ManyThings

Fate/bizarro alternative

@Raineh Daze Riding as a Personal Skill is just as good, but it would rely on someone else bringing the actual mount, yeah.

@Red Alice As an Assassin, it would have been essentially a mount-stealing tool to go with his skill.

@VitaVitaAR Well, he is sort of the "Noble Phantasm hero" if that makes any sense. In this version, I've cut the bridle, sandals, and sack. Minimap, disguise, weapon, and surprise petrification all seem pretty integral to his assassination style, though.

Assassin of Black

• Name: Perseus
• Class: Assassin
  
  Appearance

  
• Personality: Since he prefers to keep up a heroic image, he is not at all happy with the class he's been summoned into. He'll put on a charming smile outside of combat, but whenever things get a little difficult he'll quickly resort to all kinds of cowardly moves. Despite that, he has a good heart and always has his sights set on protecting the weak and destroying evil. He comes from an age where mortals fought against overwhelming monsters, so he doesn't find anything strange about wearing disguises and using trickery to get the upper hand while still standing upright as a hero. Assassin is generally happy to complete a quest for a Master in need of his skills, however should he get his hands on the grail he would probably wish to never again encounter that snakelike woman in any incarnation.
• Stats:
  
  • Strength: D+
  • Endurance: E+
  • Agility: B+
  • Mana: B+
  • Luck: A+
  • Noble Phantasm: A+
• Class Skills:
  
  • Presence Concealment B: Assassin can snuff out his presence as a Servant and sneak past magical surveillance reasonably well. The effectiveness of the concealment drops greatly when he prepares to attack. Although his feat of slaying the monster Gorgon can largely be attributed to his tools, accomplishments will ultimately be awarded to heroes, and so his infiltration and ambush of that creature offers a good rank in this skill.
• Personal Skills:
  
  • Divinity B: Assassin, being the son of Zeus, has a naturally high level of Divinity. This allows him to break through "purge defence" and protective abilities resulting from faith. Particularly, as a child of Zeus, he can exhibit brief moments of energy despite his body normally lacking in power. A "plus" modifier is added to each of his parameters, allowing for short bursts of surprising might, toughness, speed, etc.
  • Bearer of Boons B: An ability reflecting Assassin’s propensity for obtaining powerful artifacts. For other Heroic Spirits, letting him use their Noble Phantasms is a simple as placing them in his hands. However, the same effect cannot be applied to Assassin giving away his own Noble Phantasms. If the conditions are right and the enemy is careless, it may be possible for an enemy Noble Phantasm to be snatched away just as he took the eye of the Graeae, at which point it will function as belonging to Assassin until the true owner physically takes it back.
  • Disengage A: Assassin can withdraw from the battlefield in the midst of combat. Doing so makes him difficult to pursue, resets battle conditions to their state at the beginning of the fight, and forcibly releases some of the bad status conditions from himself. He would never admit it, but having such a high rank in this skill is likely tied to his nature, somehow.
• Noble Phantasms:
  
  Mantle of Disguise

  • Name: Haidos Kuneēn
  • Rank: E
  • Type: Anti-Unit
  • Appearance: Just a black cape with a hood.
  • Effects: Said to be a helmet granting invisibility in the legend, this item granted to Assassin by Hades to allow him to sneak up on Medusa instead takes the form of a tattered black mantle. Wearing it allows the Assassin to change his appearance at will. He can mimic a person right down to their voice and change or remove his displayed stats, and through his Presence Concealment, can truly seem to be just a normal commoner. Of course, it is possible to simply disguise himself as an invisible man, making it just as useful as the cap of Hades.
  
  
  Mirror Shield

  • Name: Semita Clypeus
  • Rank: C
  • Type: Anti-Town
  • Appearance: A sturdy, round, well-polished, silver shield. Reflective enough to be an actual mirror.
  • Effects:

  The polished shield provided to Assassin by Athena to allow him to locate and battle Medusa without directly looking upon her. At base it is a sturdy shield capable of withstanding strong attacks, but its real value lies in its ability to "reflect" a comprehensive map of the surrounding landscape, up to the scale of an average town. Always keeping its own position at the centre, it can display a top-down layout or a 3D multi-floored guide, and marks the current exact positions of all life forms. To avoid being designated would require use of something like Presence Concealment at B rank or higher, and since such abilities are reduced in effectiveness upon preparing to attack, it can be used to react a split second before an ambush if Assassin watches its surface carefully. Even if the display seems somewhat clunky, Assassin finds it quite intuitive to the point where he can engage an enemy without laying eyes on them.
  
  
  Head of the Gorgon

  • Name: Cybele Conquietus
  • Rank: B+
  • Type: Anti-Army
  • Appearance: The severed head of a woman with fair skin and long purple hair. The stump of the neck is covered in bandages. Her eyes are closed, at the moment.
  • Effects:

  The only Noble Phantasm Assassin obtained for himself, it is the severed head of Medusa whose gaze turn those who met it to stone. Upon calling its true name, the eyes spring open and all those who can see them directly are subject to powerful Mystic Eyes of Petrification. Having deteriorated somewhat from when Medusa was alive, they will quickly begin turning to stone anyone with a Mana parameter ranking of D or lower. Those with rank C Mana may or may not be petrified depending on conditions like distance and focus, while those with rank B and higher will never turn to stone, but will sustain a temporary rank-down to all parameters due to the pressure. One who has been turned to stone is essentially dead, but there are advanced and time-consuming methods through which such an effect could be reversed. Nothing can be done for someone who has been smashed to pieces, however.
  
  
  Immortal Slaying Scythe

  • Name: Harpe
  • Rank: A
  • Type: Anti-Unit
  • Appearance: You call that a sword?
  • Effects:

  The sword given to Assassin by Zeus for the purpose of delivering the deathblow to Medusa. It is a holy weapon that deals bonus damage against monsters, more against serpant-like monsters, and an exceptional amount to gorgons like Medusa and her sisters. Its greatest strength is its trait of Refraction of Longevity, which is a divine ability that nullifies the "undying" attribute of immortals and inflicts wounds that cannot be restored by any methods other than healing in accordance to the natural laws (nonmagical medical treatment and recovery over time).
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Changes: It seems the helm of invisibility was actually a mantle of disguise.
• Faction: Black

Fate/bizarro alternative

@VitaVitaAR Take a look!

Assassin of Black

• Name: Perseus
• Class: Assassin
  
  Appearance

  
• Personality: Since he prefers to keep up a heroic image, he is not at all happy with the class he's been summoned into. He'll put on a charming smile outside of combat, but whenever things get a little difficult he'll quickly resort to all kinds of cowardly moves. Despite that, he has a good heart and always has his sights set on protecting the weak and destroying evil. He comes from an age where mortals fought against overwhelming monsters, so he doesn't find anything strange about wearing disguises and using trickery to get the upper hand while still standing upright as a hero. Assassin is generally happy to complete a quest for a Master in need of his skills, however should he get his hands on the grail he would probably wish to never again encounter that snakelike woman in any incarnation.
• Stats:
  
  • Strength: D+
  • Endurance: E+
  • Agility: B+
  • Mana: B+
  • Luck: A+
  • Noble Phantasm: A+
• Class Skills:
  
  • Presence Concealment B: Assassin can snuff out his presence as a Servant and sneak past magical surveillance reasonably well. The effectiveness of the concealment drops greatly when he prepares to attack. Although his feat of slaying the monster Gorgon can largely be attributed to his tools, accomplishments will ultimately be awarded to heroes, and so his infiltration and ambush of that creature offers a good rank in this skill.
• Personal Skills:
  
  • Divinity B: Assassin, being the son of Zeus, has a naturally high level of Divinity. This allows him to break through "purge defence" and protective abilities resulting from faith. Particularly, as a child of Zeus, he can exhibit brief moments of energy despite his body normally lacking in power. A "plus" modifier is added to each of his parameters, allowing for short bursts of surprising might, toughness, speed, etc.
  • Bearer of Boons B: An ability reflecting Assassin’s propensity for obtaining powerful artifacts. For other Heroic Spirits, letting him use their Noble Phantasms is a simple as placing them in his hands. However, the same effect cannot be applied to Assassin giving away his own Noble Phantasms. If the conditions are right and the enemy is careless, it may be possible for an enemy Noble Phantasm to be snatched away just as he took the eye of the Graeae, at which point it will function as belonging to Assassin until the true owner physically takes it back.
  • Disengage A: Assassin can withdraw from the battlefield in the midst of combat. Doing so makes him difficult to pursue, resets battle conditions to their state at the beginning of the fight, and forcibly releases some of the bad status conditions from himself. He would never admit it, but having such a high rank in this skill is likely tied to his nature, somehow.
  • Riding A+: Assassin can skillfully use any creature or vehicle as a mount, up to the level of Phantasmal Beast and Divine Beast. However, this does not apply to members of the Dragon Kind.
• Noble Phantasms:
  
  Mantle of Disguise

  • Name: Haidos Kuneēn
  • Rank: E
  • Type: Anti-Unit
  • Appearance: Just a black cape with a hood.
  • Effects: Said to be a helmet granting invisibility in the legend, this item granted to Assassin by Hades to allow him to sneak up on Medusa instead takes the form of a tattered black mantle. Wearing it allows the Assassin to change his appearance at will. He can mimic a person right down to their voice and change or remove his displayed stats, and through his Presence Concealment, can truly seem to be just a normal commoner. Of course, it is possible to simply disguise himself as an invisible man, making it just as useful as the cap of Hades.
  
  
  Winged Sandals

  • Name: Talaria
  • Rank: D
  • Type: Anti-Unit
  • Appearance: A pair of sandals. When activated, they sprout a pair of white wings.
  • Effects:

  A pair of sandals lent to Assassin by the messenger god Hermes for the purpose of evading Medusa's deathblows. They exist as normal sandals worn by Assassin at all times and can sprout wings at will to take to the skies as easily as walking. The speed of the flight is based on Assassin's AGI but offers higher maneuverability and evasion, essentially being worth a rank-up to Agility where dexterity is concerned.
  
  
  Mirror Shield

  • Name: Semita Clypeus
  • Rank: C
  • Type: Anti-Town
  • Appearance: A sturdy, round, well-polished, silver shield. Reflective enough to be an actual mirror.
  • Effects:

  The polished shield provided to Assassin by Athena to allow him to locate and battle Medusa without directly looking upon her. At base it is a sturdy shield capable of withstanding strong attacks, but its real value lies in its ability to "reflect" a comprehensive map of the surrounding landscape, up to the scale of an average town. Always keeping its own position at the centre, it can display a top-down layout or a 3D multi-floored guide, and marks the current exact positions of all life forms. To avoid being designated would require use of something like Presence Concealment at B rank or higher, and since such abilities are reduced in effectiveness upon preparing to attack, it can be used to react a split second before an ambush if Assassin watches its surface carefully. Even if the display seems somewhat clunky, Assassin finds it quite intuitive to the point where he can engage an enemy without laying eyes on them.
  
  
  Bag of Barrier Inversion

  • Name: Kibisis
  • Rank: B
  • Type: Anti-Unit
  • Appearance: A leather sack, about the size of your head.
  • Effects:

  The sack bestowed onto Assassin by the Hesperides, the nymphs who tend to Hera's orchard, to reflect Medusa's "Breaker Gorgon" ability and safely contain her head. It is an anti-sealing Noble Phantasm that distorts the concept of the world through a mirror world-type Bounded Field that places the inside of the pouch on the outside and the outside of the pouch in the inside. When an enemy targets Assassin with an ability or effect that directly applies itself to him rather than having a physical form like an attack or projectile, he can react with the bag's true name, causing it to inflate, swallowing him up and reflecting the enemy's ability back onto them like a mirror. It is also possible to reverse this effect, forcefully cementing the fact that "the inside is in, the outside is out" in such a way that things placed into the sack are put into a sort of suspended animation state where any passive effects are sealed and any physical or magical decay is put on hold.
  
  
  Head of the Gorgon

  • Name: Cybele Conquietus
  • Rank: B+
  • Type: Anti-Army
  • Appearance: The severed head of a woman with fair skin and long purple hair. The stump of the neck is covered in bandages. Her eyes are closed, at the moment.
  • Effects:

  The only Noble Phantasm Assassin obtained for himself, it is the severed head of Medusa whose gaze turn those who met it to stone. Upon calling its true name, the eyes spring open and all those who can see them directly are subject to powerful Mystic Eyes of Petrification. Having deteriorated somewhat from when Medusa was alive, they will quickly begin turning to stone anyone with a Mana parameter ranking of D or lower. Those with rank C Mana may or may not be petrified depending on conditions like distance and focus, while those with rank B and higher will never turn to stone, but will sustain a temporary rank-down to all parameters due to the pressure. One who has been turned to stone is essentially dead, but there are advanced and time-consuming methods through which such an effect could be reversed. Nothing can be done for someone who has been smashed to pieces, however.
  
  
  Immortal Slaying Scythe

  • Name: Harpe
  • Rank: A
  • Type: Anti-Unit
  • Appearance: You call that a sword?
  • Effects:

  The sword given to Assassin by Zeus for the purpose of delivering the deathblow to Medusa. It is a holy weapon that deals bonus damage against monsters, more against serpant-like monsters, and an exceptional amount to gorgons like Medusa and her sisters. Its greatest strength is its trait of Refraction of Longevity, which is a divine ability that nullifies the "undying" attribute of immortals and inflicts wounds that cannot be restored by any methods other than healing in accordance to the natural laws (nonmagical medical treatment and recovery over time).
  
  
  Bridle of Chivalry

  • Name: Bellerophon
  • Rank: A+
  • Type: Anti-Unit (Anti-Army)
  • Appearance: A golden whip and bridle.
  • Effects:

  The equipment used to ride the pegasus that sprung from the slain Medusa's neck. Since Assassin is not a Rider, he has not been summoned with that pegasus on hand. Nonetheless, he retains access to the set, which can be used to command and ride any sort of creature it is attached to, up to the level of a Divine Beast. It also severely boosts the abilities of such a beast, with the exact buffs depending on the preexisting strengths of the creature in question. Calling the true name while riding such a creature allows for a charge like a comet, resulting in an Anti-Army attack that can blow through all sorts of barriers.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Changes: It seems the helm of invisibility was actually a mantle of disguise.
• Faction: Black

Fate/bizarro alternative

@VitaVitaAR I think I'll be going for the Assassin of Black. Sorry for my confusion!

Fate/bizarro alternative

That makes Perseus a Lancer! Well, I have some other ideas for that class if he falls through.

Fate/bizarro alternative

@VitaVitaAR Of course! It was just a matter of whether or not it was worth writing up, since he technically breaks the rules.

I'll get to it!

Fate/bizarro alternative

@VitaVitaAR Ah! So that's what the NP rule was about! In that case, can I use Perseus? This would be a little different from the prototype Rider, in the sense that he actually has Skills and can theoretically use more than one NP at once (mana permitting), but some of his NPs are really just on par with Skills.

That would be Rider, Lancer, or perhaps Assassin.

Fate/bizarro alternative

Well, I'll take my hat out of the ring for that class. But! I'd still like to play. I'll have to think more about who to use.

Fate/bizarro alternative

Hi! I'm not sure if anyone's been claiming classes elsewhere. Can I be the Red Saber?

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Rune Transmission System

Matou Manor Mk. II, Foreigners' Lowlands

@floodtalon

---

The primitive method from a moment ago had proven ineffective, but had revealed something critical about Lancer Prime's situation.

A sniper was present.

In that case, the attack hadn't been a waste at all. However, if the insects dropping runestones had been "snail mail" than this would be...

...Well, it was still a physical delivery, but it was much faster.

The target point was determined to be the church on the hill. The correct projectile was chosen and loaded. The weapon in question, of course, was the thing that the Lord of Spirits had laboured on during the previous night.

A giant ballista.

-Clairvoyance Engaged at Rank "A"-

-Angle and Conditions Confirmed-

-Reinforcement Applied-

-Kinetic Energy Improvements Prepared-

-

-LAUNCHING-

What was launched from the small, well-hidden house in the Foreigners' Lowlands and instantly crossed the sky of Fuyuki was more akin to a "tree trunk" than an "arrow." Despite its immense size and girth, it passed through the air with extreme speed towards the church.

-Hardening Applied-

-Runic Barriers Activated-

These were not the unbreakable shields formed by the original eighteen primal runes, but the layers of blue light that wrapped around the bolt made the interfering tendrils of electricity ineffective at damaging the projectile or altering its course.

-Explosive Boost Activated-

A final burst of thunder from the back of the bolt increased its speed at the most critical moment, sending it straight towards Tesla.

-BEGINNING OFFENSIVE RELEASE-

Waves of heat and flame came first upon the inventor and his home. Wind and sound quickly followed. There were more runes written on this pole than on all the stones that had been dropped earlier, and yet...

It wasn't all that dangerous.

To be sure, it was a massive projectile carrying large amounts of offensive magecraft, but at the same time, most of the runes written on it were...

Distraction.

A cloud of darkness spread from the bolt. Rays of multicoloured light scattered through the area, and then returned to converge on Tesla. An ear-piercing tone was produced, and sustained itself for as long as possible. If he failed to resist, Tesla would also be afflicted with terrible itching.

Indeed, it was an attack that had the power to kill the man even with the projectile alone, but its real purpose was clear.

"Stay away from my ally, you thoughtless troublemaker."

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Reiki Matou

Matou Manor Mk. II, Foreigners' Lowlands

@Phonic

---

"Here they are. Please take your time and tell me what you can figure out."

Reiki showed to Lancer the three people she had restrained in the small but cozy living room using manacles of worms. Two had fallen into fitful sleeps after their hard days, but the third was unbending in his murderous rage.

"Dead! I'll see you all gutted like animals! You think this little hut won't burn?!"

A few worms crawled over his face, returning to their positions and form as a gag in his mouth.

"I can purge him of it like the others at any time, of course, but I thought you might be able to learn more from-"

Was that a penguin?

There was a tense moment as the thing descended towards the house, but some primal instinct told Reiki that this creature shouldn't be attacked, and Scáthach seemingly got the same impression. Once it reached the ground, she noticed the small message it was holding.

"Whatever it is, it deserves respect, so I'll go get its note in person." She decided, speaking more to the air than to her Servant.

She stepped out onto the lawn and passed outside the bounded field around the property. There, she gave the penguin her best smile and took the message from it.

GREETINGS MASTER AND/OR SERVANTS OF THE SECOND HOLY GRAIL WAR IN FUYUKI. DUE TO RECENT ISSUES REGARDING THE MAGES ASSOCIATION, I WOULD LIKE TO HOLD AN EMERGENCY MEETING IN ORDER TO RECTIFY THIS ISSUE. THE LOCATION SHALL BE IN THE DIVINE DESCENDING DENOUEMENT (DDD )HOTSPRINGS. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ATTEND IN PERSON, HOWEVER INPUT REGARDLESS OF SOURCE WILL BE IMPORTANT. THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT SUNDOWN. BRING YOUR OWN BEER.

-Benita Garibaldi
&
Lancer

"Oh! I see."

Nervously, Reiki still smiled.

How dangerous was this thing?

"Have a nice day!"

She hurried back inside. She would need to find some beer. It was clear that Benita had made the right decision in calling this meeting. Moreover, it implied that she might finally be able to enter that mysterious construction site and have a proper discussion with the girl who was meant to be her greatest ally in this war.

In fact, a number of people had seemingly gathered there already, for reasons unclear. That being the case...

---

Ground Platoon Fourteen

Main Lobby of 'DDD' Hot Spring, Foreigner’s Lowlands

@Phonic@addamas@Cu Chulainn@SSW

---

Again, they donned the appearance of the controller. Again, they made their way towards the building. They had been shooed away last time, but the controller had advised them not to expect the same response this time around, and the place did indeed seem different.

The group that entered the lobby was, by all appearances, a young woman. It took in the scene and the individuals present. That Master, as other units had reported, now held a very different energy about him compared to his state when they had observed him at the beginning of the war. The reason was unclear, but since a Servant was already present, any power this Master held hardly changed its likelihood of dying if things devolved into combat.

"Good morning, everybody." It made a bow to the room as it entered, and a smile to the Servant, who seemed to be quite a young boy. With that done, it headed straight for the two it was familiar with. Garibaldi and Whitehall.

"Last night was rough, wasn't it? Or rather, this whole thing has been pretty rocky. There are so many things I'd like to discuss, and that's not even getting into the points I'd like to bring up during tonight's meeting. I suppose the first thing to mention is-"

Its train of thought was disrupted as its eyes shifted to focus on Sofia's hand. A mark was missing. When it spoke up again, its voice was more hushed. "What happened there? Can I assume it relates to the Servant I detected leaving this place without ever having entered?"

It could detect the controller's feelings on the subject. Relief, but also sadness. If things were as they seemed, then the Whitehalls would be able to continue participating in the war. On the other hand, it meant that killing Masters was now much more necessary.

---

Air Squadron Forty-Five

Above the Site of the Spear, The Woods

@Yukitamas@Breo

---

The battle below was one between Servants, and so it was only common sense that these lesser familiars had no hope of following its events. However, they had been dispatched with specific orders. Moreover, they themselves had a Servant advising their movements. Once she had been allowed by the controller to share their senses through the karmic link, it became possible for directions to be given that would allow for the operation to go off precisely. These bugs had no grasp of what was transpiring on the ground, but they had a vague understanding that having entered the airspace of the battle, some of the Persian Emperor's soldiers would find it more productive to attempt to shoot them down than to focus on the living comet.

Well, even if they were destroyed, their payloads would fall.

Now.

The blade-winged insects dropped the stones they had been clutching. In addition to being unable to clearly perceive the fight, they now had no way to affect it. Therefore, they scattered into the wind. Perhaps the armies of Persia could make an effort to strike them from the sky, even spread out as they were, not that it would be helpful to them now.

With that, the runestones fell from above the skeleton warriors. Of course, no matter what great power they contained, if they fell on this rabble it would be of no great consequence to the overwhelming numbers of Persia.

Thus, when the runes sprang to life, a single rune of Clairvoyance, linked back to Scáthach herself guided the rest. Indeed, smashing even a large number of skeletons was like running a plastic bucket through a lake. An inconsequential space that would instantly be filled.

However, for the world's fastest hero, even that tiny opening could be a gateway to victory.

The King raised up giants and turned the ground against Achilles in an effort to slow and restrain him, but in the moment those things came to be, waves of radiant light and fire rained down onto them.

It was not an all-consuming destruction, and it was surely not a great drain on the King's manpower, but in that moment, a narrow, quickly closing pathway had been opened between Achilles and Darius.

"Quickly closing," of course, being a phrase that would be used by one who did not run like a comet.