Breo — Roleplayer Guild

David Ríos

(Southern Miyama, Riverside Cottage)

The new homeowner walked aimlessly through the corridors, taking note of the house for the umpteenth time that day. It was, he mused, far from an ideal location, but it was also far from a terrible one. A few other houses dotted the landscape here and there, but it was far more isolated than any apartment or hotel suite he would have managed to acquire within the confines of the city – just how he preferred it, thankfully enough. 

It was not the first time he had made such observations that day – his heartbeat quickened as he chanced a glance in the direction of the staircase that led to the attic and the thought of what lay within. A strange mix of excitement, agitation and perhaps just that bit of giddiness swirled within his breast, and he took one moment to got to the bathroom and splash cold wáter on his face. Breathing out, he looked towards the face staring back at him from the mirror.

Sandy blond hair fell down past his ears, some particularly messy strands clinging to his face. Brown eyes stared from their sockets, bags of tiredness under them as he muttered some choice words about the backwater the Ritual took place in. His usual jacket had been discarded, leaving him with only a white shirt with the sleeves pulled up to his forearms, hands stained red. Hardly an image befitting the heir of a family like his own, but he supposed it was fine so long as nobody else caught a glimpse of it. Without delay, he endeavored to wash the crimson off his hands before combing his hair in an attempt to make himself look more respectable, deciding to pick his usual ensemble before going through with his task. 

Dress shoes, slacks, white shirt and a jacket to go along with it. They would not do much for his tired features, but he supposed it was the best he could do considering the circumstances.

First meetings, after all, were everything. It would not do to appear as some sort of vagabond, he mused as he straightened his appearance, nor would it do to give the impression of an overeager puppy, was the thought as he calmed himself and schooled his features.

Nonetheless, as he glanced towards the object he had managed to gain as catalyst for his summon in satisfaction. It was a helmet – or rather, the remains of one, battered by the wear of both battle and years – which had once belonged to one of this land’s most famous heroes. Though he would be the first to admit that his first choices would have laid with some closer to his home (heart), the fact remained that he was here to win.

And that meant ruling himself through logic rather than letting childish admiration make his choices for him.

Picking it up from its resting place on his table, he climbed upstairs with a certainty that, should he be honest with himself, he did not truly feel. Nonetheless, he had commited himself to this course of action, and he would see it through to the very end.

Opening the door to the attic, he saw the fruits of his earlier labor during the day, the summoning circle, drawn in blood, perfect down to the smallest detail. He had already disposed of the animal carcasses, so with as much care as he was able to, he placed the relic before it and then stepped back, eyes flashing to check if the blinders were correctly closed.

He observed the setup for a moment, trying to discern if he had made a mistake somewhere, but there was none.

“…Ah, well. Let us stop dawdling. There is a task at hand.”

Lifting his left hand up, palm facing the circle, he began his chant.

“Silver and steel shall be the essence,
Gems and the archduke of contracts shall be the foundation.
The ancestor shall be the great master, Schweinorg.”


He could feel it, the slight shift in the air as the words left his mouth, but he closed himself off to all distractions and continued on with the incantation.

“Let the alighted wind become a Wall, close off the Cardinal Gates.
Approach from the Crown, Rotate the thrice-forked road leading to the Kingdom.”


His was not a wish borne of selflessness, but neither was it a destructive one borne of hatred. His was simply the desire of a man to leave a definite mark, the desire to advance his family and the desire to gain recognition.
Just another small, selfish wish.

“Fill (Shut), Fill (Shut), Fill (Shut), Fill (Shut), Fill (Shut).
Simply shatter once filled.
I hereby propose an accord.
Your self will be under my Command.
My fate will rest in your Blade.
If you accede to the Summons of the Holy Grail. If you recognize this Will, this Reason.
Answer me thus!”


But is it so bad to be selfish? Such is human nature. If anything, it is true selflessness what is unattainable, like a distant, impossible dream.
And so, for the sake of his selfish desires, for his own sake and no one else’s, he will participate in this War for the Holy Grail.

“I swear.
I shall embody all Good in this world.
I shall expunge all Evil from this world.
You, from the Seventh Heaven, clad in Three Words of Power, come forth from the Circle of Restraint –
– O’ Guardian of the Balance!”


The circle, which had steadily become brighter with each spoken line, with each syllable leaving the magus’ mouth, suddenly released it all in a single, dazzling flash.

@Ijoyen

Name: Siegfried.

Class: Saber.
Gender: Male.

Appearance:

Alignment: Lawful Good.

Personality: ‘A taciturn man whose passions run deep’ is a phrase that was used once, and still continues to be an apt descriptor. He speaks little, either to his Master or during combat, showing a preference for action over words, but there is still an innate kindness to him even now despite the intimidating figure he cuts.

Dutifully following orders, comfortable fighting evil no matter its shape -- indeed, his disposition as a ‘reliable hero’ is top notch. It is perhaps because of his dedication to being ‘an ideal hero’ that one of his key traits is apologizing even when something is not really his fault.

He shows no regrets about his later life, even if it was one full of wrong turns. Slaying Fafnir had been the climax of his tale, and afterwards, it is as though the Sun were to set for him -- but such a thing was fine. However, as a man whose principal characteristic as a hero was ‘one who carries out the wishes of others’, it is perhaps understandable that his dearest want is to, for once, take the reins of his own life. To fight evil, to aid the weak not because he is asked to, but because it is part of the ‘Good’ he believes in. That is his reason for taking up his blade and running off to the battlefield now. Because perhaps then he'd truly possess a reason to stand proudly.

If there is one thing he wishes, above all else, it is to be a true ‘Hero of Justice’.

History: A brief rundown

There was once a hero. A great hero who killed a dragon. He was brave, boisterous and beloved by everyone, with his tale sung across the world.

Siegfried is not that man. Siegfried is not Sigurd.

He lived his life as he did partly by choice, partly because he couldn’t have lived it another way -- letting the word ‘hero’ define his choices and actions. His tales came about not out of his own desire -- but because he was strong, and thus, others asked him to save or aid them.

‘Please, kill that dragon’.

‘Please, seduce the warrior queen’.

‘Please, love only me’.

He was only as free as the word (leash) ‘hero’ allowed him to be. Even though he could have given up the gold and resigned himself to a life as ‘another Prince of the Netherlands’, he didn’t, not because of his wants, but because ‘another could have stumbled upon the cursed gold’. Though he might have been able to flee with the warrior queen and lived a ‘happily ever after’, he could not, because he had made a promise. Though he needn’t have died to guarantee peace and avoid further bloodshed, it was an unavoidable fate regardless -- because such an end was the only one a hero would -- could -- have, because he ‘could not truly understand’ the feelings of those around him.

Thus--

‘Hagen, my friend -- please, kill me.’

He put that burden upon his one dear friend, the only request he ever made, sharing the lone weak spot left behind after he bathed in the blood of the evil dragon. 

...In the end, all it accomplished was inciting the woman he had married to to become trapped in her own hatred, and for his dear friend to be remembered as a rare villain that had killed him through foul play. Though he died to stop it, he had only become more fuel to be thrown into the fire.

Are such things worthy of regret? Not even Siegfried knows anymore. But...wanting to have lived as ‘a hero’ -- because that was the one and only choice he was afforded -- cannot have been wrong, and it is the one thing he is sure about.

Weapon: A gargantuan greatsword, silver armor of high quality.

Parameters:

STR: B+
CON: A (Diminished to B due to Master)
AGI: B
MGI: C
LCK: E

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance: -. Differing from the ‘resistance’ of a magus, the ability to outright negate or abate the effects of magecraft upon oneself. This skill has been lost due to the effects of his Noble Phantasm.

Riding: B. The ability to ride mounts. The Servant may expertly ride horses and other such animals, as well as modern appliances such as motorcycles or cars. However, state-of-the-art vehicles such as airplanes or submarines cannot be ‘ridden’ at this Rank, nor is it applicable to Phantasmal Species.

Personal Skills:

Golden Rule: C-. He possesses this skill as a result of the ‘cursed treasure’ featured in his legend. Money problems are unknown, but due to the nature of the wealth, LCK is permanently Ranked down.

Disengage: A (C). The ability to break away from combat. Battle conditions are reset to what they were at the beginning of the fight -- he claims to possess this ability because ‘retreating to better ground and laying traps’ are key aspects of dragonslaying. However, due to his disposition -- and also due to the lack of need to retreat in any way in his later life -- his skills in this area have dulled over time.

Dragon Slayer: A. A special skill obtained by those who have fought Dragonkind, offering significant bonuses to offensive and defensive power when fighting those with the 'Dragon' attribute. He holds this Skill at a high Rank befitting one of the most well-known dragonslayers -- but perhaps because of the nature of the legend, it cannot rightly be called something that stems from his own talent, but rather "the anecdote of killing a dragon."

Noble Phantasms:

Name: Armor of Fafnir.
Title: Blood Armor of the Evil Dragon.
Rank: B+

Type: Anti-Unit (Self)

Range: -

Maximum Number of Targets: 1

Description: The so-called ‘invincible skin’ he received after bathing in the blood of the Evil Dragon, Fafnir. It made Siegfried into an ‘invulnerable existence’ that could no longer be harmed by anything on earth -- and, due to having drunk it, such a status also applies to his innards. Practically, it grants immunity to attacks of B Rank and below, and attacks of A Rank and above will only register after having the equivalent of a B Rank subtracted from their power. In addition, if faced with a Noble Phantasm wielded by a proper hero, the defensive value will rise to B+, except in such cases that the enemy attack possesses ‘dragon-slaying’ qualities. Reducing his silver armor to mere ornamentation, should Siegfried go all-out in a defensive battle, he is truly a moving fortress.

The sole exception to this is the spot on his back where a linden leaf once attached to him while he was bathing in Fafnir’s blood. Bereft of protection and cursed to be unable to cover it, even the weakest Heroic Spirit will be able to slay him if their blows strike true through this spot -- even with aid from a Master, wounds to this area will be difficult to heal.

Name: Balmung.
Title: Phantasmal Greatsword, Felling of the Sky Demon.
Rank: A+

Type: Anti-Army

Range: 1-50

Maximum Number of Targets: 500

Description: A two-handed greatsword, boasting a magnificence and enormity that makes it seem as though it was not crafted by mortal hands. The holy blade of the Nibelungs, it possesses demonic attributes due to Gram, the demonic blade of its origin, and as such it will change attribute from ‘holy’ to ‘demonic’ depending on who wields it. In its pommel rests a jewel that has accumulated True Ether from the Age of Gods, and upon chanting ‘--O’ Sword, let thee be filled.’ as though a command, it will cause the sword to shine like the twilight due to its emanation. Upon slashing and announcing its name, the ‘twilight will coalesce’ and expand from the blade, a destructive wave  released in a semicircular beam of energy centered around Siegfried.

It is noted to possess an abnormally fast activation rate in comparison to other Anti-Army Noble Phantasms -- and, in addition, due to having accomplished the deed of ‘dragon-slaying’, those with such attribute receive additional damage from it.

Name: David Ríos.

Gender: Male

Age: 24

Appearance: i.imgur.com/1vzXFMl.jpg

Personality: A man burdened by expectations and blessed (cursed) with ambition to exceed them. Perhaps it is just as well -- to the eyes of magi, such mindset is perhaps the only one worth having. Generally speaking, he appears to people as a personable individual -- and this would be true. He carries with him the pride one would expect the heir of a reputable family to possess, but he tries to keep himself from being too overbearing about it. While he can be somewhat insensitive towards those of younger families, his opinion on individuals is based solely on individual achievements, so he will naturally find those who ride on their family’s coattails to be revolting. He is an easy man to converse with, and also an easy man to be friends with. 

However, though he might truly consider friends as such, he will nonetheless throw them under the train (so to speak) when the time comes should it prove beneficial for his ambitions. He might be saddened and mourn it, but such things will not stop him from stabbing another in the back should he stand a chance of furthering his -- or his family’s -- position. Someone might be worth praising, someone might be worth loving, but in the end, everyone and everything are but steps to be used to reach further beyond.

Such is his nature as a magus, and he will make no effort to lie to himself about it. And in this case, if he must trample over other’s wishes to attain his own -- well, his choice will still be rather obvious.

Biography: Heir to a lineage dating back six generations, it was only natural that he would have had expectations piled upon him even before birth -- his family had dedicated itself seriously to the path of magecraft from the beginning, and so, he was clearly expected to follow such a tradition to the best of his abilities. His parents had married out of convenience rather than love, hoping to produce a strong heir that would carry the weight generations upon his back, and he was supposed to be the ‘reward’ for their efforts -- a duty he performed beautifully, possessing above-average Circuit Count and Quality. In a way, from the moment of his birth, he was seen as a trophy rather as an actual individual.

It was not the warmest childhood, but it was not a bad childhood either. His parents certainly appreciated him, even if it was the ‘affection of a magus’ rather than the ‘love of family’, and so, he naturally drifted towards the path that they and their forefathers had trodden before him.

Without looking back, he embarked upon the ‘path of a magus’. Through the years, he strove to meet the expectations that had been placed upon him, seeking to excel, to be better than he was the day before, to carry his lineage with pride, only keeping touch with the mundane so as to uphold the ‘mask of normalcy’ his family had crafted  and shown to the society at large -- though, at times, mundane distractions had also been good ways to relieve stress accrued during his more esoteric pursuits.

Though he felt pride about each achievement, he felt no enthusiasm about the future that awaited him. 

He wanted more. More than being a man whose only ambition was to further the family research and then pass it on to his own child. Though there were many that might have thought such an existence acceptable, to him it was something disgusting -- what was the purpose of being ‘one more’? Why not be ‘the one’ instead?

Delusions borne of childish pride. Though it was something any would hope for, down that path laid only disappointment, and he was aware of it -- nonetheless, it was still a thought that ate away at him.

Perhaps this Holy Grail is exactly what he needs, after all.

Family History:  As mentioned, the Ríos’ lineage dates back six generations. Though certainly possessing their fair share of clout, they are not the most famous of families, quietly staying in their little lot of land in Spain, concerned mainly with their research -- though this is not to say they do not have pride in their abilities, either. The beginnings of their family, according to them, came about with their ancestor slowly becoming fascinated with ‘dreams’ and how they interact with ‘reality’.

Roots of this will be found in various philosophical currents -- for instance, the dream argument and, more specifically, the tale of Zhuangzi. Senses are but flawed tools that we cannot expect to flawlessly communicate the ‘absolute truth’, and dreaming was an argument used by a certain philosopher to illustrate this point -- after all, if senses were truly faultless, then one would always distinguish a dream from reality -- which is not the case a majority of the time. Yet, this poses an interesting question -- how can a man be sure that the ‘reality’ they are living isn't but a dream we are still unaware of?

This is the core of the Ríos magecraft -- to craft not ‘a dream’ but rather ‘the ultimate dream’, one so perfect that it might be reality itself, with all it entails -- for this reason and with this path, they seek to discover Akasha, the first and last source of this thing we call ‘reality’ -- after all, what else but it would be capable of such?

If the Grail is truly an omnipotent wish-granter, then it might allow him to advance his research further should he manage to be a witness to the miracle its use would entail.

Origin: Ambition.

Elemental Affinity: Air.

Circuit Number: B

Circuit Quality: B

Od: B

Magecraft: 

General Magecraft.

Bounded Fields 
Not mere illusions that trick the senses alone -- the Ríos’ family true focus lies within this area, after all. Their true purpose is twofold: 

First, the Bounded Field is to induce a ‘dreamlike state’ on the conscious mind. Dreams cannot be distinguished from reality in most cases and this is in no small part because they are ‘things which should not be questioned’ -- in a dream, everything is perfectly normal. This is the case for the effects this mental interference causes -- should the target fall to it, then no matter what happens, they would take what they perceive as ‘normal’, and the feedback to the brain will be what is ‘expected’. It is then that the second phase can begin.

The dreams by themselves aren’t the main danger -- they are as mediums through which the ‘curses woven into the dreams’ can actualize, a sort of karma bestowed upon the target causes them to follow the same fate as their dream self. Thus, if one were to be told ‘fall off a cliff and die’, the brain would shut down the moment the ground was ‘touched’.

Rather than ‘something that brings misfortune to the target’, it could be called ‘something that brings the target to misfortune’ in that regard.

Elemental Magecraft (Air)
Blasts of razor wind at high speeds, suffocation, pseudo-flight, mimicry...

Reinforcement.

Formalcraft.

Mystic Eyes of Enchantment
An ‘artificial’ pair, nothing too uncommon in the world of magi but, nonetheless, it can be a useful tool considering his family’s focus…

Ríos Family Crest
As it implies, the Crest of his clan, dating back six generations, through the Circuits are still middling in Qualtity for the most part. Located on his right forearm.

Equipment: 
Enough funds to acquire a vehicle and then comfortably live through the War, provided responsible spending.

Various sets of clothes.

Mystic Code: ‘Tizona’. From an outside perspective, it looks like a finely-crafted wood handle with a small crossguard, likely dating back many years ago. ‘Air’ is a common element of his bloodline, and this particular tool was crafted to enhance their capabilities should a problem arise. Practically, this Mystic Code is inlaid with a formula that allows one to run prana through it in order to form a ‘blade of wind’, so to speak, changing the pressure in a localized area in order for this to happen. The air is not static, constantly cycling along the ‘edge’ in a manner not too dissimilar to a chainsaw, which is the main reason for its cutting power. Length can be altered depending on the Prana input, but it generally defaults to the size of a knife. Though hard to see, the distortion caused by the differing pressure means a keen eye (or an enhanced one) can make an accurate guess about its shape and overall length.

Skills: Driver: “It is far stranger if I don’t have a license, honestly.”

People Skills: He can be persuasive enough when he wants to.

Mean Fighter: “I might not have studied martial arts, but I am sure you haven’t been to Ramayosa on Friday night.”

Knifeplay/Swordplay: By no means great at it, but he knows enough to get by and not cut his own hand off.

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