oathshackledbird | Ruby City Information Post

Character Name: Lancer (Diarmuid Ua Duibhne)
Character Series: Fate/Zero
Cannon Point: ~~The end of Episode 5, "Howl of the Mad Beast"~~ As if the end of Oct 2015, he has now canon updated to the end of Episode16, "The End of Honor." Canon update information is here. CW for mentions of blood and forced suicide.

Headcanon Birthday: April 27th

Residence: At his training school, Spiral.
House 98: Formally Vergil and Dante's home, the house passed to Diarmuid when the twins left the city. He has a room there he treats as a bolt hole when he needs to get away from everything. He will be splitting his time between the school and the house. He has also inherited Vergil's cat, Nero.
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Entry: lancer (diarmuid ua duibhne)
Comments: c: lancer (diarmuid ua duibhne)

Possessions:

Gae Dearg
~~Gae Buidhe~~ Destroyed during his canon update.
His armor
A bronze pocket watch (his communicator)
A female duckling named Caer (won at the summer festival)
A male duckling name Sir Auron and a female kitten named Lulu (adopted them after Yuna left).
A pair of well-made, strong swords about the sizes of Moralltach & Beagalltach.
This pair of glasses. (A gift from NPC Lexington.)
A festival doll of himself dressed as the hare.
A black rabbit's foot.
A black rabbit outfit with this mask and this vest outfit.
A vial of liquid that will allow the drinker to permanently gain an ability from the tale. Understanding/talking to animals. He will drink it on May 1st.
Diarmuid doll dressed as a jouster (well worn, gotten from Ib when she left)
From the Pokemon Event: Pokemon Trainer Card. Set of Sinnoh Badges. Small plushie of Latias.
From the Age Event: Regulus transformed a desk into a pig for Bitty. Since Regulus wasn't the best at transmogrifying things at that age, the pig is like a regular pig, except his skin looks and feels like the wood from the desk. In a burst of creativity, Bitty named him Woody.
Celty's head still protected within the leather bag Mr Gold first put it in. Attached to the bag will be a letter explaining how he came by it and what it is and asking Dia to watch over it and return it to its proper owner should she ever return to the city.
Christmas gifts: Giorno-a heavy emerald green sweater with a deep v-neck (because tiddy windows are beautiful) and a matching hat. Also a note that says "Even if he didn't, I trust you." Jonathan-A book of motivational quotes, a copy of Vanity Fair by William Thackeray, and some equipment for the training school, mostly thick wood boards to make makeshift dummies and weapons out of. His card is tucked into the front cover of Vanity Fair, illustrated with some lovely birds. A Joyous Christmas - Jonathan Joestar. Mr. Gold-a winter coat with a green and brown scarf that puts one in mind of spring growth. Finnian (Secret Santa) -A worn copy of the tales of the Fenian Cycle. It's not in the best shape, but it is how Finny learned to read. Regulus-several bottles of healing and sleeping potions from the few batches Regulus has been able to make with the ingredients available in Ruby City, and a note saying “thank you for your friendship and protection when I needed it most.” Vergil-A custom Japanese calligraphy set, as well as an English calligraphy set, since they're really different. There will also be a sheet of corresponding paper in each set that's been enchanted to erase itself with a tap, so he can practice all he'd like without worrying about wasting paper. Maybe each set has the symbol for the Order of the Sword burned into the top of the box, since it's a symbol that's come to mean a lot to Vergil ever since he started looking more toward Sparda's memory for guidance. He's also definitely giving Diarmuid a scroll that he wrote out himself in traditional Japanese calligraphy that says this ( http://i.imgur.com/RyEcdkM.png ). It's written vertically, but there could also be a horizontal translation at the bottom. I think that proverb really helped him when he needed it, so he'd want to pass it along to his friend. Lisa Lisa-A pair of training wristbands with a small note attached: "Overexertion can lead to complications. I hope these will be of use to you." Ishimaru-A leather-bound diary, a set of carving knives, and a neckerchief for Shizuo.

Dear Diarmuid-sensei -

I know this past year has been difficult for you especially. I...want to remind you that I meant every word I said when we met again that evening. You and the inhabitants of Spiral are like family to me, truly. That isn't something I say lightly, in any situation. When I was unsure how to move forward, you listened to everything I had to say, even when I was afraid it would be pointless. Even the most difficult storms can be weathered with others by your side. I hope yours passes as soon as it can. Whenever it does, I'll still be standing by your side.

- Kiyotaka Ishimaru

Regains via the Emporium:

Moralltach & Beagalltach (Myth Versions), approx. Sept 1st.

Important Notes:

His love curse is still active in the city. Its powers have been reduced, but not completely nullified. A permissions post for the Love Spot and some of his other abilities is here.
Pokemon captured during the Pokemon Event: Latias-Island (Befriended), Moltres-Hot Springs (Befriended), & Arceus-Watch Towers (Befriended).
Found in an old tree not far from the river during the Far Flung Corners Event: A hand-carved music box hidden in the hollow of a tree. It plays an unfamiliar sound. The initials 'L.B.' are written on the lid in shaky handwriting.
Approx 7/27/2016 Diarmuid got a blue fire lizard hatchling he named Dtonnta. Maglor has the lizard's twin.
Dec 2016 tamed a thestral named Muirne. Her brother, Tambo, is with Maglor.

Death Log:

Death One:

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Character Name: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (Lancer)
Canon: Fate/Zero
Original Application: Here!
Current canon point: The end of episode 5: "Howl of the Mad Beast"
Updating to: The end of episode 16: "The End of Honor"

Personality (if applicable): Diarmuid is going to be updating from basically the beginning of his canon to the end of it so he is going to be going through a great deal of personality change. I am going to do a quick summary of the events he is going to be going through and then explain how his personality will change because of it. (Okay, so it's not that quick, but...)

Battle with Saber vs Caster: This battle is going to give Diarmuid another chance to fight with the servant he has come to feel so much respect and honor for against a foe that is the very opposite of everything they stand for. They work very well together as a team and are able to drive Caster back. However, before they can really have any kind of discussion about their views or finishing their duel...
Both of them sense that Diarmuid's master Kayneth has been seriously hurt by Saber's master and Saber allows Diarmuid to go rescue him. Kayneth's magic circuits have been destroyed, leaving him very close to death and unable to move much on his own. He cannot really function as a master anymore. As a result...
Sola-Ui 'convinces' him to give her his remaining command seals. She speaks with Diarmuid and, eventually, the two come to the conclusion they will continue to fight so that they can use the Grail's power to return Kayneth to good health. It is obvious that Sola-Ui is lying about her reasoning, but Diarmuid wants to win for his lord so much that he doesn't confront her about it even if she is reminding him of Grainne to an uncomfortable degree.
Caster decides to attack again and Diarmuid once more teams up with Saber to stop him. They are joined by Rider, Irisviel, and Waver in their efforts. When it comes to light that the only way Caster can be stopped is to remove the cursed injury Diarmuid inflicted on Saber earlier so that she can use her Noble Phantasm at full power, Diarmuid does not hesitate to destroy Gae Buidhe to release the curse. To him, there is no doubt that saving the innocents that Caster would kill and allowing a knight's code of honor to win out is more important than one of his weapons.
Caster is defeated thanks to Diarmuid's willingness to sacrifice his weapon. However, while the battle is concluding, Sola-Ui--who Diarmuid left on a nearby building to safely watch the battle--is kidnapped and the hand with her command seals is severed. Once no longer distracted by the battle, Diarmuid will realize this and begin searching frantically for her.
Eventually, he is force to return to their base without having found her since he has no proper link to her. While she had his command spells, Kayneth is still his proper master. Diarmuid takes his failure to find her very hard.
While the battle is finishing up, Kayneth--now able to move with the help of a wheelchair--speaks with the mediator of the war and is given a command spell as a reward for the part Diarmuid played in helping defeat Caster. To make sure no other masters can claim a command spell after that, Kayneth murders the mediator before returning to base.
Back at their base, when Diarmuid tells Kayneth of his inability to find Sola-Ui, Kayneth tears into his servant. He cuts down all Diarmuid believes in going so far as to mock his beliefs and insist that Diarmuid is no knight at all. A tool cannot be a knight. Diarmuid is so upset by this, that he is nearly brought to tears. However, before he can reply, he hears a car approaching. Irisviel and Saber have arrived at their base. Kayneth sends Diarmuid out to find out what is going on.
Saber has decided with everyone tired from fighting Caster, this may be the only time they have a chance to finish their duel uninterrupted. Diarmuid agrees and getting the chance to fight her fairly is enough to raise his spirits. Even though he knows only one of them will leave the battle alive, he is overjoyed to fight with her and to have gotten to meet her.
While they are dueling, unbeknown to Saber, Irisviel, and Diarmuid, Saber's master faces Kayneth. He was the one who had Sola-Ui kidnapped and he uses her now to force Kayneth to agree to a binding magician's contract. Kayneth and Sola-Ui's lives will be spared if Kayneth uses his last command spell to order Diarmuid to commit suicide.
Kayneth agrees to the deal, and Diarmuid finds himself one moment moving to attack Saber and the next driving his spear through his own heart. When Saber's master, Kayneth and Sola-Ui appear, Diarmuid realizes his life, wishes, and beliefs have all been trampled underfoot just as if he was a tool and not a person. This causes him to mentally snap, descending into what can only be called a maddened frenzy. He fades away cursing everyone there--including Saber who he believes betrayed him--the Grail, and the whole world. As he screams out his hate and rage with blood running from his eyes and mouth, there is basically nothing left of the honorable, hopeful, and loyal knight that was called into the war.

And this is how he will return to Ruby City. While the game will have healed the mortal part of his wounds, it cannot so easily heal a shattered heart and soul. A lot of Diarmuid's character focuses on two knightly aspects of his personality--loyalty and honor. During his first life and again during the war, Diarmuid is forced to chose between those two things. No matter how hard he tries, he can never be both. During his first life, he ran away with Grainne to keep his honor, but that eventually force him to break his loyalty with Fionn. In the war, he tries to be loyal to Kayneth no matter what he is told to do, but very often Diarmuid ends up being honorable over being loyal (for example, when he weakened himself and by extension his master, by destroying one of his Noble Phantasms). By the time he goes to face Saber in the duel right before he dies, Diarmuid feels he has failed at both being loyal (Kayneth doesn't trust him and never has) and being honorable. To have his life taken from him without the chance to finish the duel that was the only bright thing left in him for the war, is devastating. Not only that, he ends up believing (incorrectly) that the only person like him in the war actually lied to and betrayed him just as his master did. It is all too much for him to take and as a result he literally crumbles under the weight of it.

As he will be grabbed and pulled back to the city after he has faded, but before he returns to the Grail, Diarmuid will still be in the grips of that madness and despair. Fortunately, he has a network here that will be able to draw him back closer to himself, but he is never going to be the same naive, optimistic man he was before he was taken away from the city to finish the war. He is going to be less optimistic, less trusting and less open than he has been in the past. He will, however, be free to focus entirely on finding out what exactly Ruby City is because it will be all he has left. If he goes back to his world, he will be erased as if he never was. That is the Fate of all servants. He knows that now, and while he would love to forget everything that happened to him in the war, that is not the natural order of things. Memories are parts of a person's soul and what make them themselves. Even as shattered as his soul may be right now, he does not want to give up anymore than he already has. After all, he doesn't have a whole lot left. And while he does still believe in loyalty, honor, and all those knightly aspects he has shaped his life around, his failure is going to leave him not knowing what he is suppose to be. Diarmuid was a knight his whole life and doesn't really know what else to be. If he can't be that, what is left for him? This is something he is going to have to find out once he returns to the city.

Abilities (if applicable): When Diarmuid returns, he will have lost access to one of his spears, Gae Buidhe, because he destroyed it during battle so that Caster could be defeated by Saber. Otherwise, his abilities will remain the same.

Mod approved on 10/11/15.

Ruby City Information Post

10/31/15: Canon update (CW: Mentions of blood and forced suicide)