Lancer of Black


 * This article is about the Fate/Apocrypha Servant. For the alternate version of the Fate/Extra Servant, see Vlad III.

Lancer of "Black" ("黒"のランサー) is the Lancer-class Servant of Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia as part of the Black Faction in the Great Holy Grail War of Fate/Apocrypha.

Identity
Lancer's identity is Vlad III, the Lord Impaler (串刺し公 ヴラド三世). He is the lord impaler of the Principality of Wallachia. Motivated by a love of his nation and a duty to maintain its sovereignty and power, he purged all who would oppose its interests.

This is the real man (1431-1476) who was the model for the legend of Dracula. He had a very clear sense of justice but was also brutal, as he executed about one fifth of the population of his country through his life. His homeland, Wallachia, was a small country stuck between the large nations of Turkey and Hungary. He led a tragic life, during which he murdered his father, buried his older brother alive, and went to war against his younger brother. His war against Turkey was a desperate battle including guerrilla warfare and scorched earth tactics, and several times, he left mountains of Turkish enemy soldiers he impaled. He was captured in Hungary due to political circumstances, and spent 12 years in prison. Then, in 1476, he turned his back on the Orthodox Church and converted his country to Catholicism; the same year, he died in a battle against the Turkish army and his younger brother Radu. He 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.

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.

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.

Lancer 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.

Development
He was designed by Gen Urobuchi and illustrated by Hirotaka Maeda for the original cancelled online game project.

Fate/Apocrypha
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.

When Berserker of Red attacks the Black Team's headquarters, several Golems tried to stop Berserkers rampaging but failed. Lancer decided to confront him. During the battle, Lancer uses his Noble Phantasm, Kazikli Bey, against Berserker, impaling him on several spears. With Lancer's spears and several Golem, Berserker's movements were stalled and he was captured by the Black faction.

When Rider came back to fortress to report Saber of Black's death, Lancer punishes Rider by imprisoning the knight in the same chamber where Berseker of Red is being held captive.

Abilities
Lancer is the trump card of the Black Faction. Though the country may be small, his deeds have made him a great hero, and within Romania, the stage of the Holy Grail War, he possibly has the greatest fame of all. He can be considered a match for Heracles in Greece or King Arthur in Britain. He has the Noble Phantasms Kazıklı Bei and Legend of Dracula.

Through his Demonic Defender of the State skill, he is able to mark a region as his personal dominion by securing the surrounding leylines prior to an engagement. He is able to transform Trifas and the surrounding areas into the land he rules over as Lord over a period of two months, and as long as he is within his territory, he receives boosts in the ranks of all his parameters. It is also necessary for the usage of Kazıklı Bei for him to be within the area.