Create-A-Servant 2

[asterism42]

Rather than anything new, this is an updated version of an older sheet.

Caster
Orpheus

"Listen! To the screams of my soul!"

STR: E
END: E
AGI: C+
MAG: A++
LUCK: D
NP: A+

Class Skills

Territory Creation (A-): The ability to control terrain to grant advantages to oneself as a magus. Although he has a rank high enough to create a Temple, as a wandering poet who rarely stayed in one place, Caster’s control over his territory only lasts for a few turns.

Item Construction (n/a): The ability to create magical items. Caster has lost this skill, using his ability to write magical songs to compensate for the loss.

Personal Skills

Divinity (B): The measure of whether one has Divine Spirit aptitude or not. At high levels one is treated as a mixed race of a Divine Spirit, and the level declines when the Heroic Spirit's own rank as a Monster raises. It can also decrease due one's dislike for the gods. It also has an effect which reduces special defensive values called "purge defense" in proportion to the Divinity's Rank. It can break through Skills such as Protection of the Faith and Enlightenment of the Sacred Fig. Orpheus’s mother was Calliope, the eldest of the Nine Muses, and he had several shrines built in his name after his death.

Battle Continuation (B): The strength of vitality for predicaments. Also, the ability to withdraw from combat and reach allied territory alive after being defeated. It is one of the powers of a vampire. In Caster’s case, he can continue casting his spells despite heavy injury, as even after his head had been torn off, he continued to sing. It is closer to ‘Performance Continuation’ than actual battle continuation, not dissimilar to the ability possessed by a certain noblewoman.

Alluring Voice (B): A mesmerizing-kind of Skill possessed by those with a natural beautiful voice; it is also a declaration of exercise of power by the royalty. It works as a fascination magecraft-like effect towards males (Orpheus’s version also works on women), but evasion is possible by means of a Magic Resistance Skill. Even without Magic Resistance, one can abate it to some extent so long he maintains a will to resist. beauty of Caster’s singing was able to draw even trees and rocks nearer to listen. His voice was also more beautiful than that of the Sirens, who were able to enchant sailors with their singing.

Protection of the Music God (True) (EX): Denotes the divine protection of the Muses. A blessing that Orpheus possesses due to the tutelage and affection he received from his mother and aunts whilst growing up in their home on Mount Parnassus. Makes it possible to distinguish all kinds of sounds and play a masterful music performance. Furthermore, plus modifiers are applied to the performance of music based magecraft. This skill is the reason Orpheus qualifies for the Caster class.

Harp of Healing (A): A skill that gives the user the ability to exorcise and heal by playing a melody with an harp. It is an analogue to modern musical therapy. Orpheus's melody will purge mental interference, restore psychological stability and heal those who listen to it, while accuracy of projectiles and polearms suffer a Rank Down in the hearing area.

Noble Phantasms

Wings of Calais

Affections of the North Wind

(Anti-Self, D): The wings of one of the Boreads, who became Orpheus’s lover during their journey on the Argo. They are borrowed, and so cannot be used to their full capability, but still are powerful enough to allow flight. They bestow the blessings of the god of the north wind, Calais’s father, allowing the user to move on the back of a howling gale and produce damaging buffets of wind. As sound is vibrations carried in the air, their wind-based magical powers have excellent synergy with Orpheus’s musical powers.

Eurydice Lyrikos

Performance for the God of the Dead

(A+, Anti-Unit): The greatest performance that Caster ever gave, the ability to temporarily revive the dead, a reference to how Orpheus was able to successfully petition to return his deceased wife to the world of the living. Thus, this song, crowned with the name of Orpheus’s beloved wife, can return any soul from death once for thirty turns. Any soul can be returned, at full strength from their time in life, at no prana cost other than casting the spell. However, Caster cannot look or speak at them, or they will instantly dissolve into mist. Though classed as Anti-Unit, the fact that any soul, human or beast, can be called forth at full strength, gives this Noble Phantasm a huge amount of flexibility. The only restriction is that the soul called forth must be deceased, and can only be called once, however as Orpheus has no control over that which he summons, care must be taken.

Lore

Likes: Eurydice, Calais
Dislikes: Pushy women
Talents: All the things a performer needs
Natural Enemy: Erszebet Bathory

The so-called ‘father of songs’ from Greek mythology, the son of Calliope and Oeagrus, most famous for his attempt to resurrect his deceased wife, his time as one of the Argonaunts, and his death as the hands of the Maenads.

Due to the words for ‘singing a song’ and ‘casting a spell’ being very closely related in many languages, he could be said to be the originator of music and sound based magecraft. His specialized brand of magic utilizes sound as its base. As he is from the age of gods, it is incompatible with modern magecraft and is capable of miracles far beyond the reach of most mages, such as the temporary resurrection of the dead, and the taming and pacifying of powerful Phantasmal Beasts. His spells are cast with Divine Words, as he was taught both magic and music by the gods. He usually carries a golden lyre with him, a gift from his teacher and aside from using it for his spells, he is also capable of controlling its strings for usage in attacks; however in adapting his style for modern times, he has altered its form into an electric guitar.

He has become taken with the aggressive, modern styles of music of punk and metal and so on, and has rapidly adapted his performance style to match these sensibilities. It seems he always has a taste for this style of music, however. Rather than beauty, his performances seem to have been based on raw emotion. Rather than outsinging the Sirens with a beautiful voice, he simply overpowered them with volume. Likewise, his entreaty to Hades was more of a musical assault than an impassioned lament. His performance style is LOUD, with the sheer power behind his music damaging enough even without any added magical effects. Despite the loudness, his singing is truly enchanting to hear, though his current style is something of an acquired taste. Orpheus is stubborn and refuses to back down from a challenge. Though charming and flirtatious towards everyone, this is largely an act as he believes it’s a musician’s job to charm his audience, and inwardly he is still mourning Eurydice and his failure to rescue her. As a result, he has sworn to never take another woman as his lover (though he is more flexible when it comes to men).

[NMR-3]

Avenger Gimil-Ninurta

STR D++
END D++
AGI D++
MA E
LU E+++

Catalyst

A single ancient coin, long since rusted and unreadable, dug up from a site somewhere in ancient Mesopotamia.

Class skills:

Avenger B
While not a famous avenger by any means, nonetheless his vengeance is crucial to his story, and therefore his existence as a Heroic Spirit.

Oblivion Correction ?

Self-Mana Replenishment E++
Only active while his Noble Phantasm is, this skill allows him to adapt to its changes without having to spend much additional mana in his upkeep.

Personal Skills:

Poverty A
A skill only possessed by those who spent their formative years in poverty. Can be called the opposite to the Skill Golden Rule; rather than accruing money, represents constant financial trouble that robs of all but a single coin. Even the Master will find his or her coffers significantly depleted due to repeated runs of bad luck.

Creditor C
In orchestrating his revenge, Avenger went to the King and asked for a loan. While the story passed down to us does not reveal how he convinced the king, nonetheless the loaned items became a significant part of his legend.
Allows Avenger to use the Noble Phantasms of others with some degree of success. For example, if he had the famous Gae Bolg in his possession, he could partially replicate the heart-seeking effect, but its causality-reversing effect would be absent and the mana cost would be higher.

Presence Concealment D
The ability to reduce one's presence as a Servant. Due to his unheroic nature, Avenger already has little presence, but he can reduce it even further by using a variety of disguises.

Noble Phantasm:

Disgrace I Shall Repay Threefold

Threefold Curse

Anti-Unit B
It is interesting to note that the number three has a long and varied history. While some recognize it as a sacred number, its more mystical properties can also be used for less benign ends. After being thrown out, Avenger swore he would repeat the disgrace he had suffered threefold, a potent vow indeed.

Upon being attacked or offended in some manner, which can range from the physical to the social, he can repeat the vow around which his legend centers to activate his single Noble Phantasm. Its function is simple: it allows Avenger to, layer by layer, shed his chains. Every time he wreaks havoc upon his target, the more his stats increase and his rank in the Poverty skill decreases. This blessing only lasts until the three parts of his vengeance have been dealt; at that time, it ends immediately, leaving him quite vulnerable again, and he can only target a single person as the one he fixates upon.

Background

In the ancient city of Nippur, there was a poor man, named Gimil-Ninurta, who had nothing to his name except some little measure of pride and a single coin. However, even faced with these difficulties, he felt that, if he had to spend his last coin, he might as well spend it on something grand, something deserving. A feast.

So he went to the market, and there he bought, with that last coin of his, a scrawny goat, instead of the fat sheep he was hoping for. Even he, however, had to recognize that a single goat did not a feast make. And even if he did, a feast was not something you had alone. That in mind, he went to the house of the mayor, one of the wealthiest men in the city. They met, and Gimil told him his story, offered him the goat, and asked him to share this final feast.

But the mayor took his goat, laughed at him, and had his servants beat him and throw him out, all the while mocking poor Gimil-Ninurta. Embittered, enraged, a vow of revenge was made. For his mockery, for his theft, for his violence, he would be repaid in full thrice over.

First, Gimil-Ninurta went to the King, asking for a loan of a royal chariot, a fine robe, and a strongbox, the kind used to transport gold in, and was somehow granted these three things. How he convinced the King is unknown to us. In any case, he immediately donned the fine robe, and rode the chariot down to the mayor's house, capturing two birds along the way.

Demanding the mayor let him and his cargo in, he was accepted as a royal courier and accepted into the mayor's house, where he asked to spend the night, since the hour was late. The mayor didn't decline the honour of having a royal courier stay with him, and offered his best room to the guest he had not recognized from earlier that day. Rather than sleeping, however, Gimil-Ninurta waited until the middle of the night. Then, he let out the two birds he had kept in his loaned strongbox, and, pretending to find it empty, he attacked the mayor, accusing him of stealing its contents and savagely beating him. Desperate, the mayor offered him gold to make up for its missing contents, twice what he had loaned from the King. Gimil-Ninurta went from the mayor's house into the night, taking the gold and his loaned menagerie with him. This was the first payment.

Then, the following morning, Gimil-Ninurta put on a dark robe, the kind doctors usually wore, and shaved his head. Again, he went to the mayor's house. He told the servants that he had heard their master was ill, and - being, of course, a doctor - that he would heal him to the best of his ability. Unsuspecting, they led him to the mayor and left him there. "Here is my remedy!", he cried, and once more beat the mayor savagely, before being chased out. This was his second payment.

At this point, the mayor realized what was going on, and who had been mistreating him so. He instructed all his servants to watch out for "the man with the goat". Even so, this helped less than it harmed: Gimil-Ninurta simply paid off an accomplice to claim to be him, the man with the goat, and while the servants were led on a merry chase, he slipped into the house once more, beating the mayor near to death. This was his third and final payment.

Smiling down at the mayor, who was groaning and moaning, he went home satisfied, no longer a poor man.

Notes:
One of the more obscure Servants I've done so far. I left the description for Oblivion Correction bare, since we still don't know what it does.
I tried to give the background a more storytelling vibe, by the way. Dunno if it really worked.

The "strategy" with him is basically using him to scout out the opponents, having the Master offend or injure him somehow, then ramping up the vengeance until the target's a bloody pulp or Avenger got beat up by the Servant.

[RoydGolden]

Asterism: Orpheus as a punk-rocker is pretty hilarious, and the sheet as a whole is quite well-done. Congrats. I did a version of Orpheus myself but I have to say, yours sounds way more entertaining (mine was a Berserker with heavy emphasis on the ~angst~, not exactly the most fun of characters). His first NP is also creative and something I've never seen in an Orpheus sheet before.

If I had one criticism, it's that I'm not sure if he really needs three distinct music-related Skills. I think just any one of them should be enough to cover his musical feats, and it's not like Medea (a very powerful sorcerer from the Age Of Gods) has more then one spellcasting Skill to account for all the stuff she can pull. I thought of adding other musically aligned Skills for my own Orpheus but ultimately settled just on Protection Of The Music Gods (True).

Also, if you admit his version of Battle Continuation is more like Bathory's Performance Continuation, then why not just give him that? Or is it Bathory specific?

[asterism42]

If I had one criticism, it's that I'm not sure if he really needs three distinct music-related Skills. I think just any one of them should be enough to cover his musical feats, and it's not like Medea (a very powerful sorcerer from the Age Of Gods) has more then one spellcasting Skill to account for all the stuff she can pull. I thought of adding other musically aligned Skills for my own Orpheus but ultimately settled just on Protection Of The Music Gods (True).

Also, if you admit his version of Battle Continuation is more like Bathory's Performance Continuation, then why not just give him that? Or is it Bathory specific?

He has three since they all do different things. And it's Battle Continuation because of in the legends of his death, he kept singing even after he was torn to pieces.

[Zork Knight]

Alluring Voice (B): A mesmerizing-kind of Skill possessed by those with a natural beautiful voice; it is also a declaration of exercise of power by the royalty. It works as a fascination magecraft-like effect towards males (Orpheus’s version also works on women), but evasion is possible by means of a Magic Resistance Skill. Even without Magic Resistance, one can abate it to some extent so long he maintains a will to resist. beauty of Caster’s singing was able to draw even trees and rocks nearer to listen. His voice was also more beautiful than that of the Sirens, who were able to enchant sailors with their singing.

I think you should switch female and male's places. Phantom's Alluring Voice affects girls only.

[SpoonyViking]

As you requested, a source that's not Wikipedia or Badass of the Week.

But it IS "what have you". :-)

Though, if you insist on doubting any source I provide I can't really help you...

What You said.

[RoydGolden]

But it IS "what have you". :-)

What? I don't even understand what you're trying to convey here.

In any case, do you have any commentary on the sheet overall or just that one aspect?

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, I get it now. Regardless, that's my source and I'm sticking to it. In fact, pretty much every detailed source I can find easily on the Dullahan includes the 'human spine as whip' bit. Irish Cultures And Customs' Dullahan page also makes mention of it, though I guess I can't be sure if you'd consider that a 'good source' either.

It seems to be a common enough idea that I feel justified using it, in any case.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's even an image to give you an idea what it could look like, from another Irish folklore site.

Spoilered for size

[Mcjon01]

The earliest mention I could find of the spine whip idea was some guy's "A Field Guide to Irish Fairies," a rather flimsy book published in 1997 and sorely lacking in references. Everything after seems to just draw from that. In fact, the website you linked to is actually copied from it word for word.

[Funderfullness]

Class: Rider

STR: B+
END: B+
AGI: C
MGI: D
LCK: D-

Class Skills

Riding (A+): Can use Phantasmal and Divine Beasts as mounts.

Magic Resistance (C): Cancels spells two verses or shorter.

Personal Skills

Divinity (B): Rider is the son of Ares and a mortal woman. His parentage was said to be the source of his
savagery and his great strength, which allowed him to hold his own against the great Hercules for a time.

Sadistic Constitution (A+): A term used for those who derive pleasure and empowerment from the suffering of
others. It augments Rider's aggression in battle, as well as those of his mounts. However, as the battle goes on,
Rider becomes more analogous to a Berserker boosted by Madness Enhancement. Because of this, his defenses
and his chances of escape drop dramatically as his savage nature takes over.

Noble Phantasm

Wild Mares of Thrace~Magnificent Fiery Chargers (A+, Anti-Army)

Rider's famous mounts that were captured by Hercules for his Eighth Labor. They are four Divine Beasts whose descendants
include the horses of Alexander the Great and Achilles. Named Podargos the Swift, Lampon the Shining, Xanthos the Yellow
and Deinos the Terrible, they are wild and uncontrollable, answering only to Rider when he chains them to his large bronze
chariot, and even then they run as wild as they can. On some level, the beasts realize that Rider's presence as their owner
gives them more power and more freedom to rage and kill; therefore the relationship between Rider and the Mares is more one
of mutual benefit rather than respect. Large, fire-breathing and ravenous for flesh, the Mares gain the benefits of Rider's
Sadistic Constitution skill upon entering battle and fuel each other's bloodlust. When chained to his chariot, Rider can spur
them into an unstoppable charge of fire, hooves and teeth, making them more akin to a steamroller than a quadriga. The only
thing that can halt their rage is the taste of Rider's own flesh and blood, after which they become calm and tame.

​

Background

Diomedes of Thrace was king of the warlike Bistone tribe on the shores of the Black Sea. A savage man, he would invite
travelers into his home and then feed them to his monstrous mares. The Eight Labor of Hercules was to capture these
mares, so Hercules first fought Diomedes alone. After a long and even match, Hercules won and threw Diomedes into the
mares' stable where they ate him alive. Drinking his divine blood cures them of their hunger for flesh, and Hercules
brought them back to King Eurystheus, who dedicated them to Hera. The mares then freely roamed Argos.

[RoydGolden]

The earliest mention I could find of the spine whip idea was some guy's "A Field Guide to Irish Fairies," a rather flimsy book published in 1997 and sorely lacking in references. Everything after seems to just draw from that. In fact, the website you linked to is actually copied from it word for word.

It's not like it even really matters. Far as I know, there aren't any legends of Medusa wielding those weird chain daggers she has either.

In any case, even if the spine-whip wasn't in the original legends, could the popularized idea allow her to have it anyway (sort of like Vlad and 'Dracula')? Or is that too modern?

[Alexcoene]

Well, here is my first Caster!

Class : Caster
True Name : Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin
Alignment : Neutral Evil
Likes : Partying, God, The Royal Russian Familly
Dislikes : War, Being called evil



Personnality : Caster come across as a paradoxical figure. While he is a very pious man who visited holy places and spread his own faith whenever he could, he's also a complete hedonist who greatly enjoy drinking and enjoying the company of pretty women. Indeed, he sees « sin » and « redemption » as necessary, and think that one cannot exist without the other. He always follow his nights of decadence by days of praying. He dislike war and fighting in general and prefer that his adversaries come to him while he gather power. He greatly dislikes accounts that describe him as a mad, power-hungry sorcerer, saying that his actions were for the greater good of Russia.

Despite his objections, Caster can however be easily described as amoral. While he will rarely resort to violence, he is very manipulative and conniving. He won't hesitate to use his Noble Phantasm to get wathever he wants or thinks will be for the greater good. He believes that greats minds should lead and control others to create better future for all.
He honestly enjoyed the company of the Nicholas II's familly. Even so, he sees the tsar as weak-willed man that needed « guidance » to properly lead his nation. However, he greatly respect the empress Alexandra, who he describes as a intelligent woman who saw what was necessary for the sake of Russia. As a side-note, he refuse to answer whether he had an more intimate relationship with her or not.


Stats-
Strength- E
Endurance- C
Agility- E
Mana- B
Luck- D

NP- B


Class Skills-

Territory Creation- B
The skill to build a terrain that is advantageous to one as a magus. At this rank, creation of a workshop is possible.

Item Construction- C
The skill to manufacture magical objects. At this rank, Caster can create magic medecines or poisons.

Personnal Skills-

Innocent Monster- A
Attribute belonging to servants who's legends have been distorted by the monstrous reputation they gained. In Caster's case, his reputation as a power-hungry sorcerer has made his appearance, his abilities, and possibly his personnality more sinister.

Magecraft- B+
The ability to use modern magic. Caster, while not reaching the level of those living in the age of gods, was a powerful magician in life, capable of curing seemingly incurable diseases. As such, his healings spells are more effective.

Battle Continuation- A-
The ability to remain in combat despite injuries and to escape to allied territories alive after being defeated. At this rank, Caster can continue to fight and cast spells even after being severely injured. The servant remain alive so long has he does not recieve a decisive fatal wound. Caster's death was famously long because of how much he shrugged off the various means by wich his attackers tried to kill him. However, because he eventually died of drowning, he has a vulnerability against water.



Noble Phantasm-

Mad Monk Mesmerisation ~ Eyes of the manipulator behind the throne.

(Anti-Personal, B) Caster was accepted in the tsar's court after he saved his son from a seemingly incurable disease. After that, it was rumored that he gained the favors of the monarch and his wife by hypnotizing them. This rumor was partly caused by his eyes, wich were described by many witnesses as fascinating, almost hypnotic. While this claim is doubtful at best, the distortion of his legend allow him to call upon this Noble Phantasm, wich manifest trough these very eyes.

By looking directly into the eyes of another person, he can put them under his spell. It cure them of any illnesses they had and will heal any wounds they suffer from, but their mind will be affected. Normal humans will almost immediately become slave to Caster' will. Those with as stronger will will still have their mindset change a little to conform to Caster's own and will begin to be fascinated by his words. Caster can increase by making further eye-contacts with the affected one. In theory, it is possible for him to control even servants. Only those with skills granting mental resistances at high enough ranks or that already agree with him are immune to the effects of this Noble Phantasm. While the effects immediatly disappear after Caster is slain, the view into his philosophy can potentially leave aftereffect in the mind of those he affected.

[Bird of Hermes]

Constantine: I haven't seen this guy done before and yours was pretty darn great with clearly a lot of thought in it. I agree with Zork Knight's idea that Duality seems unnecessary and a grail created version of him like Jeanne Alter would work better perhaps. I always figured he would be a well-meaning mid tier boss than protagonist like either Heracles or Iskander.

Orpheus: Is two '-' modifiers necessary for Territory Creation? Surely just one would be enough. The rest of the sheet is pretty darn good.

Rasputin: Ra ra Rasputin Lover of the Russian queen There was a cat that really was gone. Ra ra Rasputin Russia's greatest love machine It was a shame how he carried on

[RoydGolden]

Alexecone: At first I thought Rasputin's NP was kind of generic but looking it up, it appears that a lot of people described his eyes as remarkable in some way. From 'shining' to 'steel-like', 'hypnotic' even to 'emitting soft, velvety waves caressing one almost as one feels the caress of a melodious voice'. Seriously, that's like fanfic Mary Sue levels of optic verbosity!

With that in mind, a Mystic Eye-type ability definitely makes sense for Rasputin. It still comes off as a little bland though so I'd suggest adding some flavor about his eyes into the description to spice it up a little. Out of curiosity, does he have any direct offensive techniques or have to rely solely on healing and mind-control?

[Mcjon01]

It's not like it even really matters. Far as I know, there aren't any legends of Medusa wielding those weird chain daggers she has either.

In any case, even if the spine-whip wasn't in the original legends, could the popularized idea allow her to have it anyway (sort of like Vlad and 'Dracula')? Or is that too modern?

I dunno, I just looked into it because I like Irish stuff and I was curious. Spine whip is pretty metal so I say knock yourself out, who cares if it's really justified or not.

[RoydGolden]

I dunno, I just looked into it because I like Irish stuff and I was curious. Spine whip is pretty metal so I say knock yourself out, who cares if it's really justified or not.

...Now you're speaking my language!

Since you admitted to having a fondness for Irish myth, what'd you think of the sheet itself? You don't have to answer, I'm just curious.

[Arashi_Leonhart]

I'm pretty sure the chain daggers are meant to, you know, evoke a snake.

[RoydGolden]

I'm pretty sure the chain daggers are meant to, you know, evoke a snake.

Yes, but the point still stands it's something that she was never actually described as wielding in life.

[You]

It's not like it even really matters.

if it didn't matter to you why are you saying it matters.

Regardless, that's my source and I'm sticking to it. In fact, pretty much every detailed source I can find easily on the Dullahan includes the 'human spine as whip' bit. Irish Cultures And Customs' Dullahan page also makes mention of it, though I guess I can't be sure if you'd consider that a 'good source' either.

[RoydGolden]

if it didn't matter to you why are you saying it matters.

I said that before I knew the sources I was using were apparently unreliable. (And even then, the issue wasn't any particular source but that they were all deriving from one apparently erroneous book on Irish myth, which I had no way of suspecting at the time)

I still think the myth is widespread enough that she could probably have it anyways, regardless of veracity. If you really want I can even add a note saying as much in the description.

[Arashi_Leonhart]

Yes, but the point still stands it's something that she was never actually described as wielding in life.

There are plenty of things like that, though, because not all heroes and mythic figures "wielded" anything.

The point really is that you're trying to justify it with lackluster references and really if you're going to go with something because you think it's cool and it fits some kind of character motif, then don't make those kind of excuses. That's going to be stronger than "well, wikipedia said..." or such.