Hereafter [Worm x Fate/Grand Order]
- Thread starter James D. Fawkes
- Start date
- Crossover
Evil Atlas
Inspector of Details
- Location
- Denial
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It may have been a short battle, but you've got to imagine this was some catharsis for Taylor. She was finally able to do something to Servants directly and have it matter, simulation or not. And she won handily. That has to feel good.
And it's that little bit of vindication, almost, or reassurance. She really can keep up with these ancient heroes on a level playing field, it's just the magical buffs that divide them.
I suspect the next few training iterations are going to skip the wait and travel time to focus on what the right way of handling the final confrontation would be. Reinforcements will help, sure, but they also need to choose them well; regardless of everything else, they need some way to avoid the Masters getting quietly ganked by the bug swarm. Mash's shield is great, but it can mostly only cover one direction.
(Probably unlikely, but I'm imagining a scene much later in a training session where they're finally doing well, Jalter finally gets a good stab in, and then Taylor reveals that she got Da Vinci to give her some sort of horrifying bug mimic clones. Like, the swarm murmurs "Wrong one" and then the impaled bug clone pulls out scythe arms and goes for Jalter's face. The trauma never ends!)
And it's that little bit of vindication, almost, or reassurance. She really can keep up with these ancient heroes on a level playing field, it's just the magical buffs that divide them.
I suspect the next few training iterations are going to skip the wait and travel time to focus on what the right way of handling the final confrontation would be. Reinforcements will help, sure, but they also need to choose them well; regardless of everything else, they need some way to avoid the Masters getting quietly ganked by the bug swarm. Mash's shield is great, but it can mostly only cover one direction.
(Probably unlikely, but I'm imagining a scene much later in a training session where they're finally doing well, Jalter finally gets a good stab in, and then Taylor reveals that she got Da Vinci to give her some sort of horrifying bug mimic clones. Like, the swarm murmurs "Wrong one" and then the impaled bug clone pulls out scythe arms and goes for Jalter's face. The trauma never ends!)
Ya the other thing is that the Environments are not Conducive to Taylor doing things with Bugs being either extremely hostile to bug life or being massive stretches of land or being on a Literal ocean and Ship
On top of her not having her bug powers back before things went to shit and being in literally Antartica taking a hammer to her relative access to her full bag of Tricks
Along with their opponents being generally very skilled Mover brutes with Esoteric bullshit on top of that
On top of her not having her bug powers back before things went to shit and being in literally Antartica taking a hammer to her relative access to her full bag of Tricks
Along with their opponents being generally very skilled Mover brutes with Esoteric bullshit on top of that
MWKillKenny84
Lurking from the Trauma Switch.
- Location
- Vado Ligure
Hebert Style Booth Camp.
Welcome to Hell Ladies and Gentlemen.
Sir_Travelsalot
Never wakes up tired.
- Location
- At Home
He did shoot quite a few more after that one to pin Mash in place.
Warmach1ne32
Machine of War and Quests
- Location
- Indonesia
Has anyone suggested Wonder Woman as a nickname for Hippolyta? She isn't technically Diana from DC but Hippolyta in DC is Wonder Woman's mom so there is familial relation. Maybe Wonder Mom? Even if she acts more like a big sister.
- Location
- Some City
eh, yes and no?
like, yeah, she could pick counters to their choices, but realistically there were only so many picks, and Siegfried was obvious if they sat there and thought about it. Taylor has flat-out said she wanted to test the twins against Siegfried before, and that probably didn't escape their notice. and for the rules they set down, Siegfried is one of their biggest powerhouses...and is only contracted with Taylor. he was the obvious pick
which makes it worse that they picked Jeanne Alter for this exercise, because it was proved over the holidays that Siegfried has a conceptual advantage over her. was probably a test from Taylor to see if they'd remember that
the really tailored pick was Arash, imo. he is still a damn good and reliable Servant, but if they'd gone with Mordred or Nero then the obvious pick would have been Jackie, because she'd have a conceptual advantage over all of their picks.
Really a good tactical pick on Rika's part to select Emiya, going for the versatility, but really for what they knew going into the test- that it was Fuyuki again, similar rules to before, etc- Aife or Hippolyta might have been the better choice (though again, have to contest with Jackie)
so even if they didn't know for sure who Taylor would pick...i mean, they kind of did? They knew Taylor was playing the role of a Caster, they know Taylor's preferred fighting style, they've run this simulation before and know what gaps Taylor had that a couple extra Servants would necessarily fill. and moreover? They know the mindsets and personalities of the Servants in question, probably better than Taylor. Most of them are not the sorts to mesh that well with what Taylor had previously demonstrated.
Jeanne Alter is a maybe, but it's not in the nature of someone like Aife or Mordred to sit on top of the mountain or lie in wait for the enemy to spring their trap. Sam doesn't really have the right powerset for this kind of engagement. the very idea of Bradamante serving in this role is almost laughable.
so really, the only other ones it could have maybe been were Jackie, El-Meloi, and maybe Hippolyta. and of those three they can't pick Jackie, El-Meloi wasn't going to be on Taylor's list anyway (she's already filling that spot on her own team) and if they didn't pick Hippolyta that was their own problem
and breaking it down that way? yeah, they probably had one of the better set lists for the job. could have swapped Jalter for Aife or Hippolyta, but as this was happening regardless they made the best picks they could
and for as much as it's a trauma button for Rika...sending Emiya into the cavern alone was still probably the best choice for springing that trap, because if they'd gone for trying to cut the head off the snake by sneaking into the basement at full force...it would have gotten all of them killed. and them going up front to spring teh trap to give Emiya that shot was ALSO probably the bet they could have done under the circumstances
really, the big tactical mistake they made was not trying to pin down Arash, since even Emiya thought it was weird that he hadn't attacked them as they traveled the city, and even that could have been resolved by pulling up more help...which was the actual point of the exercise: take advantage of everything at your disposal
Great chapter, glad i got to see it, can't wait for next week to see the breakdown!
Tygerion
{Unverified Feline}
- Location
- Iowa
I love the detail that Rika's inner monologue uses her nicknames for people.
James D. Fawkes
Court Scribe
- Location
- Avalon (Isle of Mists)
The one lesson the twins have had a hard time learning is how to think laterally, but it's something that a lot of people struggle with and not just them. Their strategy wasn't actually all that bad, if they really were facing the same simulation they were post-Orleans, but that's part of the trap they fell into and part of what Taylor was trying to teach them: don't let the familiar lull you into complacency.
But it's a hard lesson.
Not sure if I made it clear earlier, but the first chapter of the American Singularity was finished and posted. Things are going to get wild.
But it's a hard lesson.
Yup. The decision to cut down on them as the action ramped up was the editor's idea, so that people got less confused about what was happening. It has the side effect of making it feel like Rika was taking things more seriously, too, which works well for me.
Not sure if I made it clear earlier, but the first chapter of the American Singularity was finished and posted. Things are going to get wild.
Stahor
BookWorm
- Location
- Russia, Moscow
This bit delayed reaction to this, but it's highlights that was subtle in previous chapters.
Imagine being the sort of person, so when they tell that yes, they in fact killed god, you unquestionably believe them?
- Location
- Hug the Moebot; Save the world
I disagree that sending Emiya into the cavern was the best choice to spring the trap. They sent an archer into an enclosed space where his use if his ranged abilities would be constrained. I think they would of been served better having Emiya in the city to overwatch and snipe at Siegfried from beyond his range. Then either send Jeanne Alter into the cave or summon reinforcements.
SolipsistSerpent
Endlessly Devouring
To be fair, the cavern itself is unnaturally huge. Not that you're wrong, especially as there are smaller tunnels leading on the way to the main cavern, it's just not as bad as it would be in a normal cavern.
TimeDiver
Herald of Dis Lev
- Location
- In-between the parallel worlds...
Given Rika's thoughts on her comparatively-more tactical-savvy twin, one would think that either of the two would have picked up on EMIYA's (already self-admitted?) 'Jack of Multiple Trades, but Master of None' aspect... and/or Rika, unlike Rin, couldn't quite see past his sarcastic: "You have summoned THE best possible Servant, my Master..." one-liner.
- Location
- Some City
Happy to hear it!
and now that you bring that up, i've had this list in my notes for awhile now; may as well drop it
to preface, not trying to sway anything with this, just trying to speculate and hope who might show up
*Samuel Whittmore- been over this before. Old man who fought in three wars, was made a captain by the British despite being a colonial (meaning he HAD to be exceptionally capable), had no filter but had the oratory skills and passion that he was able to deny a lawsuit and immediately counter-sue his opponent, was one of the hardcore revolutionaries in the political circles that told the British Empire to go fuck themselves, and on the day the Revolutionary War started he went out on his front lawn, killed at least three men and charged an entire battalion on his own, and despite horrendous wounds he survived and lived long into the United States becoming its own country.
John Parker- a militia captain, John Parker was the man at the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Famously so. "Stand your ground, don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war let it begin HERE'. Important note, didn't live much longer but there have been weaker beginnings to Heroic Spirits. Beyond that though, the logo used by the US Army Reserve (the first and only symbol they've ever used) is referred to as 'the John Parker' and is held to be his face.
Paul Revere- mostly known for his midnight ride to prepare the country for the start of the Revolutionary War, Revere was a member (if not a founding member) of the Sons of the Liberty, a well-known Patriot, helped build the intelligence network that watched the British military's movements, WAS one of the ringleaders of the Boston Tea Party, was able to identify a specific body as one of his friends from a mass grave so he could receive a proper burial, served in various roles in the Continental Army, and while he was not a particularly successful soldier or merchant his talents as an artisan and silversmith allowed him to explore and refine manufacturing processes, increasing productivity and efficiency while at the same time allowing him to provide to a wide variety of needs from belt buckles to cannons (up to and including producing the copper sheeting method for America to start coating their ships)
And very famously, BELLS
Ben Franklin- well known polymath (holy shit, what wasn't this guy? Writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and philosopher), one of the most influential intellectuals of his era, founding father of the US, drafted and signed the declaration of independence, and was America's first postmaster general
If you want to tell me he couldn't qualify as a caster, I will call you a liar
Stephen Decatur- Commodore of the US Navy and 'Conqueror of the Barbary Pirates'. One of the officers in charge of fighting the Barbary States when they robbed American shipping and took American sailors hostage, Decatur went on a rampage and slaughtered pirates left, right, and center. When one pirate captain killed his brother after pretending to surrender, Decatur hunted the pirate down, leapt off his ship with less than ten men at his back, and killed the pirates' entire crew in hand to hand. And in the second barbary war he extracted reparations and peace treaties from every single barbary state (which even the British, the Spanish, and the Dutch had bowed to), causing basically every other navy to refuse to pay them tribute, thus ending the pirate racket that had been the status quo for three centuries.
Died as the result of a duel with a rival naval captain
"Peace had been dictated at the mouths of our cannon"
Presley O'Bannon- lieutenant of the early US Marine Corps, primarily known for his exploits in the First Barbary War, where he took a group of less than a dozen marines, played peacemaker between two mutually-disaligned groups to put an exiled prince on the throne of Tripoli (essentially becoming the grandfather of American military spec ops), and fought so violently and valiantly that said prince would award O'Bannon his personal sword. That mameluke sword has been a part of the Marine Corps uniform since. That defiant spirit also earned the Corps one of their first nicknames, 'the leathernecks'
*Bass Reeves- the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, Reeves escaped slavery to become a gunfighter, farmer, scout, tracker, and most famously a US Marshal. He served as such a peace officer for 32 years, and in that time he tracked down, fought, and arrested some of the most dangerous criminals and fugitives of his day, and despite many fights (and his hat and belt being shot off at various points) Reeves was never injured. By the time he retired his list of arrests was well into the thousands (most popular accounts put that number at around three thousand). Despite this, he is only recorded as having killed 14 men in the line of duty.
THE archetypal example of the gunslinger, lawman, symbol of the American West, and arguably the basis for comic book superheroes
*Buffalo Bill- a legend in his own life, William Cody- better known as Buffalo Bill- was one of the most famous men of his time period, known the world over for being the living embodiment of America's push westward. Soldier, guide, hunter and guard for the railroad/railworkers, fought with and earned the respect of the Native Americans that settlers were in the process of displacing, was a member of the Pony Express, and played himself in a dramatized tale of his own life and experience that was performed for everyone from street kids to heads of state. EVERYBODY knew who Buffalo Bill was; at the turn of the 20th century he was posited to be the single most well known celebrity on earth. If fucking Billy the Kid can be a Servant, there is ZERO reason to not include Cody
Oh, and by some accounts he was awarded the first medal of honor in american history, and there is a long, LONG story about the debates on whether or not he should have been given the award
*Annie Oakley- part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show- and the member that brought in the most money outside Bill himself- Oakley was known as one of the greatest sharpshooters to have ever lived. She supposedly made her first shot at 8, taking a squirrel through the temple from the other side of her yard and orchard. She was known for making such trickshots as splitting a playing card edge-on from 30 paces, putting out candles, shooting cigars out of her husband's lips, knocking dimes out of the air, and shooting targets completely behind her (firing the rifle over her shoulder with a hand mirror). Sitting Bull himself (a good friend of hers) said she had to be 'gifted' by supernatural means to be such a steady shot with both hands. Also contributed heavily to charities and was a major feminist figure, pressing for women to be educated, independent, and trained in self-defense and gun use.
Taylor would like Annie, I think. Probably Reeves, too.
Davy Crockett- a legend in his own time, a frontiersman, soldier, and politician, he was a folk hero commonly referred to as 'King of the Wild Frontier' in popular media. Lot of his life was mythologized, especially the 'heroic last stand' of the Battle of the Alamo.
*Butch Cassidy- if you are going to talk about famous American outlaws, Billy the Kid would not be at the top of my list, it'd be this guy. Master planner, horse rider, train robber; what eventually caught up to him was the changing times- technology, shrinking boundaries, higher densities of people, the increasing and increasingly heavy attention of agencies like the Pinkertons at the behest of the railroad companies, etc. still one of the most prominent pillars in the mythos of the American West, and much more personable and successful criminal than Billy
*John Henry- very much a mythology figure, but in a world where Paul Bunyan does in fact exist, who's to say Henry couldn't be real. Symbol of the struggle of the working man to maintain his dignity and not be exploited in the advancing age of steam and industry. If that isn't a direct middle finger to everything 'Presi-King' Thomas Edison wants to build…what the fuck IS??
Jesse James- while there are plenty of good reasons to not include him or credit his accomplishments higher than Robin Hood himself, America did have its own similar figure in Jesse James, a simple but effective bandit who robbed trains and banks, fought corporations and their Pinkerton agents, and a hero of the poor. His popularity and symbolism as an American frontier hero has clashed strongly with his allegiance and sympathies for the Confederates and their ilk in recent years, and a lot of his sharing his loot with the poor is a common fabrication. Still, he DID exist, and his mythologized story did exist in the cultural consciousness for quite some time.
Wouldn't be the first time a Heroic Spirit had their rougher edges smoothed out after their death
Pocahontas- it cannot be overstated just how convoluted, romanticized, and whitewashed the story of Pocahontas is. That said, it also cannot be denied that her story is one of the few of Native Americans that almost everyone is certain to have at least heard of, of her saving lives and fostering peace between vastly opposed peoples. And in the Nasu-verse, that counts for something
Betsy Ross- much more low-key than some of the others on this list (and her own contributions are likely exaggerated…but what Servant's aren't a little embellished?), Ross was an upholsterer and flag-maker who is by apocrypha and oral tradition responsible for making the earliest and one of the most symbolic American flags, essentially giving America its very identity and serving as a rallying point for the burgeoning revolution.
Johnny Appleseed- a nurseryman and missionary who was a leader in conservation, Johnny Chapman was a living legend in his own lifetime, known for his overwhelming generosity and charity despite his own personal poverty. He left 1200 acres of carefully tended land behind when he died, and many historic sites and museums were raised in his honor. Perhaps not a particularly powerful damage Caster, but a damn decent start for a support-based one if I've ever heard one.
*Daniel Boone- one of the earliest and most prominent archetypes of the American frontiersman. Although many of his deeds were mythologized and overshadowed his actual life, the man was still a legend during his own life. Best hunter in his region by 15, a storyteller and Freemason, unorthodox and eccentric in his ways, served as a teamster and blacksmith in the North Carolina militia. He left relics and carvings all along the region during his 'long hunts' (though there is a long-running tradition of fakes). One of the first Americans to explore what would become Kentucky, and later blazed 'Boone's Trace', or what would become the Wilderness Road, and founded several settlements. Successfully negotiated with his enemies to not kill women and children, and when his loyalty was questioned immediately led a week-long raid against the enemy. Representative/politician, sheriff, tavern owner, surveyor, land speculator, horse trader, and eventually governor of Kentucky. THEN explored further into what would later be Missouri. Continued hunting and trapping well into his old age, as much and as often as his health and energy would permit. At one point he made a hunting expedition with a round trip of 2000 miles.
They reached Fort Osage in 1816, where an officer wrote, "We have been honored by a visit from Col. Boone... He has taken part in all the wars of America, from Braddock's war to the present hour," but "he prefers the woods, where you see him in the dress of the roughest, poorest hunter.
With so much of his life a mystery and left to speculation and tall tales, there is ZERO reason Boone can't be a Servant, and a damn interesting one at that.
Sitting Bull- Lakota warrior and chief. Mostly known for the Battle of Little Bighorn, where he foresaw great calamity for the soldiers and led a major victory against General Custer. Led a great portion of his life as a resistance fighter as well as a spiritual leader. Later in life he would be recognized as a major symbol of the American West as part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, where he was good friends (and symbolically adopted) Annie Oakley. Was killed largely out of fear that if his support was lent to the growing Ghost Dance movement it would stir up great opposition and insurrection. If Geronimo could be a Servant, so can Sitting Bull.
*Crazy Horse- a contemporary of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse was a Lakota warrior, warchief and resistance leader. Probably one of the most prominent examples of a vision quest, Crazy Horse supposedly received a number of foresights, blessings, and gifts, and participated in many battles against both other Native tribes and against the encroachment of white settlers, including the Battle of Little Bighorn (for which the Last Sun Dance of 1877 was held to honor him for). A mere four months after he and his people formally surrendered to the Army he was asked to hunt another Native leader who had gone on the run and Crazy Horse either refused or his acceptance was misinterpreted as a threat against the Army, for which he was arrested and died in an escape attempt. Known for being aloof, modest, and shy in his personal life, as well as generous to those in need.
It is said by scholars that unlike many of his contemporaries, when he met the white man he was 'undiminished.' He surrendered, but was not defeated in battle. He was killed, but even the Army confirmed he was never captured. His dislike of oncoming civilization was prophetic.
As per Chris Hedges: "there are few resistance figures in American history as noble as Crazy Horse," while adding that "his ferocity of spirit remains a guiding light for all who seek lives of defiance."
Bit long, but if there is any Native American who deserves to be a Servant…this would be it. where would he fit? *shrugs* saber, berserker, rider. There are plenty of options here, but Crazy Horse definitely qualifies, especially in regards to the situation we find in the American Singularity.
John Brown- a prominent figure in the American abolitionist movement, John Brown believed he was an instrument of god who was put on earth to fight slavery. Having worked with leaders in the movement for decades he eventually grew weary of pacifism, and began fighting. He enacted hit lists of slavers and slave traders, he ran arms for other abolitionist movements, and called for enslaved peoples to rise up. His attempt at raising a revolt failed around his raid on the armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, where he was captured, tried, and executed by hanging in 1859. Alternatively called a heroic martyr, a visionary, a madman and a terrorist, John Brown was the spark that led to the secession of the South and the start of the American Civil War, and he was a common and popular symbol among the North in that conflict, and said soldiers walked into battle to the beat of his song and his steps.
(very notable, but a significant part of this was the politics surrounding his trial, as he was tried not as an enemy of America and its people but specifically as an enemy of Virginia, and by extension Virginian slaveholders)
The first man to be executed for treason in American history, and the first man whose trial was nationally reported. Politely, firmly, and frequently refused attempts to rescue him, and faced his execution with dignity, displaying absolute fearlessness in the face of his oncoming death.
Certainly a controversial figure, but if Spartacus and Boudica qualify as Heroic Spirits for their acts of resistance, so too does John Brown.
John Dillinger- this one I will grant is stretching the limits, but if Li Shuwen can qualify as a Heroic Spirit, so can Dillinger. Probably one of the most quintessential and prominent American gangsters and bank robbers, Dillinger was a prolific and highly successful criminal during the Great Depression, living a short but colorful life before being shot outside of a movie theater. His very life and existence forced the formation of the FBI, as he was too ruthless and too successful for the early Bureau of Investigation to deal with. Also, would be really easy to get a catalyst for him, as people have been chipping pieces off his gravestone for souvenirs so many times the gravestone has had to be replaced multiple times.
Also marked THE heyday for bank robberies because of the advancing technology and the tactics involved. These were HIGHLY choreographed events, and everyone had a place and job, based on experience, hierarchy, and trust. The readily available funds, the centralization, the quality and availability of guns, and the advancement of motor vehicles all came together for this very brief point in history to make the American bank robber so successful…but also burn out so quickly
Mike Fink- semi-legendary brawler and river boatman, frequently called the 'king of the keelboaters', being the archetype of the kind of rough-and-tumble men who floated up and down the mighty American rivers. Rude and uncouth, he supposedly wore a red feather to signify his defeating every strong man up and down the river he called home, and Davy Crockett himself supposedly declared him 'half horse and half alligator'. Oddly enough, while on the job and manning his boat he was known as a strict disciplinarian and rather serious about his work. Also supposedly was part of Ashely's Hundred, and helped build Fort Henry.
Over the years Fink's legend has somewhat sputtered out. While a contemporary of Crockett, Fink lacked many of his rival's admirable traits, so later interpretation largely saw his many character flaws turn him from an archetype for hard-working, hard-drinking working men into an up-jumped bully.
…I can't decide if Taylor would appreciate him or absolutely despise him.
*Hugh Glass- 'Old Hugh', a mountain man notable for having survived being mauled by a bear. A frontiersman and explorer, Glass traveled in modern day Nebraska, South and North Dakota, and Montana. As part of General Ashley's 1823 expedition Glass accidentally disturbed a mother bear and was mauled for his intrusion. He was found by his fellows, but they determined he would likely not survive his injuries, and the expedition left two men behind to stay with him until he died and give him a proper burial…at which point the two men stole his equipment and went to catch up with the expedition. Glass, waking to find himself mutilated and alone, set his broken bones, covered himself in the bear's hide his erstwhile companions had left as a shroud, and navigated, floated, and crawled his way through two hundred miles of wilderness back to Fort Kiowa, South Dakota. Eventually tracked down the two men who abandoned him. He spared the one because he was young, the other because he was military and the Army would have killed him in response. The Army captain ordered (Fitzgerald) to return the stolen rifle, and as he took it back Glass warned him that if he ever left the Army, Glass would return to finish the job.
Glass would continue on as an explorer for Ashley and had several run-ins with the Arikara people, and would eventually meet his end at their hands in 1833.
Wild Bill Hickok- another prominent folk hero in the American West, Hickok was many things over the course of his life, and while some of his story is mythologized and somewhat controversial he is still well-regarded for his many exploits, from farmer and coach driver to soldier, scout, lawman and gunslinger. Was (in)famously killed over a poker game in Deadwood, Dakota Territories, and the cards found in his hand have since become known as the Dead Man's Hand. Probably THE archetype for card-wielding, gambling gunslinger types
*Wyatt Earp- controversial but prominent, Earp has long been synonymous with the idea of the American gunslinger. Though typically seen as a lawman, it is somewhat ironic that in modern examinations Earp and his brothers (and Holiday) don't exactly cut the cleanest of figures in the events they're famous for (and in fact were on the run from the law in the aftermath). Still, the famous Shoot-Out at the OK Corral is one of the major hallmarks of the American West and perhaps its most re-enacted and retold, with Earp and his best friend Doc Holiday as perhaps its most prominent figures.
Deborah Sampson- famously concealed her sex so she could enlist in the Army and fight for American independence. Was placed in an advanced light infantry brigade and served well for 17 months, her deception being chanced several times before she departed service, being honorably discharged at West Point shortly thereafter, and applied for and was admitted the wages for her service. Performed a complicated and taxing set of military drills before a crowd to prove that yes, she did perform and earn her awards on her own merits. Not particularly prominent, but well-known enough, and she was an elite soldier by the standards of the time (though her being made a Servant would almost definitely be a step up from her living self)
Tamanend- King Tammany, Saint Tammany, Chief of the Turtle Tribe, Chief of Chiefs and Patron Saint of America. Achieved mythic status as an icon for peaceful negotiation, and entire societies and cogs of the political machinery of America are named in his honor. He was the Chief who negotiated with William Penn for peace between the Quaker settlers and the Native Leni-Lenape tribe in what would become Pennsylvania, and this spirit and peace was one of the founding cornerstones in the colonial attempt to forge a culture, tradition, and identity unique from that of their European roots. Before you had the presidents, and even revolutionary leaders like Adams, Hancock, and Washington, you had Tammany.
Tecumseh- Tecumseh was a warrior and chief of the far-flung Shawnee peoples and is a principle icon of the American, indigenous, and Canadian traditions, though most of his legacy was mythologized after his death. Forming a confederacy around his brother (though he would later eclipse him in popularity and influence) Tecumseh brought together many tribes and many cultures in an attempt to resist American encroachment and European cultural ideas, and restore and maintain the old ways of his many peoples. Though the trope is tired nowadays, Tecumseh was the foremost archetype of the 'noble savage' for Europeans and Americans alike, and he was widely respected during his lifetime, that image only growing and sharpening after his death. And though his attempts to establish protected lands against American encroachment would ultimately prove fruitless he is held among Native peoples to be a figure who transcends tribal identity.
(also, it is more attributed to his brother, but there is a long-running myth of the Curse of Tippecanoe, a curse placed on the 'Great White Fathers' that any president serving in a year divisible by 20 will die in office. This is actually kind of interesting, as of the eight presidents who have died in office, seven of them do in fact fit this pattern. But no president since 1960 has suffered the curse, and plenty of people believe the whole thing to be a matter of coincidence so who knows)
*Molly Pitcher- bit of a mixed bag on this one, but not in a negative way. There are a couple of women this could be, prominent among them being Mary Ludwig Hays and Margaret Corbin. Hays is the most 0common depiction, having joined her husband (an artilleryman) at Vally Forge, who took his place swabbing and loading the cannon after he fell in battle (and later receiving a commendation from George Washington himself). Corbin was similarly married to an artilleryman in the Continental Army- this time at Fort Washington- and when her husband fell in battle she took his place at the cannon until she herself was too injured to keep fighting (later becoming the first woman in American history to earn a military pension for her heroism)(she was also nicknamed Captain Molly, which kinda helps).
(oddly enough, Deborah Sampson is even sometimes lumped in as part of the Molly Pitcher mythos)
But there is also the suggestion by some that Molly Pitcher was just…a generic catch-all term in that way that G.I. Joe is, and was used as a stand-in for the hundreds and thousands of military wives lived alongside the armies that fought for American independence, and indeed taking up the posts, running the ammunition, and manning the guns when their husbands fell in combat. Could end up being another Jack the Ripper situation, which would honestly be really cool.
Pecos Bill- fictional cowboy and folk hero in the same vein as Paul Bunyan, Bill's exploits are varied, and are by turns cliché and outlandish. His family came out west because the town they were from was 'getting too crowded', only for young Bill to fall into the Pecos River. Was raised by coyotes until he was rattlesnake as a lasso, and used it to capture a tornado. Rode a horse that was a known serial killer. His girlfriend rode a giant catfish down the Rio Grande.
Very obviously fictional…but his stories are widely known enough that he would qualify. Especially if such figures as Paul Bunyan, Don Quixote, and the Phantom of the Opera can qualify
*Joe Magarac- a pseudo-legendary folkloric figure, Magarac is a bit more niche than most. His story is almost exclusive to the industrial region of the American Midwest (the Rust Belt), and was told via oral tradition among American steelworkers. As the patron saint of steelworkers, he was capable and tireless, able to work 7 days a week, all year long, and doing the work of 30 men the entire time, and would supposedly appear at times of critical need to save steelworkers from harm.
His ultimate fate kind of depends on who you ask. In some version he himself is melted down to build a new steel mill, sometimes he's waiting in an abandoned factory for work to start again. Hell, a favorite of mine is that he was melted down and made into support beams, which were then used as part of the Capital Building in DC, and when two particularly bad politicians start arguing about immigration Magarac spontaneously respawns from the walls and goes to war with Washington DC
Kind of niche…but honestly, Magarac showing up in the middle of E Pluribus Unum could be really funny
Oh, and before forget, he's in Saint's Row III. That island with the not-statue of liberty on it? on Magarac Island? Yeah, that's a tribute to Joe Magarac. Makes sense, for a place called STEELport
Zorro- I'm pretty sure everyone knows this one, but to clarify Zorro was a masked vigilante created in 1919 but whose setting was a century prior (give or take a few decades) when the area was still run by the Spanish, which lent it a different set of cultural and political figures than what one might expect of modern American California. Gentleman thief, cunning swordsman, and trickster with a dual identity who protected the poor and the disenfranchised from the machinations of a cruel dictator, Zorro was the precursor to later comic book heroes like the Lone Ranger and Batman.
Honestly? Really could see him popping up within the resistance, and can see him and Taylor actually getting along really well (that or they would hate each other's guts, but hope blooms eternal)
Grandmother Spider- made my comments on her previously. Think she would be a great figure for Taylor specifically.
…y'know what? Fuck it. adding Mary Fields
*Mary Fields/Stagecoach Mary- former mail carrier, notable for being the first African American woman to have a star route contract in US history. Born a slave and emancipated after the Civil War, fields worked several jobs before taking to caring for Mother Superior Amadeus and the St Peter's Mission outside of Cascade, Montana. Did a great deal of what would be considered men's work at the time, from repairs and maintenance to hauling freight to repairing buildings, eventually becoming foreman (all the while apparently making WEEKLY 120 mile supply runs). Given to drink, profanity, and brawls, Fields was eventually barred from the convent after a gunfight with a subordinate. Got the job of mail carrier by hitching a stagecoach faster than any of her (much younger) competitors, such that she went to a nearby tavern, got herself a drink, and supposedly shouted tips at them. Drove a stagecoach through the treacherous and unforgiving terrain in all conditions, walking in snowshoes with the mail in a sack on her shoulder when it was too bad for horses, and carried numerous firearms to fend off wolves, bears and bandits. Never missed a day of work, was never late, and never failed to deliver a letter.
If this did not clue you in, Mary Fields was a gruff, eats-nails-for-breakfast battleaxe who took no shit from anybody and routinely beat the shit out of anyone who failed to show her suitable respect. Or just for funsies. She had a standing bet that she would pay five dollars and pour a shot of whisky to any cowboy she couldn't knock unconscious in a single punch…and she never had to pay up. When Cascade passed a law to prohibit women from drinking alcohol, an exception was made for Fields, who would be allowed to drink at any establishment she bothered to darken the threshold of. Apparently knew from personal experience that her trusty ten-gauge shotgun (yes, you read that correctly) could, had, and would literally cut a man in half.
And for all of that- for all the fights, for all the swearing, for all the drinking and so on- Mary Fields…was also extremely kind. She ended up in Montana because Amadeus was an old acquaintance, and when she fell ill Fields raced up to nurse her back to health. She ran her own restaurants out of business twice because she gave so much free food to the poor, built homes for people almost single-handedly, never missed a home baseball game, and was overall a well-respected and beloved member of the community.
So…yeah, if Team A gets picked up by a bulldozer of a woman in a stagecoach with a whiskey flask and a revolver on her hip, a shotgun on her shoulder and a cigar between her teeth…they're getting across the length and breadth of the American Singularity, no problem
"She was one of the freest souls to ever draw a breath or a .38." - Gary Cooper
Main argument I can see against her is that…overall she ends up filling a lot of the roles that Aife does, both in and out of combat. Not that that's inherently a bad thing, but if we are trying to feature a wide array of characters, Aife has a lot of those beats covered.
EDIT:
Okay, so I'm back to add a couple just for funsies and because I have some new details
Edgar Allen Poe- while they aren't quite as powerful in some respects, Perault and Alice conclusively prove that authors are POWERFUL in Fate, and Edgar Allen Poe's works are the foundation of the gothic literature movement. Let's go
Benny Hill- the bartender of West Point. Likely the most influential bartender in American history. Every military officer of the era was friends with benny haven. Even edgar allen poe- father of depressing gothic literature- is on record as calling Haven "the only congenial soul in that godforsaken place". When asked to stop selling to the cadets, he kept doing so. He and his wife were banned from campus, essentially losing their home And their business…so they buy a fucking shack on the Hudson and open a tavern there. And due to the difficulty getting there his only regular customers are West Point cadets, and he lets them pay in anything they can barter/steal and put in his hands.
Don't suspect he'd make the cut but my god this would be funny
Daniel Morgan- the Undignified Guerilla. The Fat Electrician has an entire video on this guy, but this giant of a man defied death on multiple occasions, more or less established what would be the foundational military doctrine of America (if you aren't cheating, you aren't trying/it's never a war crime the first time), was in charge of what was basically the first US special forces unit, was pretty much The Guy who was responsible for winning two of the most critical battles of the American Revolution- Saratoga and Cowpens- and was given a one of a kind medal commemorating his contributions to victory in said war (basically, the proto-MoH). Not bad for a rough and tumble frontier kid who came from nothing.
Oh and those 'death defying' acts? One of those was getting in an argument with a British officer and being sentenced to five hundred lashes…which is basically a death sentence, the officer just wouldn't actually admit it. according to legend and Morgan himself, he counted along with the drummer was leather hit skin. To his dying day he claimed that the Brit's arm got tired and they only counted to 499, so they still owed him one.
The other? he got shot in the fucking head with a musket and survived.
In the 1700s. this man got shot in the head…and lived.
John Parker- a militia captain, John Parker was the man at the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Famously so. "Stand your ground, don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have war let it begin HERE'. Important note, didn't live much longer but there have been weaker beginnings to Heroic Spirits. Beyond that though, the logo used by the US Army Reserve (the first and only symbol they've ever used) is referred to as 'the John Parker' and is held to be his face.
Paul Revere- mostly known for his midnight ride to prepare the country for the start of the Revolutionary War, Revere was a member (if not a founding member) of the Sons of the Liberty, a well-known Patriot, helped build the intelligence network that watched the British military's movements, WAS one of the ringleaders of the Boston Tea Party, was able to identify a specific body as one of his friends from a mass grave so he could receive a proper burial, served in various roles in the Continental Army, and while he was not a particularly successful soldier or merchant his talents as an artisan and silversmith allowed him to explore and refine manufacturing processes, increasing productivity and efficiency while at the same time allowing him to provide to a wide variety of needs from belt buckles to cannons (up to and including producing the copper sheeting method for America to start coating their ships)
And very famously, BELLS
Ben Franklin- well known polymath (holy shit, what wasn't this guy? Writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and philosopher), one of the most influential intellectuals of his era, founding father of the US, drafted and signed the declaration of independence, and was America's first postmaster general
If you want to tell me he couldn't qualify as a caster, I will call you a liar
Stephen Decatur- Commodore of the US Navy and 'Conqueror of the Barbary Pirates'. One of the officers in charge of fighting the Barbary States when they robbed American shipping and took American sailors hostage, Decatur went on a rampage and slaughtered pirates left, right, and center. When one pirate captain killed his brother after pretending to surrender, Decatur hunted the pirate down, leapt off his ship with less than ten men at his back, and killed the pirates' entire crew in hand to hand. And in the second barbary war he extracted reparations and peace treaties from every single barbary state (which even the British, the Spanish, and the Dutch had bowed to), causing basically every other navy to refuse to pay them tribute, thus ending the pirate racket that had been the status quo for three centuries.
Died as the result of a duel with a rival naval captain
"Peace had been dictated at the mouths of our cannon"
Presley O'Bannon- lieutenant of the early US Marine Corps, primarily known for his exploits in the First Barbary War, where he took a group of less than a dozen marines, played peacemaker between two mutually-disaligned groups to put an exiled prince on the throne of Tripoli (essentially becoming the grandfather of American military spec ops), and fought so violently and valiantly that said prince would award O'Bannon his personal sword. That mameluke sword has been a part of the Marine Corps uniform since. That defiant spirit also earned the Corps one of their first nicknames, 'the leathernecks'
*Bass Reeves- the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, Reeves escaped slavery to become a gunfighter, farmer, scout, tracker, and most famously a US Marshal. He served as such a peace officer for 32 years, and in that time he tracked down, fought, and arrested some of the most dangerous criminals and fugitives of his day, and despite many fights (and his hat and belt being shot off at various points) Reeves was never injured. By the time he retired his list of arrests was well into the thousands (most popular accounts put that number at around three thousand). Despite this, he is only recorded as having killed 14 men in the line of duty.
THE archetypal example of the gunslinger, lawman, symbol of the American West, and arguably the basis for comic book superheroes
*Buffalo Bill- a legend in his own life, William Cody- better known as Buffalo Bill- was one of the most famous men of his time period, known the world over for being the living embodiment of America's push westward. Soldier, guide, hunter and guard for the railroad/railworkers, fought with and earned the respect of the Native Americans that settlers were in the process of displacing, was a member of the Pony Express, and played himself in a dramatized tale of his own life and experience that was performed for everyone from street kids to heads of state. EVERYBODY knew who Buffalo Bill was; at the turn of the 20th century he was posited to be the single most well known celebrity on earth. If fucking Billy the Kid can be a Servant, there is ZERO reason to not include Cody
Oh, and by some accounts he was awarded the first medal of honor in american history, and there is a long, LONG story about the debates on whether or not he should have been given the award
*Annie Oakley- part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show- and the member that brought in the most money outside Bill himself- Oakley was known as one of the greatest sharpshooters to have ever lived. She supposedly made her first shot at 8, taking a squirrel through the temple from the other side of her yard and orchard. She was known for making such trickshots as splitting a playing card edge-on from 30 paces, putting out candles, shooting cigars out of her husband's lips, knocking dimes out of the air, and shooting targets completely behind her (firing the rifle over her shoulder with a hand mirror). Sitting Bull himself (a good friend of hers) said she had to be 'gifted' by supernatural means to be such a steady shot with both hands. Also contributed heavily to charities and was a major feminist figure, pressing for women to be educated, independent, and trained in self-defense and gun use.
Taylor would like Annie, I think. Probably Reeves, too.
Davy Crockett- a legend in his own time, a frontiersman, soldier, and politician, he was a folk hero commonly referred to as 'King of the Wild Frontier' in popular media. Lot of his life was mythologized, especially the 'heroic last stand' of the Battle of the Alamo.
*Butch Cassidy- if you are going to talk about famous American outlaws, Billy the Kid would not be at the top of my list, it'd be this guy. Master planner, horse rider, train robber; what eventually caught up to him was the changing times- technology, shrinking boundaries, higher densities of people, the increasing and increasingly heavy attention of agencies like the Pinkertons at the behest of the railroad companies, etc. still one of the most prominent pillars in the mythos of the American West, and much more personable and successful criminal than Billy
*John Henry- very much a mythology figure, but in a world where Paul Bunyan does in fact exist, who's to say Henry couldn't be real. Symbol of the struggle of the working man to maintain his dignity and not be exploited in the advancing age of steam and industry. If that isn't a direct middle finger to everything 'Presi-King' Thomas Edison wants to build…what the fuck IS??
Jesse James- while there are plenty of good reasons to not include him or credit his accomplishments higher than Robin Hood himself, America did have its own similar figure in Jesse James, a simple but effective bandit who robbed trains and banks, fought corporations and their Pinkerton agents, and a hero of the poor. His popularity and symbolism as an American frontier hero has clashed strongly with his allegiance and sympathies for the Confederates and their ilk in recent years, and a lot of his sharing his loot with the poor is a common fabrication. Still, he DID exist, and his mythologized story did exist in the cultural consciousness for quite some time.
Wouldn't be the first time a Heroic Spirit had their rougher edges smoothed out after their death
Pocahontas- it cannot be overstated just how convoluted, romanticized, and whitewashed the story of Pocahontas is. That said, it also cannot be denied that her story is one of the few of Native Americans that almost everyone is certain to have at least heard of, of her saving lives and fostering peace between vastly opposed peoples. And in the Nasu-verse, that counts for something
Betsy Ross- much more low-key than some of the others on this list (and her own contributions are likely exaggerated…but what Servant's aren't a little embellished?), Ross was an upholsterer and flag-maker who is by apocrypha and oral tradition responsible for making the earliest and one of the most symbolic American flags, essentially giving America its very identity and serving as a rallying point for the burgeoning revolution.
Johnny Appleseed- a nurseryman and missionary who was a leader in conservation, Johnny Chapman was a living legend in his own lifetime, known for his overwhelming generosity and charity despite his own personal poverty. He left 1200 acres of carefully tended land behind when he died, and many historic sites and museums were raised in his honor. Perhaps not a particularly powerful damage Caster, but a damn decent start for a support-based one if I've ever heard one.
*Daniel Boone- one of the earliest and most prominent archetypes of the American frontiersman. Although many of his deeds were mythologized and overshadowed his actual life, the man was still a legend during his own life. Best hunter in his region by 15, a storyteller and Freemason, unorthodox and eccentric in his ways, served as a teamster and blacksmith in the North Carolina militia. He left relics and carvings all along the region during his 'long hunts' (though there is a long-running tradition of fakes). One of the first Americans to explore what would become Kentucky, and later blazed 'Boone's Trace', or what would become the Wilderness Road, and founded several settlements. Successfully negotiated with his enemies to not kill women and children, and when his loyalty was questioned immediately led a week-long raid against the enemy. Representative/politician, sheriff, tavern owner, surveyor, land speculator, horse trader, and eventually governor of Kentucky. THEN explored further into what would later be Missouri. Continued hunting and trapping well into his old age, as much and as often as his health and energy would permit. At one point he made a hunting expedition with a round trip of 2000 miles.
They reached Fort Osage in 1816, where an officer wrote, "We have been honored by a visit from Col. Boone... He has taken part in all the wars of America, from Braddock's war to the present hour," but "he prefers the woods, where you see him in the dress of the roughest, poorest hunter.
With so much of his life a mystery and left to speculation and tall tales, there is ZERO reason Boone can't be a Servant, and a damn interesting one at that.
Sitting Bull- Lakota warrior and chief. Mostly known for the Battle of Little Bighorn, where he foresaw great calamity for the soldiers and led a major victory against General Custer. Led a great portion of his life as a resistance fighter as well as a spiritual leader. Later in life he would be recognized as a major symbol of the American West as part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, where he was good friends (and symbolically adopted) Annie Oakley. Was killed largely out of fear that if his support was lent to the growing Ghost Dance movement it would stir up great opposition and insurrection. If Geronimo could be a Servant, so can Sitting Bull.
*Crazy Horse- a contemporary of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse was a Lakota warrior, warchief and resistance leader. Probably one of the most prominent examples of a vision quest, Crazy Horse supposedly received a number of foresights, blessings, and gifts, and participated in many battles against both other Native tribes and against the encroachment of white settlers, including the Battle of Little Bighorn (for which the Last Sun Dance of 1877 was held to honor him for). A mere four months after he and his people formally surrendered to the Army he was asked to hunt another Native leader who had gone on the run and Crazy Horse either refused or his acceptance was misinterpreted as a threat against the Army, for which he was arrested and died in an escape attempt. Known for being aloof, modest, and shy in his personal life, as well as generous to those in need.
It is said by scholars that unlike many of his contemporaries, when he met the white man he was 'undiminished.' He surrendered, but was not defeated in battle. He was killed, but even the Army confirmed he was never captured. His dislike of oncoming civilization was prophetic.
As per Chris Hedges: "there are few resistance figures in American history as noble as Crazy Horse," while adding that "his ferocity of spirit remains a guiding light for all who seek lives of defiance."
Bit long, but if there is any Native American who deserves to be a Servant…this would be it. where would he fit? *shrugs* saber, berserker, rider. There are plenty of options here, but Crazy Horse definitely qualifies, especially in regards to the situation we find in the American Singularity.
John Brown- a prominent figure in the American abolitionist movement, John Brown believed he was an instrument of god who was put on earth to fight slavery. Having worked with leaders in the movement for decades he eventually grew weary of pacifism, and began fighting. He enacted hit lists of slavers and slave traders, he ran arms for other abolitionist movements, and called for enslaved peoples to rise up. His attempt at raising a revolt failed around his raid on the armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, where he was captured, tried, and executed by hanging in 1859. Alternatively called a heroic martyr, a visionary, a madman and a terrorist, John Brown was the spark that led to the secession of the South and the start of the American Civil War, and he was a common and popular symbol among the North in that conflict, and said soldiers walked into battle to the beat of his song and his steps.
(very notable, but a significant part of this was the politics surrounding his trial, as he was tried not as an enemy of America and its people but specifically as an enemy of Virginia, and by extension Virginian slaveholders)
The first man to be executed for treason in American history, and the first man whose trial was nationally reported. Politely, firmly, and frequently refused attempts to rescue him, and faced his execution with dignity, displaying absolute fearlessness in the face of his oncoming death.
Certainly a controversial figure, but if Spartacus and Boudica qualify as Heroic Spirits for their acts of resistance, so too does John Brown.
John Dillinger- this one I will grant is stretching the limits, but if Li Shuwen can qualify as a Heroic Spirit, so can Dillinger. Probably one of the most quintessential and prominent American gangsters and bank robbers, Dillinger was a prolific and highly successful criminal during the Great Depression, living a short but colorful life before being shot outside of a movie theater. His very life and existence forced the formation of the FBI, as he was too ruthless and too successful for the early Bureau of Investigation to deal with. Also, would be really easy to get a catalyst for him, as people have been chipping pieces off his gravestone for souvenirs so many times the gravestone has had to be replaced multiple times.
Also marked THE heyday for bank robberies because of the advancing technology and the tactics involved. These were HIGHLY choreographed events, and everyone had a place and job, based on experience, hierarchy, and trust. The readily available funds, the centralization, the quality and availability of guns, and the advancement of motor vehicles all came together for this very brief point in history to make the American bank robber so successful…but also burn out so quickly
Mike Fink- semi-legendary brawler and river boatman, frequently called the 'king of the keelboaters', being the archetype of the kind of rough-and-tumble men who floated up and down the mighty American rivers. Rude and uncouth, he supposedly wore a red feather to signify his defeating every strong man up and down the river he called home, and Davy Crockett himself supposedly declared him 'half horse and half alligator'. Oddly enough, while on the job and manning his boat he was known as a strict disciplinarian and rather serious about his work. Also supposedly was part of Ashely's Hundred, and helped build Fort Henry.
Over the years Fink's legend has somewhat sputtered out. While a contemporary of Crockett, Fink lacked many of his rival's admirable traits, so later interpretation largely saw his many character flaws turn him from an archetype for hard-working, hard-drinking working men into an up-jumped bully.
…I can't decide if Taylor would appreciate him or absolutely despise him.
*Hugh Glass- 'Old Hugh', a mountain man notable for having survived being mauled by a bear. A frontiersman and explorer, Glass traveled in modern day Nebraska, South and North Dakota, and Montana. As part of General Ashley's 1823 expedition Glass accidentally disturbed a mother bear and was mauled for his intrusion. He was found by his fellows, but they determined he would likely not survive his injuries, and the expedition left two men behind to stay with him until he died and give him a proper burial…at which point the two men stole his equipment and went to catch up with the expedition. Glass, waking to find himself mutilated and alone, set his broken bones, covered himself in the bear's hide his erstwhile companions had left as a shroud, and navigated, floated, and crawled his way through two hundred miles of wilderness back to Fort Kiowa, South Dakota. Eventually tracked down the two men who abandoned him. He spared the one because he was young, the other because he was military and the Army would have killed him in response. The Army captain ordered (Fitzgerald) to return the stolen rifle, and as he took it back Glass warned him that if he ever left the Army, Glass would return to finish the job.
Glass would continue on as an explorer for Ashley and had several run-ins with the Arikara people, and would eventually meet his end at their hands in 1833.
Wild Bill Hickok- another prominent folk hero in the American West, Hickok was many things over the course of his life, and while some of his story is mythologized and somewhat controversial he is still well-regarded for his many exploits, from farmer and coach driver to soldier, scout, lawman and gunslinger. Was (in)famously killed over a poker game in Deadwood, Dakota Territories, and the cards found in his hand have since become known as the Dead Man's Hand. Probably THE archetype for card-wielding, gambling gunslinger types
*Wyatt Earp- controversial but prominent, Earp has long been synonymous with the idea of the American gunslinger. Though typically seen as a lawman, it is somewhat ironic that in modern examinations Earp and his brothers (and Holiday) don't exactly cut the cleanest of figures in the events they're famous for (and in fact were on the run from the law in the aftermath). Still, the famous Shoot-Out at the OK Corral is one of the major hallmarks of the American West and perhaps its most re-enacted and retold, with Earp and his best friend Doc Holiday as perhaps its most prominent figures.
Deborah Sampson- famously concealed her sex so she could enlist in the Army and fight for American independence. Was placed in an advanced light infantry brigade and served well for 17 months, her deception being chanced several times before she departed service, being honorably discharged at West Point shortly thereafter, and applied for and was admitted the wages for her service. Performed a complicated and taxing set of military drills before a crowd to prove that yes, she did perform and earn her awards on her own merits. Not particularly prominent, but well-known enough, and she was an elite soldier by the standards of the time (though her being made a Servant would almost definitely be a step up from her living self)
Tamanend- King Tammany, Saint Tammany, Chief of the Turtle Tribe, Chief of Chiefs and Patron Saint of America. Achieved mythic status as an icon for peaceful negotiation, and entire societies and cogs of the political machinery of America are named in his honor. He was the Chief who negotiated with William Penn for peace between the Quaker settlers and the Native Leni-Lenape tribe in what would become Pennsylvania, and this spirit and peace was one of the founding cornerstones in the colonial attempt to forge a culture, tradition, and identity unique from that of their European roots. Before you had the presidents, and even revolutionary leaders like Adams, Hancock, and Washington, you had Tammany.
Tecumseh- Tecumseh was a warrior and chief of the far-flung Shawnee peoples and is a principle icon of the American, indigenous, and Canadian traditions, though most of his legacy was mythologized after his death. Forming a confederacy around his brother (though he would later eclipse him in popularity and influence) Tecumseh brought together many tribes and many cultures in an attempt to resist American encroachment and European cultural ideas, and restore and maintain the old ways of his many peoples. Though the trope is tired nowadays, Tecumseh was the foremost archetype of the 'noble savage' for Europeans and Americans alike, and he was widely respected during his lifetime, that image only growing and sharpening after his death. And though his attempts to establish protected lands against American encroachment would ultimately prove fruitless he is held among Native peoples to be a figure who transcends tribal identity.
(also, it is more attributed to his brother, but there is a long-running myth of the Curse of Tippecanoe, a curse placed on the 'Great White Fathers' that any president serving in a year divisible by 20 will die in office. This is actually kind of interesting, as of the eight presidents who have died in office, seven of them do in fact fit this pattern. But no president since 1960 has suffered the curse, and plenty of people believe the whole thing to be a matter of coincidence so who knows)
*Molly Pitcher- bit of a mixed bag on this one, but not in a negative way. There are a couple of women this could be, prominent among them being Mary Ludwig Hays and Margaret Corbin. Hays is the most 0common depiction, having joined her husband (an artilleryman) at Vally Forge, who took his place swabbing and loading the cannon after he fell in battle (and later receiving a commendation from George Washington himself). Corbin was similarly married to an artilleryman in the Continental Army- this time at Fort Washington- and when her husband fell in battle she took his place at the cannon until she herself was too injured to keep fighting (later becoming the first woman in American history to earn a military pension for her heroism)(she was also nicknamed Captain Molly, which kinda helps).
(oddly enough, Deborah Sampson is even sometimes lumped in as part of the Molly Pitcher mythos)
But there is also the suggestion by some that Molly Pitcher was just…a generic catch-all term in that way that G.I. Joe is, and was used as a stand-in for the hundreds and thousands of military wives lived alongside the armies that fought for American independence, and indeed taking up the posts, running the ammunition, and manning the guns when their husbands fell in combat. Could end up being another Jack the Ripper situation, which would honestly be really cool.
Pecos Bill- fictional cowboy and folk hero in the same vein as Paul Bunyan, Bill's exploits are varied, and are by turns cliché and outlandish. His family came out west because the town they were from was 'getting too crowded', only for young Bill to fall into the Pecos River. Was raised by coyotes until he was rattlesnake as a lasso, and used it to capture a tornado. Rode a horse that was a known serial killer. His girlfriend rode a giant catfish down the Rio Grande.
Very obviously fictional…but his stories are widely known enough that he would qualify. Especially if such figures as Paul Bunyan, Don Quixote, and the Phantom of the Opera can qualify
*Joe Magarac- a pseudo-legendary folkloric figure, Magarac is a bit more niche than most. His story is almost exclusive to the industrial region of the American Midwest (the Rust Belt), and was told via oral tradition among American steelworkers. As the patron saint of steelworkers, he was capable and tireless, able to work 7 days a week, all year long, and doing the work of 30 men the entire time, and would supposedly appear at times of critical need to save steelworkers from harm.
His ultimate fate kind of depends on who you ask. In some version he himself is melted down to build a new steel mill, sometimes he's waiting in an abandoned factory for work to start again. Hell, a favorite of mine is that he was melted down and made into support beams, which were then used as part of the Capital Building in DC, and when two particularly bad politicians start arguing about immigration Magarac spontaneously respawns from the walls and goes to war with Washington DC
Kind of niche…but honestly, Magarac showing up in the middle of E Pluribus Unum could be really funny
Oh, and before forget, he's in Saint's Row III. That island with the not-statue of liberty on it? on Magarac Island? Yeah, that's a tribute to Joe Magarac. Makes sense, for a place called STEELport
Zorro- I'm pretty sure everyone knows this one, but to clarify Zorro was a masked vigilante created in 1919 but whose setting was a century prior (give or take a few decades) when the area was still run by the Spanish, which lent it a different set of cultural and political figures than what one might expect of modern American California. Gentleman thief, cunning swordsman, and trickster with a dual identity who protected the poor and the disenfranchised from the machinations of a cruel dictator, Zorro was the precursor to later comic book heroes like the Lone Ranger and Batman.
Honestly? Really could see him popping up within the resistance, and can see him and Taylor actually getting along really well (that or they would hate each other's guts, but hope blooms eternal)
Grandmother Spider- made my comments on her previously. Think she would be a great figure for Taylor specifically.
…y'know what? Fuck it. adding Mary Fields
*Mary Fields/Stagecoach Mary- former mail carrier, notable for being the first African American woman to have a star route contract in US history. Born a slave and emancipated after the Civil War, fields worked several jobs before taking to caring for Mother Superior Amadeus and the St Peter's Mission outside of Cascade, Montana. Did a great deal of what would be considered men's work at the time, from repairs and maintenance to hauling freight to repairing buildings, eventually becoming foreman (all the while apparently making WEEKLY 120 mile supply runs). Given to drink, profanity, and brawls, Fields was eventually barred from the convent after a gunfight with a subordinate. Got the job of mail carrier by hitching a stagecoach faster than any of her (much younger) competitors, such that she went to a nearby tavern, got herself a drink, and supposedly shouted tips at them. Drove a stagecoach through the treacherous and unforgiving terrain in all conditions, walking in snowshoes with the mail in a sack on her shoulder when it was too bad for horses, and carried numerous firearms to fend off wolves, bears and bandits. Never missed a day of work, was never late, and never failed to deliver a letter.
If this did not clue you in, Mary Fields was a gruff, eats-nails-for-breakfast battleaxe who took no shit from anybody and routinely beat the shit out of anyone who failed to show her suitable respect. Or just for funsies. She had a standing bet that she would pay five dollars and pour a shot of whisky to any cowboy she couldn't knock unconscious in a single punch…and she never had to pay up. When Cascade passed a law to prohibit women from drinking alcohol, an exception was made for Fields, who would be allowed to drink at any establishment she bothered to darken the threshold of. Apparently knew from personal experience that her trusty ten-gauge shotgun (yes, you read that correctly) could, had, and would literally cut a man in half.
And for all of that- for all the fights, for all the swearing, for all the drinking and so on- Mary Fields…was also extremely kind. She ended up in Montana because Amadeus was an old acquaintance, and when she fell ill Fields raced up to nurse her back to health. She ran her own restaurants out of business twice because she gave so much free food to the poor, built homes for people almost single-handedly, never missed a home baseball game, and was overall a well-respected and beloved member of the community.
So…yeah, if Team A gets picked up by a bulldozer of a woman in a stagecoach with a whiskey flask and a revolver on her hip, a shotgun on her shoulder and a cigar between her teeth…they're getting across the length and breadth of the American Singularity, no problem
"She was one of the freest souls to ever draw a breath or a .38." - Gary Cooper
Main argument I can see against her is that…overall she ends up filling a lot of the roles that Aife does, both in and out of combat. Not that that's inherently a bad thing, but if we are trying to feature a wide array of characters, Aife has a lot of those beats covered.
EDIT:
Okay, so I'm back to add a couple just for funsies and because I have some new details
Edgar Allen Poe- while they aren't quite as powerful in some respects, Perault and Alice conclusively prove that authors are POWERFUL in Fate, and Edgar Allen Poe's works are the foundation of the gothic literature movement. Let's go
Benny Hill- the bartender of West Point. Likely the most influential bartender in American history. Every military officer of the era was friends with benny haven. Even edgar allen poe- father of depressing gothic literature- is on record as calling Haven "the only congenial soul in that godforsaken place". When asked to stop selling to the cadets, he kept doing so. He and his wife were banned from campus, essentially losing their home And their business…so they buy a fucking shack on the Hudson and open a tavern there. And due to the difficulty getting there his only regular customers are West Point cadets, and he lets them pay in anything they can barter/steal and put in his hands.
Don't suspect he'd make the cut but my god this would be funny
Daniel Morgan- the Undignified Guerilla. The Fat Electrician has an entire video on this guy, but this giant of a man defied death on multiple occasions, more or less established what would be the foundational military doctrine of America (if you aren't cheating, you aren't trying/it's never a war crime the first time), was in charge of what was basically the first US special forces unit, was pretty much The Guy who was responsible for winning two of the most critical battles of the American Revolution- Saratoga and Cowpens- and was given a one of a kind medal commemorating his contributions to victory in said war (basically, the proto-MoH). Not bad for a rough and tumble frontier kid who came from nothing.
Oh and those 'death defying' acts? One of those was getting in an argument with a British officer and being sentenced to five hundred lashes…which is basically a death sentence, the officer just wouldn't actually admit it. according to legend and Morgan himself, he counted along with the drummer was leather hit skin. To his dying day he claimed that the Brit's arm got tired and they only counted to 499, so they still owed him one.
The other? he got shot in the fucking head with a musket and survived.
In the 1700s. this man got shot in the head…and lived.
Sir_Travelsalot
Never wakes up tired.
- Location
- At Home
@JadeDemilich
Some mild addendums/corrections for your list.
- The US Marine Corps earned the nickname of 'leathernecks' during the First Barbary War because they wore literal leather collars in combat to protect their throats, not for especially defiant spirit (as much as that was very much on display).
- Despite being in his own words 'only moderately skilled' with long arms (his given reasoning for why his weapons of preference were dual-wielded revolvers), Bass Reeves was so talented with a rifle that he was eventually banned from participating in his local rifle shooting contests, because him being a contender made it stop being a contest. He was also noted as a very snappy dresser, insisting on always wearing shoes that had been polished to a mirror shine and massive hats.
Some mild addendums/corrections for your list.
- The US Marine Corps earned the nickname of 'leathernecks' during the First Barbary War because they wore literal leather collars in combat to protect their throats, not for especially defiant spirit (as much as that was very much on display).
- Despite being in his own words 'only moderately skilled' with long arms (his given reasoning for why his weapons of preference were dual-wielded revolvers), Bass Reeves was so talented with a rifle that he was eventually banned from participating in his local rifle shooting contests, because him being a contender made it stop being a contest. He was also noted as a very snappy dresser, insisting on always wearing shoes that had been polished to a mirror shine and massive hats.
From the whole story so far, Rika has only learned that the main limitation on EMIYA is that she can't fuel him going all out(tbh nobody COULD, unless they're Counter Force or a Holy Grail).
So I suspect she's been envisioning EMIYA as invincible if not for the Master's lack of ability. It also doesn't help that he is habitually secretive and she has no basis for his limitations.
Raiseth
I Find Your Lack of Memes Disturbing
- Location
- Russia
I mean, for all that Emiya is tooted on as the greatest thing since sliced bread despite him also regularly denigrating himself about being a faker who wouldn't make his own way to the Throne without making that contract ( even though Artoria did the same thing and I'd like to meet a person seriously saying King Arthur doesn't deserve to be hailed as a hero on her own merits ), that's actually somewhat accurate.
He can punch vastly above his weight class given good circumstances. That's an artefact of FSN, but the wider Nasuverse still has to contend with the fact he can throw hands with Gilgamesh, if only because Gil is so arrogant his farts exclaim superiority over human race.
But he also jobs quite frequently, most often when he's faced with something unexpected. Emiya's main talents are making people underestimate him and using what he knows about his opponents against them. Taylor is just outside his comfort zone. The second time around I expect him to do better.
Anyway, personally I feel like splitting the party was the main mistake. Their reasoning was explained, but I'm not impressed with it.
Stahor
BookWorm
- Location
- Russia, Moscow
Taylor's main talents are making people underestimate her and using what she knows about her opponents against them.
- Pronouns
- He
Don't forget traumatizing people with bugs.
- Location
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
Am I being too harsh or does it feel like their performance was worse than last time? I feel like last time they were a lot more cautious and this time they were more reckless. Or maybe I'm miss reading things.
The Taylor Hebert Difficulty Scale is Logarithmic, she didn't even feed them to Servant strength insects yet.
- Location
- Texas
You ever fight a dark souls boss or play a rogue-lite? Where your first attempt at the boss is the best you do until like 12 runs later you finally defeat them?
I'm fairly certain the same principle applies here. The first time they went in they didn't know what to expect, they were ment to fail but they did see a few of Taylor's tricks. Now they were expecting those tricks but were unprepared for the difficulty spike of hard mode.