Republic Frames

The original S.E.R.V.A.N.T. Frame type and the oldest one to be used in the Starry Night setting. Created by Republic, it allows Masters to summon a Servant and access most of the basic functionalities of a Master-Servant relationship, albeit with some caveats.

Serial Number & Kill Switch

Each Servant summoned into a Republic Frame can be tracked using the unique serial number assigned to each frame. They can also be forced to shut down via Republic’s central network that monitors these Mystic Codes. This essentially works as a kill switch that allows an authorized personnel to disable the Mystic Code, effectively killing the Servant.

A Master has access to said kill switch only if they have bonded with the Servant and gained access to the serial number on the Mystic Code’s core. Once they have bonded with the Servant, Republic loses access to the Servant’s serial number. Otherwise, management of said servant is done via Republic’s central network.

Once initiated, deactivation via the kill switch cannot be revoked. It is the highest privilege granted to the Master who has bonded with the Servant.

A Servant can, however, technically escape the kill signal by leaving the city they inhabit and avoiding contact with a city’s radio waves. However, this is merely a temporary solution, since cities are the only locations in the world where one can obtain mana batteries. In a sense, they would be dooming themselves to a slow death since they cannot absorb atmospheric mana and lack a Master.

Bonding

Arguably, the most unique feature that comes with a Republic Frame is its ability to bond with a Master.

It is possible for anyone (including commoners) to forge a connection with a Servant’s processor core this way, so long as the following conditions have been met:

1. The potential Master has installed artificial magic circuits on their body, which are used to sync up to the processor core to establish an initial connection.
2. The Servant in question isn’t bonded to anyone else at the moment.

The bond grants the master unrestricted access to the processor core’s serial number and by extension, the kill switch that can permanently shut down the Servant unit. This protocol bypasses any defensive mechanism the Servant may set up to prevent their shutdown, and overrides any command issued by the head company monitoring the Servant via their central network.

The act of bonding itself varies, depending on the traits of the Servant. Some Servants demand specific types of actions to form a connection, which is usually tied to their myth or their feats. As such, there is no universal way to perform a bond and it is a case-by-case basis. Because of this, some Masters forego bonding altogether, in case they do not fit the Servant’s criteria.

The bonding process is left vague on purpose. It’s entirely up to the writer’s interpretation and dependent on the Servant in question. Some Servants can bond via a simple formal agreement, such as a contract or a verbal vow, while others require more complicated methods such as a blood pact or a sacrifice.

Severing the Bond

There are multiple ways to sever an established bond:

1. Deactivating the Servant via its kill switch (initiated by the Master).
2. Destroying the Master’s artificial mana circuits (initiated by anyone).
3. Killing the Servant and/or master (initiated by anyone).

After severing the bond, a Servant is able to bond with a new Master provided that they still live. A Master is able to bond with a new Servant provided that their artificial mana circuits have not been damaged.

Risks of Severing the Bond

Severing the bond places great strain on a Master’s artificial magic circuits, which they used to forge the bond. The damage caused is dependent on the location of said artificial circuit.

In addition, severing a bond will plague the current Master with memories of the Servant’s previous Masters in the form of severe hallucinations, a condition labelled as Erosion by current day researchers. Prevention of this backflow of memory is impossible. Prediction of when the hallucinations will hit is impossible. Prolonged exposure to these hallucinations may have negative consequences on a Master’s day-to-day life. Suppressants in the form of pills can alleviate the symptoms somewhat, but they will never truly go away.

Therefore, Magi and Commoners are generally ill-advised to contract with a Servant via bonding unless they have adequately steeled themselves for the consequences. Likewise, if you see a stray Servant in a cardboard box on the side of the street begging for a new owner and/or mana batteries, please call the Servant Shelter Hotline at xxx-xxxx to arrange a retrieval service instead.

See Also

• NHE Frames
• Frame Types