Randomguy

History-heavy CoC Hooks

I might be interested. CoC might actually translate well to post by play since combat is not a focus, so the pace is less liable to get bogged down by translating combat mechanic from tabletop to forum based RP

Fate/Dark Heritage

Rogue Saber, Higashiyama Ward

---

Tokimune nodded in approval as the Master recognised the Hojo Clan emblem embroidered on his cloth. While it narrowed down his identity quite a bit for the young Master, there were quite a bit of renowned members of their clan that his identity wouldn't be immediately apparent. He was, however, quite pleased that even in this modern age, it appeared that the legacy he, his predecessors, and his successors left behind managed to endure that this young man recognised the emblem of his clan.

'Smart move,' Tokimune then thought as the young man who conveyed his intent to back down and leave Tokimune alone.

His servant, on the other hand, while outwardly acquiescing to his Master's will, seemed to hold some sort of ill will towards him. He suppressed it well enough, and Tokimune did respect vassals who were willing to set aside their own wish for their lord, especially since his master referred to him as Berserker. But Tokimune was a practitioner of Zen Buddhism, a state of mind that granted him clarity in battle, as a Servant, it became a skill that allowed him to assess the state of a battlefield keenly. Even more so since they were now in his territory.

And so, Tokimune noticed how the Servant almost imperceptibly clenched his fist around the hilt of his blade, how Tokimune had seemingly earned the servant's ire with his handling of the situation.

Tokimune chuckled, as he turned to the enemy servant, "Haha...have I earned your ire, foreign warrior?" Pointing his katana at him as a challenge, he continued, "I am quite curious how capable you are, given that one of my countrymen contracted you, a foreign heroic spirit, rather than one of this nation...Berserker, out of respect for your willingness to put aside your own desire to fight in deference to your Master, I shall grant you this. Let us have a bout, worry not, I will allow you to leave with your life after we are done and I have satisfied my curiosity."

Tokimune issued the challenge with an air of absolute confidence, in his eyes there was no doubt that he would be the one who emerged victorious. It was not merely a self-assuredness borne from confidence, rather it was one that rose from his clarity of mind, focused only on seeking what he had decided needed to happen. The same sort of state of mind that had Tokimune answered with one singular word, when asked how he was planning to fight against the invading Mongol army whom everyone thought was unbeatable, that word was...'Victory.'

@King Cosmos@Iamme

---

---

Once more, Saber confirmed through her Moksha skill that Constantine appeared to be genuine, or at least he believed he was. She replied, "Do not get me wrong, Shielder. It is not my intent to cast aspersion on you, I was merely giving my assessment, which I do believe was perfectly reasonable. We have nothing else but your words at the moment, being cautious is only prudent. Let us set aside the possibility you are lying for the sake of argument. The only one who could confirm the true nature of these 'Fragments of purity' is you, but even if you truly believed what you are saying, who's to say that someone, say a powerful mage or a Caster-class servant did not tamper with your spirit origin and only made you think that way for their own ends? Until we have more concrete proof, I would say some reservations are warranted, no? As a counteroffer, frankly, I do not understand why you are insisting on having us fight, especially if what you say is correct. Rather..."

Turning to Jan, she continued, "I have a proposition. Both you and I must desire the grail, we are summoned into a Holy Grail War for a reason. While I do think that the Grail should be dismantled if what Shielder said is correct, but currently do you not agree that there are still so many unknown elements to be certain of that fact? I believe that the best course of action is to secure the grail first, and then we can examine it properly to determine the truth. To that end, why not work together to secure the grail for ourselves so we can determine the veracity of Shielder's claim? If it turns out the grail is indeed corrupted, we will destroy it, if not, then we can settle this Holy Grail War with a duel between us."

She then turned back to Shielder, "That extends to you as well, of course. As far as 'counteroffer' goes, this is my counteroffer. After all, corrupted it might be, it is still a wish-granter, I would not doubt it if some servants and masters still desire to use it even if it is corrupted. Fortunately for you, you ran into myself and Rider. I have already said that I intend to destroy the grail if it is corrupted, and I am a...good judge of character, shall we say. From what I can see, Rider is inclined to do the same.

That is, at least, what her Moksha skill could tell her about Rider. He appeared to be an honourable man.

"Of course, if that is all right with you, Master," she said toward Lorenzo, before turning to Jan, "...And yours."

@Letter Bee@GOATPlumber@GubGar

Dragon Age: Grey Dawn

The Disgraced Tevinter Politician

Cadmus Laenas

| {Full Name} |

Cadmus Laenas

| {Age} |

28

| {Species} |

Human

| {Gender} |

Male

| {Class/subclass} |

Mage/Blood Mage

---

| {Appearance} |

With lush well-groomed black hair and a neatly trimmed beard, at first glance, Cadmus Laenas appeared to be the stereotypical Tevinter Highborn. Completing the look with his navy blue mage robe with gold trim custom-fitted to complement his figure, Cadmus cuts a noble-looking figure. It is no wonder that he is often mistaken as an Altus rather than a first-generation Laetan, especially outside the Imperium where Altus and Laetans are often not distinguished from one another. It is a misconception that Cadmus often neglected to correct when it would be beneficial—and he could get away with it.

Cadmus talks and comports himself in a manner befitting for the Imperium’s high society. His typical mannerisms and etiquette are that of a noble, a byproduct of a Laetan who managed to successfully rub shoulders with the upper classes of the Imperium and has to mimic the way the Altus carry themselves to fit in. After years of mingling with high society, the highborn way of talking and doing things has become habitual, but when not on official functions, Cadmus would often opt for less ostentatious, but more comfortable and practical plain black robes. His staff, however, considered a symbol of status in Tevinter, is an ornate golden-plated mage staff adorned with purple gemstones. As it is both practical and fashionable for high society, Cadmus sees no reason to get a different less ornate staff.

| {Equipment and Personal Belongings} |

Courtier Outfit - An ornate mage robe with gold trim, styled in a classic style of the Imperium so as to still be fashionably acceptable with little regard to the fashion cycles. Used only for official functions.

Travelling outfit - A practical and comfortable plain black robe with a belt and various pockets to store things.

Dagger - A sharp dagger worn in the belt for easy access. While can be used as a self-defence tool in an emergency, its primary use is to cut open skin for blood magic.

Mage Staff - An ornate ebony staff with gold plating and purple gemstones. A decorative piece that is also sturdy enough to be used as a blunt instrument in an emergency. Imbued with lighting magic.

Crossbow - A light Crossbow kept as an alternative ranged weapon to conserve mana—and blood—it has no special properties but does its job decently enough.

Ritewine - A custom of the Grey Wardens, as a wine enjoyer, the bottle's content has become a mixture of wines from various origins and bottle ages. Rumour among his colleagues has it that the bottle has never been emptied to the last drop, and thus still contains traces of the Imperium's finest wine he bought just before being conscripted. The bottle is marked with "Vintage: Warden Cadmus. Last drop reserved for the Calling."

| {Skills} |

Arcane Lore - A Laetan who has managed to join the upper echelon of the Imperium partly due to his magical talents, Cadmus boasts an impressive resume of magical knowledge and research capability.

Diplomacy - If one-half of what allowed Cadmus to rise to high status was his magical ability, the other half was the ability to navigate the murky waters of Imperium political intrigue, making him an adept diplomat.

Cooking - Born to a family of Soporati that has a tavern business from his mother's side of the family, Cadmus learned to cook from a young age and still considers it a relaxing hobby to indulge in from time to time.

| {Talents} |

Marksmanship - After being conscripted as a warden, Cadmus often found himself running out of stamina during missions due to him being more used as part of the Imperium elite. Eventually, he asked a fellow recruit to help him train with a crossbow to conserve his energy. Four years later, now a more seasoned warden with better endurance, Cadmus still continues practising his marksmanship with his crossbow as a practical skill to conserve energy on the field.

Quarterstaff Proficiency - Whacking an opponent with one's staff is considered inelegant and beneath the elite mages of the Imperium. Ask anyone actually serving in the war against the Qunari, though, they will tell you that the ability to use a staff as a blunt quarterstaff can be the difference between being dead or alive. Cadmus' father, who was an Imperium soldier had asked a mage friend he met in the army to teach Cadmus how to use his staff as a pole weapon, just in case.

| {Spells} |

Group Heal - A spell from the Creation School of Magic, using himself as the focal point, Cadmus can radiate healing magic to heal multiple people. The more people and range the spell encompasses the more mana—or in his case, sometimes blood—the spell requires.

Drain Life - An offensive spell from the Entropy School, allowing Cadmus to sap life energy from a visible target within 10 yards to heal himself.

Blood Control - The infamous spell of the Blood Magic School, allowing Cadmus to take control of a target and probe into their thoughts unless they have sufficiently strong willpower.

Blood Wound - A spell to boil the blood of hostiles within 12 yards of the caster, causing excruciating pain.

| {Home/Family} |

Cadmus was born in Minrathous, the heart of the Tevinter Imperium, to a family of Soporati—commoners with no magic—his father was a soldier in the Tevinter Military and his mother worked in a family-owned tavern business alongside his uncle and cousins. He was a second child, with an older sister five years older than he was. After being elevated as a Laetan instead of a Soporati, Cadmus eventually managed to ingratiate himself with the upper echelons of the Imperium. Through his newly attained influence and financial capability, he helped his family’s tavern expand and paid for his sister’s tuition at the University of Orlais in Val Royeaux, where she now stayed as a lecturer. His father, sadly, passed away while on duty in Seheron a year after Cadmus was conscripted to the Grey Wardens.

| {Flaws and limits} |

Stubborn Know-it-All - A 'self-made man' who has achieved great successes in the past, Cadmus often talks as if he is the smartest person in the room with the best opinions. While it has been very much tempered since his fall from grace, it still occasionally comes out as streaks of stubbornness, especially against wild, novel ideas that he thinks are nonsensical.

Hyper Professionalism - While on the one hand, a great sense of personal responsibility and meritocracy make Cadmus possess a good work ethic and idea of fairness, on the other hand, it also often causes friction with others, as he expects the same degree of commitment of others. The sort of person who can fire a man with sick children if said man indeed is failing at his job.

---

| {Personality} |

Stubborn and driven, are perhaps, the two characteristics that define Cadmus Laenas the most. When he was first elevated from Soporati to Laetan and finally started to mingle with the ruling class of the Tevinter Imperium, he was appalled by how inefficient and corrupt the internal workings of the supposed ‘Great Empire’ was. Rather than appointing capable publicans and officials, people who jockeyed for status or great mages but who were inept for non-arcane related things were appointed. Being someone who had always thought of himself as capable, he realized then that only by virtue of luck being born as a mage he could even come close to positions that were a given for people much less competent than he was, which meant there were many, perhaps, among the Soporati who were much more competent but was passed over simply for the fact they were…a Soporati. It was through his sheer stubbornness and drive that he managed to rise so far up—almost marrying into a house of Magister—indignant on enacting a change. Of course, were he less stubborn and heeded some of his allies that he was making too many enemies, he might still be among the Imperium elites instead of the Gray Warden.

Of course, with stubbornness comes strong opinions, and Cadmus is certainly not short of opinions. Cadmus has strong opinions on just about everything that catches his interest, never one to shy away from a debate. He often tries to frame his arguments as objectively as he can, refraining from personal anecdotes. For instance, while one might not think of it at first glance, Cadmus is an Andrastian, albeit of the Imperial Chantry…and with many of his own interpretations of its doctrines, but he does believe in the existence of the Maker and Andraste as his herald. Rather than presenting his case through anecdotes of faith experience, however, more often than not, he resorts to philosophical apologetics instead. Cadmus can also go a great lengths to prove a point, for instance, he has focused quite a bit on healing magic just for the sake of proving that Blood Magic is merely a tool—albeit admittedly a difficult one to use—of which the morality of its usage depends on said usage. After all, if he is able to heal with greater potency and efficacy when fuelled with blood magic, then who can deny it has been used for good?

Undergirding his opinionated and driven personality is a deep sense of personal responsibility that lies at the core of Cadmus as a person. He expects much of himself and expects much of others. The reason he worked so hard to enact a change was that he expected better from the Imperium. Non-meritocratic nepotism shouldn’t be the norm for the so-called ruling class, they are in a position of power and have enjoyed the benefits of said power, so it is only proper that they also give back in the form of fulfilling their obligations to the best of their duty, even if that meant giving their seats to a more competent lower class if need be. To Cadmus, if one were to do something, then that something must be done to the best of their ability. While he had not joined the wardens willingly, he is now a Gray Warden, and he will do his utmost for their mission.

| {Background} |

Though born a Soporati, when Cadmus was 7 years old, he manifested magical ability and was then sponsored into the Circle, unlike the Southern part of Thedas, in Tevinter what would typically be a cause for distress was instead a cause for celebration, magical ability being highly valued and the Circles in the Imperium more akin to prestigious learning institutions. Due to his work ethic and magical talent, he eventually found himself in the position of a minor official in the Imperium. He eventually became disillusioned with the way Imperium’s government was run and threw himself deeper into politics, hoping to rise to a higher station to enact a reformation. By 9:41 Dragon, when the Venatori was on the rise within Tevinter, Cadmus correctly identified that their movement was unsustainable and threw his lot in with the Inquisition-backed faction led by Maevaris Tilani. Later, when the Inquisitor defeated Corypheus and the Venatori fell, many among the reformist faction—including Cadmus—with the support of Magister Maevaris Tilani and later Magister Dorian Pavus ended up filling various vacuums of power. Cadmus then used the new station to propel his political career even further.

By 9:46 Dragon, Cadmus was influential enough to be considered for an arranged marriage with one of Tevinter’s Great Houses, whose daughter was in line to be a Magister succeeding her father. It was more a marriage of convenience than actual love—though Cadmus did consider his fiancée a friend—that would cement Cadmus as a prominent figure in the Imperium’s politics. Unfortunately, he was outmanoeuvred, throughout his career, he had made many enemies, most of them people he deemed incompetent and replaced them with competent people, many of whom deemed to be of lower ranks. The culmination of Cadmus’ political adversary’s plot saw him arrested by Imperial Templars for blood magic usage. While he was a blood mage, mages of the Imperium using blood magic were a public secret, and the only mages arrested by Imperial Templars were those targeted for political purposes, such as the case with Cadmus. Cadmus was only spared after a Gray Warden who had been a war buddy of Cadmus’ father before joining the Wardens invoked the rite of conscription to recruit Cadmus to the Grey Wardens instead.

While he was sullen and angry the first few months the joining, both due to still not accepting what had happened to him and that his life was now cut short due to the taint, he eventually accepted his place within the wardens both to ‘repay’ their help in sparing him execution and his personal adage of ‘if one were to do something, then that something must be done to the best of their ability’. He was now a warden, whether he liked it or not, so why not make the most of it rather than sulking until he eventually dies either from darkspawns or the joining?

Into the Land of Twilight

Unfortunately, I think @Mas Bagus has mentioned something about a soft reboot since some of the players have left.

Dragon Age: Grey Dawn

The Disgraced Tevinter Politician

Cadmus Laenas

| {Full Name} |

Cadmus Laenas

| {Age} |

28

| {Species} |

Human

| {Gender} |

Male

| {Class/subclass} |

Mage/Blood Mage

---

| {Appearance} |

With lush well-groomed black hair and a neatly trimmed beard, at first glance, Cadmus Laenas appeared to be the stereotypical Tevinter Highborn. Completing the look with his navy blue mage robe with gold trim custom-fitted to complement his figure, Cadmus cuts a noble-looking figure. It is no wonder that he is often mistaken as an Altus rather than a first-generation Laetan, especially outside the Imperium where Altus and Laetans are often not distinguished from one another. It is a misconception that Cadmus often neglected to correct when it would be beneficial—and he could get away with it.

Cadmus talks and comports himself in a manner befitting for the Imperium’s high society. His typical mannerisms and etiquette are that of a noble, a byproduct of a Laetan who managed to successfully rub shoulders with the upper classes of the Imperium and has to mimic the way the Altus carry themselves to fit in. After years of mingling with high society, the highborn way of talking and doing things has become habitual, but when not on official functions, Cadmus would often opt for less ostentatious, but more comfortable and practical plain black robes. His staff, however, considered a symbol of status in Tevinter, is an ornate golden-plated mage staff adorned with purple gemstones. As it is both practical and fashionable for high society, Cadmus sees no reason to get a different less ornate staff.

| {Equipment and Personal Belongings} |

Courtier Outfit - An ornate mage robe with gold trim, styled in a classic style of the Imperium so as to still be fashionably acceptable with little regard to the fashion cycles. Used only for official functions.

Travelling outfit - A practical and comfortable plain black robe with a belt and various pockets to store things.

Dagger - A sharp dagger worn in the belt for easy access. While can be used as a self-defence tool in an emergency, its primary use is to cut open skin for blood magic.

Mage Staff - An ornate ebony staff with gold plating and purple gemstones. A decorative piece that is also sturdy enough to be used as a blunt instrument in an emergency. Imbued with lighting magic.

Crossbow - A light Crossbow kept as an alternative ranged weapon to conserve mana—and blood—it has no special properties but does its job decently enough.

Ritewine - A custom of the Grey Wardens, as a wine enjoyer, the bottle's content has become a mixture of wines from various origins and bottle ages. Rumour among his colleagues has it that the bottle has never been emptied to the last drop, and thus still contains traces of the Imperium's finest wine he bought just before being conscripted. The bottle is marked with "Vintage: Warden Cadmus. Last drop reserved for the Calling."

| {Skills} |

Arcane Lore - A Laetan who has managed to join the upper echelon of the Imperium partly due to his magical talents, Cadmus boasts an impressive resume of magical knowledge and research capability.

Diplomacy - If one-half of what allowed Cadmus to rise to high status was his magical ability, the other half was the ability to navigate the murky waters of Imperium political intrigue, making him an adept diplomat.

Cooking - Born to a family of Soporati that has a tavern business from his mother's side of the family, Cadmus learned to cook from a young age and still considers it a relaxing hobby to indulge in from time to time.

| {Talents} |

Marksmanship - After being conscripted as a warden, Cadmus often found himself running out of stamina during missions due to him being more used as part of the Imperium elite. Eventually, he asked a fellow recruit to help him train with a crossbow to conserve his energy. Four years later, now a more seasoned warden with better endurance, Cadmus still continues practising his marksmanship with his crossbow as a practical skill to conserve energy on the field.

Quarterstaff Proficiency - Whacking an opponent with one's staff is considered inelegant and beneath the elite mages of the Imperium. Ask anyone actually serving in the war against the Qunari, though, they will tell you that the ability to use a staff as a blunt quarterstaff can be the difference between being dead or alive. Cadmus' father, who was an Imperium soldier had asked a mage friend he met in the army to teach Cadmus how to use his staff as a pole weapon, just in case.

| {Spells} |

Group Heal - A spell from the Creation School of Magic, using himself as the focal point, Cadmus can radiate healing magic to heal multiple people. The more people and range the spell encompasses the more mana—or in his case, sometimes blood—the spell requires.

Drain Life - An offensive spell from the Entropy School, allowing Cadmus to sap life energy from a visible target within 10 yards to heal himself.

Blood Control - The infamous spell of the Blood Magic School, allowing Cadmus to take control of a target and probe into their thoughts unless they have sufficiently strong willpower.

Blood Wound - A spell to boil the blood of hostiles within 12 yards of the caster, causing excruciating pain.

| {Home/Family} |

Cadmus was born in Minrathous, the heart of the Tevinter Imperium, to a family of Soporati—commoners with no magic—his father was a soldier in the Tevinter Military and his mother worked in a family-owned tavern business alongside his uncle and cousins. He was a second child, with an older sister five years older than he was. After being elevated as a Laetan instead of a Soporati, Cadmus eventually managed to ingratiate himself with the upper echelons of the Imperium. Through his newly attained influence and financial capability, he helped his family’s tavern expand and paid for his sister’s tuition at the University of Orlais in Val Royeaux, where she now stayed as a lecturer. His father, sadly, passed away while on duty in Seheron a year after Cadmus was conscripted to the Grey Wardens.

| {Flaws and limits} |

Stubborn Know-it-All - A 'self-made man' who has achieved great successes in the past, Cadmus often talks as if he is the smartest person in the room with the best opinions. While it has been very much tempered since his fall from grace, it still occasionally comes out as streaks of stubbornness, especially against wild, novel ideas that he thinks are nonsensical.

Hyper Professionalism - While on the one hand, a great sense of personal responsibility and meritocracy make Cadmus possess a good work ethic and idea of fairness, on the other hand, it also often causes friction with others, as he expects the same degree of commitment of others. The sort of person who can fire a man with sick children if said man indeed is failing at his job.

---

| {Personality} |

Stubborn and driven, are perhaps, the two characteristics that define Cadmus Laenas the most. When he was first elevated from Soporati to Laetan and finally started to mingle with the ruling class of the Tevinter Imperium, he was appalled by how inefficient and corrupt the internal workings of the supposed ‘Great Empire’ was. Rather than appointing capable publicans and officials, people who jockeyed for status or great mages but who were inept for non-arcane related things were appointed. Being someone who had always thought of himself as capable, he realized then that only by virtue of luck being born as a mage he could even come close to positions that were a given for people much less competent than he was, which meant there were many, perhaps, among the Soporati who were much more competent but was passed over simply for the fact they were…a Soporati. It was through his sheer stubbornness and drive that he managed to rise so far up—almost marrying into a house of Magister—indignant on enacting a change. Of course, were he less stubborn and heeded some of his allies that he was making too many enemies, he might still be among the Imperium elites instead of the Gray Warden.

Of course, with stubbornness comes strong opinions, and Cadmus is certainly not short of opinions. Cadmus has strong opinions on just about everything that catches his interest, never one to shy away from a debate. He often tries to frame his arguments as objectively as he can, refraining from personal anecdotes. For instance, while one might not think of it at first glance, Cadmus is an Andrastian, albeit of the Imperial Chantry…and with many of his own interpretations of its doctrines, but he does believe in the existence of the Maker and Andraste as his herald. Rather than presenting his case through anecdotes of faith experience, however, more often than not, he resorts to philosophical apologetics instead. Cadmus can also go a great lengths to prove a point, for instance, he has focused quite a bit on healing magic just for the sake of proving that Blood Magic is merely a tool—albeit admittedly a difficult one to use—of which the morality of its usage depends on said usage. After all, if he is able to heal with greater potency and efficacy when fuelled with blood magic, then who can deny it has been used for good?

Undergirding his opinionated and driven personality is a deep sense of personal responsibility that lies at the core of Cadmus as a person. He expects much of himself and expects much of others. The reason he worked so hard to enact a change was that he expected better from the Imperium. Non-meritocratic nepotism shouldn’t be the norm for the so-called ruling class, they are in a position of power and have enjoyed the benefits of said power, so it is only proper that they also give back in the form of fulfilling their obligations to the best of their duty, even if that meant giving their seats to a more competent lower class if need be. To Cadmus, if one were to do something, then that something must be done to the best of their ability. While he had not joined the wardens willingly, he is now a Gray Warden, and he will do his utmost for their mission.

| {Background} |

Though born a Soporati, when Cadmus was 7 years old, he manifested magical ability and was then sponsored into the Circle, unlike the Southern part of Thedas, in Tevinter what would typically be a cause for distress was instead a cause for celebration, magical ability being highly valued and the Circles in the Imperium more akin to prestigious learning institutions. Due to his work ethic and magical talent, he eventually found himself in the position of a minor official in the Imperium. He eventually became disillusioned with the way Imperium’s government was run and threw himself deeper into politics, hoping to rise to a higher station to enact a reformation. By 9:41 Dragon, when the Venatori was on the rise within Tevinter, Cadmus correctly identified that their movement was unsustainable and threw his lot in with the Inquisition-backed faction led by Maevaris Tilani. Later, when the Inquisitor defeated Corypheus and the Venatori fell, many among the reformist faction—including Cadmus—with the support of Magister Maevaris Tilani and later Magister Dorian Pavus ended up filling various vacuums of power. Cadmus then used the new station to propel his political career even further.

By 9:46 Dragon, Cadmus was influential enough to be considered for an arranged marriage with one of Tevinter’s Great Houses, whose daughter was in line to be a Magister succeeding her father. It was more a marriage of convenience than actual love—though Cadmus did consider his fiancée a friend—that would cement Cadmus as a prominent figure in the Imperium’s politics. Unfortunately, he was outmanoeuvred, throughout his career, he had made many enemies, most of them people he deemed incompetent and replaced them with competent people, many of whom deemed to be of lower ranks. The culmination of Cadmus’ political adversary’s plot saw him arrested by Imperial Templars for blood magic usage. While he was a blood mage, mages of the Imperium using blood magic were a public secret, and the only mages arrested by Imperial Templars were those targeted for political purposes, such as the case with Cadmus. Cadmus was only spared after a Gray Warden who had been a war buddy of Cadmus’ father before joining the Wardens invoked the rite of conscription to recruit Cadmus to the Grey Wardens instead.

While he was sullen and angry the first few months the joining, both due to still not accepting what had happened to him and that his life was now cut short due to the taint, he eventually accepted his place within the wardens both to ‘repay’ their help in sparing him execution and his personal adage of ‘if one were to do something, then that something must be done to the best of their ability’. He was now a warden, whether he liked it or not, so why not make the most of it rather than sulking until he eventually dies either from darkspawns or the joining?

Dragon Age: The Grey Dawn

Are you guys still accepting people?

Fate/Dark Heritage

---

"However, I know the True Name of this man, and as such I know his character quite well. He has been summoned young, perhaps not as wise as he would be in his prime.. But he is honourable to a fault. That is to say, he is no liar. I do not know if what he says is the truth of the matter, but I am certain that he has no intention of leading us astray."

Gajah Mada replied, "Ah yes, on that matter...we also knew his identity, and yours too, actually, turning to Shielder, she added, "The young Emperor there did shout it out for everyone to see. By this point, I imagine that most participants are already aware, I doubt that my master was the only one who had surveillance set up."

It was quite unfortunate for Rider, Jan Sobieski. The manner by which Constantine ousted his identity was through something rather vague that it might as well be a lucky guess. But now, he has been identified by everyone who was watching. She wondered if Constantine had a high-luck parameter or some sort of skill that allowed him to make a correct guess from such a vague starting point. If so, then she had better be careful around him.

Gajah Mada continued, "That aside...let us say that we could trust his character by virtue of who he is...

Truth be told, her Moksha's skill, able to see things free of preconceptions did seem to support Jan's assertion. From what she could perceive, Constantine truly believed what he was saying and seemed to generally believe he was doing the right thing.

But...there was no way she'd say that, risking them identifying her from the skill.

"...however, that is not a guarantee that perhaps Shielder had been misled. Or even that he believes that deceiving us is righteous for the sake of the greater good."

To Gajah Mada, a ruler, either an Emperor or a King need to be unblemished, standing as an embodiment of the philosophy that galvanized and moved their nations. It was the responsibility of their adjutants to make the necessary compromise as a bridge between idealism and pragmatism.

Therefore, as Emperor of a Holy Empire, Constantine should be a paragon of virtue, however...Gajah Mada knew fully well that her thoughts on this matter were not necessarily shared by everyone and that Constantine was alone without any of his retainers to make that compromise, which meant that Constantine lying for what he believed was right could not be discounted just yet.

@GubGar@Letter Bee

Fate/Dark Heritage

Rogue Saber, Higashiyama Ward

---

As Tokimune felt the presence of a servant in his territory, the rogue saber immediately headed out to investigate, finding the servant and what presumably was his master on the temple grounds. Tokimune frowned. The Master seemed to be a native of this country, and yet he had chosen to contract what appeared to be a foreign Heroic Spirit rather than one from Japan. He supposed he should see for himself if this foreign servant was strong enough to merit such insolence from the young Master...if they were foolish enough at least.

"There was a temple nearby but I didn't think to note it" Shou pondered for a moment before talking "If there's no one using it which is unlikely we could use it as a base of operations but if there are people we could at least procure some supplies"

@Iamme

"And how, pray tell, are you about to 'procure' these supplies?" Tokimune replied as he materialised himself in front of the two.

Tokimune then turned to Shou, levelling him with a glare, "You are among those seeking the Grail, are you not? Using this place as a base will surely invite violence into this holy ground. You do yourself a dishonour, no man of this nation should have such disregard for temples and the gods whose blessing protected this land."

He continued, turning to Berserker, "And you, foreign warrior. Take your master and go. This territory—this entire ward of Higashiyama—belongs to me, to be a shelter for the people of this city who heeded my words and sought safety from the Holy Grail War. Now begone, I have no interest in the Holy Grail nor the miracles it grants. As long as the two of you refrain from entering my territory, I shall stay my blade, but..."

Drawing his katana, he declared, "Should you insist on claiming this territory your own, or make it a battlefield for the war...then I, Rogue Saber, shall claim your heads!"

Fate/Dark Heritage

Rogue Saber, Higashiyama Ward

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Once Hojo Tokimune materialized as a masterless Heroic Spirit—a rogue servant, as the Grail informed him—he quickly concluded that he had no use for the Grail. After all, he was someone who had accomplished what he sought to do in life. As Shikken of the Kamakura Shogunate, not only did he maintain stability in his nation, but he also successfully repelled an invasion from the mighty Mongols, something no one around him had thought to be possible. Indeed, if Hojo Tokimune had no unfulfilled wish, rather, dying as a monk of Zen Buddhism, he would have practised a meditational that focused on emptying oneself, which included divesting one's desires to reach enlightenment.

True, the Kamakura Shogunate eventually fell, but that was the duty and responsibility of his successors. As for Tokimune himself, his honour in the completion of his duty as Shikken was unblemished. In this, he had no regret to speak of. And so, Tokimune had, from the outset, had no intention to fight for nor interfere with other wishes for the grail. After all, if they are mighty and capable enough to defeat heroes from all over the world, across time, then it was only right they are able to use the grail.

Tokimune's only concern in this Holy Grail War was but one, to ensure the safety of the people of this nation he is a Shikken of. After all, in this age where the so-called Emperor was but a figurehead, and the authorities were seemingly unaware of the war, it fell to him to do what he was duty-bound to do. Because it was his duty. Nothing more and nothing less.

And so, Tokimune claimed the Higashiyama War, where the temple he was summoned into was his territory. He intended this place to act as shelter for the people of the city. And so, he started to spread the word to the local populace, first to the temple monks and next to the local citizenry. He had to summon winds and thunders in a reduced capacity to prove he wasn't simply a lunatic, but eventually, though some still call him charlatan, words had started to spread through Kyoto's populace, that 'All of Kyoto might be in danger soon enough and you may evacuate to Higashiyama Ward for safety.'

Tokimune was aware from the knowledge the Grail provided him that this was a breach of the concealment of mystic that mages were concerned about, but Tokimune was no mage, and thus concealment of mystic was of no concern to him.

Perhaps in the long run the concealment of mystic was better even for the general populace, but Tokimune was not concerned about that. For what moved the man known as Hojo Tokimune was not inherent benevolence but rather his own personal moral code to which he was honour-bound to follow. To Hojo Tokimune as long as he existed, he was honour-bound to provide shelter in his territory, what happened after the war or to people who chose to not heed his warnings were not his concern.

And so it was that Hojo Tokimune walked the grounds of his territory, looking for possible intruders.

Fate/Dark Heritage

Rogue Saber

True Name: Hojo Tokimune
Region: Japan
Class: Saber
Gender: Male
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Attribute: Man

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Parameters

Strength: B+
Endurance: B+
Agility: B+
Mana: E
Luck: A

Legend

[Defier of Mongols]

Upon becoming shikken, Tokimune faced a national crisis. The Mongol emperor, Kublai Khan, demanded that Japan enter a "tributary relationship" or face invasion. Despite calls for compromise from many in the Japanese government, including royal family members, Tokimune defiantly rejected the demand and sent back the emissaries' headless bodies.

The Mongols sent a threatening letter and emissaries to Japan in January 1268. After discussion, Tokimune decided to send the emissaries back with no reply. The Mongols continued to send emissaries on March 7, 1269, September 17, 1269, September 1271, and May 1272, but each time Tokimune had them driven away without allowing them to land. After the first invasion in 1274 failed, five more emissaries were sent in September 1275 to Kyūshū, refusing to leave without a reply. Tokimune had them brought to Kamakura and beheaded. Their graves remain in Kamakura at Tatsunokuchi. On July 29, 1279, five more emissaries were sent and again beheaded, this time in Hakata.

[Samurai Resistance]

Tokimune led the emerging warrior class, later known as the samurai, against the Mongols. As a follower of Zen Buddhism, he integrated Zen principles with the samurai's moral code, which later became known as bushido. This code emphasized frugality, martial arts, loyalty, and "honor unto death." Originating from neo-Confucianism, bushido under Tokimune incorporated elements of Shinto and Zen, adding wisdom and serenity to the otherwise violent ethos. Eventually, under the Tokugawa shogunate, some of these bushido teachings were formalized into Japanese feudal law.

[The Roaring Lion]

When the Mongols invaded Japan, Tokimune approached his Zen Master, Mugaku and said, "At last, the greatest event of my life is here." Mugaku asked, "How do you plan to confront it?" Tokimune shouted, "Katsu!" (meaning "Victory!"), showcasing his determination to defeat the invaders. Mugaku, pleased, replied, "Indeed, the son of a lion roars like a lion!"

Due to Tokimune's influence, Zen Buddhism became firmly rooted in Kamakura and later spread to Kyoto and throughout Japan, particularly among the warrior class. Following the victory over the Mongols under Tokimune's leadership, Zen Buddhism quickly gained popularity among the samurai.

[Divine Wind]

Anticipating an invasion, on February 21, 1280, the Imperial Court commanded all temples and shrines to pray for victory over the Mongol Empire. Kublai Khan assembled troops for another invasion in 1281, which failed again, partly due to a typhoon. This storm, later called the Kamikaze or Divine Wind, was believed to be the wrath of the Thunder God, Raijin, against the Mongol invaders. As a result, Japan was saved and would not face another invasion threat until the end of World War II.

Class Skills

Riding C
Allow one to ride mundane beasts and vehicles with above-average competency.

Magic Resistance C
Allows one to be immune to spell below two verses chant. Fully affected by greater magecraft and greater rituals.

Personal Skills

Defiant Defender of State A
A shikken who rose to power in the midst of an imminent Mongol invasion, Tokimune went against the advice of his retainers to seek compromise with the Mongolian Emperor Kublai Khan, and instead defiantly rejected the proposal. Tokimune then led the Empire of Japan in a defensive war, successfully repelling the Mongolian army that had conquered so many others. Allows Tokimune to claim a region as his territory by securing the surrounding leylines. When fighting in the territory, grants plus modifiers to Strength, Endurance, and Agility.

Protection of the Gods A
When the Mongolian army invaded the isle of Japan, Tokimune ordered all temples and shrines to pray for victory over the Mongols. As a response to the prayer, it was said that the Thunder God Raijin, Sea God Ryujin, Wind God Fujin, and War God Hachiman interceded, most notably in the forms of the two typhoons that devastated the invading army. When fighting a defensive battle, gives a negative modifier to attacks against Tokimune both mental and physical.

Clarity of Mind B+
A practitioner of Zen Buddhism, Tokimune practices a habitual ‘emptying’ of the mind, focusing only on the task at hand. It was said that when asked by his Zen Master regarding what answer his meditation gave him to face the invading Mongolian Army, ‘Victory!’ resolutely said, was Tokimune’s only reply. It was said that Tokimune’s adherence to Zen philosophy was what gave rise to the bushido code of the samurai. Grants Tokimune immunity to mental interference effect ranked B or below and the ability to astutely judge the battlefield the equivalent of Eye of Mind B. While fighting a defensive battle in the territory he has claimed, the efficacy is improved.

Noble Phantasm

Kamikaze - Divine Wind of Raijin’s Fury
Rank: A
NP Type: Anti-Army
Range: 1-50
Maximum Number of Targets: 1000

Description:
The ruinous storm that destroyed the invading Mongolian Empire’s army during both invasions. In the final invasion of 1281, the 140,000-strong army composed of Chinese, Korean, and Mongolian troops were ravaged by a typhoon, leading to the victory of the Tokimune-led Empire of Japan. As a Noble Phantasm, the event has been sublimated into its myth of being the wrath of the Thunder God Raijin who had bestowed his favour to Tokimune.

This Noble Phantasm allowed Tokimune to summon lightning bolts and harsh gales of wind with his sword. With a true name release, the Noble Phantasm manifest as a divine thunderstorm that calls down the fury of heaven upon Tokimune’s enemy.

*Tokimune has manifested in the Kiyomizu-dera temple as a rouge servant and had seized the leylines around it to make the Higashiyama ward his territory