ServantsClass: Saber
Alias: La Maupin
True Name: Julie d’Aubigny
History: The story of the woman who would become La Maupin is all things absurd and unbelievable, even in her own time. Born Julie d’Aubigny, she was the only daughter of Gaston d’Aubigny, secretary to Louis de Lorraine-Guise, the Count of Armagnac. As a secretary, her father was often tasked with the training of court pages and, rather than leave her to the usual affairs of noblewomen, Gaston gave his daughter the same training regimen as the boys. It was an extremely uncommon move, especially for a well-off nobleman, but it was a decision that provided Julie with an education that involved not merely court etiquette but the dancing, reading, drawing and, most importantly, the art of fencing.
Her father’s curious choice of curriculum aside, it was not what started Julie down a path she would later become famous for. No, what truly changed her life was when, at the age of 14, she became the mistress of the Count of Armagnac and subsequent marriage to Sieur de Maupin. Barely together for several months, the only thing she truly gained was the honorific of La Maupin before the Count sent her new husband off to an administrative position in southern France, keeping her for himself. But rather than sticking around with the Count, she instead began a new affair with an assistant fencing master by the name of Sérannes and was forced to flee Paris for Marseille when Serannes killed a man in an illegal duel.
It would be the start of a turbulent life for Julie, still going by ‘La Maupin’ as, at the end of the day, she was still married. The pair would travel the country, singing many a song at taverns and providing fencing exhibitions to pay their way. In time, La Maupin would grow bored with the fencer and, in a wild turn, become involved with a woman who was forced into a convent when her parents learned of the affair. Rather than letting it go, La Maupin proceeded to take the vows, join as an initiate and then set the dormitories on fire, absconding with the young lady in the process. And true to form, she grew bored yet again and went on her way, a life of impromptu duels and affairs ahead of her.
But by the time she was 20, La Maupin began to become truly grounded when she was hired by the Paris Opera. With several years of singing experience, not to mention word of mouth regarding her penchant for dueling and affairs, she quickly became a hit with the populace and began landing ever more important roles as the popularity of opera soared. But for as grounded as she became, her life still proved flamboyant as it was prior when, at a society ball, she openly kissed a young woman and was subsequently challenged to duels by three different noblemen seeking her hand. The outcome was overwhelmingly in her favor but it was nonetheless against the law and she was forced to flee to Brussels to wait for calmer times.
For some 15 years La Maupin had enjoyed her stardom but by her late 30s, her drive for the art had waned and, after her latest love passed on, she lost what remaining fire she had left. La Maupin would retire from the opera and live out the rest of her days in relative solace, burning out with little fanfare but nonetheless leaving a reputation of having lived fast, died young and leaving a beautiful corpse.
Personality: La Maupin behaves much as one would expect of a woman with such a wild reputation, possessing a drive to both experience all life has to offer and in search of a good time whether or not it be appropriate for a woman of her social standing. Perhaps the most key takeaway of such desires are her brimming self-confidence, La Maupin often boasting of not just her talents but ensuring that those who dispute it pay for it and that the world knows exactly how they failed. Not to mention her reputation as a notorious flirt for anything with a pretty face, a trait that has landed her into trouble with the law on more than one occasion.
Such a disposition has led to her being rather independent in her activities, often seeking her own amusement without the say so of her Master, or worse, dragging them into it as well. It is a bothersome dynamic to be sure, La Maupin often lamenting her tether to the world but nonetheless she does care for her Master, merely wishing they would stop being a stick in the mud and live a little. Or a lot. Ahhh what a troublesome Saber…
Weapon of choice: As expected of a renowned duelist, the only thing La Maupin truly needs is her rapier and parrying dagger.
Noble Phantasm:
Grande Finale de l’Opéra: A Performance Fit For Royalty – Rank B, Anti-Territory (Support):
Backed by an accompanying overture, the very state of reality is transformed and both La Maupin and her opponent as well as those caught within her Phantasm’s sphere of influence are brought to the one place where all eyes were on her: The grandiose performance hall of the Theatre du Palais-Royal. With all the extravagance afforded by French royalty and packed with a full house of attendees, the hall enforces a battlefield where all present have a role to fulfill whether they like it or not.
La Maupin herself as well as her allies are reinvigorated by the enraptured audience and orchestra, gaining a boost to both their class skills and their combat abilities, as befitting the stars of the show. Conversely, those against her suffer a full rank downgrade to the strength of their Noble Phantasms, allowing for a performance that will both enthrall and excite the audience.
By its nature a Phantasm that revolves around La Maupin and those who stand with her as well as her current opponent and the completing of a performance, it is difficult for those involved to actively disrupt the opera as those involved are compelled to fulfill their roles till the show’s completion.
Class Skills:
Magic Resistance – Rank C: Cancel spells with a chant below two verses. Cannot defend against magecraft on the level of High-Thaumaturgy and Greater Rituals.
Riding – Rank C: Most vehicles and animals can be handled with above average skill. However, the likes of Phantasmal Species such as Monstrous Beasts cannot be ridden.
Skills:
Alluring Nightingale – Rank A+: A mesmerizing-kind of skill possessed by those with a beautiful, natural voice. Originally a skill that only targeted the opposite sex, La Maupin was a renowned opera singer with a voice that could send the hearts of men and women alike aflutter.
Duelist – Rank A+: La Maupin was famed not just for her prowess as an actress and singer but her talent as a duelist as well. Trained in the art of fencing since she was a young girl and unmatched in the many duels she fought in her lifetime, La Maupin is at her best with a sword in hand. When faced with a single opponent in melee combat, La Maupin’s abilities are heightened allowing her to keep pace with even Servants that would otherwise outmatch her.
Eye of the Mind (True) – Rank C+: Capable of calm analysis of battle conditions even when in danger and deduce an appropriate course of action after considering all possibilities to escape from a predicament. The intrigues of noble society was itself a battlefield and La Maupin navigated them well, often within the bedroom.
Mana Burst (Flame) – Rank D (B, Conditional: The increase in performance caused by infusing one’s weapons and body with Magical Energy and instantly expelling it, producing a flame effect. Despite lacking any magical background, La Maupin was granted this skill through an exaggeration of an event where she burned down a convent to cover an elopement. A skill with marginal gains in most circumstances compared to true heroes, its performance is strengthened within the confines of her Noble Phantasm.
Method Actress – Rank A – A skill drawing from La Maupin’s talents on the live stage. Every performance was different from the last as was the preparation necessary to embody her assigned role. With sufficient experience against her opponent (or observation of an ally), La Maupin is able to mimic a single physical-based skill and perform it as if it were her very own. Skills involving magecraft are incompatible should they require actual mana to function.
As a note, she can only employ one skill at a time and must relearn those she has ‘forgotten’. Additionally, her natural talents as an actress have made her somewhat successful in mimicking the presence as others as well. However, it should go without saying that the jig will be up rather quickly should the owner be present or their form differs drastically from Saber’s own.
Performance Continuation – Rank B+: An altered form of Battle Continuation. For the star of the show to bow out before the final act is unheard of, allowing La Maupin to always make her return to the stage.
Physical appearance:
Standing at 5’6 and weighing 132lbs, La Maupin is a young woman who has seemingly won the genetic lottery at a young age. Possessing both bright green eyes and long, vibrant red hair in addition to a slender frame that wears all manner of clothes well, La Maupin had already turned far too many heads despite barely being into her 20s.
Clothing and Armor : One of the curiosities regarding La Maupin was her habit of dressing as a man and it is one that has continued as she manifested as a Servant, wearing the attire of a French nobleman. Rather than dressing as such to hide her gender, La Maupin made it no secret that she was a woman and courted both sexes in the process.
