Fate/Unholy War

[mrblah]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Discord server for Fate/Unholy War; https://discord.gg/y4qRvZx
OOC Thread for Fate/Unholy War; viewtopic.php?f=31&t=8779

July 2, 2000; Time Unknown

Master Event

Today was the day the war began. That war being the Holy Grail war, that you were apart of. You got a message in the mail earlier, that was an invite to the Lincoln Cathedral, where you'd be meeting the Overseer of the war. Supposedly, someone was coming to pick you up, soon... ah, there it was. A black limousine parked near your current location, and an old man in a suit stepped out. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Newman Goodfellow. I am the butler of the Overseer, and I've been tasked with driving you to the cathedral." The man gave a polite nod, then stepped over to the door of the limo and opening it for you. It looked luxurious and inviting, so you didn't need much coercing into getting in.

The drive to the cathedral was silent, and you were just passing through onto the property when you felt a strange 'ping'. It felt like something had made contact with your very essence, and you recognized that to be, specifically, an alarm ward. Magi would usually cast such wards to protect their workshops, but this one had been more as a door bell rather than an alarm. The overseer must have put it up, meaning whoever they were now knew you were there.

... Or so you thought. Minutes later, you were waiting by the door leading into the Overseer's temporary office, sitting in a wooden chair. You had been doing so for at least half an hour, and your patience was really being tested. How could you have been kept waiting if this Overseer set the appointment you'd be meeting them and also noticed your arrival? It didn't make any sense, and you were made all the more annoyed by it. Thankfully, you didn't have to wait long, as Newman soon opened the door of the office, stepping out and gesturing to it. "My master will see you now."

You got up, preparing yourself for the encounter and to give this magus a piece of your mind. Newman was kind enough to open the door for you, and you stepped in - then lost your train of thought for a moment. You were distracted by the attractive woman sitting behind the desk, with an alluring smile and a gaze firmly on you. Not because she was so attractive that you stopped thinking, but because you recognized the woman. The nameplate on her desk read "Rosemary Jean Goodfellow", who was a very accomplished magus that was said to have found the Emerald Tablet, along with various other magical artifacts. In her youth, Rosemary was a collector of such items, and her vault of Mystic Codes was said to hold many artifacts that belonged to heroes. But it was heavily debated if she actually held such a vault. "Have you finished your blank staring, or do you need another moment?" Her question cut through your thoughts, and the woman's curious expression with her right eyebrow raised punctuated it. "I'm a very busy woman, you see, so I'd like to quickly get this done and over with, if I have your attention." ... Wasn't she the one who made you wait?

"Now, though I need not say it; I am Rosemary Jean Goodfellow, the Overseer of this Holy Grail war. I'm sure you're honored, but let's move on. You are the participant of this war, and today at precisely 18:00, you will be allowed to summon your Servant. But before you do that, you must know of the three absolute rules that you must abide by.

Rule number one; absolutely no murder is allowed. Neither you nor your Servant are allowed to murder a participant of this war. Doing so will result in your immediate death. Rule number two; the designated safe zones of this war are strictly prohibited for combat. You are not allowed to fight anyone inside a safe zone, and attempting to do so will result in immediate termination of your status as a master. Rule number three; during the days of rest that are allowed after a master is defeated, you are not allowed to fight anyone. Doing so will result in punishment equal to you fighting anyone in a safe zone. Which, if you forget, is immediate disqualification. These punishments will either be carried out by me personally, or my... colleague..." Rosemary paused at this, a snarl contorting on her face before it changed back to her original expression.

"Lastly; you are allowed to visit safe zones. You can remain in one for up to 24 hours, and you will have a 2 hour grace period after leaving. You also will receive daily supplying during your time in this war, which will consist of elixirs for healing purposes and some money. You are prohibited from entering the Lincoln Castle unless you receive my say so. Now, any questions?"

... Yes, actua - "Good." She interrupted just before you could open your mouth. She then moved a paper over to your side of the desk, giving you a fountain pen and pointing at the line. "Please sign here." You did so, then turned your attention up to speak your mi - "Now here." You sign on the next paper she presents, and with that done you're going to say something abo - "Here, too." You repeat the process one last time, and you - "Lastly, here." Sign another paper.

"Thank you." She took the signed papers, opening a drawer in her desk and placing them in. That done, she looked back to you with a sickly sweet smile. "Newman will be giving you the first of your supplies before you leave. Good day." That said, she turned in her desk chair, facing the window and looking out it. ... She's doing this on purpose. You leave the room, annoyed that you never got a word in with the woman but unable to handle her irritating presence any longer. You don't want to get into a fight with a renowned magus.

Newman was waiting outside the office, holding a briefcase in his hand and presenting it to you when you leave. "These are the promised supplies. This briefcase contains 2 elixirs, a map of the area (with the safe zones, your safe house, and important landmarks marked), some papers with further details on the war, and a complimentary snack bar." You check the briefcase, confirming the contents to be as the butler said. He then led you out of the cathedral and back into the limousine, then he drove you to your place of residence.

Before he drove off, he rolled down the window. "Oh, and if I may, a word of advice; though the threat of death is less prevalent in this war, still, do be careful, and always remember what it is you're here for." He gave a polite nod to you. "That was all. I wish you luck in this Holy Grail war, and goodbye!" With that, he drove off, leaving you behind at your place of residence.

Masters

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The time was 18:00, translating to 6:00 PM for those using the 12 hour clock. All, if not most, of the masters had chosen the earliest time to summon their Servant. Some of them were excited, some were hopeful, and some just wanted to get it over with. But this is what's happening, nonetheless. So, where is this taking place and what does this place look like? What item is being used to summon this particular Servant? For our protagonists, this question is asked, and their Servant steps forth from the summoning circle...

Servants

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

At the time of 18:00, the summoned Servants made their appearance. The first thing they saw was a human being, whom was probably going to be their master for the war. Their heads were then filled with the knowledge the Grail deemed it necessary for them to know regarding the century they were in. Then their minds were blessed with the knowledge of their own capabilities, meaning their class, skills, abilities, and Noble Phantasm. Now armed and ready, their master looks to them, as first contact is made between the Heroic Spirits and the mortals who commanded them...

[Reaver]

Pridolia found the meeting with the overseer to be quite pleasant. All the posturing aside, the meeting had been fairly efficient with Pridolia having almost no questions and none that immediately needed to be answered. She thought over the rules and her own possible strategies as Newman drove her to her safehouse. The no killing rule was quite interesting as the deaths of the servants were necessary for the grail to gather enough energy to grant wishes, but Pridolia assumed energy would be gathered in a different way otherwise, the Association would have seven angry masters armed with seven of the most legendary warriors in history knocking on their door. That rule and other ones seemed to suggest that the Association was looking to reduce as many casualties as possible and avoid snuffing out any magus bloodlines, which was honestly smart. However, that doesn't mean I can't take my time extracting information from other masters or utilize severe measures. Her thoughts creating a slight grin.

Once she got back to her residence, she gave Newman a small wave goodbye before briskly walking towards the apartment provided to her by the Association to begin preparations for the summoning. There was much to do and Pridolia wanted to initiate her summoning as soon as possible to get the servant that she desired. She loaded up her car with scrolls, ingredients, the cages with live vultures, and the catalyst that she believed would give her the best results. Her destination took her out of the city and into the town of Wiltshire. If a mage wanted the absolute best chance for the Throne of Heroes to hear their request then it was best to do it over a leyline, and one of the most powerful ones in England was right under Stonehenge. The Association had been notified in advance of her summoning location and closed the monument off to the populace to allow her absolute privacy, even going as far ass to set up a bounded field for her convenience. She parked her car near the inner circle, unloading and setting up for maximum potency and success. Her excitement slowly rose as she slit the throats of the vultures to create the outer layer of the summoning circle, increasing as she made the inner one with liquid gold. Then finally, she set the simple clay tablet with the Codes of Hammurabi down, the perfect catalyst for the person that inspired them and died at the hands of its maker. This sense of anticipation and excitement was alien to her, sure she had felt a similar rush before in life, but now it felt as if this would culminate in the greatest event and revelation of her life once it was all over. Then she began the ritual.

~
Golden Vulture would have never considered himself to be a Heroic Spirit let alone a Pioneer of the Stars, but here he was, being summoned into a Holy Grail War. He came in a cloak of gold energy that dispersed into a brilliant light show. His sensations came with his physical body, one by one, until he finally laid his eyes on the person who would be his master. "You're a scrawny thing." Commenting with a friendly smile as he stepped out of the circle to further examine her and gather his bearings. She was courteous enough to return the smile and stay quiet as he did so, allowing him to slowly walk around his summoning circle and then her before their eyes finally met again. He'd seen people with her eyes before; those with souls on the brink of death, that breathed in decay to continue living. Many grave robbers gained those eyes after too many close shaves with death, forcing them to keep coming back to relive it. They never lasted long.

Her eyes were afire and lips coy as she finally spoke. "I am Pridolia Torvald. Will I suffice as your master?" Giving him a small bow of respect.

"I am Golden Vulture! Hand of the Dunes! Breaker of Mages! In this war, I come as the Saber class to take the Holy Grail and all other worthy treasures!" Boasting loudly with a hearty laugh. "I acknowledge you as my anchor to this world, that I do. You look prepared for this war and willing to do what is necessary, but I had no master in life and neither will I in this facsimile of one. Especially one that is a mage." Placing a meaty hand on her shoulder. "Do not feel spurned, that is merely how I am, even more so after my death. I will not be your tool or slave to give you what you want."

"I am not offended, I know your story, Bandit King." Pridolia said, placing her hand over his before slowly pulling it off her shoulder. "You seek loyalty like I do. You seek victory as do I. I do not need nor want your submission, only your cooperation." Stating her wishes evenly as she began leading him towards her car. "We will talk more of this at a later time, for now, we need to strategize and make our moves. I'll go over the rules as well since there are differences from a traditional Holy Grail War." Getting what she wanted would take time and effort, she knew that when she had settled on summoning him, but at least things were starting off amiable with the infamous magus slayer.

"Well said, Torvald. Our positions won't matter much if we fall to our enemies first." Chuckling his approval. "If there are enforced rules does that mean a Ruler has shown themselves?" Stroking his beard as he tried to figure out a way to fit into the passenger seat.

"Unknown, but it's better to assume one has rather than garner their ire and be considered disqualified." Turning the engine on before watching his dilemma with some interest. "The overseer seems fairly neutral and indifferent in all of this which will most likely be to our benefit as long as we don't create too much destruction. Also either lay down in the back or go into spirit form, you're too big for the front seat and your scimitar might poke a hole in the material."

"Hhrmmm." Aquiescting the front seat to slide into the back-seat and take up the whole row. "I hope one does show up eventually, it'd be a good fight. But I do want that grail cup first and foremost. So are we heading to your safehouse now?"

"Yes, it's a small cottage on the outskirts of the city. Not really defensible, distant enough that we shouldn't have to worry about being discovered by happenstance. We'll wait there for the other masters to make a move, then we'll capitalize and teach them the power of the Saber class." Her voice full of eagerness to take part in the upcoming chaos and conflict.

"Works for me! Maybe I'll find and beat someone really famous like Lancelot or one of the Hassans. There is much glory and fame to be found here! Ahhhhhhh, I can't wait!" His own excitement level matching hers as he considered all the treasures he'd have the opportunity to steal.

[RandomRoninKitten]

Sinclaire Archibald did her best to forget most of her encounter with the woman, annoyed by her tendency to just run over everything she said, and the fact that he short hair looked utterly hideous. What a lazy girl, cutting her hair so short, so she didn't have to work as hard to take care of it. She was so focused on the encounter, overflowing with negativity, that she walked right into the door to the secluded, abandoned, factory she had chosen as her residence, with a loud thud, causing her to fall backwards onto her ass. She had chosen THIS abandoned factory, because it had running water, electricity, was secluded, could basically be used as a fortress if she needed it, it was stable enough to weather powerful magic attacks, and she liked spacious living places.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

She rubbed her ass and looked behind her to make sure that the driver wasn't still there, despite having been waved off. He wasn't, thankfully, so nobody saw that embarrassing moment. She quickly got up and brushed herself off, then proceeded to walk inside, barring the door with a metal pipe, then locking it. She always left all of the doors barred, to ensure that normal people couldn't get in.

She made her way through the mostly empty room and to the very center, where she had drawn her summoning circle earlier, in a silver-colored circle, in preparation for the summoning of her servant. She reached into her backpack and pulled out her catalyst, setting it in place; a strange, otherworldly mechanical component, unike anything she had ever seen or heard of. This, no doubt, would give her a massive edge over the other Masters and servants... that and she couldn't find anything else, certainly unwilling to suffer the immediate loss from summoning one of those Hassan-I-Sabbah guys. She also figured it had to summon SOMETHING unique, considering how she had found it. The thought caused her to reflect on how she had found the object in the first place;
She was walking home from the store, when suddenly this odd wormhole(?) opened up above her, and hurled the object at her, at a very high speed, severely injuring her and putting her in the hospital for some time. Luckily she got out of the hospital in time to join the Holy Grail War.

The very moment her phone alarm went off, the same alarm she has at every door, activated by a pressure plate, linked to the intercom system(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeRZ7fqUp9g), she started her chant for the summoning of her servant, opening with several two-handed signs, flamboyantly;

"Let silver and steel be the essence.
Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation.
Let Rathma be the one I pay tribute to.
Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall.
Let the four cardinal gates close.
Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate."
"Let it be filled. Again. Again. Again. Again.
Let it be filled fivefold for every turn, simply breaking asunder with every filling!"

[Lazy Kitsune]

Rose stood still for a few long moments after she returned to her apartment. As devoid of helpful information as the meeting she had just had was, the simple fact that it had happened aloud the nature of what was happening to finally sink in. Nausea and anxiety stuck to her like an ooze, seeping into and around her as her mind slowly chugged through several stages of a silent, nervous panic. Clenching her fists, she inhaled through gritted teeth as she pulled herself back together, pushing past the twisted knots in her stomach as she roamed around the apartment she still felt a little uncomfortable to call home even after all this time living here. It was far too... nice to be familiar. There was enough space to fit an entire family in here, perhaps more, yet she lived here on her own. The place came pre-furnished, leaving her with a bed that always felt far too big for her, a kitchen that seemed to shine no matter how much she used it, seemingly plucked straight from a designer set showcase, a TV she mistook for a part of the wall when she first saw it, an entire room filled with fully stocked bookshelves, large enough to be a small library and a bathroom with an actual god damned bubble bath. This high up, she had a spectacular view of the surrounding area out her window, one of the only things she really appreciated about this place. Everything else just made her feel guilty for having it.

Even with all the luxuries her new life offered her, she still dressed in a mundane manner. She still bought and ate food earned from her job. She did what she could to remember where she came from. She was a Miller first and foremost, regardless of how much the Escardos family chose to invest in her in recent years. In her living room she had hung a punching bag and set of weights for her exercises, used far more than the fancy television or walls of modern art pieces. In her bedroom she had brought in so much of her old stuff that the rich, modern ascetic was constantly offset by the various possessions of her old life that were soaked in a history of a troubled upbringing. As much as the Escardos family wanted her to feel like a princess, she made sure that she was moulded by the streets.

Locked inside a safe in her room was an item she always felled cautious when touching. She was reassured it wouldn't work just by simply rubbing it as it was supposed to in the stories and the magic of the holy grail war made sure that this should be a safe procedure, however she still felt a little on edge. Magic, she had started to come to terms with. This... seemed like so much more. Opening the safe, she carefully pulled an ancient oil lamp out from her safe. Carefully she moved to a space she had cleared out in the library, setting the lamp down before her, within the summoning circle for her servant, she began the particular ritual the Escardos tutors had instructed her to use. A ring of braziers burning exotic and expensive incenses, an Arabic chant and an passage denoting praise and respect to the Roc... all as Rose had studiously committed to memory in preparation for this day. It was finally happening, the very thing she had been trained for.

As the ritual drew to a close, she felt her nerves and uncertainties melt away. All that was left was the knowledge that her life would never be the same again. She had crossed a threshold that there was no going back from. This did not bring fear, or panic. Only a fleeting sadness, followed by a burning determination to make sure that she did not fail. Her thoughts turned to her mother, long dead, her father, doing his best to turn his life around, and all those people cast aside by the world, suffering in the feigned blind spots of society. She could finally make a difference. She had to make a difference. She couldn't be sure anyone else would.

[Littlemankitten]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The last thing Sirius really remembers with certainty was dying. The slowing of time as the wall of energy slowly enveloped her, the eternal darkness that became her life. After that she had a fuzzy memory about something called the hall of heroes and becoming a legend or something like that. It didn’t really feel real, almost like a dream. But then, reality crashed back down on her. A flood of memories came surging into her, the holy grail war, the year, classes, abilities, noble phantasms, fighting other servants, masters. It all flickered past her eyes in a torrent. Then she opened her eyes.

Sirius laid on the cold floor, her head throbbing from the torrent of information. She could see weathered, gray concrete with shafts of sunlight peeking out in places, the smell of mildew, old chemicals, and heavy laden dust filled her nostrils. Sirius slowly raised herself and looked around for a second, before laying her eyes on a girl, no, a master. Her master. She softly groans and mutters “Why me?”to herself.

Sinclaire smiled as she saw the girl appear in front of her. She was cute. She strode forward and held out her hand to shake hers and said, softly “Hello, I’m Sinclaire Archibald, I’m pleased to meet you.”.

Sirius let out a soft sigh and reached to take her master’s hand, shaking it softly. She never saw a girl like her before. She was wearing asymmetric clothes and covered in archaic religious symbols, long forgotten from the public and only found within cults. Twenty first century… These symbols were used extensively back in this time. Twenty first century…. Twenty first century? Sirius suddenly jolted up, and looked around in a panic. “What year is it?” She looked at the girl, confusion and fear about her situation still present.

“The Grail should have already supplied you with that information, however if you want me to reiterate, it’s the year 2000.” She said, smiling, while staring into her eyes “It’s nice to meet you, Sirius, here, have a cookie!” she took a chocolate chip cookie out of her backpack, unwrapped it, then handed it to Sirius.

Sirius sighs in relief. “Oh good, the third world war won’t happen for a while still.” She then clears her throat and looks around nervously, as if realizing what she just said. Realizing what her master had said though, she looked at the cookie, taking it and giving it a tentative sniff and bite. Sirius gags a little and coughs out what she bit. “That tasted horrible… Wait, how do you know my name? Also, why do you have a tail and ears? Genetic engineering didn’t allow that to be possible until 2177!” Sirius covered her face with her palms and shook her head, trying to understand everything once again.

“Our Master Servant connection, we technically didn’t need to introduce ourselves, we already know each other to a degree that the Holy Grail sees fit.” she said, grabbing the cookie back with her cat tail, then nibbling on it. “Oh, these? I was tortured and genetically altered by the mages that held me hostage. They wanted to experiment with adding animal performance to humans, so they tried adding ears for improved hearing, and a tail for improved balance.” she said, seemingly unbothered by a third world war.

“Mages? But those don’t exist…” She said out of habit. Except now she knows better, for she was standing right in front of her. “Or at least, I thought they didn’t…” Sirius let out a small groan, one of most definitive and for certain things in her life turned out to not be true, how much more was there that actually existed? Wait, if Sinclaire knew her name, did that mean she knew what she did? “So, if you know my name, does that also mean you know how I died?”

“I do not, but I do know that something related to you shot through a wormhole and shattered most of my ribs.” she said, picking up the item she had used as a catalyst and showing it to Sirius, in her hand. “This thing is surprisingly heavy, especially when shot as such a high velocity.” she said, unable to hide her smirk, remembering how badly the object had injured her.

Sirius didn’t try to hide her relief knowing that Sinclaire knew nothing about what she did. Seeing her suit’s antimatter core however, made her let out a squeak of panic, her breath becoming ragged. “You have no idea how lucky you are that didn’t break, if it did…” She starts to hyperventilate, knowing the fragility and potential destruction it could release. “Just…. D-dont drop-p-p it…” She lets out, everything that has happened in the past few minutes becoming too much for her.

Sinclaire’s expression suddenly turned mischievous, and she started tossing it up into the air and catching it, while she held the cookie with her tail and nibbled at it “Ohhh, so what happens if it breaks, hmmm?” she asked, winking at serious as she teased her.

Sirius lets out a panicked gasp. “It contains antimatter! If it gets exposed to air it will create an explosion more powerful than any bomb made in this millenium!” She says, almost passing out from panic.

Sinclaire stopped playing with it, then looked back and forth from the object to Sirius several times, before setting it down gently “Okay, y-yeah, I probably shouldn’t play with it, then....” she then looked back at Sirius and folded her arms “Okay, so, what do you do besides look cute?” she asked.

“C-cute?” Sirius cheeks turn red, looking down at the core and letting out a sigh, not saying anything else to the comment. “Uhm… I’m something called an archer.” she says with a weird look on her face, as if not quite understanding what that means. “I can shoot… teleport to an extent… and I have a powerful shield that morphs from my armor….”

“And as another upside, you’re not a historically recorded hero, so there’s no way anyone can recognize you from your name or abilities, and by extension can’t find a way to counter you.” she said, leaning on a nearby wall and crossing her arms, as she thought out loud.

“Uhm, yea I guess.” Sirius frowns a little… “So what’s our plan…. Master?” She says master with a unsure tone, not quite liking being someone's slave, or servant.

“Hmm… well, I think a solid plan would be to… come up with a solid plan when we see another Servant, Master, or both!” she said, with a smile.

“That’s…. Not very helpful but I suppose your the master.” Sirius let out a heavy sigh. This was going to be oh so much fun.

[CondorBoH]

Servants don't remember what happened when they were summoned last. They know they WERE summoned, just not the events that transpired. Perhaps to keep the dead's memory the same, so prevent a change in spirit.
The Genie didn't have that benefit. She remembered every time she was to crawl out of the lamp, all smiles and flashy displays, always bound to the mortal's whim. Is this the nature of such spirits to be slaves to humanity? Perhaps, perhaps. Either way, fate had plans for her, and she planned to do something about that. Something spectacular... and fun, of course.

Stiffling a giggle as the summoning drew to a close, what stood before her new master wasn't the genie in her actuality. No, she was going to toy with this one.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

"I am the Rider-Class servant, Ibn Akhī Ḥizām. You, who have called across time. Are you to be my new Master?"

A flash of light, a plume of blue smoke and the armoured man stood within Rose's room, casting eyes hidden by helmet and veil around the modern furnishings. The eyes settled into a disapproving squint. 'He' crossed his arms, nodding his head slightly, but showing no greater gesture of respect.
"Hmph. Little room to stable my horses, but if that is the way of this century, then so be it. I shall hold my tongue, in reverence of thee, Master."

The Genie wanted to see how long she could keep this up. Probably about until her Master touched her body, then the revelation that steel doesn't feel like wool will become apparent. Too bad, steel is surprisingly hard to conjure up at a moments notice, but the illusion will suffice. Oh, she wondered, perhaps if this Master is foolish, she can play with this form until the first battle? Imagine that, ready to charge in with a Rider... but not! Actually a Caster who has no intention of playing fair.

[KittyCatCake]

Sylvie thanked the driver and waved him off, then strolled up the steps to her house.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

It was a large, pink house, with a narrow porch and many windows.

The Family had bought land and a house for her in the area so that she wouldn't be disturbed during the war, and had also supplied her with her Catalyst, an ancient crest.

She slammed and locked the door behind her, then began hastily creating the summoning circle on the floor, in the dead center of the living room.

She put her catalyst into place, then kept a close eye on her watch as the seconds ticked away, waiting to start chanting right on time, to make sure she got the Servant she wanted.

She stood, trembling nervously, until finally her watch alarm went off, and she immediately began her chant:
"
Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Let each be turned over five times, simply breaking asunder the fulfilled time.
Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation. Let my great master ■■■■■■■■ be the ancestor. Raise a wall, against the wind that shall fall. Close the four cardinal gates. Come out from the crown. Rotate the three-branched road reaching the Kingdom.
– I shall declare here. Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be with your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail. If you will submit to this will and this reason…… then answer!
– An oath shall be sworn here! I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven. I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell! – From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, Protector of the Balance!"

[Lazy Kitsune]

Rose frowned, rubbing the back of her neck as she looked the Servant that appeared before her up and down. This wasn't quite what she was expecting, although she certainly wasn't an expert on these matters... "Hmm..." she mused, grabbing one of the nearby tomes and flipping it open, flicking through the pages as if hoping the answer would pop out at her. "I... I'm so sorry about this, you're not exactly..." she glanced back up at the man in armour that stood before her "...well, I had something else in mind. No offence. I'm sure you're a spectacular, er... Rider-Class... whatever... but I was led to believe... oh never mind." shaking her head and sighing, she shut the book and placed it back in its spot on the shelf beside her.

Huffing and crossing her arms, she returned to appraising her guest. "Well... you're certainly not doing much of that tongue holding so far, are you?" she said, shooting the figure before her a quick glare before sighing. "Sorry, probably not the best way to start this off. I'm Rose... Rose Miller. Look, I'm going to be upfront with you. You're not what I was expecting, but I'm in no real position to be picky. Besides... I'm not really a big fan of the entire... Master... Servant thing. I get that there's not much of a way around that but the way I see it, we both want a shot at that Holy Grail and we can't get it without each other so, what do you say? Partners?" she asked, holding out her hand outstretched. With how haughty this Servant had been acting so far, she wasn't sure he'd take her hand, but the other option, summoning someone with magic and then commanding them like some... mindless drone. That seemed even less appealing to her.

[KnightVanilla]

To be a legend, to be remembered... A desire she had thought fruitless in her endeavor to become renowned. Although her renown was not of a warrior but of a lover. Quite peculiar just how easily her deeds could be forgotten when they were eclipsed by Charlemagne and his loyal few. It had disappointed her, but she was happy to be welcomed to the throne of heroes. It's hard to describe what it's like... Whether she would remember every detail of her life after was... Worrying to say the least.

However her last memory was of her death... A peaceful one at that. With a large family slowly spreading as both nobility and heroes to be themselves. Perhaps that is why any tale of her would easily fade. However once that feeling filled her as mana began to encompass her spirit. She was filled once more with the spark of life that had been the energy of her prime. It was all too slow and all too fast as she saw her life flash with details and information she had not know previously. Information on the grail and her purpose within this war. As for a moment that was that prolonged flash of light that encompassed her summoned form she saw him... her lover. Ruggiero offering a soft smile as he held out his hand and she responded slowly placing her hands within his. As he slowly faded to a shadow that would wrap itself around her... so warm... so loving... To whoever summoned her they would see two shadowy figures steadily become one and then with one final flash a lone figure stood among them

Then the sensation was over and she stood with her lance in hand looking upon the strange girl that had summoned her uttering the words of every servant that started their wars. "Are you to be my master in this war...." She stood stoic awaiting their answer as her shadow would slowly encompass her form and body hiding away the features that revealed who she was. Even so far as developing a helm for her to use.... her lover had been kind enough to be wary their identity. Looking upon what was used as the catalyst for her summoning she works out her own words... "Are you a descendant of the Sorceress?" Not speaking her name as she waited for some reply.

[CondorBoH]

The figure looked down at the offered hand, paused a moment, and shook it. There was no strength behind the grip, in fact, Rose's hand would sink somewhat into the hand, as if it were a half-deflated balloon. In fact, with the sound of an actually deflating balloon, the 'Rider' body began to wilt.
"My, you really don't get how this whole process works, do you?"
There was a burst of blue smoke, and where the 'Rider' had been standing a second, now floated the nude Caster. She had a playful smile on her face, hovering the air as if gravity was a foreign concept to her.

"Here I was going to play with you, but you're going to end up so boring, it would be a shame to waste my time and mana with that facade. 'Partners'? Hah! You're a heartless Magus, act like one. I'm your slave, whether you like it or not. Thanks to those pretty little marks on your cute little body, I am forced to listen and obey your instructions. Now, if I were an Archer, that would be different. But a poor, weak Caster like me has no chance of disobeying you, even if you forced yourself on me! If you want a willing partner, why don't you give me the Command Seals? You don't even have to do that, my Noble Phantasm uses them up~!"
The smile turned to a childish giggle, the genie floating in the air crossing her arms in front of her body. A wizard with a heart, huh? This girl wasn't going to last in the Holy Grail War, even if this one had a little... something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Either way, the sooner she got rid of the Command Seals the better for both of them.

"Rose, was it? Whatever you decide, I don't have a choice. You're my Master. I'm your Caster. If you can't treat me like an object, you're going to be really bad at killing the other Servants~!"

[KittyCatCake]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

To be a legend, to be remembered... A desire she had thought fruitless in her endeavor to become renowned. Although her renown was not of a warrior but of a lover. Quite peculiar just how easily her deeds could be forgotten when they were eclipsed by Charlemagne and his loyal few. It had disappointed her, but she was happy to be welcomed to the throne of heroes. It's hard to describe what it's like... Whether she would remember every detail of her life after was... Worrying to say the least.

However her last memory was of her death... A peaceful one at that. With a large family slowly spreading as both nobility and heroes to be themselves. Perhaps that is why any tale of her would easily fade. However once that feeling filled her as mana began to encompass her spirit. She was filled once more with the spark of life that had been the energy of her prime. It was all too slow and all too fast as she saw her life flash with details and information she had not know previously. Information on the grail and her purpose within this war. As for a moment that was that prolonged flash of light that encompassed her summoned form she saw him... her lover. Ruggiero offering a soft smile as he held out his hand and she responded slowly placing her hands within his. As he slowly faded to a shadow that would wrap itself around her... so warm... so loving... To whoever summoned her they would see two shadowy figures steadily become one and then with one final flash a lone figure stood among them

Then the sensation was over and she stood with her lance in hand looking upon the strange girl that had summoned her uttering the words of every servant that started their wars. "Are you to be my master in this war...." She stood stoic awaiting their answer as her shadow would slowly encompass her form and body hiding away the features that revealed who she was. Even so far as developing a helm for her to use.... her lover had been kind enough to be wary their identity. Looking upon what was used as the catalyst for her summoning she works out her own words... "Are you a descendant of the Sorceress?" Not speaking her name as she waited for some reply.

She visibly looked the girl over and looked slightly surprised as the shadow cloaked her figure. Luckily, Sylvie had already memorized her appearance... not that it did much good, as she still didn't recognize her at all. She couldn't pinpoint the armor's origin, and couldn't recognize her by her face.

"Yes, I am your Master in this war. I am Sylvie Gabrielle." She paused and stretched out her hand to shake, only pausing as the servant followed up with another question. "Not as far as I know. Even if I was, I have a different family now." She paused again and considered the phrasing of her next question "Which Heroic Spirit do I have the fortune of having summoned?" she asked, her hand still outstretched as she patiently waited for the girl to shake it. She had never summoned a Heroic Spirit before, and thought it would be a good idea to shake hands first, before she started asking too many questions.

[KnightVanilla]

Este stared down at the girl through the opening within her helm. Once her questions were answered she began to think and slowly try to assess the ability of her master.... their connection allowed for much easier means to estimate her magical capability. Great potential.... but it seemed squandered thus far... Most mages or at least what she was expected to assume as masters. Were usually seeking some means to either build up their own magical prowess or their families. It was strange though to discover her family crest in the hands of someone that might not even be a descendant of Melissa.

She took a moment before responding to her question looking around the room as she took the time to feel the area around her. "Although you have been quite wise not to assume my classification despite the weapon I openly carry... I am of the Lancer Classification." As she spoke a voice echoed within her mind such a strange thing to her the voice of her lover. 'Is she worthy of us...what does she intend to wish for... be wary of mages...What makes her worthy to summon us?' To respond out loud to her shadow "We shall see."

As the girl reached out to shake hands Este points the sharp end of her lance at her master making sure to keep the girl at a distance. "What makes you worthy of my lance... why should I Kill for you?" After whatever answer was given she already knew she would participate for as long as she had to in order to obtain their wish... "Then we've come to a formal contract... as it should be." Despite saying that she kept the lance pointed at her as the shadow itself reached out to meet her grasp. Giving her a firm shake... "I can't quite place it, but something feels odd about my summoning... is there mediator or a ruler present in this war?"

[KittyCatCake]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Este stared down at the girl through the opening within her helm. Once her questions were answered she began to think and slowly try to assess the ability of her master.... their connection allowed for much easier means to estimate her magical capability. Great potential.... but it seemed squandered thus far... Most mages or at least what she was expected to assume as masters. Were usually seeking some means to either build up their own magical prowess or their families. It was strange though to discover her family crest in the hands of someone that might not even be a descendant of Melissa.

She took a moment before responding to her question looking around the room as she took the time to feel the area around her. "Although you have been quite wise not to assume my classification despite the weapon I openly carry... I am of the Lancer Classification." As she spoke a voice echoed within her mind such a strange thing to her the voice of her lover. 'Is she worthy of us...what does she intend to wish for... be wary of mages...What makes her worthy to summon us?' To respond out loud to her shadow "We shall see."

As the girl reached out to shake hands Este points the sharp end of her lance at her master making sure to keep the girl at a distance. "What makes you worthy of my lance... why should I Kill for you?" After whatever answer was given she already knew she would participate for as long as she had to in order to obtain their wish... "Then we've come to a formal contract... as it should be." Despite saying that she kept the lance pointed at her as the shadow itself reached out to meet her grasp. Giving her a firm shake... "I can't quite place it, but something feels odd about my summoning... is there mediator or a ruler present in this war?"

Even as the lance was pointed at her, she rolled her eyes at the responses she received, replying to one at a time. "I was asking for your name, not your class... and I'm actually not asking you to kill anyone. There's no killing allowed in this specific Holy Grail War." She stopped and stared at her, looking into her eyes as the lance is pointed at her "As for what makes me worthy, it's the fact that I'm the Master that will help you win the grail." she didn't react as the shadow shook her hand, aside from returning its firm hand-shake.

She considered the question briefly, leaning her back against a nearby desk, attempting to recall whether a ruler had been mentioned in her almost completely useless discussion with the woman from earlier, before coming to her conclusion "My briefing was devoid of any relevant information, so if a Ruler IS present, one was not mentioned." she concluded.

[Lazy Kitsune]

Confusion and surprise played across Rose's features during the moment her hand felt the strange sensation of grasping the Genie's to the moment the Servant revealed her true form. Taking a reflexive cautious step back, her brow furrowed with distrust, although the mounting tension was somewhat offset when Rose's eyes were cast upon the Genie's naked form. Her face flushing, she found herself momentarily unsure if she should look away or not, and decided the best approach would be to try and keep her gaze at eye level with the Genie.

Shooting a glare at the Caster, she grit her teeth, before glancing at the symbols on her arm, as if genuinely contemplating the Genie's suggestion. However she shook her head and balled her hand into a fist as her arm dropped to her side. "Well, now you're closer to what I expected. You want to put a shirt on, or is modesty something you don't want to waste your time with either? I'm sorry, but I can't risk doing that... especially not after the very first thing you did was deceive me. I won't abuse this power over you, but I need you by my side if we're going to win this. I dread to think the kinds of things people who actually dream of participating in this damned war would wish for if given the chance."

Rose was about to turn around to lead the Genie out of this room before her next line caught her attention. Turning to reface the Genie, she raised a brow. "Kill? Right, of course, how would you be able to know... There's no killing in this Holy Grail War. Things have changed this time around. Not that its all sunshine and flowers. The penalty for losing is still dire. I appreciate not having my life on the line but I imagine the change actually makes things worse for the Servant. If we get knocked out of the fight, we're enslaved to whomever beat us. Although I'm sure you're about to make a snide remark about how that's no different from your current predicament." Holding up her arm, she showed off her command seals. "I'm only keeping these to make sure you don't try to pull anything over on me, because quite frankly, we've just met and you've already given me reason not to trust you. Beyond that, I won't command you to do anything you don't want to. The first thing I did was offer you equality. Don't you dare compare me to those 'heartless' Magi as you put it."

She turned and started to walked out of the room, silently fuming. "Do you want a beer? We've got a fair amount to talk about." she asked as she reached the door, pausing for the Caster to follow.

[KnightVanilla]

"Name.... hmm will lancer not suffice?" She stated knowing full well that despite the wish for her own renown... that the fact her legend laid within obscurity and was in fact overshadowed by her peers would definitively give her an upper hand is hiding away her identity. It was then she was reminded of the young paladin, Astolfo a very beautiful young man that often brought out the energy of others. "As for the statement of your worthiness... it should be reminded that the grail has a history of picking up random non mages to take up the role of a master. Your role as a master only speaks to your potential as a mage. However doesn't speak of your worthiness to have my respect or even right to bear the grail's wish." It was then she decided to use Melissa's ring to emulate the appearance of her master.

"What would thou do with such power as a wish... the means to alter reality with a single whim." Her expression may have been far more jarring with her master's face in use. Displaying a the same level of trickery that she had observed from the sorceress Melissa. "By what means of honor do you abide by... by what definition of value do you place on your own life." Her master had been rather expressionless thus far. Este had wished to provoke her master's true personality to shine, she would not have a slave or a puppet be her master. It had been quite odd to see someone as deadpanned as the girl in front of her especially when comparing to colorful variety of personalities amongst Charlemagnes most trusted.

[KittyCatCake]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

"Name.... hmm will lancer not suffice?" She stated knowing full well that despite the wish for her own renown... that the fact her legend laid within obscurity and was in fact overshadowed by her peers would definitively give her an upper hand is hiding away her identity. It was then she was reminded of the young paladin, Astolfo a very beautiful young man that often brought out the energy of others. "As for the statement of your worthiness... it should be reminded that the grail has a history of picking up random non mages to take up the role of a master. Your role as a master only speaks to your potential as a mage. However doesn't speak of your worthiness to have my respect or even right to bear the grail's wish." It was then she decided to use Melissa's ring to emulate the appearance of her master.

"What would thou do with such power as a wish... the means to alter reality with a single whim." Her expression may have been far more jarring with her master's face in use. Displaying a the same level of trickery that she had observed from the sorceress Melissa. "By what means of honor do you abide by... by what definition of value do you place on your own life." Her master had been rather expressionless thus far. Este had wished to provoke her master's true personality to shine, she would not have a slave or a puppet be her master. It had been quite odd to see someone as deadpanned as the girl in front of her especially when comparing to colorful variety of personalities amongst Charlemagnes most trusted.

She rolled her eyes again and adjusted her position so she was sitting on the desk instead of leaning against it and crossed one leg over the other, coming to the conclusion that she'll be here awhile. "You know, sure, we'll just call you lancer, I don't need to know partner's name." she said, evenly, crossing her arms over her chest.

She didn't react at all as the Lancer misunderstood her statement, again, and replied quickly, almost cutting her off "My statement wasn't that I'm worthy because I'm your Master, my statement was that I'm worthy because we'll win. However, I'll show you instead of telling you, provided you're willing to cooperate to obtain your wish, rather than talk in half-circles." her voice was still even, despite her speech speeding up for that response, however near the end she slowed back down to the speed she was talking at the start of their conversation.

She then watched as the Lancer's appearance took on her own, and for a brief moment, she looked shocked, however in the same instance, she regained her composure. "Ahem. My desire isn't to change the world, it's only to obtain the Grail, which aligns perfectly with your wish, which is to obtain to Grail." she had concluded that this Lancer wasn't willing to share any information, so she'll share the same amount until she changes her mind.

[KnightVanilla]

Slowly more and more as Lancer began poking further and further, the personality of her master has begun to show more. Short on patience this one was, but it was somewhat to be expected from a mage. It was amusing to her that a master would take a catalyst without question and not put any research on the identity on who the crest had belonged to. After all such tools were available to any mage that would participate in this war. "You were the one to summon me, using a catalyst specifically tied to my family's coat of arms. Why should I give a name when you chose your weapon on blind faith." She remained in her master's appearance as Lancer decided to relent in her own prodding. "If you must have a name, Then my surname will do. Call me Este."

When it came to being worthy once more she couldn't help but chuckle. "Hahahahahaha, you sound so sure of yourself. Thus far the words you have uttered only confirm you are not a child of Melissa." She wasnt Normally the this Unhinged In Her Words, But THe Girl Would learn.

Then What Caught Her Off Guard Was That her Master Had No Wish. "Perplexing... Do You Not Have Any Desire The Grail Could Granr?" It Was A Bit Absurd Not TO Take THe Wish For Ones Own Desires. "Allow me to rephrase what I mean... What do you desire at the end of this war?" She spoke coldly and with interest. The illusion as well as her helm dissolve away to reveal more of her feminine features. Emerald like eyes that shine brightly as they pierce her question further.(sorry for crap typing. Key pad is c pglitching like crazy)

[KittyCatCake]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Slowly more and more as Lancer began poking further and further, the personality of her master has begun to show more. Short on patience this one was, but it was somewhat to be expected from a mage. It was amusing to her that a master would take a catalyst without question and not put any research on the identity on who the crest had belonged to. After all such tools were available to any mage that would participate in this war. "You were the one to summon me, using a catalyst specifically tied to my family's coat of arms. Why should I give a name when you chose your weapon on blind faith." She remained in her master's appearance as Lancer decided to relent in her own prodding. "If you must have a name, Then my surname will do. Call me Este."

When it came to being worthy once more she couldn't help but chuckle. "Hahahahahaha, you sound so sure of yourself. Thus far the words you have uttered only confirm you are not a child of Melissa." She wasnt Normally the this Unhinged In Her Words, But THe Girl Would learn.

Then What Caught Her Off Guard Was That her Master Had No Wish. "Perplexing... Do You Not Have Any Desire The Grail Could Granr?" It Was A Bit Absurd Not TO Take THe Wish For Ones Own Desires. "Allow me to rephrase what I mean... What do you desire at the end of this war?" She spoke coldly and with interest. The illusion as well as her helm dissolve away to reveal more of her feminine features. Emerald like eyes that shine brightly as they pierce her question further.(sorry for crap typing. Key pad is c pglitching like crazy)

"Then I'll call you Este." she said flatly, then leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she began thinking deeply. She was already beginning to regret not requesting a different catalyst, as this one that her family had given her seemed intent on being as annoying as humanly possible. She was now doubting her ability to carry this Heroic Spirit to victory, and wasn't even sure she wished to work together with her to win the Grail at all. As all of these doubts crossed through her mind, she unintentionally ignored the mocking that followed the girl's introduction and didn't bother asking her to repeat it.

She perked back up as she heard her harping on the fact that she had no wish, and with a huff, and yet another roll of her eyes, she spoke up again. "I don't have any plans at the end of the war, I only plan to win the Grail. Why do you care that I don't have my own wish, so long as you get your own? Do you want the Grail or not?" she fidgeted for a moment, then kicked the drawer beneath her, in the desk, open with with one foot, then reached between her legs, pulling out a pack of poptarts, then started nibbling on one as she waited for her Heroic Spirit to mock and ridicule her some more.

[CondorBoH]

"If you are really asking whether I want to put on a shirt, my answer is 'Shame is for lesser creatures'. Like humans or worse, mages."
On one hand, the flush was a cute response. Something to take advantage of later. But the other hand did show her disappointment. No large outburst, no giving into rage. Just minor anger, and with minor anger came an ordinary and sadly calm response. Damn. She was hoping for at least ONE Command Seal going down the proverbial drain. What a let down.

The Genie began to follow her Master's steps, walking behind her and looking her up and down. A raised eyebrow, a hand stroking her chin.
Still no shirt or clothing beyond her piercing materialised.
"Enslavement of one mortal to another is nothing compared to what I have been through. I'll hold back on my snide remark then, for your sake my lovely Master. But yes, please, tell me how wonderful and powerful you are, superior to any other magus that doesn't have a heart~. I want to know more about the human who leashed me. Oh, and worry not about refreshments for me, anything I can conjure is a thousand times superior to a mortal made beverage. Well, I say that, but I still get refreshments from laying with you, and I can't exactly conjure mana on my own. What a shame."

As she said 'leash', a dog collar appeared around her neck, a lead dangling on behind it. The intention was clearly that of a visual gag more than anything. They promptly vanished a second after a familiar blue cloud of smoke wafting away. This was in turn followed by a light shrug from the nude djinn. There was some serious stuff to talk about, as boring as that would be for her.
"By the by, I should make this clear. Conjuration and trickery is what I'm best at, with my Territory and Item Creation abilities as well as my Shapeshift ability. However, I will lose any and all direct one on one confrontations with another Servant due to my lack of true fighting ability. Any fight we join will have to be on our terms, or I will lose. What are you plans, my dear Master?"

[mrblah]

July 3, 2000; 06:00, Round One

Master Event

It was the first day of the Holy Grail War. All masters have received the appropriate packages delivered directly to their door (or the mouth of the cave they live in, or under the bridge they sleep under, whatever), filled with their daily supplies. 1 elixir, and a sizeable amount of money to spend as they wish. Along with their supplies; each package had a letter addressed directly to them, with the wax letterseal of the Goodfellow family on it. The contents of the letter are as shown;

"Hello,

This is a scheduled package sent directly from the Overseer's office. Along with your daily supplies, you will receive letters like these to both confirm that the package made it to its mark safely and to inform you of special opportunities, changes, or anything else you Masters must be made aware of. There is nothing of the sort available at this time.

Thank you, and best wishes to you all in the war. Feel free to contact the Overseer's office if you have any questions, and please destroy this letter as soon as you have it read."

Along with the letter, another small piece of black paper was directly under it. It was folded into a small origami crow. Unfolding it and reading the easy to read white text, the letter simply read;

"Henceforth, there will be attacks made upon you and yours. Even to those unfortunate enough to unwittingly oppose me; I will have no mercy.

From, your enemy."

A white heart was in the corner of the paper, clearly drawn with crayon, as was the text.

Well, ignoring the creepy letter, it seemed it was high time to start the day off. It was the first round of the war, after all. This first step could mean much for the rest of the war. From scouting, to gathering resources, to getting to know their servant, to even going off looking for a fight from the get go; they have a lot of options and some amount of free time to spend doing them.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Every day, you will have three action points (AP) to spend. These actions will limit your efforts to doing only three different things a day, and each AP spent will advance you to the next stage of the day. There are three stages; morning, evening, night. You can do whatever you want with your AP, but there are seven basic actions that have set effects.

Scouting - When you send your Servant to go scout, go by yourself, or go together. You will have a base 40% chance of gathering information, 30% chance of gathering useful information, and 20% chance of gathering very useful information. These chances may increase depending on the area, your opponent, and various other things. The downsides; if your opponent is also scouting, there's a 50% chance of encountering them. If your opponent is searching for a fight, there's a 30% chance of encountering them. There's a 10% chance of encountering your opponent in any other situation. Assassins have a 10% positive chance increase, and a -10% negative chance increase. Casters have a 20% chance increase. Berserkers have a -30% chance increase.

Gathering Resources - When you send your Servant to gather resources, go by yourself, or go together. You will have a base chance of 40% of gathering resources (such as healing potions, elixirs, etc.), and a 20% chance of gathering rare resources (more healing potions, more elixirs, poisons). Casters have a 10% chance increase.

Searching for Combat - When you send your Servant to look for fights, or go together (you can go by yourself but that's suicide). You will have a 30% chance of finding minor enemies, a 20% chance of finding major enemies, and a base chance of 10% of finding an opponent, that raises depending on what your opponent's doing. All four cavalry classes get a 10% chance increase.

Training - When you, the Master, train to hone your abilities. 30% chance of increasing one of your stats, depending on how you're training and what you're attempting to train. If your Servant supervises, you will gain an extra point in whatever stat you're increasing, and a 10% chance to increase that stat. Berserkers have a -10% chance increase. Lancers have a 10% chance increase.

Tantric Ritual (or Fucking) - When you and your Servant have sex with the intention of healing your Servant. Drains your MP by 30% to fully heal your Servant, or reverse the process to drain your Servant's Power by 30% and your Servant's HP by 20% to fully heal yourself.

Resting - Spend an AP doing absolutely nothing. Heals your Servant to full, heals yourself by 30%.

Fortifying - When you or your Servant take the time to fortify your base, adding wards to hide it better or traps to harm those who find it. Effectiveness of the fortification will be a base of 5%, with a 20% chance of raising to 10%, and a 10% chance of raising to 15%.

For most actions, there's a base 30% chance of encountering a minor enemy. This is increased by 10% if you're out in the open, decreased by 25% if you're engaging in a Tantric Ritual, and also decreased by 30% if you're resting.