Saber Ferdiad

"Ah, Ferdiad, betrayed to death."
"Our last meeting, oh, how sad!"
"Thou to die I to remain."
"Ever sad our long farewell!"

Faceclaim: https://i.imgur.com/lPITmwB.jpg
Class: Saber
Alternative Class: Caster, Lancer, Rider
True Identity: Ferdiad
Titles/Nickname: One of the Fir Domnann, Foster Brother to Cu Chulainn
Origin: Ireland
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Strength: B
Endurance: B
Agility: A
Mana: B
Luck: E
Noble Phantasm: C+

Class Skills
Magic Resistance - N/A
Due to Ferdiad's Noble Phantasm (Fear Dia) already providing magic resistance that of A rank, his Magic Resistance skill has been lost.

Riding - B
Most vehicles and animals can be handled with above average skill, even vehicles that did not exist in the time period one was alive in, for they are no exception. However, cannot ride the likes of Phantasmal Species such as Monstrous Beasts.

Personal Skills
Battle Continuation - A
The strength of vitality for predicaments. Also, the ability to withdraw from combat and reach allied territory alive after being defeated. Can survive so long as a decisively fatal wound is not received. The incredibly stubborn nature of a man who continued to fight even after receiving injuries all over his body, including having his heart pierced, only dying when having his body filled with thorns by being impaled by Gae Bolg.

Rune Magic - B
Rune Magic is knowledge about this type of Magecraft that originated in northern Europe. One in the many students who was tutored underneath the witch Scathach. He also learned the arts of leaping and feats of arms and other various teachings while in the Land of Shadows. He is able to use the 18 out of the 24 Elder Futhark Runes with proficiency. Due to the limitations of his container, he can only use spells suited to combat or mundane tasks, lacking the variety he would wield if a Caster.

Bravery - A+
Bravery is the ability to negate mental interference such as pressure, confusion, and fascination. There is also an effect of increasing the melee damage inflicted on the enemy. With the support of this Skill in its highest rank, in life, Ferdiad was capable of repelling Cu Chulainn in his riastrad state, a terrible form known to slay armies, without an ounce of fear. Even when faced with the choice to fight five champions rather than the hero of Ulster, Ferdiad went with the stronger enemy and when he was offered the chance to end the duel before it began, he adamantly refused. Due to anecdotes of how he was tricked into accepting it in the first place, Bravery will only activate in active combat.

Eye of the Mind (True) - A
Capable of calm analysis of the abilities of the opponent as well as the battle conditions even when in danger and deduce an appropriate course of action after considering all possibilities to escape from a predicament. Ferdiad was said to be the equal of Cu Chulainn in just about every way having only had his defeat by the very person he considered his equal and that only came after days of fighting one another and being pierced by The Gae Bolg and Thorns sprouting throughout his body before he succumbed to his death.

Knight's Tactics - B
A battle methodology in which one grasps the flow of battle and induces the opponent to make a mistake, even without being a match for him/her in strength. A Skill not for self-strengthening, but to invite a check failure for the opponent. Consists of composed observation powers to wager on a momentary chance of victory. He forced Cu Chulainn after constant fighting in a one on one deathmatch into his final solution being the usage of the Gae Bolg, which he lacked the gifts that the Hound of Ulster had he made up for it in his pure offensive and tactical mind on the battlefield allowing for him to stand on an equal ground.

Noble Phantasm
Fear Dia: Terror of The God in Man - B
Anti-Unit(Self)/Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
A Noble Phantasm that concerns the legends of Ferdiad's thorned skin, which was said that no weapon could pierce. It is odd to see a Saber class servant without an exceptional Sword to his name, but this is Ferdiad's "Sword and Lance", the legend that earned him the name Saber in the Holy Grail War.

The secret of this invincibility is actually hidden layer of skin covered by an illusion that makes it appear normal, composed of sharp thorns that repel blows, completely blocking C (C+ against Noble Phantasms) Rank attacks, whether physical, magical or the great power of a Noble Phantasm. It regenerates his wounds at an increased rate by the layer of thorns expanding over the part that was struck. Ferdiad can passively extend up to half a dozen thorns to serve as weapons, counting as Rank C Phantasmal Weapons. By announcing it's true name, his namesake and pride, massive, spiky thorns akin to stakes or spears jet out of his skin at random to strike nearby enemies and to instantly seal even large wounds, rendering Ferdiad all but immortal to ordinary blows. There is a deadly effect of where he may immobilize himself or directly cause his own death if he is not careful with the regenerative effect of the thorns, especially when speaking its true name, he can control these spiky thorns with his hands and use them as a way to impale his foes akin to a certain Impaler, or he can wrap the thorns around the Unnamed Sword that he is summoned with in order to enhance its power, the Noble Phantasm is akin to the Armor of Fafnir in many ways and could be considered a Sibling Noble Phantasm in that regard.

The final ability of the Noble Phantasm is that it also acts as Magic Resistance at the rank of A effectively making him immune to modern magecraft for the most part.

Due to the thorns being able to act as both blade, polearm and projectile this Noble Phantasm is shared between his Archer, Lancer and Rider counterpart as well while a weakened version of it exists within his Caster counterpart.

Ath Fhirdiad: 'Feat of the Ford' - B
Barrier Noble Phantasm
A Bounded Field Noble Phantasm that prepares Ferdiad’s favorite battle conditions. A completely isolated space assembled for combat. The crystallization of the anecdotes of the one-on-one duel between the heroes Cu Chulainn and Ferdiad.

Upon activation, all combatants will be transported to an area outside of time and space, an alternate dimension falsely similar to a Reality Marble born from Ferdiad's knowledge of Magecraft and elevated to the level of a Noble Phantasm. A Duel Field.

Direct involvement is a matter of course, but even indirect interference such as divine blessings. Only power sourced from one's self is allowed. Instead, all servants will be sustained with a constant flow of prana natural to the environment, though it removes any bonuses that may have been granted by a Master to their Servant. All wounds will be healed and vigor fills those fighting, essentially renewing their state in order to ensure that the fight is fair. Though, all of these benefits are lost when the Duel Field is dispelled. It can be used as a one on one fight between warriors or a last stand to ensure that his allies escape with their lives in the place of his own. Those not fighting are designated as "spectators", unable to interfere with the combat or with the other spectators without especially strong action, such as a Command Seal.

Despite the seemingly potent nature of Ath Fhirdiad as a weaponized platform of iron rain, Ferdiad is not always keen to utilize the Duel Field, as it retains the concept of the death that was made at the hands of his foster-brother. Chances for blows against Ferdiad to become mortal wounds or killing strokes are doubled and his Luck is lowered to E-, as the entire environment wishes to see his death made manifest. Thus, in order to avoid this as best, he can Ferdiad will usually simply summon his weapons one at a time through rapid deployment and collapsing of Ath Fhirdiad itself, quickly snatching one of his weapons up from the barrier before the field is even completely expanded to keep with him once his Duel Field is re-internalized. Every weapon that he loses or breaks is gone for as long as his existence remains in the world.

The prana consumption required for the deployment and maintenance of the Duel Field is considerably small, so the burden that its continued use imposes on Ferdiad is quite insignificant. Also, once deployed the Duel Field cannot be dispelled until Ferdiad desires so or forcefully removed through a Command Seal.

There is a strong Mental Compulsion that urges one not to activate powers that can immediately kill the opposition, tugging as their sense of pride and honor to not do so for the taste of a "fake win." This can be resisted with any willpower and outright ignored with any ability that cancels Mental Interference.

Despite the negatives connotations of Ath Fhirdiad for the sake of a "good old fight", he does mind the losses. Rather, he would like to avoid his own situation being repeated for the sake of his victory. This is a source of grief and happiness, but it is also a celebration of champions, of heroes that fight to prove their worth.

This is a discretion, but this is very comparable to a certain ability of a Greek hero with notable differences. Whether this was inspired through reading old texts he may have forgotten or just the natural evolution of Heroic Spirits, the question remains to be seen.

The Noble Phantasm is both a source of pride and grief for Ferdiad as a Hero thus it's employment is a sign of respect and honor to his opponent.
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The champion of Connacht and sworn friend of Cu Chulainn

The son of a human and nature spirit, Ferdiad was born from an odd coupling and came out with traits of both his parents, a kind, loyal heart and a fierce, savage temper. He was gifted a thorned skin at birth that no weapon could pierce, Ferdiad's father wanting to protect his sole offspring from all harm.

But, his father could not protect him from the opinions and emotions of people, his only gift as a child serving to ostracize him from normal society.

Raised in Connacht alone by his mother, Ferdiad grew alone in his childhood for his appearance. Many were frightened of the boy who beat fellow children for seemingly no reason.

He was one who held latent potential for a soldier when he grew into a young man and was invited to join the army, but he refused. Knowing that he would still be rejected, he sought to rise above them all through martial skill. He heard rumors of a teacher who apprenticed those such as him.

The problem? Surviving.

One of the many who sought apprenticeship underneath the woman Scathach the Land of Shadows, a hallowed ground almost separated from reality. Ferdiad kept himself apart from the other students and came head and shoulders above the rest. He may have even earned Gae Bolg if not for a certain someone.

Cu Chulainn, hailing from the neighboring Ulster. At the time only a teenager and yet he accomplished all that Ferdiad had done with trivial ease. He was already famous and became legendary, many loving and hating him. Ferdiad was not annoyed but curious.In a situation where Cu was being attacked by a group of students jealous of him and seeking the advantage in deceit and numbers, it was likely that the Hound of Culann could have slain them all with no difficulty.

Instead, Ferdiad dispatched them with out killing in knowledge that others may seek revenge for their death.

Thus, the life long friendship was born, swearing themselves as brothers with out blood. Ferdiad would help Cu Chulainn out of problems that his temper couldn't solve and Ferdiad became outgoing and carefree, the first stranger to not be abhorred by his appearance. Ferdiad was no longer ashamed of who he was, accepting himself for who he is. When Aife went to war, he, Cu and Scathach "caused hell together." They competed for Gae Bolg but in his heart Ferdiad knew that his brother-in-arms was the one to wield it. He didn't mind being second best, it was always something to focus on, a goal.

Soon, they both left the Land of Shadows with the full training of Scathach, happy and jovial with their lives.

Sadly, their lives would never be one of peace, but of war.

Connacht and Ulster's relationship hit a climactic point when the Connacht queen broke a treaty and outright declared war However Cu Chulainn tore the Connacht forces apart, killing between hundreds and thousands daily. Eventually Medb declared single combat, the greatest warrior of Ulster versus the greatest warrior of Connacht. Cu Chulainn versus Ferdiad.

Although Ferdiad did not wish to fight, he would not set aside his honor as a warrior as it would be an insult to his country and his closest friend. The two fought each other for three days straight. They matched each other blow for blow. Weapons shattered under their might, Rune countered spell.

In the end, Cu Chulainn used the curse of the Gae Bolg to pierce the heart of the man he held closest to him to prevent himself from being slain. As Cu held his fallen brother in his arms, Ferdiad said his final farewell to Cu Chulainn.

"Gae Bolg is a glory given to only the most gifted of warriors. In that brilliant hall of learning, you were our pride."

Although being a warrior of renowned capability, Ferdiad's personality at times fails to reflect this. Instead he opts for a more playful attitude, preferring to fall upon humor as a means of conversing with his allies and even his opponents. He is somewhat carefree and relaxed, more interested in the battles and experiencing a new life than the Grail War itself.

However, this does not mean Ferdiad lacks a warrior’s personality. Indeed when battle comes, and after getting a feel for his opponent, Saber discards his normally playful attitude and lives up to his reputation as a monster. The use of feral techniques and the donning of an almost berserker-like mentality could make one believe that the descriptions are indeed true of a half-man, half-beast entity nearly slaying men for the smallest slip.

Despite falling into such a frenzy at times, one cannot ignore the intelligence possessed by this Saber class servant. His natural curiosity, coupled with his methodical mind, ensure that even while engaged in heated battle he is always showing an awareness of his opponent. If not able to dominate the enemy with his unpredictability, then he will formulate an approach that ensures he can do so, whether that be by careful analysis of the opposing combatant or even through openly inquiring into them.

Ferdiad holds self-doubt about his ability as both a warrior and a friend, believing that he could have done better in resisting the temptations presented in his first life and has lost belief in the concepts of honor and pride. Only his own morals and his connections to his friends prevent him from being a man void of purpose.