[hider=Actually it's spelled Maestro][center]
[h1]Maurius Oscuro[/h1]
[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/515585004693094423/665805973817917442/maurius_portrait.jpg[/img]
[h2]Scion of the Angel's Song[/h2]

[b]Gender:[/b] Male

[b]Age:[/b] 29

[b]Alignment:[/b] Neutral Evil

[b]Rank:[/b] Fes

[b]Objective for the Grail:[/b] To reach the root, duh.

[b]Character Objectives: [/b]Blow off a little stress.[/center]

[Hider=Personality] The sort of pretentious “art for art’s sake” weirdo that you met in college and absolutely loathed, the kind who does things just to “make a statement” but won’t disclose what the hell that statement is or means. Despite his family history and the particulars of his craft he gives off the impression of the sort who believes that art is about getting a reaction rather than creating something beautiful.

His manner towards others is curt and professional but rarely inviting, and were it not for his humor he would likely be described as cold. Nevertheless he is a reliable acquaintance who can be counted on to return favors within reason, even favors he did not ask for, but a somewhat lacking friend who has little desire for non-professional contact. As such his standing in the Mage’s Association is genuinely a matter of talent, as his own reach and desire for upwards mobility through politics is practically non-existent.

Whether from a lack of trust in others, refusal to show that basic weaknesses inherent to being human, or perhaps simply wishing to seem aloof and mysterious, his public face prevents him from finding deep companionships. Even in times of great stress his outward manner towards even his closest associates is to claim everything is fine and act with a calm and pleasant demeanor. Despite interest from other parties both sincere and political he has made no attempt at courtship, a fact no doubt also related to his unwillingness to open up to others.

His approach to things other than people could be described most simply as “meticulous yet passionate”. He is fastidious and measured in most actions he undertakes, but prone to impulsiveness in ‘correcting course’ when things don’t line up with his plans in an effort to force things into working out. He is sensitive to setbacks but generally unable to appreciate successes, the sort who is too busy moving forward to stop and smell the flowers. 

This refusal to show weakness or vulnerability to others and the unrelenting drive in his work are most likely both rooted in a prodigal childhood and the fear of having plateaued early. His status as the celebrated next great genius of the family in this most pivotal point of their great pursuit no doubt greatly exacerbates this complex.[/hider]
[hider= Family History&Biography] The Oscuro family of mages was born in Florence, Italy, where they still keep residence to this day; in the year 1196 when well-to-do musician Maurus Oscuro discovered and was summarily indoctrinated into mage society through contact with a well connected patron who recognized his potential as a magus. Rapid upwards momentum through that same society followed due to prodigal talent and freehanded capital, and their status within the modern Mages Association remains firmly in the upper echelons to this day.

Given his pre-magus talents it should come as no surprise that for over eight hundred years the Oscuro Family’s specialization is musical magecraft, and their primary pursuit of the root is through sacred song harmonizing with heavenly bodies. The original pursuit of this end was through the vocalized singing of sacred music as its own form of aria. 

In this pursuit a series of guide crystals were created to measure and contain the sounds of the planets and stars in heaven, as a sort of tuning aid for these specialized aria, and to act as a model of heaven with the singer standing in the center (the location of the Earth in this model). 

Vast fortunes were poured into obtaining crystals of a high enough quality and hundreds of years worth of accumulated wealth went towards their procurement. As such only the most talented of family heads were allowed to inscribe their work upon them. This left those in-between un-geniuses dedicated wholly to rote maintenance work and filling in less important star charts while they sold their services to try and recoup the costs of the project.

Unfortunately due to the inconsistent ability to produce a family head with the proper vocal talents for three successive generations the family practice shifted away from this with the advent of keyed instruments (IE the harpsichord) roughly four hundred years ago, and this form was emulated in their restructured pursuits as they created the “Stairway to Heaven” from the old system’s components. 

Within the same century they would be forced to decommission the sun crystal, as the advent of the heliocentric theory and its increasing traction would render the extant model of the cosmos incorrect, further setting their pursuits back a second time. 

Where it not for the efforts of the most talented magus in the history of the family, a man who would no doubt hold the rank of Brand in the mages association had he ever been anything but the rudest and least political man on the face of the earth, the family’s pursuit of the root would likely have had to more or less start over completely. This was, incidentally, the same man who would inscribe the crystal of Venus and Mercury, the only head to produce two crystals within one lifetime and arguably the two of most import as well setting aside the now un-created Sun.

Since then little noteworthy progress has been made. Though the charting of lesser stars has been completed the family has stalled, and they eagerly await the coming of a second once in a millenia genius to finish their great works and complete the “Stairway to Heaven” so that they may  play the song that reaches the root.  In fact the stall in progress was demoralizing enough that the family head sought to consult the blindingly bright Mozart to attempt to breakthrough late in the year 1791, only to lose the chance when his appointment fell through due to Mozart’s early passing. 

With the vain and ironic idea that things start where they end the most recent son of the Oscuro line was named Maurius, after the first son of the line, with the hopes that he may close the circle. So far he has shown every mark of excellence possible, a true child prodigy grown into a man of determined purpose and capable mind. [/hider][hr]
[center][h3]Magecraft[/h3][/center]

[b]Magic Circuit Switch:[/b] The sound of the heavy wooden cover being lifted from the keys of a piano

[b]Number of Magic Circuits:[/b] B

[b]Quality of Magic Circuits:[/b] B

[b]Elemental Affinity:[/b] Wind

[b]Magic Crest:[/b] See Biography above

[Hider=General Magecraft]
Self explanatory. You didn't actually click this right?[/hider]

[hider=Musical Magecraft]
The current form of the Oscuro family craft takes its inspiration from the baroque period of music, where it reached its height as a balance of practical and mystic before the sharp decline in mystery that came with more publically accessible forms divorced from the church. It is a tradition steeped in a particular cultural and thematic idea of both music and faith, bearing an inherent connection to multiple strong foundations.

Deep hypnosis and lasting mental interference can be set into motion in listeners that are nigh impossible to resist as long as they remain in audible range, and may continue to have a prolonged effect well after the fact. He utilizes both the themes and motifs in Baroque era sacred music and the ability to comprehend the unspoken language of the heavens to compose his spellcraft as the song of angels, thus anywhere his music can be heard is “a sanctuary where Angels watch over him”. With the proper tools he is able to express sounds that near true platonic perfection by mimicking the tones of heavenly bodies in motion, an evocation of vice and virtue in an almost primal yet utterly civilized form. 

Maurius is able to induce forced mental states to cause intense and overwhelming awe, dread, fear, piety, calmness, obedience, and other similar effects. It is even possible to compose music from powerful ideas and symbols which can then be conveyed and enacted directly within the minds of listeners. Prolonged exposure can lead to complete brainwashing and hallucinations across multiple senses beyond just the auditory and destruction of the ego or even the spirit itself is possible with sufficient volume.

In a less subtle vein of course Maurius can simply use that same attribute to produce sounds that rend the life from his listeners. Such methods care nothing for the target’s strength of mind in favor of simply maiming the body with sheer volume, circuits be damned! In fact, the scale of this application can go beyond merely breaking fragile living things, any material that is poorly equipped to handle intense vibration can be destroyed with enough volume and extended exposure.

While the playing of an instrument or the singing of song are the most effective methods to access his magecraft any manner of forming audible notes will suffice for this purpose. Musical magecraft uses soundwaves as a vector to carry suggestion as a completed magecraft, thus greatly increasing the difficulty in resisting it’s effects when compared to normal hypnosis- thus a more concentrated effort is required to thwart it.[/hider]

[hider=Astrology and Divination]
The knowledge that forms the basis of the “Angel Song” magecraft is rooted deeply in Astrology, the study of heavenly bodies through the cosmos playing an obvious role in their calculations of the music of the spheres. Since such intimate knowledge of the system was already required for their calculations the art of divination was already handily within grasp.

While once they were beholden to star charts or the night’s sky for making their predictions that is no longer necessary since they have calculated, recorded, and reproduced the tones of the heavenly bodies, eschewing traditional methods for their own brand of divination. Divination can be made by cross-checking the resonance of those sounds against each other to determine the positions, and from there a prediction can be made simply by ear. The result is ultimately identical, despite the unconventional approach, since it is the same data.[/hider]

[hider=Gem Magecraft]
The storing of magical energy into a physical form utilizing the conversion attribute (namely and obviously a gem or crystal) for later use, thus allowing more force to be brought to bear more quickly than normal channeling… Or that is the normal use. For the Oscuro family it has been used to record and store their musical magecraft, storing and then releasing formulated sound or even whole songs upon the release of energy from the gem. This is the basis of their grand work as a family, and is used extensively in the creation of their mystic codes.[/hider]

[hr]

[center][h3]Equipment[/h3][/center]

[b]One Million Yen, cash[/b]-
Self Explanatory

[b]A pre-paid cell phone[/b]-
Self Explanatory

[b]Three suits, Armani[/b]-
With matching undershirts and other accouterments IE ties, cuff links, etc.

[b]New Nambu Model 60, loaded[/b]-
.38 double action revolver carried standard by Japanese police, acquired via hypnosis after going through customs.

[b]Cage of Song Birds[/b]-
A dozen, all male, small

[b]Jewelry box full of high-quality gems[/b]-
Contents indeterminate

[b]Gucci bag full of gems[/b]-
they are just packed in there all willy nilly, junk quality- but charged!

[b]Music Boxes x16[/b]-
Music boxes which can be powered by a mana-filled crystal, the mechanisms are capable of producing standard notes and they use an adjustable spring to modulate between volume and duration. They can also read a specially prepared music disc and in so doing activate the crystal and enact any musical magecraft composed upon the disc, assuming the gem they are armed with is sufficient for the task. After being expended the crystal must be recharged by an exterior mana source, such as a magus with the conversion attribute, or replaced by a new one. Also included is a crate of wax discs and styli to create new patterns.

[b]A Half Dozen Wine Glasses in a wooden case[/b]-
A set of six high quality crystal wine glasses. Everyone knows the vessel influences the drink, for maximum enjoyment pure crystal is a must.


[hider=Exceptional Benefit: Superior Mystic Code]

[b]Stairway to Heaven[/b]-
An array of eleven thin rectangular crystals each of a different color, sans one that is entirely transparent and one that is jet black and speckled with silver and gold, all polished to a near mirror shine. When not otherwise contained they will naturally approximate themselves in the shape of a keyboard with an amount of space between each colored crystal that displays a clear but non-obvious pattern and a series of projected “ether crystals” filling in the gaps. This keyboard shape will even defy gravity to maintain itself, allowing for the assembly to float, and has some level of malleability to be rearranged as to be ergonomic as long as the basic form is maintained. Laying dormant the keys emit a dull almost inaudible hum and when struck even lightly both the true and false crystals emit a clean sound, each different than another, with the volume of that sound directly proportional to how hard they are struck… But these are just the obviously observable qualities of this mystic code, not it’s actuality.

No. Thus this is not merely some pretty flying crystal piano, it is a beyond priceless item financed by nearly a millennium of resources and the combined efforts of every family head dating back over four hundred years, when it was converted into its current form, and then another few hundred before that as it’s raw crystal predecessor. Even more than their crest, this mystic code is the true sign of the Oscuro family’s magecraft.

Each of these keys is the work of a previous family head and is the mathematically perfected “sound” of a heavenly body inscribed on a gem of the highest possible quality to forever preserve that sound. The true geniuses of the Oscuro line provided the planets and stars of import as their magnum opus, an entire lifetimes work of intense genius on a single colored crystal, while the various lesser stars between were filled in to the speckled black crystal, aka the Empyrean Key, several at a time by their less talented in-betweens. 

By invoking the song of heavenly bodies a near bottomless font of possibility can be tapped, affixing great meaning and import to the magecraft cast by using the instrument and amplifying it tremendously by its perfect imitation of “an angel’s song” and establishing the quality of “this is the sound of heaven, thus angels exist here”, a step well above the paler imitations possible with lesser instruments. Familiar music becomes unheard of and unhearable sound borne of the air in heaven, a transcendent form of magecraft that exceeds any and all others in its class. Even when played without purpose the sounds of heaven in motion can be heard cleanly and clearly, their unstoppable movements through the cosmos speaking a quiet yet deafening tale of the future and the unstoppable march of time which can be understood by those with an ear for it.

The final incomplete key, the heavenly body of “The Sun”, is the final step in its completion that will allow the Oscuro family’s musical magecraft to reach [ ]. 

[b]Velvet Spacetime[/b]-
A large black leather suitcase with reinforced metal edges and a soft velvet lining in a star-chart print. The case is sound proofed which prevents its contents from being influenced by, or influencing, others by way of sound. Due to this fact it is the primary container for Stairway to Heaven, as the dull hum of the keys trapped inside of the soundproofed box creates a space that is “heaven”, which serves to preserve the quality of mystery possessed by the other mystic code.

[b]Black Sun[/b]-
A coal-black crystal that matches the shape of those from the mystic code Stairway to Heaven, though its surface seems to reject light wholly. Originally it was a part of the other mystic code hundreds of years ago, but with the coming of the heliocentric theory and the shift in belief in the order of the cosmos the plan for the “final key” was changed from Earth to The Sun. As such the existing Sun key was decommissioned, a massive setback both financially and intellectually for the Oscuro family. 

To safely remove it from the cycle and prevent it from inadvertently remaining a part of the system its power was inverted. It is symbolically an un-sun, a center of a universe that contains nothing and gluttonously seeks to be filled, Its interior is an endless silent vacuum that eats sound and light and gives back nothing. To be touched by it is to be rendered deafeningly silent and silently deaf, though it also strips away any other qualities that may adhere to sound via magecraft. Those under its effect are barred from all outside sound to the point that your own heartbeat is deafening and maddening in your ears, though with some finesse and the proper knowledge of celestial music its power of silence can instead be directed and controlled.

It is most commonly used in the maintenance of Stairway to Heaven, stripping away any collected noise or other unwanted adherents, and to establish a “true silence” in the area before it is played. It is usually carried in the breast pocket of his suit.

(Note, while these are separated by category they are all part of the same "system" that comprises the Stairway to Heaven)[/hider]
[/hider]
[hider=Ooe I just can't help myself]
[center][h1]Shuten Douji[/h1]
[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/515585004693094423/666550141209149440/Shoot_n_doot.png[/img]
[h2]Great Demon King of Mt. Ooe[/h2][i]Despite being a "younger" Shuten she is a more "mature" Shuten, 
Though really she is just a "bigger" Shuten all around,
Not much bigger though, just a few inches...
...In just a few places.[/i]

[b]Class:[/b] Berserker

[b]Gender:[/b] Female

[b]Attribute:[/b] Earth

[b]Alignment:[/b] Chaotic Evil
[/center]
[b]Personality:[/b] The young Shuten Douji who has recently taken up rulership of Mt. Ooe, before she became enamored with the young blue eyed boy or contemplated things like humanity or mortality. Her viciousness and hunger are higher, her elegance and flirtatiousness are lower. This is the king of Mt. Ooe at her best, at her worst, a demon who embraces being a demon- a king who embraces being a king.
[center]

[b]Objective for the Grail:[/b] Onigashima

[b]Character Objectives:[/b] Par-tay

Biography: Google is free and easy to use, just turn safe search on.[/center]
[hr][center][h3]Weapons&Gear[/h3][/center]
A solid iron kanabo fit for a normally sized oni and a beautiful but battered katana fit for a grown man, both exhaustively decorated in expensive baubles and whatsits and clearly far too large for her dainty frame.

Additionally she wears a heavily armored jacket over her shoulders like a cloak, similarly covered in trinkets, that covers most of her body except where it opens in the front- though it drags the ground behind her since it is sized for the warrior she plundered it from.

[hr][center][h3]Parameters[/h3]
[b]STR:[/b] A+

[b]END:[/b] A

[b]AGI:[/b] A

[b]MGI:[/b] A+

LCK: D[/center]
[hr][center][h3]Class Skills[/h3][/center]
[b]Madness Enhancement B:[/b] All physical Parameters are raised, but sanity is stretched beyond its limits. (Un)Fortunately the sanity of an oni was never compatible with the sanity of mankind, so the negative effects of this skill are not realized.

[hr][center][h3]Personal Skills[/h3][/center]
[b]Divinity C:[/b] She is the child of Yamata-no-Orochi, which makes her a demigod by birthright, but her nature as a demon lowers her divinity substantially.

[b]Nature of Oni-Kind A:[/b] A Skill that represents the superpower and demonic nature of an oni. With the exception of oni and those that are mixed-race beings with oni blood, one is not able to acquire this Skill. It is a mixed Skill of the Natural Monster, Monstrous Strength, Charisma, and Mana Burst skills.

[b]Battle Continuation A+:[/b] The ability to continue combat even when receiving a decisive fatal wound. Because of the folklore where she attacked Minamoto no Raikou, combat is possible for her even if her head is removed.

[b]The Scent of Fermented Fruits C-:[/b] Targets can be made dead drunk, similar to being charmed even, from one's tone of voice, sigh, or even just their gaze that possesses the aroma of a fruit's alcoholic scent. If they are beings that do not have the means for magical defense (common people and animals), their thoughts will end up melting completely in an instant. Essentially a Charisma Skill and a charm Skill, it is a composite Skill of both Skills. It is ranked down considerably compared to her manifestation as Assassin because she does not carry the divine wine, and as such will only affect servants with pathetic MGI attributes, or perhaps those that have trouble with women.

[b]Knowledge of Melees (Tipsy) B+:[/b] A skill that isn't quite a methodology, but it can appear as one in practice, regarding crowd-combat which is best described as a battle royale. Hardly the technique of a soldier, it is more the burly (yet drunk) savvy of a legendary Biker who has seen their share of bar fights -- in chaos, they somehow find the order.

[hr][center][h3]Noble Phantasm [/h3]
[b]Bone Collector[/b]

[b]Title:[/b] Riot of Flowers

[b]Rank:[/b] B

[b]NP Type:[/b] Anti-Unit

[b]Range:[/b] 1

[b]Maximum Number of Targets:[/b] 1[/center]

[b]Description:[/b] An ability she was endowed with since birth, or a super-high grade special move. She literally “debones” the opponent completely. She extracts the bone without spilling blood—As long as she does not make a mistake in the location of the attack, the opponent will immediately die. Whether it is inherited from her father who is worthy of being a malevolent god, whether it is inherited from her cannibalistic mother, or whether it is an ability that originated from Shuten-douji herself, it is unclear. 

Now that she exists as a Heroic Spirit, this ability, or technique otherwise, has been transformed into an Anti-Personnel Noble Phantasm. One should not necessarily assume that the purpose of doing this is to kill the opponent, but if she feels like doing it, this operates as a Noble Phantasm with an exceedingly high probability of causing instant death.


[center][b]Banquet of Mt. Ooe[/b]

[b]Title:[/b] a Riotous Celebration of life, a Joyous Revelry unto Death

[b]Rank:[/b] C+

[b]NP Type:[/b] Anti-Army

[b]Range:[/b] 1-30

[b]Maximum Number of Targets: [/b]Everyone likes to party[/center]

[b]Description:[/b] The nature of the King of Mt. Ooe is not to order the raid but to revel in its rewards and the nature of her subjects is to join her, to feast upon pleasures primal and destructive until the night wears thin. The hall of the mountain is a den of depravity and violence, a place of absolute chaos that mocks the very idea of a celebration- a battle more fevered than any raid it was meant to commemorate. An absolute warzone of a dinner party the likes of which terrified even Kintarou. 

The shattering of a drinking vessel cup splits the air with the spreading scent of sake and blood, and all who bear witness to the King's declaration are subject to incitement and gain the skills Madness Enhancement B, Monstrous Strength C, and Battle Continuation C, and If they already have these skills their rank increases by one. These effects taper off gradually if one manages to leave the area, de-ranking periodically until removed or restored to normal. Extreme fatigue, strong headaches and partial or complete amnesia of prior events is common in survivors of this noble phantasm, pending an END check.
[/hider]