[DornKoon] Bloody Mary

[DornKoon] Bloody Mary Jan 2, 2024 19:06:01 GMT

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Post by DornKoon on Jan 2, 2024 19:06:01 GMT

Servant

SPOILER: Click to show

Class:

Saber

Alias:

Bloody Mary, Hell Mary, Bloody Queen of England

True Name:

Mary Tudor

History:

Born a Tudor Lady

As a child, the first-born child and daughter of King Henry VIII and the Spanish princess Catherine of Aragon, Mary was a pawn in England’s bitter rivalry with more powerful nations, being fruitlessly proposed in marriage to this or that potentate desired as an ally. A studious and bright girl, she was educated by her mother and a governess of ducal rank. Betrothed at last to the Holy Roman emperor, her cousin Charles V (Charles I of Spain), Mary was commanded by him to come to Spain with a huge cash dowry. This demand was ignored; he jilted her and concluded a more advantageous match. At this point in her life, she was still much in favour of her father, and in one way, her life could be called perfect. Henry wanted a son, but at the time, it was never a question of the couple having more children. However, Mary’s life was radically disrupted by her father falling in love with another woman, Anne Boleyn.

Loss of Favour

As early as the 1520s, Henry had planned to divorce Catherine to marry Anne, claiming that, since Catherine had been his deceased brother’s wife, her union with Henry was incestuous, as stupid as that sounded. The pope, however, refused to recognize Henry’s right to divorce Catherine, even after the divorce was legalized in England. In 1534, Henry broke with Rome and established the Church of England. Much to her dismay and horror, the allegation of incest, in effect, made Mary illegitimate. With the birth of her sister, Elizabeth, her life took an even worse turn. Anne, the new queen, forbade Mary access to her parents, stripped her of her title of princess, and forced her to act as lady-in-waiting to the infant Elizabeth. Mary never saw her mother again—though, despite great danger, they corresponded secretly.

Mary also refused to acknowledge Anne as the new queen, putting firmly that the only Queen of England was her own mother; this did not do much to help the relationship between the two. Anne’s hatred pursued Mary so relentlessly that Mary feared execution, but, having her mother’s courage and all her father’s stubbornness, she would not admit to the illegitimacy of her birth. Nor would she enter a convent when ordered to do so.

Once Anne fell out of Henry’s favour, he offered to pardon Mary if she would acknowledge him as head of the Church of England and admit the “incestuous illegality” of his marriage to her mother. She refused to do so until her cousin, the emperor Charles, persuaded her to give in, an action she still regrets deeply. This pleased Henry enough that he was willing to let her back in and gave her a household befitting her position. Once again, plans were made for her betrothal. She became godmother to Prince Edward, Henry’s son by Jane Seymour, the third queen.

Instantly, Mary was now the most important European princess. She became very popular, with a fine contralto singing voice and great linguistic ability. She was, however, not able to free herself of the epithet of a bastard, and her Father severely restricted her movements. Still, it was better than suffering in the position of Lady-in-waiting to her own sister. But, despite many suitors coming, she never was taken down the altar by any of them. She is certain it was largely because Henry was more occupied with his own marriages than bothering with his daughter's happiness. The constant change of Queens did agitate her immensely.

At the time of Henry's marriage to his 5th wife, Catherine Howard, Mary was granted permission to return to court and by 1544, Henry had once again returned his firstborn into the line of succession, putting her squarely behind her younger brother Prince Edward, and other potential legitimate siblings, as she herself was still considered illegitimate.

And then Henry died in 1547.

After her father's death, Mary's brother became Edward VI at the tender age of nine. Swayed by religious fervour and overzealous advisers, Edward made English rather than Latin compulsory for church services. Mary's refusal to conform, continuing to hold her own mass in the old form in her private chapel, caused friction between the siblings, and once again, Mary came to fear for her life if her brother should have wanted to have her killed.

Rise to Power

That did not happen. Instead, young King Edward VI died at 12 in 1553. Mary fled to Norfolk, as Lady Jane Grey had seized the throne and was recognized as queen, which lasted nine days. The people, however, considered Mary the rightful ruler, and she soon made a triumphal entry into London with her supporters. A woman of 37 now, she was forceful, sincere, bluff, and hearty like her father but, in contrast to him, disliked cruel punishments and the signing of death warrants. Insensible to the need for caution for a newly crowned queen, unable to adapt to novel circumstances, and lacking self-interest, Mary longed to bring her people back to the church of Rome. From this desire, she wanted to marry Philip II of Spain, the son of the emperor Charles V and 11 years her junior. She was going against the advice of her advisors and causing a lot of friction among the population by wanting a union with a Spaniard. She also gained a lot of enemies among the noblemen who had acquired wealth and lands when Henry VIII confiscated the Catholic monasteries and desired to retain them. She also came to blows with Parliament; they were offended by her discourtesy to their delegates pleading against the Spanish marriage: “My marriage is my own affair,” she retorted.

Mary's first Parliament, which assembled in early October, declared her parents' marriage valid and abolished Edward's religious laws, returning the English Church's doctrine to the form it had before. Mary rejected the break with Rome her father instituted and the establishment of Protestantism by her brother's regents. Philip persuaded Parliament to repeal Henry's religious laws, returning the English church to Roman jurisdiction. By the end of 1554, the pope had approved the deal, and the Heresy Acts were revived.

When, in 1554, it became clear that she would marry Philip, a Protestant insurrection broke out under the leadership of Sir Thomas Wyatt. Alarmed by Wyatt’s rapid advance toward London, Mary made a magnificent speech, rousing citizens by the thousands to fight for her. Wyatt was defeated and executed, and Mary married Philip, restored the Catholic creed, and revived the laws against heresy. She also came to believe that her sister, Elizabeth, had conspired with Wyatt against her so that Elizabeth could take the throne in her place. Elizabeth, though protesting her innocence in the Wyatt affair, was imprisoned in the Tower of London for two months, then put under house arrest at Woodstock Palace. Mary could not prove her sister's involvement, not from lack of trying.

Fall from Grace

For three years, rebel bodies dangled from gibbets, and heretics were relentlessly executed, some 300 being burned at the stake. Thenceforward, the queen, now known as Bloody Mary, was hated, her Spanish husband distrusted and slandered, and she herself was blamed for the vicious slaughter. An unpopular, unsuccessful war with France, where Spain was England’s ally, lost Calais, England’s last toehold in Europe. Still childless, sick, and grief-stricken, she was further depressed by a series of false pregnancies. The first was in September 1554, when Mary stopped menstruating. She gained weight and felt nauseated in the mornings. For these reasons, almost the entirety of her court, including her physicians, believed she was pregnant. Parliament passed an act making Philip regent in the event of Mary's death in childbirth. In the last week of April 1555, Elizabeth was released from house arrest and called to court to witness the birth, which was expected imminently.

Sadly, there was no child. This did little to mend the relationship between Mary and her husband, who returned to Spain when it became clear there would not be any child. Mary still loved him, but he had never loved her. Philip spent most of it on the continent, England obtained no share in the Spanish monopolies in New World trade, and the alliance with Spain dragged England into a war with France. Popular discontent for Mary grew when the French captured Calais, the last vestige of England's possessions in France dating from William the Conqueror's time. Sadly, Mary would not get any more chances. After another fake pregnancy, she passed away that very same year in 1558, possibly from cancer, leaving the crown to her half-sister Elizabeth. Who worked tirelessly to undo all Mary's changes during her short five-year reign.

Her rule was not the best; the harvest failed, and the flu killed many citizens. History only remembers that she was a catastrophe, rumoured to have started the stories of the monster of Bloody Mary.

And so, Mary Tudor was inscribed upon the Throne of Heroes, not as what she wanted to be, but as the monster the world collectively thought she was. Still, her faith remained, and continued to remains, even to this day.

Personality:

Mary is unwavering in her commitment to the Catholic faith. Her beliefs are not just a part of her personality; they are the driving force behind her decisions and actions, shaping the destiny of the kingdom she governed and her role as a servant. Mary, a monarch of indomitable spirit, has a resolute determination that borders unyielding. Her willpower was evident in life during her pursuit to reclaim the Catholic traditions, even in the face of vehement opposition.

The former queen of England's alias of "Bloody Mary" was given for a reason, and as much as she can be kind, Mary is also prideful, stubborn, vindictive, and sometimes with a short fuse. Because her legacy has inverted a section of her attributes, the basis of Mary's character speaks words and displays deeds like a tyrant's. Her personality was greatly changed to that of an "evil queen." To achieve her goals, she will spare no effort and have no mercy on her enemies, able to execute anyone without regret. Her evil is not one of malevolence but one born of misguided faith, paranoia, trauma and fear. Mary is not above murder, nor does she back down if her convictions are challenged, and she was in life willing to kill a large number of innocent people because they did not conform to her view of faith. She had her rivals executed and did not bat an eye.

Beneath the veneer of the stern queen known for religious persecutions lies a woman with a compassionate heart. Mary's kindness is extended to the downtrodden and the destitute, displaying a softer side that contrasts her public image and identity as "Bloody Mary". Mary is also a romantic woman who idealizes love fervently. She still strongly desires to beget and raise a son as a careful mother; not having borne an heir is one of her only resentments about her life. She still has a lot of hard feelings about her younger sister, Elizabeth, and blames her and her stepmother, Anne Boleyn, for breaking the marriage of her father and mother. Hearing Elizabeth's name is reason enough to leave her in a bad mood all day.

Mary cannot forgive that her reputation has been sullied by something as banal as a legend born from idiocy and ignorance, telling of a humiliating legend of a terrible monster appearing in mirrors.

Weapon of choice:

Curtana, The Sword of Mercy

Noble Phantasm:

Bloody Curtana

Corrupted Sword of Zealous Reign
(Anti-Unit)

Part of the crown jewels of England, Curtana was always meant to be a ceremonial sword used at the coronation of British kings and queens, with its end blunt and squared to symbolise mercy, also giving the weapon the nickname, the Sword of Mercy. Curtana was the Sword of Saint Edward the Confessor, used by Sir Tristan in the Arthurian Legends and owned by one of the Charlemagne’s Paladins, Ogier the Dane. In short, Curtana is a sword that represents English royalty in the same way as the crown, symbolising Mary's right to rule and a divine verdict as one of England's chosen Kings. In someone else's hands, this is what the blade would have been: a sword of mercy.

It has now been corrupted by the choices Mary made, the zealotry in which she reigned, and the stories created about her both in life and death. Red like blood and hot like molten iron, it has become a sword through which Mary channels her burning desire to punish heretics. Using this version of Curtana, the Queen can be a deadly opponent. The metal is hot enough to cause fires and seer flesh.

Shattered Faith - Bloody Mary

Wicked Queen in the Mirror
(Anti-Army)

Mary Tudor's second Noble Phantasm, Shattered Faith - Bloody Mary, was born from a combination of her actions in life and a collective legend among humanity. Her spirit origin has been twisted into something it never should have been, and unlike Dracula, there is not one single person to blame but humanity as a whole. With the power of this Noble Phantasm, Mary releases the abilities connected to “Bloody Mary”, who possesses great fame worldwide. She is quickly drained of colour, becoming completely white, with her hair taking on the colour of blood; her skin cracks and bleeds. In this form, Mary gains an extreme amplification of her body's overall power. From the stories, she is also granted ghostly abilities and mirror teleportation. In this form, Mary's weapons are bloody hands that she can create from within her body to assault several enemies at once, scratching and strangling her victims. It is also possible for Mary to rip out the souls of normal humans and weaker phantoms, unfortunate enough to be captured or stupid enough to call upon her name three times in a nearby mirror.

Mary's other Noble Phantasm is sealed in exchange for this great power, causing Curtana to fall apart and be corrupted beyond use. Once the transformation is finished, her identity as Queen of England is discarded in favour of the fictional monster. Still, if one looks at Mary's overall abilities, her strength is greater in this form than she ever was as Queen Mary I of England.

Skills:

Class Skills

Magic Resistance - B

Grants protection against magical effects. Unlike the Resistance effect that merely rejects Magical Energy, this ability cancels the spells altogether. In this level, cancel spells with a chant below three verses. Even if targeted by high thaumaturgy and Greater Rituals, it is difficult for Mary to be affected.

Riding - B-

As a Saber, Mary possesses the skill to ride. Due to her not having spent a lot of time riding during her life, this skill is rather low, but she can still handle herself well with anything one could potentially ride, be it an animal or machine.

Personal Skills

Innocent Monster - A

Mary, the infamous Bloody Mary. Over time, the description of her as a cold and cruel queen has crystallized more and more in history, greatly influenced by Protestant writers. The comparison with Elizabeth's brilliant reign created an even greater contrast. It is true that Mary had no mercy on her opponents during her reign and sentenced hundreds to death at the stake, but she wasn't nearly the only English monarch to command with an iron hand. Even so, history marked Elizabeth as an Angel of Light and Mary as a Blood-stained Demon. As such, historical prejudices and modern anecdotes greatly influenced Mary's Spirit Origin, her powers, appearance and personality as those of the Wicked Queen in the Mirror.

Protection of the Faith - A+++

Mary I acquired this capacity through her ruthless defence of Christianity against the Protestant uprising initiated by her father and younger brother. However, the strength of this skill has taken a great toll on her sanity, feeding into her delusions combined with the legend of Bloody Mary. Deeply devoted to her faith, she was reputed to attend mass four times daily and engage in lengthy private prayers. Rather than viewing her deeds as malevolent or contemplating her missteps, Mary chooses to perceive her suffering as divine retribution for not being harsh enough toward Protestant heretics. Queen Mary was never known for her prowess in battle, but her faith has greatly empowered her other parameters as a servant, making her a far deadlier foe than she would have been without it. Faith is her armour; god is her strength, and zealotry is her weapon of choice.

Charisma - B-

Although Mary Tudor reigned as the king of England, even her strong faith was still insufficient to make her reign remembered for anything other than its utter failure, so its rank isn't higher. Still, she possesses the innate ability to command and was summoned in her prime when the people of England still had her in high regard.

Self-Suggestion - A

They say ignorance is bliss and the dangers that come from blind faith. Mary Tudor's mind is so warped that she can delude herself that her purity of faith absolves her of all her heinous crimes. Because of this, she possesses a high defence against the effects of Magecraft, Skills, and Noble Phantasms that influence the mind.

Physical appearance:

SPOILER: Click to show

Summoned in her prime, with the appearance of the woman she was at the start of her reign when the people of England still wanted her as the monarch. Mary is a Tudor Lady of average height from the time period when she was alive, with a fair complexion, auburn hair, and serious amber eyes. Her general appearance makes her seem more frail than her powers as a servant would make apparent; she is far stronger than what people would like to believe at an initial glance.

Clothing and Armor

When summoned or taking part in the battle, Mary dresses in a traditional dress to the time when she was alive. This attire consists of a long gown with puffy sleeves and a ruff around her neck. Modest, yet showing her royal station. It may appear impractical for the purpose of battle, but as she is a servant, it matters little, as most of her strength comes from her faith and the legend of Bloody Mary, not an armour made from metal. Her clothes give her an edge over those foolish enough to underestimate her for appearing as a "feeble woman of nobility". Whenever she is pushed to take on the mantle of Bloody Mary, all colour drains from her outfit and instead becomes a radiant white, so white as to create contrast with her vibrant bloodred hair and black eyes.

Casually, or when blending into modern society, Mary likes to dress in modest clothing in fine fabrics. Usually, it combines a skirt, blouse and blazer, if not an outright dress. Her style reflects what royalty might wear on a day-to-day basis. Most of the time, Mary's noncombat dress is just that, a flowing dress of designs inspired by her heritage, though not in a way that might make it possible to guess her identity at a glance.