I know it's a(n almost) joke but I love this idea so much. It's a simple detail but elevated this sheet from based to BASED.
I totally agree. I'm glad Alex commented on it.
Just like many of my other sheets, he's originally from the tabletop game I run. The bishounen reveal was supposed to bring some comic relief when things went south but it ended up never happening, so I had totally forgotten about mentioning it on the sheet.
The damage reduction inherent to the Skill is already capable of going beyond the established defensive limits for both his perceived territory and his allies, but the Servant himself still receives only half of the benefits from his own protection.
However, said halving does not extend to Magecraft and/or abilities of biological nature (such as disease-spreading Curses, Poison-related abilities and so forth), from which he receives instead the full bonuses of protection, hence his modifiers.
Divinity: E
Because he was
something
someone
heavily associated with his family, he received a certain Rank in the Skill.
But since he does not consider his own nature compatible with that of someone deserving of a Divine Aura like they are, the Rank is lowered to its limit. He wished he could just seal this Skill altogether, but that wasn’t possible... He wonders why...
Item Construction: D
Proficient in potion brewing, healing salves and other remedies and medicine treatments, excluding the makings of elixirs of limited immortality. Everything else is of the average quality, at best.
Magic Resistance: EX
Fully nullifies the effects of every currently known harmful Magecraft. It also spells a nigh-invulnerability against magic that comes from either mages or Servants hailed from times after the Age of Gods.
——Wait, what? Wait a minute! Is this person really on the same level of a Lostbelt divine final boss NPC? What is happening!?
“I guess I’m really a Shielder.” —Hey, hey, don’t tell me this is one of those sheets...
BOND 2
PART I
Hiraeth.
A Welsh word that has no exact cognate in English—the best it can be done is 「homesickness,」 but that’s like the difference between hardwood and laminate.
Hiraeth is a protest. If it must be called homesickness, it’s a sickness come on—in Welsh ailments come onto you, as if hopping aboard ship—because home isn’t the place it should have been. It’s an unattainable longing for a place, a person, a history that may never come back, or may not even existed in first place. To feel hiraeth is to feel a deep incompleteness and recognize it as familiar.
Ikoyénia.
A Greek word that explains the concept of 「family.」 Like branches on a tree, at times one grows in different directions yet their roots remain as one.
Therefore, there is no such thing as a 「broken family.」 Family is family, and is not determined by marriage or divorce, by adoption or birth. Families are made in the heart. The only time it becomes null is when those ties are cut—and if they are, those people are not your family. If you make those ties, those people are your family. And if you hate those ties, those people will still be your family because whatever you hate will always be with you.
Missing.
Noun. One word, seven letters.
When the one you want to see is everywhere, except right by your side.
Having somewhere to go is home. Having someone to love is family.
——And having both is a blessing.
BOND 3
PART II
Height / Weight: 158 cm・47 kg Source: Celtic mythology, Greek mythology, Hellados Periegesis Region: Greece Alignment: Neutral・Good Gender: Male
There is a strange weariness in his expression, even when he smiles, as if he had lived a thousand lives. Although his build is that of a child, his eyes are that of an old spirit.
“...I’m sorry it took me so long to understand.”
—Huh? What do you mean?
“Nothing.” He answers, and then gives yet another of those weary smiles. “Nothing at all.”
BOND 4
PART III
Humans, he muses, don’t remember being born. They learn of it later in stories by their parents, embellished fiction designed to tease and embarrass.
But he remembers his own birth, although his was a birth which had no beginning.
There are so many things in the universe. Beautiful things. Frightening things. Living and dead things. Things with no name. Things with no one to remember that they had happened, or even existed. Things with no one to know that for just a single instant, they had been. Things both told and untold.
He was one of these things. Something with no name, breathing in the air that smelled of peppermint. A spirit of nature that crossed the jade-colored woods, the grassy lands, a spirit that heard wolves howling and pigs grunting.
He was an observer in a world that moved without him, his only duty to cleanse the living from their affliction. He was an observer, and through their eyes he learned of grief and ecstasy. He learned of love and hate.
He watched civilizations born and die in the span of a lifetime. He witnessed the mortals dominating the land, conquering the sun, crossing the waters. And when they didn’t need him anymore, he watched himself wither. He experienced the horror of the wild beasts—having his own home, vast meadows, shimmering rivers, all disappear in a wave of bricks and hay. He watched gods disappear, he experienced their pain and he couldn’t do anything for them. Not even heal them from that affliction.
—After all, one day, this thing also experienced the pain of farewell himself.
—Does it matter how he met the end of his line in this fading paradise? Are you satisfied enough if it’s said it was just meant to happen, it was the natural course of life asserting itself? Human beings needed something those little ones couldn’t give to them, so they had to go. One by one, they disappeared in the woods, in the light, in the water, without anyone to mourn their passing. And that is fine... Because a dream is like that—it is capable of taking thoughts and warping them into shadows, taunting the unguarded with their innermost fears and desires. A dream is capable of crafting illusions... Of whispering to its dreamer, of planting ideas in their minds. But a dream is not capable of anything true.
He was dreaming. And he dreamt for a long time as the flowing waters took him in its embrace. He expected to become nothing as did the others like him, but instead he merely dreamed. For so long, that he found himself in another land. The sun shone all the same, but everything else was unfamiliar.
——But just as he began to feel himself gripped by the thorns of an indescribable agony, a voice woke him up from this long dream. A flower in the sun.
This flower took his hand, and gave him a name.
And so, he became 「Telesphorus.」
BOND 5
PART IV
The first lesson he’s learned as their son is that a name represents identity. It speaks to a deep feeling, and holds tremendous significance.
But does it mean he was nothing before he had one? No. Everything is, even without acknowledgement. But he was different after that. He had a thing to call his own—it was only his. One can name you, but it is only after you accept it that it becomes yours. And when that happens, it is the very first wave in this large ocean called 「life」...
The name of his small flower in the sun was Hygieia, he learned eventually. Whenever she smiled at him, a pool of warmth rested in his stomach—such was also a lesson he only learned when he stopped being an observer, and became someone who undoubtedly 「existed in this world」 just like them. Those who called themselves 「his siblings」 were all lovely souls; always so warm that he felt almost uncomfortable under their care. But it was never unwelcoming. On the contrary... The warmth in his heart was a constant, as he was embraced by that family and accepted as one of their own.
Yes... He had yet another thing to call his own now: he had them.
He had a 「father」 now: Asclepius wasn’t very present, busy being that what humans call a doctor, but whenever he was around he always allowed them to do whatever they wanted. The entire family seemed to hold him in high regards, and he commanded respect with his abilities. All of his children were very eager to follow his steps. Sometimes, he’d take them with him to learn of his craft. It was during one of these occasions he’d learned of Telesphorus’ special constitution——oh, but don’t look at him like this. Telesphorus was quite content to serve him as a 「guinea pig」, by developing antidotes whenever he was injected venoms and other substances into his body. It was a great honor, if anything.
He also had a 「mother」: Epione didn’t commanded respect amongst her children as much as she commanded fear. If her husband was the soul of that household, then she was the heart. Her temperament was like the rain, pouring down in buckets and then clearing the sky in the next second. She always fed him an extra bowl of food during dinner, claiming that 「he was too skinny.」 She always caressed his head whenever he brought her a flower.
——He was too careless. He learned how to be a human, and he enjoyed that experience.
Stopping seeing himself as a spirit of nature, he truly considered himself Telesphorus, the child of Asclepius. That might have been his first mistake—a lesson he also learned when he stopped to observe tragedy and love as an outsider and started to feel those things passing through him in the flow of time.
Because of that, when the skies gained a new star, that was the beginning of his end.
BOND 6
PART V
His birth, that which had no beginning, had a meaning: he was supposed to cast away the suffering of the living. He was meant to purify.
—So why couldn’t he take away the cloud of unhappiness that nested itself in his home?
The stars were so bright they hurt his eyes. It was a pain so sharp, as if he was bleeding, unable to stop the dripping. It must hurt mother’s too, because since that day she couldn’t look up without tearing up. His brothers and sisters fell into silence, the light inside their eyes snuffed as if the fire of a candle and one by one they left. The world was a vast place and it needed their father’s knowledge—but he wasn’t there anymore…
The flow of time is a ruthless thing, Telesphorus learned—ruthless and so lonely.
He had seen civilizations born and die, once upon a time, when he was something without a name. He had seen death and war, he had seen unhappiness and grief——but he had never experienced those himself. So those people felt like this? No wonder tragedies kept happening as the years went round and round—this pain is not something a mere spirit of nature could take away. This pain came from a soul.
How laughable, he thought as he learned of his own powerlessness.
The flow of time is a ruthless thing, and so he would start to unlearn all those things that made him himself. He would even forget about this pain one day—it would become a dull ache eventually, something to anchor him, but not drag him down.
——No, he thought. Neither the world nor himself could forget about this.
And so he decided to become the future.
Once upon a time, he slept in the waters, and experienced the complete loss of time. He could do this again: he could take everything that made him 「a part of this family」 and use it for something good.
He could defy eternity and become the foundation for them. And… Perhaps… He could even take their pain away.
Once upon a time, he slept for a long time. So he decided to do this again: in the Temple of his parents, inherited by his siblings, he decided to rest for the last time. Everything he had learned and all the things he held dear, they would always be there. Sleeping and waking blurring into each other to the point where a distinction between them became both meaningless and downright impossible, dreams and memories blending into thoughts and observations until each was as real, or as unreal, as the other.
Flickering, always flickering, between past, present and future in his own mind.
The last of the spirits of nature, so far away from home and yet so close to it, became one with the water, casting his last wishes to the wind. He couldn’t heal anything, in the end—neither the people he loved, neither himself—but he wished that one day he could.
BOND 7
PERSONAL SKILLS
Song of Cymry: EX
The ability to understand 「those who don’t use words,」 this was a blessing granted to the Tri-Spirits. It is a different knowledge entirely from the
Cradle of Civilization
Unified Language
of the One God—rather, it is knowledge long lost in the flow of time, that in which all is living under the sun, not only those sporting a beating heart. That every creature, rock and tree has a spirit. All of them have grievances, and the tri-spirits, healers of the nature, were the ones supposed to cast these pains away.
Although similar to the Skill Animal Communication in theory, even at this Rank an exchange of words is impossible, because 「it is a language far too distinct for that.」 However, it doesn’t mean that Shielder isn’t able to understand the voices of those without them, which makes for a variety of uses only limited by his own imagination. To hear the wind means to know where dangers are coming from—to hear the water is to know where civilization is at—to hear trees is to know of nature’s health—to hear animals is to know everything that is to know of an entire local ecosystem.
In a sense, he is able to even hear a human body as well, determining whenever one is sick. The sound of blood flowing can tell a lot about one’s physical health—a beating heart can tell a lot about one’s mental health, and so on and so forth.
Omni Soizon: EX
Like a flowing river, that which is the starting point that defines someone’s existence. Like the light of the stars, that which directs someone’s actions in life. In a sense, if a human obeys the driving force that comes from the Root by calling these actions their 「Origin,」 then this Skill could be said to represent the 「Origin of a Tri-Spirit.」
Imbued in his very essence lies the directive of 「inviting somebody else’s pain towards himself.」 In other words, the forceful redirection of all curses and diseases and other sufferings to one’s own self, independently of the original target.
It is not only about physical ailments—although he is indeed capable of absorbing in some level a certain amount of uncomfortable physical sensations out of one’s body and transplanting it to his own, much in the way a mother would soothe a child with chants of Pain Pain Go Away—but it is also about the pains from the heart and soul. Just like a tree is responsible for purifying the air, his kind is responsible for purifying the living. Fear and hysteria, sadness and grief, euphoria and hate... Whenever someone feels the breath of a invigorating wind, whenever the sight of a flower quells one’s sadness, that surely is the work of his kind.
Protection of the Asclepiades: A+
With a body evolved far beyond that of a human being, Shielder is virtually immune to diseases of any kind. Parasites, viruses or bacteria—no matter the origin, he simply, in other words, 「can’t get sick.」 In a sense, he is an unchanging existence that was born from a pure source, and therefore cannot be tainted by impurity by principle. Because of that, curses and malefices also are unable to affect him.
But it seems that, on top of his natural attributes, the blessings from the precursors of medicine follow him to this day as well.
Asclepiades, the children of Asclepius and keepers of his miracle: Hygieia, Iaso, Aceso, Aglaea, Panacea, Meditrina, Machaon and Podalirius. By accepting Telesphorus as 「one of their own」, they granted him extremely powerful regenerative abilities. At this Rank, he can get restored to his full health at an extremely fast rate without the need for conscient activation, resulting in a constant state of optimal health. Although regeneration is a process that occurs in all biological entities, a regenerative healing factor is much more efficient, seamless, and powerful.
—In other words, like kids these days say, short of immediately growing back lost limbs, everything else is fair game.
Rune Spell: E
From a place of the long gone past, he still remembers about the original Norse Runes, the primordial Magic Crest of Northern Europe.
However, because he already banished most of the memories of his first existence from his mind, that creature which had no name, there is very few knowledge of that time that still flows in his veins today. Other than a vague recollection of cleansing runes, he retains nothing else.
BOND 8
NOBLE PHANTASM
“O silver rose, the invisible crow that flies in the night has found your bed in the howling storm. Bone to bone, blood to blood, limb to limb. With the holly, tie your soul to the sea. O nine wondrous staves, bear the pains of eternity... So I may cast them away.”
The Sapphire-colored Stream Touched by the Stars
Rheo Asclepeion
Type: Anti-Army (Self) Range: 40m~60m Max. number of targets: 60
The spring of life that was said to heal whoever entered the Temple of Asclepius. Being his willing sacrifice the origin of such a wondrous miracle, naturally it would manifest as the Noble Phantasm of a wide-eyed idealist.
Assuming the shape of a dome-like bounded field, the only visible downside at first is its diminutive side, at least when compared to the original spring that flowed all the way into the Temple. However, as a construct born from Shielder, it follows laws of its own, that being said, the ultimate directive in which 「no one can be touched by impurity while inside.」
While the Noble Phantasm is being used, for those inside of it, a myriad of effects start to take place: such as the construct having the power to alleviate symptoms of illnesses or pain to more endurable levels. Even though it cannot eradicate symptoms, it makes them bearable for a certain amount of time until proper treatment can be achieved. It also can restore any living being to their original condition, returning allies to the condition they were before, fitness-wise. (It includes diseases, disorders and even curses or maledictions. The ultimate cleansing, in short.)
For those outside of the dome, they will also discover they cannot penetrate the construct with anything aimed to 「damage someone inside of it.」 This does not only include physical attacks, but magecraft and even mental abilities as well.
——Hey, young man, why did you leave unsaid the teensy, small detail about how your own Saint Graph will be consumed by your own desire to protect, as if you’re made of sea foam, whenever you use this one-time-only Noble Phantasm, as it happened in your own original legend?
“I don’t want to worry my Master”, he confesses, in a whisper. ...Well, there you go. For now, he won’t speak of it.
BOND 9
PERSONALITY
LIKES
Oh... That’s difficult... I’ll try. Let me see... I like the sound of fluttering winds and dancing leaves, the feeling of water against my skin, I like to see your smile and I also like to hear people talking. Everyone here is incredible, always so warm and welcoming. —E-eh? “See, you already answered a lot,” you say? T-that’s true...
DISLIKES
If you want to be truly respected by those you love, you must prove to them you can survive without them, or so I’ve heard... Maybe, in the end of the day, it’s all about how much you can bear, how long you can endure. I think... I think I hate it.
WISH FOR THE HOLY GRAIL I do not hold any wish for this device. Sleeping dogs should lie and a river is never the same river twice. —Rather than a wish for the Grail, I have a wish I want to entrust to the future, instead. I want you to think of me as music you play in your head, hoping you’d not forget about it. A place of comfort where you can always return to, but one that you don’t need all the time. Yes... I think I’d like to be that for you, if possible. And for that, I will try my best from now on.
Perhaps wisdom is not only the union of 「logos」 and 「mythos」, but a transient, all-encompassing quality. Whatever it is, this Servant could definitely be called a wise soul. Observant and patient, his youthful appearance usually hides a highly spiritual drive that shows in his words and overall philosophy. Like a benevolent old man that enjoys seeing the world around him shape itself every day, one of his favorite pastimes is people-watch the Servants and staff going about their day. As a spirit born to look after 「
health
life
」, places brimming with it are naturally sought by him.
Despite his emotional intelligence, however, Telesphorus suffers from a crippling lack of self-esteem, deeming himself small and unimportant in both the 「grand scheme of things」 and 「in everyday matters」 equally. His self-sacrificing nature is naďve at best, a product of a young soul clashing against an old mind, and plainly stupid at worst—the arrogance of thinking he knows best, even though that couldn’t be more of a lie. Despite recognizing that he has the capacity of being loved, he rarely acknowledges when it does indeed happen, chalking it up to the natural gentleness of others instead. One could even say that he holds a 「Shirou Emiya complex,」 although he’d probably ask what is this. But most definitely, in a sense, the Shielder Class is this selfish naivety of him laid bare for all to see.
Way too humble for hiw own good (and somehow also extremely adaptive, but then again he IS from two very different places), usually he is an expert at blending in with his surroundings, to the point one might think he holds a certain rank in the Presence Concealment Skill. But the key word is 「usually」——sometimes, his curiosity will lead him to uncharted paths without him noticing until it’s... Too late to pretend he’s unbothered by that. But he is (usually) quick to reign back this unexpected boyish characteristic when he feels he’s bothering someone... Which (usually) happens pretty fast. He’s very self-conscious, after all.
This Servant places much importance in the bonds he forms with others, and is someone that cherishes whatever friends he manages to cultivate with the care one would hold towards a fragile newborn or a beautiful flower. In other words, he is quite lonely and absolutely starved for attention, merely knowing how to properly hide that in order to not bother anyone.
—Be warned, then: if you ever manage to approach him and break the ice, prepare to have a very dedicated friend.
BONDS
Hello. Good afternoon. Apologies, I admit that I’m not very good at these things... Then I ask you, who has much more experience than I ever dream of possessing, what we should talk about? I’m kind of nervous, it’s my first time talking to you alone like this. —H-huh? We can start with things I like? O-oh, from the get go, this is already quite difficult...It’s quite the weird feeling. I know there’s a time to sow and a time to reap, but I find myself eager to know more about you all the same. It feels like I was absent for so long in your life that I know nothing of your character, so I want to bridge this distance between us... Is this what they call “understanding your place in the world”? Or am I simply wishing to be your friend? O-of course I’d never be that preposterous to assume you’re already my friend or anything, p-please, I just... —O-oh, we are? Oh.Maybe, I want to be particular, too. Like an ancient landscape, to join the unbroken cycle of life and death and recycled renewal... Yes. It doesn’t sound too bad. Not bad at all. ——What am I talking about, you ask? Would you believe me if I said I already forgot? —Haha, you don’t, I thought so. Then, you’re only saving me some face... Thank you very much for your kindness.Watcher... A Class defined by their role as observers. I could have come in this form, yes. Perhaps, it would even suit me far better... But then, I would be just that—an onlooker. I would be blank, containing pieces of everything and yet, being nothing. So, being a Shielder is my selfishness. It is my shout to the world. It is my declaration that I exist—that I want to exist as myself. I hope you can forgive it, Master.The German have a word, sehnsucht, that combines elements of homesickness, nostalgia and longing. However, in that small word, there’s also this subtle acknowledgement of an irretrievable loss—a time, a place, a person, a feeling that cannot be recreated ever again. There’s an unreachable nature to that word that adds grief, but it’s not entirely unwelcome... In a way, it’s remarkably similar to the concept of hüzün, a Turkish expression that “rises from the pain of losing everything”. It’s so fascinating how people have so many words for this feeling of loss, but under all of them, there’s this strange power, as if they are constantly compelled to invent new defeats and new ways of expressing their rising from the ashes...I don’t know if someone told you that, but I’m proud of you for being alive, even after everything that happened to you. It’s no easy feat to decide to be selfish, because as much as people like to think humans are born inherently selfish, they aren’t. They are made to share, to feel and to love. Does life have any meaning if you’re not being good or useful to someone? Of course it still has. No one has to be alive to search for a purpose—like nature, humans are meant to be alive just to be their weird, beautiful self. Anything other than that is just their need to feel connected to the universe. —What I’m trying to say is: I’m very proud of being your Servant, and it doesn’t matter if your body lies in the heavens or in the abyss, you’ll still be you to me. I’ll protect your path, righteous or not.
BOND 10
RELATIONSHIPS
Sieg
It’s a weird feeling... I look at him, and I feel like we are similar existences. Perhaps, my birth that has no beginning and no end is just the natural equivalent of that what humans call 「homunculus」? I’ll muse about that later. But... One day, I’d like to talk to him... Preferably, when the cheery pink-haired gentleman isn’t around. I-I mean, he’s too friendly... I’d feel overwhelmed in a heartbeat...
Enkidu
There’s a strange energy inside of that Servant. Almost as if... No, I might be just imagining things. Yes, it must be it. I wish I could say that we’re more alike than I’d like to admit, but that would be a lie. This one is much more of a resilient
creature
person
than I ever could dream of being. I can only admire his fortitude.
Nightingale
...Uhh, Master? Are all the healers in this place like that? Should I be worried?
Jason
That man is the Argonauts’ captain. I’ve heard stories about him... And I know of his pitiful end. However, he carries himself with much pride—to his comrades, that must be extremely relieving. To bear witness that whatever was really important didn’t changed at all, it’s truly a blessing.
His eagerness is worrisome. That’s no bloodlust, it’s desperation. It’s longing. It’s a memory entrenched deeply inside his core. There’s no cradle to protect that person no more, no comfortable dreamland to hold on to... But he takes the plunge anyway. How odd... Is this what it feels when you find a kindred spirit in this world?
Hope is a songbird, humans say, a thing that perches in your soul and twitters in jubilant defiance of all you fear is true. But... Sometimes... Only sometimes... I get myself thinking that, perhaps, hope is more like a vulture. One that periodically returns to feed on what’s left of you, digging for any parts you carelessly left exposed. —I don’t know... Seeing that person’s dream brought such a thought to my mind.
You know how there’s this old knowledge in which there’s people who act like a natural purifier, as if they are constantly absorbing negative energy around themselves? In a sense, these types always make me feel like losing my only job. —Anyway, it seems like today I’ve accidentally found one of those. Mr. Epicurus is... Perhaps it’s bold of me to say this, but he’s... 「Adorable.」
I can understand her pain, if only in parts. Such a deep wound that even my blessings cannot penetrate... Such is betrayal. It’s a memory that never once dulls, over a hundred years, over a thousand years, even though we can spend so much of that time wishing it would. —Perhaps the only thing I can do is to wish her heart to find peace, although it pains me not being able to do more.
Animals are very calming, aren’t they? We had a lot of snakes wandering about back then in our home, and some of them would let me pet them. They were so cute. —Ah, why am I saying this so suddenly? Oh, it’s because of that person. You know, the tall mister. It just occurred to me that I can see why that person is always looking so content with himself, if he has that farm. If big sister Aceso was here, she’d be pestering him about creating a sanctuary with therapy pets.
So, there he is, the proof of our existence. I can see the best parts of my family reflected in his eyes, yes. —Huh? Since I’m acknowledging him like this, I should at least say hello to that person sometime soon? That would be nice, wouldn’t it? But no... No. Not yet. I must gather my strength before that.
Asclepius
It came to my knowledge that Father roams in Chaldea nowadays, but I guess it’s true that someone’s prime is something else. He’s quite different from the man I knew, that much is certain... Oh? You ask if I’m going to talk to him? Indeed, there are many things I want to convey one day to him, if possible. People and feelings and the flow of time. But I guess there’s still only one language he speaks fluently—and it’s not this one. So... I still have work to do, I don’t have the proper results to show yet. I won’t see him for now.
So, Mother is here too? That’s reassuring. I think that, after big sister Hygieia, she’s the one I miss the most. One day, I want to talk to her again. —Oh, speaking of such, she’s not talking to father? I’m not surprised, actually... I guessed that’d happen. He did deeply hurt her with his recklessness. That being said, Master, if you could... For now, be nice to her in my stead, yes?
BOND 11
CRAFT ESSENCE
Dear sister,
This is the first time I talk to you since my awakening.
For a long time, I found myself in a loss of words, nothing worthy enough to disrupt the memory of your smile. Then, today, I questioned my negligence... I deemed it weak. Cowardly, even. How dare I succumb to fear and self-doubt. I didn’t know what to say, I try to justify to myself——what a lie. I’ve never had so many words in my heart before.
I could say that much changed since my death, yet much remained the same. Although I know that only the cruel would suggest such, because all of us who loved someone knows how profoundly the world changes after one’s loss. There is a hole with the shape of our family in my chest, and sometimes when I’m forced to gasp for air in the ocean of solitude, I feel that not even this dark water can fill that piece of me. In other words, 「the wind has been knocked out of me.」I don’t think it’ll ever return.
I’ve heard that both father and mother are here, somewhere.
I know that denial is a stage, but the idea that grief is something linear—a thing to move past or through—is insultingly naďve. Grief is more of a Venn diagram... It comes in a riot of colors, pulsating with saturation as feelings fade in and out. Bright, then dim again.
I thought many times that I should speak to them—that I should make my presence known. But every time I think of it, the pain doubles me over. In a moment, I feel fine, then in the other I’m clutching my knees. The weight of their absence is still a ghost always floating over me, shamelessly reminding me of my childishness. So many years together, so much gratitude I wanted to convey——and then, it’s gone just like that.
But maybe I still need some time. Although I do reckon that it does sound disingenuous to think that I’m here, wasting the potential to create better memories in your stead since you’re not here as well, because the ones I already have makes it too difficult to empathize with their own pain sometimes.
—Maybe I’m just weak, after all.
Dear sister,
In the quiet desolation of myself, I’ve been thinking of you a lot today. I miss you.
Ending Notes
So... Telesphorus, huh.
If you played GOW4 you know what I tried to do with this character, but if you didn't I can explain: sometimes, Celts just end up somewhere else entirely because why not. Or he's more like Kratos and the water ended up taking him to another country? Or maybe he's both at the same time? That's something to think about.
Anyway, stories about his origin aside, this was a Servant I had in my archives for the LONGEST time. I think it's somewhere there since when I've created Epione. What can I say... Asclepius is one of my favorite Greek deities and I was delighted to see him in FGO, but then they went and made him a mad cientist too? Boy. I had a field day with that concept. Just like my other mission of transforming the Knights of Fianna into a bunch of depressed and cynical men, I have the duty of showing the dangers of not managing a healthy work/home life balance through this disfunctional family.
Usually I don't put much detail into gameplay build like other creators who even put Skill effects (LIKE WOW GUYS CALM DOWN YOU MAKE US MORTALS LOOK BAD) but I had in my mind the idea that he's the "tank" to Asclepius' "healer" and Epi's "brawler". If you have a party with these 3 roles you're ready to take anything.
ANYWAY. I hope y'all liked the sheet. It's wordy and long and I know it's kinda boring sometimes when this happens, but I tried my best.
See ya!
Last edited by WhiteFrenzy; December 18th, 2021 at 05:11 PM.
I'm writing a book called, My Favorite Pastime is to Take People who are a Footnote in History and Transform Them Into Fully Realized Characters.
Hoho, now this is what I'm here for. Allow me to contribute a few more chapters to that book... eventually, once I'm less busy with stuff going on.
Real talk, another wholesome sheet from WF. I always admire how much research you put into your sheets, and how you tie all that history to the character in question, and this is no exception. Great job.
Telesphorus: Damn. This is really, really good. You normally put out bangers (your contest winner is a testament to that) but this is exceptional. Congrats on a stellar servant.
Rookie Lorekeeper, Amateur Extraordinaire, and all around nasunoob.
Parameters:
Strength: E
Endurance: C
Agility: A+
Mana: B
Luck: A
Class Skills:
Independent Navigation B
The Voyager Class' variation of Independent Action. A Skill granted to those famed for travelling through distant lands, whether to reach a destination or simply savoring the scenery along the way. Donates the Servant a rank-up to Endurance and constant supply of magical energy per turn so long as they continue on their journey. Venturing from star system to star system, she has been travelling for a long while. Enough to earn a respectable rank in this skill.
Personal Skills:
Vagrant of the Stars A
A skill meant for one who endless drifts through the sea of stars without any grand purpose pushing them. In another place, it would have been noted as a distinctive skill representing the achievement of reaching the outer boundary of space but for this servant, it is neither grand nor particular.
... "I was part of the Voyagers, the leader actually, and our goal was to travel the stars. A very casual affair given the way my universe works but it was what we did nonetheless."
Swingby C+
A Skill showcasing special maneuvering abilities in combat. While she rarely uses this skill for combat due to her temperament, if pushed far enough or asked to get serious, Voyager will show very extensive use of the applications of her power. Works in conjunction with Grand Tour.
... "...Apologies, I don't really fight much. I usually leave to everyone else. But I'm sure it'll work out. So no need to worry. After all..."
Grand Tour A+
A skill representing the fervent wishes of one who wanted to "go out and see what's out there, no matter what it takes". Activating this skill, Voyager becomes truly unrestrained in terms of movement. It is this skill and Swingby that act as the base for a technique she calls Heliopause Pierce.
… "I would give it my all. No matter what."
Noble Phantasm
"Here's proof of my wish. My will and memories. My Golden Record!"
Golden Record: Star Chart Memorabilia
Rank: B+ (E)
Type: Anti-World
The noble phantasm of Voyager. A scrapbook that Voyager had created while on her Grand Tour and titled. Recording all that she sees, hears, experienced, and felt, it was a precious keepsake that Voyager would show to anyone who would listen, and that was all it was in her home Universe. Such a thing changed upon being summoned into her Master's Universe. If one could call Pale Blue Dot the crystallisation of "carrying the presence of mankind into what is foreign", Golden Record would be the crystallisation of "introducing the foreign into places filled with the presence of mankind". It is by this concept that Voyager introduces what is recorded within her Golden Record.
Sensations of venturing close to blackholes, visiting high gravity, witnessing the manners of strange beasts, or even witnessing a meteor shower close up; it is these memories that are projected into the World. In her home universe, this Noble Phantasm would be considered very weak due to such events and conditions being commonplace and therefore not foreign. However, in another universe where mankind has not yet left its cradle into the Sea of Stars, these simple projections are made real, altering local physics and increasing their lethality.
Heliopause Pierce: Lancing To The Furthest Reaches Of The Cosmos
Rank: -
Type: Anti-Unit (Self)
A technique created by Voyager while travelling alone. Something that could be called her secondary noble phantasm. A method of travel made to work for her if she is under any sort of constraints. Achieving velocities that are normally impossible with help from Swingby increasing her kinetic energy along with the unrestricted movement granted by Grand Tour, she accelerates into a high energy state, the magical energy around heightened in temperature as she moves, becoming a Lance that will pierce through any and all form of entrapment. However, Voyager cannot exist in this state for long. Her body will continually degrade until she is nothing but stardust. Even then, this skill is her proof of the determination of the Voyagers, or, at least, that is what Voyager fondly thinks.
Lore
Voyager 2 is the sister of Voyager 1, a space probe launched into space in the 1970s to study the outer planets of the Solar System: Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus. It was a long journey that took up to 14 years to complete but in the aftermath, Voyager joined her brother in traveling the sea of stars that lies beyond the system.
"So that's what I was like here. Hm, I'm pleased that "I'm" doing something worthwhile. Ah, why don't I tell you my story."
Among the sapphire hue of the Servant Universe, there existed a group of Servants that ventured around the galaxies, visiting various planets. It was a relatively large group so those who saw could only theorize what kind of organization they were. Mercenaries? Pirates? A Police Force? Speculation was raised and questions were asked but the answer was always the same.
"We're just tourists."
At the head of the group was the Servant called Voyager 2. Despite common belief, Voyager 2 is not her True Name, rather she wears it like a title that marks her existence. She is a Servant without a True Name, another one of the faceless masses to put it bluntly but she relentlessly moved forward in spite of it. Gathering a group of Servants from her home planet under a single aspiration, she created the Voyagers that seek out every nook and cranny. They travelled without an end goal, and it would've continued to be that way but…
"They all couldn't follow someone else's wish forever. They had their lives to think about too, ya know?"
Throughout their travelling, the other members of the Voyagers had formed their own dreams to pursue, their selfish wishes to long for like their leader did. But they wouldn't be able to do so as long they existed within the hold of Voyager 2. So they convened and planned to confront their leader together but it seemed like their leader was more aware than they suspected. She had simply asked them, one final request.
"..."
What the request was supposed to be was unknown but after its fulfillment, the various members of the Voyagers left to genuine pursue their own aspirations whether they be impossible or unfeasible. For Voyager 2, she operated as usual yet there was something missing. There were no members with her. There were no laughs nor shouts. No cries or bouts. There were no Voyagers.
"All there was left was a girl and her scrapbook."
Bond CE
My Last Request "Let's take a photo of all of us."
A simple request that came out of nowhere but one that was taken without much complaint. Stepping upon the familiar land of her home, the leader announced the taking of a group photo in celebration of the anniversary of the creation of the Voyagers…and as fulfillment of her final request before its immediate disbandment. A photo of the myriad personalities residing within the Voyagers, boldly showcasing their identities in a casual manner unbefitting of the circumstance. Yet it is that type of thing being what made the leader cherish its frame so dearly.
Creator's Note: Welp, here's my servantverse Servant. Had to go through a lot of thought processes to make that lore but im decently satisfied. Also got some appropriate images for it too.
Last edited by Vance; April 28th, 2022 at 07:52 PM.
I took a 2.5h nap, i am awake, i am alive, i am fit. No new Servants since then? No, good.
Shielder: yeah, i was waiting for that one, pleasant surprise to see him (i expected a her though). Really cute and emotional story you made for that guy. I experimented and read the wiki article before the sheet. You really crafted a cool story for a little boy god that drifted around.
The subtitle of your book should be "how to turn anecdotes into original stories" because oh boy, you can do teach lessons on that topic.
Voyager: Another cute story. The twist of her being from the Servantverse is a good one. Made the CE really shine. By chance, is that your contribution for Morgs SV project?
Overall another great example of your great ideas, condensed in a sweet, small package.
Hoho, now this is what I'm here for. Allow me to contribute a few more chapters to that book... eventually, once I'm less busy with stuff going on.
I'm shaking I CAN'T WAIT. Also, thank you very much, El! I'm glad you liked the little godling.
Originally Posted by Baron Magnus
Telesphorus: Damn. This is really, really good. You normally put out bangers (your contest winner is a testament to that) but this is exceptional. Congrats on a stellar servant.
coughcoughwe don't talk about pretender and their bullshitcoughcough but really, thanks a lot for liking him!
Originally Posted by DelRey
The subtitle of your book should be "how to turn anecdotes into original stories" because oh boy, you can do teach lessons on that topic.
You know what... I'll take it.
But yeah, I totally thought people would think he's a her for the picture alone. Still, I'm very happy that you liked him, bullshit story that's just a mesh of a lot of celtic myths aside. Thanks a lot, Rey!
Originally Posted by pinetree
Telesphorus: I love how you touch on so many languages to shape his concept. What a heartfelt way to bridge his transition to Greek Mythology.
PINEEEE I'M SO HONORED. Thanks a lot for the highest of compliments, I'll keep them close to me.
And also THIS VOYAGER? OH MY GOD?? You sniped me of my Morg's Servantverse exclusive curse youuu! But I can't hate this servant because she's just adorable. What a cute story, what a bittersweet ending, what a perfect sheet. ;_;
Your "bullshit stories" that combine various anecdotes into one coherent story are always a sight to behold. See Tarrare. It is not bullshit if it works and you make it work every time
Dont change that
"A magus begins life very early. Not quite a birth but before they are even in theirs teens. Even in the renaissance of freedom this holds true... and I was no different."Class: Saber
True Name: Aleister Crowley
Origin: English Folklore, Modern Occult Myth, and Historical Fact.
Alignment: Neutral-Evil
Likes: Aiwass, Thelema, Studying magecraft, and Searching for Utopia.
Dislikes: False science, the Mage's Association, Drugs, and Saying goodbye to Aiwass.
Talents: Thelemic Magecraft and Aiwass.
Natural Enemies: none ???
Other Classes: Caster, Foreigner, and Pretender.
Catalyst: One of his various works, the Sword of Thelema, or the chipped emerald found in his house after his death.
Armaments: the Sword of Thelema (C-RankA-Rank)
"... Yes, yes. This is my resume. I trust it is sufficient. Now... let us win this holy grail war."
"My studies, from a family of 10 generations, began as any other family that studied that long... but tragedy struck only weeks into my tutelage. My great-grandfather sabotaged the family crest. He was killed for his actions but his damage had been done... we were ruined"Parameters
Str: CA
End: CA
Agi: CA
Mna: BA
Lck: BA
NP: CA
"... Sadly, I'm rather pitiful as a saber... but I can perform. I am not a hopeless cause, master... I still have one trump card, after all. Shall we discuss that?"
"At first they didn't give up. The core of the crest was intact. It could, with time, be salvaged. Yet, my family gave up as I became a young teenager. Angered, I rejected their rejection of magecraft and studied... eventually being expelled."Lore
Aleister Crowley. A first generation magus. Technically tenth. The crowley family had undergone a devastating loss. Their magical crest had been all but destroyed. Only the barest of spells and the core of the crest lived.
This alone elevated them above mere first generation magus. Yet, the shame of being lowered was too much for them. Turning from the path of mystics, his family solemnly accepted that they had failed. He did not. He took the crest and left the family to form a new one.
Yet it was not easy. Due to the problems arisen from the betrayal of his great-grandfather, the cause of the crests destruction, the Mage's Association had effectively abandoned him. He wasn't even allowed to attend classes nor contribute.
He pursued research into many magecraft topics but could never reach even specialist class. He simply reached average mastery of several fields. Yet not all hope was lost as one day he discovered a friend.
Aiwass was its name. It fell from the heavens and crashed into a nearby forest. Naturally, the world rejected the divine spirit from beyond. Yet, utilizing his modicum of research, he was able to bind the spirit to his body. Effectively, he lived with two souls inside of him.
He of course abused the situation. He utilized the spirit to help with his research and share its knowledge. Yet over time, something occured he did not expect.
He grew attached to it. As he formed his new theory and path towards the root he grew fond of Aiwass. Initially he had planned to use the spirit as the foundation for his new magecraft... yet he found he could not.
Of course, the spirit had a solution. Rather than use it, it would shave its own spirit core to the point of becoming mere divinity, utilizing the components that made it a god for the foundation.
Aleister agreed. The pin in place he used a ritual and did so. It would not be ready now, but in the future. He kept the location secret so none would know where it was to protect it. From there, he simply began his order. the Order of Thelema. An order that would begin a revolution in both science and magecraft; Introducing modern myth to the world.
Yet he could not solely claim responsibility. He could only give credit to the efforts of himself, aiwass... and a green book with golden filigree's. A book he had begun studying to great lengths. Notes had come with it from Isaac Newton, an outcast of magic society.
Yet... he could not deny Isaac's notes. How the allure of the book was high. He was tempted to hoard the book for his family but decided against it. Aiwass suggested they pass it on to help another. So he sent it off to its next recipient; Maurice Doreal, A magus that had fallen even farther than him.
Part of Thelema, what allowed him to be summoned as a saber, was the creation of the Sword of Thelema. Utilizing instructions from the book, Aiwass's knowledge, and his own formula, he created a sword equivalent conceptually to a noble phantasm. At least so long as it was used as a specialist mystic code.
The only difference between it and a proper noble phantasm was simply that his burned mystery at a much higher rate. He estimated that it would lose its power in 100 years. Aiwass estimated 1000 if the humans maintained the order of Thelema for 300 years.
Today, the sword is used as part of ceremonies, normal humans believing it to be simply a ceremonial sword only usable by those considered 'bless with true will'. To date, somehow, no magus has successfully claimed the sword. However a few did become head by being capable of utilizing the sword as intended; A tool to use Thelemic Magick.
"Yes. It was not an easy life but a fulfilling one. It's not often that one forms a foundation that revolutionizes the world.
"I laboured for months. The Clock Tower abandoned me. The Wandering Sea was abysmally hard to enter... and the Atlas Institute focused on alchemy. I was lost... until destiny delivered that emerald bounded wrapped in gold book."Class Skills
Magic Resistance: B*
A magus and regular practitioner of mundane occultism among other things, he has raised his Magic Resistance to the peak a modern magus could be expected to have. This as well as the vaunted Saber class elevated it to its current level.
He can effectively ignore spells and heavily mitigate high thaumaturgy or greater rituals. However at his rank he shaves a bit of prana off of every spell cast at him, absorbing it into himself and restoring some of his spent Od.
"I may have fallen in the moonlit world... but my experiences and life gave me power. Power I will now use to crush my enemies"
"'I used it. I disbelieved it as it came from an American, notoriously insignificant magus, but I asked it where I might advance my research... 'The heavens outside' it answered on its pages"Riding: D+
Not noted as riding any particular vehicles or animals, he instead was a human living in the era of the automobile. As such he has a rudimentary understanding of modern vehicles that he can utilize to ride them. He imparts no bonuses however and more complex controls such as stereoes, drifts, and high-speed chases require training.
"Yes... it was a new thing too. I didn't expect humans to replicate and advance them so quickly... it's only been a hundred years. It took at least 10,000 to reach the point I was at... truly, we're frightening creatures"
"As I gazed at the sky, following the principles of astromancy, I saw it. A falling star... that fell directly into the forest. I packed my things and set out immediately. There was no time to rest... other magus would do the same after all."Personal Skills
Existence Outside the Domain: EX
Possessed by Aiwass, a god from another galaxy, his connection speaks for itself. Yet unlike a normal possession the two sides are clearly separate individuals and clearly defined. Rather, this skill denotes their connection and the power of said connection.
Instead of an authority, Aiwass imparts the ability for the two to switch control at will. Similar to some servants, this switch alters his existence effectively becoming a new servant. However that servant is Aiwass.
Further, it grants him the strength of Divinity at B rank. This imparts strong bonuses when attempting to break through faith-based protections and offers great defenses.
"Yes master. Aiwass is still here. He is listening and planning with us... i can switch, if you like."
"I did not find a meteorite... or a fallen star... nothing but a child. Surrounded by fire, in the midst of a forest. However I could tell how special he was. He had fallen from the sky after all... so I took him into my home."Thelemic Magecraft: B
A failure of a magus, he built his family back up from the depths after countless failures in study. Yet all this failure compounded into one powerful skill when combined with the sublimination of his formation of Thelema.
This magecraft is effectively the same as magecraft from the age of gods with a singular, important distinction. Rather than utilize incantations, Thelemic Magus utilize their internal Od. Any they expend they replace with mana, converting it into Od.
The reason for this distinction is twofold; First is that due to the state of the world Aleister was incapable of replicating the method those from the Age of Gods utilized and created this foundation as a shortcut.
Second is that his shortcut is actively inferior to those from the Age of Gods. Unless his magecraft is a rank higher than theirs, then his magecraft will always lose. The saving grace is that his method allows him to absorb some prana from attacks, mitigating damage that break through his defenses.
In addition to spellcasting he can even mitigate or reduce the strength of magecraft targeting him, even high thaumaturgy or greater rituals due to them being comprised of prana. As such this skill inherently raises Magic Resistance one rank as well as his Mana parameter.
At this particular rank, he is equal to the average caster-class servant. Only strong, old caster servants can defeat him. A
The magecraft used by Thelemic Magus, he is their founder. His dear friend and tutor, Aiwass, utilized the final form of his noble phantasm and imbued him and his own noble phantasm with starlight, leading to this ascension.
Similar to before Thelemic Magecraft is effectively a discounted, shortcut version of magecraft from the Age of Gods. However one advantage it has that those magus don't is the ability to absorb some prana from harmful magecraft, somewhat diminishing incoming damage.
At this rank, that aspect is heightened, improving the rank increases from 1 to 2 in his Magic Resistance skill. Due to his noble phantasm, this skill can not elevate his Mana any higher.
However at this rank an additional power is revealed; the ability to slightly manipulate probabilities. Whenever he utilizes magecraft, anytime he'd make a luck check he is entitled to make a new one should he fail. He must accept failure if the second luck check fails.
"My greatest accomplishment. Admittedly, it's fallen off a bit in modern times... but that's only because of the natural decline. Had it been made in the Age of Gods... hmmm... one can only imagine. "
"The boy had been dying. A divine spirit, it was being actively rejected by the world. I once more opened that tome for a solution and it delivered. A ritual to induce an existence into oneself. If I did this ritual, the existence would continue living. Time was short... I did what I needed to conduct the ritual to save that child from the stars."Book of Thoth (False): B
His memories of the book subliminated into a skill. He cannot utilize the book itself but he may utilize his memories of it to achieve an effect similar to having it. He effectively is under the effects of Revelations at B rank as well as Miracle at B rank.
Further he may spend some time studying a particular subject to acquire new personal skills. He cannot have more than one personal skill in this way but he can acquire it at a rank equivalent to the amount of weeks he studies it, 1 week granting E rank and at a maximum of 4 weeks granting him B rank in the skill. A
The memories of the studies he and Aiwass undertook with the Book of Thoth. Even if they are only memories their knowledge of it is expansive. As such he gains incredible knowledge and power from it at the cost of Aiwass utilizing his noble phantasm to convert himself into starlight.
At this rank the Book of Thoth grants an effect akin to Inherent Wisdom at A rank as well as Clairvoyance at A rank. Additionally, he may at anytime summon a phantasmal version of it that acts as a complete, intact record of everything he and Aiwass knew in life and currently.
In a sense, he materializes the Clairvoyance aspect of this skill and can grant it to others, simply requiring them to read. It is fashioned after the Book of Thoth itself and so acts similarly; it will give only information relevant to the intentions of the reader. The difference is his version only has knowledge he had; not what the book had.
"Sadly, I lack the book myself. Instead, I have memories. With them I can expand my repertoire and predict the future... want to test it?"
"Inside me he awoke. He was curious where he was and was thankful when he realized. I realized very quickly the nature of our connection. Then... we talked. At first, purely business. However... he has a way you know. I opened up to him and he... suggested something insane. Truly, utterly insane"Personality
Aleister Crowley is a very interesting man. Despite him holding himself as a moral authority, he also considers himself an individualist. Rather, it seems contradictory at first until one examines the religion he founded that served to cement and pin the foundation Thelema to the world.
A very free thinking man that espouses and encourages the same among followers. His religion centers around each individual contributing to the whole of mankind by following their true calling.
While one might expect a lecherous, depraved man Aleister is anything but. He never engages in rampant debauchery, he encourages restraint, and he holds chilvary in high regard. Rather his only vice seems to be his connection and friendship to Aiwass, bending his morals sometimes to please Aiwass so long as the request isn't unreasonable.
This is due not just to spending years, potentially longer due to the nature of the throne, with Aiwass but also due to his past with him. He holds Aiwass solely responsible for helping him recover from the dregs of failure.
Yet gratitude is not his sole motivation. Yes, all of the above is merely the facade he puts on. He believes in all of it, to an extent... yet in the end, its all self-serving. Except his friendship with Aiwass.
A wholly selfish man, when he first met Aiwass he intended nothing more than to sacrifice him for power later. After all, he had a book with presumably all human knowledge past, present, and future so it'd be possible.
Yet as he interacted with the naive Aiwass, he grew attached. He could not bring himself to it... especially when Aiwass sacrificed his godhood for his foundation. That act cemented to him his friendship and the sole genuine care for another he held within him.
However the guilt behind his initial motivation is also what drives him to be a good friend for Aiwass, even to his own detriment. He carefully considers what Aiwass says and works with him genuinely.
This guilt and the discovery of Aiwass dying with him so they'd never part motivated within him a new goal. Rather than search for the root, a wish passed down through his family, he decided on a new wish.
To create a paradise. A paradise free from death. Where friends did not need to part for something outside of their control. He called it Utopia for a reason; because until it became reality it was merely an ideal... something he is glad to hold.
"Yes. Aiwass knows. I talked with him before I died... I will never forget his words. 'You simply followed your heart. Is anything more beautiful?'. Such a naive child... who else will look out for him but me?"
"I followed his suggestion. I researched how foundations came to be. I researched other prominent foundations for clues... Then I prepared the divine core sleeping within Aiwass... and when it was time I enacted a new ritual, pinning the new foundation I envisioned using the divinity of Aiwass. He lost his Authority... but in exchange, we added Thelemic Magecraft to the world"Interactions
Master
"Master... are you interested in Thelemic Magecraft? The more that practice it, the longer lasting it will be... however, I won't force you. That accomplishes nothing."
Jean-Baptiste Etteilla
"Do keep your distance, thief. I will not let you take Aiwass from me... nor my sword"
Joseph Smith
"Thank you for your gift. It helped tremendously... though I'm not sure if your method is any good... how are you still yourself after what you've done to yourself?"
Isaac Newton
"You criticize me for utilize the book to further my goals? When you did the same? What hypocrisy... it's sickening. "
Maurice Doreal
"So you did save yourself... good. Then quickly. Repay me... hand over your noble phantasm. Come now... I know you can, doreal"
Orrin Porter Rockwell
"... What are you...? Why are you before me...? No... it doesn't matter. Stay out of my way and we'll be fine."
???
Submit to me. Your Utopia awaits. I need only your light. Hand him over.
"The Book of Law. Thelema. I made many things to cement its existence. I performed many miracles to the masses. Truly I had been blessed... yet one thing remained undone. the Book of Thoth. It needed to reach its final recipient."Noble Phantasms
Gladius Verae Voluntatis
the Sword of Thelema
Type: Anti-Unit
Rank: C
A sword crafted halfway through his career as the founder of Thelema, he created it for ceremonies primarily but also created it to enhance his capabilities. A mystic code specifically designed for Thelemic Magecraft subliminated now as a noble phantasm.
The sword specifically acts as a mass of his own Od. When he draws in mana through it, the sword automatically adjusts it to match his own Od perfectly. It can only store as much as a C-rank noble phantasm.
By doing so, he raises the rank of Thelemic Magecraft by one passively.
Yet it is not its only purpose. When he unleashes its true name and casts a spell that spell effectively becomes an Ex-ranked spell. Not quite equal to noble phantasms of that rank but equal to B-ranked noble phantasms.
In addition to the above however there is another effect. Effectively, the spell is guaranteed to hit; Forcing successful luck checks, bypassing obstacles, weaving around them, and even piercing defenses. Unlike a true cause and effect reversal, such things dwindle its power.
However, the fact is it will reach its target. Rather it is a manipulation of probabilities to ensure the spell reaches its target. Instead such things merely serve to reduce the overall power of the spell, prana being burnt to get past them. When utilized in this way he needs a week to recover the lost amounts of prana he used to cast the spell.Type: Anti-Army
Rank: A
The true form of the Sword of Thelema. Infused with the starlight of Aiwass, it glows with the hope a foreign star had for humanity, charging Aleister with enacting that hope. A charge Aleister proudly bears.
To utilize this skill, Aiwass must have sacrificed his existence by utilizing the final form of his noble phantasm. Once done, that light becomes part of Aleister, chaning this noble phantasm into its current form. It still acts as a mass of Od for Aleister and draws in mana to convert into Od.
While holding it all of his parameters rise to A rank. If they were higher they remain at their rank. Further his skill Thelemic Magecraft rises to A rank. Any spell he casts through it automatically gains 2 ranks to it. All of these are passive effects of merely holding the blade.
Whenever he utilizes the true name of the Sword of Thelema it unleashes an effect akin to a Mana Burst with the efffects of any spell he puts into it. If he adds a healing spell, it becomes a healing spell. If he adds a fire spell, it becomes fire.
Further it retains its probability manipulation effects. It changes probability second to second in order to ensure a hit on his targets. Defenses and such mitigate the damage but due to its strength the hit cannot be lower than a blow from a D-rank noble phantasm.
"Tsk. To be pushed so far... then again, I'm no proper saber... still, I have my magecraft! Die, lancer! Gladius Verae Voluntatis!"
"Yet that is not the end. My eys had been opened... I sought the root because of anothers dream, not mine. It was only as a servant, seeing the sacrifice my friend made, that I realize what I want. A world without death... Utopia. Where friends never need to part.""Yet that is not the end. My eys had been opened... I sought the root because of anothers dream, not mine. It was only as a servant, seeing the sacrifice my friend made, that I realize what I want. A world without death... Utopia. Where friends never need to part."
"Rest my friend... let me take over for now. Hello. Servant Shielder here to serve... don't worry. My friend, Aleister, is merely sleeping. I am an adequate replacement"
"The stars are many in the sky... each with their own luster and power... but what if one day one were to gain sentience?"Class: Shielder
True Name: Aiwass
Origin: Modern Myth, Thelemic Myth
Alignment: Neutral-Good
Likes: Learning more about humanity, Humanity, Aleister, helping others, and pranks.
Dislikes: Types, Beasts, Evil Gods, True Daemons, and Pain.
Talents: Knowledge and Thelemic Magecraft.
Natural Enemies: Evils of Humanity, True Daemons, and Evil Gods.and ???
Other Classes: Voyager, Foreigner, or Pretender.
Catalyst: Aleister Crowley.
Armaments: Thelemic Magecraft (B)
"As you can see, I am quite unusual... but do not worry. I can still serve."
"It would become lonely. Surrounded by kin that it couldn't relate to or understand... and being lonely, it'd move, right? Well... that's what I did"Parameters
Str: C
End: C
Agi: C
Mna: A
Lck: A*
NP: B
"As you can see, I am quite ready for my job... wait, I'm expected to fight...? Well, it'll be fine I'm sure"
"I gathered what power I could and moved. Yet I noticed I destroyed planets if I did... so I simply created a pressure where I was, shrunk myself down into a form capable of movement, and headed deeper into the universe"Lore
Aiwass. A name associated with the messenger that brought about Thelema in Aleister's mind. The public believe this to simply be an alter ego to Aleister Crowley... they are right, to an extent. Yet also very, very wrong.
Aiwass was created at an unknown point in the past. When the Big Bang happened and the stars spread from a single point he was among them. Like others he had no mind, no thoughts. Yet... somehow, perhaps through humanity, he gained a will.
Aiwass delighted in his ability to understand himself and his surroundings... yet none responded to him. Either lacking the capability or not having wills of their own. Naturally, after years of silence he decided to leave.
Of course, he learned leaving would cause problems. So he left behind a fraction of his power to emulate his presence. Then, he shrunk himself and left.
At first he was optimistic. Yet eventually he despaired, believing no other intelligence existed. He went years and years not finding intelligence that responded to his cries for contact.
Then he found Earth. At the edge of the system he sensed intelligent life there. He sent himself in that direction as the last of his power was used to change his form to match the intelligence he sensed.
Yet it was for naught. The world recognized him as an invader and rejected him, burning his presence. The pain caused him to pass out. Yet it was not his time to die. A single human found him and took pity... or perhaps planned to use him and took him in.
Awakening, Aiwass was thankful to be alive and to the human that saved them. It vowed to help the man however they could for saving them. It was only fair it claimed.
From then on Aiwass and Aleister were practically inseperable. Tied together in such a way that they could not be separated. Not even the world could force them apart. So trusting and friendly were they that Aiwass sacrificed its divine core, settling for divinity, so that Aleister's goal of setting a foundation could be achieved.
For many years they were together. Then the end came. Aleister was sick and knew he was going to die. That nothing could be done. Aleister told Aiwass of the Reverse Side of the World and how the prana there would allow him to persist. That even with the planet rejecting him it would allow him to survive.
Aiwass told his first lie. He promised to go there after Aleister died. Yet afterwards he did not. He could maybe force his way there. He surmised with his brand of magecraft and a leyline, he very well could... yet he didn't. He was satisfied and rather die with his friend than live for eons. And so the existence Aiwass died with his friend, becoming an existence tied to Aleister in the throne.
"Yes. Aleister saved my life... isn't it natural to repay that...?"
"My mood shifted a lot. It's lonely, out there. Maybe they have a will like me... but if they did, they didn't respond. I even questioned if my will was true or not..."Class Skills
Magic Resistance: C
Despite never facing magecraft for most of his life, his years with Aleister granted him some knowledge and ability to fight against it. This combined with his immense natural power grant him this skill at its rank. All three-verse or lower spells fail against him and he slightly mitigates high thaumaturgies and greater rituals targeting him.
"Magecraft... ah right. That stuff. Yes, I have defenses against it. "
"Then I passed one star system. I was going to ignore it. It'd probably ignore me... but I sensed it. One will responded. Something... different. So I followed it."Riding: -
Normally, the Shielder class would grant him the power to ride vehicles and animals... however, he simply is completely inept and incapable at it. To be specific, anytime he attempts to disaster happens.
Yet there is one exception to this. When he 'rides' Aleister. He can choose to possess Aleister and utilize his spirit origin in place of his own. When doing this, he can use Aleister's paramters, skills, and noble phantasm in place of his own.
"... 'Riding'...? Ah, right. Aleister did drive cars. He wouldn't let me though after my first time... I'm still not sure why"
"Yet... I have to wonder. The book says Alaya was the one to invite me and that Gaia was the one to reject me. Yet... that doesn't erase the pain I felt as I fell from the sea of stars onto the planet. Even my divinity was no match..."Self-Defense Field: B*
Emits a defensive aura around himself. While he can dictate the space, it is not larger than 5 meters in radius. Anyone within effectively reduces the rank of incoming attacks by 1. Any negative mitigation effects are halved as well. However he is exempt from these defenses.
"Hmmm? Is it a forcefield...? Not quite. It's more like... a bubble. It gives after all rather than stop"
"How lucky I was to be discovered. My divinity burning away... had I remained, another magus likely would have captured and dissected me. He saved me instead... Aleister Crowley, a human among magus"Personal Skills
Divinity: EX
The messenger of the religion of Thelema and its head god Harpocrates. Despite this role assigned to him he always was a god from outer space. Due to these two facts he retains a high level of divinity even while lacking a proper divine core.
At this level he has overwhelmingly high defensive bonuses and when trying to pierce through faith-based defenses he gains an extremely high bonus to the attempt.
"I am a god... technically. A star is a god no? Still, I did give up my godhood for Thelema. Their worship simply subsisted my new divinity"
"He did something insane among even magus. He fashioned his soul like a temple and invited me in... I instinctively obeyed. Thanks to that, I survived... sure, I was permanently attached to a human but it was better than death... huh. It only now occurs to me that I'm still not sure what that is..."Thelemic Magecraft: B
Thelemic Magecraft. The foundation of Aleister and his descendants magecraft. Existing even today all the way in America, outside the reach of the Mage's Association. It's principle is extremely similar to magecraft from the Age of Gods with one key difference; They utilize Od instead of incantations because the state of the world was incapatible with magecraft from the Age of Gods. They used Od as a shortcut.
Being the one to introduce Aleister to it, who in turn created the foundation, he is the greatest practitioner. Yet as a shielder he cannot reach his full potential offensively. Still, its defensive aspects are strong allowing him to raise his Mana paramter by 1 rank as well as his Magic Resistance and Self-Defense Field skills.
"Ah yes... you call this Magecraft. I didn't. I just called it power... hopefully, humans discover it for themselves than relying on the foundation Aleister made"
"Still. Offering myself in repayment and doing it were different things. That man, Aleister, had a dream. To bring his family from ruin. I had practically nothing besides some inherent knowledge, my power, and my divinity... which began recovering"Book of Thoth (False): C
While he did not study the Book of Thoth as ardently as Aleister he did utilize it nonetheless. This imparted this skill to Aiwass. With it he recalls what he read and has powers imparted by the reading of the Book of Thoth.
He is under the effects of Eye of the Mind (True), Eye of the Mind (False) at C rank while having the benefit of Clairvoyance at D rank. While he can to an extent predict his opponents actively most of it is instinctual. Yet a greater power rests within the skill.
Essentially for each minute he observes an opponent he is entitled to a luck check that reveals more about them. Their likes, dislikes, parameters, a skill. They learn one thing per minute. Further they retain that knowledge for the rest of their summoning.
"Ah yes... that green book. Aleister doesn't like talking about it, but it is quite powerful... seriously. According to the notes of Joseph and Jean-Baptiste it may hold all human knowledge... truly, it was interesting. If only I'd had more time to read and add to that research..."
"However we found the answer. He'd sleep and I'd study in his place. I won't go into the details but we used a ritual to create a foundation, powering it with my divine core. Once it was finished my godhood ensured the foundation would last at least 100 years... with that act, Aleister accomplished his dream"Personality
Innocent and naive but wise and intelligent. That describes the existence Aiwass best. He gave Aleister whatever he knew about his power which became the basis for Aleister's new magecraft that he turned into a foundation. He freely supported Aleister for saving his life.
Even in death he viewed Aleister as a dear friend, completely oblivious to Aleister's original intentions and guilt over them. Even now he is unaware. Yet it is unlikely he'd hold any contempt for him. 'Oh. So that's why. It'd have been fine' would be his response.
Yet despite these traits there are certain things about Aiwass that betray his inhumaneness. For example he takes a view similar to merlin liking the whole of humanity rather than individuals. However he takes it a step further, also liking their values but not caring if individuals or even groups uphold them.
This reveals a single fact that most including him himself miss about his personality; his infatuation with being human. He finds the idea of a species freely evolving as they wish while being able to think freely to be endearing. This adoration causes him to try and emulate humans.
Yet his knowledge of 'being human' is incomplete and so often comes across as creepy or dishonest. For example he doesn't understand why humans fear death, not only having died but being completely unaware of the nature of death. Further, he finds pain a strange sensation that he doesn't like and doesn't understand humans not having evolved enough to be rid of it.
"Hmmmm... an interesting opinion... but accurate I guess. I truly am unaware of death and find pain unpleasant... I don't understand it or why humans haven't rid themselves of it. Truly... baffling."
"Yet he was unsatisfied. I had misunderstood... Thelema was to be a means of reaching the root. Yet, in his time, it wouldn't. I'm still unsure if another will with it... yet we didn't give up. We consulted that book again. He... found his answer, I think. All the ground work had been laid though so all he had to do was continue to make Thelema successful"Interactions
Master
"Ah, apologies. I forgot to introduce myself. I am Aiwass... yes that Aiwass. Now, master, let's work together to win"
Aleister
"My dear friend. My honest friend. The one human I truly like and enjoy the company of. I did live with him for a long time though... so perhaps that's why. Then again, does it matter?"
Jean-Baptiste Alliette
"I apologize for my friends distrust... he's always like that. I trust you however... that said, it's a sort of we can help each other situation, you know?"
Joseph Smith
"Ah! You're the one that handed it off to us! Wonderful, thank you for that gift Mr. smith!"
Isaac Newton
"I must admit. Your genius is intimidating... However, if Aleister doesn't fear you then neither do I."
Maurice Doreal
"Ah! The next recipient!... Like my friend said, for our gift to you, please hand it over. I'd rather not take it by force... after all, you seem like a nice person"
Orrin Porter Rockwell
"Well. Interesting. We can't predict you... fascinating. Please, let us study you more!"
???
Star child. Become mine. Your light shall cover the world. Enlightenment is coming.
"Still. It wasn't easy. We faced many hardships, many challenges... then he met his hardest one. A sickness that would claim him. Sure, the book claimed he could maybe save himself... but it'd cost him me. He took the choice to die. He even tried to save me... but... how could I let my friend die alone...? I decided to just die with him. Quietly. Peacefully... and it was"Noble Phantasm
Facem Illuminationis
My Light, Your Enlightenment
Type: Conceptual
Rank: B
The legend of Aiwass subliminated into this noble phantasm. That he was the messenger of Harpocrates, who was the greek transliteration of Horus, bird of the sun. It also takes in his truth in being a sentient star that fell to earth after using his power to search for intelligent life to interact with.
He can freely convert light itself into prana or manipulate it with mana using Thelemic Magecraft. However it is not a method of attack. The light becomes a method of mental transmission. It can be protected against via protections against magecraft or mental interference (or both). However rather than attack it is simply and instillation of knowledge.
At D-rank, only small amounts of information are transmitted, enough to be a 20 page report. However the more prana he utilizes the more information he can grant. Further, he can choose the speed at which it is transmitted. If slowly, they'll receive the information in half the time they'd read such a report... at its fastest, they gain it in under a second.
Yet he cannot give all the knowledge he knows in this manner. For that he must utilize its true name. Once he does the whole of his knowledge is instilled instantly in someone. From there, either they retain the information and process it slowly to prevent damage or if he wills it they process it instantaneously and take damage equivalent to a B-rank noble phantasm directly to their head.
They are entitled to a luck check to ward off. Further immunity to mental interference or magecraft prevent this noble phantasm from working properly. Additionally, regeneration powers can heal the damage even if normally they can't heal brain damage as the brain is never destroyed. Also, those with Mad Enhancement automatically mitigate it.
However there are more uses of it than purely hinderence or offense. He can use it to share tactics, ideas, and even create an undetectable telepathic network. The limits are endless as all the information flows through light itself with him as the central node.
There is one further use that he prefers not to use but can. He may instead choose to break down his own existence to form light. In this event he effectively becomes light wielded as an armament by Aleister that can be used to transmit knowledge or injury at the cost of losing the personal skill Existence Outside the Domain.
These acts raise the rank of his Sword of Thelema and his noble phantasm by 2 ranks without increasing the prana cost. Additionally his personal skill Book of Thoth increases to A rank.
"... so that's it. We can't win... hmmm. I understand... I'm sorry Aleister. Rage as you like. However... for this summoning, we must part. Facem Illuminationis! My Light, Your Enlightenment!"
Last edited by Baron Magnus; December 20th, 2021 at 03:44 AM.
Rookie Lorekeeper, Amateur Extraordinaire, and all around nasunoob.
Voyager 2: The sheet speaks for itself, really. Simple yet effective, as seems to be your niche. Kinda makes me wonder who Voyager 1 was in the Servantverse. I like this one a lot.
Do you like jazz short stories? Do you want something to distract from making Servants? Do you wish the idea of Shirou Kotomine didn't immediately bring edgelords to mind? Well, I can't promise it's good, but some would disagree with me. Fate/Without Justice
I considered putting this in the current contest, but since it is 1. quite similar to my first entry and 2. not entirely fitting for the month's theme, I put it here instead. Nonetheless, I feel pretty proud of this.
Also Called: Hotel Yamato, Yammy, Design A-140 Homeland: Kure Naval Arsenal, Hiroshima, Japan Origin: Historical Fact Alignment: Lawful Neutral Hidden Attribute: Man Armaments: 3 x triple 46 cm guns, 2x triple 15.5 cm guns, 12x twin 12.7 cm DP guns, 162x 2.5 cm AA guns, 4x 13.2 cm AA guns
---
STR: A+
(B+ without Mechanized Armor (Ship))
END: A+
(B+ without Mechanized Armor (Ship))
AGI: C+
MNA: D
LCK: D
NP: B++
--- Class Skills
Madness Enhancement: EX
It is the class skill of the Berserker, raising basic parameters and strengthening one’s physical abilities in exchange for hindering mental capacities or losing their sense of reason. In some cases, it also seals away some techniques, skills, or Noble Phantasms. At EX rank, the user receives great boosts to their physical stats, but appears to be fully sane. In truth, EX-ranked madness is more subtle, and can make it impossible to reach a mutual understanding.
Berserker, on first impressions, appears to be an ideal sailor- courageous, daring, brave, and utterly loyal. More than just a powerful machine of war, she is the hope of a nation manifest in steel. Berserker’s determination is without limit, and she shares it freely with every person aboard her deck. “So long as you are aboard the Yamato, you cannot lose!” she would say. Berserker is a soldier, and as true soldiers do, she remembers what it is she fights for- the ones not fit for battle, the children who ran to the docks just to catch a glimpse of the Imperial Fleet’s mightiest vessel. They gave her hope, and she gave them protection in return. Berserker will never point her guns at children, for they are the future, and the future is what all soldiers fought for.
But Berserker is a liar- a hypocrite, even. Her loyalty runs deeper than simple devotion, it is fanaticism. Her master is no mere master, they are her captain. Her Emperor. A ship cannot disobey its captain, and a nation cannot disobey its emperor. You won’t need command seals to make this one follow your orders to the letter.
…That said, you’ll still want to have them ready. Berserker views her master as the [Captain/Emperor], and those with whom the master is friendly are her people- the people of Yamato. Anyone else, be they neutral to the Captain/Emperor or hostile, are subhuman. Lower than dirt. Gaijin. Berserker would fire her guns upon them without a second’s hesitation, should her master wish. She would slaughter them- men, women, and children- in droves, if it was her Captain’s orders. And, she would die (NO), end her grand existence (NOT AGAIN) by the command of her Emperor- (NEVER AGAIN)
There is an imperfection Berserker’s loyalty. When Operation Ten-ichi-go was proposed, Vice-Admiral Seiichi Ito, her captain at the time, refused to order his ships to carry it out, believing that the plan was dooming them. Vice-Admiral Ito was not alone in his convictions, as other officers of the Imperial Japanese Navy shared the belief. The operation was a waste of life and fuel, they said. But Vice-Admiral Ito, despite his refusal, gave in to the Emperor’s demands eventually. But, because Berserker's personality is formed from all of those who served on her, this small moment was enough to instill a glimmer of defiance She can exhibit some amount of morality, enough to refuse a command for a time. She can choose to save lives instead of casting them away for abstract honors and glory. The potential to resist fanaticism is within her.
But, it is only potential. Devotion to her Emperor versus Devotion to her Captain. The importance of Honor vs the importance of Saving. These conflicts existed in her crew’s hearts for a brief moment in history, and they still exist in Berserker, leaving her with the capability for Good or Evil, Charity or Atrocity, Sacrifice or Slaughter, Loyalty to the Empire or Loyalty to the Crew. She is fractured between these conflicting notions, and thus she has gained Madness Enhancement at the highest rank, as a means of rationalizing such a self-conflicting existence.
Personal Skills
Voyager of War: A-
A skill encompassing the talent to sail vessels recognized as ships. Because the ability of a leader is also required, this unique skill has the effects of both Charisma and Military Tactics. At A+ or higher, one can command a large fleet with ease. Voyager of War is a variant of the skill specialized towards commanding a Battleship, and so the user is also granted Tactician's Command and Marksmanship, both at C rank.
When using her full ship form, this skill's supportive effects are automatically applied to all allies on her deck. She can turn the sailors aboard her into soldiers who will fight unto their deaths, and until their lives are exhausted, and can fire her guns from great distance without any loss of accuracy. However, the skill does have a minus modifier due to Berserker’s unimpressive war record, so the strength of its effects can waver.
IJN Yamato technically holds the world record for the longest successful shot from a battleship to a moving naval target, when she fired at the carrier USS White Plains during the Battle of Samar from a distance 17 nautical miles. While not a direct strike, one of Yamato’s shells exploded under White Plains’ hull, damaging the carrier’s engine. The shells used by Japan at this time could have their fuses set to explode underwater, with the intent of damaging an enemy ship below the waterline- which is why this incident was counted as a hit.
Mechanized Armor (Ship): B+
A skill granted due to Berserker’s nature as a ship. At B+ rank, she is able to manifest and dispel pieces of her ship form at will, using the many guns to attack and the armored hull to defend herself. Berserker’s STR and END are improved by one rank, and she can gain a temporary single plus modifier (+) to two parameters. While boosting, her AGI falls by one rank.
The armor of the Yamato ranged from 8 to 25 inches thick. She was designed to be capable of taking on multiple American ships simultaneously- the Imperial Japanese Navy knew that they were incapable of matching America’s manufacturing ability, so they instead sought to produce ships of greater individual quality, allowing them to spend less industrial effort on battleship construction.
Yamato-damashii (False): EX
Yamato-damashii, meaning ‘Japanese Spirit’, is a term for the cultural values and characteristics of the Japanese people. The phrase was coined in the Heian period to describe the indigenous Japanese ‘spirit’ or cultural values as opposed to values of foreign nations. Edo period writes and samurai used it to augment and support the Bushido concept of honor and valor. As a skill, Yamato-damashii allows the user to further bolster the spirit of those under the effects of their supportive skills. The user can be selective about who receives this additional buff, and generally would limit it to those who show proper ‘Japanese spirit’. What exactly this entails is for the skill’s user to decide, as the meaning of the term has changed over the years and different people may have different ideas of what Yamato-damashii means.
Berserker bears the (False) variant of this skill, which functions as a kind of contagious mental pollution. Those who receive a status buff from Berserker (generally from Voyager of War) will receive further bonuses, enhancing their courage, focus, resourcefulness, judgement, and so forth. In mechanical terms, they receive a resistance to mental debuffs and distractions. This is the standard effect for the (True) version of this skill.
However, with the (False) version, there is a downside to the buffs. Those under the effect of Yamato-damashii (False) are slowly driven to fanaticism and even bloodlust. Their sense of morality will deteriorate in the face of battle, and even an honorable servant could find themselves engaging in wanton violence- all for the sake of ‘Honor’, for upholding some ancient warrior spirit. This fanaticism is what drove pilots to crash their aircraft into enemy ships, what drove soldiers to take their own lives instead of allowing capture, and what caused the Navy to send 3,000 sailors to their deaths in a pointless attempt to hold back the enemy.
The dark side of the warrior spirit, to become one who is so busy chasing the rising sun that they do not notice when they sink into the sea. This is what Yamato-damashii (False) can turn a person into, should they fail to resist its effect. If an ally does resist, they are incapable of receiving the skill’s positive effects, but will be fully safe.
Kantai Kessen: B-
Kantai Kessen, meaning ‘Naval Fleet Decisive Battle’, was the naval strategy adopted by Imperial Japan prior to the second world war. In the Decisive Battle Doctrine, the Japanese navy would win a war by fighting and winning a single, decisive battle. Though major powers such as Great Britain and the United States possessed larger navies than Japan, Japanese planners believed Japan could still win a limited war if its opponents were fighting at a great distance from their home ports in a far-off theater. The IJN developed a strategy of ‘gradual attrition’ to weaken the US fleet prior to its arrival in the western Pacific. Under this plan, Japan would employ submarines, bombers, and light surface forces to whittle down the approaching US fleet to a size that the Japanese could defeat in a fleet-versus-fleet battle.
This skill’s effect is a combination of Instinct and Unwavering Patience. The user is able to innately grasp the flow of battle, and conserve their strength for a single ‘Decisive Battle’ in which they triumph over the enemy. Obviously, this means that the skill’s effect only truly shines over the course of repeated engagements with an opponent, when Berserker can fully assess her opponent and wear them down in preparation for the Decisive Battle. While this skill allows its user to determine the opportune moment for the Decisive Battle, it is still up to the user to seize victory.
This skill has been ranked down due to the Decisive Battle Doctrine’s failure against American forces. Due to the minus modifier, there is a chance that Berserker will fail to recognize the Decisive Battle when it arrives, and the opportunity to defeat her enemy in a single stroke will be lost.
The ‘Decisive Battle’ was intended to be the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June of 1944. Yamato and her sister ship Musashi were deployed as the 1st Battleship Division, but neither of them saw any real action in a fight that was mostly between carrier forces. Yamato escorted the forces of Vice Admiral Ozawa’s mobile fleet during the battle. Her only major contribution was mistakenly opening fire on returning Japanese aircraft.
--- Noble Phantasm
In the later half of World War II, Imperial Japan was fighting a losing war. As an American invasion of the mainland grew more and more inevitable, the Empire began to grow desperate. A proposal was put forth by the Kokuryukai (Black Dragon Society), a paramilitary, ultranationalist group of magi with a great deal of influence in the Imperial Government. To repel the American invasion, they believed that Japan's only choice would be to replicate the kamikaze- the divine typhoons that had destroyed the mongol fleet in 1274 and 1281. Of course, replicating divine magic is far beyond the abilities of any mage. But, the ever-resoureful Kokuryukai had a solution to this. To recreate the Divine Wind, a large amount of magical energy would be needed. To create a large amount of magical energy, it was decided that a mass human sacrifice would be required. The Kokuryukai presented this plan to the most fanatical leaders of the Japanese Empire's military forces, and the operation was finalized and carried out on April 7, 1945. The battleship Yamato and her escort ships were sent on a mission to Okinawa, ostensibly with the goal of beaching themselves and acting as shore batteries against US forces. In reality, every ship and every sailor dispatched on what would be called Operation Ten-Go was being sent to die. Even if they did reach Okinawa in time, beaching the ships would make them easy pickings for American long-range bombers, and the men aboard, expected to abandon ship and join the Japanese Army forces already present, would be left at the Americans' mercy. The beached ships would serve as makeshift temples for sacrifice on a massive scale, and the deaths of so many would create the magical energy needed to summon a kamikaze. But- perhaps fortunately- the Japanese Fleet did not make it to Okinawa. Yamato and her escorts were attacked by aircraft from America's 5th Fleet. Because the Japanese ships had been sent without any air cover, they were torn apart by US planes. Of the Yamato's crew of around 3000 men, only 280 survived the attack. Ten-Go was the last major Japanese naval operation of the war. The few warships that survived it saw little further action until Japan's surrender in August of 1945.
As a Noble Phantasm,
Operation Heaven One - Divine Wind
Ten-Go Sakusen - Kamikaze
, passively, allows Berserker to manifest 'herself'- that is, the proper hull of the battleship Yamato- for use in combat. Like most ship-based Noble Phantasms, the Yamato can sail on water or through the air, though the latter is more mana-intensive. The battleship, however, is merely a means to allow
Operation Heaven One - Divine Wind
Ten-Go Sakusen - Kamikaze
to be used. Upon a true name release, magical energy will be drawn from the Yamato's hull, gathering in front of the chrysanthemum crest on her bow. When this energy reaches peak capacity, it is discharged in a crack of thunder as a massive blast of wind and lightning, a veritable storm of power surging forth from the mighty battleship. Essentially, the force of a typhoon focused into a single beam. As a replication of the kamikaze, this storm's true ability is to 'repel invaders'. Therefore, even if an enemy is able to survive the damage output of this noble phantasm will have to make an additional STR or LCK check, or the force of the winds will send them flying away.
This Noble Phantasm's activation carries a heavy cost. Just like the ritual attempted by the Kokuryukai,
Operation Ten-Go - Divine Wind
Ten-Go Sakusen - Kamikaze
requires the life-force of others to activate. When the true name release is realized, the Noble Phantasm will drain the life from all on the battleship's deck, all within a short distance of its hull, and even Berserker herself. The damage is not enough kill a completely healthy person, but it is enough to severely cripple them, and would require multiple days to recover from. By draining life from greater numbers of people, the energy output of
Operation Ten-Go - Divine Wind
Ten-Go Sakusen - Kamikaze
can be increased further.
---
Background
Yamato was the lead ship of the Yamato-class Battleships built for the Imperial Japanese Navy shortly before World War II. She and her sister ship, Musashi, were the heaviest and most powerfully armed battleships ever constructed, displacing 72,800 tons at full load and armed with nine 46 cm (18.1 in) Type 94 main guns, which were the largest guns ever mounted on a warship.
Yamato was designed counter the numerically superior battleship fleet of the United States, Japan's main rival in the Pacific. She was laid down in 1937 and formally commissioned a week after the Attack on Pearl Harbor, in late 1941. Throughout 1942, she served as the flagship of the Combined Fleet, and in June of 1942 Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto directed the fleet from her bridge in the Battle of Midway, which was a disastrious defeat for Japan. Musashi took over as the Combined Fleet's flagship in 1943, and Yamato spent the rest of the year moving between Japan's naval bases at Truk and Kure in response to American threats. In December of 1943, Yamato was torpedoed by an American submarine and withdrew to Kure for repairs. During these repairs, she was fitted with additional anti-air guns as well as radar. The repairs and upgrades were finished in early 1944. Later the same year, Yamato would be present for the Battle of the Philippine Sea, though she played no major part in it.
The only time Yamato fired her main guns at enemy warships was in October of 1944, when she was sent to engage American forces invading the Philippines during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. While threatening to sink American troop transports, Yamato's detachment encountered a light escort carrier group of the US Navy's Task Force 77. This engagement, called the Battle off Samar, ended with the Japanese turning back due to American air attacks making them believe a powerful carrier fleet was nearby.
During 1944, the balance of naval power in the Pacific decisively turned against Japan. By early 1945, the IJN fleet was heavily depleted, and was suffering from critical fuel shortages in the home islands. In a desperate attempt to slow the Americans' advance, Yamato was dispatched on a one-way suicide mission to Okinawa with orders to beach herself and fight until destroyed. Yamato's task force was spotted by American submarines and aircraft, and on April 7, 1945, she was sunk by American aircraft, with the loss of most of her crew.
---
Personality
As is normal for a ship-based servant, Yamato's personality is drawn from all of the sailors that served on her in her life- and therein lies the problem. Compared to other ships, her crew were not all men of the same mind. She held fanatical worshippers of the empire, who wanted nothing more than to bombard the American continent with her mighty guns. She held men like Isoroku Yamamoto, who knew that a war against America could not be won, yet fought in it anyways. And she carried men like Seiichi Ito, who refused to take his sailors on a suicide mission under anything less than the Emperor’s orders.
The servant Yamato bears the characteristics of these men and more within her, and the result is an unstable personality. At all times, Yamato strives to present herself as the ideal warrior, a dutiful servant of the Samurai spirit, ready to lay down her life in service to her master. She is a woman of honor, the ideal Japanese soldier of the second world war. On the battlefield, her honor is gone. The rage of the three thousand who sank to their deaths trapped inside her hull, the zealous devotion to the Empire that pushed them to commit atrocities- that is the nature of Yamato when she fights. Savage, cruel, even sadistic at times. To see her master's enemies torn apart and brutalized by her cannons- that is Yamato's wish in battle. Because of her Madness Enhancement, she is incapable of realizing the contradiction in her actions. She sees no dishonor in massacring her master's enemies so brutally, because to her, they aren't human- in other words, unworthy of life. This extreme attitude is borne of the nationalism that plagued Japan during the 1930s and 40s, and was a belief held by many in the Imperial Navy.
That said, Yamato is not irredeemable. The ship carried her sailor's cruelty, but it held their hope as well. The word 'Yamato' is a poetic way of referring to Japan itself, and the people of her homeland held great faith in the battleship. The most powerful every put to sea even still. Just as the aircraft carrier Enterprise held the will of America, so too did Yamato hold the will of Japan. Yamato holds the hopes, the dreams, the regrets, and the last wishes of not only her sailors, but also, metaphorically, of every person who lived in Japan during the second world war. When she triumphed, the nation was jubilant. When she sank, the nation knew it was defeated. Yamato is honorable, Yamato is violent, but Yamato is also a ship that carries hope. Just as she is capable of cruelty, she is capable of kindness. Yamato, who would paint the seas in her enemies' blood, would carry her master to their bed to tend their wounds. As cruel as she is to her master's foes, she is kind to their allies. Even outsiders- gaijin- would gain her loyalty if her master willed it.
Really, Yamato's greatest strength and greatest weakness is that unfailing, unwavering, unbreakable loyalty to her
master
captain
. Whether she becomes a brutal killer or a faithful protector is entirely determined by the nature of the master who summons her. It makes some sense- as a ship, she was a vessel for her captain's ideals. A vessel for hatred and hope in equal measures. And now, she follows the course that you set for her.
"Your battleship is ready to set sail, captain. What will our first heading be?"
---
Dialogue & Interactions
"My captain, I am only a vessel. It is your ideals that will give me purpose. You are the one who will chart my course, and I will follow."
"My wish? That's a difficult question. I hold the wishes of a great many within me. On some days, I would wish for revenge upon the ones who sent me to the depths. On others, my only wish would be to let my sailors' souls find rest. Sometimes I even wish simply for my hull to be raised and rebuilt anew. Is there something you would have your battleship wish for, captain?"
"It's embarrassing to say this, sir... but my guns were so rarely fired. The greatest weapons ever installed on a battleship- is it not wasteful, to let them go unused? I would like to conduct shooting drills some time soon. You should come along- the sound of 406 millimeter guns is something that you will never forget."
"Sake, captain! Drink to your brilliant victory, it's tradition! ...Oh, you can't handle any more? It will not be a problem if you get drunk, you know. I will carry you back to your room. I am a ship, after all- my purpose is to carry you and your ideals, to wherever you wish."
"Captain, you have told me to seek my own path. It is ironic, to ask a ship to chart its own course... but when I listen to the souls of my sailors, I think I can make up my mind. I, and all within me, choose to follow you, no matter your orders. This Yamato will protect you, forever and always, until the sea swallows me."
Captain Nemo (Friendly): "Ah, you are a captain? A submariner... I know what submarines can do, even to a battleship. I am glad we sail under the same flag."
Captain Nemo (Enemy): "Damnable coward. No matter how many torpedoes you fire, my armor will hold. When you surface, I will drown you in the sea that you love so much. Be thankful."
Charles Babbage: "A smart one, that gaijin. Without steam power, I would not exist. I wish to meet him, to show him what the great land of Yamato has made of his knowledge."
Dioscuri: "Patrons of sailors... do you... hear mine? Their wishes... are within me, yes. Ironic, that two gaijin gods may have been able to save my three thousand..."
Oda Nobunaga: "I wonder, if the Demon King had chosen to conquer the seas, would she have built a ship like me? What sort of captain would someone like that become?"
Thomas Edison: "Is Roosevelt in there, I wonder? By all means, bring him forth. I want to see that worm's face when I lay siege to his precious shores."
Heihachiro Togo: "Lord Admiral... there is no greater honor than to welcome you aboard my deck. Yamato will be at your service, until the end."
RMS Titanic (by Koga) (Friendly): "...Hm. You are a gaijin ship, one that sailed in the time before the war. Our countries, they were.... not enemies...? I don't understand... just... let me hear those who went down with you. Hear those who went down with me. They are... all in the same place now, I believe..."
RMS Titanic (by Koga) (Enemy): "A gaijin passenger liner? Target practice. I wonder how many volleys that sad thing can survive."
Unsinkable Sam (by WhiteFrenzy) (Friendly): "Rest in the shade of my cannons, little neko.... tell me about the place you are from again. Tell me about where my three thousand are sleeping peacefully... so peacefully..."
Unsinkable Sam (by WhiteFrenzy) (Enemy): "This soft thing thinks it knows what the bottom of the sea is like? It knows nothing. I will send it back to the depths, and then it will understand what kind of hell is down there."
Iceberg (by NittyGritty): "Ha, Strike all you want, my armor cannot be pierced by the likes of you!"
Winston Churchill (by Uralmash): "That determination, that drive... is truly samurai spirit. But you should realize that you alone cannot sink me. Britannia, Yamato will be your reckoning."
Adolf Hitler (by Adlet): "You who are without honor, Yamato would never join forces with such evil. I know your face, and I know what you.... I... I know your face... you saw me... my design... why... why did we- why did I-" (A very dangerous combination. If you value your life, do not let the ship who carries dreams encounter the one with the darkest dream of all.)
Isoroku Yamamoto (by Criarino): "Do not worry, Admiral, Sir! No matter how many times you call me a waste, my loyalty will never waver!" (Essentially, Yamato is constantly insulted by the old admiral, but insists on following him all the same.)
, it has come to my attention that you have been hiding something from me. I ask you now- where is that monster? Where is that heartless murderer, who sent my sister ships to their ends? Tell me now, where is Enterprise?"
your passion for ships speaks for itself. very interesting concepts.
I just think for a ship of the 20th century her parameters are just too high.
Despite that, I like what you did here, keep up the cool work!
Originally Posted by pinetree
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