[Video | Open to both courts]

[hiddeninfidelity]

[The person of indeterminate gender speaking through the locket looked rather fearsome if only for the armor they were wearing which bore a thematic scheme much like that of a great demon. Looking past that however, one may see that, without the large spike jutting from the iron helm sitting on their head, the person in question was likely no more then five feet in height at best, a size that somewhat diminished the effect of fear their armor was supposed to instill in others.

Without being able to see their face, it was a bit hard to tell just what Mordred was thinking at the moment. But from the rather calm and collected tone of her voice made it seem almost as if she was attending to errands, rather then speaking of anything of great import or substance.]

Something has been weighing on my mind since my arrival here, aside from the obvious question of why I've been called upon to fight a war such as this... that being upon which criteria the rulers of this land based their selection of whom they summon. If any kind soul would be gracious enough to share what they know of the process I would be eternally grateful, though I'm afraid that I can offer little in return for such information.

Now that I have finally found how to restrict my speech through this device, I recall that you wished to speak in private. I imagine now is as good a time as any, so you have my full attention milady, take as much time as you wish.

Comments

[not here]

[scorchedchivalry]

[But watching. Always watching.]

VIDEO -- PERMALOCKED.

[gandere]

[ It isn't a good time for video, but Rin still does so regardless. Her skin is pale and she looks as if she's been recovering from something or the other. The background is of a simple bed with more pillows than necessary for an ordinary girl, having propped herself up on them. ]

By now you have noticed there are other Servants here, have you not?

You told me you were Saber. Do you recall the details of your Holy Grail War? This sort of discussion is better held in private as to not alert others to your... weaknesses.

Re: VIDEO -- PERMALOCKED.

[hiddeninfidelity]

It would take a fool not to take note of the sheer number of servants conjured to this place. By my count I've met two servants here besides myself, another Saber with a pale complexion and an Englishman calling himself Berserker.

[The details of the Grail War? Shouldn't a magi such as Rin know these things already? Regardless, Mordred readjusted herself and prepared to give a speech of some length.]

I can recount the details of my Grail War for hours on end if you wish, but I will draw the line at giving up my true name and skills. As a Magus, I'm sure you can appreciate my feelings on the subject.

[Mordred huffed lightly.]

Returning to the question at hand, the Grail War as I know it is a contest between fourteen servants split equally between two sides, red and black. Each faction in turn has one of each Servant class to their name.

For example, I myself am the Saber of red. While there exists a completely different Saber within the Black camp.

[gandere]

Interesting, you're saying there are fourteen Servants? [ Forcing herself to sit up at that, she pulls a leather bound book into her lap, flipping it open. There's a lot of writing, but unless she can read kanji and kana both, she's not picking anything of interest out of it. ] Red and black--ooh, my favorite colors. It would be so hard to pick just one side-!

[ Because some things are more important than others. ]

I didn't ask to speak with you privately to discover your identity. I know the identities of most of the Servants here because I'm the most qualified magus to answer questions for them. [ That and she's painfully clever. ] But so that I could explain the situation to you.

See, the war you described is very unique. I haven't heard of anyone else fighting in a war like that. Seeing as I was the last known victor of a Holy Grail War and dismantled the Grail some time after to prevent more in the future, it's interesting to hear that.

[hiddeninfidelity]

Of course. Without a Grail War to fuss over learning my true identity would be little but a bit of trivia for most here. But I would still like to keep it safely hidden for now. I will concede, however, that I require information regarding many things that only a Magus like yourself would be able to answer. To that end I will answer any other questions you may have concerning my Grail War.

[Her Master having had managed to guess her true identity in a matter of minutes, albeit while possessing a very specific summoning catalyst, was a bit of a blow to Mordred's pride, and an incident she really didn't care to repeat again.]

Truly? I had no idea it was odd for their to be fourteen servants summoned to fight a Grail War nor that anyone ever intended to dismantle the Grail itself. Though, in all honestly, the history of the contest is really of no concern of mine as long as I am able to grasp victory in the end.

video;

[individualist]

Hello again Saber.

While this is something I've given some thought, I can't really say for sure...the obvious factor would be how powerful someone is. Although then they go and cut off some of it anyway...

But in a more specific sense for putting us in courts, it probably has to do with the kind of people we are, or our personalities. In that sense, everyone in the same court as one another are connected to an extent already. It's nice to think about like that.

Re: video;

[hiddeninfidelity]

Good day to you as well, Hikaru.

It would make sense to bring as powerful a people as possible to fight an unending war, but that does not explain those I've seen who are not fit for combat at first glance. Perhaps they are also looking to fill non-combat roles as well?

video;

[steelminded]

From what I recall, it seems they just take people from different points of time and space for random reasons. I don't think there's a set pattern whatsoever.

[ That's how it felt like for him, at least, he didn't meet any people from home when he first arrived, apart from those that had been here for a while already. ]

But hello again, Saber, I hope you're doing well...?

Re: video;

[hiddeninfidelity]

Such a foolish act that would be... I sincerely hope for my own sanity that there is more rhyme and reason to who is summoned here then that.

[Mordred sighed. If Emiya's words were indeed true it would be that her arrival had nothing to do with her own skill or talent, but rather merely a spin of a phantasmal roulette wheel. It was not a pleasant thought for sure.]

Aside from a run in with someone I'd never thought I'd see again, my stay here has not been unpleasant. Mostly because the trappings of this realm reminds me of the era in which I was born, which has been a comforting sight in place as alien at this.

[individualist]

Of course! You can't win wars just by fighting all the time.

Sometimes you need a subtle approach, diplomacy, maybe just a healer...Berserker mentioned he was a doctor. Those kinds are really important.

video

[enjoymyatelier]

[...what's with all these tiny, tiny knights

first the actual king of them and now this]

What, do you mean by courts, or by... arriving here to begin with? The former seems a bit arbitrary to me, even if I can grasp the logic behind it, but the latter... well, I've really got no idea.

[cagedinflesh]

Isn't it something similar to our situations? My guess would be in that vein, those with the potential for heroism. Moreover, there seems to be set criteria as to who should be called to which court, though I do think it unreliable.

Re: video

[hiddeninfidelity]

I ask in a general sense of how each person summoned here is selected to be plucked from home and brought. No one thus far has seemed to know either, which is mildly troubling.

That aside, there is something about the possibility of a ruler selecting their army at random simply does not sit well with me.

[hiddeninfidelity]

Most definitely, a knight can only do so much without the support of those working behind the scenes. And even I must admit that not all wars must be won at the end of the sword, some require, as you said, a bit of finesse that simply cannot be found on the battlefield.

[hiddeninfidelity]

Now that you have made it clear, I can see the parallels to the Holy Grail War present in this place. That is also a good a reason as any that so many Servants have been called to take part in this conflict.

[gandere]

It's not likely you would have any sense of victory as it were if you did acquire the Grail. While I believe the differences between parallel worlds is remarkable, that artifact itself is something of wickedness. I have seen it up close, seen what it's capable of doing to flesh and what it takes to give it life.

But I digress. [ Not entirely, but she still doesn't want to think about those things even a year later. ]

The Holy Grail War was a ritual started in my world by the older families. My father participated in the Fourth Holy Grail War where mistakes were made, possibly due to the lack of indiscretion in the Third Holy Grail War, to the point where the Fifth happened ten years later. Normally there's a much larger time frame to prepare, but that's just how it was.

Fourteen though. Where did this take place-? Fuyuki City?

[hiddeninfidelity]

I've heard as much from the other pale and sickly looking Saber not long after I arrived. But I will put no stock in either of your words until I can confirm for myself if the Grail of my world is corrupt or not. I owe myself and my Master that much.

[Mordred was cocky and more then a bit stubborn, it would take more then a few rough warning to make her stray her from her quest for the Holy Grail.]

I'm afraid I've never heard of a place by that name. the Grail War in which I'm taking part is currently being held in a small town in Romania called Trifas.

[gandere]

[ Rin just shrugs dismissively at that. There's a possibility that in another world the Grail was as holy as the name implied and could create a true miracle. ]

That's odd.

If the leylines in Romania were capable of supporting that level of supernatural activity, why wouldn't we have the ritual there? As far as I know, it's probably run dry due to gypsy magic and the rumored grounds of bloodsuckers.

You're certain of this, Saber?

[hiddeninfidelity]

Yes, unless both my Master and the knowledge gifted to me by the Grail were both horribly off, I see no reason to believe it was anywhere but Romania. As to why they chose that backwater town however, I have no idea. It may have had something to do with the legend of one of the Black Servants, or some whim of the Yggdmillennia family, but I cannot say for sure one way or another.

[gandere]

[ It wouldn't surprise her to hear of a vampire being called as a Servant, but calling a monster like that a Heroic Spirit seems downright insulting. ]

Isn't it a bit unfair? I was supposed to be the one telling you everything and yet here you are telling me of things that fail to add up with my own recollection. Fourteen Servants... which meant there were fourteen Masters as well?

Wait--that family? Did I hear that correctly...

[hiddeninfidelity]

It is a bit amusing, I suppose. I had come here with intention of learning from you, yet here I am leading the conversation myself.!

[Mordred laughed. It felt good to be the one in the know for once.]

You did, the Yggdmillennia family makes up the entirety of the Black faction while my Master and the rest of the Red is made up of freelance Magi. Between the two there are indeed fourteen Masters in total, just as the same as there are servants.

[gandere]

[ It won't last long. Rin's the kind of girl who gets even and she refuses to be in anyone's debt for long. Enjoy the flicker of power..! ]

Ehh, that's really strange.

That family is known, but it's not that great in my world. They mostly pick up stragglers that aren't connected to powerful families and their circuits, no, it just seems strange that seven of them could become Masters in a single war. It appears as though this Red faction seems to follow the rules of the war themselves while the other... no, that's not right. There's something foul about it.

[cagedinflesh]

Precisely. We have already been called for such a purpose, it's no surprise the same should come to be once again. Although with incredibly poor timing. It truly is much the same, isn't it?

[hiddeninfidelity]

I'm afraid I don't know how they managed to take such a commanding presence as of late. Though hearing that does makes me wish I would have asked my Master more about the War itself and less about the strange arts his family practiced.

[hiddeninfidelity]

It really is. I had nearly struck down two enemy servants before being summoned here, but now they will be able to run and lick their wounds while I am here fighting another war entirely.

I have no complaints about my treatment here, but I will say this; the sooner I am able to return home and win the Grail for myself, the better.