[center][i]Please, be careful. This town will shatter if it's disturbed.

But if we're quiet, we'll get to see something hideous bloom.[/i][/center]
[center][h1][color=black]Fate[/color][color=a253a6]/[/color]Edelweiss[/h1][/center]
[center][img]https://img.artpal.com/172212/597-24-5-1-3-4-45m.jpg[/img][/center]

Since the disappearance of Fuyuki's Holy Grail at the conclusion of the Third Holy Grail War, numerous Imitation Grail Wars have been attempted around the world. Most have ended in failure or disaster. Despite this, it seemed there was always someone remaining to try once again.

In 2016, the renowned Nadelkiss family of Switzerland claims to have finally perfected a Holy Grail that will surpass even Fuyuki's. No matter how many times that claim has been made before, it still turns some heads in this day and age. Once again, the curious and the desperate will come flocking.

Soon enough, Command Spells begin to appear on the bodies of those whose hearts are stirred by the prospect of the Holy Grail. The quiet town of Sion awaits its Masters.

Perhaps it is mankind's curse, to never be able to free themselves from this thing called [i]wishing[/i].

[center]* *[/center]
[b]The IC will be starting this week. More applicants are welcome during the first day/night, but GM posts will take priority over sheet reviews.[/b]

This is a PvP battle royale in the style of Fate/Stay Night. Advanced knowledge of the Fate franchise or the broader Nasuverse is definitely not needed. I'm aiming to keep things nice and casual in that regard. Even if you've just seen a bit of any one anime from the franchise, that should be plenty of context.

Our story will cover a Holy Grail War, this time in a small town in Switzerland. [s]Seven[/s] mages, branded as "Masters" by the Command Spells on their bodies, will each summon a "Servant" in a tag-team Battle Royale to claim a wish from the Holy Grail. The Servants are figures from human history, real or mythical, and their powers are great enough that their battles may turn this little town into dust by the war's climax.

This is nominally a PvP roleplay, although our true focus should be on collaborative storytelling, exciting battles, rivalries, alliances, and conflicts, rather than on trying to rapidly kill off your fellow players. There may also be certain NPCs to deal with beyond the [s]seven[/s] pairs. Grail Wars are rarely straightforward, after all!

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[b]Rules[/b]

[hider=General Conduct]
- Be polite, respectful, and cool. This game involves PvP, but don't let any of that conflict bleed out into your interactions with your fellow players.
- Abide by the rulings of the GM (me). Do feel free to debate and argue with me, but don't fight with me once the decision has been made.
- No godmodding. Be reasonable in combat. I'll step in if I feel you've pushed the limits of your character's capabilities too far.
- Do your best to post promptly, within about 7 days of your last post, or else inform us if there's a delay.
- Feel free to come to me with any issues, particularly if there is a conflict with another player.
- The franchise has NSFW roots, but this is not an NSFW RP. Keep it classy.
- Since this RP features mythical and historical figures, please be tactful and respectful when making reference to any sensitive historical subjects or issues.
[/hider]


[hider=Gameplay Rules]
- You may start the game by summoning your Servant, or with your Servant already recently summoned. The game will start in the day, so there will be no immediate need for combat.
- A Servant can detect the presence of another Servant in their general vicinity. A skilled mage can generally detect the presence of magecraft and identify another mage. A contract with a Servant is especially noticeable due to the amount of magical energy involved.
- Masters possess "Master's Clairvoyance", allowing them to read the status of a Servant by looking at them. At base, this allows the Master to know a Servant's parameters. If the Master sees a Class Skill or Personal Skill being used, they can identify that Skill and learn its rank. If the Master hears the True Name of a Noble Phantasm or otherwise identifies it, they can most likely discern the True Name of the Servant and know the capabilities of their Noble Phantasm.
- A Master who knows the basics of magecraft can communicate mentally with their Servant through the karmic link.
- The RP will cycle between day and night periodically. During each timeskip you'll have the opportunity to send me secret downtime actions you wish to take. This can be anything from preparing defences, to scouting an area, to sending mail, as long as it doesn't directly involve dealing with an enemy character.
[/hider]


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[b]Character Creation[/b]

[hider=Character Guidelines]
[b]Masters[/b]
- A player may create up to one Master and one Servant.
- I recommend pairing with another player, but you may self-pair your characters if you prefer.
- I will [u]not[/u] be capping the number of Masters/Servants at Seven. Please feel welcome to apply even once the War is underway! However, I'd like to see one Servant in each normal class before stacking more than 2 Servants on a single class.
- Original characters only.
- Dead Apostle Ancestors, True Sorcerers, and other beings that could defeat a Servant are not allowed.
- In general, the highest possible power level for a Master is someone who could defend themselves and potentially survive an encounter with a weaker Servant, but could likely not defeat them.
- Masters cannot be more than 200 years old by any means.

[b]Servants[/b]
- Both original characters and canon Servants are acceptable.
- Top-grade Servants at the level of King Arthur, Heracles, Gilgamesh, etc. are too powerful for this War, but high-grade Servants at the level of Mordred, Beowulf, and Atalanta would be acceptable.
- Heroes must be born after Gilgamesh but before 1901.
- Divine Spirits, elementals, and similar are not allowed. Humans, animals, monsters, mixed bloods, and machines are acceptable.
[/hider]

[hider=Master Character Sheet Template]
Appearance: (An anime style faceclaim is ideal.)

[u][b]Name[/b][/u]
Titles:
Gender:
Age:
Alignment: (As D&D alignments.)
Affiliation: (If the Master is deeply involved with an organization or simply working for one currently, note it here, especially if they are representing that group in the Holy Grail War.)
Clock Tower Rank: (Frame, Count, Cause, Fes, Pride, Brand, or Grand. This can be decided by a mage's talents, but also by the reputation of their bloodline, by politics, and so on. A mage totally disconnected from the Mage's Association may have no rank. If you're uncertain, leave this blank and it will be assigned to you.)
Command Spell: (Briefly describe the appearance of the Command Spell and its location on the body. An image is also good.)

[u][b]Background[/b][/u]
(Give us a sense of the Master's life up to this point.)

[u][b]Personality[/b][/u]
(What do they believe? How do they conduct themselves as a Magus? This may be a good place to mention their wish for the Grail.)

[u][b]Magecraft Information[/b][/u]
Elemental Affinity: (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, or Ether. Multiple affinities are allowed. You can also list an Origin here if it is relevant.)

Number of Magic Circuits: (Ranked E-A)
Quality of Magic Circuits: (Ranked E-A)

Magecraft: (Describe the fields of magecraft your Master is studied in, ideally with examples of spells they tend to use. Feel free to include "the basics", which would include things like setting up a workshop, detecting magical energy, and contracting a familiar.)

Magic Crest: (If your Master has a family Magic Crest, note its approximate age and any other relevant details.)

[b][u]Mystic Codes[/u][/b]
(List any magical items the Master has brought with them to the War.)

[b][u]Nonmagical Assets[/u][/b]
(This section is for items, resources, skills, etc., that fall outside of magecraft. Money, henchmen, martial arts expertise... List anything here that may be a boon to your Master in the War. Since we're talking about Mages, things like a Cell Phone are not a guarantee, so note down basic equipment as well.)
[/hider]

[hider=Servant Character Sheet Template]
Appearance: (An anime style faceclaim is ideal.)

[u][b]Name[/b][/u]
Titles:
Class:
Gender:
Era: (The period of the hero's life and exploits. A century is fine if it is known.)
Alignment: (As D&D alignments.)
Attribute: (Man, Earth, Sky, or Star. If you are uncertain, leave this blank and it will be assigned to you.)

[u][b]History[/b][/u]
(Give us a sense of the hero's legend. No Wikipedia links. Any creative changes should be noted here.)

[u][b]Personality[/b][/u]
(What do they believe? How did they conduct themselves in life, and what is their disposition towards their role as a Servant? This may be a good place to mention their wish for the Grail.)

[u][b]Parameters[/b][/u]
(Each ranked E-A. A plus modifier indicates the capacity for a brief momentary doubling of the rank. A minus modifier indicates the stat falls just a touch below the rank. The EX rank represents something truly special, beyond our ability to quantify.)
Strength: (Lifting, striking power.)
Endurance: (Constitution, hit points.)
Agility: (Dexterity, evasion.)
Mana: (Magical energy capacity, the size of your "gas tank".)
Luck: (Defiance of fate.)

[b][u]Class Skills[/u][/b]
	[b](Name of Skill) (Rank E-A):[/b] (Provide a brief explanation of why this Servant has this skill at this rank, then list its effects.)

[u][b]Personal Skills[/b][/u]
	[b](Name of Skill) (Rank E-A):[/b] (Provide a brief explanation of why this Servant has this skill at this rank, then list its effects.)

[u][b]Noble Phantasms[/b][/u]
	[b]Name[/b]
	Title:
	Rank: (E-A. Plus and minus modifiers are also allowed here. EX in special cases.)
	NP Type: (Anti-Unit, Anti-Army, Barrier, etc.)
	Range: (The minimum and maximum range in meters. For example, range 2~50 indicates an NP that can be used on a target within 50 meters, but can't be used at point blank range.)
	Maximum Number of Targets: (A number of people from 0-1000)
	Description: (Explain the reasoning behind the existence of the Noble Phantasm and describe its capabilities.)
[/hider]

[center]* *[/center]
[b]The Battleground[/b]

[center][img]https://images.locationscout.net/2020/05/rue-de-gravelone-sion-switzerland.webp?h=1400&q=80[/img][/center]

[hider=Sion, Switzerland]
[center][img]https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/553x417q70/r/923/3FLOa1.png[/img][/center]

An ancient town on the River Rhône that has been settled by various groups since prehistoric times. The land on which Sion is built possesses an exceedingly rich spiritual nature. Moreover, it is rather beautiful and boasts a respectable tourism industry, as well as a number of manufacturing businesses in town, vineyards on the hills, and plentiful farms throughout the valley. Sion is accessible by highway, train station, or the small airstrip available for civilian and military use. The town itself is dominated by the twin fortress hills at its heart.

Broadly, we can divide the town into the following sections:
Old Town, Industrial District, Residential District, Commercial District, Farmland, and Mountains. The town is rather small, so Grail War participants are also welcome to venture some distance out of town, along the East-West highway that runs through the valley or up the Northern and Southern mountains to the various hiking trails and ski resorts that stand high above Sion. They are even permitted to visit the quiet neighbouring village of Saint-Léonard, just 3km to the East.

It is a lovely, quiet little town nestled among the mountains in the south of Switzerland. The worst sort of place for bloodshed, but what can we do?

[u][b]Notable Features[/b][/u]
[b]- Valère Basilica [i](Neutral Ground)[/i]:[/b] A heavily fortified Catholic church located atop the steep Valère Hill in the Old Town. One of Sion's main visible landmarks, standing just opposite the ruins of Tourbillon. Surrounded by thick walls and harsh terrain, access to the Basilica is only possible by climbing the path on the Northeastern side of the hill. A representative of the Holy Church has been stationed here to oversee the events of Sion's Grail War. Combat is not permitted here, and Masters are welcome to seek shelter here in the case that they wish to withdraw from the War.
[b]- Tourbillon Castle [i](Fallen Leyline)[/i]:[/b] A ruined castle situated on top of the rocky Tourbillon Hill in the Old Town. Putting aside the mountains that surround the valley, this is the highest point in Sion, standing about 50 meters above the Valère Basilica, which sits on the neighbouring hill about 300 meters away. Much like its twin, Tourbillon Hill is rocky and steep, making it difficult to reach the castle without climbing the road and passing through the guardhouses. The castle ruins themselves are built on a spot overflowing with magical energy. The Nadelkiss family has been known to host social events and rituals here in years past, but it is mostly used for tourism. However, both those practices seem to have been put on hold in preparation for the Grail War, and the ruins currently sit empty.
[b]- Rhône River:[/b] The river that runs through Sion, dividing Old Town and the Industrial District from the Residential District. The Rhône is crossed by a large highway bridge a handful of smaller, local bridges.
[b]- Nadelkiss Estate [i](Fallen Leyline) (Off Limits)[/i]:[/b] The Nadelkiss family, caretakers of Sion's spiritual land, reside in a secluded manor at the foot of the mountains North of town, surrounded by a small vineyard. One can only assume that this is where the Sion Grail War was devised, and that the mechanisms of the War are being operated from this location. As the Nadelkiss have chosen to abstain from the War and merely play the role of hosts, their estate is off limits to participants.
[b]- Majorie Chateau:[/b] A smaller castle sitting in the shadow of Valère Hill in Old Town. It has little spiritual significance and remains unoccupied, used only as a tourist attraction. It is nonetheless quite beautiful!
[b]- Town Hall:[/b] A government building in Old Town. Features Sion's famous Astronomical Clock.
[b]- Sorcerer's Tower:[/b] A tourist attraction in Old Town, although outsiders are only permitted to gaze upon this tower from the outside. During the Inquisition, individuals accused of witchcraft were subjected to vile torture within this small tower. The place is allegedly quite cursed, radiating an ominous energy.
[b]- Hotel Élite:[/b] A rather classy hotel situated in Sion's Commercial District.
[b]- Tourbillon Stadium [i](Fallen Leyline)[/i]:[/b] A large football stadium at the East end of the Residential District. While weaker than the other two fallen leylines in town, this place still possesses the impression of strong magical energy.
[b]- Sion Hospital:[/b] A high-class hospital East of town, featuring a world-class medical center for Olympic athletes.
[b]- Saint-Léonard:[/b] A very small and very quiet village just East of Sion. Popular among retirees, its only tourist attraction is an underground lake, available for boat rides.
[/hider]


[hider=The House of Nadelkiss]
[center][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][img]https://media.istockphoto.com/id/1214485479/vector/tropical-protea-flower-hand-drawn-vector.jpg?s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=GHZvoFXxJGzlu3vjVXCIDk5lcL79uMvOszBwd4bR-YQ=[/img][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/center]

The Nadelkiss have been the caretakers of Sion's land since the previous Second Owner perished during Witch Trials in the 15th century. They hold a prestigious reputation for spiritual evocation, healing, and the creation of Mystic Codes. At one time, they maintained a strong relationship with the Clock Tower and frequently had family members teaching classes there. However, they have been quiet for decades. The reason, it would seem, is that they have been working to bring about a Holy Grail War superior to the original.

Not seen since her education in London as a young girl, the current head of the family, Mattea Sweyn Nadelkiss, has recently returned and been making the rounds at the Clock Tower, speaking with anyone and everyone about the exciting potential of her Grail War project. With the sacrifice of seven Servants, it should be possible to reach the Root, or so she says.

The family's heir, Valdemar Magnus Nadelkiss, was expected by many to be a Master, representing the family in the War. He is known to be a rather talented and innovative young man, said to have been involved in an imitation Holy Grail War in the past. The fact that he even survived such a thing should speak to his capabilities. However, the family has announced that they will not be fighting in this War. Instead, they will simply be collaborating with the Holy Church to ensure that the Nadelkiss Holy Grail functions as intended.
[/hider]


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[url=https://discord.gg/dCvF3yKr]Click here to join the game's Discord server.[/url]

[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/195208-fate-edelweiss-a-holy-grail-war-in-switzerland/ooc]Or here to go back to the Interest Check.[/url]