ManyThings

Fate/Crimson Dusk

Oof, fair enough. See you guys around.

Fate/Crimson Dusk

Kaybernett

Forest Outskirts, West Side

---

Jack approached the lesser barrier and held out the charm he had been given, offering him and his companions a proper look at the edge of the forest. He didn't step forward yet, however. Between the four of them, the Masters were the ones who would need to avoid risk at all costs. If the protections of this place were on a Servant's level, what chance would humans have of surviving? Still, it would have been a waste of their abilities to hide out, particularly if one of their Servants were to fall due to inaccessible healing.

"Your man can do his thing whenever he's ready, Mr. Gardener."

The four of them - two Masters and two Servants, stood ready at the threshold, and it fell to Berserker to lead the charge. Suffering the traps of the enemy, and returning that suffering when the opportunity arose, was the mad warrior's role. To enable the vulnerable magi to follow, Saber had been enlisted as an escort, and backup if Berserker's life came under genuine threat.

"Stay close enough that you can get to either of us in a single move, Saber, and let's see what our ally uncovers."

Fate/Glimmering Oasis (F/GO)

Lancer

Name: Mori Nagayoshi
Title: Demon Musashi
Class: Lancer
Gender: Male
Attribute:
Era: 1558 - 1584
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Personality: Short tempered, ruthless, and rough around the edges, Lancer considers most things other than battle, women, food, and treasure to be "A waste of my freakin' time!" He has some sense of honour and loyalty, but doesn't have an issue with underhanded attacks so much as he simply doesn't have the brains for them. If he actually managed to pull off something like a sneak attack or deception, his comment would be "Shoulda' been ready, knucklehead." He hates having those kinds of arguments used on him, though. He's more or less the cocky brute he seems to be on the outside. The only people who get honest respect from him are those who offer him a straightforward challenge in combat.

Bio: A servant of the Oda clan known for his ferocity in battle, violent temper, and legendary horseback riding. His butchering of enemy troops was enough to a reputation as a devil, though of course he was merely a man. He perished during the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, fighting to aid Toyotomi Hideyoshi until his last breath.

Parameters
Strength: B
Endurance: C
Agility: B
Mana: D
Luck: E

Class Skill
Magic Resistance D: Cancels single-action spells against Lancer, and slightly reduces magical damage.

Personal Skills
Knowledge of Melees B: A high level of skill is displayed in group combat, whether fighting among or against a large force.
Riding X: Normally a high-class talent for maneuvering on horseback. Due to the state of his Noble Phantasm, it can be viewed as a 'Running' ability instead, allowing high speeds to be achieved, and to go beyond one's limits when facing a faster enemy.
Devil of War A: Represents Lancer's reputation as a fierce and violent soldier. Comprises high spearmanship and comprehension of enemy fighting styles, as well as some allowance to make use of other arts of war (swords, bows, rifles, throwing weapons) at a moderate level if the situation demands it. Lancer lacks the ability to survive fatal wounds, but the rage and commitment he puts behind his actions in battle means that if he will not falter due to suffering damage mid-attack.

Noble Phantasms
Name: Boneless Man
Title: Like a 1000 Degree Spear Through Butter
Rank: C+
NP Type: Anti-Unit (Anti Army)
Range: 1~4 (1~25)
Maximum Number of Targets: 1 person (40 people)
Description: Nagayoshi's long-headed spear, said to be able to slice with such ease that the enemy may as well have no bones. Strikes with this weapon ignore hardness and protection passively at an exceptionally low mana cost, making it a deadly ability that can constantly be in effect with each swing. Additionally, thanks to the Lancer class container, a true name release is possible. This release draws on Nagayoshi's identity as a blood-drenched juggernaut of the front lines, dicing everything in a wide radius around him as his spear becomes a whipping silver tornado. Since this attack is impossible to withstand, survival is dependant on passing an AGI check to retreat out of range in time.

Name: One Hundred Steps
Title: Gold Rush!
Rank: B
NP Type: Anti-Unit
Range: unlimited
Maximum Number of Targets: 1
Description: Nagayoshi's horse, said to be the fastest in Japan. It displayed an impossible feat by reaching a far-off gold mine in a mere 100 steps. Nagayoshi and his steed are lauded as being capable of impossible journeys, and his riding skills are top-notch despite being limited to a mundane beast. Its power to reach any destination is accounted for by Lancer's own willpower and enthusiasm, whether a greed for gold or some other motivator of the moment. Distance and obstacles mean nothing to this incredible mount.

Unfortunately, due to not being in the Rider class, Nagayoshi does not possess such a steed and thus cannot use this Noble Phantasm.

"You thought that was gonna stop me!?"

...It seems the phrase 'obstacles mean nothing' is not just for show. In this case, the lack of a horse is no issue for Lancer, who replicates the achievement using his own two feet. Having taken on the status of his own horse, Lancer passively gains a boost to his speed, including a severe increase to his long-distance running, which reaches the level of phantasmal beasts. Using the true name of this Noble Phantasm, the anecdote of an impossible journey can be replicated. No matter who or what Nagayoshi selects as his destination, he is guaranteed to arrive there, with the supernatural effects used in that journey depending on what's needed.

This ability may be used offensively by choosing a destination such as an enemy's heart or brain for a can't-miss fatal attack. The target of this must make a LUK check to offset the destination somewhat, with a moderate success shunting the destination to a nonfatal part of their body and a high success preventing the attack from entering the body at all. This ability does take some time to take effect, with a delay between activation and the attack being equivalent to 100 steps (though restraining Lancer's feet will not prevent it). Though if Lancer comes within a few feet of a target, the attack will trigger immediately.

Fate/Crimson Dusk

@vancexentan Any useful items in the bunker as Jack wanders through storage halls during the timeskip?

Fate/Crimson Dusk

Caster

Black Faction's Base

---

The journey over had been uneventful for Caster. He had faster ways to move from country to country, but for the sake of saving magical energy and keeping with the group he had joined them in their mundane transportation, remaining in physical form over the journey and idly fashioning a quartet of magical stone daggers. He generally said nothing unprompted, but seemed vaguely dissatisfied with his own work. Or perhaps that was just his natural state. It was impossible for him to love anything, after all.

The beady little eyes of the fairy king scanned their base of operations with a certain amount of judgement. He commented "I can work with this. It's not bad." As the group entered the building, and before the door closed, almost as an afterthought, he glanced back outside and drew a set of elves from the earth.

Just like that, fey creatures of the world had risen up from nothing. Angular faces, paper-white skin, pointed ears, and animalistic eyes marked them all as utterly inhuman. With the simple order of "Gather me some wood," They were scattered to the four winds.

Within, Caster passed judgement as he heard of the priests' fortifications. "Lead? I understand its usefulness, but I can do much more with silver and gold, which are more befitting of the place where I reside anyhow. Don't worry, I'll find my own, just don't come whining to me while I'm trying to make this place somewhere not even a Servant could penetrate. You're the one who'll have to deal with it if those idiots succeed with their genocide, after all." He stalked off, muttering, "When I was alive, pretty much nobody was killing all the humans..."

Travelling a fair way down one of the immense hallways, Caster chose a room to reside in, immediately decided it was too small, and then melted the wall between it and the neighbouring room with a quick rune. He considered adding a third room to his super-room, but figured he should fill up the space he had, first. With a bit of focus, he drew out the elementals underground, half-forming a team of dwarves who brought him offerings of precious metal from deep below. He completed their formation into gangly fellows with bushy beards, and the lot of them began constructing a forge. They would work with the metal first, and he would bother with recruiting faeries once there was enchanting to be done.

Things were getting cramped. He was definitely going to have to melt more walls.

---

Kaybernett

---

Jack had intended to improve relations within the team during the flight over, but things had been dull enough that there hadn't really been an opportunity. His own Servant was as bombastic as ever, and between her and Anderson he had met two people in one day who didn't really fit with his reserved and respectful image of Christianity. Not that it was his business.

"You enjoy your discourse with the priests, Saber. I'll let you know when it's time to fight. You don't have a problem with being the first one into battle, right? Though Berserker might contest you for that, and Rider would give you a race and a half if he had a mind to beat you to it."

With only one case in hand, he didn't really have much need to settle into a room at the moment. With that in mind, he made to grab Father Howard's attention for a moment. "Mind if I poke around some of the stuff in these rooms? Blessed artifacts and the stuff you guys use to kill Dead Apostles... It might be good to bust some out if we're doing this, hm?"

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Cloudy Red Lights

Massively dropped the ball due to my own fuckup. Send me a hit if there's still anyone around.

Fate/Crimson Dusk

Kaybernett

Summoning Hall, Clock Tower

---

Jack didn't flinch nor retreat when his Summon emerged and began monologuing and smashing things. After all, he was the type who was great at pinpointing the difference between violence, and violence directed at him. He did raise his hands in surrender, since she had mentioned slaughtering them all.

"Heathens? I'm sure you know we're all magi, so take that however you want. There was a wizard or two among the peers, though, right?"

He had known a Paladin was going to be fairly devout, but he was hoping he could make it work. "Rider? Or Saber? Welcome back to the world. I'm Jack Kaybernett, who summoned you, and the other heroes you'll be joining are materializing around us as we speak. Best to get along with them, yeah?"

As he spoke and extended a hand towards the mounted lady, a sudden burst from the Russian Count's circle grabbed his attention. Something had just happened over there.

"What in the..?"

---

Der Ring des Nibelungen

---

It lay dormant. Golden and dazzling as the Count of Russia placed it on his scarf.

This was the way it had been for centuries, lounging in one treasure hoard or another, its curse long since decayed.

Until the moment the magus unleashed his chant. Then, in the midst of the steam and light gushing from the circle, it felt its owner's presence again. Its status was now that of a Noble Phantasm. Its purpose was renewed.

Perhaps it was a joyful thing to be brought out of disuse, but at that moment, the ring's function was not to feel joy. It was not in its rightful master's grasp.

And so it raged.

A hateful cocktail of fire and darkness emerged. The scarf was quickly annihilated like the nothing it was, and the floor wasn't faring much better. Small fissures made their way across the ground, and the force of palpable anger and burning wind was sufficient to knock a man like Vladimir off his feet. All this was only in the first second, and the curse was quickly blossoming into something even those at other circles would be troubled by.

Whatever form the Russian had conjured was completely obscured by the overbearing darkness. Yet, amid the swirling cinders and bubbling of the silver powder, a sigh was audible. There was the sound of a single step on the crumbling floor, seemingly louder than all the violent chaos around it.

With that, it all stopped.

Myriad runes shone for a momen on the golden band. The moment the figure in the ruined circle had scooped it up, the rage of the ring had subsided completely.

---

Caster

Summoning Hall, Clock Tower

---

It was a young boy with a round face and strawberry blond hair, but his cold, greedy, experienced eyes betrayed something of his true nature.

"Be more careful with my things."

His voice was not that of an adult, but his inflections and manner of speaking were beyond those of a child. Whatever he was, he twirled the ring between his fingers for a moment, revealing characters in some primal language which shimmered across its uniformly golden surface for a moment as he slipped it on.

"I am Caster, and you..." He thought for a moment, seeming annoyed as he examined the older man, "You have command seals, and magical energy. Fine, you can be my Master."

The offer of a contract was extended towards Vladimir. When he reached out to take it, he would find it felt different than he might have expected. What he had summoned was rather distant from the 'heroes' one normally saw in such wars. Caster's status read as being similar to an elemental. Along the same vein, he gazed over towards the other Servants, surmising each one's nature as best he could with a glance. Lancer held the shrewd gaze particularly long. While he couldn't identify her true name just like that, a Valkyrie was something he couldn't miss, that gave him great confidence for the faction. It was leering at maidens like her that had gotten him into his current predicament, but given his nature he held nothing but ice-cold calculations of victory in the face of such beauty.

Caster moved from the summoning circle and leaned towards Vladimir. "Let's take these people with us and get to work. I want that cup."

Fate/Crimson Dusk

Kaybernett

Summoning Hall, Clock Tower

---

"A magus personally making their way into the trap-riddled woods would be risky, but it may be necessary to come out on top if the enemy has really taken such base arts to another level. I'd recommend you have me around to tend to your wounds and afflictions if you decide to venture into the thick of it." Jack pondered strategies with the group, minus the haughty man who had left as hastily as he had come.

Naturally, he joined them as they travelled to the designated area for summoning, where yet another pair of new faces were introduced. Renwald and King weren't Masters, apparently, but Jack nonetheless greeted them with enthusiasm. Comparing their attitudes with some of the others, he considered that the backup team might be more amicable than the chosen Masters, not that he would intentionally let anyone die.

In any case, there was still something he had to do before he was truly settled into the team.

The Meatmaster approached one of the silver circles, knelt down, and popped open his case. There were a few things inside, but what he produced were incredibly worn and tattered pieces of leather - past the point of being recognizable as the reins they once made up. Many legendary horses have been named through history, but in this world of subcategory Grail Wars the likes of Bucephalus or Grani had long since had all associated relics snapped up by ambitious houses. Only a horse whose name was lost to time was accessible to someone like Jack, with few connections but a high willingness to do the needed detective work and excavate the decomposing catalyst from its tomb.

He rose to his feet, kicked the case a few meters away to avoid interference from his other possessions, lay the reins down before the summoning circle, and began to chant. He let his magical energy spring forth, and the Director's metallic dust made a fine conduit for it and began to exude light and steam.

Words poured forth just as readily as mana. Jack called out with the full force of his will for a hero to bond with himself.

"...If the spirit is willing, the flesh is manageable! Approach, hero! Answer this call if the fight still burns within you!"

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Cloudy Red Lights

Sorry I was a bit distracted by something this week. Since posting has stopped I'd say it's time to advance events and give y'all something to write about.

Fate/Crimson Dusk

Kaybernett

Head Office, Clock Tower

---

No doubt, they were a prickly bunch. Jack had considered arguing that it was worthwhile to meet in London before departing in order to get to know one another and improve relations within the faction, but since they hadn't taken to each other for the most part that hadn't been very effective. He took a seat in the meantime, since they had one more magus to meet, and set a leather case down between his legs as he waited.

"Get my hands dirty? I don't mind that, and I know how I look, but I'm really on this job more to provide us with healing than I am to kill magi. You don't have to worry about me trying to snap up the Grail at the end, either. I'm just here on business."

It was true. Jack had no world-shattering wish in mind, though obviously getting one's hands on a thing like that was never a bad thing. He didn't even have much of a mage's most basic desire to reach the Root, so unbeknownst to the association he was really more of a 'spellcaster' than a genuine 'magus'.

"Having to sustain our Servants for the trip over might be a bit of trouble, but if the Grail recognizes us as Masters it should give us what we need no matter where we are. Command seals haven't appeared on me yet, but if things don't work out I'll just come along in a support role, as per my job. If our base in Poland is secure then summoning safely should be possible there, but I'd personally prefer to be as close to France as possible when I summon mine," He patted the case at his feet, "Since my relic's from one of the 12 peers."

Jack checked the time. "Best to hand out that data on the Greys, Director, or give us a verbal briefing if you prefer. Either way let's give this last guy a few minutes to make an appearance and then get to summoning."