Leaning back and stretching, Koudou sighed as he looked at the stack of paperwork laid out in front of him. Glancing at the clock, he realized that school would have finished a little while back for most, but he’d received a pass to get through the formalities of the last day of classes early in order to get to the Judgment branch office. An emergency was what they had called it, but this time they’d been slow on the call as well.
Returning to the pile of reports in front of him, he continued to write about the incident that had taken place today- the fight that had broken out on the streets between SEED and REPORT. Properly reporting things to ensure the system would be able to function as the entity it was didn’t bother Koudou. Rather, it was the blatant disrespect for the law that had been on display in this case in broad daylight that frustrated him more than anything.
Signing his name at the bottom of the form for the third time in three minutes, he paused his work as he heard the phone on his desk ring. A call to the Judgment branch office? Guessing by how it was coming to this line at this time of day, it was more likely than not a call redirected from Anti-Skill.
Still. He had a duty to uphold, and that was to listen to even the smallest of complaints and help civilians in need. That, is Justice.
Picking up the phone, he was entirely unprepared for the high-pitched squealing of a small child. Wincing slightly at the unexpected shouts, he listened through the excited ramblings of the child until they had finished. A small smile had begun to spread when hearing the story, and his grin widened as it went on to the end.
“Sir, do you have a license to act in the capacity of ‘beating up a bad guy’? Vigilantism, while not the worst of crimes and not actively harmful to society as a whole, is still not properly allowed by national Japanese law,” Koudou begins. “However, as he did make aggressive actions towards you, and you were able to witness him in the act of a crime, you would be covered by Section 213 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to arrest him, as a Citizen’s Arrest.” Standing up from his chair, he begins to gather his belongings along with a few sheafs of paper, and make to head out.
“To stop a criminal on your own at such a young age… clearly, you must be one with a great passion for [Justice]. Would you like to join Judgment, young one?” Every word Koudou utters has a pounding force behind them. He means it, all of it.
“Ah, how rude of me. Could you tell me your name, and where you are right now? I can head over as soon as you tell me.”
Birthday: 16/05 Height: 182cm Weight: 86kg Nationality: Japanese
Personality: The rules are ironclad. The motto by which Koudou lives, his faith in the laws laid by Academy City has not wavered. Those with authority lay down rules, and rules must be upheld. Thus, the highest authority has the strongest rules, and take precedence over all.
Follow the rules. Or be made to.
Biography: Transferred into Academy City via proper channels after learning that his town didn’t allow underage students to be a part of the police force and that vigilantism was against the law. Instantly joined Judgment on his first day in the city, made his way to where he is now.
School: Nagatenjouki Academy
Grade: 11th grade
Skills: Needlework and Metalwork: Fixing and modifying his clothing to help him do his duty requires him to actually be able to do more than basic patchwork. Good Memory: Has memorized lots of laws. Theoretically could get into law school as he is but he prefers his current life. Martial Arts (Judgment): Has undergone all of Judgment’s CQC courses, in addition to optional course with weapons training such as the use of a riot shield and more. Also has experience with street brawls from his youth.
Faction(s): Judgment member.
Ability name: Iron Rule Level: 4 Premise: Metalkinesis Description: Capable of controlling things that are made of metal, irrespective of alloys and such. The maximum aggregate mass he can control at one point in time is 5000kg, but he starts experiencing major strain once he hits a fifth of his cap, with the strain worsening if he goes further past that value. His maximum range is 250 meters and in that range he can freely sense the form of metals and control them. Similarly to his weight cap, the further out the item he tries to control is, the power he has over it decreases exponentially.
On his person, Koudou generally wears his steel-plated boots and his jacket that has a few nuts and bolts in the pockets that he keeps there to listen to them rustle when he walks. When on duty he carries three pairs of handcuffs and one Academy-City issued Smart Handcuffs, along with a length of chain, and a 1kg discus made of a steel alloy.
Birthday: 16/05 Height: 182cm Weight: 86kg Nationality: Japanese
Personality: The rules are ironclad. The motto by which Koudou lives, his faith in the laws laid by Academy City has not wavered. Those with authority lay down rules, and rules must be upheld. Thus, the highest authority has the strongest rules, and take precedence over all.
Follow the rules. Or be made to.
Biography: Transferred into Academy City via proper channels after learning that his town didn’t allow underage students to be a part of the police force and that vigilantism was against the law. Instantly joined Judgment on his first day in the city, made his way to where he is now.
School: Nagatenjouki Academy
Grade: 11th grade
Skills: Needlework and Metalwork: Fixing and modifying his clothing to help him do his duty requires him to actually be able to do more than basic patchwork. Good Memory: Has memorized lots of laws. Theoretically could get into law school as he is but he prefers his current life. Martial Arts (Judgment): Has undergone all of Judgment’s CQC courses, in addition to optional course with weapons training such as the use of a riot shield and more. Also has experience with street brawls from his youth.
Faction(s): Judgment member.
Ability name: Iron Rule Level: 4 Premise: Metalkinesis Description: Capable of controlling things that are made of metal, irrespective of alloys and such. The maximum aggregate mass he can control at one point in time is 5000kg, but he starts experiencing major strain once he hits a fifth of his cap, with the strain worsening if he goes further past that value. His maximum range is 250 meters and in that range he can freely sense the form of metals and control them. Similarly to his weight cap, the further out the item he tries to control is, the power he has over it decreases exponentially.
On his person, Koudou generally wears his steel-plated boots and his jacket that has a few nuts and bolts in the pockets that he keeps there to listen to them rustle when he walks. When on duty he carries three pairs of handcuffs and one Academy-City issued Smart Handcuffs, along with a length of chain, and a 1kg discus made of a steel alloy.
A faraway dream. A foggy memory. A blurry vision of the future. Unclear, confused. A tendril of thought reaches out in the mists of unconsciousness, and connects.
One eye opens in reality, and two in the dream.
With quiet ease, an eyepatch-wearing maid slips into the hollowed-out warehouse. A soft voice speaks, halting and slightly broken.
“Greetings. This one greets you all in the name of my master.” A small bow, as her eye quickly takes in the surroundings. She views the map that Caster rolls out and his declaration of where the base would be located, and nods.
“This one’s master is the Master of Saber. Due to circumstances, he has elected to remain hidden until a proper base of operations is created for this team. We shall meet again at Caster’s territory.” With that and no more words said, she backs away and disappears into the night, the sound of hoofbeats suddenly audible before vanishing just as quickly.
The dream fades. The tendril vanishes.
-
Team Black: Sigurd, Berlin Cathedral
“Well, here we are, Master.” An imposing figure sits atop a horse with a much smaller figure sitting in front of him in the saddle. The smaller one, a white haired boy who seems as though he has taken a nap on the large grey mare, slumps forward with the movement of the horse. “Whoa there, careful now. Mind taking care of him, you lot?” At his words, a pair of maids steps off of the large wooden board tied to the horse in some bastardized approximation of a sled, one pulling a wheelchair off of the sled and the other taking the white-haired boy into her arms to put into the chair.
After the Master is settled in and comfortable, the horse vanishes and leaves behind the sled with the rest of its occupants. A group of five taking positions around the Master as one of the first two who got off pushes the wheelchair while the other, who looks similar enough to pass off as the same, perhaps a twin, picks up the large board used as a sled.
“All that’s left is to knock.” A fierce grin spreads across Sigurd’s face as he steps up to the edge of the Bounded Field.
Yeah, I did a poll recently in the Discord Chat. People wanted to have their servants chosen through the team, rather than being the master of their own servants. If you want, I can make an exception if you think that'd be best. Because I do like the dynamic idea you have. But part of the reason is to allow character dynamics that aren't pre-arranged. You can still have that moment of your servant confronting your master.
I think I'd like an exception, yeah. I'd feel it's a shame for those plothooks to go to waste.
True Name: Sigurd, King of Noble Warriors Class: Saber Gender: Male Alignment: Lawful Neutral Attribute: Earth
Appearance: Though it is perhaps cliché, Saber's own appearance makes it rather easy to tell for anyone that looks upon him that he is 'a great hero'. A lean frame that brims with confidence and strength, his height allows him to tower over most, easily standing at nearly two meters tall, features seemingly carved from marble, no less handsome for it and set into a permanent amused smirk. His skin is tan, taut muscles seemingly bereft of scars despite the notion that the man that boasts of them is a born warrior, and his ashen hair falls down, almost reaching his back, in a mess that is not devoid of its own grace. Though the blood is far too diluted to mean much, he still boasts the red eyes of those who possess the ichor of the divine flowing through their veins, set alight akin to twin crimson pyres, a wild air about him that is his constant companion wherever he goes.
Cutting an imposing figure, he is clad in the armaments of antiquity, a warrior displaced in time. A silver cuirass with blue accents – like breaking waves – along the edges covers his upper body, fashioned into the peak of human physique, made of a certain material long since unavailable to the modern world. Vambraces of the same make and pattern, greaves and boots comprise his armor alongside it and glimpses of fur can be seen, perhaps indicating the wearer is more used to colder climates, black leather pants underneath.
Personality: Summoned as Saber, his 'golden age' has been interpreted to be the form of his younger years – one he doubtlessly prefers the most. A youth that thirsts for excitement and, even though he attempts to sound relatively dignified, he often slips into rougher speech patterns, most prominently when his battle-lust is roused – perhaps part of the fault lies with the distortions of his culture sphere across time, but Sigurd would readily admit to his nature as a sort of hoodlum even while alive. In short, he gives the 'delinquent older brother' impression. Boastful, proud and nonetheless agreeable, Sigurd is what some would not hesitate to call an odd individual – though one who was aware of his tragic life could be led to believe that he would be the type that carries a somber air about him, the reality is far different, being the sort of man one could not help but bond over drinks with, someone who lives in the present, chasing the moment with all his being. He possesses pride, of course – pride as a hero, pride as a man. His entire life was spent thirsting for adventures like a man lost in the desert would thirst for water, whether recorded in the runestones or not – for is it not the duty of a hero to be grander, to live a life more exemplary than anyone else? To seek challenges in the morn, fight the strongest in the afternoon, make merry with one's companions at night and do it all over again the next day? Indeed, much like 'that one', Sigurd's life was spent doing 'what a hero should do', but unlike 'that man', who believed that heroes should merely limit themselves to doing as other asked, dangerous existences that they were, Sigurd's own belief was that a hero should strive towards greatness and follow his own heart more than anything, accomplishing great tasks not because it was requested, but because that was their very nature, how things were meant to be. He has no personal grudges about how his life turned out, even though it was one that was not lacking in wrong turns. 'I did my best, I think, so I will not sully my pride and their memory with regrets.', or so he would say. He met that woman he loved with all his heart and forged priceless friendships – so long as those moments, ephemeral as they were, remain engraved into his heart, Saber personally thinks that there is no point to regrets. Thus, he is not particularly interested in an 'omnipotent wish-granter', seeing the chance to take up his blade and walk again as enough. Though. . .he would not say no to a chance to meet that woman again and make the declaration he once could not. Perhaps that small wish is the only thing that weighs in his memory, even if he does not admit it.
In terms of disposition, he naturally leans towards 'justice', in the sense that he will 'do what he thinks is right because it is the right thing to do'. Even when warned that meeting that woman would surely bring about his ruin and death, he still trudged forward to awaken her and free her from her imprisonment. However, this is not to say he places those with 'good intentions' higher than those with 'evil ambitions', for he is still someone who learned long ago of the inherent unfairness of the world. To begin with, cruelty and kindness are as two sides of the same coin, which means that what truly matters is the drive and capacity to see one's vision through. This viewpoint naturally makes him look down on those he deems as 'having weak wills'. This means that he is naturally flexible in terms of those he is willing to serve under, and even if he disagrees with the method, so long as the Master shows the drive he appreciates, he is bound to follow orders loyally. The only thing to challenge that loyalty would doubtlessly be nothing short of what he would consider a personal betrayal.
That said, he obviously should have a preferred type of Master. To describe them in a simple manner. . .
'The type of idiot that just does not know how to give up'.
History: The great hero of the Völsunga Saga, and oft regarded as the greatest and most famous within Norse mythology, Sigurd, Son of Sigmund and Slayer of Fafnir. A mortal that lived during the Age of Gods, one through whose veins still ran the blood of Odin, he fostered under Regin, the brother of Fafnir, who would be the one to both give him his famous sword and egg him on to slay the dragon, thereby starting the chain of events that would lead to the episodes depicted in his legend. He would meet a certain woman – a Valkyrie by the name of Brynhildr, whom he would exchange vows with, yet she would nonetheless foretell his doom and marriage to another woman. Eventually parting ways, he would arrive to a certain court, where the queen would slip by him a potion that would force Sigurd to forget all about Brynhildr, and thus render him amenable to marriage with Gudrun.
He would be fast friends with (and loyal to) his brother-in-law, Gunnar, who would attempt to woo Brynhildr herself, but the tests of the Valkyrie would prove too much and, exchanging oaths of secrecy and with a heavy heart, Sigurd would supplant him. He did not remember Brynhildr – he simply felt the acts went against his sense of honor and her own dignity, yet he remained steadfast in his loyalty and successfully passed her tasks, exchanging places with Gunnar once he was no longer needed.
Life would be kind, for a while. But lies, as we all know, cannot last. Eventually discovering the truth, feeling cheated out of the man she desired and burning with indignation, Brynhildr succumbed to her love for Sigurd.
. . .Yet, for a Valkyria that ferries souls to Valhalla, 'to love' is synonymous with 'to kill'. And so, she did, arranging for the death of the man she held so dear. That was the sad end to a sordid tale, and eventually Brynhildr would willingly commit suicide by throwing herself to Sigurd's own funeral pyre, their ashes scattered and mixing in the wind.
Weapon: His sword, Gram, his armor crafted from Fafnir's scales and his mare, Grani.
PARAMETERS STR: A END: A+ AGI: B MGI: A LCK: E
CLASS SKILLS Riding: A+. Saber can freely manipulate the simplest vehicles or state-of-the-art technology with ease, and at this Rank, even Phantasmal Beast or Divine Beast-class creatures may be commanded and used as mounts, though it does not apply to members of the 'Dragonkind'.
Magic Resistance: -. A Skill that determines the level of inherent resistance the Servant possesses against Thaumaturgy that attempts direct interference upon the self.
. . .However, it has been lost.
PERSONAL SKILLS Revelation: B. An anecdote of his story tells of his consumption of the dragon's blood and later, heart, and following this, he was able to know of the dwarf Regin's plan to murder him and have Fafnir's hoard entirely for himself thanks to the birds warning him ahead of time, after which Sigurd killed the dwarf. He is not truly talking with them – rather, upon consumption, he artificially inherited a sort of 'wisdom' that manifested itself as a strange connection with the world. He is able to interpret the song of birds, the caress of the wind upon blades of grass and the thrum of mana in the air as warnings or advice on 'what is the best path' or 'what will come next'. However, Saber seems to have willingly sealed it away, or is otherwise ignoring it wholesale. The only leftover is a persistent sense of 'déjà vu'. Perhaps it is not something that should be said, but Saber seems to be less than fond of this. Through use of a Command Spell, it has been unsealed.
Prana Defense: A+. A variation of the skill known as 'Prana Burst'. The fundamentals remain unchanged – use of prana as fuel to accomplish greater feats, but this variation is oriented purely towards defense. Effectively, it is 'magical energy translated into armor'. The act of bathing in Fafnir's blood changed the nature of his existence to that of a 'dragon', and the act of partaking in its flesh and organs gifted him with the so-called 'Dragon Factor' – effectively, Saber is constantly wrapped in magical energy reminiscent to that of such creatures, suffusing the entirety of his physical form, and even without accounting for any physical protections, his body alone is already on par with the Dragonkind – such is the true nature of 'the hero Sigurd's invincible skin' so often praised. However, this invulnerability possesses the same caveat that would be expected – a linden leaf stuck to his back while bathing, and made that place the only one of his body the blood would not reach, and thus, the only true weakness in a defense that should have been, by all rights, absolute.
Due to this, his Saint Graph as a whole manifests the nature of a 'Dragon', and thus, he is liable to be more vulnerable against heroes or weapons associated with 'Dragon Extermination'. It is quite ironic that the bane of one of the greatest dragon-slayers would be 'kindred spirits'.
Rune Magic: B. Skill to employ Runes, the ancient Magic Crest of Northern Europe. Having obtained all eighteen from that Valkyrie he once met, herself having mastered them long ago, his skill with magecraft is beyond doubt, and proper employment would see him able to concoct even a shield capable of blocking a great Noble Phantasm, enhancing attributes or attacks and even mount a defense against high-grade Mystic Eyes.
Perhaps owing to who taught him, he treasures the knowledge for more than just whatever advantages it might offer.
Inversion Impulse: E. The urge to give in to an impulse that is both 'inherent to the self' yet 'completely alien to the self'. In the case of Sigurd, this impulse speaks to the nature of 'Dragon' that pervades his Saint Graph, the blood running through his veins and drenching his skin. Fafnir was not a two-bit lesser drake – but rather, an archetypal existence that burned the meaning of 'dragon' in generations to come, only rivalled by one other. Tapping into this forbidden well causes a surge in STR not too dissimilar to the effect of Monstrous Strength.
However, every time it is used, there will be a Rank-up to the Skill. Through E to B, no changes will occur in the physical sense – though the Servant's psyche may be compromised, if still functional – but, as the grudge of his blade grows and this Skill attains its apex, should it be used for one last time when it reaches A Rank, a shift will be made manifest upon Sigurd's Saint Graph, turning him into something far removed from the man he is now.
NOBLE PHANTASM Grani – Through the Flames, Nothing shall Bar Our Path Rank: B Type: Anti-Unit (Self) Range: 1-99 A fantastical existence known as Grani, Sigurd's much beloved gray mare. The horse itself is of magnificent stock – a gift from Odin while disguised as an old man, through its veins runs the blood of Sleipnir. Though it has attained 'only' Phantasmal Beast status, it should be noted that its age and lineage make it an incredibly strong specimen. Sigurd may call Grani during combat in order to supplement his mobility and attempt to trample his enemies under powerful hooves, but in the end, this is not the true use of 'Grani, Sigurd's Noble Phantasm', so much as it is a use of 'Grani, Sigurd's powerful mount'.
Rather than 'combat', the Noble Phantasm could be said to be a combination of both Sigurd and Grani in tandem used for 'travel'. A certain fragment of his legend speaks of how one of Gunnar's tasks was to pass the ring of fire in order to court Brynhildr, and it is noted to be a task only Grani could accomplish – and only with Sigurd using it as his mount. There are no mentions of why such a thing was required or how such a feat was accomplished beyond the implied 'Grani was the best of horses, and Sigurd the best of heroes', and the Noble Phantasm is both a crystallization of the feat and the implication it carried. No matter how treacherous the path, complicated the Bounded Field or well-defended the fortress, should the True Name of the Noble Phantasm be activated, Sigurd and Grani will inevitably appear at their set destination as though by spatial transference – effectively 'Grani and Sigurd must travel through treacherous ground in order to arrive' shifts into 'Grani and Sigurd travelled through treacherous ground in order to arrive', forcing the world to conform to such 'truth' and skipping the 'journey'. So long as Sigurd knows where the place he wishes to travel to is located, they shall 'certainly reach their destination'.While this steed should only be accessible with it’s true capabilities if Sigurd is summoned in the Rider class, the bonus of Staging Ground allows for the ability to remain.
It could be said to be similar to a writer's own laziness in not figuring out a means through which the hero could have bypassed the traps in his way, and simply insisting that he did because 'this is one of those situations where the destination is more important than the journey, isn't it? Just get on with the story!'. Of course, the flipside of such is that the farther away the destination and the more dangerous the path (interesting from a storytelling standpoint), the more magical energy will be consumed if the Noble Phantasm is used.
Audiences are truly merciless.
En med snøen- One with the Snow, the Cloak of Deceit Rank: C Type: Anti-Unit (Self) Maximum Number of Targets: 1 Range: 1 The cloak which Sigurd wore in the trials Gunther underwent to aid him secretly. When he puts the cloak on, his presence vanishes, and he becomes hidden entirely from the world. Wearing it also gives Sigurd a Strength modifier of a single +. Thanks to the many anecdotes involving the cloak being offered to another to use, Sigurd can freely give this cloak to anyone and allow them to use its effects without a drain upon themselves. There is also a point about how the true strength of the cloak lies in its capability to shift a user to a desired form, but Sigurd is unable to bring out the true potential in it.
Gram – Blade of Glory, Blade of Ruin. Rank: A ++ Type: Anti-Army Maximum Number of Targets: 500 Range: 1-99 The fabled 'sword in the tree which grants sovereignty', a prototype of the arguably more famous 'sword in the stone that selects the king', doubtlessly among the strongest of magic swords and the very strongest blade of Norse origin. Originally crafted by the gods and retrieved by Sigurd's father, Sigmund, it was broken by Odin's Gungnir during battle. An episode of his legend tells of his quest to find a sword 'worthy of a hero' that will permit him to slay Fafnir. Regin forged for him two meager blades, which broke upon testing due to Sigurd's phenomenal might, and in the end, the youth handed the dwarf the remnants of his father's blade in order to remake it for the son. However, this is not the end of the tale.
Indeed, it was first forged by the gods. Indeed, it was remade by the dwarf – inhuman in both make and size, boasting enormity only such hands could confer. Yet, at the same time, it was weak because it had been remade – Mystery, once lost, cannot be regained. Such is the way of the world, and Gram's was lost the very moment Odin broke it. Thus, although first-rate and able to withstand Sigurd's strength, the blade itself was still a shadow of its former self – its self when it was unbroken and unsullied, which could never be attained again regardless of the smith being the lowest wretch of the mortal realm or the highest among gods. Instead, a different route was taken.
Its nature shifted. Its form shifted. Its identity shifted. Gone was the elegant Sword in the Tree – make way now for the blade that would bring about glory beyond measure and ruin beyond measure, a sword that collected into itself the hatred and curses of the fallen, a demonic blade steeped in the grudges of those slain by Sigurd. Those grudges are the chief source of its power – for hatred that lasts beyond death is no small thing, promising 'glory on the battlefield'. Yet, at the same time, they also bring about the 'ruin' of the wielder – causing Sigurd's Luck to plummet.
In practical terms, the blade will absorb Mana from the surrounding area and passively feast upon Sigurd's magical energy upon being wielded, accumulating it within. Thus, the longer the battle goes on, the faster it can be activated, which can be useful under certain circumstances. Runes carved upon the flat of the blade channel and augment – 'amplify' – the prana within, and True Name invocation will cause an explosive release of magical energy for the purpose of 'destruction' alone. Compared to the elegant gold slashes of certain Holy Swords and the semicircle of searing twilight unleashed by one in particular, Demonic Blade Gram's release is shaped like a raging, unreasonable cone of vivid crimson that even Sigurd has great difficulty controlling, and it would be no less than ruinous if loosed carelessly, able to match even that Holy Sword which is touted as 'the strongest'.
Physically, the blade is shaped like a truly gargantuan greatsword, almost longer than Sigurd himself is tall and as wide as two and a half adult hands pressed flat. Unlike the more ornate weapons of the era said to be wielded by this man, Gram carries nothing to disguise its true nature – a masterfully crafted killing tool, lacking even a guard, and devoted solely to bringing about the deaths of those in the path of the swing. Though razor sharp – Regin was indeed a master of his craft – its enormity makes it seem more like it would be used as a giant, bladed club than an actual cutting tool like Sigurd can – and indeed, any man that does not possess the strength of the aforementioned dragon-slayer would find it nearly impossible to even lift it, much less wield it, and would likely decry it as far too massive to be called a sword – more like a lump of metal with a handle that would be more at home displayed as a parody. As mentioned, various runes are carved upon the blade and are key to its use as a Noble Phantasm – though they also accomplish a 'warding', keeping the grudges of the slain Gram so greedily feasts upon contained within the steel. An unwieldy demonic weapon that one would think to be the tool of a villain, nonetheless owned by a first-rate hero that passed on to the annals of history.
Incidentally, it would be renamed 'Balmung' at a later date, most prominently within Wagner's Nibelungenlied and Ring Cycle in general, suffering a change in appearance and a revision to its origins, shifting its nature once more. One cannot help but be thankful for this – after all, 'that man' already had enough troubles heaped upon him.
Name: Johann Einzbern Age: 1 ½ years old Gender: Male Weight: 50kg Height: 5’9” Elemental Affinity: Void Alignment: True Neutral ____________________________________________________________________________________ Magic Circuits Number: A Quality: A ____________________________________________________________________________________ Magecraft/Abilities: As a manufactured homunculus with his focus being in the generation, manipulation, and general understanding of prana, Johann would be expected to be capable of a grand number of things.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Being stuck in a coma a month after his “birth” left him capable of only activating his circuits and using some basics. However, due to the way he was created, even in his current state he is capable of using his circuits. He still dreams, and still twitches, but he cannot escape his coma. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Other Abilities: A comatose Homunculus. Not a lot.
Mental Connection: The capability to connect one's mind to another's. Johann utilizes a simplified form of this, in that he can reach out and grasp the minds of many, understanding them and communicating with them in his 'dream'. The more people he connects with, the less 'personal' the communication becomes. Once the number of people he is interacting with exceeds his fingers on one hand, it could be likened to "a top-down strategy game." He finds it extremely easier to connect with other Homunculi, both in terms of numbers and distance, and can command them very easily. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Mystic Codes/ Magical Items: A nice wheelchair that doubles as a bed. The wheelchair can also move on it’s own quite quickly if powered with prana. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Weapons/ Other Belongings: A group of Homunculi created by the Einzbern factory sent along with Johann in order to take care of him and be able to defend him. Only one pair are proper combat Homunculi created by the Einzberns, a pair of twins with considerable skill at arms and combat, while the other 5 are failures much in the same sense as Johann, with flaws in their creation preventing them from operating at their best. The 5 failures are also strong combatants, but cannot reach the peak levels of strength the twins can. The name of the “proper” Einzbern homunculus that is the leader of the group is Anneliese and her sister is Sari. The others did not warrant names. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Personality: An inquisitive child, who barely got to see much of the castle before slipping into a coma, much less learn of the world outside. Little understanding of the true nature of the outside world, leading to much enthusiasm if he ever gets to interact with something new. Unfortunately, with his comatose state, he isn’t exactly capable of such.
Not only is he a curious soul, Johann is also very blunt, generally preferring the direct path, an immediate solution. As a young child, he harbors a powerful desire to “know the ending”, not having grown enough to understand the joy of the Journey to reach such a point. He may regret such rash behavior in the future, however.
Capable of understanding others, due to the pain he himself lives in of no life at all. Believes that living any moment of your life without enjoying it to the fullest is a waste.
Background: A Homunculus created by the Einzbern factory with the purpose of being able to channel immense amounts of prana safely and easily. A prototype model to try and recreate Justeaze with the necessary capability to serve as a Lesser Grail.
Unfortunately, he was ultimately deemed a failure. Trash. A reject of the Einzbern house. His talent and function kept him alive and under care, but he was unable to serve as a Lesser Grail, nor was he capable of moving on his own due to his own coma. However, his mind is still active beneath it all, slowly, dreaming and wishing.
Finally, the Einzbern family decided to send him to the war in Germany. A reject being sent offhand to research the possibility of a knockoff or fake. The main important resources were sent to Fuyuki to pursue the true grail, but some things were spared for the side-project. Mostly trash, but why invest any more in something not confirmed to be real? ____________________________________________________________________________________ Wish/Reason for Being in the War: While Johann does have a personal wish, he understands his duty first and foremost to the Einzbern family. To retrieve the Greater Grail, he must fight in this war. However- that does not dispose him of his wish. He wishes to live life as a real person, to enjoy what could have been, had he been “normal”.
@SoCSoD Both are accepted, but maybe not use words like "absolute" in describing his armor, since we talked in private, and you said that's just hyperbole. That way other players aren't thinking he's invincible. As for your master, consider some way to let him communicate with others. Since chatting with other players is a must, and you can't really use your own servant as a talker for you. (Since you are unlikely to be the Master of the servant you create, and I don't want another player feeling like they have to be responsible for translating everything to others.)
Oh, so we're not summoning our own servants? I thought that was a distinct possibility, though. I made the sheets with that partially in mind, thanks to the connection that the Einzbern and Sigurd share what with their connection to the Rhinegold and most of the Homunculi essentially being artificial Rhine Maidens.
For my master, I'll be adding in a tidbit about him being able to interact with the outside world using the maids then.
True Name: Sigurd, King of Noble Warriors Class: Saber Gender: Male Alignment: Lawful Neutral Attribute: Earth
Appearance: Though it is perhaps cliché, Saber's own appearance makes it rather easy to tell for anyone that looks upon him that he is 'a great hero'. A lean frame that brims with confidence and strength, his height allows him to tower over most, easily standing at nearly two meters tall, features seemingly carved from marble, no less handsome for it and set into a permanent amused smirk. His skin is tan, taut muscles seemingly bereft of scars despite the notion that the man that boasts of them is a born warrior, and his ashen hair falls down, almost reaching his back, in a mess that is not devoid of its own grace. Though the blood is far too diluted to mean much, he still boasts the red eyes of those who possess the ichor of the divine flowing through their veins, set alight akin to twin crimson pyres, a wild air about him that is his constant companion wherever he goes.
Cutting an imposing figure, he is clad in the armaments of antiquity, a warrior displaced in time. A silver cuirass with blue accents – like breaking waves – along the edges covers his upper body, fashioned into the peak of human physique, made of a certain material long since unavailable to the modern world. Vambraces of the same make and pattern, greaves and boots comprise his armor alongside it and glimpses of fur can be seen, perhaps indicating the wearer is more used to colder climates, black leather pants underneath.
Personality: Summoned as Saber, his 'golden age' has been interpreted to be the form of his younger years – one he doubtlessly prefers the most. A youth that thirsts for excitement and, even though he attempts to sound relatively dignified, he often slips into rougher speech patterns, most prominently when his battle-lust is roused – perhaps part of the fault lies with the distortions of his culture sphere across time, but Sigurd would readily admit to his nature as a sort of hoodlum even while alive. In short, he gives the 'delinquent older brother' impression. Boastful, proud and nonetheless agreeable, Sigurd is what some would not hesitate to call an odd individual – though one who was aware of his tragic life could be led to believe that he would be the type that carries a somber air about him, the reality is far different, being the sort of man one could not help but bond over drinks with, someone who lives in the present, chasing the moment with all his being. He possesses pride, of course – pride as a hero, pride as a man. His entire life was spent thirsting for adventures like a man lost in the desert would thirst for water, whether recorded in the runestones or not – for is it not the duty of a hero to be grander, to live a life more exemplary than anyone else? To seek challenges in the morn, fight the strongest in the afternoon, make merry with one's companions at night and do it all over again the next day? Indeed, much like 'that one', Sigurd's life was spent doing 'what a hero should do', but unlike 'that man', who believed that heroes should merely limit themselves to doing as other asked, dangerous existences that they were, Sigurd's own belief was that a hero should strive towards greatness and follow his own heart more than anything, accomplishing great tasks not because it was requested, but because that was their very nature, how things were meant to be. He has no personal grudges about how his life turned out, even though it was one that was not lacking in wrong turns. 'I did my best, I think, so I will not sully my pride and their memory with regrets.', or so he would say. He met that woman he loved with all his heart and forged priceless friendships – so long as those moments, ephemeral as they were, remain engraved into his heart, Saber personally thinks that there is no point to regrets. Thus, he is not particularly interested in an 'omnipotent wish-granter', seeing the chance to take up his blade and walk again as enough. Though. . .he would not say no to a chance to meet that woman again and make the declaration he once could not. Perhaps that small wish is the only thing that weighs in his memory, even if he does not admit it.
In terms of disposition, he naturally leans towards 'justice', in the sense that he will 'do what he thinks is right because it is the right thing to do'. Even when warned that meeting that woman would surely bring about his ruin and death, he still trudged forward to awaken her and free her from her imprisonment. However, this is not to say he places those with 'good intentions' higher than those with 'evil ambitions', for he is still someone who learned long ago of the inherent unfairness of the world. To begin with, cruelty and kindness are as two sides of the same coin, which means that what truly matters is the drive and capacity to see one's vision through. This viewpoint naturally makes him look down on those he deems as 'having weak wills'. This means that he is naturally flexible in terms of those he is willing to serve under, and even if he disagrees with the method, so long as the Master shows the drive he appreciates, he is bound to follow orders loyally. The only thing to challenge that loyalty would doubtlessly be nothing short of what he would consider a personal betrayal.
That said, he obviously should have a preferred type of Master. To describe them in a simple manner. . .
'The type of idiot that just does not know how to give up'.
History: The great hero of the Völsunga Saga, and oft regarded as the greatest and most famous within Norse mythology, Sigurd, Son of Sigmund and Slayer of Fafnir. A mortal that lived during the Age of Gods, one through whose veins still ran the blood of Odin, he fostered under Regin, the brother of Fafnir, who would be the one to both give him his famous sword and egg him on to slay the dragon, thereby starting the chain of events that would lead to the episodes depicted in his legend. He would meet a certain woman – a Valkyrie by the name of Brynhildr, whom he would exchange vows with, yet she would nonetheless foretell his doom and marriage to another woman. Eventually parting ways, he would arrive to a certain court, where the queen would slip by him a potion that would force Sigurd to forget all about Brynhildr, and thus render him amenable to marriage with Gudrun.
He would be fast friends with (and loyal to) his brother-in-law, Gunnar, who would attempt to woo Brynhildr herself, but the tests of the Valkyrie would prove too much and, exchanging oaths of secrecy and with a heavy heart, Sigurd would supplant him. He did not remember Brynhildr – he simply felt the acts went against his sense of honor and her own dignity, yet he remained steadfast in his loyalty and successfully passed her tasks, exchanging places with Gunnar once he was no longer needed.
Life would be kind, for a while. But lies, as we all know, cannot last. Eventually discovering the truth, feeling cheated out of the man she desired and burning with indignation, Brynhildr succumbed to her love for Sigurd.
. . .Yet, for a Valkyria that ferries souls to Valhalla, 'to love' is synonymous with 'to kill'. And so, she did, arranging for the death of the man she held so dear. That was the sad end to a sordid tale, and eventually Brynhildr would willingly commit suicide by throwing herself to Sigurd's own funeral pyre, their ashes scattered and mixing in the wind.
Weapon: His sword, Gram, his armor crafted from Fafnir's scales and his mare, Grani.
PARAMETERS STR: A END: A+ AGI: B MGI: A LCK: E
CLASS SKILLS Riding: A+. Saber can freely manipulate the simplest vehicles or state-of-the-art technology with ease, and at this Rank, even Phantasmal Beast or Divine Beast-class creatures may be commanded and used as mounts, though it does not apply to members of the 'Dragonkind'.
Magic Resistance: -. A Skill that determines the level of inherent resistance the Servant possesses against Thaumaturgy that attempts direct interference upon the self.
. . .However, it has been lost.
PERSONAL SKILLS Revelation: B. An anecdote of his story tells of his consumption of the dragon's blood and later, heart, and following this, he was able to know of the dwarf Regin's plan to murder him and have Fafnir's hoard entirely for himself thanks to the birds warning him ahead of time, after which Sigurd killed the dwarf. He is not truly talking with them – rather, upon consumption, he artificially inherited a sort of 'wisdom' that manifested itself as a strange connection with the world. He is able to interpret the song of birds, the caress of the wind upon blades of grass and the thrum of mana in the air as warnings or advice on 'what is the best path' or 'what will come next'. However, Saber seems to have willingly sealed it away, or is otherwise ignoring it wholesale. The only leftover is a persistent sense of 'déjà vu'. Perhaps it is not something that should be said, but Saber seems to be less than fond of this. Through use of a Command Spell, it has been unsealed.
Prana Defense: A+. A variation of the skill known as 'Prana Burst'. The fundamentals remain unchanged – use of prana as fuel to accomplish greater feats, but this variation is oriented purely towards defense. Effectively, it is 'magical energy translated into armor'. The act of bathing in Fafnir's blood changed the nature of his existence to that of a 'dragon', and the act of partaking in its flesh and organs gifted him with the so-called 'Dragon Factor' – effectively, Saber is constantly wrapped in magical energy reminiscent to that of such creatures, suffusing the entirety of his physical form, and even without accounting for any physical protections, his body alone is already on par with the Dragonkind – such is the true nature of 'the hero Sigurd's invincible skin' so often praised. However, this invulnerability possesses the same caveat that would be expected – a linden leaf stuck to his back while bathing, and made that place the only one of his body the blood would not reach, and thus, the only true weakness in a defense that should have been, by all rights, absolute.
Due to this, his Saint Graph as a whole manifests the nature of a 'Dragon', and thus, he is liable to be more vulnerable against heroes or weapons associated with 'Dragon Extermination'. It is quite ironic that the bane of one of the greatest dragon-slayers would be 'kindred spirits'.
Rune Magic: B. Skill to employ Runes, the ancient Magic Crest of Northern Europe. Having obtained all eighteen from that Valkyrie he once met, herself having mastered them long ago, his skill with magecraft is beyond doubt, and proper employment would see him able to concoct even a shield capable of blocking a great Noble Phantasm, enhancing attributes or attacks and even mount a defense against high-grade Mystic Eyes.
Perhaps owing to who taught him, he treasures the knowledge for more than just whatever advantages it might offer.
Inversion Impulse: E. The urge to give in to an impulse that is both 'inherent to the self' yet 'completely alien to the self'. In the case of Sigurd, this impulse speaks to the nature of 'Dragon' that pervades his Saint Graph, the blood running through his veins and drenching his skin. Fafnir was not a two-bit lesser drake – but rather, an archetypal existence that burned the meaning of 'dragon' in generations to come, only rivalled by one other. Tapping into this forbidden well causes a surge in STR not too dissimilar to the effect of Monstrous Strength.
However, every time it is used, there will be a Rank-up to the Skill. Through E to B, no changes will occur in the physical sense – though the Servant's psyche may be compromised, if still functional – but, as the grudge of his blade grows and this Skill attains its apex, should it be used for one last time when it reaches A Rank, a shift will be made manifest upon Sigurd's Saint Graph, turning him into something far removed from the man he is now.
NOBLE PHANTASM Grani – Through the Flames, Nothing shall Bar Our Path Rank: B Type: Anti-Unit (Self) Range: 1-99 A fantastical existence known as Grani, Sigurd's much beloved gray mare. The horse itself is of magnificent stock – a gift from Odin while disguised as an old man, through its veins runs the blood of Sleipnir. Though it has attained 'only' Phantasmal Beast status, it should be noted that its age and lineage make it an incredibly strong specimen. Sigurd may call Grani during combat in order to supplement his mobility and attempt to trample his enemies under powerful hooves, but in the end, this is not the true use of 'Grani, Sigurd's Noble Phantasm', so much as it is a use of 'Grani, Sigurd's powerful mount'.
Rather than 'combat', the Noble Phantasm could be said to be a combination of both Sigurd and Grani in tandem used for 'travel'. A certain fragment of his legend speaks of how one of Gunnar's tasks was to pass the ring of fire in order to court Brynhildr, and it is noted to be a task only Grani could accomplish – and only with Sigurd using it as his mount. There are no mentions of why such a thing was required or how such a feat was accomplished beyond the implied 'Grani was the best of horses, and Sigurd the best of heroes', and the Noble Phantasm is both a crystallization of the feat and the implication it carried. No matter how treacherous the path, complicated the Bounded Field or well-defended the fortress, should the True Name of the Noble Phantasm be activated, Sigurd and Grani will inevitably appear at their set destination as though by spatial transference – effectively 'Grani and Sigurd must travel through treacherous ground in order to arrive' shifts into 'Grani and Sigurd travelled through treacherous ground in order to arrive', forcing the world to conform to such 'truth' and skipping the 'journey'. So long as Sigurd knows where the place he wishes to travel to is located, they shall 'certainly reach their destination'.While this steed should only be accessible with it’s true capabilities if Sigurd is summoned in the Rider class, the bonus of Staging Ground allows for the ability to remain.
It could be said to be similar to a writer's own laziness in not figuring out a means through which the hero could have bypassed the traps in his way, and simply insisting that he did because 'this is one of those situations where the destination is more important than the journey, isn't it? Just get on with the story!'. Of course, the flipside of such is that the farther away the destination and the more dangerous the path (interesting from a storytelling standpoint), the more magical energy will be consumed if the Noble Phantasm is used.
Audiences are truly merciless.
En med snøen- One with the Snow, the Cloak of Deceit Rank: C Type: Anti-Unit (Self) Maximum Number of Targets: 1 Range: 1 The cloak which Sigurd wore in the trials Gunther underwent to aid him secretly. When he puts the cloak on, his presence vanishes, and he becomes hidden entirely from the world. Wearing it also gives Sigurd a Strength modifier of a single +. Thanks to the many anecdotes involving the cloak being offered to another to use, Sigurd can freely give this cloak to anyone and allow them to use its effects without a drain upon themselves. There is also a point about how the true strength of the cloak lies in its capability to shift a user to a desired form, but Sigurd is unable to bring out the true potential in it.
Gram – Blade of Glory, Blade of Ruin. Rank: A ++ Type: Anti-Army Maximum Number of Targets: 500 Range: 1-99 The fabled 'sword in the tree which grants sovereignty', a prototype of the arguably more famous 'sword in the stone that selects the king', doubtlessly among the strongest of magic swords and the very strongest blade of Norse origin. Originally crafted by the gods and retrieved by Sigurd's father, Sigmund, it was broken by Odin's Gungnir during battle. An episode of his legend tells of his quest to find a sword 'worthy of a hero' that will permit him to slay Fafnir. Regin forged for him two meager blades, which broke upon testing due to Sigurd's phenomenal might, and in the end, the youth handed the dwarf the remnants of his father's blade in order to remake it for the son. However, this is not the end of the tale.
Indeed, it was first forged by the gods. Indeed, it was remade by the dwarf – inhuman in both make and size, boasting enormity only such hands could confer. Yet, at the same time, it was weak because it had been remade – Mystery, once lost, cannot be regained. Such is the way of the world, and Gram's was lost the very moment Odin broke it. Thus, although first-rate and able to withstand Sigurd's strength, the blade itself was still a shadow of its former self – its self when it was unbroken and unsullied, which could never be attained again regardless of the smith being the lowest wretch of the mortal realm or the highest among gods. Instead, a different route was taken.
Its nature shifted. Its form shifted. Its identity shifted. Gone was the elegant Sword in the Tree – make way now for the blade that would bring about glory beyond measure and ruin beyond measure, a sword that collected into itself the hatred and curses of the fallen, a demonic blade steeped in the grudges of those slain by Sigurd. Those grudges are the chief source of its power – for hatred that lasts beyond death is no small thing, promising 'glory on the battlefield'. Yet, at the same time, they also bring about the 'ruin' of the wielder – causing Sigurd's Luck to plummet.
In practical terms, the blade will absorb Mana from the surrounding area and passively feast upon Sigurd's magical energy upon being wielded, accumulating it within. Thus, the longer the battle goes on, the faster it can be activated, which can be useful under certain circumstances. Runes carved upon the flat of the blade channel and augment – 'amplify' – the prana within, and True Name invocation will cause an explosive release of magical energy for the purpose of 'destruction' alone. Compared to the elegant gold slashes of certain Holy Swords and the semicircle of searing twilight unleashed by one in particular, Demonic Blade Gram's release is shaped like a raging, unreasonable cone of vivid crimson that even Sigurd has great difficulty controlling, and it would be no less than ruinous if loosed carelessly, able to match even that Holy Sword which is touted as 'the strongest'.
Physically, the blade is shaped like a truly gargantuan greatsword, almost longer than Sigurd himself is tall and as wide as two and a half adult hands pressed flat. Unlike the more ornate weapons of the era said to be wielded by this man, Gram carries nothing to disguise its true nature – a masterfully crafted killing tool, lacking even a guard, and devoted solely to bringing about the deaths of those in the path of the swing. Though razor sharp – Regin was indeed a master of his craft – its enormity makes it seem more like it would be used as a giant, bladed club than an actual cutting tool like Sigurd can – and indeed, any man that does not possess the strength of the aforementioned dragon-slayer would find it nearly impossible to even lift it, much less wield it, and would likely decry it as far too massive to be called a sword – more like a lump of metal with a handle that would be more at home displayed as a parody. As mentioned, various runes are carved upon the blade and are key to its use as a Noble Phantasm – though they also accomplish a 'warding', keeping the grudges of the slain Gram so greedily feasts upon contained within the steel. An unwieldy demonic weapon that one would think to be the tool of a villain, nonetheless owned by a first-rate hero that passed on to the annals of history.
Incidentally, it would be renamed 'Balmung' at a later date, most prominently within Wagner's Nibelungenlied and Ring Cycle in general, suffering a change in appearance and a revision to its origins, shifting its nature once more. One cannot help but be thankful for this – after all, 'that man' already had enough troubles heaped upon him.
Name: Johann Einzbern Age: 1 ½ years old Gender: Male Weight: 50kg Height: 5’9” Elemental Affinity: Void Alignment: True Neutral ____________________________________________________________________________________ Magic Circuits Number: A Quality: A ____________________________________________________________________________________ Magecraft/Abilities: As a manufactured homunculus with his focus being in the generation, manipulation, and general understanding of prana, Johann would be expected to be capable of a grand number of things.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Being stuck in a coma a month after his “birth” left him capable of only activating his circuits and using some basics. However, due to the way he was created, even in his current state he is capable of using his circuits. He still dreams, and still twitches, but he cannot escape his coma. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Other Abilities: A comatose Homunculus. What do you think. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Mystic Codes/ Magical Items: A nice wheelchair that doubles as a bed. The wheelchair can also move on it’s own quite quickly if powered with prana. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Weapons/ Other Belongings: A group of Homunculi created by the Einzbern factory sent along with Johann in order to take care of him and be able to defend him. Only one is a proper combat Homunculus created by the Einzberns, while the other 5 are failures much in the same sense as Johann, with flaws in their creation preventing them from operating at their best. The name of the “proper” Einzbern homunculus that is the leader of the group is Anneliese. The others did not warrant names. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Personality: An inquisitive child, who barely got to see much of the castle before slipping into a coma, much less learn of the world outside. Little understanding of the true nature of the outside world, leading to much enthusiasm if he ever gets to interact with something new. Unfortunately, with his comatose state, he isn’t exactly capable of such.
Not only is he a curious soul, Johann is also very blunt, generally preferring the direct path, an immediate solution. As a young child, he harbors a powerful desire to “know the ending”, not having grown enough to understand the joy of the Journey to reach such a point. He may regret such rash behavior in the future, however.
Capable of understanding others, due to the pain he himself lives in of no life at all. Believes that living any moment of your life without enjoying it to the fullest is a waste.
Background: A Homunculus created by the Einzbern factory with the purpose of being able to channel immense amounts of prana safely and easily. A prototype model to try and recreate Justeaze with the necessary capability to serve as a Lesser Grail.
Unfortunately, he was ultimately deemed a failure. Trash. A reject of the Einzbern house. His talent and function kept him alive and under care, but he was unable to serve as a Lesser Grail, nor was he capable of moving on his own due to his own coma. However, his mind is still active beneath it all, slowly, dreaming and wishing.
Finally, the Einzbern family decided to send him to the war in Germany. A reject being sent offhand to research the possibility of a knockoff or fake. The main important resources were sent to Fuyuki to pursue the true grail, but some things were spared for the side-project. Mostly trash, but why invest any more in something not confirmed to be real? ____________________________________________________________________________________ Wish/Reason for Being in the War: While Johann does have a personal wish, he understands his duty first and foremost to the Einzbern family. To retrieve the Greater Grail, he must fight in this war. However- that does not dispose him of his wish. He wishes to live life as a real person, to enjoy what could have been, had he been “normal”.
@Reflection
Here's my master and servant, as promised. Desire to go into Team Black.
