieves were competing with each other in attempt to commit the greatest crime available to them: steal the Holy Grail responsible for this Singularity.

Helping Sholmès with his investigation, Fujimaru and the others first faced off against Rocambole, the great manipulator from the middle of the French 19th Century, and thwarted his violent designs. They then clashed with the companiable but dangerous Raffles, the British master of disguises. Things looked grim as Yan Qing sacrificed himself to buy everyone else time to escape from Raffles’ clutches, when the sinister Judex, a resourceful Avenger, intervened to save them, giving Sholmès the opportunity to take down Raffles. Judex then informed the group that Fantômas appeared to be the one responsible for the contest and the creation of the Singularity.

However, Sholmès disagreed with this revelation: it had to be the work of Arsène Lupin, or else he would not have been summoned. And indeed, the victories over Rocambole and Raffles had seemed to Chaldea to have been like so many afterthoughts for Sholmès…

“The most vivid memories I have are of those cases in France and beyond that involved Lupin. The secret of the Château of Thibermesnil, the enigma of the Blond Lady, the mystery of rue Murillo, the Hollow Needle… I scarce remember other… I believe you would call them adventures? Not that they were boring. If I took the cases, they couldn’t have been boring. I hate being bored with a passion. But Lupin… I don’t remember ever hating and admiring someone both so much before or after. I suppose that if I had been summoned in another Spirit Origin, I would also feel strongly about… James Moriarty was it? But as it is, the name doesn’t evoke a reaction at all.”

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Bond 2

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Bond 3

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Bond 4

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Bond 5

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Extra
The remains of his Spirit Core crushed by a renowned crime fighter, Fantômas finally vanished in a spray of golden sparks...
Seeing this, Mash relaxed her grip on her shield, that had protected both her and her Master from the explosion triggered by Robin Hood’s Noble Phantasm.

“Man am I glad that worked… I was sure from your explanation that he was the type of murderer who carried around poison, just in case he unexpectedly fancied killing someone, girlie, but I’m still relieved he really did!” The green-clad Archer slumped against a wall, exhausted.

“You really could have given some warning so I wasn’t caught in the blast, you know,” complained Yan Qing, looking absolutely unscathed.

“Yeah yeah, I’ll send you a card next time to wa… Nah, sorry, that was in bad taste, considering all we went through. Tell you what, you’ll buy me a drink and all will be forgiven.”

“That’s my line!” indignantly shouted the martial artist.

“Anyways Master, seems like this is it for us. I don’t think either has enough energy to remain here after the stunts we both pulled. Everything appears to be sorted out, too, so we’ll be heading back to Chaldea first.”

“Hey, stop talking for me! I’m absolutely fine!”

“Didn’t you say you’d been caught in the blast of the explosion?”

“Well… I did, yes. And maintaining this tacked-on Noble Phantasm for so long didn’t do me any favours either…” admitted Yan Qing, as golden sparks started to surround him.

“So there you have it, Master. See you back on the Border!”

And with those words, both Heroic Spirits disappeared in sparks of gold, returning to the Storm Border to recover their energy from the magical furnaces that powered the vessel and allowed for the continuous materialisation of the various Heroic Spirits contracted to Fujimaru.

Sholmès leaned on his cane, sighing loudly.

Mash and Fujimaru headed wearily towards him, quite tired after this latest ordeal.

“Are you alright, Mister Sholmès?”

“I… I am. Thank you for asking. Especially after I almost got you killed through my actions.”

“It’s alright, don’t worry about it. After all, everything turned out fine in the end!” Fujimaru brightly tried to cheer up the detective, bottling up his own anguish, once again.

Sholmès eyed him for a moment, before slowly answering.

“It is not. I knew full well my Noble Phantasm ran the risk of putting you in danger. But in my eagerness to catch Fantômas, I used it anyway. This is not the first time something like this has happened either. What a time to discover that a Heroic Spirit is bound to the choices they made during the life.”

“Heroic Spirits can change! After all, Elizabeth Báthory chose to become an idol and overturn her fate!” Mash exclaimed something quite outrageous, elliciting a wince from her Master as he remembered the countless “concert” he had been forced to attend thanks to that change…

“Anyways… Mister Sholmès, when did you guess that Fantômas was actually Judex?”

“From the moment I saw him. His timing was too convenient, and his methods too similar to those of the mastermind I had observed so far. It could really have been a case of a Servant similar to the one responsible being summoned by the Counter Force. A ‘fight fire with fire’ situation. But that would have been too complex an explanation. Especially since I had already been summoned for that express purpose.” Sholmès sighed once again. “I must apologise for having put you in danger, however. I deeply regret that, especially since it meant I ended up needing the help of others to prevent a complete disaster. I will have to thank both Yan Qing and Robin Hood personally if I get the chance.”

“Of course you will! I’m sure we will manage to summon you to Chaldea!”
enthusiastically exclaimed Fujimaru, while Mash beamed at Sholmès from his side.

“That would be interesting, to say the least. Maybe one day. Although the chances of me being summoned are low, being only a distorsion of a better known Heroic Spirit. That said, I was sure Lupin had been summoned as well. I thought I recognised his handiwork, even if it was sloppier than usual. To think the World summoned a counterfeint Holmes to deal with a counterfeit Lupin. How very… amusing.”

With his teeth audibly grinding, Herlock Sholmès disappeared in golden sparks, looking very displeased.

Fujimaru and Mash exchanged a smile, then collected themselves and headed out of the building, towards Fantômas’ hideout, where the Holy Grail had been stored away. Upon its collection in Mash’s shield, the Singularity would lose its anchor and collapse, returning History to its Proper path.

As they walked, they took in the sight of 1908 Paris, passing from the Île de la Cité where they had faced the criminal, towards the Marais, where Sholmès had located the villain’s lair. The two young people pushed open the door of the now-deserted building and…

“Senpai… Is it only me or is the building… empty?” Mash asked, incredulously.

“There must be a secret room or something to hide his loot!” exclaimed Fujimaru.

But after carefully searching the building, no hidden room was found. Nor was even a single centime, let alone the Holy Grail.

“Hello, Fujimaru-kun? Can you hear me? I repeat: can you hear me, Fujimaru-kun?”

“Da Vinci! Is that you?!” Fujimaru answered, startled as his communicator finally sprung to life for the first time since arriving in the Singularity.

“You’re alright! That’s wonderful news!”

“I… wouldn’t say I’m alright, but I appreciate the sentiment…”

“Well, you’re quite obviously tired, but you don’t bear any wounds. We were quite worried when we saw that Robin Hood and Yan Qing had returned, after all this time without being able to contact you. Anyway, you can fill us in later, good job on collecting the Grail!”

“But… we didn’t find it.”

“You what?” interrupted Goredolf.

“But the signal from the Grail has disappeared! The Singularity is about to collapse! If you don’t have it, then who does?”

“I don’t know! We’ve searched Fantômas’ hideout but there’s nothing there! There’s not even a single stolen item!”

“Fantômas, uh? No no, that’s not the time for that! I need to bring you both back here immediately! The Singularity is collapsing around you! Brace yourselves!”

As the now-familiar sensation of being broken down into Spiritons took hold, Fujimaru couldn’t help but keep worrying about where the Grail had disappeared to…

Upon exiting the Coffin in which he had regained consciousness, he could already hear panicked shouting coming from the control room, which only got louder as he made his way towards it.

“What do you mean you lost track of the Grail? It’s one of the only things we had been able to monitor during this incident, along with Fujimaru’s vital signs!”

“I know, I know! It disappeared, just like it usually does when Mash collects it! I thought that’s what happened, but it wasn’t!”

“Then who took it?”

“I don’t know!”

“What about you, Atlas Liaison? What does that super-computer you’re so proud of tell us?!”

“Erm… That is… Trismegistus is… erm…”

“Well, out with it!”

“It’s… on break.”

“It’s what.”

“Listen, it’s its schedulded maintenance, alright? I thought that with the Grail collected, I could take the time to, you know, cycle its crystals, purge the waste data, and all that.”

Fujimaru entered to the sight of Goredolf staring blankly at Sion, who had the good taste of looking embarassed as she confessed that her replica of the Atlas Academy super-computer, a quasi-Mystic able to predict the future, was currently unusable.

“Director! Da Vinci! Sion! What happened out there? Where did the Grail go?”

“That’s the thing, Fujimaru-kun: we have no idea…” Da Vinci answered grimly.

“We didn’t register any anomaly, and nothing weird happened to the Grail signal.”

“Grrrrr… It’s at times like this that I wish the Administrative Advisor was there to gloat at us with his perfect deductions!”

“Well, we did kind of run into a version of him in the Singularity, but…”

“Wait, you did? No, hang on, now is not the time for a report. Rest first, then report. You’re in no shape to do anything more at the moment.”

“Yes, Director!”

Tired, and frankly quite dejected, Fujimaru exited the control room, and started to walk towards his Room.

Sholmès exposed Fantômas, who had been masquerading as Judex thanks to his Noble Phantasm, Slippery as Sin
Le Faux Magistrat
, that allowed him to disguise himself almost flawlessly. All Sholmès had to say about this Noble Phantasm was “Yes, I suppose it was quite impressive. However, compared to Lupin’s, those disguises were quite flimsy.”

It turns out

Fantômas

Judex

had arrogantly been telling the truth: he was the one behind this Singularity. Upon materialising as a Rogue Servant, he had immediately set upon securing the Grail, seeing it as the ultimate prize. However, this Grail was incomplete, and so, not interesting enough. Yet. Fantômas used it to chain summon other famous thieves, in order to kill them and fill the Grail with their Spirit Origins.

Being unmasked did little to stop Fantômas' plan. With the help of his second Noble Phantasm, Les Apaches
Au rendez-vous des Aminches
, he overwhelmed Chaldea and Sholmès with numbers. Sholmès revealed his own Noble Phantasm's True Name, using Je suis tellement sûr d’avoir le dernier mot to escape his bonds and overpower Fantômas.

The demerit caused Fujimaru to fall directly into Fantômas' clutches! However, one the Apaches revealed himself to be Yan Qing, having made used of his Doppelganger Noble Phantasm to exploit Fantômas' overconfidence and hide among the summoned Shadows. Robin Hood then used this opening to trigger Yew Bow
The Bow of Prayer
, betting on the fact a killer such as Fantômas would have poison on some sorts on him at all time. The gamble paid off, and Yan Qing managed to snatch Fujimaru away from the villain and the poison explosion alike. As Fantômas was left reeling from the effect of Robin's Noble Phantasm, Herlock Sholmès dealt him such a blow to his Spirit Origin that it finally crumbled, all his tricks having been peeled off, and having been bested by a legendary crime solver.

Robin Hood and Yan Qing, having exhausted their Saint Graphs, returned to Chaldea, the Singularity being resolved and every danger taken care of. Holmès himself disappeared after grumbling about there having been no Lupin at all, only a knockoff, and the irony of using a counterfeit Sherlock Holmes to catch a counterfeit Lupin…

Fujimaru and Mash headed to Fantômas’ lair to gather the Holy Grail and really bring an end to the Singularity, while enjoying the sights of 1908 Paris one last time. However… Once there, there was no Grail. Even the loot that Fantômas had amassed during his crime spree had disappeared. Da Vinci triggered an emergency Rayshift back to the Storm Border as the Singularity, devoid of its lynchpin Grail, collapsed around Fujimaru and Mash. In the control room, panic and incomprehension had free reign: the Singularity had been resolved and the Grail secured, but not by Chaldea. There had been no sign of the Grail disappearing, and no strange signal had been observed. The mystery was complete, and the lack of Holmes direly felt.

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Relationships

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Craft Essence

Notes
Well, that’s one thing done. I’ve had this one running around my head for months now. I tried to play around with what an Alter Ego is, especially since Paper Moon didn’t give me a satisfying explanation. I figured combining it with Innocent Monster would work.
I find the way Sholmès appeared (the fear of a lawsuit) quite fascinating, honestly, especially when you compare the two versions of the text.
I also had a lot of fun thinking about what famous burglars and criminals could be involved, and especially about Fantômas. The Judex thing is a real-life connection between the two, as Judex was made to coast off Fantômas’ popularity without seeming to encourage a criminal. Which is how we got The Shadow once Judex was screened across the pond, and the rest is history.
The faceclaim is George C. Scott from They May Be Giants. I couldn't find a picture that fit with the image I had in mind, this one was the closest I came.

What’s that? There’s no resolution to the missing Grail? Well, about that...

Bond 6 and clear Burglared Holy Grail War: Masked Ballet of the Monte-En-L'Air
Fujimaru Ritsuka headed to his Room with a heavy step. On top of the usual weariness that came with solving a Singularity, he had come close to death once again, and finally he and Mash had to go through an emergency Rayshift to escape the collapsing Singularity… The panic in the Command Room had only added to it because of the stress it generated. Goredolf had been quite understandingly distraught at the unexplained disappearance of the Holy Grail, that had surely been what triggered the Singularity’s collapse.

Sighing heavily, Fujimaru opened the door to his Room, having been sent there to rest by Da Vinci while she and Sion tried to calm Goredolf down and investigated what happened during the Singularity’s final moments. Mash had already gone ahead to remove her equipement before resting herself.

He reached to switch on the lights, but they were already on. As his gaze lifted from the floor where it had been dragged by his weariness...

"Well that was a really plaisante aventure, wouldn’t you say?”

Fujimaru could only stare, gobsmacked, at the man who, smiling wrily, was seated at his table, the Grail in front of him.

“Allow me to introduce myself again, for good this time. My name is Arsène Lupin, pour vous servir. I have on occasion played at being the detective, the inspector. I will say, though, the role of Herlock Sholmès was a real challenge!"

The man... Arsène Lupin? Pushed the Grail towards the still astonished Fujimaru. "Here, you can take it, I've no more use for it. I simply couldn't resist taking it after my goal to give that assassin hell was achieved. I am a cambrioleur after all."

“You… were Herlock Sholmès all along?” asked Fujimaru incredulously.

"Une interprétation magistrale, if I say so myself! Although had the real one been there, I don't know how things would have turned out. Maybe that's why he didn’t answer the call... Anyway, let us enjoy those moments to come ensemble, once again!"

“You mean you are here to stay?”

"Bien sûr ! After all, there is no greater cambriolage to perform than stealing back Mankind's future, is there not?"

True Name Revealed

~ ♬ ~

Pretender of the Heist
-- No Treasure Is Unreachable --

“Let us do this again, for real this time, et avec panache! Pretender, Arsène Lupin. I am here to steal the greatest treasure imaginable: le futur de l’Humanité! Steal it from whom? Why, whoever stole it in the first place, bien sûr! Don’t worry, Master, I won’t be keeping it to myself. I may be un criminel, un voleur and un cambrioleur, but I am still a decent person. Let us enjoy those moments to come ensemble!”

Arsène Lupin, the Gentleman Burglar whose achievements, and failures, were chronicled by French writer Maurice Leblanc at the start of the 20th Century. While he was not the first criminal protagonist that relied on disguises, or even the first gentleman burglar, he is arguably the most influential by far. A modern Renaissance Man, he mastered a wide variety of skills and trades in order to be the best possible thief. As such, he qualifies for a variety of Classes. As to whether he really existed or not…

Class:	Pretender	Other Classes:	Rider, Caster, Assassin
True Name:	Arsène Lupin	Region:	France, Worldwide
Alignment:	Neutral Good	Gender:	Male
Place of Origin:	Arsène Lupin series	Height & Weight:	185cm? 75kg?
Likes:	France, outsmarting people, enjoying himself, smart and beautiful women	Dislikes:	Murderers, cruel people, injustice
Talent:	Conning	Natural Enemy:	Countess of Cagliostro, Ganimard, Herlock Sholmès
Attribute:	Man	Armament:	None
Traits:	Servant, Humanoid, Hominidae, Servant, Male, Weak to Enuma Elish, Riding	Catalysts:	Diamond Necklace (30% chance of summoning Alessandro di Cagliostro instead, 10% chance of summoning Marie-Antoinette (Rider) instead, 10% chance of summoning Marie-Antoinette (Avenger) instead), a rubble stone from the Santé Prison (10% chance of summoning Guillaume Apollinaire instead), a stone from the Étretat cliffs

Parameters

Strength: C Endurance: B Agility: B+

Mana: B Luck: C/A+ Noble Phantasm: B+

“What nonsense is that?! Of course I existed! My adventures were chronicled dans les newspapers, and everyone knows that those only publish the truth! … Ahahahah, pardon, pardon, I couldn’t resist reaching for the low hanging fruit… But being totally serious, yes, j’ai existé. I did approach Maurice Leblanc to be mon biographe. I will not deny there are parts of my life that remained shrouded in shadows, but that is par for the course for criminel légendaire. And believe me, I wouldn’t want it any other way! Franchement, what even is the point of dissembling about such a topic…”

As soon as he materialised in Paris, Lupin immediately altered and disguised his appearance, out of habit. You can’t be found if no one knows to look for you. Then, he set to work investigating the situation he had been summoned into. He quickly found out what was going on: the circumstances of the Grail, Fantômas’ plan, everything. This was not as hard as one might presume, as Fantômas and Lupin thought along similar lines, albeit with very different approaches to murder and violence.

So Lupin did the sensible thing and retreated into the shadows, waiting, observing, and planning. He witnessed as other famous criminals or criminal-adjacent figures were summoned and ambushed by Fantômas. He saw for himself both of his Noble Phantasms in action, Slippery as Sin
Le Faux Magistrat
and Les Apaches
Au rendez-vous des Aminches
, and started planning around them. Incidently, that is how he was later able to see through the Judex disguise while posing as Sholmès. And then, he sent his Calling Card to Chaldea.

“Tell me, Master, what do you think of my glasses? They're quite trendy, are they not? Thank you for saying ça! I had the hardest time choosing them!

You know, I was famous for wearing un monocle et un top hat during my career, although obviously I wore many guises. And those connected glasses are, I think, the closest this époque has to a monocle when it comes to fashion.

If those really are des connected glasses! Of course they are! Who do you take me for! Do you think I would only pretend to wear des connected glasses to look trendy?! Well, you are wrong! Wrong, I tell you!

That's because je prétends wearing them to lure people into thinking they know how I record et je surveille my targets. That's not how I do it, of course, but this way they focus on my glasses instead of something else. And I can enjoy wearing them without the distraction of any interface. Plus, it's not like I'd trust any device connecté running on a network que I didn’t créé myself. I could have made one, bien sûr, and I still may. I did it for my phone, après tout.

‘So how do I monitor my targets?’ Ahahahahah, that would be telling!”

**Skull** · August 29th, 2024, 07:54 PM

If nothing else, I am surprised that you didn't hit the word limit or something.

**Scotcheroos** · August 30th, 2024, 12:27 AM

"We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us."
-Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, 1972

Here's my own filler Servant for the series, because good god there is a giant list of people who owed the Koh-i-Noor and they all got Unga'd by fate. And also I wanted to both make my own filler Servant and pick up the slack on the series. I feel like I haven't been doing enough as is.

[Episode 1 - Proof of Eternity]

[Episode 2 - Proof of Conquest]

[Episode 3 - Proof of Attachment]

[Episode 3.5 - Proof of Irrelevancy]

[Episode 4 - Proof of Origins]

[Episode 5 - Proof of Coveting]

[Episode 5.5 - Proof of Masquerading]

Chaldea was becoming a bit of an internal mess, given the recent surge in walking omens of misfortune being summoned into the organization, and their subsequent 'eccentricities' leaking into the relatively-volatile organization. While Shah Jahan was perfectly fine with spending his time in his Taj Mahaj by his wife's memorial and Ranjit was....er, somewhat sane overall, Nader was already studying the simulator and Singularity reports with a gleam in his eye that might have been some twisted intrigue (or the closest he could actually feel to the emotion itself), Shuja and a small contingent of his Mutilated Procession often roamed the halls and creeped everybody out with said Procession's missing parts, and the less said about Prata the better.

And that wasn't even counting Ranjit's occasional Gollum moments when he thought nobody could hear him. Or Gulab intentionally trying to cause excitement by entering in monsters in the simulator that STILL somehow managed to never run into him and always ende dup fighting other unsuspecting Servants training inside.

"Maaaaaaaaash. Mash, I'm so tireeeeeeeed." Ritsuka whined pitifully, sulking as she and her precious eggplant kohai headed to the summoning room. Today was a bit of a toss-up in terms of summonings. Another Holder was all but guaranteed here, but the staff were hoping to manipulate the chances a bit. Try to summon a Holder that could even begin to mitigate the powder keg that was setting itself up in Chaldea at the moment. With the multiple instances of the Koh-i-Noor already working like a charm as a catalyst and hopefully with a bit of fiddling with the parameters on their end, they might have been able to get somebody that could set the groundwork for a peaceful resolution.

...Hopefully. Because it was getting bad enough that Ritsuka was beginning to lose sleep as is, and even the usual suspects like Serenity and Kiyohime were beginning to try to coax her to sleep with no hidden intentions! None whatsoever! That's how bad things were getting, dammit!

"Hey there, Fujimaru-chan!" Da Vinci chirped as Ritsuka trudged in, though even she seemed less energetic than usual, and the staff accompanying her seemed both tense and slightly sluggish at once. "We've managed to alter the parameters as best we can, so just drop off the Saint Quartz on the circle and start the chant! But, uh, this time, we'll need to add a couple of lines to the last chant. Part of the alterations is all, but it should hopefully work out just fine."

"Just say when, Da Vinci!" Ritsuka called back as she set up the Saint Quartz while Da Vinci and the staff fine-tuned the circle's calculaitons. After a few minutes, the familiar tinny whine sounded out as Da Vinci began to say her familiar calculations aloud.

"FATE Summoning System operation efficiency 37%. Foundational construct set, Leyline pseudo-convergence confirmed. Alterations confirmed and stable, no no deficiency in pseudo-leylines detected.Margin of error: 0.002 prana units. Spiritron density at 75% and rising. 80...85...93....Fujimaru-chan, begin the chant!"

"Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Let each vessel be turned fivefold, and shatter asunder upon the fulfilled time.

"Let stars and prayer be the essence. Let crystal and the saint of records be the foundation. Raise a bastion, against the falling of Man. Close the seven vices and descend from the crown of horns. Rotate the five-pointed ascension reaching the Heavens.

"I declare, from the infallible boundary of Man. Your duty answers the wishes of humanity. Our fate is changed by your sword. Answer the call to arms, and rally under the Human Order. If you submit to this will and this reason…… then answer!

"An oath shall be sworn here! I shall shelter all virtues of all of Heaven. I shall gather all evils of all of Hell!

"Yet you shall serve as arbiter and executioner. For you would be one who presides over the Grail's power, and I who wields thy judge's gavel!

"From the Empyrean Heaven, attended to by the three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint and answer, Great Protector of the Balance!"

The Saint Quartz.....crumbled. A never-before seen reaction to the summoning rituals, their dust scattering and swirling into the coming vortex before coating the pedestal and finally sinking within grain by grain. The light that manifested to shine this time was a deeper, more vibrant sapphire blue, perhaps because of the parameters Da Vinci had altered beforehand to ensure some form of compatibility. The resulting spheres of lights rotated amongst each other, spinning faster and faster and connecting into the familiar threefold split rings, the familiar lightning having vanished in exchange for a thundering gale and sea blue streams of prana culminating into the pillar. Truly, the alterations had done more than the ritual than Ritsuka had expected. From within the rings, the geyser of magical energy gushed up, reaching the ceiling and spilling outwards against the walls, disappearing into the Storm Border's auxilliary energy reserves yet again.

From within the geyser, a figure slowly stood as if stretching their joints..... but once again, something was off.

Because of course it fucking was.

The figure inside was human, that much could not be denied. Unlike Prataparudra, who was a screaming maelstrom of unending grudges; or Shuja and his expanding metaphysical reels and wires; or Ranjit and his almost insidious curse lurking like a serpent in the grass; or even Jahan and Nader and their frigid auras bought on by Yilkith's involvement....this figure was normal to an unnerving degree. If anything, the closest this person felt like was Gulab, surprisingly enough.

But that was it. Similar was not equal. A mundane aura belied a hollow presence. They felt almost....synthetic in a sense, like a papier-mache of gold foil filled with only stale air.

From the dying dregs of the summoning geyser, a man steps onto the cold metal floor in an almost stiff form, carrying with him both benevolent wisdom and military discipline. Skin tanned and weathered from harsh conditions to the point where it looked like a smooth yet paradoxically coarse brown. Hair grey from stress rather than age speaking of a life of toil and hard work. He wore a pair of earring with violet orbs and multicolored tassels, and was adorned in a white dress shirt, a dark vest with a prismatic pattern and blazer with golden trim and lining and slit open sleeves, and a dull golden necktie. Long black leather gloves covered his hands and forearms, and on the left side of the collar of his blazer, there was a small golden pin with the shape of a peacock fan.

Opulence with control. Royalty with experience. He carried himself with the aura of a man who ascended to a throne through blood and battle, and earned the crown with his own two hands. A man who set aside innate talent and tore his way to legend with nothing but hard work and effort. Destiny came to him not because it would, bt because he dragged it kicking and screaming towards him relentlessly.

"Servant, Ruler." Ritsuka jolted at his voice, smooth and velvety but still with the wear of age and thundering authority, "If you have managed to summon me, I assume that something truly terrible has happened, both to you and to humanity as a whole if the Throne has allowed this summoning. Very well then. Until the end of this summoning and my subsequent contract with you, I shall stand by your side as a stalwart sword. Whether it be battle, logistics, or something other, I shall handle any task to the best of my capability."

"My name is Ahmad Shāh Abdālī, Founder and First King of the Durrani Dynasty. Victory be upon you, Master, and may peace follow soon after."

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Class: Ruler

Other Eligible Classes: Rider, Archer, Saber, Berserker?

True Name: Ahmad Shāh Abdālī

Aliases: Ahmad Shāh Durrānī, Ahmad Shāh Bābā, Pearl of Pearls, Father of Afghanistan, Sovereign King of the Afghans

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Attribute: Man

Origin: Pashtun History

Region: Afghanistan

Height: 5'9 feet/175.26 cm

Weight: 160lbs/72.6 kg

Traits: Male, Humanoid, Hominidae, Servant, Weak to Enuma Elish, King, Riding

Catalyst: A stamp seal inlaid with pearls

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Talents: Warfare, governance, writing poetry, method acting

Natural Enemies: Nader Shah Afshar, Shuja Shah Durrani

Likes: Writing poetry, sightseeing, mountain hiking, his kingdom, meritocracy, pakora, ????? ????

Dislikes: Nepotism, laziness, religious radicalism, the Taliban (good lord, he hates the Taliban), India, okra, excessive opulence

Personality: A constantly calm and collected individual, who seemingly never loses his cool. Ruler carries himself with a meticulous and austere air that matches a certain previous Holder of the Koh-i-Noor, discerning every situation before him with an almost paranoid eye and taking things apart down to the smallest detail. A hands-on learner first and foremost, he works better with his body and personally overseeing his people over staying cooped up in a palace and listening to reports, and is a diligent individual who makes sure to never forget anything important. Deferring to those above him, yet treating those beneath him with both respect and fairness, Ruler is what one can call the epitome of an ideal judge.

....And yet, it feels off. The personality he displays can't be anyone else's but his. He has no outside forces influencing it, no classes to hide behind, nothing to taint his mind whatsoever. But still, it feels off. Like a synthesized ideal manifested. You can't help but think that his entire personality is a lie repeated so many times that it has become truth. Different from the conceptual falsities of Oberon=Vortigern, you have no doubt that if you were to dig deeper, you would find the same person over and over, convinced that he is something he isn't, enforced by the World. No lie to enforce, no reason to fake anything, but a false mask all the while.

Is he the mask of the wise king? Is he the face behind the mask? A flanderized caricature that still exudes the feeling of 'the real person', and doesn't contradict anything from history...that feeling of wrongness inherently different from the Enemies of Humanity. Something is wrong. You just can't tell what it is.

Wish for the Grail: "A wish, you say? No, there's isn't really anything I can wish for. If I did have one....There's something there, but it won't go past the tip of my tongue. My apologies, Master, should I ever remember, I'll be sure to let you know."

Parameters

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Bond Default

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Bond 1

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Bond 2

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Bond 3

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Bond 4

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Bond 5

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Bond Extra

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Relationships

Related Dialogue

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Bond Final

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Art Sources

Notes

**Dark Squirrel** · August 30th, 2024, 03:58 AM

Originally Posted by Skull

If nothing else, I am surprised that you didn't hit the word limit or something.

Good thing I didn't even think about that when I was writing it, eh?

**BáthoryErszebet210** · August 31st, 2024, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by MuramasaMachII

Tam Lin Percival:

Honestly, I don't like this sheet for multiple reasons. Firstly, it has the issue that I think normally comes up with your sheets: Lack of information. In the Personal Skills and Noble Phantasm section, you only list the mechanical effects, not why the Skills and Noble Phantasm are there. Secondly, Percival already exists in Lostbelt 6, so making a Fae Knight / Tam Lin out of him makes you ask why Lostbelt Morgan would have created a Fae Knight version. And here's the biggest part for me: There's no connection to Percival whatsoever, except through the name. All of the Fae Knights have a Noble Phantasm related to their Proper Human History counterpart (ie. Baobhan Sidhe / Fairy Knight Tristan having Fetch Failnaught, Barghest / Fairy Knight Gawain having Black Dog Galatine) and a Skill related to that Knight of the Round Table. Percival exists canonically and his profile exists with all of his Skills and his Noble Phantasm, so why is there no connection here? It just bothers me I guess.

I have updated Tam Lin Percival

**Potion** · September 1st, 2024, 04:21 AM

Faceclaim- Sauce: ([URL=https://x.com/RobustaArt/status/1812523064976195941[/URL])

General Information

Alias: Huntress of Beautiful Arms
Gender: Female
H/W: 5'5, 66 KG
Alignment: Lawful-Good
Attribute: Earth
Armaments: Bow
Catalyst: A chipped piece of wood

Parameters

STR: B+
END: B
AGL: D
MAG: A++
LUK: C

Class skills

Magic Resistance: B	The ability to resist magecraft and the like and at this rank, even the likes of ‘High-Thaumaturgy’ fail to affect Archer. As someone who encountered some of the highest mysteries from the Age of the Gods, she receives an ample rank in this skill.
Independent Action: A	The ability to stay independent even when rejecting magical energy from the master. At this rank the servant can stay in the world for about a week without their Master. A huntress who always hunted alone, and even when the monstrous lion attacked, she simply threw away her bow to kill it with her bare hands.

Personal Skills

Guardian (City): A+	A unique variation of the ‘Guardian’ skill given to those who become protective symbols, deities, or heroes of the likes of cities and large settlements. In Cyrene’s case Apollo founded a city in her name and venerated her as its guardian, immortalizing her name to this very day. Defensive values are raised as well as one gains the ability to intercept incoming attacks however it is also possible to take on or intercept large scale AOE attacks with this skill so long as one remains in the defense of not an individual but something along the lines of a settlement.
Affection of the Male Gods: B++	The affection granted by her two husbands, first being the God Ares and the second being the God Apollo. At its core it’s a curse, these two are responsible for Cyrene’s current appearance and much to her dismay she can’t do anything about the situation she is in, however she can indeed enjoy the boons her lovers have gifted her. Due to both of these God’s granting their blessings in the form of Noble Phantasms as well, + modifiers are added. All stats except ‘MAN’ and ‘LUK’ are raised.
Stout Arm of Brutality: B	The stout arms that strangled a lion, in the face of simple violence all manner of demonic and phantasmal beasts run away. Though, one must wonder if this skill is the reason why Cyrene has an incredibly muscular build or is it Ares playing tricks on her.

Noble Phantasm

Huntress of the Beautiful Arms: Thiráteira Aglaópichys

Rank: B+
Type: Anti-Unit (Self), Anti-Army
Range: 1-100
Max Targets: 10-100

The arms of Archer, bestowed blessings by Ares and Apollo as they both fell for her utter physical strength. Ares who fell in love after losing a wrestling match with her and Apollo who fell in love whilst watching her strangle a monstrously large lion. These anecdotes in turn gave Cyrene the title of ‘The Huntress with the Beautiful Arms’. Each arm carries their blessings, giving her a Noble Phantasm in regards to her sheer strength.

The left arm is blessed by Ares and the right by Apollo, the former increases her strength and defense to fill in the power gap between her and her opponent whilst the right allows for the materialization of specialized arrows that once fired incur the bonus of being guided by Apollo, essentially they are homing missiles that chase the enemy and deal devastating damage. With stupendous strength and arrows that chase the target, Cyrene becomes both a devastating melee attacker as well as a deadly long range sniper.

The arrows itself aren’t normal arrows either, due to Apollo being the personification of the sun, once the arrow is fired it's simply consumed only to release a devastating solar ray at the target, it also gains special bonuses against the likes of undead and those with the demonic trait due to the sun’s association with ‘purification’.

However, neither her strength nor the output of the arrows can exceed the rank of the Noble Phantasm, but to invoke this power Cyrene merely needs to get into a battle ready stance and with a mental image both of her arms are engulfed in a red or golden hue. Due to the nature of this Noble Phantasm being ‘blessings ingrained within the body’, there is no need for a true name release.

Noble Phantasm

The Immortal Huntress: Phoebus Aei

Rank: E - A++
Type: Anti-Unit
Range: 100
Max Targets: 1

"Running away? How cute, cowards live long but my arrows shall haunt you nonetheless, so run little lamb - run! Phoebus Aei!"

The strongest Noble Phantasm in Archer's arsenal, the immortality granted by Apollo so that she may continue to hunt till the end of time. As a servant however, this manifests firstly as a stupendously big hp bar (MAN rank) and secondly it encompasses her skills and notoriety as the huntress considered to be an equal to Artemis. A Noble Phantasm that embodies the very aspect of hunting within Archer, with the amount of mana she has the damage of this Noble Phantasm increases, in other words it deals maximum damage if Archer is at full health. With every 10% of Hp lost the damage diminishes, with her last vestiges of life only being able to deal damage up to E rank.

However, due to this Noble Phantasm encompassing the ‘act’ of hunting, Archer cannot fire this at an approaching target but rather it can only be fired on the condition that her opponent flees engagement with her, Archer conceptually then ‘marks’ them as her prey.

Disengage and other similar skills immediately fulfill the condition once those skills are activated and once Archer has her mark in sight, she readies her bow to fire the arrow whenever she desires. If the opponent has been ‘marked’ by her even once, the conditions to use this Noble Phantasm have been fulfilled, thus Archer can fire a devastating arrow at her ‘marked’ target even if they engage her first. Though once the arrow is fired, the act of hunting has been completed, the golden arrow fired from her bow streaks through the air until it hits its mark.

Personality

A Thessalian Princess who has manifested as a fearless huntress, loved by the Gods she expresses a personality of absolute iron will. She wavers to none, falters to none and most importantly, refuses to fall no matter the circumstance. Though she was a mortal woman, her strength was a blessing in itself, recognized by the Goddess of Hunt, God of War and the Sun God as something beyond what a mortal human is.

“Being recognized by the heavens is considered no small feat, but I frankly find their denizens to be very annoying”

Her opinion on her lovers is far from what can be considered gratitude or affection. Though she loved the God Ares and was grateful for the admiration by Apollo, the whole situation was rather unnatural for someone like her. However, from her perspective she saw it as a great opportunity, “Only the finest garner my attention and thus they have”, she saw herself as someone on equal standing with the divinity and perhaps that was the case. This in turn has caused her as a huntress to be even more unwavering, sure the divinities help her, but she isn’t the type to let their blessings be the dictator of a fight.

“Even if I fight as a complete mortal, I will still win”

And that is the unstoppable will of Cyrene the hunter, the Guardian of her very nation. She is quick witted, incredibly keen but most of all no matter the circumstance, once she has set her sights on a prey, she will hunt them down no matter what.

Legend

A Thessalian princess born to hunt, from a young age she excelled at hunting. The first divinity she caught the attention of was Artemis, who bestowed upon young Cyrene two of her hunting dogs - of course Cyrene wasn’t the type to besmirch the Goddess or deny her gift but she thought of herself as her equal. Thus the Thessalian Princess used these gifts in several funeral games, winning any prize that came her way.

Cyrene herself however, only hunted when it was necessary, she enjoyed the company of animals and the like - nature's bountiful blessings and the peace that came with that joy. Unfortunately for her, two other divinities were lurking in the corner. As soon as a man eating lion attacked her fathers sheep, Cyrene killed the beast with her bare hands after her hunting weapons failed, this caught the affection of the God Apollo, who showered her in praise but the Princess found the man to be a bit too annoying. His advances were crude and his affection felt more shallow than anything, still - she saw this as an opportunity as well.

Cyrene the huntress had a dream and that was to create a safe haven for men and beast alike - and what did the God Apollo give her? A city in her own name erected from the monstrous beast infested lands of Libya where once reigned a draconic Queen who was cursed by a God. Irony couldn’t be much sweeter - however, her hunting prowess also attracted another divinity, a God of War no less. Ares sought her love and in turn wrestled her, much to his shock - he lost.

Leaving the love struck God she went back to her home, the nation known as Cyrene would then live on with the blessings of Ares and Apollo alike as the huntress was venerated as its guardian. Whilst reigning as the Queen of her own country, she nourished and saved a certain snake - which had somehow managed to survive the harsh lands of Libya prior to the nation's founding. Cyrene sought the snake not as a beast whatsoever, but rather she gave it a safe haven underground in the darkest of places.

For she knew that once the men above saw the beast, they would undeniably seek to slaughter it - after all a Queen of men needs a King of beasts and this one was known as the dreadful lord - ▅▅▂▂▃▃. Though that story should be told some other time. For as the servant that is summoned right now is not the Queen but the fearsome huntress who has been blessed by the divine.

Combat

Cyrene is a huntress whose first action is to simply wait, the prey coming to her not vice versa. Her biggest strength is her own versatility in combat, for once you are engaged with her, disengaging will be your downfall. Her regular attacks are streaks of golden rays that deal devastating damage and her physical prowess is further boosted by the war Gods blessing, going up against her in close quarters is a hard fight and fighting a distance would also put the opponent at a disadvantage. Due to this the best way to deal with her is to simply fight her via stealth, though she believes a skeeving assassin is going to be turned into a fine paste as well.

**RiskClauzt** · September 1st, 2024, 06:54 AM

Is it just me or some of the post doesn't seems to work, like Frigix's Unsinkable Sam post doesn't show the sheet at all

**pinetree** · September 1st, 2024, 07:25 AM

Seems like Frigix used the wrong link to an image that should open his sheet, so you can't click it.

Thread: Create-a-Servant 4

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Archer - Cyrene

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Class:	Alter Ego	Other Classes:	Caster, Ruler
True Name:	Herlock Sholmès	Region:	England, France
Alignment:	True Neutral	Gender:	Male
Place of Origin:	Sherlock Holmes series, Arsène Lupin series	Height & Weight:	168cm 90kg
Likes:	Smoking, investigating	Dislikes:	Idiocy, being stumped
Talent:	Investigating	Natural Enemy:	Arsène Lupin
Attribute:	Man	Armament:	Revolver, heavy cane
Traits:	Servant, Humanoid, Hominidae, Male, Weak to Enuma Elish	Catalysts:	Short brier pipe with a silver band, Herlock Sholmès arrive trop tard, Arsène Lupin contre Herlock Sholmès

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