Lisette Di Avini stood in the center of her family's library, her heart pounding with anticipation. The towering shelves surrounding her were filled with ancient tomes and grimoires, a testament to her family's pursuit of knowledge. It was here that she had spent countless hours studying the arcane arts, her thirst for understanding driving her forward.
Tonight, however, her focus was on a single book - the Voynich Manuscript. An enigmatic and mysterious text, she had chosen it as her catalyst for the summoning ritual. As she prepared the summoning circle, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of Servant the Manuscript would call forth.
Once the circle was complete, she took a deep breath, steeling herself for the task at hand. She reached for the Manuscript, feeling the weight of its ancient pages in her hands. With her free hand, she began the incantation, the words flowing from her lips like a spell.
"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. Ancestor to my descent, by the howling of the chained ivy, let the summoned body descend. If thou heed this will and reason, answer me. I hereby swear, that I shall be all the good in the world, that I shall defeat all evil in the world."
As the final words of the incantation left her lips, the air in the room began to grow heavy, and the summoning circle beneath her feet pulsed with an ethereal glow. A surge of magical energy filled the room, its intensity almost overwhelming.
"Seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of restraint, O guardian of the balance!" Lisette shouted, her voice confident and resolute.
In response to her call, a brilliant light erupted from the summoning circle, filling the library with an otherworldly radiance. Lisette shielded her eyes, her heart racing with anticipation as the light began to coalesce into a humanoid form.
As the brightness subsided, a figure emerged before her. A middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed beard and mustache, dressed in an elegant occult robe, stood in the center of the circle. He held a wooden staff topped with an intricate crystal orb, a symbol of his arcane prowess.
"I am John Dee, Servant of the Watcher class," he announced, his voice calm and measured. "I have come in answer to your summons, Master. What is it you seek?"
Lisette couldn't help but feel a sense of awe in his presence. She had read about John Dee in her studies, a legendary figure renowned for his expertise in astrology, alchemy, and the occult. A man rumored to have been the original owner of the Voynich Manuscript itself, to have even penned it personally. The prospect of having such a knowledgeable and skilled Servant by her side filled her with confidence.
"I am Lisette Di Avini," she replied, meeting his gaze. "My goal is to enhance my family's latent magical power, though we can discuss the exact details later. Right now we've a meeting to get to!"
"Oh, a meeting you say? Well then, let's not dally for a second. Lead the way, Master."
Lisette Di Avini, seemingly the final Master to join the Holy Grail War, took a deep breath before rushing all the way to her pre-scheduled check in with the Supervisor. The tension in the air was palpable, as if a storm was brewing. Lysander Euryale, the Supervisor of the Holy Grail War, stood waiting for her arrival. He was a tall, imposing figure, his eyes sharp as he assessed the young magus before him.
"Ah, Lisette Di Avini, I presume? Welcome," Lysander greeted her with a polite smile, extending his hand. "I trust you are prepared to take your place as the sixteenth and final Master in this War?"
"Yes, thank you, Mr. Euryale," Lisette replied, her voice steady despite her racing heart. She shook his hand firmly, her green eyes meeting his gaze without flinching. "I understand the gravity of the situation, and I am ready to do what it takes to achieve my goals."
"Very well," Lysander nodded, releasing her hand. "I trust you have already summoned your Servant?"
Lisette nodded, her mind wandering to her enigmatic Watcher, John Dee.
"Yes, I summoned a Watcher using the Voynich Manuscript as a catalyst. Now I and my Servant are ready to join this War."
Lysander raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by her choice of Servant. "A Watcher, you say? An interesting choice. Though, considering the catalyst, I'm not surprised. You must have a well-thought-out strategy in mind."
Lisette smirked, her confidence shining through. "Indeed, Mr. Euryale. My Servant's abilities are well-suited to my own skills, and I believe we can make a formidable team."
Lysander nodded, seemingly satisfied with her response. "Very well, then. As the final Master, your arrival marks the end of the beginning. The Holy Grail War will soon start, and I expect all Masters to fight with everything they have."
He gestured towards a set of large, ornate doors on the other side of the room. "If you would follow me, Ms. Di Avini, I will lead you to the pre-battle meeting grounds. The other Masters are readied there, and I'm sure they will be eager to size up their competition."
Lisette nodded, her determination unwavering. She knew the road ahead would be treacherous, filled with deceit and betrayal. But she was prepared to face it all, her resolve hardened by her desire to enhance her family's magical lineage.
As they walked towards the doors, Lisette couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and apprehension. With John Dee by her side and her own cunning mind, she was determined to emerge victorious in the Holy Grail War.
As Lysander opened the doors, revealing the grand meeting grounds beyond, Lisette took a deep breath, and then, her vision went white...
Addendum: Character Profile
Master: Lisette Di Avini
Appearance: Young woman of Italian descent, Has wavy blonde hair and emerald green eyes, has a tall and slim figure, likes to wear a plain white button-up shirt and knee-length skirt.
Her Command Seals are in the shape of a chain with 3 links in it.
Personality: A bookworm at heart who loves to read about almost anything and everything, from the supernatural to recent scientific theories. Tends to be silent most of the time but is never idle, always churning thoughts in her mind whether that be people watching, looking for oddities around her, or thinking up new killer moves to expand her family's interests. When push comes to shove she's pragmatic, to a fault, willing to sacrifice others for her goals and the safety of those close to her. Has determination in spades, making her a very persistent pursuer of her wants and ideals.
About: A Magus from a line of young and recent Magi. She's the only Heiress of the Di Avini Farming conglomerate with steadily expanding world reach, and is more than willing to use her material wealth in this Holy Grail war for supplies and manpower. Is rather frustrated at the lack of potency in her own family's Magecraft, despite their worldly affluence.
She's also developed a silver-tongue over years spent debating and wooing clients for the sake of business deals.
Magecraft: The Di Avini family specialize in some minor mental manipulation, able to implant ideas and suggestions in people's mind. Is relatively weak and only guaranteed to work on those without the know-how to defend themselves from basic Magecraft. Its only immediate application in combat is some minor visual or audio illusions. Is overall best suited to subtle manipulative use cases.
Element: Water
Origin: Control
Wish: To enhance her bloodline's latent magical power.
Catalyst: An old copy of the Voynich Manuscript from her family's private library.