"I can't tell if you're brave or stupid for coming back here."
"I suppose that depends" I smirked as Sortiara confronted me at the door of Johnathan's place. "Do you two still wish to keep this alliance of ours, tentative as it is, going? Or do you two think the best path forward is one without me around?"
Without saying another word, I pressed forward, walking right past Sortiara. Considering she didn't move to try and stop me, I at least knew they were, at minimum, still debating my use to them.
"…Though, if you want to know my thoughts to your question…" I smiled to myself as I entered the main living room area.
"Which I don't" Sortiara growled as I heard the front door close.
"The answer is I'm very, very stupid" I laughed.
"Then why should we listen to you?"
"Because, for as stupid as I am, can either of you two claim to be any smarter?"
If Sortiara had magical eyes, she could have melted a steel beam with that glare.
"Anyways" I continued, stifling a yawn, "I need to see that book thing again."
"Why? Think you have Archer's true name figured out?"
"Nope. But I do think I have a plan" I grinned. "However, just to make absolute certainty that I'm not overlooking anything I should already know, I need to see that book."
In order to control the pieces, one must understand the pieces. Allied, opposition… it doesn't matter. So much as one obscure piece, regardless of alignment, can decimate the dance being played out across the board…
"…Just be quick about it."
"That's no good" I sighed, shaking my head. "If I rush, it could just lead to a disaster."
"Another disaster, you mean."
"…Correct" I smiled sheepishly. "I would like to return the favor for such a humiliating defeat though. Don't you want the same?"
"Of course I do!"
"Then, if you would be so kind…"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it! Just… just sit your ass down, and this better be worth my time."
"Uh, where's Johnathan, by the way" I called after Sortiara as she left the room.
"Out with Saber, somewhere" she grumbled, her voice growing quieter as she went upstairs. "Moron's trying to see if he can win Zach over…"
…He wants to try and ally with Berserker's master? I mean, I get they were friends and all before this whole mess started, but…
…Great… More variables to consider…
Ah well… deal with one thing at a time, Nathan. One thing at a time…
Class: Saber
True Name: Liu Bei
AKA: First Emperor of Shu-Han, King of Hanzhong, Hero of Benevolence
Parameters
Strength: B- Mana: C-
Endurance: B Luck: B-
Agility: B- NP: B+
Skills
Charisma of Benevolence: A+
Disengage: B+
Godspeed: D
Instinct: C-
Knowledge of the Deprived: C-
Magic Resistance: C
Mana Burst (Lightning): B+
Riding: B-
Noble Phantasms
Shuang Gu Jian – Branched Swords of Promised Unity | Rank: B
1 Unknown Noble Phantasm
Class: Lancer
True Name: Percival
AKA: Parzival, Red Knight, Grail Knight
Parameters
Strength: C+ Mana: C
Endurance: A- Luck: C-
Agility: B- NP: A+
Skills
Charisma: E
Disengage: D
Instinct: C-
Knowledge of the Deprived: E-
Magic Resistance: B-
Mana Burst (Light): A
Mind's Eye (True): D-
Riding: D+
Tactics: E-
The Fool's Journey: -
Noble Phantasms
Longinus – Bleeding Lance Which Pierced Christ | Rank: A-
2 Unknown Noble Phantasms
Class: Archer
True Name: -
AKA: -
Parameters
Strength: - Mana: -
Endurance: - Luck: -
Agility: - NP: -
Skills
Identification Misdirection: A
Noble Phantasms
? Unknown Noble Phantasms
Class: Rider
True Name: Al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub
AKA: Saladin, Sultan of Egypt and Syria
Parameters
Strength: B- Mana: B-
Endurance: B- Luck: B+
Agility: C+ NP: B
Skills
Charisma: B-
Golden Rule: C+
Magic Resistance: D
Proof of Friendship: C
Riding: B+
Tactics: B
Noble Phantasms
Shadow Contract – Unity of the Mountains and Sands | Rank: C
1 Unknown Noble Phantasm
Class: Caster
True Name: Daedalus
AKA: Unparalleled Architect, Masterworks Crafter
Parameters
Strength: D- Mana: A+
Endurance: D Luck: D+
Agility: D- NP: EX
Skills
Brand of Athena: -
Concentration: B-
Independent Action: A
Item Construction (Fake): D ~ A+
Self-Preservation: D-
Territory Creation: EX
Noble Phantasms
Chaos Labyrinth – Sanctuary of Madness and Insanity | Rank: EX
Unshackled Statuary – Monuments of Living Stone | Rank: E- ~ A+
Class: Assassin
True Name: -
AKA: -
Parameters
Strength: - Mana: -
Endurance: - Luck: -
Agility: - NP: -
Skills
? Unknown Skills
Noble Phantasms
? Unknown Noble Phantasms
Class: Berserker
True Name: Shaka kaSenzangakhona
AKA: Shaka Zulu, Father of the Zulu Kingdom
Parameters
Strength: A Mana: E+
Endurance: A+ Luck: D
Agility: A- NP: C-
Skills
Battle Continuation: B-
Berserk: A
Instinct: B+
Madness Enhancement: A-
Mental Corruption: A
Mind's Eye (True): B-
Unyielding Will: A
Noble Phantasms
1 Unknown Noble Phantasm
"Finally ready to reveal your grand plan?"
The sarcasm dripped from Sortiara's voice as I opened my eyes and removed my hand from the book.
"How long has it been" I asked out of curiosity.
"Like two hours" Sortiara snorted. "Honestly, how long could it possibly take for you to check out the information on servants?!"
"When you're trying to figure out how all the different skills work, and are constantly flipping from one page to the other in order to compare and consider how all the different servants stack up against one another, at least on paper… to do well considered analysis takes time, is what I'm trying to say here."
That, and when the nature of the game has changed drastically yet again…
Well, I fucked up, needless to say! Early, mid, and late game… overall, I still stand by my previous assessment. Berserker wins the early game. Saber, Lancer, Archer and Rider win the mid game. Caster and Assassin win the late game. But that's only in general; only taking into account the nature of the classes. What that fails to take into consideration is the individuals in said roles, or classes.
The moment I knew for sure Lancer was Percival, I should have known this much! Hell, as soon as I saw The Fool's Journey skill, I should have at least suspected! Especially once I found out Lancer was Percival!
Percival, arguably the greatest embodiment of the fool's journey… The initial stage of Percival's journey as a knight was all about learning how to become a knight! Learning that one should learn not by constantly asking questions, but by observation and experiences! Of course he would be able to learn from those around him; those he came across! The description of the skill hadn't been very clear, so I couldn't be certain as to what he could and couldn't learn, but when I saw his page again, I damn near had a heart attack!
Considering he can indefinitely learn and improve, something that no other Heroic Spirit seems capable of in this war, then…
Then in the case of this war, specifically, the late game could very well go to Lancer, rather than Caster. Could Lancer overcome the labyrinth was another question, and as of right now I'd still say no, but… I had to face the fact that could change.
Fuck me… Just what kind of broken ass Heroic Spirit did you manage to summon Sortiara?! How is that in any way, shape, or form fair?!
If I wanted to use Lancer, I ran the risk of him getting stronger! Which, provided I could continue using him, would be beneficial. But eventually, I'd have to topple him! How many more opportunities did I want to give him to learn from, throwing him at the other servants? That was going to be a key factor in my plans going forward. Would have to be…
…At the very least, the description of The Fool's Journey did inform me that the new skills Lancer picks up can't become a higher rank that that of the person he's learning from. Basically, as a student, he can't surpass his master. A fortunate break, as the alternative would have been truly terrifying… and disgusting to deal with.
"Anyways" I continued. "Well, first of all, is Johnathan back yet? I'd rather not go through this twice."
"No, he's not…"
"You're not worried?"
"He has Saber with him. I'm sure he's fine."
"...And if he's not?"
"Then… well, it's his fault! I told him it was a stupid, waste of time, but does he ever listen to me? No!"
"Ok, I get it… no need to yell right in my ear…"
"You deserve it."
"Yeah, sure… Right, so I'll wait for him to get back before revealing the entire thing, but…"
Sortiara stared at me expectantly. Off to the side, in my peripheral vision, I vaguely noticed Lancer appear from spirit form.
"Well, all things considered… I think it's now actually in our best interest to… confront Berserker, let's say."
A/N
Another small post by word count, but seriously, putting all these 'Character Pages' together and formatting them to some way I can accept takes quite a bit of time.
I do hope you all like seeing this kind of stuff; makes it more like the original VN, I think, which in this aspect I say is a good thing. It also provides me with a space I can easily come back to and see at a glance what I decided to do (I'm scatter-brained like that; constantly losing note documents xD).
That said, it also hard locks me, so to say, in what I've made 'canonic' within my own story. This is both good, and bad, depending on what I wish to do in the future and what I may or may not happen to come up with at a future date. But, it had to be done eventually, so might as well be now, right?
As for the skill choices I have revealed for the new Servant 'Character Pages'... I do hope you all, if not approve, at least can somewhat see or understand why they have said skills, and that it doesn't feel like an ass pull.
I am expecting one question pertaining to the skills though, so I'll address it here and now so as to avoid it popping up later (hopefully):
"Why does Rider not have the skill Imperial Privilege?"
…Truthfully, I totally see him having it as a skill if Type-Moon ever gets around to making him a servant in one work or another. However, I personally hate that skill, I won't lie. Effectively, it's a skill that enables said Heroic Spirit to gain the ability to temporarily have access to/use basically any other skill ever conceived within the FATE IP, with some exceptions such as Divinity and other like skills. It effectively gives said servants an answer to most any situation they could find themselves in.
In short: it's a skill that enables ass pulls and "screw the rules" moments, and is stupid hard to justifiably write around.
Just like how characters such as Gilgamesh or Achilles are stupid hard to write around and use in non ass-pully, bull-shitty ways.
As for what skills can and can't be learned by Lancer via The Fool's Journey... I leave that to you readers to figure out, at least for now xD
Major thanks to everyone who has made it this far, and see you all in the next post o/