Gransurg Blackmore

, also known as the , , , and , is the sixteenth of the The Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors.
==Profile==
===Background===
While his place of birth and original name have been lost for many years, it is known that Gransurg Blackmore was originally a Magus whose research involved the sanctification of birds. These eccentricities garnered the attention of Crimson Moon, who sought to battle Gransurg despite him having average thaumaturgy and no unique traits. Gransurg was quickly defeated and only survived due to a last minute coincidence, which led Crimson Moon to make Gransurg his personal magus. He pledged absolute obedience to Crimson Moon, believing that the defeated must serve, and chose to become a Dead Apostle on his own through arcane research. Stating "If I am to serve my Lord, I shall take on a fitting appearance", he gave himself the form of a bird, destroyed his birthplace, discarded his name, and worked diligently, more akin to a familiar than an Apostle, to serve his master.
Gransurg continued to serve Crimson Moon until his defeat at the hands of Zelretch, at which point he sought out a position as an independent Apostle. He attacked the castle of the sixteenth Ancestor and destroyed that entire clan, and from thereon took on the name Blackmore. As he had been recognized by the Ancestors while Crimson Moon was alive, they recognized his succession and allowed him a title appropriate for his abilities. He cooperates with the Mage's Association as Merem Solomon does with the Church, and he is currently imprisoned by the Church. He seems to have escaped as of the time of Prelude, where he is shown speaking with Merem before the time of the Aylesbury Ritual.Prelude III He currently resides in Austria.
In Fate worlds, he was killed about a thousand and seven hundred years prior to the Fifth Fuyuki Holy Grail War, and Blackmore Cemetery was named after him as a sign of respect.Lord El-Melloi II Case Files Volume 6: case. Atlas Contract (Upper) - Chapter 2 Part 4
===Personality===
Blackmore reveres birds as holy creatures and the kings of the world. He greatly adores their internal composition, and hopes to build a better sky for them. He goes as far as modeling his own appearance, and those of his minions after them as well. While he is considered a very social and great vampire with many minions, his appearance and his minions unorthodox status as improper vampires causes him to be looked down upon by the other Ancestors as ungraceful. He has been given the title of "Black Wing Lord" derived from sarcasm, contrasting him as someone close, yet far away from the current lord of the Apostles the "White Wing Lord", Trhvmn Ortenrosse. He personally holds the same sentiments towards the other Ancestors, believing their human forms to lack grace. He apparently dislikes his own current name, and becomes irritated upon hearing it.
He holds Crimson Moon as his absolute master, and even continues to follow him after his death. He is actively participating in the Aylesbury Ritual, which was established by Crimson Moon. He similarly currently worships Arcueid Brunestud, the golden princess, as his current master due to her connection with Crimson Moon. Everyone else is unworthy of his respect no matter their strength. He also has a great hatred for Altrouge Brunestud, called the impostor of Crimson Moon, and wishes to slay her. He does not fight for personal reasons, and the one and only basis for him taking action is for the sake of his master. He will only engage in battle with other Apostles if they have forgotten the teachings of Crimson Moon, their "Lord", or to follow Crimson Moon's wishes. Even if he hates them or has a personal grudge, he will still avoid confrontations for over one thousand years if it has no relation to Crimson Moon.
He became acquaintances with Merem one thousand years ago, and considers him to be both a friend and an enemy at the same time. They both consider Crimson Moon as their god, but they are at odds with one another, as Merem sees him as an idol, while Blackmore sees him as a master. While he feels lifetime friendship under the same master and they have no true hatred for each other, he cannot forgive Merem for mixing affection with worship. While capable of having friendly conversations in a casual manner, he is just as easily capable of stating that he wishes to rip Merem apart with a silent black murderous aura, and Merem notes that it is troubling having "two kings of the sky." Blackmore has done nothing for a millennium due to his practice of not fighting, and he is glad to finally be able settle their dispute at Aylesbury where he can freely destroy Merem without holding back. He wishes to make him realize that his shape of loyalty was unacceptable during his last moments. Before their dispute comes their hatred for Altrouge Brunestud, who they plan on fighting together before destroying each other.
==Role==
===Prelude III===
Blackmore has only been detailed in Character Material and its brief short story, Prelude III. He visits Merem in the shrine where he was kept as an idol and discusses the upcoming Aylesbury Ritual.
===Other appearances===
Blackmore makes a brief cameo appearance in Carnival Phantasm.
==Abilities==
Blackmore is considered to be Ortenrosse's equal in both history and ability, placing him within the top-class of the Ancestors. Merem holds him in high regards, believing him capable making a large difference in their planned battle with Altrouge and her minions. He normally takes the appearance of a humanoid with the features of a crow, and he is capable of changing his shape into a large bird several kilometers in size. His numerous minions, rather than transforming from humans into pure vampires, have become hybrids with the heads and wings of birds. He is skilled in carrying souls with his thaumaturgical system based upon birds, as they are known as "those who carry the souls after death" in the world of magi.
He has a Reality Marble called , which was used to wipe out the previous sixteenth's clan of over one hundred vampires without damaging anything or staining the castle walls, gardens, or curtains with a single drop of blood after declaring "-Be careful, gentlemen. The birds dancing in my sky are vicious only to the dead-". It covers the sky with a canopy of "death wings" that produce a "world of death" where absolute darkness swallows the light of the Moon and stars.
==References==
vi:
Category:Characters in Tsukihime
Category:Dead Apostles
Category:Dead Apostle Ancestors
Category:Magi
Category:Vampires
Category:Affiliated with the Mage's Association
Category:Introduced in 2006
Category:Birds
Category:Characters of unknown origin
Category:Reality Marble users