Being the Holy Grail is Suffering... [Worm/FSN Quest]

I don't get why people say Labyrinth doesn't have the right motivation to be a Master. She's motivated by the Power of Friendship. That's shonen anime main character material right there, but with seinen anime powerset.

Is it just because she sounds meek? You fools! Haven't anime taught you anything? Those are the most dangerous people possible! Especially if they have the chance to get character development!

Stop with this boner for morally gray characters, people!

These are also good points for Labyrinth. But there's something people are missing. Someone brought up a monkey's paw. Yes we are that, but we can be an interesting monkey's paw. And in this case, we have a very interesting wish on our hands. She wants to cure Case 53s. Think about that. She wants a solution to the monstrous triggers caused by Cauldron's experiments. By shards. By Eden's corpse. By the Entity Cycle. I can smell so many goddamn juicy ways we can twist that wish to cause all sorts of havoc. I'm giddy, literally giddy, at the possibilities. This is the most interesting wish we've come across so far. I do not want to miss out on the fallout. Also for those of you worried about the monkey's paw thing, I'm pretty sure we'll get to vote when the time comes, since Angry Mango is an influence, not the be all end all word on the Grail's actions. Even if we don't destroy humanity, we can have fun with this particular wish.
Deliciously delicious despair after discovering the Case 53 conspiracy they're after is just a bunch of idiots that have no idea what they're doing. I can't wait.
 
A lot people seem to be getting tired and just want the War to start already. Even if it means cutting back on a quality Master.

Wasn't the the point of getting BB and accord together to speed up the process of market-making? They can be brought to us, instead of us blindly wandering around. Narratively that speeds things up quite a bit.
 
[x] Do not make Labyrinth the final Master

Being totally honest, Labyrinth to me came across as really dull.
 
[X] Do not make Labyrinth the final Master
I don't actually know why. I've just got a gut feeling that Labyrinth isn't a good choice, here.
 
Well Meph is certainly making the rounds. Knowing the identities of two Servants gives him a big advantage over the rest.

[X] Make Labyrinth the final Master

Yeah Labyrinth is a bit passive which is why pairing her with a Servant that has a strong personality will do a lot of the heavy lifting. Kinda why I want Tama Cat over someone like Fran since the former is more likely to bring Labryinth out of her shell with her boisterous and whimsical demeanor. Another reason I wanted her as a Master is that she's apart of a merc team who will probably be hired to interfere Theo's vendetta. Otherwise, he would just be running around doing his own thing until someone involves him in the war.
 
This gap has stayed pretty consistent. Anyways, I'm going to start writing now (well, I have to pick up my food first, but the time difference is negligible), so I'm closing voting and letting everyone know that Labyrinth will be our last Master. I'll get the option and descriptions written up and posted in a few hours.
 
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Okay, so everyone is going to vote for our fluffy boy Asterios right? They would be super cute together!

And someone needs to hug him after the Lostbelt.
 
Release 3.16
Release 3.16

The Grail turned to face Labyrinth, holding one hand out, palm up.They smiled, a calmer smile now, softer and smaller. "I believe you will make a good Master. Give me your right hand and your Servant shall appear."

Labyrinth's eyes drifted away from the window towards the Grail. As she began to extend her hand she spoke. "Are there magic words I am supposed to say?"

They blinked. "Do you want there to be?"

"I think so."

Their smile widened. "Okay, then repeat after me."

Holding her Labyrinth's hand in her own, the Grail began the ritual, a circle of light appearing around them. Faultline let out a startled sound as rings of light spun in three lines. Beneath them lines sprouted , appearing on the pews between them and extending out onto the floor, connecting into interwoven geometric shapes.

Let silver and steel be the essence
Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation
Let my great Master Schweinorg be the ancestor
Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall
Let the four cardinal gates close
Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the kingdom rotate

It was strange. They had not had the incantation performed for the last Masters, so they had not thought about the repercussions of doing such, but they could tell that they were using much less prana now. Forming the connection with the Throne of Heroes was easier and forging a connection between Master and Servant felt more natural.

I hereby declare
Your body shall serve under me
My fate shall be your sword
Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail
If you will submit to this will and this reason then answer

Whereas before their words were an echo, Labyrinth's speech falling in step behind their own, more slowly it seemed that they were falling in sync. The space between their voices collapsing until it was clear that Labyrinth was no longer merely repeating what they said, but was speaking them on her own. She knew the words.

An oath shall be sworn here
I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven
I shall have dominion of all evils of all of Hell

Why did she know the words?

How?

How?

Labyrinth's grip tightened as the Angra Mainyu shied away from the ritual, yet the Holy Grail held their body firm. All the World's Evils sensed something within the girl. Something familiar yet also alien. Yes, there was a connection between them now, and as the Grail fell silent the girl continued the ritual on her own, her eyes locked on the Grail's with a deep focus.

Yet thou serves with thine eyes clouded in chaos
Thou, bound in a cage of madness
I am she who hold thy chains

The Kaleidoscope.

The Fucking Kaleidoscope.

True Magic allowing for the operation of parallel worlds. Magic that messed with the multiverse itself. The Grail had learned what her powers were before, that she could see into and pull things from "pocket worlds", but this changed the implications of such a gift completely.

And if she knew these words did that mean she had seen into their old world?

From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power
Come forth from the ring of restraints
Protector of the Holy Balance!


"This one is pleased. This Master did the ritual properly, and has a great deal of prana to support a Berser-"

"WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUCK!?"

"...This one shall ignore the one known as Angra Mainyu. This one believes that the Labyrinth would be a good home for a minotaur."

[...]

"WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING!?"

"...This one made what is known as a joke...was this one not clever?...This one shall move onwards."


A monster born of an unholy union and a curse brought down by the gods, a child destined to be hated, Asterios the Minotaur is summoned as a Berserker.

When king Minos refused to sacrifice a sacred bull, Poseidon cursed his wife to fall in love with the creature, thus resulting in the birth of a monster. The Minotaur, named Lightning, Asterios or "King of the Stars", though it was not a name suited for an abomination and so it too was discarded when the King discarded him. Locked within a maze he could never escape, he was deprived of all contact or love.

Yet when the hero Theseus came to slay him he did not see a monster, but a boy. When the hero slew the monster, the monster was also saved for the hero cared for him. Paid him a mercy and showed respect that he could never repay. "I want to save you." Those were the words the hero said to the beast. Yes. Asterios wants to be saved. Asterios wants to be Asterios, not the Minotaur anymore.

Asterios has the attributes of a beast, yet is not truly insane. He is still part man and possesses both common sense and a great deal of wisdom despite having the mentality of a child. It also has a deep understanding of ethics, though this only deepens the guilt that he feels for all the men and women he had killed. He wonders if they would ever forgive him.

As long as one sees Asterios and not the Minotaur, he will be happy and loyal. He would never betray such a Master.

Asterios is among the most physically powerful Servants, though he perhaps lacks utility. His Noble Phantasm, Chaos Labyrinthos, summons forth the maze that he was imprisoned in on the underside of the world. It remains until all enemies are slain or Asterios dies. It can be manifested again, though it will have to take a new form, otherwise people will be able to just walk out. A maze isn't really a maze anymore if it has already been solved after all.


[PRAISE]

"This one needs no praise from a parasite...but this one shall show gratitude."

[CONFUSION: CONFLICTING SIGNALS]

"Does the one known as the remnant have a suggestion?"

[SUGGESTION]


A wise ruler fallen to madness, driven low by the affections of the moon goddess Diana, Caligula is summoned as a Berserker.

An emperor of Rome who was at one time hailed as a wise king and beloved by the people. One day he apparently caught the attention of the moon, and these affections drove him to madness. He performed many atrocities in his madness and even now when summoned he still revels in his sadism. Truly, under normal circumstances he would be totally manageable and he would immediately go on a rampage that could only end in his death.

Yet there is a feeling that bleeds through this lunacy. Love. Love for Rome, and most of all love for his family. His little sister and his niece, Nero. Oh what luck for him to be summoned by Nero in this time. Her mere presence stills his heavy heart. He is not quite at peace, but knowing that she is near he can restrain himself. He mustn't hurt her, mustn't make his dear niece cry.

Note: His Master is clearly Labyrinth yet somehow he seems to have confused her for his niece.

Nero was empress of Rome, wasn't she? And so where is her empire? She is Rome, after all. This is something he will need to rectify. But until then… "Nero...I recognize you...come here...I'll read you a story...like before...the moon…"

Caligula wishes to have his madness removed. To return to the time when he was a wise king who the citizens of Rome loved. He wants to tell stories to his dear sweet niece. He wants to sit in the garden with his sister. He wants the cursed affections of the moon to leave him. This is his deepest desire.

Caligula possesses a wide variety of skills as per his Imperial Privilege, and is also resistant to mental attacks thanks to Glory of the Past. Still, his madness makes it difficult for him to utilize the full extent of his talents, and he would sooner resort to bare fisted violence rampaging through the night screaming at the moon. His Noble Phantasm allows him to share his curse of madness with others, all those touched by the moon's light becoming touched, for a time, by its love as well. A dangerous skill indeed.


"This one is surprised by the thought that has gone into this choice."

[PLEASED]

"Now last is-eh, wait, the one known as-no, Angra Mainyu, do not play with your mud so recklessly."

"I NEED THIS! I'M SO FUCKING CONFUSED!"

"The mud of the one known as Angra Mainyu is not a stress ball...wait, no, put that Archer down."

"MUD! CORRUPTION! COMFORT FOOD!"


The famous huntress raised in the wilderness by a bear then by hunters, this Servant would normally be summoned as an Archer, but due to...circumstances she has become tainted by a dark influence and has become bound to the pelt of the Calydonian Boar, making her more akin to a beast than human. As such she is summoned as a Berserker.

She was a famous huntress and devout follower of Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and of the Hunt, yet this form is not that of the Chaste Huntress but instead of the bear child raised in the wilderness, the vicious huntress that struck down the Calydonian Boar and the Boar itself all at once.

She is not under the effects of normal Mad Enhancement, and as such can be understood and communicated with normally. Instead her great strength comes from her nature as a beast. Still, her morality and code of ethics has become ever more rigid and simple, and as such one should still tread carefully. She will not listen to those recognized as enemies at all, and acting against what she believes in will result in an immediate attack by her. At the center of this is her love of children. She will not abide by anyone doing harm to children or neglecting them, and she will do her best to protect them until the very end.

She does also possess many animal instincts. Biting unfamiliar people, fighting over territory, guarding food from those who may steal it, things like that.

She is a beast whose body is not stable. Her body shifts to overcome obstacles, though it cannot be consciously controlled and it has no real application outside of battle. Furthermore, her mentality, this beast like logic, increases her rate of thinking when it comes to killing an enemy, though it does not actually help with finding weak points or anything of the sort. It does not make finding a solution easier, but it speeds up the thought process. Together this can make her a truly terrifying opponent to face in a one on one fight.

The energy from her old Noble Phantasm is concentrated into something like a cruise missile made of tar which "devours" a target, absorbing them into its mass. Extremely powerful anti magic abilities are needed to counteract it.

Her wish is to simply make it so mankind never loses hope. Even when the world is nothing but despair, let mankind have the freedom to choose their path and let there always be a way to find salvation.


"...this one is not pleased. The one known as Angra Mainyu is grounded."

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER MY OWN SCREAMING!"

[CONCERN]

"This one predicts that the one known as Angra Mainyu will need a moment more to recover. Let us both discuss the possibilities."

[HESITATION AGREEMENT]


OPTIONS:

[] Berserker (Asterios)

[] Berserker (Caligula)

[] Berserker (Atalanta Alter)
 
Pictures are included in the Stat Sheets at the bottom of each one. I had more time in advance to do so today thankfully.
Asterios

Parameters:
Strength: A++
Endurance: A++
Agility: C
Mana: D
Luck: E
NP: A

Class Skills:
Madness Enhancement: B
Raises basic parameters (Strength, Endurance, Agility) and increases one's physical abilities at the cost of mental capabilities.
Rank up for all parameters, but takes away most of sanity.

Personal Skills:
Monstrous Strength: A
A Skill that temporarily grants a rank-up to one's Strength parameter for a time limit determined by the ranking of this Skill. This Skill is borne from the holder's nature as a monster or Demonic Beast.
N/A

Natural Monster: A++
A Skill endowed to those who were given birth as a monster rather than to a hero or god that has fallen down to the level of a Magical Beast.
Asterios has attained a Rank of STR and END that is absolutely impossible for a human body.

Avyssos of Labrys: C
The pair of giant axes Asterios owns. It's the symbol of the Labyrinth and the root of that very word.
It was originally a two-bladed axe, but Asterios rearranged it into two axes.

Noble Phantasms:
Chaos Labyrinthos: EX, Labyrinth
A Noble Phantasm akin to a Reality Marble, yet not one specifically. To be active, all that needs be done is recall where Asterios once resided, and the maze will appear around him. The Labyrinth's difficulty is the same as what would be considered a labyrinth, and the Labyrinth itself will not dissipate until Asterios himself is defeated or his opponents are dead, even if it were to disappear, he would be able to recreate it with ease.


Caligula

Parameters:
Strength: A+
Endurance: B+
Agility: B+
Mana: D+
Luck: D+
NP: C

Class Skills:
Madness Enhancement: A+
Raises basic parameters (Strength, Endurance, Agility) and increases one's physical abilities at the cost of mental capabilities.
All parameters receive a Rank-Up, but the majority of reason has ended up being robbed away. Only the mission to expand the Roman Empire and make it prosper is not lost; thanks to it, if an ally approaches him citing Rome, a Luck Check occurs, and if successful, he restrains his rampage. If the contact is by a person with ties with Rome, the check occurs with a plus. That is to say, if he is approached by the likes of Nero or Romulus, he would be able to reliably restrain himself. However, such restraint is just a condition of standby, and it's not like perfect communication becomes possible.

Personal Skills:
Imperial Privilege: A
An ability that, due to the insistence of the owner, Skills that are essentially impossible to possess can be obtained for a short period of time. In cases when the Rank is А or above, even the "burden to the body" can be acquired (such as Divinity).
For Caligula, the relevant Skills are Riding, swordsmanship, fine arts, Charisma, Military Tactics and others.

Sadistic Constitution: A
A Skill that augments one's aggression in battle. It appears to be a positive Skill, but the longer its owner stays in battle, the more their abusive disposition will grow, causing them to lose their usual composure. It's possible to say that this is just one step short of the Skill that causes Berserkers to go insane. The more one attacks, the stronger one becomes, but on the other hand, one's defensive abilities drop
Caligula cannot demonstrate this Skill to the fullest because of how close this Skill's nature is to his Class Skill.

Glory of the Past: B
The memories of the four years when Caligula lived as a wise king; these memories don't soften his madness, but they actually accelerate it.
He obtains a plus modifier to his resistance against mental interference and the like, and he raises his Strength parameter temporarily if fighting unarmed, but every time Caligula uses this Skill, he also suffers damage. The rampaging madness makes his spiritual core grate.

Noble Phantasms:
Flucticulus Diana: C, Anti-Army
The sublimation of legends representing Caligula's madness as a result of Diana's affection and divine protection. The Noble Phantasm activates through the usage of the moonlight, spreading Caligula's madness to others that are within the Moon's light. A powerful attack that robs enemies of their reason, and makes them turn on their own allies or bystanders, while decreasing their defense and their ability to defend against other mental effects. Will not affect those related to Diana/Artemis.


Atalanta (Alter)

Parameters:
Strength: C++
Endurance: C++
Agility: A
Mana: B
Luck: E
NP: B+

Class Skills:
Beastly Enhancement: B
A subset of Madness Enhancement, providing the same bonuses as Madness Enhancement while also providing a similar benefit to Instinct, though at a lower ability, at the cost of being unable to reason with 'humans' normally rather than simple sanity. (Has the mentality, mannerisms and responses of a beast more than human)
???

Independent Action: A
The ability to maintain one's form despite having no source of mana (A Master or Leyline), as well as giving autonomy to the Servant. High ranks normally come with high Egos as well, and are harder to control as a result of the rank.
It is possible to take action even without a Master. However, to use Noble Phantasms of great magical energy consumption, backup from the Master is necessary. At Rank A, it is possible for a Servant to stay in the world for about a week without a Master.

Personal Skills:
Self Evolution: EX
Surpassing Self Modification, it's a skill that reforms oneself. In order to overcome any kind of objective in the way of accomplishing one's goals, they keep evolving in mere seconds. However, it has the demerit of having a lower mark than Self Modification concerning its applicability to anything more than the specialization towards the user's goals.


Crossing Arcadia: A
A Skill that allows for quickly moving over the field of battle.
Can move while jumping over all kinds of obstacles on the field, including enemies.
"Arcadia, my far-away homeland, I shall jump stone by stone across the steep mountain range that lead to you."



Animalistic Logic: B
A combative way of thinking resulting from transforming into a beast. It's not useful for finding weak points, but the speed of thinking focusing on killing the enemy swiftly increases. If combined with the skill Self Evolution, the speed of defeating an opponent increases even further.


Noble Phantasms:
Tauropolos Skia Thermokrasia: A, Anti-Unit
Tauropolos the bow is consumed entirely, all of the magic power used poured into a single blow, likened to a ballistic missile. Targets hit by the blow are engulfed in black-violet 'darkness', and are forcibly consumed and absorbed by them unless they have a high anti-magic skill present.

Agrius Metamorphosis: C+, Anti-Unit (self)
A cursed Noble Phantasm where Atalanta possesses the power of the Magical Beast known as Calydonian Boar by wearing its pelt, sealing Tauropolos and raising all stats except luck by one rank, while also giving a condition similar to A-rank Madness Enhancement combined with A-rank Transformation. Depending on situation, the pelt can shift into other forms, and allows for her to fuse with bow to shoot projectiles of pure mana. Her sanity has been destroyed in doing so, though since she was summoned with it active already, her sanity is more than it would have been provided she was an Archer.
Due to already wearing the pelt, rank ups do not take effect and sanity remains the same.

 
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