Caster of "Black" ("黒"のキャスター, "Kuro" no Kyasutā?) is the Caster-class Servant of Roche Frain Yggdmillennia of the Black Faction in the Great Holy Grail War of Fate/Apocrypha. He also becomes the proxy Master of Berserker of Red after capturing him. He is able to be summoned by Ritsuka Fujimaru in the Lostbelts of Fate/Grand Order.
Profile
Identity
Caster's True Name is AvicebronWP (アヴィケブロン, Avikeburon?), also known as Solomon ibn Gabirol (ソロモン・イブン・ガビーロール, Soromon ibun Gabīrōru?), a twelfth-century poet and philosopher. He was born in Malaga, Spain, and although he did not have the glory of a knight or king or the recognition of having produced works of art that would prosper for thousands of years, he was the father of an entire thaumaturgical system, Kabbalah, and one of the starting points of the process leading up to the European RenaissanceWP through bringing Greco-Arabic and Jewish lore and enlightenment to the cultural circles of Europe. He is recognized as a "hero" who heavily influenced both the history of the world and thaumaturgy.[3]
He had suffered from many illnesses during his life, and had spent his days with almost zero contact with other humans. He had even purposefully created maid-type golems to take care of the housework in order to maintain his isolation.
Appearance
Caster wears a featureless mask without openings for eyes or a mouth, a full-body suit, and a blue mantle. Due to the mask he wore, it was impossible to tell whether he was afraid or even felt any emotion at all.
Personality
Caster is noted to be eccentric, and he sometimes does not speak even when addressed, simply nodding in affirmation. He had a poor constitution and pessimistic bent in life, so he had been reluctant to come in contact with other people. He was able to hold conversation with others, but never placed any emotion into the exchange. Due to his specialty in a single type of thaumaturgy as a magus, he never had worries about the miscellaneous chores of his abode. His wish was to complete his Noble Phantasm, Golem Keter Malkuth.
Relationships
- Roche Frain Yggdmillennia
- Roche refers to him as master (先生, sensei?) out of respect. Caster is impressed with Roche's passion for golems, when he gave advice to Roche, he would immediately try to correct those points and aim to make them better. If Roche had existed in Caster's lifetime, Roche might have been able to serve as his pupil with his outstanding talent. Roche is similarly cynical, but the two have a good working relationship. However Caster is bad with children due to his poor health in his lifetime and never having any contact with children, and a situation where a child adored and idolized him like this was simply baffling and uncomfortable for him. Caster liked that there was a family lineage that still continued to pass on the mysteries of golem-making that he and his forefathers had created. Although Roche is an ideal Master for him, he seems to have plans of his own, noting that it is only ideal for the time being.
Role
Fate/Apocrypha
Beginning Stages of the War
Caster is summoned by Roche two months before the Holy Grail War, around the same time as Lancer of Black. They spend the majority of their time manufacturing golems as a war force within their workshop in the Fortress of Millennia. He is busy designing his Noble Phantasm, so it takes him longer to prepare for the multiple summoning ritual to bring forth the remaining Servants. Appearing silently before Roche's side, they watch the ritual and then return to their work.
Darnic meets with Caster to discuss the arrival of materials for golems, and he is told that they had just arrived after having been delayed due to the conflict with the Mage's Association. They also discuss Caster's Noble Phantasm, Golem Keter Malkuth, and the need for a core. As Darnic recommends being more prudent in their selection, Caster agrees he has been hasty in his need to complete it, deciding to refine its material components so that the core can be inserted afterward. Roche arrives with the delivered materials as Darnic leaves, and Caster continues his instructions on golem construction.
With the scouting of Kairi Sisigou and Saber of Red, several of his golems are sent to match them. Though their quality is enough to withstand multiple hits from Saber's sword, they easily fall to her blade. His scrying allows for him to later show the events to the rest of the Black Faction. They later return to their work, proceeding with their work on the insertion of Magic Circuit into golems, viewed by one of the homunculi who has recently gained as sense of self. The homunculus is one of three chosen for the experiment, but he later manages to escape before it can begin. Although homunculi are sent out to find the escapee on his orders, Rider finds and hides the homunculus from them.
As part of Darnic's plan to capture Berserker of Red, Several of Caster's golems are sent along with Rider to capture Berserker. However, neither Rider nor the golems are able to match Berserker, even after his legs are reverted to spirit form by Rider's Trap of Argalia. Berserker is then impaled by Lancer's Kazikli Bey yet still advances, but Caster commands his golems to meld together to imprison Berserker. After Berserker's contract is annulled, Caster is made into his Master by proxy. Soon afterwards though, Caster alerts Darnic that Rider is escaping the castle with the Homunculus, which prompts Darnic to send Gordes and Saber after them. In the anime adaption, after the Homunculus is healed by Saber's heart, Caster arrives with the remaining Masters and Servants of Black when they came to assess the situation regarding the Homunculus. After hearing Rider recount the event, Caster expresses his desire to use the Homunculus as the core of his Noble Phantasm, but he is denied by Ruler, who defends the Homunculus. After Ruler states the Homunculus has no involvement in the war, Caster refutes her by saying that the Homunculus is somewhat involved as he now possesses Saber's heart. Ultimately though, Lancer lets Ruler and the Homunculus, and Caster leaves with the others after shackling Rider.
Battle At Castle Yggdmillennia
When the Red Faction arrive in Yggmillenia's territory with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Caster joins the other Servants of Black as they look upon the Gardens and the impending army of Dragon Tooth Warriors. As Lancer gives out his orders to everyone, he tells Caster to stay back and discern himself the opportune moment to release Berserker from his shackles and send him into battle. As the battle rages on between the factions, Caster watches Rider of Red easily tear through the homunculi with his chariot, which he easily stops by commanding his golems to entangle the horses' legs.
Later Caster decides to release Berserker, relieved he was able to convince him to fight his former comrades since he wouldn't have survived one hit from Berserker. But as he walks back into the castle he notice that Roche is outside, which prompts Caster to ask his Master as to what he is doing outside the castle. Roche answers that he wanted to see Caster's golems in action, and that he would like him to look over his golems. Answering Roche that he will look at his golems later, Caster thinks about how ideal of a student Roche is and the irony of how he's bad with children.
Confronting Lancer of Black and Shirou's True Identity
After Assassin of Red steals the Greater Grail with the Gardens, Caster with Lancer and Archer is sent into the gardens to take it back. Inside they soon encounter the Servants of Red and do battle against them, with Caster using his golems to fight Archer of Red. When Darnic suddenly appears into the Gardens though, he and the other Servants watch as Lancer is forced by Darnic into becoming the Nameless Vampire. However, Ruler arrives and, after discerning the situation for herself, uses her Command Spells to empower Caster and the other Servants against the Vampire. Joining the others, Caster sends his golems to attack the Vampire, and using them to at dull its movements. (In the anime, he instead uses his golems to fight off the vampirized homunculi that came with him, Lancer, and Archer to the Gardens.) However the fight ends when the Servants of Red suddenly collapse and the Vampire runs off at the opportunity, and Caster is left behind with the Servants of Red as Ruler and Archer chase after the Vampire.
Later Caster and the Servants of Red appear where Ruler and Archer are confronting Shirou Kotomine, who has revealed himself the Ruler from the third war as welll as now the Master of the Servants of Red. Shirou tries to convince the Black Faction to surrender, and while Archer refuses, Caster decides to join on the condition that his Master remain unharmed. Agreeing to these terms, Shirou begins to form a contract with Caster, who is fired upon by Archer but the arrow is intercepted by Lancer of Red. (Anime depicts Assassin of Red defending him with the scales of the Sacred Fish.) After completing the contract Shirou orders Caster to surround Ruler and Archer, which Caster promptly follows and prepares to kill the pair with golems when Shirou orders him to. (In the anime, Caster compiles with Shirou's order to surround Ruler and Archer before contracting with him.)
However, Saber of Red suddenly appears and helps the two escape, which prompts Caster to chase after them but he's unable to catch them. (In the anime, he lets Ruler and Archer escape with Saber, and then goes to form the contract with Shirou.) Caster then contacts Roche and has him meet him at the lake where his Noble Phantasm is being kept.
Creation of Adam
Meeting Roche at the lake Caster raises his golem, Adam, from it, then throws Roche at Adam to the young golemancer's surprise. As he is being absorbed by the golem, Roche asks Caster what is going on, which Caster answers by saying that Roche should've realized by now that he would serve as the core. In a panic Roche states that he is Caster's Master, but Caster reveals that he is now a Servant of Red. Roche asks him why is doing all of this, to which Caster reveals his disdain for humanity, and how naive Roche is for thinking that he wouldn't betray him. Roche is then completely absorbed by Adam, which then fully activates and walks out of the lake. Jumping onto its shoulder, Caster commands Adam to destroy everything and create paradise as it begins to march towards Millenia Castle.
Arriving at the castle, Caster argues with Rider when the latter states that Caster's golem won't be able to bring salvation. Caster responds that Rider is truly without reason to which Rider agrees and thus is unafraid of the golem. Agreeing with Rider Archer fires at Caster, who fails to block the attack completely. Caster then asks Archer why he shot him when he knows that his death won't stop his golem. Archer answers that is because Caster is a traitor, to which Caster calls him irrational for giving in to anger. Archer then fatally shoots Caster, and as he dies Caster expresses that he has no regrets that his Noble Phantasm has been activated. Resigning himself to become nourishment for his golem, Caster tells Adam to grant humanity salvation. In the anime when Adam blocks an attack from the Saber transformed Sieg, Caster's voice is heard by Sieg, saying that he'll remove all sadness from the world and bring paradise to his people.
Fate/Grand Order
Anastasia: The Permafrost Empire
Avicebron is summoned by Ritsuka Fujimaru in the "Anastasia" Lostbelt. Although his Saint Graph had not been aquired by Chaldea, the "cries of the land" themselves forced Avicebron to be summoned, as they were stronger than Ritsuka's bonds with their Servants.[4]
Abilities
Caster claims he is weak and that he would have been killed by a single blow from Berserker of Red.
Caster is able to scry using thaumaturgy and familiars, he is able to project images from the flame of a Menorah, allowing for live viewing when projected onto a wall in a manner similar to a film. This technique, utilizing airborne golems as a relay, far exceeded the maximum viewing range of the normal remote surveillance thaumaturgy used by magi. He can communicate telepathically amongst his allies.
Golems
Caster has the ability to manufacture golems, doll servants, through his Kabbalistic techniques, Territory Creation, and Item Construction. Golems has the word meaning ‘embryo’ or ‘moulded being’. Therefore, golems were nothing other than an attempt to reproduce the secret mystery of how God created the human Adam. His workshop within the fortress is not one specialized in defense, but rather more like a factory specialized in golem construction. His skill in Item Construction is specialized towards golems, making it impossible to construct anything else. Devoting himself to their creation, he can produce thirty golems in a single day, and over a two-month period he is able to manufacture over a thousand of them with Roche. He uses them to work around the workshop, organizing tools and cleaning as needed. He also uses his workshop to design his Noble Phantasm, Golem Keter Malkuth.[5]
They are inhuman creations of stone and bronze compared to humanoid homunculi. Their quality is such that a modern magus would barely be able to build a single one of them in a year's time, and they possess fluid movements without a trace of the typical awkwardness displayed by other golems. They come in various shapes and types, both humanoid and non-humanoid. Examples include a slender one made from spirit wood, those in the exact form of humans, those with limbs like spiders, those capable of flight that are modeled after dragonflies, and many others. He created a horse golem for Lancer, it was made of a combination of iron and bronze with an uneven design. Its eyes consisted of a red ruby and blue sapphire, which each carried a bewitching shine. He uses materials like jewels for organs and parchment for their skin, each at least eight hundred years old, in great quantities. Mercury is used for applying parchment, and the larger models need their joints reinforced when it is applied. Magic Circuits taken from living beings can be inserted for the creation of golems able to perform magecraft, harvesting them from the Black Faction's homunculi.
Those meant for battle are divided into three groups by size, and they are noted to be eagerly awaiting battle. Using his Numerology, multiple commands can be given to multiple golems instantly by combining shortened arias due to Notarikon. They are an incomparable war force able to easily match average magi in combat, though they will never be a match for a strong Servant. Though they lack in numbers, their sheer recklessness utilizing their large bodies and stone fists to destroy their enemies makes up for that. They are still valuable enough as stumbling blocks for Servants, and they have the potential to fight evenly with low-ranking Servants and defeat those unsuited to close combat like Caster or Assassin. Compared to one of Roche's golems that could not withstand a hit from a Servant, his can withstand up to three hits from Saber of Red in certain cases. Upon being destroyed, their remains shortly burst into flame and turn to ash.
He can give direct command to his golems, he can manipulate ten golems for each fingers. The golems can be converted to a fluid form that coil and shackle around enemies. Though he used this to imprison Berserker of Red, it is ineffective to the Nameless Vampire as he can changes form into mist or bats and it can only dull his movements. He can temporary stop Rider of Red's chariot by ordering his golems to split apart and each entwined themselves with the legs of the chariot's horses and then instantly hardened themselves.
Development
Creation and Conception
He was not part of the designs for the original Fate/Apocrypha canceled online game project.
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14
[] Fate/Apocrypha material - STATUS: Caster of Black, p.026-027 Class: Caster
Master: Roche Frain Yggdmillennia
True name: Avicebron
Gender: Male
Height/Weight: 161cm/52kg
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Strength: E
Endurance: E
Agility: D
Magic: A
Luck: B
Noble Phantasm: A+
Class Skills
■ Territory Creation: B
To make an encampment that is advantageous to one as a magus.
Able to build a "factory," specialized to casting golems.
■ Tool Creation: B+
Can create items infused with magical energy.
Caster's skill is specialized towards golems. It is impossible to make anything else.
Personal Skills
■ Numerology: B
A magecraft system, Kabbalah.
Combining shortened arias due to Notarikon, multiple commands can be instantly given to multiple golems.
Noble Phantasm
■ Golem Keter Malkuth: Royal Crown, the Light of Wisdom
Rank: A+
Type: Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
Range: 1-10
Maximum Number of Targets: 100 people
The Noble Phantasm that Caster could not complete during his life.
Imitating Primordial Human, Adam, who, as long as he exists continues to repaint the world with his autonomous Reality Marble.
Continues to move, unhindered, even if the maker, Caster, perishes.
Is able to receive the blessing of the earth, so that as long as it's feet are on the earth, it cannot be destroyed with any means.
After it is born it's body doubles in one hour intervals, the largest size is approximately 1000 meters.
Furthermore, to work, it is necessary for a magus to be in the core.CLASS キャスター
マスター：ロシェ・フレイン・ユグドミレニア
真名：アヴィケブロン
性別：男性
身長・体重：１６１ｃｍ／５２ｋｇ
属性：秩序・中庸
筋力：E
耐力：E
敏捷：D
魔力：A
幸運：B
宝具：A+
クラス別能力：
■ 陣地作成：B
魔術師として、自らに有利な陣地を作り上げる。
ゴーレムの鋳造に一点特化した“工場”の形成が可能。
■ 道具作成：B+
魔力を帯びた器具を作成できる。
キャスターのスキルはゴーレムに特化しており、それ以外は何も作ることができない。
固有スキル
■ 数秘術：B
魔術系統の一つ、カバラ。
ノタリコンによる短縮詠唱と組み合わせることにより、複数のゴーレムに複数のコマンドを一瞬で打ち込むことを可能とする。
宝具
■ 王冠：叡智の光
ランク：A+
種別：対軍宝具
レンジ：1～10
最大捕捉：100人
キャスターが生前に作ること叶わなかった未完成の宝具。
『原初の人間』を模倣した、存在する限り世界を塗り替え続ける自律式固有結界。
作り手であるキャスターが滅んでも、構わず動き続ける。
大地からの祝福を得ることができ、足が大地についている限りは決して滅ぶことがない。
生まれ落ちると一時間ごとに体躯が倍増し、最大サイズは約一千メートル。
なお、動力として心臓部分に魔術師を一体必要とする。 - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8
[] Fate/Apocrypha material - CHARACTER Profile: Caster of "Black", p.076-077 [T] Caster of "Black" - Real name: Avicebron
- Height: 161cm
- Weight: 81kg
- Blood type: Unknown
- Birthday: Unknown
- Talents: Poetry
- Likes: Solitude
- Dislike: Being in the public eye
- Image colour: Violet
- Enemy: Sieg
Comment from Yuichiro Higashide & Ototsugu Konoe“黒”のキャスター - 真名：ケイローン
- 身長：１６１cm
- 体重：５２kg
- 血液型：不明
- 誕生日：不明
- 特技：詩
- 好きなもの：孤独
- 苦手なもの：衆目
- イメージカラー：菫色
- 天敵：ジーク
Comment from Yuichiro Higashide & Ototsugu Konoe - Height: 161cm
- ↑
[] Fate/Apocrypha material - Encyclopedia: Caster of “Black” [Servant], p.161-162 [T] Caster of “Black” [Servant]
One of the Servants of the Black camp. His true name is Avicebron, but his official name is Solomon ben Judah ibn Gabirol. He was a philosopher, poet and Kabbalist, a magus who used the magecraft branch of Kabbalah, from the 11th century. He also has the nickname of “Plato of Judea”.
It doesn’t need to be said, but he’s completely unrelated to Solomon, the son of David who was served by 72 demons. Fearing that their names might get mixed up, I decided to use “Avicebron” instead.
As a Caster-class Servant, he is the type that’s a bit hard to handle. He is basically loyal to his Master, but great expense and time is needed in order for him to display his full abilities. Darnic had Roche summon Caster first because a large amount of time and a budget great enough to bankrupt a regular magus ten times over was needed just to construct his workshop for making golems. However, once he gets on track, he can create golems for making more golems, so perhaps not being too concerned about labor cost is a virtue for him.
He was weak and feeble due to suffering from many illnesses, and his skin disease was especially serious. As a result, it is said that he was pessimistic and gloomy, and in the novels he fully displays that personality. After all, even when he died, he kept wearing his mask and never revealed his face.
According to history, Avicebron is said to have imparted his philosophical ideas from Arabia to Europe. Also, he created the word “Kabbalah” from the Hebrew word for “receiving”.
According to legend, he made a female-type golem to take care of his daily household chores and necessities. In these novels, he tried to create the “first human Adam”, similar to Victor Frankenstein. However, unlike Victor, who simply acted out of ambition, Avicebron’s goal was to sweep away the suffering of his people and attain true Eden.
His personality is timid and cool-headed. While he understands his own weakness, his ardor in participating in the Holy Grail War was unusually great. However, his objective was mostly granted by creating and activating “Adam”. How “Adam” would act after that was something unrelated to him.
Even if he was destroyed, Avicebron would merely accept that result.
The reason he joined sides with the Red camp is, rather than for the sake of self-protection, because his objective wouldn’t be achieved if he remained with the Black camp, so he chose the better choice.
The reason he was pierced by Archer of Black’s arrow with practically no resistance is partly due to his weak physical strength, but also he had already resolved himself to become nourishment for “Adam”. Fighting alongside a Master who respected him didn’t feel bad to him at all, but even so, he couldn’t defy the temptation of to have his wish, which he had devoted his entire life to, finally within reach. And he simply thought that he should pay reparations for that choice. For Avicebron, his own life was worthless in his eyes. To put it more accurately, the moment his Noble Phantasm was completed, he logically concluded that his value had become zero.
According to legend, he was killed by a man jealous of his poetic talent and was buried beneath the roots of a fig tree. It is said that the nearby people who thought it was strange that the fig tree was producing such overly sweet fruit dig it up, thereby exposing the man’s crime—“黒”のキャスター【サーヴァント】
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order Anastasia Chapter 02
- ↑
[] Fate/Apocrypha material - Encyclopedia: Golem [Others], p.165-166 [T] Golem [Others]
Artificial soldiers made of earth, stone or wood, which Avicebron manufactures. The concept of golems traces back to Ancient Israel, and the basics of their manufacture are said to have arisen sometime between the 2nd to 9th centuries. However, if you trace it back further, golems originate from a passage in Genesis that says “The Lord molded man out of the dust of the ground and breathed life into him through his nostrils”.
In other words, golems were originally an attempt to make “humans”. Therefore, their quality is considered higher the closer they are to being human. However, that is only the ideal golem in Kabbalist thinking, and regular magi might simply devote themselves on “how to make a strong golem”.
Avicebron’s magecraft is fundamentally specialized solely for the sake of making golems, and his techniques have already reached a level that modern magi cannot catch up to, letting him spend his whole life playing around while living off just the sales from his golems. It’s only natural that Roche idolizes him.
To make something close to human is the concept of Avicebron’s golems, but he’s willing to make completely different kinds of golems to amuse himself as well. The steel horse he made to act as Vlad III’s steed was a simple yet prided product of his, and even just the gems used for its eyes were worth hundreds of millions.
After the war, some of his golems actually managed to just barely survive, and though most of them were sold off, a few golems went to a new land with the homunculi.ゴーレム【その他】