Monthly Create-A-Servant Contest

[TheTruthWhale]

Same boat as Morg. My only connection was the term "Golden Age," and I'm the only one to submit an Indian and a Haitian servant. I'll take my lack of connection since I gotta do cool stuff.

Also, has been is the correct tense, sense it is a past-present. If I said "this was a good contest," I'd be wrong, since it's past.

[Master_Therion]

Truth to be told, my only connection to Wyvern and WhiteFrenzy was a hateboner between my character and a relative of all their characters, although I didnt do it just because there was a connection but rather I wanted to do a Portuguese Villain, and he was the best I could find.

[Drangle]

You probably already know how this works, but for optimal suspense, don't uncollapse clickable text until you get to Lore.

Avenger of Western Democracy

Faceclaim

six.png

Source: Historical Fact
Class: Avenger
Other Classes: Rider, Caster, Saber, Berserker, ArcherBerserker, Faker
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Place of Origin: The United States of America

Appearance: Manifesting in four separate bodies, Avenger looks pretty transparently like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln as animate statues. They seem incapable of speech, save for in the form of direct quotes from themselves, but communication is still possible via pantomime, writing, and occasionally some clever sentence mixing.

Likes: Patriots, democracy, freedomNature, indigenous peoples, freedom
Dislikes: Redcoats, terrorists, taxationThe United States, other such empires, themselves
Natural Enemy: Any British king, John Wilkes BoothAny colonizer, Gutzon Borglum
Attribute: StarEarth
Armament: Woodcutting axe, blunderbuss, quill, spike-driving hammer
Catalyst: Granite from a particular mountain

Class Skills

Avenger E:
A measure of Avenger’s ability to garner hatred and resentment. Naturally, as four of the greatest leaders of the world’s greatest nation, it’s very difficult to garner enmity. Due to public perception of his outward appearance, Avenger has to generate most of his spite internally. Lucky for him, he’s very good at hating what he represents.

Oblivion Correction A+:
The capacity for an Avenger to hold grudges when others would forget. Who knows what these four are remembering so hard to outrank Edmond Dantès. The Alamo, perhaps?The only thing that keeps Avenger still existing is his commitment to never letting the empire’s sins be forgotten, even if everyone else in the world forgets.

Self-Replenishment (Mana) C:
The body surges with magical energy until the task is complete, but Avenger doesn’t seem forthcoming with what that goal is, which is odd for one of this class.

Personal Skills

Innocent Monster CInnocent Monster A++:
Due to their association with the monument, all four presidents have skin of granite. It’s not too bothersome, though, and even acts as a defensive buff from their normally squishy post-Age-of-Heroes bodies.Due to his association with his defacement more than himself, Avenger is forced to take the form of the most loathsome thing imaginable: four of them, even. While Avenger contains no trace of the actual Spirit Origins of these four presidents, their conceptual essence has painted over him, fragmenting his primordial psyche. To him, Servants who get distorted into dragons or demons by this skill don’t know how good they have it.

Combination DWide Specialization D:
The four presidents are disparate in personality and multitudinous in number such that cooperation in the heat of combat can be… difficult. However, they are united under the common cause of patriotism.Avenger is a single mind, but due to his first skill, that mind is spread across four bodies with different builds, personalities, and skillsets. A similar phenomenon to a certain Hassan, but smaller scale and more… involuntary. When the four bodies are physically close enough, Avenger’s true mind is at its most lucid, and he is able to actually truly speak in a haunting voice like wind passing through a cave, his voice coming from none of his four mouths in particular. But he knows he fights more effectively utilizing spread-out group tactics, disorienting as it may be.

Pioneer of the Stars EX:Incarnated Elemental B-:
Two founding fathers, an expansionist, and the man who freed the slaves. It is undebatable that collectively, these four have shaped the whole of human history. Strange, then, that Avenger seems to never use this skill…Because Avenger is a species of spirit able to share mana with nature, it is possible to draw an inexhaustible supply of magical energy from the physical world. However, since it is bound to "humanoid" forms, the output is limited regardless of the infinite supply, further handicapped by the distortions of Innocent Monster. This skill can be used to much greater effect while his Noble Phantasm is active.

Noble Phantasm(s)

...(The land doesn’t belong to anybody… You belong… to it… Gaze upon this banner of oppression, and despair as I have… The soil aches, the winds wail… But soon... you will join them...)

Manifest Destiny
Banner of American ExceptionalismRevenge of Wounded Knee

Type: BarrierAnti-Fortress
Rank: B

Crystalized in the form of an America flagpole, Avenger plants it into the ground to activate this Noble Phantasm. For the duration of its effect, all land, air, and water in a radius around them is “claimed” by them. Any other area-of-effect type things caught within this bubble, including Casters’ workshops, become temporarily coopted by Avenger (if it is a zone created by a skill or Noble Phantasm of equal or higher rank, ownership of the area's effects may be contested).

More significantly, the designated space counts as “America”, superseding any other concepts of location. This means Servants of America origin receive the “home-field advantage” boost, and non-American servants do not, even if they are native to whatever that particular land is normally designated. Since Avenger is themselves an American Servant, this can be quite handy.

And yet…It would perhaps be more accurate to describe this effect as an erosion of ownership. The environs within the affected space are stripped of any concept of an owner beyond the ambient ownership all land has to the planet. As an immediate consequence, Avenger is granted a small modicum of Authority over this unclaimed land as an avatar of the planet’s will, granting him exceptional control over the winds, earth, and waters above, below, and around him, which he can harness to devastating effects. Not quite True Ancestor levels, but very impressive, especially against opponents still under the impression this is a Servant of four modern men.

It should also be noted that Avenger’s definition of an “American” excludes colonizers, of course.

Lore

Avenger’s True Name is Thuŋkášila Šákpe, or “Six Grandfathers”.

To the Lakota Sioux, few things were more sacred than nature itself, but the Black Hills were especially sacred. One particular mountain was dubbed what translates as Six Grandfathers, in reverence of a vision of the four cardinal directions, plus above and below. The winds, the earth, the sky. Ancient, powerful, unknowably wise, yet boundless with love and kindness. The edifice of granite stood resolute as a symbol for what they believed in, unmolested save for the gradual embrace of wind and rain.

And then something terrible happened. A heartless and bloodthirsty nation discovered gold there.

This empire of savages massacred the native population, broke their word on peace treaties, did everything in their vile power to steal these mountains from the Sioux. Mountains which never belonged to them, to anyone, for is not the natural state of land to be possessed. But that wasn’t enough. Decades passed. The empire’s bloody conquest grew and grew until it connected two coasts of the continent. Its occupation became the norm. And one day, one of these self-righteous devils decided to make a monument to their empire’s glory, for “tourism”.

The once sacred site was assaulted with chisels and dynamite for 14 years until “funding ran out”. The proportion of the actual mountain’s mass that was defaced in this manner was miniscule, but the symbolic damage was massive; this was no longer a monument to Lakota beliefs and endurance, but a symbol of everything that had been taken from them for the sake of this “more perfect union”.

But a spirit is not so easily obliterated. Usually, lesser land spirits such as those within the lands of the Americas are not powerful enough to manifest as Divine Spirits in the traditional sense, but ironically, the proverbial killing blow gave Six Grandfathers worldwide notoriety. It gave him faces to put to his name. Just enough to elevate him to a Nature Spirit able be summoned by the Grail. Just enough for a chance at revenge.

Personality

Rushmore, being usually silent, doesn’t exhibit much in the way of personality, but generally conforms to the expected caricatures of its constituent leaders as one might expect. After a time, it feels almost uncanny to be around, like animatronics or a half-sentient afterschool educational program.It pains Šákpe to behave like this, but maintaining the façade is the simplest way to his overarching goal. Introducing oneself as an elemental spirit causes confusion and explaining himself lays bare his motives. Those motives being the decimation of the modern western world. To see the empires that have grown fat and complacent on the blood darker skins finally brought low, to pay back even a fraction of the misery and suffering they have given out.

And maybe whatever his master wants, in the meantime.

Šákpe, or “Six” for Masters that can’t say it quite right, has a general disdain for the trappings of modern civilization, and his perception colors most social interactions, rare as they are. If one can get on his level and navigate his frankly justified cynicism, a meaningful diatribe is within the realm of possibility.

Relationships

Nero: The presidents have little to say about her specifically, other than heartfelt thanks for her part in restoring the singularity that endangered their glorious nation.(You have them beguiled with your flippant theatrics, Whore of Babylon. But Boudica told me everything. I know what you really are. And I’m watching, waiting for you to slip up)

Thomas Edison: The presidents are glad to see he’s still putting their Mystic Code to good use, or whatever it is that’s going on with him.(Ah, another soul mutilated by the legacy of the democratic emperors, turned into a monument to their sins… Though in your case, it seems like you did a lot of that work for them. I’ve nothing more to say to you that hasn’t already been said, I’m sure.)

Geronimo: The presidents can only hope, one day, he forgives them for what they’ve done.(And I can only hope, one day, you can forgive ME for what I’ve become, young one…)

Rider of Resistance: The presidents are under very strict protocols to prevent any face to face interaction with the Rider of the Agartha pseudo-singularity, and even stricter protocols to obfuscate his True Name. Chaldea staff is tight-lipped as to why, but its possible they would get so excited to meet one another they would explode.(You can’t hide him forever.)

Quetzalcoatl: The presidents seem to have no strong opinions about this random servant, but TR seems eager to take up her offers to wrestle.(I admit, I was quite excited when I heard you were here. Then I saw you. A nation crosses the seas into the territory of your worshipers, butchers them, plagues them, assimilates them into their own culture through brainwashing and rape. And here, now, you glorify them. You speak their tongue, dance their dances. I suppose you would say you are celebrating what your people live on as, rather than mourning what they used to be. And perhaps, even, there is wisdom to that. But it is not a path open to me.)

Paul Bunyan: The presidents regard this anomaly with bemusement, and GW likes to swap lumberjacking tips.(…How queer. I actually feel some sort of kinship with you? It’s probably best for both of us I don’t dwell on that. You keep doing what you’re doing.)

Themselves: ...(The worst kind of people. Monsters glorified by the annals of history. Hypocrites. Slave owners by the hundreds. ‘The only good Indian is a dead Indian’. When I look into a mirror, and see these… these detestable, unforgivable THINGS whose countenances I must wear, I confess, I’m tempted to lose my composure. Just ravage everything in sight until the disgust wears off.)

(…But not quite so with the tall one. When I see his face as my own, my feelings are more complicated that nausea and rage. He never owned slaves, never hunted for sport… I’m not so naïve to forget the 38 native lives he signed off the execution of… but I’m not so blind as to ignore the hundred of others he pardoned. I look at him, at myself, and I don’t know how to feel, and that frustrates me.)

(Sometimes, Master, I think that perhaps everyone’s complicated. I look around here, I see evildoers at their best, heroes at their worst. Sometimes I think that good and evil aren’t really labels you can meaningfully attach to any one person or creed or nation. Sometimes I think back to when I was just a mountain, unmarred, carved by nobody but the Great Spirit, back when the world was a lot less complicated…)

(But the moment always passes.)

Author's Notes

Well, here he is. A Servant that is not technically themself a ruler but deals with the theme so heavily that I had to try. Hope it turned out okay for a first attempt.

- - - Updated - - -

Gosh, putting something I made out there for everyone to judge was really anxiety-producing, but it's done and just barely on time. Now to go back over and look at everyone else's.

[Master_Therion]

Noooooo, I was supposed to be the only one with an Avenger Just kidding. Wow what a creative take, I see you are new here. What an amazing concept. The reveal blew me away. For a first sheet, I assume, it is quiet good. Good job. Although, it seems you forgot to give them parameters?

[Drangle]

Noooooo, I was supposed to be the only one with an Avenger Just kidding. Wow what a creative take, I see you are new here. What an amazing concept. The reveal blew me away. For a first sheet, I assume, it is quiet good. Good job. Although, it seems you forgot to give them parameters?

Yeah this was one of those instances where I felt like the amount of thought and time I'd have to put into quantifying parameters felt like it wasn't worth what it added to the sheet, especially since I'm so close to the deadline already. The ideas I really wanted to express are already there.

Anyway ty for the praise! It's not my first "Servant" but its my first time putting an idea to print in sheet form. I know Avenger plus hidden text for first servant is peak derivative, I may as well have made them a Foreigner, but I think the value of the concept is worth the minor cringe.

As for me, I just caught up with all the other entries and WOW. Wow. I feel like I'm on a cooking show and I spent all my allotted time making one root beer float and all the contestants around me made two wedding cakes each. So many absolute bangers, and as many have observed, so many Portuguese-speaking entries. It almost makes me feel like I shouldn't have bothered, but that's no attitude to take! I tried and that alone is worth it. I think.

[DelRey]

I pretend I did not see that Foreigner line

This is really a unique take on things. One can see your own strong opinion in this work. Good job, really.
And i felt that way too when I participated the first time in this contest. But despite the great competitors I got one point. For a debut that kept me going.

[TheTruthWhale]

Have faith in yourself, man. It's a fun entry.

Remember, confidence is greater than self-doubt. The only thing you can do from a failed attempt (not that this is one) is learn and grow.

[Enigmatic]

Sorry. I'm dum. When exactly is the deadline?

[Master_Therion]

In 2 days, then we have a week to vote.

[Enigmatic]

Can I get an exact date/time so I know how much I need to cram for the exam?

[Kabalisto Koga]

Can I get an exact date/time so I know how much I need to cram for the exam?

the 22 of the month

[DelRey]

noon UTC 22nd according to asterism

[Enigmatic]

Thankies very much!

[Spammin Spiff]

I'm almost finished with my second sheet, hopefully I get this out before the deadline. Though I don't doubt I will, considering I have two more days.

[Master_Therion]

Huh, I don't know if it is because I was using images i copied from Messenger, but the images from my character sheet disappeared. I replaced them, but I hope they don't disappear again. Probably because it changed URL.
How weird, my first entry didn't get affected, tho.

[Kabalisto Koga]

Huh, I don't know if it is because I was using images i copied from Messenger, but the images from my character sheet disappeared. I replaced them, but I hope they don't disappear again. Probably because it changed URL.
How weird, my first entry didn't get affected, tho.

i nowlems with the Pictures was then just a IXI like Symbol there ?

[Master_Therion]

The pictures just didn't appear. Its like they werent there to begin with

[Master of Chaos]

I cannot believe that I finished this in time.

Class: Lancer (Ruler, Caster)
True Name: Constantinus
Gender: Male
Alignment: Lawful Good
Attribute: Man

face claim

Source

STR: ＊＊＊＊＊ A
END: ＊＊＊＊＊ B
AGI: ＊＊＊＊＊ B
MGI: ＊＊＊＊＊ B
LCK: ＊＊＊＊＊ A+
NP: ＊＊＊＊＊ A++

Keywords

KEYWORDS

Byzantine Empire

Also known as the Eastern Roman Empire. The successor state of the ancient Roman Empire, based on its Eastern territories. It survived the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5^th Century and continued to exist all the way to the late Middle Ages. Although its citizens considered full-fledged Romans, modern historian draw a clear distinction between the Byzantine and the Roman Empires due to the fact that the former had a greater inclination towards Greek culture.

Although its territorial extension would fluctuate throughout the centuries, in several cycles of decline and expansion, the Byzantine Empire remained the greatest power in the Mediterranean world form most of its existence. It lasted for over a thousand years, but it was finally eradicated in 1453 A.D. by the hands of Mehmed II and his growing Ottoman Empire.

Incidentally, in the early days of the Byzantine Empire, its official iconography would often include something called the “labarum”. The personal insignia of a certain wise ruler, much of the power and prestige that the Empire enjoyed could be attributed to the groundworks that he set in place. As such, the labarum ended up being treated as the Empire’s national symbol in his honor.

Constitutum Donatio Constantini

Better known today as the “Donation of Constantine”. An imperial decree by which the Roman Emperor Constantine I supposedly donated ownership of the western territories to the Papal States. Although widely accepted as authentic for centuries, it was ultimately recognized as a forgery in the mid-15^th Century.

The document was originally brought forth in the 8^th Century, during the coronation of Charlemagne, as a means to support his investiture of lordship over Western Europe while remaining completely independent from the Byzantine Empire. This would create the precedent for the papal prerogative of appointing the Holy Roman Emperor, and thus establish the conditions for ecclesiastical authority to supersede that of a secular monarch. Later, this would be used by the Church in order to assert its predominance in all sorts of political matters.

In addition, even if the document itself was a forgery, the power it brought to the Church was very much real. Conversely, that also meant that the Church was dependent of Constantine I’s endorsement for legitimacy.

Heroic Spirit Constantinus has the qualifications to be summoned in the Caster Class. A manifestation in which his traits as a saint are greatly emphasized and he becomes capable of employing sacraments on the level of the Apostles. Under this condition, he is supposedly endowed with this document as a Noble Phantasm, which bestows him with great influence over the Holy Church and everything related to it.

CLASS SKILLS

Magic Resistance: B+
The capacity to negate or abate the effects of magecraft. Negates magecraft invoked with an aria of three verses or less. It is difficult to injure him even with high-thaumaturgy.

It is possible to obtain a temporary boost to this by mean of support from the Orthodoxia skill.

if a Ruler

True Name Exposure: C
A special trait of the “Ruler” Class. Instantly grasps all the information – such as True Name・skills・Noble Phantasm – regarding a Servant one has directly encountered. What can be grasped is only the information as a Servant, so the thoughts, ideologies and personal circumstances of the targeted Servant are not covered by this. Also, a LCK check is required in regards to Servants with camouflage abilities – such as skills and Noble Phantasms that conceal the True Name.

Divine Decision: A+
The greatest privilege of the Ruler Class. The right to enforce Command Spells on all Servants summoned for the Holy Grail War. At the highest rank,
one is already furnished with three Command Spells per Servant, but it is impossible to repurpose the Command Spell meant for other Servants.

PERSONAL SKILLS

Charisma: A
The natural talent to command an army corps. Raises the abilities of one's own army on group battles. A rare talent. It can be said that A Rank is the highest peak of popularity one can acquire as a human being.

His inherent charismatic nature as a monarch was strengthened by acquiring the disposition of a saint.

Imperial Privilege: A
Something that allows one to acquire skills that he originally would not have – even if only for a short while – by means of his insistence. A powerful, selfish claim skill possessed by the emperors who made the impossible possible by means of political power alone. But as expected, it is impossible to acquire a skill that he has no groundings in. He is just temporarily learning "the highest standard" of a technique that is already within the scope of what he can perform.

Orthodoxia: A+
A skill bestowed to someone who made great contributions for the establishment of the dogma, the legitimate doctrine of a given religion. It works as an improved defense against concepts classified as heretical by said doctrine.

Revelation: B
An ability that makes possible to intuit – to receive from someone – a truth that one would normally never know, and then take the optimal course of action. In simple terms, a skill equivalent to "Instinct". But while Instinct is a sixth sense meant only for battle, Revelation accommodates all matters related to the achievement of an objective.

According to legends, Constantinus would sometimes behave in an inspired manner, almost like he had some sort of supernatural guidance. The Battle of the Milvian Bridge had a particularly famous anecdote in that regard.

Saint: C
Indicates someone who has been formally acknowledged as a saint. A composite skill that includes Baptism Chant, the owner of this skill is endowed with the power perform sacraments even if that was not actually the case in his lifetime. Furthermore, a random bonus effect is also added up upon being summoned as a Servant. In his case, it is “Rank-UP to Charisma”.

Strictly speaking, he is a politician and not a religionist. Still, his accomplishments have been deemed as befitting those of a saint.

NOBLE PHANTASM

Labarum Khristos – Sign of Victory
Rank: A
Type: Anti-Army
The battle-flag (vexillum) that Constantinus constantly carries with himself. It displays a peculiar symbol formed by the Greek letters “chi” and “rho” (that stand for the name of the messiah), which is regarded as the prototype (original model) of the crucifix that became widespread in modern times. A catalyst for sacraments and a phylactery that invites divine protection.

Merely equipping this provides already provides plus modifiers to the owner’s defensive values and saving throws. Should the True Name be released, all allies within range will receive a great boost in basic parameters by means of divine providence. Furthermore, a pseudo-solar halo phenomenon (parhelion) will occur when invoked, which dispels all forms of darkness (natural or mystical) and applies holy damage against those of evil alignment.

Incidentally, this flag is recognized as a “polearm” thanks to a broad interpretation of the term, which in turns grants him the qualifications for the Lancer Class. That being said, he will not employ it as a weapon even by mistake. He is completely different from a certain rampaging holy woman in that regard.

if a Ruler

Konstantinoupolis – Millenary Holy Capital
Rank: EX
Type: Anti-Fortress
Holy capital, Constantinople. The embodiment of Heroic Spirit Constantinus' majesty and holiness, reproduced by means of magical energy. Although it has aspects falsely similar to a Reality Marble, this is actually something built from scratch on top of the current world – just like Nero's Domus Aurea.

Constructed by orders of the Roman emperor Constantine I, upon completion it became the new capital city of the Roman Empire and, later, of the Byzanthine Empire. An architectural masterpiece, it remained as the largest and wealthiest city of Europe for a thousand years. The indisputable center of the Ancient Mediterranean world in terms of culture and economy. Also, it served as the seat of power of Christianity for a time.

Upon being sublimated as a Noble Phantasm, it was converted into a city-maze (dungeon) that spans for several kilometers. Divided into fourteen floors, each one surrounded by multi-layered castle walls that are not only impregnable against physical attacks, but also repel conceptual interference by means of magecraft. As a self-defense mechanism, it is furnished with sentry cannons throughout its whole extension, which can fire both magic bullets and explosive projectiles made out of Greek fire. Furthermore, in cases of great emergencies, the spirits of the successive members of the Imperial bodyguards (Varangian Guard) can be temporarily summoned as low-grade Servants. These bodyguards are supplied with prana by the city itself, but in exchange cannot materialize outside of it.

At the core of each floor, there is a small sanctuary that houses one of the holy relics that were stored in the city in the past. These relics provide abundant energy to the city as pseudo-magical furnaces. In addition, as the city's administrator (dungeon master), Konstantinos has the authority to impose the blessings and curses related to those relics on anyone within its range (individuals endowed with divinity or some sort of divine protection can resist this effect).

Incidentally, Konstantinos is assisted in the management of this Noble Phantasm by a holy spirit named Basileuousa. Taking the shape of a beautiful woman, she is the personification of Constantinople itself (supposedly somewhat related to minor guardian deities of Roman Mythology, such as the lares and the genii locorum, but details are unknown). Since the city is like an extension of her own body, she can instantly perceive anything that happens within it.

Although Constantinople was established as the Noble Phantasm of Heroic Spirit Constantinus, the accumulation of its own particular history and anecdotes caused this city to become almost completely independent from him as a crystalized mystery. Consequentially, several limitations ended up being placed on its use. To begin, he is only furnished with this when summoned in the Ruler Class. But most importantly, it can only be invoked on a spiritual ground equivalent or superior to that of the historical Constantinople. Even if one were to search the entire world, only a handful of places would fulfill this requirement.

Background

BACKGROUND

Flavius Valerius Constantinus. Also knows as Constantine I. A Roman Emperor who ruled during the early years of the 4^th Century. Having achieved the reunification of the Empire after it became divided by a long period of internal conflict, he was granted the title of Maximus (the Great) by the Senate. Also, he was the first Roman Emperor to fully convert to Christianity and had a major influence in its development as a religious institution. Thanks to this, he is considered to be one of the most important individuals in Christian history, often regarded as a saint.

Constantinus was born around 272 A.D., in the city of Naissus (modern day Nis, Serbia), as the son of Constantinus “Chlorus” – a high-ranking military official in the Empire. Around that time, the Roman Empire had finally obtained a brief period of respite after a long period of political and military instability (later knows as Crisis of the Third Century) when Emperor Diocletianus rose to power and began to reorganizing domestic affairs. Diocletianus attempted all sorts of reforms, among which included a new, supposedly more stable system of government called Tetrarchy (rule by four).

Chlorus would serve in the Tetrarchy later in life, first as a caesar (junior Emperor) and then as an augustus (senior Emperor) of the Western territories. As his father presumptive heir, the young Constantinus was sent to live in Diocletianus’ court in order to receive a proper education. During this time, he supposedly accumulated a number of conspicuous services in both civil and military posts (something that would earn him both the Emperor’s favor and the enmity of a number of political rivals).

After the death of his father during a military expedition to Britain, Contantinus promptly succeeded him as caesar in 306 A.D – much to the displeasure of his rivals. He would maintain a tenuous peace with the other members of the Tetrarchy at first, but small disagreements began to accumulate over time, eventually escalating into a full-blown civil war. After years vying for supremacy, he eventually came out victorious and became the sole ruler of the Empire.

With his hold on the Empire secure, Constantinus took upon himself to conclude the reforms started Diocletianus. His measures included things such as the modernization of bureaucracy, the separation of civil and military authorities and the overhaul of the Empire’s monetary system. Probably his most famous and successful undertaking was transferring the functions of the Empire’s capital from Rome to a newly constructed city in the East – Constantinople (by that time, the Western territories had grown mostly irrelevant, while economic and military value of the East was becoming increasingly higher). All in all, he was successful in breathing a new life to an Empire that was once on the brink of collapse.

Holy King

Still, it was in the religious sphere that Constantinus made his greatest contributions to mankind. To begin with, he was the one who truly ended the intolerance against Christians, who had been constantly shunned by Empire ever since Emperor Nero blamed them for the Great Fire of Rome of 64 A.D. Although there were times when they were not outright persecuted, openly pledging oneself to the Christian faith was always viewed as a crime. Constantinus would put a stop to all this by turning Christianity into a state-approved religion through the Edict of Milan of 313 A.D.

It not long after this that Contantinus publicly professed himself as a Christian. Although there had been previous hints of that being the case, the statement still came as a shock to many. After all, until then he had always made efforts to remain distant from religious matters, keeping his policies ambiguous and elusive as far as that subject was concerned. Furthermore, as the Emperor of Rome, he also the pontifex maximus (high priest) of the ancient Roman religion and was expected to perform pagan rituals from time to time – something incompatible with the basic tenets of his faith. Maybe due to that, he refrained from being baptized until his deathbed.

Such controversial points notwithstanding, Constantinus became a major patron of Cristianity from that point on. He would built cathedrals, grant privileges to the clergy, recover and collect lost holy relics for safekeeping in Constantinople, etc. Still, his most important achievement was probably the development of the Church itself. Back then, Christianity was more of a cult than a proper religion – the teachings of the messiah were still poorly understood and the believers found themselves divided into sects that would often be in conflict with each other. In order to rectify this, Constantinus gathered the most prominent Christian intellectuals from all over the Empire so that could discuss and reach a consensus about the most contended points of Christian teachings.

That was the First Council of Nicaea. The first ecumenical council in Christian history, which produced the Nicene Creed (the first universal doctrine of Christianity) and the earliest rendition of canon law. Here were laid the foundations of the Holy Church that exists in modern times.

Thanks to this achievement, Constantinus became recognized as a holy king by the Christian community. The foremost defender of the faith on Earth, bearing the sacred duty of enforcing orthodoxy, rooting out heresy and maintaining ecclesiastical unity. Many of the later European monarchs (including big names such as Charlemagne) would look up at him as an example to be followed.

[asterism42]

i have a private tally regarding the number of create a servant sheets that use a vane faceclaim

[Master of Chaos]

Can you blame me? It is a good faceclaim.