[hider=TL;DR: Balancing acts, Luck checks, and party buffs] [b]Class Name:[/b] Berserker [b]Nicknames:[/b] The First Paladin of Charlemagne [b]Alignment:[/b] Lawful Good [b]Servant of:[/b] Albert Prelati [b]Catalyst For Summon:[/b] Microscopic flakes of Durendal [b]Weapons:[/b] Sword [b]Wish:[/b] “Nothing important.” [b]Abilities:[/b] Equestrian, horn sounding, skirt-chasing, gaming the economy, pretending to be surprised when she ruins her own happiness through the self-destructive habits she’s been repeating her whole life [b]Skills[/b][list][*]Eternal Arms Mastership: A+ Synchronicity between mind, body, and technique. Mastership of combat arts has reached the point of being said to be unrivaled in one's era. It is possible to make use of full fighting skills even when under the influence of any sort of mental hindrance. While this is a skill indicative of Roland’s status as the Christendom’s greatest paladin, the aspect of Roland summoned under the Berserker class is not the embodiment of a flawless crusader paragon, or even the errant knight walking the lands of fey and heathen. Instead, she is the Roland chasing the princess of Cathay, and the Roland persisting against an army several magnitudes greater than her own. In other words, the warrior standing before the hill of corpses, brought to that point by... [*]Hamartia: B Denotes a flaw of character that drives an individual towards their own self-destruction. A double-edged sword of a skill similar to “Innocent Monster” that distorts the owner’s personality. In this case, the flaw is vainglory, the excessive belief in one’s own abilities or appearance. This skill is sealed if “Gabriel Eclipsant: A Shadow Cast by Moonlight” is permanently lost. Upon summoning, this ability has no effect. However, upon being denied an opportunity to seek glory, a Luck check opposing the rank of this skill occurs. If the Luck check is failed, the effects of “Migraine” are obtained at E Rank and susceptibility to mental interference that targets desires increases. However, the effects of “Battle Continuation” at E Rank are also obtained, along with an increased resistance to mental interference based on a command or other types of coercion. As Berserker fails to have her appetites satisfied, successive Luck checks occur to prevent the effects of the aforementioned skills from ranking up. By indulging her vainglory, it is possible to reduce these effects by a single rank per indulgence, but should she be allowed to overindulge, the skills granted by Hamartia immediately return to their highest previous rank and a Luck check must be passed to prevent a rank-up. The word “Hamartia” is a term in Greek tragedy meaning “to err”, as well as a term used in Christian theology to denote mankind’s inclination to sin. While not true Aristotelian tragedies by any means,[i] Orlando furioso[/i] and [i]La Chanson de Roland[/i] both detail events in which an individual of great standing falls into misfortune due to an ill-advised choice. Like in legend, Roland is most effective when her foolhardy pride is tempered by caution, but is most powerful when allowed to indulge her appetite. To properly use Berserker, the Master must maintain an uneasy balance lest the catastrophe that results consume both of them. [*]Divine Protection: B Signifies a blessing from a higher existence. Grants the owner plus modification to all defensive values and good luck in dangerous situations. In [i]Orlando furioso[/i], attention is drawn to the fact that a mysterious power ensures the maddened Roland’s safety from peril as she wanders the world. At the same time however, it ensured that Roland survived to see the brutal aftermath of her actions. While not strictly due to divine intervention, in [i]La Chanson de Roland[/i], the sole survivor of the Battle of Roncevaux is Roland, the same individual who led twenty-thousand Frankish warriors to their deaths in pursuit of glory. In that respect, this should not be considered a divine protection, but a divine punishment. [/list] [b]Class Abilities[/b] Mad Enhancement: C+ Raises basic parameters in exchange of hindering mental capacities. Rank up for all parameters except Mana, but in exchange one can no longer think and speak properly. Because this skill is intrinsically linked to the Noble Phantasm “Gabriel Eclipsant: A Shadow Cast by Moonlight”, normal activation is impossible. Forced activation or deactivation is possible with the use of a Command Seal. [b]Base Parameters[/b] Strength: B Endurance: B+ Agility: B Magical Power: C Luck: D Noble Phantasm: B [b]Noble Phantasms[/b] [hider=Noble Phantasm 1] [img]http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/2071/451928-69___s_t_____d.jpg[/img] Name: Durendal: The Peerless Sword Rank: A+ Type: Anti-Unit, Anti-Team Range: 2-3, 1-10 The holy sword representative of the greatest Frankish hero. The story goes that the sword of Trojan Hector, claimed after the Trojan War by the heavens and augmented by several holy relics, was given Charlemagne with the order to award it to the greatest of his knights. It is a splendidly forged symbol of power that was once denoted the greatest defender of Troy, and now signifies the greatest defender of Christendom. The sword is unbreakable and unstoppable. Regardless of the owner’s magical energy, the sword does not lose its sharpness, and regardless of physical defense, the sword is capable of piercing it as long as it is not a Noble Phantasm. Because of the Christian relics contained within its golden hilt, Durendal possesses three miracles related to the works of the saints that consecrate it. When its name is invoked, one of these miracles activates. These miracles are preselected with a prayer to the appropriate saint, but because the prayers require concentration, it cannot be performed in the midst of battle. Likewise, the effects of “Migraine” may prevent switching miracles even outside of battle. This effect can only be activated once per day. The three miracles and the relic they are tied to are as follows: [list][*]Blood of St. Basil of Caesarea: A miracle from the patron of exorcism known for fighting against heresies in life that allows for the smiting of evil. Berserker designates a target and if that target is of evil alignment, possesses undead/demonic/monstrous attributes or is connected to a non-Abrahamic divinity, damage equal to this Noble Phantasm’s rank is appended to all attacks as bonus damage. Otherwise it does nothing. This miracle persists until the battle ends. In legend, it is this ability that allowed Roland to fell a divine sea monster off the coast of Ebuda with a single blow, disrupting the ending the ritualistic human sacrifice that occurred to satisfy it. Of course, this act had its own consequences shortly afterward... Because of St. Basil’s role as the father of monastic community and a staunch proponent for communal service, this is extended to allies who are within range and not valid targets for this miracle. [*]Hair of St. Denis: As the patron of France, St. Denis shares an important relationship with the France’s military. It is his name that the French armies invoke during battle, and his tomb by which the oriflamme, France’s battle standard, was consecrated. As a result, this miracle channels this aspect of the saint, in tandem with his associations with cephalophores and mental afflictions, to provide large-scale mental defense and the effects of Battle Continuation to those within Berserker’s presence regarded as allies. [*]Tooth of St. Peter: In scripture, St. Peter was granted the Keys of Heaven and told that “whatever he bound(forbidden) on earth would be bound(forbidden) in heaven and whatever he loosed(permitted) on earth would be loosed in heaven(permitted)”. This miracle grants a lesser version of this effect. By thrusting the blade into the ground, a Bounded Field with the concept of is centered around the buried blade. Any attempt at hostile action taken within its range is challenged by a Luck check. Success means the action is allowed, but all parameters and skills of the offender suffer a rank down during the next battle with the target of their action. Failure prevents the action from occurring. That said, there is a glaring flaw in this protection… It is through this effect that the ensures the temporary truce with the invulnerable Saracen giant Ferragut is maintained during their multiple-day duel for the city of Najera. But while this is a barrier of absolute neutrality, it is unfit for use in the midst of battle due to the side-effect of healing those under its aegis, which stems from a certain incident involving St. Peter, a sword, and a servant’s ear. [/list] Due to the restrictions of the Berserker class, the anti-fortress Noble Phantasm “Durendal: Ultimate Unbroken Hallow” has not been granted, and petitioning the Virgin Mary has no effect. [/hider] [hider=Noble Phantasm 2] Name: Gabriel Eclipsant: A Shadow Cast by Moonlight Rank: B Type: Anti-Unit Range: 0 The manifestation of id and anecdote of the shadow a knight left as a warning about the dangers of wanton desire. Before Noble Phantasm begins its automatic activation, two conditions must be fulfilled: the moon must be in the sky, and Berserker must fail a Luck check opposed by the effective rank of “Migraine”. Consequently, this Noble Phantasm is automatically deactivated shortly after the moon disappears from the sky. This is because in [i]Orlando furioso[/i], it is the moon where Astolfo locates Roland’s lost sanity, and so it is the moon where her sanity must vanish. This Noble Phantasm can be permanently sealed through the use of a Command Spell or a sanity-inducing potion brewed by a Servant with ties to the moon. Upon activation, Berserker’s form is wreathed in an inky shadow, the skill “Shadow Lantern” is obtained at B Rank, and Mad Enhancement is activated. In addition, “Durendal: The Peerless Sword” is sealed, the defensive values provided by armor are nullified, and the ability to wield arms is lost, regardless of the effects of “Eternal Arms Mastery”. These changes last for the duration of this Noble Phantasm. Berserker’s silhouette also changes. It becomes more monstrous in appearance, assuming wicked claws and a bestial maw. It is capable of manifesting its features physically, which serves as Berserker’s primary means of offense without the ability to use weapons. Though this shadow appears to be sentient, it is an extension of herself controlled below the threshold of her awareness and guided by her id. As a result, it is also anchored to Berserker. However, it can travel and manifest through any shadows Berserker is in contact with, including the ones cloaking her, and its size grows with the size of the shadow. That said, while the shadow can interfere with the physical world, the damage it inflicts is purely mental in nature; although capable of destroying the mind, skills and abilities that provide resistance against mental interference are capable of defending against it. Similarly, Berserker’s presence fills the minds of observers with inexplicable grief, unwanted reminders of desires that were left unsatisfied, and the horrors of desires that were. Berserker’s bestial roars are the sounds one always wished to hear but never did, and the tragic discordance that one has forgotten to remember to forget. Rather than an inky blackness, the shadows of Berserker seem to reflect painful images, often from the unique past of the observer. This also qualifies as mental interference, but for heroes whose legends involve ill-fated love, the difficulty to resist it doubles. An interesting thing to note is the source of the name: Roland’s connection to St. Gabriel the Archangel. Firstly, the archangel Gabriel represents the moon in various occult systems, and the messenger of God’s divine wisdom. It is also Gabriel who bestows Durendal upon Charlemagne, and Gabriel who carries the dying Roland to Heaven after the Battle of Roncevaux in [i]La Chanson de Roland[/i]. In other words, the three key aspects of Roland’s legend - her glory, her doom, and her madness - are intrinsically linked to Gabriel. [/hider] [hider=True Name] Count Roland/Orlando [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_of_Roland]La Chanson de Roland[/url] [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Furioso]Orlando furioso[/url] [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Innamorato]Orlando Innamorato[/url] [/hider] [hider=Appearance] [img]http://i.imgur.com/kn77Zu5.jpg[/img] [/hider] [/hider] [hider=TL;DR: Indiana Jones + Mary Poppins] [b]Name:[/b] Professor Sosthenes Antaeoi Kanakaris [b]Nicknames:[/b] The Professor [b]Age:[/b] 48 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Master of:[/b] Lancer [b]Command Seal Location:[/b] Left upper arm; shape evokes three intertwining roots in an approximately trapezoidal formation. [b]Wish:[/b] To have a second chance at being a good father to his daughter (If anyone asks, it's for the fame and prestige) [b]Origin:[/b] Renewal [b]Appearance:[/b] [img]http://i.imgur.com/Pte2NUe.png[/img] [hr] [b]Personality:[/b] A mysterious and elegant gentleman who, upon meeting him and conversing for more than a few minutes, becomes far more mysterious and far less elegant. As a middle-aged man - though young for a magus with life-extending spellcraft - with plenty of regret over being unable to understand his estranged daughter, he tries hard to get in touch with people - and since he’s surrounded by high school to university-aged individuals, this has quite… jarring results for someone who seems so old to be acting so young. Still, he is a man with years of political maneuvering and teaching under his belt, so he is quite good at compartmentalizing his personality. This can also be quite jarring to those who have only seen the “dopey dad” side of him and not the “scion of an ancient magus lineage” side. This experience has also resulted in a personality that, while capable of extreme restraint, can only sigh and watch shenanigans unfold with the expression of someone who had recently dropped their favorite donut and spilled their morning coffee. Likewise, as someone immersed in magus culture, Sosthenes maintains a few rather old-fashioned magus values in spite of his attempts at seeming younger than he is. Namely, he has a disdain for the eastern schools of magecraft and low-blooded magi without any exceptional capability. Notably, he does not seem to hold himself in high esteem, and recent generations of Clock Tower students have ensured that Sosthenes does not live a technophobic lifestyle incapable of operating, say, a Blu-Ray Disc player. [b]Biography:[/b] A magus hailing from the Antaeoi family of Greece, an old but fairly unnotable family in Clock Tower’s political game up until Sosthenes’ generation. They have a reputation for their talent with leylines. Currently, he is a professor in Clock Tower’s Archaeology department, also known as “Astaire” or “Rocks Road”, and bears the rank of Pride within the Mage’s Association hierarchy. Rumor has it, however, that he has the potential to, or perhaps already managed to, achieve the esteemed rank of Brand. And of course, there is other gossip about him, but that’s not important - especially in Rocks Road, a faculty far away from all that magus power mongering. Despite conflicting claims, the truth is as follows: Many years ago, a prodigious youth who, like any self-respecting magi, sought out great power started undertaking classes in the Clock Tower. After graduating, he pursued the rough. In his younger years he pursued the rough and tumble life of an Enforcer, seeking to prove himself the most powerful and thus accrue esteem among his fellow magi by hunting down Sealing Designates. That is, until he realized that the people who really matter in the magus world don’t typically care for the grunts who hunt down the rogues in any significant capacity. Understanding this fact, he shifted gears to the lifestyle of an academic in London, in the center of the political network of the culture. What follows is a fairly par for course attempt at amassing political power among the Clock Tower elite. He became a professor in the Mineralogy department, and was even married off at one point, and though the marriage was loveless and his wife ended up being met with a fatal accident, he cared greatly for his heir. Unfortunately, the life of a magi demands sacrifice, so this love did not obviously color his actions, causing many issues down the road. The realization of his folly came when he learned that his daughter, in her pursuit to gain her father’s affection through skill at magecraft, stumbled upon a revelation that got her summarily Sealing Designated. After this, he demanded to be transferred from his post to Archaeology, a place where he could clear his head and distance himself from Clock Tower politics. It is in his time there that he mellowed out, and even took on an apprentice from the orient: Ren Mizushima. They went on many adventures and taught each other many lessons. Watch Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom for a rough equivalent. Anyway, he sent his apprentice ahead of him to prepare for the ritual while he himself secured a catalyst for a powerful hero. He, a Greek geomancer, is mildly rustled about the fact his apprentice got his hands on a Greek Earth goddess. [hr] [b][u]Magecraft Section[/u][/b] [b]School of Magecraft:[/b] Leyline Interference, Element and Attribute-based Magecraft (Wind, Assimilation) [b]Spells List[/b][list][*]Antaeus (3/day) - Signature spell of the Antaeoi, and the source of their name. Uses the family attribute of subsumption to establish a pass to a leyline. Grants jurisdiction over the line, and dramatically enhances physical parameters ala [i]Prana Burst[/i]. Also increases duration or size of spells due to extra prana. The cost to maintain it increases exponentially with distance from natural terrain and can only be cast when standing on it. [*]Aeolus (5/day) - Creates a wind that uses the attribute of subsumption to take in magecraft without physical substance and strengthen itself [*]Zephyr (10/day) - Manipulates the direction of air [*]Boreas (10/day) - Manipulates the pressure of air [*]Notos (10/day) - Manipulates the speed of air [*]Leyline Scrying (5/day) - Analyzes a leyline and determines the types of Bounded Fields and other magecraft linked to or otherwise involving it. Not an almighty scanning that reveals all, but rather something akin to structural analysis: distance and direction from the user, general effect and activity, size and strength, completeness and freshness, and if it is drawing from the leyline or interfering with it. [*]Leyline Detonation (1/day) - Long distance siege cannon. Channels the power of a leyline for a single, explosively powerful attack. Requires a long ritual and a magic circle as well, and comes with a targeting array. [*]Bounded Field Interference (1/day) - Seizes control of or destroys Bounded Fields. A lengthy process either way, it should be noted the latter is faster than the former. [*]Leyline Hacking (5/day) - Allows the user to tamper with non-Bounded Fields linked to the leyline. Cannot be done without scrying the leyline or being connected to it himself.[/list][b]Mystic Codes[/b][list][*]Tornado Umbrella - Sosthenes' signature Mystic Code. It looks like a fairly normal umbrella, but its design incorporates a fully-functional magic circle. Running prana through the umbrella and twirling it activates the ritual, creating a powerful sphere of wind that rotates in the direction of the twirl. Also allows the user to fly with an incantation. It is only active when open. [*]Jewel Brooches - A set of brooches incorporating jewels containing great amounts of raw prana, which can be released in an instant. After use, they are useless. Only used in close-quarters emergencies. Sosthenes brought 9 to the war. [*]Sosthenes' Enforcer Outfit - An old set of clothes that haven't been worn in a while. Has a series of defensive enchantments on it similar to an Executor's frock.[/list] [b]Notable Skills[/b][list][*]Pankration [*]Teaching + Human Observation[/list][b]Amount of Magecraft Mana:[/b] A [hr] [b]Other:[/b] [/hider]