DostHou

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Hamel Della Astrologia
Former Miyama Town, The White Forest, Collaborative Project: Yggdrasil's Revengeance

There exists a family who relentlessly pursue the most beautiful woman as their path to the root. It is believed that to gaze upon something beautiful will make the viewer more beautiful in return.

While Hamel had not had the privilege of being invited to the regular unveiling of the Princesses of Gold and Silver, when he had gone out to witness the phenomenon that had subsumed his bounded field and stumbled across something that could only be described as otherworldly.

Further observation had made him giddy in excitement, speechless in awe he could only dumbly fall to his knees, not even registering his servants ominous words.

It was unbelievable, the sight of this world tree, the aura it had exuded, the nature of the land in its current state.

Pieces suddenly clicked together for him.

And just as it had come together, so too had the pinpricks of light that were building up.

Two streaking comets met each other briefly.

One escaped the grasp of the other and impacted the tree.

And in the snap of a finger that tree, that beautiful representative of a time long lost. A chance of a lifetime destroyed.

All his previous joy disappeared into the aether, replaced with disbelief and despondency. Even as his servant left him to assist somewhere else, Hamel did not respond.

Slowly, he picked himself up, mind running through a myriad of thoughts and feelings before settling into a course of action.

First he had to find whoever had created that tree. Then he had a few messages he had to send.

---Day 3---

The word monster conjures up many images in the human consciousness, a lumbering giant perhaps, or a voracious dragon. There were many things that crawled on the surface of this planet one may classify as a monster, but the one thing they all had in common was the terror such creatures may invoke.

Monsters killed humans. That was the natural order. Such frightening existences stood beyond that of humanity. Yet, there exists those shining paragons of humanity, who conquered those terrifying creature. Such was the 'duty' of a hero.

Obviously, heroes were existences beyond that of normal people. They were stars perched atop the pillar of humanity.

So what did that entail for the magus known as Hamel Della Astrologia? Who after a sleepless nights worth of preparation for this moment dared to challenge a star?

It would be suicide to do such a thing on his lonesome.

Yet, while a single man could not snuff out a star, a group could knock them off the top of their pedestal.

Because while heroes killed monsters, people killed heroes.

@Sageage @Vocab @BlueHelix @UndyingRegret @addamas @Art of Fun

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Hamel Della Astrologia
Miyama Town, Forward Operating Base, Designation NEMETON

In retrospect perhaps it was not the most intelligent thing to set off fireworks as a challenge. Hamel had expected a foolhardy master to rush in if he was lucky, or perhaps a servant capable of being beaten off. The theory behind his decision was somewhat sound, but so focused was he on creating an advantageous battlefield for his servant that he had failed to ask himself one crucial question.

What if the servant who had accepted his challenge was so beyond his own preparation, so beyond his own servant he could do naught but hope Lancer could survive.

Images of last night replayed through his head, his spine shivering in both awe and fear at the sight of that legendary man. It was fortunate that he had come to an understanding with his own servant, and while the new challenger was not that ridiculous heroic spirit, that paragon of heroism, it was not hard to see the man who had contemptuously stepped forward into his bounded field as anything but another exemplar of humanity.

Sweat broke out upon his brow, cowed by the utter presence of the Servant. The sheer power emanating from him was terrifying, while he had seen servants fight through Lancer’s eyes, it was another experience entirely to stand before an existence that he knew could disembowel him with nary a glancing blow.

The knowledge that death itself stood before him had instilled once more that primal instinct of man that he had thought he had conquered twice fold, once as a magi, and the other as a practitioner of druidism.

There was nothing he could do in this situation but rely on his own servant. Which was why he put all his hopes into this singular spell.

In the deck of cards that was the Throne of Heroes, he had been granted a ‘Joker’. A card of possibilities, a card that grew. It was painful, true, to have been partnered with Lancer in the beginning. The headaches he had endured, the ridiculous sights he had seen.

But no, yesterday, in the midst of a tragedy, there in Hamel’s heart hope was reignited.

This moment, this curse (blessing) he would impart onto Percy was filled with the hopes and memories of that growing boy, who became a splendid knight and achieved that beautiful romance.

This battle would be determined in a single strike, is what he had hoped within all his heart, curse charged to the utmost of his abilities.

In the your time of need, you will find (overcome) only ruin Lancer.

@Sageage@Cu Chulainn

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Hamel Della Astrologia
Miyama Town, Forward Operating Base, Designation NEMETON

If one were to witness Hamel's current abode, one would scarcely believe the same man who had set up his workshop as an enormous swamp on the outskirts of Fuyuki. Rather then the still, stagnant air of the swamp, here it was lively. A vivacious plot of land that had sprung up after the devastating storm that had impacted Miyama. Trees have sprung up overnight, and deep within this new forest, there exists a small clearing.

It was a space of eternal twilight, truthfully speaking this was a sacred grove grown by Hamel in the evening. A bounded field that could be called a liminal space that was conducive to the types of rituals a druid would perform.

Seated at the very center, an altar.

A peaceful place. Nearby a small mystic code, in the shape of a small music box, playing recognizable children's tune.

It was unfortunate that he would have to disturb this small piece of harmony. Even if it were but for a moment.

With bated breath, he got upon his knees, and struck a match. With as much fanfare as possible, the small rocket launched into the air and exploded into a brilliant display of light. A clear and direct challenge if one existed.

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Hamel Della Astrologia
Riverside, Bridge, Shinto

The moment Lancer faced Ruler, Hamel felt himself fall under something like a trance.

Ah, he thought, so this is a hero.

That was not to say Percival wasn't, nor did it mean that in this bloody tournament there weren't any heroes. But this shining figure, this pillar of brilliance was something else entirely. If Lancer was a country, then surely Ruler was the world Lancer rested upon. On an even standing, in a battlefield bereft of the cursed flames that sought to burn away sin itself, the outcome would have been decided.

But it was not such a place. No.

Here in this hellish landscape. In this place filled with curses, filled with the echoing screams of the damned there stood a youth. In the place of sackcloth stood a suit of gleaming red armor, befitting a knight. Where a sack had covered his visage, instead his luxurious locks were free, shining even among these black flames. Where others were cursed, here stood a knight who held perhaps one of the greatest blessing in the world.

And so a fierce battle commenced, every attack Lancer had thrown out was effortlessly parried by that mountain of a man, not even an afterthought put behind each blow. Lancer fought desperately, utilizing every angle presented, any perceived weaknesses, if any could even be found or called weaknesses in that ridiculous hero, only to have his attacks nullified in a single axe swing.

It was a one sided slaughter.

Indeed each strike was parried effortlessly, indeed Lancer could not reach the existence that was Ruler. However, when he threw his javelin, for it to glance off the bare skin of that servant, he had activated the magecraft gifted to him by his master, and let his noble phantasm fend off the strikes of Ruler.

Gathering all his strength, and even going beyond, suddenly he striked in that brief moment available.

A sickening crunch reverberated throughout the battlefield as Lancer mangled his own arm to stop Ruler. An impossible strike, one that reached the threshold and beyond that of a certain curse, and Ruler stopped.

It was a scene beyond anything Hamel could have ever envisioned. The Holy Grail War was surely filled with heroes, is what he had thought. Yes, those ridiculous existences known as heroic spirits are truly being worthy of worship.

Even as his vision tumbled, connected to Lancer, he was still subject to more impossible showings.

A fleeting blue light, and a world deployed over Miyama. Then, a storm of catastrophic proportions.

It was enough to captivate him for minutes on end, only once the storm had begun to peter out, but still remain strong, had Hamel the sense to check up upon his servant.

Lancer, he mentally communicated, Are you alright? Frantically, he began gesturing off to that creation of his lumbering towards the plains where Miyama once stood.

Never mind that, I'm heading over to your location, stay still and don't die.

It would take a while, but he would eventually reach where his servant was located, even if it did take time for his golem to reach him, and then there.

----------

Assassin
Riverside, Shinto

Giulia cursed beneath her breath.

"Tch, seems like I was too late after all." She grumbled.

At first sight of smoke she had excitedly bounded towards the Foreigners District in hopes of collecting some fresh materials. Thoughts of grudges and wraiths had filled her head as she ran towards the plumes of smoke, but as she got closer it became more apparent that the fire itself possessed some irregular properties.

It had taken but a few moments later to realize some enterprising magus had imbued it with the property of binding. Add in a curse of rather substantial weight, and much more later on, Giulia had found something worth much more then the initial prospects of wraiths and grudges.

Thoughts of various things to do, how to implement such a thing in her current models and the effects it could have swam through her thoughts, and as it grew more and more, the greater the burning need she felt to obtain a sample of the fire, she even entertained a rather dangerous thought, but had discarded it.

And now her daydreaming had payed the price.

From where she stood, she doubted she could grab even as much as an ember from the drowning wreck that was Miyama currently.

How such a thought grated at her.

She would have to vent her anger, Giulia thought, in her workshop.

Still under concealment, Giulia astralized and head back home.

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Hamel Della Astrologia
Riverside, Bridge, Shinto

Flames rose up into the heavens as night fell, stars snuffed out by the oppressive smoke. Black flames swallowed all without discrimination, binding all to itself. A disaster of unimaginable proportions, the spiritual land of this city will likely never recover again.

It was a tragedy for the innocent people, unaware of the bloody battlefield their city had become. It was perhaps only a matter of time before some rash magus would become frustrated and begin an attempt at flushing out masters, but for it to be on the second day and with such a catastrophe was a surprise.

For a moment Hamel's thoughts had drifted back to 'that' which he had prepared in his workshop. He couldn't fault whoever had started this, not when he too had entertained such thought himself. And his trip towards the this bridge had given him some ideas on some improvements from his first iteration that he had hoped he could incorporate to this second one, and definitely will in regards to 'that'.

Unfortunately it seemed that time was limited, so he had to do a rush job as well on this bridge as well.

Well. In the first place it's not as if he was someone who was proficient in the creation of golems in the first place. But still, one gets frustrated in knowing they could do better.

But such was life, time waited for no one, and to have done something was better then doing nothing. So as mystic codes zipped around, carving and activating arcane symbols over the entirety of the wooden structure, Hamel simply observed the growing fire with all the calm of an uninterested observer.

It was only when the many animated staves had ceased their movement and flew back to their owner, tucking themselves into his cloak that he finally deigned to move.

Turning his back, and moving towards the next bridge, he closed his eyes.

The thrum of his circuits filled his ears, and once again the bridge collapsed into itself, taking on a vague human like shape before wandering off.

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Hamel Della Astrologia
Bridge, Shinto Side

Flames leapt from building to building, consuming households and businesses alike in a mad fit to set Miyama ablaze. The previously clear sky gave no indication of its previous existence, having been stained black by the smokestacks that intruded into the heavens.

To say it was a disaster would be a understatement. The magically induced flames took into themselves all that had fallen prey to their choking influence, and it was clear to Hamel that there were no currently feasible ways to stop the spread of these flames.

But for every disaster, there came opportunity. And as Hamel finished up his great undertaking, he mused briefly upon how he had come upon this current situation.

Dragged from his respite in the curious pub that had opened up, Lancer's usually carefree demeanor had changed suddenly.

Suddenly not the happy go lucky figure he was accustomed to, such a change prompted a change in Hamel as well, sobering himself up the instant Lancer had changed.

Hamel knew as soon as a grimace hit Lancer's face, that something terrible was to happen, and after inquiring on the nature of the issue at hand, he had gone immediately to work, fabricating some crude familiars to fulfill the objectives laid before him by Lancer before heading to the bridge connecting Shinto and Miyama.

So here he stood, finishing up the last touches of his work on the bridge.

Stepping back to Shinto, Hamel poured his prana into the completed construct.

And as the bridge coalesced into a singular giant golem, crude and unwieldy, Hamel nursed the glass of whiskey recovered from the pub.

"Well, here's to you, Lancer," he intoned, before knocking back the glass.

Finished with his drink, he threw the now empty glass into the previous space where the bridge had been, now animated and traipsing towards Miyama.

It would be nice, Hamel concluded, if some masters die in the fire.

@Sageage @Red Alice

------

Assassin
Workshop, Southern Moor, Shinto

There exists a type of magecraft refereed to as Poisoning.

One would take a group of organisms and make them fight one another until all but one lives.

That single survivor would be used as a catalyst for black magic.

It was fitting then, that the master poisoner would practice such a thing.

It was carnage, it was death, it was brutality.

People fought one another, clamoring for their survival, for strength. Indeed, in this space, one could call it a Holy Grail. It was a place where wishes gathered and fought to be granted.

And so they fought. Young, old. It did not matter, their very existence was now nothing but a wish possessing a body, and each fought one another to be granted.

It was a grotesque sight, but one could hardly look away from such a mesmerizing sight. And so Giulia watched, until her reverie was broken by her master's call.

Ah, yes indeed, she answered back, it is crucial we observe the other members of this war. If we can discover where they are located, where their workshops are, their death would all but be guaranteed.

Taking a break from witnessing the savage killings take place, Giulia turned to assess the time, how long had she stood in this place, when so much more could have been accomplished, she wondered?

And as for materials, well, it would be prudent to procure more subjects for this project, I suppose I can-

Assassin's eye's widened as she took in the sight of a burning Fuyuki.

Miyama was in flames, and as a plume of black smoke spiraled into the air, her eyes took on a sharp, predatory glint.

Fufufu. Well master, it seems that fortune has smiled upon us. I'll be sure to come back with plenty of quality materials.

The second day of the Holy Grail War had begun, and as assassin faded away into her astral form to travel towards the burning horizon, one could still hear her sinister chuckle echo throughout the unholy sanctuary of her workshop.

@Undyingregret

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Hamel Della Astrologia
Edge of Shinto Town, Pelion's Pub

Fingers traced mesmerizing patterns upon the counter top, mindlessly following the grain and occasionally brushing upon the myriad of glasses that scattered the bar haphazardly. Perhaps, on a better, less inebriated day, the Astrologia scion could have identified the specific type of wood it originated from.

It was, of course, obviously not that day.

Nursing a glass of whiskey, Hamel blubbered on incoherently, tears having long since dried, eyes shallow and red. It was unsightly, especially for someone of his stature. Yet if anyone listened to his tale, one would be hard pressed to fault him for his current status.

Recollecting his experiences in the first day of the war, of the horrifying sights he was subject to, of the sheer illogical nature of Lancer, of his final rational thought, and the actions he had taken afterwards.

"And then they began to play tag," he choked out, "and I just, I just couldn't anymore. I just--"

A coughing fit interrupted his dramatic retelling of his trials, a fresh sob and tear escaping his body and wetting the trail of tears that were the remnants of his previous breakdown.

Dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief, he raised his reddened face up from his arms.

"So then I left with Lancer, and then we came here, and then, and then I got something to drink because of the things I saw and now I'm drunk."

With a sense of finality and excessive punctuation on the last word, Hamel Della Astrologia's heavy head slammed forward again into the cushioning embrace of his arms after he downed his glass.

"Another."

He yells out, voice muffled by his arms, arm raised towards the bartender.

@Sageage @Froppy @Paradox Witch

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Hamel Della Astrologia
Border of Shinto and Miyama

If one were to bother to look outside their idle homes and onto the streets of Fuyuki, they may catch a glimpse of magic, before suddenly forgetting and ignoring the fantastical sight that lay before them.

An entourage of willows and wisps, stalking through the dark streets of Fuyuki, illuminated by the pale moonlight reaching down below.

Of course, such a move by a master in a grail war would be the height of either stupidity or arrogance. In this specific case, it would be neither, though exceptionally close to the former.

They were a measure of safety for Hamel, who, while flagrant in his usage of magecraft, still did his due diligence to conceal the nature of the moonlit world even in his frustration fueled madness. A move that would rightfully be called suicidal in a Grail War, where existences capable of crushing his frail body with nary a thought existed.

Yet, still he moved with purpose, and with confidence. His every footstep punctuated by a clacking of wood, originating from a trio of talismans and the occasional stone his stave would chance upon.

Eventually his wandering ceased, Hamel having stopped. A stiff breeze flew by, originating from a peculiar sight to see in the dead of night.

Two children, playing a game of tag.

If he hadn't come to expect the unusual Hamel may have very well popped a blood vessel. But instead, here he was, gazing at two shining stars of humanity with dead eyes. Simply taking in the impossible sight before him, at the two competitors of this Holy Grail War enjoying their time together, before taking his face into his hands and letting out a quiet sob.

@Sageage @SSW

Assassin
Workshop, Unoccupied House, Southern Moor, Morning

Letting out a wry smile at her master's provocation, Assassin answered Lilith's query passionlessly.

"Unfortunately master, I must decline, if we are to win this war I will have to get to work at the main water system immediately, along with setting up the bounded fields and getting started with our simulation."

Getting up from her comfortable position across from her master, Assassin made her way to the door, astralizing and making her way about town.

There was much to do for an Assassin such as she, but the main priority of hers was to immediately secure a location for the her upcoming work. While poisoning the water supply is a priority, it was also one that could give them away.

No, such a thing would be shelved for later. She would start, but to finish this early is to bring upon them ruin.

So instead Assassin would work on a more volatile work at the moment. Work that required material.

And, well. No one would care if a few drunkards or undesirables go missing now would they?

@Undyingregret

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Hamel Della Astrologia
Swamp, Outskirts of Fuyuki

Madness. Pure madness.

As if a dam had burst, the entire city had exploded into action. Familiars from across the city reported fights, with Hamel making good use of his master's clairvoyance in an attempt to gather as much information as possible from any source he may find.

Superhuman feats were being demonstrated in the open, sparking a panic in him at the violation of the secrecy.

For him it was chaos, pure utter chaos.

Perhaps in a better day, one unaffected by the utter whirlwind that was Lancer, he would have been able to rein in his temper, been able to calm himself before taking any rash actions. Unfortunate for him, mind torn asunder by the utter frustration that was dealing with Lancer and witnessing such brazen acts in public across Fuyuki, he was broken in that aspect.

Then came Lancer once again.

“Hmm, the rat killing went okay but I’ve ran out of cats. So I’m going to take a break. I kind of want to play this time, master, so I’m going to find a playmate!” ...

Lancer suddenly bounced into the path of Gatekeeper, flying in from a few streets away. A violent approach for sure, yet one lacking malice or any killing intent. “Hey, want to play?” All grins, Lancer held out a hand, without any heed to the bulging of his sack from the grudges from the cats and rats from earlier.

@Sageage

Hamel was left speechless.

He wanted to scream, he wanted to rage against whatever existence found it fit to grant him such a being as a servant, he wanted to admonish Lancer, order him to take out the servant before him, to bring him one step closer to the grail.

Instead he could only be silent. Lancer would not listen, as many attempts to order his volatile servant has proved. No amount of anger would change that. Like a cup of glass dashed upon a stone floor, Hamel's will had broken.

Madness, pure madness had consumed him, and in that moment, as if he was being infected by the same affliction that Lancer carried, Hamel decided to go for a walk.

With a snap of his fingers, he called to him an escort of golems and wisps, equipping himself with a few mystic codes along with him as he prepared to venture outwards.

Swamp, Outskirts of Fuyuki ---> Border of Shinto and Miyama

Fate/Factitious Paradigm

Hamel Della Astrologia
Swamp, Outskirts of Fuyuki

Whilst Hamel was occupied with further fortifying his workshop, the sudden lack of connection between him and his servant had broken him out of his meandering.

He did not panic, there was no need to. Lancer's skill, troublesome as it may be, would ensure he would not fall easily. And his early display of strength further assuaged any lingering doubts.

No. There were many explanations for this interference. For good measure, he had redirected a familiar to the docks.

And for a good while he patiently observed the territory, waiting for any opening to manifest.

When suddenly, he was greeted by an terrifying horned existence. With naught but brute strength she assaulted the edge of the field, compromising the mystical structure until a hole opened up, inviting her, and unknowingly, getting rid of the interference that plagued the karmic bond between him and his servant. But before Hamel stood an opportunity to gather more information on what was undoubtedly a servant before him.

Utilizing his master's clairvoyance, he gazed at her, taking in every bit of information he could from that brief, limited exchange between servant and boundary field.

Floored by the towering might the servant possessed, Hamel was nearly taken aback before composing himself.

It would not do any good to panic or overthink things. He had to have faith in him and his servant.

Quickly, he shunted his vision away from his familiar, and towards his servant.

Only to be greeted with a great blank spot in his memory. There were no defining traits or events that were present. The only thing he could be certain, was the presence of a servant. It was an alarming revelation, but at the moment he was rather occupied with something else.

Through the connection to Lancer, Hamel began a dialogue with his servant.

Lancer, I have realized that I may have to take a more active approach regarding this war. With that being said, Lancer, as your master I demand to know your next course of actions, and how to secure our victory in this Grail War.