Vlad III (Apocrypha)

, Class Name , is the Lancer-class Servant of Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia of the Black Faction in the Great Holy Grail War of Fate/Apocrypha. He was also summoned by Jeanne d'Arc Alter in the First Singularity, who modified his Saint Graph to have the Mad Enhancement Skill and gave him the Class Name .
==Profile==
===Identity===
Vlad III is (1429-1476), the greatest hero of Wallachia, whose feats in war caused him to be known fearsomely as the "Impaling Prince" to the Turks. Due to the legends associated with him, another name has been spread across the world, The Little Dragon, better known as the vampire Count Dracula. While the nation was small, he was a hero who ascended to the throne and managed to turn back the numerous invasions of the Ottoman Empire that had trampled over every other country. Though the model for Dracula, he was not a vampire, but a man of devotion and great hero.
Vlad's homeland, the Principality of Wallachia, was a small country stuck between the large nations of Turkey and Hungary. He led a tragic life, during which his father, Vlad II Dracul, was murdered and his older brother Mircea was buried alive, both by rebellious boyars, and Vlad himself went to war against his younger brother, Radu the Handsome. He was motivated by a love of his nation and a duty to maintain its sovereignty and power, so he purged all who would oppose its interests. Though he had a very clear sense of justice, he was brutal in his methods, having executed about one fifth of the population of his country through his life.
Vlad's war against Turkey was a desperate battle including guerrilla warfare and scorched earth tactics. Several times, Vlad left mountains of Turkish enemy soldiers he impaled. Vlad was captured by King Matthias of Hungary in 1462 on grounds that he was a collaborator to the Turks, and was confined for twelve years in prison. His feats accomplished in defense of his country during the time were defiled, and all that was left was a legend passed down of a humiliating, blood-starved fiend. He turned his back on the Orthodox Church in 1476 and converted his country to Catholicism; the same year, he died in a battle against the Turkish army with his younger brother Radu. Vlad was 45.
===Appearance===
Lancer is dressed in a royal fashion, appearing as black as a shadow in the night, contrasted with his pale face and long, silk-like white hair. He gives off an overwhelming presence, causing ceaseless trembling wherever he happens to look. This does not stem from fear due to a violent nature, but rather that those exposed to his icy gaze recognize themselves as hopelessly weak and powerless existences before him.
It is said that the difference between him and his counterpart is their aspects being different, this version being Vlad III's aspect as a King, while his counterpart is his aspect of a Warrior.
Vlad i.png|Original design, illustrated by Hirotaka Maeda.
Lancer of Black A-1 Pictures Fate Apocrypha Character Sheet1.png| character sheet of Lancer of Black in Fate/Apocrypha.
Fate_Apocrypha_-_Epilogue_Event_Clothing_char_black_lancer.png| character illustration of Lancer of Black in Fate/Apocrypha - Epilogue Event
BlackLancer_Wallpaper.jpg| Wallpaper Illustration of Lancer of Black in Fate/Apocrypha.
===Personality===
Though there is an aura of danger about him, he in fact possesses a modest and considerate personality. His opinions and unrestrained manner of expression lend easily to the impression that he is a sociopath who has disengaged himself from the standard mores of society. His somewhat obstinate nature worries Darnic, but he believes they will work fine together due to having the same goal. He is the only one of the Servants who truly possesses a fervent desire to obtain his wish. He is angered by the legend of "Count Dracula" that has stained his name, so he wishes to restore his name's honor. Although he will not deny the path he walked in life, even those to which he has resigned himself like the war against the Turks and his imprisonment, he cannot forgive his name being smeared with blood, telling of a humiliating legend of a blood-starved fiend, in matters that did not involve him in any way. He tries to ignore the reputation of the vampire modeled after him in a mature manner, but somehow, representations of him that he comes across will end up being destroyed.
Despite being a Servant, he is the effective leader of the Black Faction. He sits atop a throne as Lord of the castle, with Darnic serving at his side. He does note that although Darnic refers to him as Lord, that he will call him Master in turn and state that he is only a Servant. He chides Darnic for excessive flattery, stating that he lacked much as a leader. He did not have the people behind him, great captains to properly lead his soldiers, meaning he could accomplish little else on the battlefield besides what he gave his all to accomplish. He does not state it as an admission of incompetence, but that he did not have enough people and time. He is greatly pleased at having finally obtained his captains, the six irreplaceable Heroic Spirits following under him, especially noting Siegfried as the most magnificent warrior and Caster of Black's golems as an incomparable force of war. He wishes they had been by his side during life, allowing for the circumstance of his imprisonment to be avoided.
==Role==
===Fate/Apocrypha===
====Beginning Stages of the War====
Black faction servant.png|The Black Faction summoning
Kazikli Bey The Lord of Execution.jpg|Lancer capturing Berserker of "Red"
Black faction defense.png|Black Faction witnessing Red Faction floating fortress
Darnic Impaled.jpg|Lancer impaling Darnic
VampireDeath.jpg|Nameless Vampire killed by Shirou
Lancer is summoned by Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia two months before the Great Holy Grail War, allowing him to properly establish his territory. After having announced that Yggdmillennia possesses the Greater Grail, they get resistance from the Mage's Association in the form of fifty hunters dispatched to subdue them. Displaying the overwhelming power of a Heroic Spirit, Lancer easily annihilates all but one of them in thirty seconds. The one remaining manages to activate the reserve system, allowing for the Red Faction to be formed. At some point, Lancer also warns Darnic to never ask him to use his secondary Noble Phantasm, Legend of Dracula, due to his disdain for it.
He presides over the multiple summoning of Saber of Black, Rider of Black, Berserker of Black, and Archer of Black along with Darnic. Commanding for the Heroic Spirits who will serve under him to be brought forth, Darnic calls for the summoning to commence.Fate/Apocrypha Volume 1: Apocrypha: Great Holy Grail War - Chapter 1 Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia becomes angry upon the others expecting him to reveal Saber's true name when it could prove as a critical weakness, so Lancer, knowing his identity as Siegfried, grants him permission to keep it secret. After he and Darnic are left alone, Lancer speaks of the state of affairs, but chides Darnic when acting too flattering.
Greatly pleased with having capable captains under him in the form of Servants unlike during his life, he feels Saber particularly is the most magnificent warrior possible. Praising the rest in turn, he feels that he would not have been imprisoned had they been by his side. With his wish of clearing his now bloodstained name, Darnic promises him that the Grail will grant his wish. They discuss the still absent Assassin of Black, believing that she will soon be with them, not knowing the unforeseen circumstances of her summoning. He later presides over the viewing of the scried images of Kairi Sisigou and Saber of Red fighting Caster of Black's golems, asking Saber and Archer of the opinions of the opponent. Pleased that the believe the Saber to be no outstanding threat, he murmurs that the true start of the battles is approaching.Fate/Apocrypha Volume 1: Apocrypha: Great Holy Grail War - Chapter 2
Lancer and the other Black Faction Servants later confront the rampaging Berserker of Red, who seeks to bring down the "oppressors". After Rider and Caster stop him, Lancer confronts Berserker, calling himself then one above the "oppressors", which causes Berserker to attempt to attack him. Lancer then uses his Kazikli Bey to pierce Berserker's body with multiple stakes, completely immobilizing him, intending to have Caster manipulate Berserker to fight against the Red Faction. When the Rider and Archer of Red are of Red are detected in the area, Lancer sends Saber and Berserker of Black to fight them.
====Battle At Castle Yggdmillennia====
Lancer leads the Black Faction in the first large battle against the Red Faction, who reside atop the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Lancer himself utilizes Kazikli Bey to destroy a number of Dragon Tooth Warriors summoned from the Hanging Gardens. Lancer of Black confronts and fights Lancer of Red, who utilizes his armor and Mana Bursts to counter Kazikli Bey. However, Lancer of Black manages to also wound Lancer of Red by summoning the stakes inside his body. As Lancer of Red is about to utilize another Noble Phantasm, the Greater Grail is acquired by the Hanging Gardens, causing Lancer of Red to retreat.Fate/Apocrypha Volume 2: Round Dance of Black / Festival of Red - Chapter 2
====Lancer of Black's Transformation====
Lancer, Archer and Caster of Black all attack the Hanging Gardens to retrieve the Grail and are confronted by Lancer, Rider and Archer of Red. Lancer of Black again fights Lancer of Red, but is now at a disadvantage due to having his powers weakened inside the Hanging Gardens. However, Darnic then appears and forces his Servant to utilize their other Noble Phantasm, Legend of Dracula, with a Command Spell, despite Lancer being extremely hesitant. As Lancer of Black is transformed into a vampiric form, he attempts to kill Darnic who uses his remaining Command Spells to make Lancer go after the Grail and unify himself with Lancer, making them the Nameless Vampire.
The Nameless Vampire begins to attack the homunculi, drinking their blood and transforming them into monsters. The Servants of Black and Red decide to form an alliance against the Nameless Vampire, with the recently arrived Ruler also aiding them. While they manage to fight the Nameless Vampire and even partially overpower him, until the Red Faction Servants are suddenly immobilized due to their Master's being changed, allowing the Nameless Vampire to escape further into the Hanging Gardens. However, he is confronted by Shirou Kotomine, one of the Masters of Red, who uses holy sacraments to kill the Nameless Vampire, reducing him to ash.Fate/Apocrypha Volume 2: Round Dance of Black / Festival of Red - Chapter 3
===Fate/Grand Order===
==== First Singularity: Orleans ====
Vlad III appears as an enemy in the Singularity where he is known as . He was summoned and given the Mad Enhancement Skill along with Carmilla, Chevalier d'Eon, Martha, and Atalanta by Gilles de Rais to be Jeanne Alter's Servants in her campaign to destroy France. At a later point, he and the rest of Jeanne Alter's Servants traveled to Lyon, which was protected by Siegfried. Together with his comrades, Vlad III defeated Siegfried, leaving the town to be easily destroyed.
When Ritsuka’s party come to La Charite to gather information about Orleans, they soon encounter Vlad III along with Jeanne Alter and her other Servants. Jeanne Alter orders Vlad and Carmilla to kill Jeanne d’Arc, but the group repel the vampires. Marie Antoinette and Amadeus Mozart arrive to help the group escape, the latter using his Noble Phantasm to repel Jeanne Alter’s Servants. After Jeanne Alter sends Martha after them, Vlad asks her if Martha can handle the group. Although she claims Martha’s Noble Phantasm can destroy the group, Jeanne Alter admits that Vlad is right that she should be cautious. She orders her Servants to continue destroying France, and to kill Ritsuka’s party if they encounter them before leaving. D’Éon asks if the woman with the group was the real Jeanne. Vlad answers their Jeanne is real as well. He then leaves with Carmilla in search of people to drain blood from.
In the climatic battle between Ritsuka’s party and Jeanne Alter’s army, Vlad fights the group with D’Éon, but they’re both defeated. Vlad thinks on the irony of him encountering a "Dragon Slayer" again, noting it is his destiny as evil to be struck down in the presence of a slayer of evil. Accepting his demise, he requests Ritsuka to summon him before finally disappearing.
==== Event: Inheritance of Glory ====
Even after being absorbed into the Greater Grail, Vlad still remains fused with Darnic. Driven only by his desire to obtain the wish granter for himself, Darnic's will manifested mindless replicas of the war's participating Servants, except for the Rulers, and had them repeatedly fight in a recreation of the Great Holy Grail War.Fate/Grand Order - Fate/Apocrypha: Inheritance of Glory - Section 7: Decisive Battle : Ever-Floating GardenFate/Grand Order - Fate/Apocrypha: Inheritance of Glory - Section 2: Castle Defense : Millennia Fortress He also sealed Vlad away to ensure he couldn't gain a sense of will thanks to Sieg's, the Grail's caretaker, influence.Fate/Grand Order - Fate/Apocrypha: Inheritance of Glory - Section 9: Thus, It Went Into Hibernation Mode 
Eventually thanks to Darnic weakening during his fight against Ritsuka's party, Vlad is able to manifest himself with his original personality intact and ambushes his former Master with Kazikli Bey. He tells Darnic that he must accept his fate and reveals he retains his memories from the war, unlike the other Servants. He assumes it was the result of Darnic fusing with him. But rather than desiring revenge, Vlad wishes to defeat Darnic as per his duty as a hero and the mercy he feels for his former Master. Darnic doesn't believe Vlad doesn't hold a grudge against him, though. Vlad asserts to Darnic, however, that anger doesn't last forever. He reminds Darnic that they both pursued their dreams, even though they know they will never be realized. Their dreams are the only thing they are truly loyal to, and that loyalty will never change no matter how much they're decried and feared. Vlad then tells Darnic to abandon his scheme as he'll be betraying his own dream if he doesn't. Darnic accepts the truth of Vlad's words and disappears.
With Darnic now gone, Vlad declares that the Great Holy Grail War has truly come to an end. Then, understanding he is the Grail's caretaker, he tells Sieg that humans will inevitably arrive and discover magic with or without the Grail. Regardless, he wants Sieg to take solace in the fact that an excellent ending awaits him. He then bids farewell and disappears.
==Abilities==
Vlad III is known for both being a great hero who fought against the invasion of the Ottoman Turks tooth and nail using guerrilla tactics. While famous for being the model for Count Dracula, within Romania, his heroic aspects are emphasized. In fact, no Heroic Spirit possesses greater fame in Romania than Vlad. Being the greatest hero of Transylvania, as long as he is within his territory, he receives a boost in the rank of all his parameters, and his Noble Phantasm becomes usable. As such, as long as he is in Romania, he has possibly the greatest fame of all, a match for Heracles in Greece or King Arthur in Britain. While the boost in power due to fame is not usually that great, his own is on the level of devoted piety within his country, bringing his current form extremely close to his prime in life. Being the strongest trump card of the Black Faction during the Great Holy Grail War, he gives off an overwhelming pressure. Despite possessing superb parameters which tower above most of the other Servants in the Black Faction, and Kairi Sisigou referring to him as an "absurdly overpowered Lancer", Shirou Kotomine confirms that Karna and Achilles possess the strength necessary to oppose Vlad, likely thanks to possessing great fame themselves or power which exceeds even said fame. When Mordred learned that, she considered the possibility of her father being either Lancer or Rider of Red.
Having been summoned with the characteristics of a hero, outside of Romania where he is mostly known for the legends of Dracula, his fame wouldn't give him any power. Rather, it would inhibit his ability to display his original specs, as seen when he entered the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, where the fame of all other servants besides Semiramis is reduced to zero. He likens the drop in power from going to ten at his peak down to six. While able to fight with Karna evenly previously, he is greatly inferior to him in that state. Even without covering his body in flames, Karna was able to repel all of the stakes produced by Vlad's body with just his spear and armor.
When considering viable classes under which he can be summoned, Saber and Archer are discounted due to him having no known legends of using swords or bows, Assassin and Berserker are generally considered out of the question, and the possibility of Caster is considered almost zero. Rider and Lancer both seem viable due to his feats. Surprisingly, Vlad can also be summoned as a Berserker. In this case, perhaps due to the effects of Mad Enhancement, he would easily accept the fact that he is a Vampire and fight as a monster instead of a king.
===Skills===
====Class Skills====
*Magic Resistance (B Rank): Magecraft Invocations in regards to three bars or less are completely nullified. It it is difficult to be harmed by greater magecraft, Ritual Spells, etc.
====Personal Skills====
*Demonic Defender of the State (EX Rank): Capacity of the Servant to mark a region as his personal dominion by securing the surrounding leylines prior to an engagement, permitting reinforcement of his combat capabilities when fighting in defense. He is able to transform Trifas and the surrounding areas into the land he rules over as Lord over a period of two months. Inside this domain, Vlad III acquires a combat bonus comparable to a Berserker's A rank in Mad Enhancement. This allows Vlad III to display some degree of advantage even against top rank Heroic Spirits such as Achilles, who boast of worldwide-class fame. Kazikli Bey is a usable Noble Phantasm only where this skill forms its domain.
===Noble Phantasms===
====Kazikli Bey====
Vlad III's main Noble Phantasm is Kazikli Bey. Within a range of 1 kilometer, a maximum of 20 thousand pikes can gradually manifest over time, bursting from the ground to impale opponents. Manifested pikes remain as a physical barrier that eliminates free ground, and evasion thus becomes less likely with passage of time. The sight of the pikes impose a curse-like psychological effect, destabilizing an opponent's mental condition with oppressive anxiety or fear. Although each stake doesn't possess much destructive power, and their speed is also low, there are very few Anti-Army and Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasms capable of killing over ten thousand people.
This Noble Phantasm allowed Vlad to calmly hold his own against Karna and Atalanta. In truth, their odds of overwhelming Vlad were fifty-fifty, since fighting a force of twenty thousand was beyond the capacities of even a mighty Heroic Spirit. Even then, there would have been no problems if they were alive, but unfortunately, they were facing him as Servants. Although Vlad had a certain advantage, Karna was able to break one thousand stakes with his spear, burn eight hundred with the flames covering his body, and stop two thousand with his golden armor in a single assault. In truth, Vlad's repeated attacks weren't half-hearted at all, and any other Lancer besides Karna wouldn't have been able to withstand it.
====Legend of Dracula====
Vlad's second Noble Phantasm is Legend of Dracula. In Romania, Vlad is treated as a hero, but this Noble Phantasm releases his abilities as the “Vampire Dracula”, who possesses great fame worldwide outside of his home country. In this form, Vlad gains an extreme amplification of his body's overall power and ability and regeneration. As shown when Karna pierced his heart where his Spiritual Core was located, the boost in strength Vlad receives in this form is so great that even attacks on that level were reduced to having no effect. When Achilles threw his spear fast enough to surpass the sound barrier, the spear that should have been close to impossible to evade was stopped by one of Vlad's hands. A feat as outrageous as grabbing a flying missile bare-handed. Naturally, his hand's flesh was torn to shreds, his nerves were snapped apart, and his bones were smashed loudly. However, he regenerated his hand faster than the speed at which he had been wounded. Though his thought processes are weakened equivalent to the effect of Mad Enhancement, if you look at his overall abilities, his strength is greater in this form than Vlad III as a sovereign. His superhuman strength is enough to punch Karna and send him flying into a wall. Although the damage of his punch was insignificant to Karna, he was surprised at how he had managed to overpower him with just his overwhelming physical strength alone. Darnic believes that had Vlad used this Noble Phantasm during his first encounter with Karna, Vlad would have easily torn him apart.
In exchange for this great power, Vlad's skills and other Noble Phantasms are sealed. In this form, Vlad's weapons include stakes that he can create from within his body to stab his enemies. Thanks to his superhuman strength, he can throw these stakes so fast that they break the sound barrier as if it were extremely natural. Their power is equal to that of a Noble Phantasm, being able to pierce through the top of Karna's foot. Even Karna, Achilles, Atalanta, Chiron, Avicebron empowered by Command Spells and commanded by Jeanne d'Arc, who kept knocking down with her flag his arms as he tried to extend them were forced to fight him without showing the slightest bit of relaxation in their faces. Even these six Servants who were all worthy of being called the strongest didn't allow themselves to hesitate for a moment. It wasn't in order to stop themselves from being negligent, but rather, that they were desperate. By continuously changing his form, his attacks tore not only through golems but even occasionally the two Archers, approaching them with speed that resembled teleportation. However, with all 6 servants attacking him together, the situation was advantageous for them. They simply kept buying time. When dawn came, his powers would drop sharply.
==Development==
He was created by Gen Urobuchi and designed by Hirotaka Maeda for the original cancelled online game project.
==References==
vi:Lancer Đen
Category:Characters in Fate/Apocrypha
Category:Servants
Category:Vampires
Category:Sovereigns
Category:Humans
Category:Lancer-class Servants
Category:Romanian Servants
Category:Heroic Spirits
Category:Characters in Fate/Grand Order (Part 2)
Category:Lawful Neutral Servants
Category:Earth Attribute Servants
Category:B rank Strength Servants
Category:B rank Endurance Servants
Category:A rank Agility Servants
Category:A rank Mana Servants
Category:D rank Luck Servants
Category:A rank Noble Phantasm Servants
Category:Introduced in 2012
Category:Voice - Ryoutarou Okiayu
Category:Not implemented in Fate/Grand Order