[hider=Archer Battalion] Appearance: [hider=Uniform] [img]https://www.compagnie-du-costume.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Planche-BEF-1914-18_notag-scaled.jpg[/img] [/hider] This servant has many possibles appearances, but it will mostly be average looking adults westerners and they will always wear 1st world war military uniforms from the allied nations. [u][b]Pseudo True Name : The Unknown Soldier[/b][/u] Class: Archer Gender: Mostly men, but there are some women. Era: World War 1 Alignment: Variable, but Lawful is the most common trait. Attribute: Man [u][b]History[/b][/u] Many died in the world war. In respect to those who gave their lives for their countries, many monuments were created to remember their names. You can find them in city, towns and villages of Europe, listing the names of their local heroes. But there also was those whose names were lost. Did they have no relative who could remember them? Where they disfigured beyond recognition? Where they lost in foreign lands, their bodies never recovered? Monuments were built for them too. In many countries, you can find a tomb dedicated to these Unknown Soldiers, lost to history. To reach the throne of heroes, one must inscribe their names onto history itself. But the Unknown Soldier is the concept that assemble all of these lost warring souls from the war that should have ended all wars. It is a concept that denies True Names. And so, they find themselves fighting another war, in the quest of the wish-granting Holy Grail. [u][b]Personality[/b][/u] The unknown soldier encompass a large number of peoples. They are of course all unique individuals, but they also were united in their roles as soldiers. They have all been trained to military discipline but their reasons for joining their respectives armies vary greatly, from strong patriotism to the circumstances forcing their hands. An important aspect to them (which they will try to hide as much as possible), is that while the Unknown Soldier is a Heroic Spirit, they are not. As none of them left their names into history, the Throne of Heroes is inaccessible to them. This notably means that this servant does not have an actual True Name. The concept of the Unknown Soldier being inscribed into the throne is what is summoned as a servant while the souls of the lost soldiers are brought to fill the class vessel, since this concept is too lacking on its own to form a servant. So in practice, this is a servant which is more of a collection of wraiths than an actual Heroic Spirit. As a result, they bear some level of curses within them. They are somewhat ashamed of this status as they are meant to face true heroes who properly left their mark on history. But they are determined to obtain the Holy Grail, especially since their unconventional nature as servant and weakness due to their modernity makes them unlikely to be summoned in the first place. This means they intend to do everything in their power to win the Holy Grail War. Most of them have enough morals to not commit blatant war crimes but they have no interest in glory and honor and will always approach their fights with a pragmatic strategy. This means in turn that while they admire heroes, they scorn those who fight for glory. After all, the nameless soldiers are the firsts victims of glory seekers. Similarly, those who treat fighting unseriously or do not value life will gain the Unknown Soldier's hatred. Finally, all rulers, but Kings in particular, are a touchy subject for the Unknown Soldier. That is because of their background, of why they entered the first world war. Because of this, they are very divided. Some are patriots, others feel betrayed by their countries. And the subject of royalty in particular was still the source of many debates in their era. France had been a Republic for only a bit over 40 years. Britain never stopped being a kingdom. Italy was still one. And there are both Americans and Russians soldiers among them as both countries were part of the allies in their own times. And this is only to speak of the most common nationalities. They apply the same judgement to their master. The Unknown Soldier will obey faithfully someone worthy of their respect, but they will ignore or even scorn one who does not fit their standards. In this case, they will act on their own and chose how to fight based only on their own experience and observations. Of course, they are full of regrets. The wish they ended up convening to is to slightly alter history so that their names were never forgotten. Doing this would end the concept of the Unknown Soldier. Whenever they differ on a subject, they will mentally argue with each other to determine their answer. The process is rather fast but can last awhile if they have trouble agreeing together. [u][b]Parameters[/b][/u] (Dependent on the individual) Strength: E to D+ Endurance: E to D+ Agility: E to D+ Mana: E to D+ Luck: E- to B [u][b]Class Skills[/b][/u] Magic Resistance E : While they possess this skill thanks to their class, their nature as modern human with no experience of magecraft battles makes it basically defunct. In practice, the Unknown Soldier does not benefit from any protection against any magecraft. Independent Action B : Their low cost as a servant as well as the concept of a Lost Soldier makes them capable of lasting for up to two days without magical energy support. However, using Selective Deployment to its fullest can dramatically decrease this time. [u][b]Personal Skills[/b][/u] Selective Deployment A : The Unknown Soldier has access to 204 different souls and each of them can manifest with a separate spiritual body, spirit origin and spiritual core. Of course, to do so is extremely costly in magical energy so they will restrain their manifestations if there is no need for additional firepower. The minimum number of manifestations is one, as they need at least one spirit origin as Proof of Existence. If the only or last remaining manifested soldier is killed, another one is automatically manifested in their place. This means that it is necessary to kill each and every single one of them to kill the Unknown Soldier, but also that it's possible to kill them in chain by repeatedly hitting mortal blows if there is only one remaining manifested soldier. The downside of this large number is that they are very weak. A good mage with access to strong destructive magecraft can potentially take them down. The average mage (Magic circuits rank C) can at best manage to supply about 60 soldiers without using their own spells or the Unknown Soldier’s Noble Phantasm. Only the most impressive of mages may hope to support all of them at once. Independent Action can help to support the cost, but using it in that way during a fight will quickly use up its reserve of energy. Range: 1-5 (any manifested soldier can serve as the point of reference from which another one is manifested) Grudges D++ : Basic wraith curses. Potentially strong thanks to their numbers but lacking in subtlety or control. They usually keep them hidden to not reveal their true nature. If possible, they would rather not use them at all. However, since these are the manifestation of their grudges, regrets and resentments, losing control of their emotions could easily means losing control of the curses too. This is technically a wraith skill rather than that of a servant. Due to this, the defeat of the Unknown Soldier does not fully purge those curses. Some of the wraiths themselves might remain, though such weak spirits are not threat to a servant in decent condition, even a capable enough mage could take care of them. Those traits are not of much importance in the Holy Grail War, which commonly sees much greater power. Something that does matter however, is that such a servant is improper food to a Holy Grail. This is also a reason why they hide their nature. [u][b]Noble Phantasms[/b][/u] [i][b] First World War Weaponry[/b][/i] Rank: C++ NP Type: Anti-Unit and Utility Range: 0-2 Maximum Number of Targets: 1 (the user of the Noble Phantasm) Description: Unknown Soldier's Noble Phantasm. Function in a similar manner to Item Creation. It gives the Unknown Soldier access to all the weaponry they collectively used in their lifetimes. This also includes supplies and tools as long as they are considered military stock. Examples includes rations, medical kits, vehicles and more. The strongest tools they have is a few WW1 tanks and planes. Of course, since it is a Noble Phantasm, those weapons are effective against Heroic Spirits. But their modernity greatly diminishes their power against strong magic defenses or Noble Phantasms. [hider=Military inventory] Uniforms are not a part of First World War Weaponry, they’re considered Servant clothing. This includes some types of metal armors. [b][u]Supplies[/u][/b] Military rations (unlimited stock) Cost: The equivalent of keeping a soldier around for 10 minutes per kilogram Rank: - Stored nourishment. Materializing these effectively means giving a solid form to magical energy in order to store it. Consuming this food allows to restore magical energy and anyone (humans, beasts, servants and others) can do so. However, only a fifth of the energy employed to materialize it is recovered upon consumption. In addition, since it takes the form of physical food, in needs to be stored in sanitary conditions to avoid spoiling. It also cannot be taken in spirit form. For the Unknown Soldier to benefit from these supplies, it is necessary to produce them well in advance, store them in a safe, clean and dry place and physically move them to the battlefield. Medical kits (unlimited stock) Cost: The equivalent of keeping a soldier around for 2 hours per unit Rank: - Boxes of various designs containing the necessary tools to stop bleeding, treat burns and disinfect wounds. As part of First World War Weaponry, their effect is increased and they improve regeneration speed. However, they only work properly for regular physical wounds and it will still take multiple hours to recover from any non-superficial wound. Similarly to the rations, it can be prepared in advance and stocked. It also can be used on anyone, though it must be used by the Unknown Soldier to be effective. Artillery Binoculars (Unlimited number) Cost: Negligeable Rank: - Binoculars with markings to better estimate distance and accuracy. When manisfested by Unknown Soldier, they are similar to a sight enhancing Mystic Code. The Archer class benefits from greatly improved eyesight, but the Unknown Soldier is lacking on this point. These allow to compensate for this weakness. They also have the advantage of being usable by other people if needed, though they would need to be able to channel magical energy into them or they'd function as regular plain binoculars. Personal weapons: Non-military weapons which were used during WW1. This includes bows, utility knives, brass knuckles and many more, though their numbers are pretty low, at the exception of utility knives. Their ranks vary but are always under C. [u][b] Infantry weapons [/b][/u] Melee weapons of various kinds (unlimited stock) Cost: Negligeable Rank: E Includes military knives, swords, axes and more. Handguns (286) Cost: Negligeable Rank: C- Many types which include revolvers as well as semi-automatic guns. Rifles (192) Cost: Negligeable Rank: C- Many types, bolt-action rifles being still very common. Machines guns Notables examples: [hider=Lewis machine gun] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.americanrifleman.org%2Fmedia%2Fwcdl2v4o%2Flewisquartering.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=a37391154858f411e6a6df365031ddf2d18aa2cd8c66e42140ab84d413565f8a[/img] [/hider] -Lewis automatic machine gun (34) Cost: Doubles the soldiers cost during continued fire Rank: C A light machine gun designed in the US which was first manufactured in Belgium before the War then moved production to England in 1914 to avoid a potential seizure by German invaders. It has a bipod for setting down on the ground in a laid position, but it is light enough that it can potentially shoot while being carried. [hider=Vickers gun] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thearmorylife.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F05%2Farticle-vickers-gun-britains-world-war-warrior-5.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=df453e5bd7d453ae91ac4835df1e31725ad5807bfbd7fcbc21605a465d2adead[/img] [/hider][hider=Hotchkiss Modèle 1914] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftvd.im%2Fuploads%2Fposts%2F2021%2F01%2Fhotchkiss-model-1914-mle-1914_4.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=719c851f3b34586b711c426f3fb2ce81a6dc8b264c8c6f2b2537cba98bc2cf0a[/img] [/hider] -Gun, Machine, Mark I, Vickers, .303-inch, [i]Vickers gun [/i](32) and Mitrailleuse Hotchkiss Modèle 1914 (29) Cost: Equivalent to one soldier for continued firing Rank: C+ The Vickers gun is the preferential machine gun of the British army during early WW1, known for its solidity and reliability. Typically mounted on a tripod, it was known to need at least 3 crews to operate it properly due to the need to move around parts and ammunition. Since First World War Weaponry facilitates this process, only two soldiers are needed for firing at full capacity, one firing the gun and the other feeding the ammunition. It shoots between 450 and 500 rounds per minute. The Hotchkiss machine gun is a French Weapon of similar power. It was produced by Hotchkiss et cie, a French company founded by an American. Hand-grenades (unlimited stock) Cost: Temporary increase of 50% for soldiers using these. Rank: C+ Various designs are available, but the most common is the Mills bomb, a British hand-grenade derived from a Belgian design. Its looks have become emblematic of the idea of a hand-grenade. There are also hairbrush grenades, ball grenades, percussion grenades, suffocating grenades (tear gas) and more. Rifle grenades (unlimited stock) Cost: Temporary increase of 50% for soldiers using these. Rank: C+ A cylindrical grenade on a metal rod. The rod is inserted into the rifle, the propulsion is then provided by a blank shot. The most common one is the Hales rifle grenade, a British design. [b] [u]Artillery [/u][/b] [hider=Stokes mortar] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.militaryfactory.com%2Fsmallarms%2Fimgs%2Flrg%2Fstokes-mortar-3inch.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=41336463809bd3287f74bbed5b84c2e5bacc694357ae9a000e5f698ed3310aa0[/img] [/hider] 3-inch Stokes mortar (39) Cost: The mortar and repeated fire together come to the equivalent of a single soldier Rank: C+ A simple and easy to carry weapon, ideal for vertical strikes at the sacrifice of length. It can only shoot up to 730 meters of horizontal distance where artillery easily reaches multiple kilometers. In theory, it can fire up to 25 times per minute, however its light design makes it susceptible to damage when firing, requiring maintenance every few shots. Only one Soldier is needed to operate it. [hider=Glorious 75] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.figuren.miniatures.de%2Ffranzosen%2Fcanon-75-mm-MLE-1897-No-15932-left-rear.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=090c93a75a37eb799975f36c3c00bbebe86a0f3d4a03f8c19c841632e52371e6[/img] [/hider] Canon de 75 mm modèle 1897, [i]notre glorieux soixante quinze[/i] (24) Cost: The canon is equivalent to 1 soldier, maintaining fast firing is about 2 additional soldiers Rank: C++ A French mobile canon mounted on wheels capable of fast firing (up to 28 shots per minute), requiring two dedicated soldiers to operate it at full capacity. It gained the favor of the French army for its efficiency in mobile war, but it proved lacking when it came to defending a position. During the second World War, it would regain popularity as an anti-tank cannon. [hider=Howitzer] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fww1westernfrontweapons.weebly.com%2Fuploads%2F2%2F5%2F6%2F0%2F25607346%2F897210881.jpg%3F468&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=649b822b0405952ea8be58d5dc5a9a059d85ff46ab3f836052d4f2425baa110e[/img] [/hider] Ordnance BL 9.2-inch howitzer (12) Cost: The cannon is equivalent to 2 soldiers, continued firing is about 2 additional soldiers Rank: C+++ A popular British heavy siege howitzer, a cannon capable of both low and high firing, meaning it can directly fire at visible targets or angle shots over obstacles, combining the strengths of canons and mortars. Fired shells can be explosives, incendiary, containing chlorine (tear gas) or mustard gas (incapacitant, long-lasting gas which can directly attack the skin), though gas will not be as effective against a servant unless they are conceptually weak to it. 2 dedicated soldiers are needed to operate it, with a third one if they need to adjust aim. [b][u]Planes[/u][/b] [hider=Gunbus] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftvd.im%2Fuploads456%2Fposts%2F2021%2F07%2Fvickers-fb-5-gunbus_3.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=2fffcf80b0be52259e35a5da830de631dbefa708b8e5cc89fa8e3e2489bbaee8[/img] [/hider] Vickers Fighting Biplane 5, [i]Gunbus[/i] (1) Cost: The plane is equivalent to 4 soldiers, continued firing is about 1 additional soldier Rank: C A British two-seat pusher military biplane. It is said to be the first plane built for combat to be put in action. The propulsion is at the back, which allowed to Attach a Lewis gun at the front manned from the observer seat, while the driver was in the second seat. [hider=Type L] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fxn--80aafy5bs.xn--p1ai%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F11%2FMorane-Saulnier-L-krasnogo-vozdushnogo-flota..jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=5580185aa243163894ba52e3c022e77c323872bd218539e27753192661f43055[/img] [/hider] Morane-Saulnier Type L (1) Cost: The plane is equivalent to 4 soldiers, continued firing is about 1 additional soldier Rank: C+ A French parasol wing one or two-seat scout aeroplane and one of the first successful fighter aircrafts. This is due to an innovation that allowed for machine gun fire to pass through the propeller blade. By reinforcing them with armored deflector wedges, even if the bullets hit them, they won’t cause significant damage. This led to the arms race which would make it obsolete. This one used a Vickers machine gun. [hider=Type N] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fplane-encyclopedia.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F04%2FMorane-Saulnier-N-Vintage-Photograph.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=ad0356c9dca4fb5ec37b7325ceb991d1575b3fa21777f1cbeccbfcf59e761b7c[/img] [/hider] Morane-Saulnier Type N, [i]Bullet[/i] (1) Cost: The plane is equivalent to 4 soldiers, continued firing is about 1 additional soldier Rank: C+ An early streamlined French one or two seat monoplane fighter craft known to be difficult to control. It would be quickly made obsolete by the quickly progressing aircraft technology of WW1. Equipped with a Hotchkiss machine gun Firing through the propeller blades reinforced with deflector wedges. [hider=Ca.2] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.defense.gov%2F2005%2FDec%2F22%2F2000574694%2F2000%2F2000%2F0%2F050309-F-1234P-003.JPG&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=81b456814f6494d3f2fd1ce92ea5a4832b3098f0b9d7d6a2973b476bf862585c[/img] [/hider] Caproni Ca.2 (1) Cost: The plane is equivalent to 6 soldiers, continued firing is up to 5 additional soldiers when using all weapons Rank: C+ (Machine Gun) C++ (bomb payload) An Italian biplane pusher twin-boom heavy day bomber with a large open nacelle meant for a crew of 4, including two pilots, a front gunner and rear gunner-mechanic. This one is equipped with three Revelli 7.7 mm machine guns, one on the front ring mount for the front gunner and the other two on the upper ring mount for the rear gunner. [u][b] Wheeled vehicles[/b][/u] [hider=Bikes] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.bcdn.biz%2FImages%2F2022%2F2%2F9%2F75e504f1-ab29-4f51-8ef0-743a09e985d9.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=ffabb9b3644d8c47109398366b0e5dc70fe62c8dab7b0d9d8122f90d8c6e6204[/img] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2Fi%2Fpix%2F2015%2F06%2F18%2F11%2F29BAED5300000578-3129593-image-m-25_1434625171655.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=f98ffe19aed12aaed866f7576322e98a41b9f336c07c23956c3e79cdfc5a4aac[/img] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-uMZ8gl5mWHU%2FUQNJCUVeL6I%2FAAAAAAAAFn0%2FzTDV2NAjnTw%2Fs1600%2FIndianAmbulance1-WWI.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=d640a38f96e789d3e22483a5f35266d5296918310de909a42dc3a7e1ee2e5a79[/img] [/hider] Motorcycles Cost: equivalent to 1 soldier, 2 if armed Rank: C+ Most countries directly involved in the first world war quickly learned the usefulness of motorized vehicles in the conflict, though Britain has the reputation of making the most use of them. Motorbikes are useful for quick locomotion, but they can also use sidecars attachments with specialized option like stretchers to move the wounded or armed sidecars with light protective plating and mounted machine gun. [hider=Mark 1 male] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.vJxMJR1mf_w0oXJ1GMvziAHaDO%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=3eb5743daf55efc182ca8aa080cea1d95b388fd88c8fd54bedcabb15e17158bf[/img] [/hider] British tank Mark I [i]male[/i] (1) Cost: The tank is equivalent to 5 soldiers, continued firing is up to 7 additional soldiers when using all weapons. Rank: C++ Damage, C Armor As the idea of the tank began to form, this was the prototype that British engineer came up with as well as the very first tank. The most notable feature are their larges rhomboidal shaped tracks with a high climbing face. This design was meant to help crossing the trenches, but it also made armed turrets impractical. So, the main armaments were equipped on the sides rather than the top. It requires a total of 8 crew to operate at full capacity. It is equipped with two 6 pounder guns (a type of naval cannon) and three .303 Hotchkiss machine guns. [hider=Mark 1 female] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F6a%2Ff5%2F2c%2F6af52c668d7314c75fadc28c88aa2c1a.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=57a46dc03b3daf618aa97d703a203170313b60d36c7b1ee2eb789ecf97c84951[/img] [/hider] British Mark I tank [i]female [/i](2) Cost: The tank is equivalent to 5 soldiers, continued firing is up to 5 additional soldiers when using all weapons. Rank: C+ Damage, C Armor The production of Mark I was too large compared to the amount of desired weapons, this led to a subtype that would later come to be known as female. They are equipped with four Vickers machine guns and one .303 Hotchkiss machine gun. Otherwise, it is the same. [hider=FT17] [img]https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticr1.blastingcdn.com%2Fmedia%2Fphotogallery%2F2018%2F10%2F2%2Fos%2Fb_1200x630x75%2Fel-renault-ft-17-primer-carro-de-combate-del-et-tras-el-el-actual-leopardo_2110857.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=83f05b637b73b208434563027448226de112c801384f358c45b28affdb74c242[/img] [/hider] Renault FT, FT17 (5) Cost: The tank is equivalent to 3 soldiers, continued firing is about 1 additional soldier Rank: C+ Damage, C Armor A revolutionary French light tank, the first production tank to have its armament within a fully rotating turret which would, along with other elements of configuration, eventually become the standard in tanks. Unlike modern light tanks however, it is rather slow. It is equipped with either Puteaux SA 1918 37 mm gun (a small, rapid firing cannon) or 8 mm Hotchkiss machine gun. It has two seats with their own hatches to enter and exit when needed for the driver and the gunner. [/hider] [i][b]The World War to end All[/b][/i] Title: Myriad memories of final moments Rank: EX NP Type: Anti-Army Suicide Attack Range: 30 (cannot be reduced, center of the user, targets everyone in its range indiscriminately Maximum Number of Targets: ~300 Activation conditions: It requires both a chant including the true name release and a processus called “Cursed energy transmutation”. [i]“We died for the world We died alone We died with no one to remember us Whoever you are, witness us Witness the pain, terror and oblivion Witness The World War to end All”[/i] Performing the chant allows to start the Cursed energy transmutation. It uses the curses contained within the Unknown Soldier as the spark to ignite all its remaining magical energy along with their spiritual bodies, transforming it into curses. This is necessary due to The World War to end All being a wraith’s Noble Phantasm. This means it can only be powered by curses. As a consequence, if for one reason or another the Unknown Soldier ends up purified from their curses earlier, it will impede on their ability to use this Noble Phantasm. Similarly, as their curses are fueled by negative emotions, they need to channel those for the chant to be effective in the first place. Description: It creates a unique bounded field, something somewhere between a Reality Marble and the haunted places that wraiths utilize. It pulls the consciousness of its captives within a separate layer of reality within which a vast hellish battlefield serves as the theater for the patchwork memories of the soldiers’ final moments. It is filled with superficial imitations of humans, resembling distorted shadows, who will recreate these scenes. The remaining soldiers themselves lose their servants bodies as they are consumed in the making of The World War to end All and their spirits are made to inhabit such imitations based on themselves. On the other hand, the captured consciousnesses are transferred into mirror images which accurately reproduce their own abilities. The curse connects all damage to inflict it upon the original body, including mortal wounds. This means that dying within this separate layer of reality cause death to the true body. In addition, this other layer of reality is seeped with the concept of “high mortality”. This causes natural defenses and armors of all kinds to be severely weakened. Because of this and First World War Weaponry’s power being applied to the weapons created by this noble Phantasm, while the actors of these scenes possess physical abilities within “regular human limits”, their weapons are particularly deadly, even to servants. The deaths recreation will start immediately and multiple of them will occur at the same time. The curse will end on its own once all remaining soldiers have met their ends. In the hypothetical event where all 204 soldiers are still present, it could take around half an hour. The less of them were left to activate the Noble Phantasm, the shorter it will be. It can be further shortened by killing them directly, but it is not necessary to participate in any fighting. The extra actors on the side of the Allies will see the captives as either comrades of arms or civilians to protect (depending on one’s martial prowess) while those on the side of the Central Powers will see them as enemy soldiers or targets to capture (based on the same reasoning). As for the wraiths, they will be initially in a sort of trance, perfectly reacting their final moments. Any interruption could pull them out of it, but they still won't be able to prevent or delay the events which led to their ends. From the outside, the captives will appear asleep. Only those present at the moment of activation are captured, so it is possible to approach the scene afterward and interact with their bodies. Moving the bodies away from where the bounded field was cast does not cancel the effect. However, as this is effectively a form of possession strongly ranked up, a powerful form of exorcism may potentially free the captives early. If one can, through any means necessary, be it social skills, sneaking, athletics or anything, survive to the end, their consciousness will be automatically brought back to their original bodies. This Noble Phantasm is the crystallization of the wraiths’ corrupted desire to share their experiences with others and be remembered. However, as it recreates their deaths, this will end them once more. Furthermore, their cursed aspects make it dangerous to all others involved. This contradiction, as well as the fact that using this Noble Phantasm means giving up on winning the current Holy Grail War, makes them extremely unlikely to consider using The World War to end All. They still possess this ability without their class vessel, but it is ranked down to E. At this level, it is incapable of making use of the separate layer of reality, so this is nothing more than a nightmare. The only damage it causes is mental. [/hider] [hider=Thief Master] Appearance: [img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/d4cec1a5cca96752f3805abe0ce7efb5/b4eff637ee00edd6-d7/s500x750/fa8d6bc9d2ef85deed0d5cee27047cc9e21cad9a.jpg[/img] A tall (186 cm), lanky guy with a forgettable face and unkempt black hair. Name: Jerome Meluastea Pearson Titles: Mole, mage thief Gender: Male Age: 36 Alignment: Chaotic/Neutral Affiliation: None Clock Tower Rank: Count, though mostly due to familial influence Command Spell: Swirly lines on the palm side of his left forearm. While not straight, their intersections are all perpendiculars. The design is asymmetric. The largest command spell contains the medium one which contains the smallest. [u][b] Life background:[/b][/u] The Pearson family has barely more than 300 years of history. It started with James Pearson, a British gem merchant who found himself dealing with mages. It turned out he had a little bit of talent for magecraft and used it to develop a technique to efficiently figure out the location of gems in the ground of newly explored lands. Having gained financial success, he decided to invest in the future. He used to connection he made to marry a woman of average mage lineage, as it was the best a complete newcomer like him could get. From there, his descendant kept developing these techniques not to reach the root, but to gain further influence and power. Each generation would work to amass larges amounts of wealth and spend a significant portion of it into obtaining a partner of the best possible mage lineage. It got them a deserved reputation of greedy upstarts, but they also maintained family connections which would allow them to keep growing. It was facilitated by the growth of their magecraft leading to an expansion of their business. Rather than just gems, they started unearthing anything that was considered valuable. In particular, archeological findings allowed them to ingratiate themselves to the Maluastea family, one of the Twelve Lords families of the Clock Tower. Eventually, it allowed them to become a branch family and secure a marriage. Myrina Meluastea was a failure. Despite her prestigious ancestry, she was born with little talent for magecraft and an unusually low number of magic circuits. She was never even considered as a potential heir, which would explain how this marriage even came to pass. The Pearson family head was well aware of this, yet he didn’t mind as he thought that even a reject of the Meluastea would greatly improve their own lineage. The first-born child was mediocre at best, barely in the usual standards of the Pearson family. Still, they kept trying to make a worthwhile heir and, after 10 years, a promising child was born. It was their seventh, born with well above average magical circuits and fated to be the next family head. Her name was Eugenia Meluastea Pearson. And so the focus of her parents shifted to her education, leaving aside the other children, including the first-born who had been trained to magecraft until this point in case none of his sibling would be any more talented. His name was Jerome Meluastea Pearson. Years passed, Jerome learning in his teenage years what it meant to not be the central point of a mage family. He already wasn’t used to shows of affection, but he also didn’t have to deal anymore with the pressure of expectations, the sting of disappointment or the antagonism between mage families. Rather, there was just a void. So, he tried to fill it. The Pearson family was so wealthy that they didn’t pay much mind to spendings, giving him all the buying power he wanted. But there was no doubt that material possessions did not gave him the same joy as other kids of his age. Then one day, he saw a few teens fleeing out of a shop, goods in hands. An adult came after them, running and shouting, but he didn’t notice. His mind was absorbed by the face of the one who ran just past him. Even as the boy was purchased, a large grin crossed his face. He just looked so happy. That sight stayed with him, even as he was trying to forget about it. A few days later, Jerome Pearson shoplifted. This was his first theft as well as the most exhilarating moment of his life. Years later, he had become a full-fledged thief. He cut ties with his family, as they didn’t bring anything good to him. He gave up on the life of a mage, only using what he learned to further his thieving skills. With every theft, he felt closer to being fulfilled. Yet, the void never went away. So, he stole more and more, from mages and normal peoples alike, hoping he would find what he was missing. Then, he learned of a Holy Grail War in Switzerland. That was not the first time he heard of this ritual happening, but it was making much more noise than usual. A Holy Grail. An omnipotent wish granter. If anything can fill the void, this should be it. [u][b] Job history:[/b][/u] He started with small thefts on people incapable of seeing through magic. While his skills were underdeveloped, he was good at practical application and quickly developed specific uses of his knowledge for the purpose of thievery. He also picked up non-magical-skills, which he quickly found to more rewarding than magic. However, the safety took away all the thrills. He had to target mages. He started small, with declined, nearly forgotten families or young and inexperienced ones. But he needed more. Yet he was all too aware of the risk. Even if he pulled it off, they would find out about him sooner or later and he would be on the run for the rest of his life. If he could outrun them in the first place. Then, a solution offered itself to him. A reseller with whom he had a good business relationship offered him a job. A heretical mage was being targeted by the church, but the family he came from wanted to recover its assets first. The Clock Tower wasn’t going to move a finger. And hired guns would be too likely to destroy the goods. It needed to be delicate. And he was. He pulled it off. Honestly, it was easier than he would have thought. So, he sought more jobs of this type. He even started fishing for info on heretical mages so that he could find targets of his own, without any employer to force him into a deadline or any other specific requirement. He came close to being caught a few times. On any of these occasions, it would have spelled death. His unscarred body was the testament to his efficacy. To fail was to die. As he settled on the Holy Grail as the treasure he wanted to acquire, he realized that his skills weren’t the best for the task. So he prepared in his own way. His last theft before participating was of a completely different scale to anything prior. His target was a respected and influential family’s prized mystic code. A Magical Energy Reactor developed from a small piece of a dragon’s lung which was revitalized and regrown over decades of arduous care then encased into a large and complex contraception which ensures its upkeep and facilitates the harnessing of magical energy. Just getting into their workshop was dangerous, seizing the Reactor many times more so and smuggling it out was only made possible by a multiple week set-up and impeccable timing of every step of the operation. The most extraordinary achievement of his carrier. And it was not enough. It only steeled his resolve. [u][b]Personality[/b][/u] The first thing anybody would notice is how gloomy and discreet he is. He keeps to himself, sometimes mumble on his own but rarely speak in more than a few words. Usually avoiding relationships and keeping his distance from crowded places. Discretion is a sort of guiding principle to him. He aims to live his whole life without standing out, regardless of how far reaching the consequences of his actions are. If you’d ask him what fate he would wish for the world, he’d say something along the lines of : “Well, obviously it’s more beneficial to me if the world is doing fine”. He doesn’t care much for the impact he has on the world, only that it isn’t noticeable or at least that it can be traced back to him. Deep down, he only wish to escape any sort of binding. Because of this, he hopes he can summon an Assassin Servant. He is both brash and cowardly, as he takes calculated risks which could have dramatic consequences but always mull over any decision, even inconsequent ones. If he hasn’t evaluated a risk yet, he won’t get involved. The Pearson family is more open to modernity than most mage families, but only when it comes to practical utility. Modern values failed to influence them. So, Jerome’s firsts acknowledgements of how a normal person think came only in his teens, as he was distancing himself from his family. As a result, he is judgmental of the immorality of mages. Yet, he himself is an egoistic pragmatic who will sometime try to give himself a better conscience on one or the other matter of small importance, but hardly ever acts based on morality. He doesn’t drink or smoke as he wants to avoid anything that could temper with his senses. He has bit of a sugar addiction though. Despite appearances, he takes very good care of his health. In particular, he dislikes disrupting his sleep schedule, even though he often has to do it as a thief. [u][b] Magecraft Information[/b][/u] Elemental Affinity: Only a moderate ability for earth, but it pairs well with his Origin of Exudiation Number of Magic Circuits: C Quality of Magic Circuits: D [u][b]Magecraft[/b][/u]: [i]Basics of magecraft[/i]: Workshop creation and general knowledge of magecraft. By the time his parents lost interest in him, he had well acquired the fundamentals. As a thief, however, he never needed to set up a workshop. [i]Geomancy[/i]: Magecraft to alter the element of earth. Jerome only mastered the fundamentals of it, which are useful for the skills he trained, but he has little to no experience in practical application of geomancy itself. [i]Pearson’s brand of magecraft techniques[/i]: It started with the alchemical skill developed by James Pearson, known as [i]Ground Touch[/i]. It’s a spell that disconnects the caster’s sense of touch from their own body and reapply it to the ground. They will experience sensitive stimuli coming from the ground as if it was their body as long as physical contact is kept. In practice, it allows to differentiate soil layers by softness, grain, humidity and temperature as well as detect cavities, creatures or items hidden underground. After 300 years of research, the Pearsons added more principles and technique to refine it and create variations based on the needs of the situation. The one Jerome has experience in using is focused on analyzing the structure of building and he slowly altered his brain cognition to be able to perfectly visualize accurate 3-dimensional maps of the buildings he connects to. Using these, he doesn’t even need his sight to find his way. [i]Undisturbing Retrieval[/i]: First, [i]Ground Touch[/i] or a similar spell is needed to analyze the targeted ground. Then, [i]Temporary Earth Expansion[/i] is a technique which distort for a brief moment the distance between materials of earth attribute before putting them back to normal, developed by the Pearsons to exuviate precious resources with minimal damage (the tendency for archeologists to use dynamite at the time was what motivated them). Since there is always space between atoms, even in solid objects, there is always a gap to extend for passage. [i]Extended Grasp[/i] is a similar technique, but used on the self to prolong reach. These two skills were developed to be used together allowing to reach into the ground to pull out whatever is desired with little to no disturbance or damage on either. A skill focused on maintaining the value of treasures. [i]Traceless Traversal[/i]: Jerome’s unique skill which he achieved thanks to his Origin. It derives from [i]Undisturbing Retrieval[/i]. He treats his entire body and existence as just another Item to be moved. Rather than extending his grasp, he slips his body through the opening, only distorting as much as needed and letting matter retake its original form afterward. The process is very quick and not particularly flashy. An onlooker might think he somehow got sucked into the wall. On the other hand, while he can take items with him, he is unable to pull a living creature along. His proficiency with this one specific skill allows him to extend its scope. In addition to earth materials, he can pass through living organism and bounded fields. However, this is much more difficult. This is in part because Ground Touch will not work in those cases, so he must rely on more standard structural analyzes spells. Analyzing a living being is much more difficult than mere ground. It’s an ever-shifting mess of interconnected systems. Making a path is much more difficult, so, even in optimal condition, Jerome will need multiple minutes of preparation and analyze to be ready to use this spell on a living being. In practice, this is a pointless application. Being able to traverse bounded fields without disturbing them, however, is extremely useful, even if it takes a large amount of time. And it does. Depending on the size and power of the bounded field, it can take a few hours to multiple days to pull this off. But as mages are overly dependent on these to protect their domains, this spell is the skeleton key that made his success as a thief. Magic Crest: The Pearson's magic crest is possessed by his little sister Eugenia. [u][b]Mystic Codes[/b][/u] Draconic Reactor: A stolen Magical Energy Reactor. While the dragon part serving as the core is relatively small, the contraception around it making it into a proper Reactor is sizeable (over 1 cubic meter) and it weights near 200 kilograms. It is not easy to transport, but the power it gives is well worth it. Magical Energy Camouflage Seals: A mystic code in a form resembling paper talismans, though it mixes multiple magecraft styles. Once set-up, they hide magical energy in a specific perimeter. Jerome doesn’t know the exact details of how they work, only how to apply them. He is quite used to using them to smuggle magical items. He uses them to hide the Draconic Reactor, but due to its power, it needs an extra solid set-up. A full-room dedicated to it, with the Magical Energy Camouflage Seals plastered over the wall. It would be very easy to disturb this set-up, at which point the Reactor would be like a lighthouse for his enemies. Wondrous Elixir: A metabolism boosting potion he stole a while back. He’s been saving it for later. Box of Darkness: A stolen mystic code which had been created to assist the rituals of a heretic mage. It stores darkness during nights and release it when opened. The more it stored, the more effective and long-lasting the darkness will be. Moonless nights are more effective at recharging it. Jerome uses it to escape dangerous situations or create distractions. Flask of basilisk’s poison: It is small, most likely there is only enough for one use. But it is potent. Jerome doesn’t remember where he stole this one. [u][b] Nonmagical Assets[/b][/u] Mole’ savings: Jerome has made a lot of benefits from selling the results of his thefts. As he doesn’t have particularly expensive tastes or hobbies, the money kept accumulating over the years. Disguise make-up: One can make themselves looks like a fully different person with the right make-up. As most mages would normally rely on an illusion Mystic Code or spell for this purpose, it has the added advantage of being unexpected. It served him well many times in the past. Lockpicking set: His own abilities makes it rather redundant, but it can come in handy if he should avoid spending magical energy. Also, he just enjoys lockpicking as a hobby. 3 phones along temporary numbers: Jerome is used to switching those on the regular. The modernity of the phones varies. He feels safer using older models, but recognize the usefulness of modern smartphones. A laptop: Recently bought as it could come in handy. A foldable crossbow: Easy to transport and hide. He hopes he won’t have to use them, as he has yet to kill someone and would rather not get his own hands dirty. But he isn’t naïve. A few pockets knifes: Same as previous. [/hider]