Saber (Fergus mac Róich)

Artwork by Vinsuality

## Stats

**Moon Saber** was a character in the *Fate/Solar Shadow* continuity of Nat19. He was a Heroic Spirit, and the Servant of Orla Fannon in Giornico's Moon Festival Holy Grail War. As an NPC, he was portrayed by *Logan Laidlaw*.

## Personality

Saber was arrogant and straightforward. His reaction to other servants and enemies seemed to be largely indifferent, displaying a reckless disregard for his duty as a Servant and not prioritizing battling his enemies. Despite this, he did not questioned or argue against any direct orders from his master.

When facing opponents, Saber sauntered through combat without concern for his own safety, seemingly counting on his abilities to pull him through any battle without trouble. He had a cocky streak regarding his abilities but didn't care about others acknowledging them; he was more than ready to display what he was capable of. He willingly provoked Isla McCraken and Ian McCraken to try to fight him, and seemed to take amusement in tricking Isla into playing into his Cursed Words skill.

He's been shown to have a soft spot for women. He immediately took to his master Orla Fannon without so much as a word spoken between them after his summoning, even when her first words to him were orders to execute her enemies with little explanation. When he encountered Moon Rider after being sent to destroy the remains of a demon-summoning cult he politely asked if they were going to fight there, then allowed her to leave when she showed no interest in fighting.

## History

Saber's True Name is **Fergus mac Róich**. He is the former king of Ulster, tricked out of his kingship by Conchobar mac Nessa. After 14 years of exile, he was found by Ailill mac Máta swimming in a lake with queen Medb. The jealous Ailill convinced his blind brother, Lugaid Dalleces, that deer were swimming in the lake. Lugaid threw a spear that pierced Fergus' chest. Fergus then climbed out of the water and threw the spear back, and died soon after.

Saber was summoned by Orla Fannon in 1915 using a glowing shard of metal taken from Idelia. Immediately after being summoned he was set upon Gearfree Chesnut and the McCraken twins, the form of whom lost their life defending the latter. Though he proved he would have had no trouble dispatching the twins, he was stopped by Sun Berserker and Sasaki Kojirou who pushed him back until he and Orla agreed to cease. Before the twins escaped however, Saber confronted them and tricked Isla into falling for an as-of-yet unknown effect of his Cursed Words skill, then retreated.

Several years later, Saber was dispatched to the location of the Dyle Clan's Incinerators, likely due to himself and Orla having seen a massive explosion they caused in the mountains around Giornico. Upon his arrival he battled the dispatched forces of Jack Blackwood, including hired men and demons, until he grew tired and killed them all off-screen, presumably without ever being damaged. After this he entered their facility, met with Moon Rider who he exchanged words with before parting with her peacefully, then aided the Incinerators in defeating an Akuma Spawn before using his Noble Phantasm Caladbolg to destroy the facility entirely.

## Role in the Plot

### The Idelian Void

Though never making a direct appearance until the very last episode of this campaign, the Shard of Iridescent Light that the main characters were sent to retrieve from Idelia was revealed during the campaign to be the remains of a weapon wielded by a great hero of Ireland, used in the ritual that sealed the Void and converted it into magical energy on the island. The hero is implied to have been Saber, who may or may not have been directly involved with the ritual to begin with.

Orla never revealed to the party that should we be taking part in the Holy Grail War of Giornico, or that she planned to use the shard as a catalyst to summon her servant. However, the entire campaign can be seen as the preamble to Orla's summoning ritual.

### Moon Festival Holy Grail War

Saber is the Servant of Orla Fannon in the Moon Festival Holy Grail War of Giornico in 1920. He is an enemy of the Isla McCraken, Ian McCraken directly, and presumably the enemy of David Durn as a rival Master. In the same sense, he is presumably the enemy of every other Master and Servant in the war.

As the Saber Servant, he is presumably the greatest threat that must be overcome in the Moon Festival War. This may prove to not be the case however, as the full capabilities of most of the Servants are as yet unknown.

On June 21st, Moon Assassin followed a challenge sent out by Saber to other servants and found him drinking by a lake, south of Bodio. He kept the company of eight half-naked intoxicated women who tried to beckon him to come swimming with them, but he refused. He and Assassin exchanged words briefly and Saber revealed that while he began his day wanting to fight other servants he was now having too much fun to do so. Assassin challenged him to a sparring match which Saber accepted, leading Assassin away from the lake for it. During their fight Saber readily defeated Assassin with two attacks, and the latter left content with the information he'd acquired.

## Relationships

### Moon Assassin (Tanaka Shinbei)

Saber doesn't have much of an opinion of Assassin. In their initial encounter, he made it clear he looks down on the Assassin class and has believes they should stay hidden in the shadows. After defeating him readily he doesn't seem to consider Assassin a threat.

## Abilities

#### **General**

* **Saber Servant.** Saber's base movement speed is 40 (+5ft\*dexterity modifier), and he has a natural AC bonus of +6.
* **Superior Critical.** Saber scores a critical hit on a roll of 18-20.
* **Epic Action Surge.** Saber may take an additional action and possible bonus action immediately. Recharge: 5-6
* **Unflankable.** Creatures surrounding or outnumbering Saber do not gain any bonuses that they would normally gain from flanking (such as a Rogue's Sneak Attack Damage). However, this skill does not apply if Saber is blinded, deafened or incapacitated.
* **Indomitable Nature.** As a reaction, when Saber fails a saving throw he may re-roll it and use the new result.

#### **Equipment**

**Armored Arm.** Saber possesses armor on his right arm that covers it entirely. It was not something he was initially summoned with. This arm allows him to perform a punch that unleashes a wave of force capable of knocking down even servants. Its other uses, if it has any, are unknown. It also grants him a bonus to AC as if it were a +2 shield.

#### **Servant Class & Personal Skills**

**Magic Resistance *(C Rank)***

"Negate non-divine spells of 5th level or lower. Can cast Dispel Magic (5th Lv) with a melee/ranged attack as a bonus action on anything the attack touches. Possesses the Magic Resistance feature."
As a Saber Servant, he is able to resist magic under a certain level of power entirely. Saber's Magic Resistance does not prevent magical effects originating from divine sources.
**Prana Burst: Cutting Edge *(A Rank)***

*"*As a bonus action, surround one's self and Caladbolg with a refined, compact cutting aura. This aura can be expended to perform one of two effects: the next attack with Caladbolg that hits is a critical hit, or the next attack performed has advantage. Recharge: 4-6"
Saber has a contorted fiery aura that swirls around him, emanating primarily from his forearms and shoulder-blades. When wielding Caladbolg, the aura twists around it and extends the range of the blade's edge. This unique prana burst is be comprised of hyper-dense force energy, enough that it feels solid when compressed.
It appears to be required when activating Caladbolg's "Three Great Strokes" function, where it swirls around the blade and compresses completely into it before the Noble Phantasm strikes its target.
**Cursed Words (A Rank)**

*(*The in-game mechanics of this weapon have not been fully explained or revealed yet.*)*
Saber has displayed this skill on two primary occasions. The origin of it is unknown, but its effects seem to force other people into unwitting geas-esque contracts. The first time was when Saber tricked Isla McCraken into commanding him to get out of her way, after which he willingly obliged and reported to Orla that the effect has been put in place. The second occasion was more direct, when he commanded Malaclypse to move out of his way and Malaclypse found himself compelled to do so. The activation of this skill seems to be based around Saber giving or being given orders.

### **Noble Phantasms**

**Caladbolg *(C Rank Anti-Unit)***

*"The Fore-Bearer of Devastating Blades"*
Caladbolg is a Martial Weapon (Greatsword). It is heavy, two-handed and deals 1d10+3 slashing damage.
Caladbolg is wielded one-handed by Saber. The blade is intricate and wide, with a pattern that seems to create folds that give the impression of a "twisting" design. When wielded seriously in conjunction with Saber's "Prana Burst: Cutting Edge" skill, it seems to contort and twist the Prana Burst and any other aura around it. Light reflecting off of it gives off a dazzling rainbow that also seems to twist and warp around it.
This Noble Phantasms's primary purpose seems to be as a powerful anti-unit weapon. When it deals a particularly devastating blow to a target (a Critical Hit, in 5E terms) the damage dealt by the weapon seems to affect the allies of the target within a certain range as well.
**Caladbolg: Three Great Strokes *(C+ Rank Anti-Fortress)***

*"Severed in a Fit of Furious Declaration"*
(*The in-game mechanics of this weapon have not been fully explained or revealed yet.)*
This Noble Phantasm is a secondary ability of Caladbolg, and is considered a Noble Phantasm of its own that can only be used by Saber. Even another Servant capable of wielding Caladbolg would find themselves unable to use this power, which is in itself a sublimation of a distinct event from the sword and Saber's joint history.
While the exact mechanics of this Noble Phantasm have no been revealed from a game-play perspective, its activation required Saber to consolidate the effects of his "Prana Burst: Cutting Edge" skill upon the blade, call Caladbolg's True Name and strike a surface. In its only known use, it was simply used by driving the sword into the floor of a cult's demon-summoning facility, and the structure began to collapse immediately with no other damage dealt.
The purpose of this Noble Phantasm is to completely eliminate structures. As long as the blade makes contact with anything that could be considered a stronghold or landmark, it will destroy it without question. It seems to immediately cause the complete breakdown of the target without requiring sufficient damage.
How this ability affects colossal constructs and living fortresses has not been shown, but it presumably deals great damage to them.
**Death Principle *(B Rank Anti-Unit (Self))***

(This article is under construction) (*The in-game mechanics of this weapon have not been fully explained or revealed yet.)*

When damaged by any attack that doesn't involve water and doesn't deal cold damage, the damage is negated. Saber can select a target within 100 ft and move the negated damage to the target. Special effects from attacks that deal damage (that rely on damage occurring) do not take effect. Effects that cause ability damage, disease, sickness, curses, gaze attacks and otherwise non-damage based effects aren't negated and affect Saber normally. If Saber is killed, the one that struck the final blow suffers the same damage as the killing blow, except treating the damage as if it had rolled maximum on its damage roll. Due to possessing this Noble Phantasm Saber possesses the detrimental Drowned Heart personal skill.
This ability was permanently sealed by Assassin during their fight, preventing this Noble Phantasm from being used for the rest of the war, greatly weakening Saber.

## Gallery

Moon Saber
(Artwork by Vinsuality)Sandcastle Phantasm:
Beach Berserker
(Artwork by Vinsuality)