Frederica Bernkastel

Frederica Bernkastel is an exceptionally powerful witch who has lived for over a thousand years. She makes her first appearance in Legend of the Golden Witch as a spectator observing Beatrice's game.

"Spoilers Ahead" This character has very important lore or story elements, with the profile having spoilers for the story and the fate of said character, avoid reading if one would like to pursue the verse without any spoilers for themself.
"Mature Content" This character has mature themes and concepts, thus those of young age are ill-advised to look through these.
Bernkastel
Lesbian Main RenderPachinkoVisual NovelMangaGamesStage PlayAnime 12 ConsoleOriginal SwitchPS3Standing 12 Golden FantasiaHigurashino Naku Koro ni Mei NeutralAttackAlt CostumeGame Sprite 12 ArtworkMaid OutfitBattle Sprite “ I'm sorry about that. She's a bit of a hassle, but don't mind her. Anyway... what an awful turn of events. If this conclusion keeps recurring, it will hardly take a hundred years for your heart to die inside. Please don't give in. Don't give in to Beato. Now that I've pleged my support to you, I will assit you to the best of my ability. You'll need to work hard as well. If you're still on the floor hugging your knees, you need to get to your feet. Let's see... What to say in these situations? Er... Let's see... F... ...Fight on! Mew! Eh-heh! ☆ „ ~ Bernkastel to Battler
Origin
Origin	Umineko When They Cry
Creator	Ryukishi07
First Appearance	Umineko When They Cry - Episode 1 - Legend of the Golden Witch Secret Tea Part -????-
Actor	Yukari Tamura
Characteristics
Species	Witch
Gender	Female
Pronouns	She/Her
Sexuality	Homosexual
Age	Over 1000
Birthday	August 21
Height	Unknown
Weight	Unknown
Ethnicity	Japanese
Status	Alive
Alignment	True Neutral
Archetype	Black Knight, Rival
Occupation	Miko, Senator
Time Period	1986, 1998
Language	Common Language
Combat Style	Debating, Magical Combat
Homeworld	Witch's Domain
Relationships
Affiliations	Lambdadelta, Erika Furudo, Senate
Enemies	Lambdadelta, Battler, Beatrice

Background

This dropdown contains the synopsis of Bernkastel’s story. Read at your own risk as you may be spoiled otherwise!

Before becoming a witch, Bernkastel was trapped in a logic error on a game board created long ago by an unknown Game Master. After a long struggle, she managed to escape and earned the title of "Witch of Miracles." In Twilight of the Golden Witch, Lambdadelta suggests that Bernkastel was originally a cat belonging to Featherine Augustus Aurora, who was later transformed into a witch. According to legend, Bernkastel wandered endlessly through the Sea of Fragments, searching for any Fragment that could revive her master from a death of boredom, even for just a moment. Eventually, the cat succeeded in reviving her master. Legend of the Golden Witch Bernkastel first appears in the ???? as a guest of Beatrice, invited to observe her games in order to alleviate her boredom. Before leaving, she offers the reader a hint regarding Beatrice. Turn of the Golden Witch At the end of the episode, Bernkastel attends Beatrice's Halloween party dressed in a goat costume. Finding the festivities dull, she leaves shortly afterward. In the ????, she speaks with Battler and helps him regain his strength to face Beatrice. She makes it clear that she is no longer merely a spectator and expresses her desire to see Battler win. Banquet of the Golden Witch She briefly appears during EVA-Beatrice's coronation ceremony. In the ????, Bernkastel travels to the world of 1998 and recruits Ange's help to defeat Beatrice and reclaim her brother. Alliance of the Golden Witch Bernkastel assists Ange in entering the meta-world and joining Battler and Beatrice's game, under the condition that she keep her identity hidden. However, Ange is forced to break this rule in order to save Battler when he falls into despair. In the ????, Bern lies in bed with Lambdadelta, discussing Battler's theories. They dismiss them with laughter and declare that Beatrice will not win, and that a miracle will certainly not occur. End of the Golden Witch Bernkastel takes on a more active role in the plot, replacing Battler in the game against Lambdadelta, who has assumed the position of Game Master. She plays through the game up until the second day, using her piece and self-insert, Erika Furudo. Battler soon returns to his position. Throughout the game, Bern begins to reveal her more cruel nature. She uses the red truth to deny that Natsuhi ever had tea with Beatrice prior to 1986, prompting Battler to complain, as it had no relevance to the mystery. In the Tea Party, after Battler is struck down by the red truth and Natsuhi is declared guilty, Bernkastel grants Erika a scythe and bestows upon her the title of Witch of Truth. Dawn of the Golden Witch Bernkastel observes Erika's debate against Battler and later Beatrice. When the Witch of Truth is ultimately defeated, Bern disowns her and casts her into oblivion. Requiem of the Golden Witch Bernkastel assembles a miracle fragment from several other fragments and invites Willard H. Wright to investigate the mystery behind Beatrice's past. She refuses to let him leave until he solves the story of Beatrice and Clair. In the Tea Party, Bern shows Ange and Lion the true events of the Rokkenjima Massacre. Ange is unable to bear the sight and breaks apart into a pile of flesh, resembling her death in Alliance. Bern then sends Lion to a world where another Rokkenjima Massacre occurs. Lion nearly dies from the same injuries suffered in that massacre, but Will saves them just in time. The two attempt to escape, and Bern pursues them with a swarm of cats. In the ???, Bern assumes the role of Game Master for Beatrice's game and declares in red that it will not have a happy ending. Twilight of the Golden Witch Bernkastel is invited to Battler's party and participates in a game with him and Beatrice. Later, Ange falls into the game and is eventually rescued, having been convinced by Bern to retrieve the Book of the One Truth. Bern and her followers launch an attack on Rokkenjima, summoning hordes of goats to consume it. The Book is recovered and taken to the City of Books, where Ange reads it and commits suicide upon learning the truth of the Rokkenjima Massacre—much to Bern's amusement. Ange later revives in the Golden Land and, alongside Battler and Lambdadelta, heads to the City of Books to retrieve the Book before Featherine can reveal its secrets. Bern engages Lambdadelta in a battle of cosmic scale, with the two witches evenly matched. Featherine intervenes and kills Lambdadelta, who crumbles into pieces. Bern continues guarding the Book of the One Truth as Battler and Ange confront her in a final battle. Bern initially kills Battler by overwhelming him with closed-room mysteries, but he is quickly revived once Ange embraces her role as the Witch of Resurrection. Ange then resurrects her entire family and all the illusions that had perished when the Golden Land collapsed, defeating Bern with a single blow and reducing her to a simple cat. In the Tea Party, Bern accepts her defeat and bids farewell to Lambdadelta after sewing her back together, remarking that they may meet again when something else cries.

Appearance

General Description: Bernkastel has long steel-blue hair and emotionless purple eyes. She has a black cat tail with a blue ribbon tied on it.

Clothing/Outfit: A black and white Gothic Lolita dress with a blue ribbon. A white petticoat. Cotton socks. Black Mary Jane shoes.

Physical Traits: In the original visual novel, she is depicted as an individual around her teens. In the remakes, she is depicted as a child, almost half Ronove's height.

Personality

• Emotionless and Easily Bored: Bernkastel initially appears emotionless and gets bored easily. She has forgotten the concept of pain and fear after centuries of being superior to others.

• Sadistic and Willing to Sacrifice Anything: Due to the years of boredom Bernkastel has gained a sadistic side, being willing to kill or sacrifice anything or anyone for her own amusement as for her the game board is merely a game. She treats Erika like garbage when she fails to achieve worthwhile results. She is as playfully cruel as Lambdadelta.

• Holds Grudges: Bernkastel has a tendency to hold grudges, and even a century will not make her forget humiliation she suffered. She creates games with no happy endings, as seen when she lost a game to Beatrice.

Goals

• Stave her boredom (Ongoing).

Relationships

Lambdadelta

Bern holds affection for Lambda, and Lambda reciprocates with great interest in her. Lambda desires a mutual understanding with Bern, as both have endured logic errors in the past. According to Whose Tea Party, Bern used to be quite different and began to open up when Lambda started spending time with her.

The two witches frequently engage in banter filled with cruel yet lewd remarks. Bern sometimes loses control of her emotions, and Lambda is often the one to help steady her.

Bernkastel has admitted on several occassions that she truly loves Lambdadelta. With Lambdadelta always talks about how much she loves Bernkastel, even almost thinking of losing on purpose against Bernkastel until realizing that if she did she would never heard Bernkastel's whispers of love again.

Featherine Augustus Aurora

Bern has served Featherine longer than any of her other mikos, having been granted her witch form by Featherine in the past. She credits Featherine with teaching her how to tear out guts and drag them forth. Though Bern is arguably even more impolite than Ange, Featherine still holds affection for her and remains grateful that Bern cured her boredom so long ago. She also thanks Ange for not killing Bernkastel in their final battle.

Erika Furudo

Erika is a creation of Bernkastel, serving as her self-insert and double. She adores her creator and master above all else, occasionally growing jealous of Lambdadelta's relationship with Bern. Erika is desperate for her master's approval and strives tirelessly to meet her expectations. However, Bernkastel holds little regard for Erika—after the events of Dawn, Bern banished her to oblivion for losing to Beatrice. Despite being abused, ignored, or cast into oblivion time and again, Erika continues to admire Bern and serve her without question.

General Information

Name: Fredrica Bernkastel

Nicknames: Lady Bernkastel, Bern

Titles: Witch of Miracles

Origin: Umineko When They Cry -Episode 1- Legend of the Golden Witch

Overall Series: Umineko When They Cry

Greater Franchise: 07th Expansion

First Appearance

• Manga: Umineko When They Cry - Episode 1 - Legend of the Golden Witch Secret Tea Part -????-

Company

• Video Game:
  • Publisher
    • Japanese: 07th Expansion (For Windows) Taito (For FOMA), Alchemist (For the PS3 & PSP), Aibee (For iOS), Entergram (For Switch & PS4)
    • Worldwide: MangaGamer
• Main Manga
  • Magazine: Monthly Shōnen Gangan, GFantasy, Gangan Joker, Gangan Online, Gangan Powered
  • Publisher
    • Japanese: Square Enix
    • English: Yen Press
• Manga (Umineko Biyori: Rokkenjima e Yōkoso!!)
  • Magazine: Manga Palette Lite
  • Publisher: Ichijinsha
• Manga (Umineko no Naku Koro ni EpisodeX Rokkenjima of Higurashi crying)
  • Magazine: Dengeki G's Festival! Comic
  • Publisher: ASCII Media Works
• Light Novel
  • Imprint: Kodansha Box
  • Publisher: Kodansha
• Anime
  • Network: UHF Stations
  • Licensor: NIS America

Creator

• Video Game
  • Developers: 07th Expansion
  • Writer: Ryukishi07
• Main Manga
  • Writer: Ryukishi07
  • Illustrator: Kei Natsumi (Episode 1, 3, & 8), Jirō Suzuki (Episode 2), Sōichirō (Episode 4), Akitaka (Episode 5), Hinase Momoyama (Episode 6), Eita Mizuno (Episode 7)
• Manga (Umineko Biyori: Rokkenjima e Yōkoso!!)
  • Writer: 07th Expansion
  • Illustrator: Makoto Fugetsu
• Manga (Umineko no Naku Koro ni EpisodeX Rokkenjima of Higurashi crying)
  • Writer: 07th Expansion
  • Illustrator: Yuki Hiiro
• Light Novel
  • Writer: Ryukishi07
  • Illustrator: Tomohi
• Anime:
  • Studio: Studio Deen
  • Director: Chiaki Kon
  • Producers: Mika Nomura, Hiroyuki Ōmori, Takema Okamura
  • Writer: Toshifumi Kawase

Actor

• Visual Novel: Yukari Tamura
• Anime: Yukari Tamura

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Homosexual (Cuddled with Lambdadelta on their bed. When Lambd asks Bern to play with her Bern obliges saying she'll play with her until she breaks. In Bernkastel and Lambdadelta's ending in Golden Fantasia they are cuddling while talking about philosophy. Admitted her love for Lambdadelta. Helped patch up Lambdadelta while also saying she loved her. Bern and Lambd refer to themselves as two lovers)

Pronouns: She/Her

Handedness: Right-Handed

Age: Over 1000

Birthday: August 21

Time Period

• On the Game Board: 1986
• In the present world: 1998

Timeline: Umineko Timeline

Homeworld: Witch's Domain

Residence: Unknown

Story Role: Primary Antagonist

Legacy: Local Legacy (Witches are only known by those that believe in magic due to the mass amount of anti-magic toxins in the human world)

Influence: Event Influence

Language: Common Language

Ethnicity: Japanese (Bernkastel is composed of all the negative emotions and memories from the Rika Furude that endured 100 years of torment in Higurashi)

Religion: Abrahamic Origins (Aware of Heaven and Hell and of God)

Classification: Mikto to the Witch of Theatergoing

Species: Witch

State of Being: Regular

Physiology: Witch Physiology

In-Universe Creator: Unknown

Occupation: Miko, Senator

Combat Style: Debating/Magical Combat

Affiliations: Lambadelta, Erika Furudo, Senate

Enemies: Lambadelta, Battler, Beatrice

Height: Unknown

Weight: Unknown

Status: Alive

Alignment: True Neutral (Bernkastel only helps Battler out of boredom of Beatrice's endless story and wanting to see something new. Does not like Battler's approach of trying to end the game peacefully believing it will be more satisfying with a more brutal ending)

Threat Level: Street Threat (Bern does not care about anything beyond staving her own boredom being a threat to those she thinks may stave her boredom)

Potential

• Type(s) of Potential: Transcendent Potential
• Level of Potential: Transcendent
• Description: The accepted theory of a witch is that one becomes one the moment they gain possession of a power surpassing the boundaries of Humans that they can use as will.
• Limitations: It is up to them how much they wish to transcend into higher layers.

Archetype: Black Knight / Rival

Codex Statistics

Grade: S (Beatrice refers to Bernkastel as the most powerful witch of all

Tier: High 10-C. At least 2-C in the Meta World

Cardinality: Finite

Dimensionality: 3-D in her humanoid form, Devoid in truth

Power Source:

Attack Potency: High Subhuman level (Outside of the Metaworld Bernakstel is Tohya Hachijo's cat). At least Universe level (Buster) in the Meta World (Directly noted in Lambdadelta and Bernkastel's fight that they were destroying the universe itself). Can ignore conventional durability in the Meta-World (The Meta World is largely a conceptual plane where attacks are done through the usage of truths. Where witch hunters normally need to consider conceptual areas that withces escape too, with conceptual denials used as a primary weapon)

Durability: High Subhuman level. At least Universe level in the Meta World. Existence in the Meta-World makes them very difficult to kill (Death in the Meta World is ultimately meaningless a pawn being removed from the game board, a "death" only in the game and once the game resets the pawn can be returned to life over and over, the other being the death of being outside of the game where one loses interest in playing the game anymore effectively being a death as they refuse to come back, otherwise standard "death" does not exist. Even if a witch is killed in the human domain they still exist within the Meta World) & Due to Featherine's Protection (The Witch of Theater provides protection for the Witch of Recitation and attacking her miko is an attack on the master)

Striking Strength: High Subhuman Class. At least Universe Class (Buster) in the Meta World

Lifting Strength: Below Average Human Class. Far Higher in the Meta World

Travel Speed: Superhuman Speed (Cats can reach a top sprinting speed of 30 mph), Far Higher in the Meta World (Magic Augmentation can amplify one to reach the speed of sound and even surpass it including if they are being augmentated by their jealously)

Attack Speed: Superhuman Speed, Far Higher in the Meta World

Reaction Speed: Superhuman Reaction (A cats reaction speed is about ten times faster then an average human, being able to react within 20 milliseconds), Far Higher in the Meta World

Stamina: Average. Superhuman in the Meta-World ()

Range: Standard Melee, Multiversal+ with Probability Manipulation (Bernkastel notes that it is due to Battler being aligned with her that Ange can still cling to the ope of a miraculous reunion with her familiy of all infinite futures, with it also being noted that there are infinite fragment worlds) & as a Voyager Witch (Voyager Witches are capable of freely traveling through worlds of different fates and circumstances), Extra-Multiversal with other abilities (Hurled Erika into the depths of oblivion along with the worst possible fragments, being noted by Bernkastel that she tossed her all the way into the deepest parts of oblivion)

Intelligence: Genius Intelligence (Bernkastel playing for Battler made him question why is pawn suddenly became so smart. The battle between Bernkastel and Lambadelta in their debate made Bernkastel comment on how shoddy Battler and Beatrice's attempts were in their gameboards)

Knowledge: Grandmaster level (Bernkastel easily cornered Beatrice, Natsushi, and Battler defeating them in the Witch's Trial, with Battler himself realizing that Bernkastel knows the rules of the gameboard perfectly to be able to easily corner Beatrice)

---

Powers and Techniques

Standard AbilitiesInnate Abilities

Standard Fighter AbilitiesAccess to Truths

• Superhuman Physical Characteristics
  • Superhuman Strength
  • Superhuman Durability
  • Superhuman Speed
  • Superhuman Reaction
  • Superhuman Energy Efficiency
• Fighter's Intuition (Fighters can throw out short ranged quick attacks average-ranged, average damage dealing attacks, or jigh-ranged, high damage dealing attacks, however these attacks come out slow. Fighters can do typical throw attacks that can be countered if the opponent uses inputs throw at the same time)
• Partner Swap (The fighters can switch in with their partner fighter during battle)
• Acrobatics (Fighters can run and jump along with doing super jumps while fighting against their opponents)
• Guard Break (A break limit is a gauge dictating how long fighters can block and guard from attacks before it breaks)
• Counter (Guard Touch is a method to counter against guard breaks to temporarily stun the enemy. Knockback Guard Touch causes the enemy to knockback from the counter)
• Second Wind (Fighters can get back up after one round and continue to fight)
• Staggering (Fighters can combo a fighter enough to where they enter a state where they're dizzy)
• Invulnerability
  • Physical Invulnerability: Assault Touch is an invicible dash attack that has the fighter crash into the opponent. Assault Touch can go through special attacks.
• Forcefield Manipulation (Damage Touch is a combo breaker that causes the opponent to fly far away)
• Metaphysics Manipulation (Once fully charged, a fighter can activate Meta-World at the cost of one stock, which alters the stage's appearance. While Meta-World is active, the passive abilities of the activating fighter takes effect. The fighter also gains access to their meta attacks for the duration, as long as they continue performing the correct button inputs)
  • Nullification
    • Metaphysical Nullification: Fighters can cancel Meta-World by activating it themselves as soon as it is declared. In response, the first fighter may reactivate it again, provided they still have enough stocks and the other fighter can attempt denying it again.

Red TruthBlue TruthGolden TruthPurple Statement

• Truth Manipulation (Red Truths are a concept where everything said in red is the truth, the user of the red truth is under no obligation to provide further proof as what is said is objective)
  • Reality Warping (Red truths change facts)
  • Logic Manipulation & Mind Manipulation (Red Truths can change logic and everyone's perception of logic to where everyone suddenly believed Kinzou could survive a jump out of a third-story window and be unhurt despite beforehand trying to claim Natsuhi is hiding Kinzou)
  • Law Manipulation (Red Truths can be shared across all game boards and can operate into the human world)

• Truth Manipulation (Blue Truths are much like Red Truths except for use against the opponent's position)
  • Negation (Blue Truths refute and nullify the ability to use a red truth if the theory is too solid)
  • Denial: Blue Truths make a theory that denies the opponent.

• Truth Manipulation (Golden Truths exist as a means to counter a red truth in certain situations)
  • Nullification
    • Truth Nullification: Golden Truths are sometimes superior to red truths, being able to overturn a red truth.

• Truth Manipulation (Purple Truths hold the same power as red truths)

Standard Witch AbilitiesMain AbilityOther AbilitiesAs Featherine's MikoGame Master

• Superhuman Physical Characteristics
  • Superhuman Strength (The murders committed by Beatrice were noted to only be feasible if there were four armed people and can easily mutilate a persons body after killing them)
  • Superhuman Durability
  • Superhuman Speed
  • Superhuman Reaction
  • Superhuman Energy Efficiency
• Intimidation (A witch's portrait and stories can unnerve one enough to send a chill down their spine)
• Longevity (Witch's can live for over a thousand years, and this is considered young for a witch. In the world of wtiches, six years can be a thousand and a thousand years can pass in a single sweep)
• Contract Bestowal (Witch's can forge contracts in return for one's soul)
  • Soul Manipulation
• Immortality
  • Life and Death Immunity: To a witch, death on the game board is nothing more then sitting to the side of chess board, and they can freely enter back into the game board even if they're dead.
• Dimensionless Existence (Witches are real and exists however they has no form lacking a body therefore ordinary people cannot see them unless they wish it)
  • Abstract Existence
    • Mathematical
      • Primordial Source: Witches exists as illogical integers, having a case where there can be more then 18 people but less then 19. Battler likens a witch's existence to an imaginary number. Witches can exist as mere illusions that should not exist, even after being noted to be a hallucination by a red truth.
      • Personal Nonexistence
        • Mathematical Nonexistence:
      • Logic Manipulation
  • Transformation
    • Shapeshifting: Witches can take a human form if they wish or can sometimes manifest in the form of a shining butterfly.
  • Extra-Planar Existence (Witches naturally exist in higher planes where they can view the "game world" from. Witches are cast adrift from the physical human plane and walk between fragments. The accepted theory of a witch is that one becomes one the moment they gain possession of a power surpassing the boundaries of Humans that they can use as will. In the world of Umineko it is noted that there's the Chessboard, the Meta Room, and the witches world which each of the different worlds being hierarchically piled up and the witches critiquing the lower world)
  • Personal Domain (Witches create a world or Fragment in which they can use their powers freely known as a "territory")
    • Pocket Reality Manipulation
  • Avatar Creation (Witches can make themselves pieces in the game world as they view themself from the higher-plane. The pieces can also still operate even if their higher plane self is effectively loses all will. It's noted that choosing a piece is the equivalent of a character select screen of a video game and one's consciousness from the higher plane can be sucked away when throwing their piece in)
  • Incorporeality (Witches initially manifest as shadowy figures that cannot be seen or felt asides from the occasional odd sixth sense)
    • Invisibility (It's noted that witches like Beatrice have mysterious happenings happen around the mansion with no one ever seeing anyone, down to claims of seeing floating lights and shining butterflies along with eerie footsteps echoing through the halls. Witches are completely invisible to those who either do not believe or they do not wish to show themselves too)
    • Intangibility
      • Phasing: Witches can phase their hand through objects.
      • Planar: Witches cannot be interacted with in their domain without summoning a pawn into their domain.
• Empowerment (October is the most active time for the powers of witches and demons)
• Supernatural Resilience (Supernaturals are perfectly fine with small holes in their chest even being able to play with it with no real injury)
• Precognition (Witches can have premonitions of the future)
• Extra-Planar Existence (Witches naturally exist in a higher realm from the human world)
• Magic (It's noted by Maria that witches can do anything with magic)
  • Emersion (It's noted that witches like Beatrice can step out of their own portrait and prowl the halls)
  • Flight (Witches can fly)
  • Creation (Witches can make gold appear out of thin air)
  • Absolute Access (Witches can attempt passage by physical, conceptual, or other means. Witches can travel outside of the story to the realm where Featherine resides)
  • Erasure
    • Physical Erasure: Noted how Kanon's corpse was erased for fun.
  • Transferal (Witches can transfer their power to other witches)
  • Regeneration
    • Type: Immortality-Based
    • Source: Magical
    • Capabilities: Witches possess the power to endlessly regenerate to where any concept of destruction or decay no longer applies.
  • Non-Standard Defenses (Witch's can take being pierced by Red Truths)
  • Duplication (For witches it is easy to make a hundred from one)
  • Subjective Reality (Witches can bring objects back into existence with magic through belief. Witches have the power to make whatever they think reality"Umineko When They Cry - Episode 3 - Banquet of the Golden Witch (Visual Novel)">Umineko When They Cry - Episode 3 - Banquet of the Golden Witch (Visual Novel)</ref>)
  • Emotion Manipulation (Witch's can give love and steal it away)
  • Light Manipulation (Witches can make floating lights and shining butterflies)
    • Animal Manipulation
  • Weather Manipulation (The summoning of a witch causes massive storms and winds, cutting an island off from the rest of the world)
  • Lock Manipulation (A witches magic can not only forcibly lock doors but it can also make it where doors cannot be locked)
  • Miracle Manipulation (The ability to win despite the astronomical odds is a "miracle" while the astronomical rewards received from such a bet is "magic")
  • Paradox Manipulation (The usage of magic causes layered world compression causing an effect similar to paradoxes like Schrodinger's Cat.
  • Forcefield Manipulation (Witches can make anti-bullet barriers though it requires significant practice and ritual preparation)
  • Illusion Manipulation (Lambdadelta notes that she can use her witch's illusion to crush one's spirit, the witch's illusion exists to prove they exist)
  • Fate Manipulation (Witches can bestow one with the Golden Butterfly Brooch, an object that arranges all fate variables in a favorable manner to form relationships between the sexes)
  • Resistance Manipulation (It is revealed in reality that witches set their own weaknesses as they believe being an all-powerful witch with no weaknesses would lead them to boredom)
• Plot Manipulation (Witches like Bernkastel and Lambdadelta showcase that they can interfere in a game master's gameboard and tamper with the story. This is even shown in Bernkastel and Lambdadelta's story mode in Umineko: Golden Fantasia where they tamper with Beatrice's game board just by entering it. The witches domain is a world of narrative, where a witches true form resides while their human self resides in the human domain).

• Resistance to
  • Disease Manipulation (Noted by Maria that witches don't get sick)
  • Mortality Manipulation & Plot Manipulation (Witches are incapable of being killed through the execute command which changes a character's bio to explain how their story ended)
  • Conceptual Manipulation (Witches need to fight against the trials where disproving their existence puts their life on the line though denial of their existence is translated as pain which they can take until there's no possible way to prove their existence)

• Probability Manipulation (Bernkastel is the witch of miracles with the ability to make anything come about "as long as its possibility is greater than zero". Bernkastel can look through fragmented worlds to look for the possibility that best suits one. Bern can also declare something being an absolute 0% chance of happening. Bernkastel is able to enclose a story in a larger catbox than Beato's catbox allowing for characters to appear from far rarer possibilities. Merged multiple fragments into one world where far off and rare possibilitiex exist. Could search through over 2 million universes to produce a rare miracle)
  • Miracle Manipulation (As she's noted to be the Witch of Miracles where irregularities and miracles are commonplace in her hands. It's noted on her profile that her vast power is capable of creating all kinds of miracles. Noted that she can fold a piece of paper a hundred times so that it can reach the moon. It was noted Bernkastel's hell could only be escaped through a miracle. Bernkastel as the witch of miracles can deny all miracles making it where no matter how much someone willpowers through something they will not win as there will be no miracle)
  • Dimensional Travel (Can casually go to different fragments with a flick of her fingers)

• Social Influencing (Bernkastel notes that she can bend anyone to her will without fail, even Beatrice, the endless witch as she is the cruelest witch in the world)
• Breaking the Fourth Wall (Lambdadelta, Beatrice, and Bernkastel are all aware of the 4th wall, calling out the readers and the episodes)
• Sheer Will (Lambdadelta and Bernkastel are the only two witches known to have successfuly resumed a game from a logic error where the witch is trapped in a sealed off room forced to find a way to get out of their logical paradox for eternity. It was described by Lambdadelta that her and Bernkastel's hells is what had them raise to become the Witch of Miracles and Witch of Certainty respectively)
• Abstract Existence
  • Idea
    • Manifestation: Bernkastel is composed of all the negative emotions and memories from the Rika that endured 100 years of torment in Higurashi.
• Avatar Creation (Manifested herself as a pawn in the gameboard after considering Battler too incompetent)
• Weapon Creation (Can create a scythe out of magic)
• Multiple Jumps (Bernkastel is able to double jump)
• Air Dash (Bernkastel is able to dash while in the air)
• Curtain Fire
  • Multi-Directional & Rapid Fire: Bernkastel can throw thousands of differnet mystery novels at once where they need to instatenously solve the mystery of each one that hits them or they will die.
• Familiar Summoning (Bernkastel can naturally summon cat hundreds of cat familiars to attack her opponent)
  • Familiar (Her basic attacks are using the shadows of her cat familiars)
    • Glyph Manipulation (Her familiars can conjure glyphs to attack the enemy)
• Information Analysis (Bernkastel is able to understand and explain the weakness of Beatrice's ability)
• Creation (Created Clair Vauxof Bernardus to be a Reader or a substitue actor being a vessel used to personify Beatrice)
  • Dimensional Travel (Voyager Witches are capable of freely traveling through worlds of different fates and circumstances. Can travel into the sea of fragments which are fragment worlds)
• Non-Standard Damage (Bernkastel is able to fully destroy game boards)
• Erasure
  • Metaphysical Erasure: Erased the metaphysical form of Kinzou and replaced it with the red truth of a Kinzou that never cared about Natsuhi.
• Absorption & Consumption
  • Metaphysical Absorption/Consumpion: (Once on a level of a voyager or higher witches can effectively eat one having that one become one with them merges their individuality into one.
• Statistics Boost (Her Meta World declaration boosts her Meta Gauge and Meta-World)
• Battlefield Removal
  • Application Based: Hurled Erika into the depths of oblivion along with the worst possible fragments, being noted by Bernkastel that she tossed her all the way into the deepest parts of oblivion.
    • Portal Manipulation (Can drop one into a portal and trap them within it)
• Space-Time Manipulation (Can interact with fragment pieces which are fragment worlds that are like the past to Battler. Made a world of stopped time so that all alterations to the plot could be instantaneous. Bernkastel can lock an area in a malestrom of compressed time cutting it loose from the rest of the universe. Naturally generates fragments around her)
  • Time Manipulation
    • Time Stop (Bernkastel stopped time appearing before Ange. Froze time indefinetely until Beatrice's funeral is over)
  • Earth Manipulation (Can spawn crystals from the fragments she holds to spawn right under the enemy. Can fire a five-way projectile of crystals)
• Spirit Manipulation (Canc reate several spirit creatures that home into and bite into the enemy)
  • Homing Attack
• Plot Manipulation (Bernkastel and Lambdadelta are witches of the Senate who decide how much a tale's worth and write the tale down in the annals of history. Noted by Bernkastel that she can rewrite a story to make Natsuhi a tragic heroine if she shows the courage to make Kinzou the culprit and after she refused weaved together fragments of truth to make it where Natsuhi actually slept with Kinzou)
• Thread Manipulation (Bernkastel's threads can re-sow one's body back allowing them to move their body parts again).

• Resistance to
  • Truths (Took no damage from being hit by Willard's red truth)
    • Truth Manipulation
  • Erasure
    • Metaphysical Erasure: Was able to regnerate from Lambdadelta's candy bomb, which results in the birth of a small universe directly hitting from the inside of one's stomach as the opponent's existence flickers in and out.

• Supernatural Protection (When Ange was appointed as Featherine's reader, Featherine noted she will protect her as she follows through the story. It's been re-affirmed that the Witch of Theater provides protection for the Witch of Recitation and attacking her miko is an attack on the master)
• Plot Manipulation
  • Reader Authority: Featherine appointed Ange as an observer where she reads the storybook for Featherine aloud with Featherine calling her the reader.

Bernkastel was appointed by Featherine Augustus Aurora as a game master, granting her:

• Reality Warping (Game Masters are the controllers of the game board)
  • Bestowal (Game Masters can grant the power to one to pull the truth from someone, known as "the right to spectate")
  • Plot Manipulation
    • Author Authority: Game Masters are telling entire stories and controlling it how they see fit with their pawns gameboard stories are compared to films such as mysteries and splatter films. Erika getting the title and power of Game Master was able to construct a new truth on the game board and give it a new title. Game Masters can smoothly alter their plot at will.
  • Illusion Manipulation (The Game Master can establish an illusory court when one believes they have found the culprit)
  • Law Manipulation (Game Masters can make entire court trials based off the games they made)
  • Truth Manipulation (Game Masters have full control over what is or isn't truth. Through this control, they decide the story of the world and how it will play out)
  • Mortality Manipulation (Battler as Game Master was able to full reconstruct an entirely new Beatrice without her old memories)

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Equipment

Her Main PieceHer Other Pieces

Erika Furudo

• Description: Erika is her primary piece that she used during Episodes 5 and 6 and then used again in Episode 8.
• Usage: Used as a piece in the game.
• Function: She functions as a human who is given the detective's authority and faces the human side while summoning Dlanor A. Knox to deal with the witch's side.

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Ange Ushiromiya

• Description: Ange is a piece she had through manipulating her into wanting to find the truth.
• Usage: Used as a piece in the game.
• Function: She uses Ange as a means to destroy Beatrice's game for good.

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Willard

• Description: Willard was a piece she invited into her game board in Episode 7 and then forced to answer her question of who killed Beatrice.
• Usage: Used as a piece in the game.
• Function: No function details provided.

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Lion Ushiromiya

• Description: Lion Ushiromiya was a piece Bernkastel had in episode 7. Lion is in truth an alternate timeline Beatrice in a low miracle reality where Natsuhi actually takes care of the baby instead of trying to kill it.
• Usage: Used as a piece in the game.
• Function: No function details provided.

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Notable Techniques

Main AbilitiesStandard Fighter TechniquesWith Truths

Magic of Miracles

Bernkastel can use "magic of miracles" to reset a bad situation, as long as the chance of it becoming favorable is not zero. She has experienced being played with and imprisoned in a cruel fate in the past by Lambdadelta when she was a human, and thus cannot ignore the fate of those in similar circumstances.

She can use a long black scythe which serpates miracles from reality.

Her miracles allows her to manipulate Fragments and even merge them together.

Familiars

Bernkastel can transform into a cat and evoke an apparently infinite number of cat furniture. She can summon kitty death lords to fire beams at her opponent. She is also capable of combining her cat furniture to create the monstrosity known as the Leviathan, summoning a giant snake to swallow the opponent.

Standard Attacks (A Button)

Short-ranged, low damage dealing attacks, the typical fighter's attack, however these attacks come out fast.

Standard Attacks (B Button)

Average-ranged, average damage dealing attacks, these move also at decent speed.

Standard Attack (C Button)

High-ranged, high damage dealing attacks, however these attacks come out slow.

Partner Switch

The fighters can switch in with their partner fighter during battle.

Throw

A typical throw attack, can be countered if the opponent uses inputs throw at the same time.

Specials

When the special gauge is up, a character can utilize their special attacks.

EX Specials

Stronger specials that take away one of the fighters stocks.

Super

The fighter's super attack that causes two stocks to use.

Break Limit

A break limit is a gauge dictating how long fighters can block and guard from attacks before it breaks.

Touch

Guard Touch is a method to counter against guard breaks to temporarily stun the enemy.

Knockback Guard Touch causes the enemy to knockback from the counter.

Damage Touch is a combo breaker that causes the opponent to fly far away. Though damage touch greatly increases the charge recovery time.

Assault Touch is an invicible dash attack that has the fighter crash into the opponent. Though it greatly increases the charge recovery time. Assault Touch can go through special attacks.

Stunning

Fighters can combo a fighter enough to where they enter a state where they're dizzy. In this state, they cannot do bursts.

Metaworld Gauge

A red gauge appears beneath the timer. Once fully charged, a fighter can activate Meta-World at the cost of one stock, which alters the stage's appearance. While Meta-World is active, the passive abilities of the activating fighter takes effect. The fighter also gains access to their meta attacks for the duration, as long as they continue performing the correct button inputs. The opponent can cancel Meta-World by activating it themselves as soon as it is declared. In response, the first fighter may reactivate it again, provided they still have enough stocks.

Red Truths

The Red Truth is an absolute truth spoken in red text, introduced by Beatrice during her game with Battler. Everything said in red is the truth, and the speaker is under no obligation to provide further proof confirming what they say. Red truths cannot be used for things where the speaker cannot give an explanation, though they can tweak facts if an explanation can be provided.

It is normally advisable not to use red truths when one already has the advantage. They can be used to insult someone as if it were the truth, and can fix quick mistakes. In Episode 3, Beatrice notes that everything she speaks in red is absolute and unwavering truth with no room for dispute.

Battler discovers that red truths are a double-edged sword that can cut one down if used carelessly. The red is information that exposes the truth and allows a counterattack if used incorrectly.

The Red Truth is defined as an absolute truth and a tool available to witches. Witches can permit humans to use Red Truths. Red truths cannot be used to force oneself to speak in red when unable, which will cause suffocation. There are no red truths in the Human World.

The usage of a red truth effectively changes everyone's perception of logic, such as making everyone believe Kinzou could jump out of a third-story window and be perfectly unhurt upon landing.

Red truths can only be said about actual truth. If a witch's trick contradicts the red truth, it is a lie which breaks the rules.

There are two types of red truths: one that applies to a specific game board and one that is shared across all game boards and can operate outside the cat box.

Blue Truths

Blue Truths were introduced when Beatrice allowed Battler to use them in Episode 4. They function similarly to red truths, but the blue truth must deny the witch's position or it is not valid. For example, "There are five master keys" is not a valid blue truth as it does not deny the witch. Instead, it must be phrased as "In actuality, there are more than five master keys, and the killer used an extra key to access the locked room!"

Blue truths allege that humanity and clever trickery are the truth of the matter. Witches can use blue truths too, as they exist purely to denote a theory that denies the opponent, forcing the opponent to disprove the blue with a red truth.

Blue truths not only refute red truths but make them unable to be used if their theory is too solid for a red truth to counter.

Golden Truths

Golden Truths were introduced when Battler rose to the level of a Game Master and used one to prove a corpse could be identified as Kinzou Ushiromiya after a red truth countered it. Golden truths can only be used by the Game Master. The strength of the truth varies; its power is equal to a red truth, sometimes inferior but other times superior.

Purple Truths

Purple Truths were introduced by Bernkastel during the final game. Purple statements have equivalent power to red truth. However, only the culprit is capable of lying in purple statements.

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Other

Standard Tactics

• Unique Tactics: Lambdadelta and Bernkastel will endlessly play with something that interest them but if something doesn't interest them or no longer interests them they will discard of it immedieatly.
• Chess Board Debates: Characters in Umineko on the chess board largely fight in debates, normally over one's existence (notably witches or supernatural creatures), as a typical fight will not do much to either side if it's two witches or it would be unfair for a human. Game Masters normally need to construct a story in order to do a debate making sure there's no paradoxes or fatal logical fallacies as these all largely matter to make the debate even otherwise the witch would just win.
• Out of Chess Board: When not cosigning to debates, characters instead decide to fight physically being able to utilize different punch and kick combos along with weapons or supernatural powers.

Weaknesses

• Witch Weaknesses: One can make special chants or charms to protect themself and others from witches. These charms protected Natsuhi from the witches attacking her. Maria initially thought Battler was safe from Beatrice due to the charm she gave him with Battler admitting later he actually did have it. It's further explained that these charms are the fifth pentacle of mars, acting as a powerful ward against evil making it difficult for magical beings to get past. A witch cannot fully complete their miracle if one person born with a high resistance to magic doesn't believe in magic fully, making their magic slowly stop working overtime. Witches cannot appear before everyone as long as someone with a high resistance to magic denies their existence. If too many gazes turn a witches way with their anti-magic toxins they will cause the witches body to vanish. Spiders and their cobwebs are able to ward off evil. Witches are in constant need of entertainment or else they will literally die of boredom. Beatrice notes most witches grow tired of life after a millennium. Boredom is considered a direct toxin to witches. Eternal boredom is the worst poison of all: that which kills all witches. Holy based magic even if it's not targeted towards a witch can seal and weaken their powers. Items such as the Spirit Mirror showcase their ability to suppress the evil spirits of Akujikishima and by proxy can effect witches and holds evil spirits at bay. Witches cannot completely debunk the argument of the human realm as scientific and magical theories co-exist making it where to fully prove their existence they would need to show it, allowing things like Battler to ever deny a magical battle happening because there are no leftover traces or proof of it. Beatrice explains to EVA-Beatrice that contemporary humans like Battler have a fundamental denial of all magic, being made of anti-magic toxins, which can be spread and weaken a witch's magic. Witches when using summoning or resurrection spells require a vessel, without it, a difficult spell becomes virtually impossible. A denial of a witch's existence is translated as pain for them. Most witch items lose their power if they are not given directly by the witch. Magic is limited by what the user believes they can achieve, it being the reason the seven sisters of purgatory couldn't kill Ange's classmates at St. Lucia's. Witch's cannot commit logic errors within the rules of the game as it would go against red truths causing them to not make magic that's still feasibly a trick under human methods. If they are caught within a logic error their soul is trapped in the sealed room for eternity with them trying to figure out how to get out of it through the logic error. Unless a witch becomes a Voyager Witch, most witches cannot leave their territory at will.
• Truth Weaknesses
  • Red Truth: Red Truths cannot be used for cases where the explanation cannot be given an explanation with a red truth. They are a double-edge sword that can be used against the user if they use it incorrectly. One cannot use red truths to speak in red for something they do not believe. Red Truths do not exist in the human world as they possess powerful anti-magic toxins. Witches cannot use red truths to lie and can only be said about the actual truth.
  • Blue Truth: Blue Truths can only be used to deny the opponent's position, it cannot be used to make an assertion unless it specifically is worded in a way that denies the opponent's position.
  • Golden Truth: Golden Truths can only be used by the Game Master.
  • Purple Statement: Purple Truths hold the same power as red truths, however the culprit can lie in purple statements, making it harder to be able to tell when it is the truth or not.
• Game Master Weaknesses: Game Masters in reality have a difficult process when constructing their stories as they need to watch out for paradoxes and logical fallacies as inconsistencies within the story that cause paradoxes can prove fatal to the game and instantly cause it to fall flat on its face and disintegrate.
• Miko Weaknesses: Featherine cannot aid her Miko if she is busy recording another's end, only being able to have her familiars assit. If the opponent of the Miko is a game master that has invoked creating a story then Featherine will not interfere and return to merely being an observer.
• Magic Weaknesses: Magic requires risk, every kind of magic carries its own risk and weaknesses.
• Unique Weaknesses: Bernkastel can deal with beings that she can understand but as she cannot understand Beatrice in the least she notes there is no way for her power to emerge victorious against hers. Lambdadelta and Bernkastel are trying to find anything to keept them interested thus if something interests them they will keep going with it even if it ends up being detrimental to them. Bernkastel refuses to have her past be brought up, with it being noted that her reasons for escaping boredom is that boredom reminds her of the unimaginable hell she experienced. Bernkastel's powers cannot work in a situation where something has an absolute certainty. Bernkastel is not used to pain not feeling it for centuries. When taking too much damage she reverts into her cat form.

Explanations

In-Universe ExplanationsOut of Universe Explanations

Rokkenjima

Rokkenjima is an island in the Izu Archipelago South of Tokyo, being a small island no more than six miles across and owned by the wealthy Ushiromiya family. The island is plentiful with wildlife (specifically large flocks of seagulls) being left largely untouched by the Ushiromiya family and they only disappear to incite disaster occurring. The island was bought by the head of the Ushiromiya Family after the great Kanto earthquake nearly brought the clan to ruin in 1923.

During the events of Episode 3 and onward, Rokkenjima entered a state of being a layered world, where both scientific and magical theories coexist thus neither side can cancel out the others arguments.

Ushiromiya Family

A wealthy family that annually goes to Rokkenjima island for family gatherings. There was a time when the great Kanto earthquake brought the Ushiromiya clan to ruin in 1923 but the head of the Ushiromiya family used his considerable talent and astonishingly good luck to revive the family's fortunes, being the one to have bought Rokkenjima where he makes his home. This is done due to his legendary ten tons of gold that he used as the foundation of his fortune, which other members of the Ushiromiya family are trying to get through inheritance of finding the location of the gold. According to Kinzou Ushiromiya he got ten tons of gold by making a contract with the witch Beatrice.

Those that marry into the Ushiromiya family are not treated the same as those born by blood into it, they are never allowed to wear the family's crest even after marrying into it and are treated like a complete outsider due to not sharing the blood being considered by some of the family members "glorified maid-servant" and insulted at the idea of receiving any orders from those that do not share the blood.

The family is sat in according to the line of succession which is as follows: Head of the Family, Kinzou Ushiromiya -> Future Head of House, Krauss Ushiromiya (Jessica's Father) -> Second in Line, Eva Ushiromiya (George's Mother) -> Third in Line, Rudolf Ushiromiya (Battler's Father) -> Fourth in Line, Rosa Ushiromiya (Maria's Mother) -> Fifth in Line, Jessica Ushiromiya -> Sixth in Line, George Ushiromiya -> Seventh in Line, Battler Ushiromiya -> Eight in Line, Maria Ushiromiya -> Ninth in Line, Natsuhi Ushiromiya (Jessica's Mother) -> Tenth in Line, Hideoyoshi Ushiromiya (George's Father) -> Eleventh in Line, Kyrie Ushiromiya (Rudolph's Second Wife)

Spirit Attunement

It's explained by the family servant Chiyo Kumasawa that every human being has the ability to sense the presence of ghost, but this affinity gradually fades with age, characters like Maria Ushiromiya being the youngest of the family is able to sense oncoming calamities and disasters.

Witch of Rokkenjima

The Witch of Rokkenjima is a legend that was told to the children of the Ushiromiyas about how Beatrice comes on dark, stormy nights wandering out of the forest in search of human sacrifices. With this legend also comes a mystery with Beatrice's epitaph that reads as follows:

MangaVisual Novel

If you seek the Golden Land, follow the river and seek the key downstream, you will find a village. In this village, seek the shore of which two will speak. There the key to the Golden Land sleeps. Whoever finds the eky should follow these directions to the Golden Land. On the first night, offer up as sacrifices the six the key chooses. On the second night, those who remain will tear apart the two who are close. On the third night, those who remain will praise my noble name. On the fourth night, gouge the head and kill. On the fifth night, gouge the chest and kill. On the sixth night, gouge the belly and kill. On the seventh night, gouge the knee and kill. On the eighth night, gouge the foot and kill. On the night night, the witch will revive, and none shall be left alive. On the tenth night, the journey will end, and you shall reach the capital in which the gold dwells. The witch will praise the wise and bestow four treasures. One shall be all the gold in the Golden Land. One shall be the resurrection of the souls of all the dead. One shall be the ressurection of love lost. One shall be the witch, put into an eternal sleep. Rest in peace, My beloved witch, Beatrice. —The Witch's Epitaph Manga

English TranslationJapanese Text

OriginalOriginal Witch Hunt RetranslationSecond Witch Hunt Retranslation

Behold the sweetfish river running through my beloved hometown. You who seek the Golden Land, follow its path downstream in search of the key. As you travel down it, you will see a village. In that village, look for the shore the two will tell you of. There sleeps the key to the Golden Land. The one who obtains the key must then travel to the Golden Land in accordance with these rules. On the first twilight, offer the six chosen by the key as sacrifices. On the second twilight, those who remain shall tear apart the two who are close. On the third twilight, those who remain shall praise my noble name. On the fourth twilight, gouge the head and kill. On the fifth twilight, gouge the chest and kill. On the sixth twilight, gouge the stomach and kill. On the seventh twilight, gouge the knee and kill. On the eighth twilight, gouge the leg and kill. On the ninth twilight, the witch shall revive, and none shall be left alive. On the tenth twilight, at journey's end, you shall attain to the power of the Golden Land's treasures, once and for the last time. The witch shall praise the wise and bestow four treasures. One shall be all the gold from the Golden Land. One shall be the resurrection of all the dead souls. One shall be the resurrection of the love that was lost. One shall be to put the witch to sleep for all time. Sleep peacefully, my beloved witch, Beatrice. —The Witch's Epitaph Original English Translation

My beloved hometown, the sweetfish river running through it. You who seek the Golden Land, follow its path downstream and seek the key. If you follow the river downstream, you will find a village. In the village, look for the shore the two will tell you of. There sleeps the key to the Golden Land. He who lays hand upon the key shall travel under the rules below. At the first twilight, you shall lift up as sacrifice the six chosen by the key. At the second twilight, the surviving shall tear apart the two who are close. At the third twilight, the surviving shall praise my honorable name on high. At the fourth twilight, gouge the head and kill. At the fifth twilight, gouge the chest and kill. At the sixth twilight, gouge the stomach and kill. At the seventh twilight, gouge the knee and kill. At the eighth twilight, gouge the leg and kill. At the ninth twilight, the Witch shall be revived and none shall be left alive. At the tenth twilight, the journey shall end and you should reach the village of gold. The Witch will praise the wise, and should bestow four treasures. One shall be, all the gold from the Golden Land. One shall be, the resurrection of the souls of all the dead. One shall be, even the resurrection of the lost love. One shall be, to put the Witch to sleep for all time. Sleep peacefully, my most beloved witch, Beatrice. —The Witch's Epitaph Original Witch Hunt Retranslation

Behold the sweetfish river running through my beloved hometown. You who seek the Golden Land, follow its path downstream in search of the key. As you travel down it, you will see a village. In that village, look for the shore the two will tell you of. There sleeps the key to the Golden Land. The one who obtains the key must then travel to the Golden Land in accordance with these rules. On the first twilight, offer the six chosen by the key as sacrifices. On the second twilight, those who remain shall tear apart the two who are close. On the third twilight, those who remain shall praise my noble name. On the fourth twilight, gouge the head and kill. On the fifth twilight, gouge the chest and kill. On the sixth twilight, gouge the stomach and kill. On the seventh twilight, gouge the knee and kill. On the eighth twilight, gouge the leg and kill. On the ninth twilight, the witch shall revive, and none shall be left alive. On the tenth twilight, the journey shall end, and you shall reach the capital where the gold dwells. The witch shall praise the wise and bestow four treasures. One shall be all the gold from the Golden Land. One shall be the resurrection of all the dead souls. One shall be the resurrection of the love that was lost. One shall be to put the witch to sleep for all time. Sleep peacefully, my most beloved witch, Beatrice. —The Witch's Epitaph Second Witch Hunt Retranslation

懐かしき、故郷を貫く鮎の川。 黄金郷を目指す者よ、これを下りて鍵を探せ。 川を下れば、やがて里あり。 その里にて二人が口にし岸を探れ。 そこに黄金郷への鍵が眠る。 鍵を手にせし者は、以下に従いて黄金郷へ旅立つべし。 第一の晩に、鍵の選びし六人を生贄に捧げよ。 第二の晩に、残されし者は寄り添う二人を引き裂け。 第三の晩に、残されし者は誉れ高き我が名を讃えよ。 第四の晩に、頭をえぐりて殺せ。 第五の晩に、胸をえぐりて殺せ。 第六の晩に、腹をえぐりて殺せ。 第七の晩に、膝をえぐりて殺せ。 第八の晩に、足をえぐりて殺せ。 第九の晩に、魔女は蘇り、誰も生き残れはしない。 第十の晩に、旅は終わり、黄金の郷に至るだろう。 魔女は賢者を讃え、四つの宝を授けるだろう。 一つは、黄金郷の全ての黄金。 一つは、全ての死者の魂を蘇らせ。 一つは、失った愛すらも蘇らせる。 一つは、魔女を永遠に眠りにつかせよう。 安らかに眠れ、我が最愛の魔女ベアトリーチェ。 —The Witch's Epitaph Original Japanese Text

Despite it being a legend, Beatrice the witch is real and exists.

It is also revealed by Genji that Beatrice was the second lover of Kinzou who perished before the mansion was built and he spent years focusing on his dark arts in order to revive her.

The Meta-World

Debates

There is a plane that watches the regular plane where one can deal with debating, effectively the same as a chess game, effectively being the same as viewing them from a different plane where witches can simply restart over and over the game, the number of times they can play being entirely up to them.

Gameboards can have witches effectively get everything they want, making it harder to prove them wrong during a debate. One can tweak facts previously established on the game board to effectively create new rules and truths.

Gameboards can have turns stalled if one of the members refuse to continue, one can even fall into the reality of the game board.

Death is also handled differently in the gameboard where the lost of a piece means they simply bide their time on the side of the chessboard. One's voice cannot reach into the Game Board.

Along with this it has no effect on anything in the main world.

It is established further in Battler's game board against Eva Beatrice that witches are allowed to resurrect the dead for testimony the human side cannot use this move even if there's witches on their side. Along with this, witches can bind one in solid undeniable red truths that they cannot break out of unless they can deny the truth. Though red can also be used to fully deny a witch exposing the answers and destroying all the magic.

Witches can also add new pieces into the Gameboard that function as detectives.

Each gameboard is its own world with each one's conclusion having an effect on reality. For example, Eva Ushiromiya being the only survivor in one of the gameboards allowed her to live in the real world and escape the island, even when Ange found other bottles that listed the other game worlds endings.

Each gameboard exists as one small game in the endless sea of Fragments.

Pawns

Pawns are pieces on the game board set by the people in the Metaworld.

Some pieces have awareness that they're pieces on the game board.

The rights a pawn are given within a game allow them to enforce their rights within the gameboard making them able to push others off of them if it gets in the way of their role in the game.

The injuries pawns receive in a game board or events they experience within a game board have no effect on those in the metaworld. Battler even makes note that the versions of him and Beatrice on the game board aren't actually them but just pawns under the Game Master's control.

Pawns cannot do what it deems impossible, and will execute actions best suited to the original personality, Dlanor notes that due to this, if Battler and Beatrice of the game board were in the same position as the pawn they would have done the same thing. Battler makes note that the people within the chessboard aren't a meter metaphor, they really are chessboard pieces.

Game Masters

Game Masters are the controllers of the game board. Erika getting the title and power of Game Master was able to construct a new truth on the game board and give it a new title.

In these games, they are telling entire stories and controlling it how they see fit with their pawns with these gameboard stories being compared to films such as mysteries and splatter films.

The Game Master can establish an illusory court when one believes they have found the culprit.

Game Masters can make entire court trials based off the games they made.

Game Masters have full control over what is or isn't truth. Through this control, they decide the story of the world and how it will play out.

Battler as Game Master was able to full reconstruct an entirely new Beatrice without her old memories.

Battler as Game Master learns how difficult in reality game board stories are to construct with Beatrice constantly agonizing over contradictions in her story and a constant battle with logical fallacies as inconsistencies within the story that cause paradoxes can prove fatal to the game and instantly cause it to fall flat on its face and disintegrate.

Noted during Ange and Featherine's discussion that the Game Master is allowed to smoothly alter their plot at will.

Game Masters can grant the power to one to pull the truth from someone, known as "the right to spectate".

Death in the Gameboard

Death in the Game Board occurs in two ways a pawn being removed from the game board, a "death" only in the game and once the game resets the pawn can be returned to life over and over, the other being the death of being outside of the game where one loses interest in playing the game anymore, Beatrice gave up her victory during the previous game causing her to die and disappear thus she will never come back to life.

It is later revealed that Beatrice as the game master made all of these stories as an attempt to hide the true story in Rokkenjima of the Ushiromiya's all being killed by Rudolf and Kyrie before Eva killed both of them.

Truths

Red Truths

“	In that case... From now on, when I speak the truth, I will use red.	„
	~ Beatrice introducing the Red Truth

During the gameboard between Battler and Beatrice, she introduced the concept of red truths, where when she speaks the truth, she will use red. Everything said in red is the truth, when speaking the truth one is under no obligation to provide further proof that will confirm the truth of what they say. They cannot be used for things where they cannot give an explanation with a red truth. Red truths can tweak facts if an explanation can be provided. It is normally advisable to not use red truths when one already has the advantage. They can be used even to insult one as if it was the truth along with being used to fix quick mistakes. In Episode 3 when explaining red truths again Beatrice notes everything she speaks in red is absolute and unwavering truth with no room for dispute. Battler finds out the loophole to red truths as they're a double-edge sword that can cut one down if they're not too careful with it, where the red is actually information that exposes the truth and allows one to formulate a counterattack if used incorrectly.

The red truth is defined as an absolute truth, a tool available to witches. It is later shown that witches can permit humans to use Red Truths.

Red Truths cannot be used to force oneself to speak in red when they cannot which will cause them to suffocate.

It is noted by Ronove that there are no red truths in the Human World.

The usage of a red truth effectively changes everyone's perception of logic, such as making everyone believe Kinzou could jump out of a third-story window and be perfectly unhurt upon landing.

Red Truths can only be said about actual truth, if a witch's trick contradicts the red truth then it is a lie which breaks the rules.

Battler later reveals there are two types of red truths, one for red that applies to a specific game board and a red truth that is shared across all game boards and can operate in the world outside of the cat box too.

Blue Truths

Beatrice: As of now, Battler, I will allow you to use the blue. Battler: Blue...? Meaning that I can demand that you repeat my words if I say them in "blue"? Beatrice: Not quite. Your requests could be concerning any minute detail. But the blue truth must deny the witch's position, or it is not valid. Battler: ? Beatrice: For example: "There are five master keys." This is merely a confirmation of the number of keys and does not deny the witch. In order to use the blue, you must change your phrasing. In actuality, there are more than five master keys, and the killer used an extra key to access the locked room! ...And by doing so, you have now forced the witch to respond.

Blue Truths are something Beatrice allowed Battler to use in Episode 4. They function similarly to red truths, however, the catch is that the blue truth must deny the witch's position or it is not valid.

For example, a blue truth cannot be used to claim "There are five master keys." as that does not deny the witch, instead the phrasing must be "In actuality, there are more than five master keys, and the killer used an extra key to access the locked room!".

Blue truths alleges that humanity and clever trickery are the truth of the matter.

However, witches can use blue truths too as they exist purely to denote a theory that denies the opponent where the opponent must disporve the blue with a red truth.

Blue Truths not only refute Red Truths but make them unable to be used if their theory is too solid for a red truth to counter.

Golden Truths

“	The Golden Truth... It is the divine truth, derived through different means than the red truth. Its power is equal to the red truth- sometimes inferior, but other times superior!!	„
	~ Dlanor on the Gold Truth

Golden Truths were first introduced when Battler raised to the level of a game master and used it to prove the corpse could be identified as Kinzou Ushiromiya after a red truth countered it. However, golden truths can only be used by the Game Master along with the strength of the truth varying, its power is equal to a red truth; sometimes inferior but other times superior.

Purple Truths

“

Purple statements have equivalent power to red truth. However, the culprit alone is capable of lying in purple statements.

„

During the final game made by Bernkastel, she introduced a new statement known as "Purple Statements" (otherwise Purple Truths), Battler directly asks what they are with Bernkastel responding that it's a rule devised to make the story easier to understand, purple statements have the same power as red truth, however, only the culprit can lie in purple statements.

Souls

One's soul can linger even after they are killed.

Kinzou nearly resisted through his soul being erased until a red truth was placed on him.

Fate

When something is fated to happen it is hard to change such, if a vase is broken even if a witch uses magic to remember its original state the ultimate fate "the vase was smashed" has not been changed thus it will remember the true state and break.

The Endless Witch

The infinite realm that all witches ought to aspire to, the endless witch is free of all worldy suffering, certain to eternal bliss. Life and Death are empty concepts to the Endless Witch.

The Endless Witch succession has them pass their most secret arts to a single pupil, once they pass down their arts they retire to further stem their propagation.

Normal custom includes that a witch from another sect makes a recommendation before a succession may occur.

Lambdadelta recommended EVA and Bernkastel recommended Ange.

Initially the name Beatrice was not passed down but it later became customary for the name to be inherited as well with EVA following suit giving ANGE the name of Beatrice.

Knox's Decalogue

Knox's Decalogue The ten commandments created by Dlanor A. Knox's father and used in heresy trials. Knox's 1st: It is forbidden for the culprit to be anyone not mentioned in the early part of the story. Knox's 2nd: It is forbidden for supernatural agencies to be employed as a detective technique. Knox's 3rd: It is forbidden for hidden passages to exist. Knox's 4th: It is forbidden for unknown drugs or hard-to-understand scientific devices to be used. Knox's 5th: (not included) Knox's 6th: It is forbidden for accident or intuition to be employed as a detective technique. Knox's 7th: It is forbidden for the detective to be the culprit. Knox's 8th: It is forbidden for the case to be resolved with clues that are not presented. Knox's 9th: It is permitted for observers to let their own conclusions and interpretations be heard. Knox's 10th: It is forbidden for a character to disguise themselves as another without any clues. The debate over the interpretation of these laws continues to this very day, and it has become the source of countless unfair controversies. While fundamentalists call any infringement upon these commandments heresy, revisionists point out that many canonized geniuses have violated these rules. —Umineko: When They Cry - Answers Arc Episode 5 Tips Knox's Decalogue

Knox's Decalogue were first mentioned by Bernkastel as a way to refute arguments used against Lambdadelta in their game.

Duel Pistol Set

Duel Pistol Set A set of demon duel pistols prepared by Zepar and Furfur. The number of shots loaded depends on the format of the duel. In most cases, it holds just a single round. The emotions of the duelers are loaded into them, and if one of their bullets grazes any part of the body, the concept of the target will be denied without exception. In the past, duels were performed in the classic style with swords, but this took a great deal of time before an outcome was reached, which displeased certain impatient theatergoing witches. For this reason, a duel weapon that would always kill with a single shot was asked for and created. Of course, this weapon is not particularly popular among theatergoing witches who are fans of good-old drawn out, dramatic duels. —Umineko: When They Cry - Answers Arc Episode 6 Duel Pistol Set

A pistol set created by Zepar and Furfur for duels that were made in order to reconcile impatient theatergoing witches.

Even if one grazes the other with a bullet, the concept of the target wil be denied without exception.

City of Books

"The Honored City of Books Curated By Her Majesty The Witch Of Theater, Drama, and observation", a massive "library" that contains all stories, including where the entire stories in Umineko are merely a single book.

Virgilia describes it as a place where the witches who traverse the sea of fragments collect those fragments in text form and store them.

The City of Books is sacred territory under the administration of the Senate and there are holy barriers erected around it.

Only Witches of the Senate are allowed in the City of Books, though non-members can be given a special invitation that temporarily grants them entrance tot he sacred territory, but the invitations specify arriving on the dot, a second late tot he party's starting time and they automatically lose the effect.

Creators

Creators are mentioned multiple times throughout the series, however Lambdadelta defines them more properly, noting they are omniscient all-powerful beings beyond even witches.

Canon

Manga
The manga adaptation is directly noted to be an official answer from Ryukishi07 and is essentially the primary canon as it deals with extra info and more concise answers he did not add in the original Visual Novel.

Anime
There are some beliefs the anime for Umineko is non-canon, however this is not true. In an interview, Ryukishi directly stated he is all for anime and manga adaptations of his works, which adds on to a later interview where he noted that he fully overlooks and supervises the anime suggesting one to watch all of the versions of Umineko.

Minor Differences
While it is noted that one won't be able to discuss all mysteries by looking at just the anime, Ryukishi not only notes, though as explained in the same quote, this is due to the impossiblity of having the mystery written the exact same way across different media, an anime cannot perfectly replicate a visual novel and vice versa, thus the anime is limtied in the amount of clues it can receive as opposed to the visual novel. Ryukishi himself directly notes that things need to be condensed to fit in the manga or anime versions but there's also far more fake leads in the original compared to the manga and anime and he believes one should enter into Umineko from the type of media they are most comfortable with and then look at the different formats to see the information in a new light.

Trivia

• Bernkastel shares numerous similarities with Rika Furude and Frederica Bernkastel from Higurashi.
  • Rika and Bern both have similar blue hairstyles. Bern wears a cat tail and can transform into a cat, while Rika has frequently referred to herself as a cat throughout Higurashi. At one point, Bern uses Rika's catchphrase and verbal tics, behaving as if they were phrases she once used. Additionally, Bern and Rika share the same birthday, both enjoy spicy food, and are voiced by the same actress, Yukari Tamura.
  • When asked about the relationship between Rika and Frederica Bernkastel, Ryukishi07 explained that Bernkastel is composed of all the negative emotions and memories from the Rika who endured a century of torment. He also mentioned that he enjoyed making Rika evil to see the reaction of BT. A similar explanation appears in the Episode 8 Shinsou Kaimei Dokuhon.
  • The 07th Expansion All Character Settings Collection lists Bern's full name as Frederica Bernkastel.
  • Bernkastel refers to Featherine as "Auaurora," referencing Minagoroshi in which Hanyuu is introduced with her tendency to mutter "au au" when irritated or frightened. The manga adaptation of Banquet of the Golden Witch features a scene where the witches discuss Santa Claus, and Hanyuu appears alongside Bern.
  • In Dawn of the Golden Witch, Lambda and Erika discuss how Bern was once trapped in a logic error. The manga adaptation depicts what appears to be Rika in her dress alongside Hanyuu in her shrine maiden outfit, accompanied by imagery of dice and counting years.
  • In the final episode of Higurashi Sotsu, Rika and Satoko's final conversation mirrors the ending of Umineko, where Bernkastel and Lambdadelta part ways and promise to reunite when something else cries. The last lines of Rika and Satoko's dialogue are identical to those of Bern and Lambda.

• The TRianThology ~Sanmenkyou no Kuni no Alice~ character Fuhka Takatori bears a near-identical appearance to Bernkastel and likely uses recycled sprites.

Profiles

📁 Official Character Profiles

Umineko: When They Cry Umineko: When They Cry: Questions Arc Bernkastel The Witch of Miracles, who has lived for a thousand years. Her vast power is capable of creating all kinds of miracles, but her heart has broken a bit as a result. Back when she was a human, Lambdadelta once imprisoned her within a cruel fate, toying with her the whole time. As a result, it seems she’s unable to abandon others who are caught within a similar fate. Theoretically, she’s a witch with the greatest of powers, but in practice, this is no more realistic than folding a piece of paper a hundred times so that it reaches the moon. Yet, she did fold it a hundred times. ベルンカステル 千年を生きた奇跡の魔女。 絶大な力であらゆる奇跡を生み出せるが、その代償として心が少し割れてしまった。 かつてニンゲンだった頃、ラムダデルタの手による過酷な運命に囚われた経験を持つ。その為、同じ境遇の運命を捨て置けないらしい。 理論上、最強の力を持つ魔女だが、それはメモ用紙を百回畳めば月にも届く、というようなもので少々現実的ではない。 そして彼女は百回畳んだ。 Umineko: When They Cry - Questions Arc Umineko: When They Cry: Answers Arc Episode 5 Bernkastel The Witch of Miracles. Also known as "the witch who knows that miracles don't occur". In the 5th game, she participates as a player in opposition to Beato. However, from the very beginning, her aim has been to deny the Illusion of the Witch. Her only goal is to crush Beato and her world as a way to stave off boredom. Though she does deny the Illusion of the Witch, she is no ally of Battler's. パルンカステル 奇跡の魔女。 奇跡が起こることを知る魔女とも呼ばれる。 第5のゲームで、ペアトの敵対プレイヤーとして参加する。 しばしば当初から彼女の目的は、魔女幻想の否定。 ペアトとその世界を、退屈しのぎに破壊することを目的としている。 魔女幻想を否定する立場だが、戦人と同盟関係にない Umineko: When They Cry - Answers Arc Episode 6 Bernkastel With the victory of the human side, she should have won as well, but she doesn’t seem to be satisfied. It appears that she is less concerned with who actually wins and cares more about how brutal an end might be reached. This is why she’s hostile towards BATTLER as he tries to end this peacefully, and why she’s trying to use Erika to ruin this final game... ベルンカステル ニンゲン側の勝利により、 彼女もまた 勝利を迎えたはずだが、納得できてい ない様子。 彼女にとっては、 誰が勝利するかより も、どれだけ残酷な終わりを迎えるの かの方が、 関心があると見える。 その為、静かに幕を下ろそうとするバ トラに反感を持っており、ヱリカによっ て、最後のゲームを掻き乱そうとする...。 Umineko: When They Cry - Answers Arc Episode 7 Bernkastel The Witch of Miracles and miko to the Witch of Theatergoing. In the 7th game, she conducts Beato’s funeral. She was defeated in the previous game, making her the loser. She has proclaimed that she will tear out the guts of Beato’s game to satisfy her Irritation, and yet... ベルンカステル 奇跡の魔女にして、観劇の魔女の巫女。 第7のゲームにて、ペアトの葬儀を執り行う。 前回のゲームにて敗れ、彼女は敗者となった。 そんな彼女は腹いせに、ペアトのゲームのハラワタを引き摺り出すと宣告するのだが…。 Umineko: When They Cry - Answers Arc

Gallery

• 
  Bernkastel in the stage play
• 
  Bernkastel in the manga

Misconceptions

Witches lose their powers as soon as one does not believe in them/One can simply debate a witches existence away

Throughout most of Umineko, Battler and Beatrice are debating over her existence, and Beatrice's strength slowly comes back with each game due in part to the hesitation within Battler's heart. Battler even establishes that simply refusing to believe in Beatrice is not enough to beat her and instead will turn him more and more into the defensive until he's simply overpowered and loses.

It should be noted too during majority of the first episode, none of the characters left alive believe in Beatrice asides from Maria Ushiromiya, yet she was still able to manifest in the end as she killed everyone.

On top of this, simply not believing would not be enough to work; Beatrice makes direct note that Battler has a strong resistance to magic thus her magic cannot reach him.

Of extra note, Battler directly has Bernkastel helping him, Lambdadelta slightly raising the chances of Battler winning, and Beatrice's own teacher explaining to Battler how to counter Beatrice's arguments. Beatrice's teacher mainly being the reason for why Battler was able to argue against Beatrice's points. It was even further noted by Lambdadelta and Bernkastel that Battler couldn't win Beatrice's game even with all of the sloppy loose ends it had and the amount of help he received. Battler himself realizes while Beatrice faces against Bernkastel that she was going easy on him in all their games so that it would be a fair fight between them, constantly giving Battler hints until he got used to the game.

Beatrice explains to EVA-Beatrice that contemporary humans like Battler have a fundamental denial of all magic, being made of anti-magic toxins, which can be spread and weaken a witch.

It's further noted too that people who've lost their sight also lose all anti-magic power and magical resistance.

Even while Battler was battling against Eva-Beatrice, he couldn't truly deny her witch form for good and required Beatrice to use a red truth to kill off all magic there.

Kinzou further reaffirms that Battler was born with more of his anti-magical blood than anyone else.

It's noted by Maria during her status as the Witch of Origins that all humans are born with toxins that block magic.

It's noted by Greed that humans are walking blobs of anti-magic though she can manifest as long as a witch like Ange concentrates.

Despite all the anti-magic toxins, due to Ange fully believing in magic and her determination being strong she was able to have her familiars interact with the human world to kill all the guards that were after her.

Eva even tries to argue that there's no way for Ange to call the seven sisters of purgatory due to her anti-magic toxins, yet she still does.

Thus simply denying the existence of a witch is not enough to defeat them, as Battler himself with a narrative strong resistance to magic needs a lot of help to truly even counter Beatrice. On top of this, it's specifically noted in-universe that humans built up a strong anti-magic toxin overtime that became strong enough to deny a witch's existence, thus this is not a weakness that applies out of universe unless a series has a similar mechanic.

Magic Isn't Real

This comes from the arguments of debates over whether or not it's truly just characters having mental issues as a way to cope with scenarios.

For example, Maria believes she is the daughter of the Holy Ghost as a way to cope with the fact that her mom abused her whenever she asked about her dad.

However, it is proven that the Meta-World is an actual place that witches reside in and there are many scenes throughout the series that can't truly be explained through characters hallucinations.

Such as Ange having her familiars directly interact with the human world and kill all of its people.

The truth of "magic isn't real"/"magic is real" debate is also answered multiple times in the Umineko franchise.

Using the final talk between Beatrice and Ange, Beatrice does a magic trick and asks Ange if it is magic of a sleight of hand with Ange noting it's a cheap trick but it is also magic as Beatrice has taught her this magic to spread to others to give them happiness. No matter the magic one cannot use it properly and cannot see it without love.

It is also repeated multiple times throughout the series how there is no one true truth, it is everyone's point of view as to what their truth is.

Effectively magic is real but also isn't, it is in the situation of a catbox.

It should also be noted that the manga adaptation is directly noted to be an official answer from Ryukishi07 and is essentially the primary canon as it deals with extra info and more concise answers he did not add in the original Visual Novel, giving all the answers for the reader to conclude.

Witches can easily die to guns

This statement is noted by Ronove noting that witches are weak to weapons such as guns and require anti-bullet barriers in order to be made.

The issue is within the scan itself, within the context of Umineko, bullets specifically contain anti-magical power that cuts right through witches and demons.

Battle Records

2 - 1 - 1

VictoriesLossesInconclusive

• Battler Ushiromiya, Beatrice, & Natsuhi Ushiromiya - Fight
  • Conditions: The case was a court trial where Erika argued for Natsuhi Ushiromiya to be the killer and Beatrice argued for Natsuhi's side saying she was the killer.
  • Location: Illusory Court

• Willard H. Wright - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location: Stage Play

• Ange Ushiromiya - Fight/Result
  • Conditions: Ange summoned Battler and the entire Ushiromiya family to help her.
  • Location: City of Books

• Battler Ushiromiya - Fight
  • Conditions: Battler ascended to the level of a Game Master.
  • Location: Game Board
  • Note: Battler did not outright deny Erika's truth but merely made their truths co-exist, effectively making it a draw.

• Lambdadelta - Fight/Ending
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location: City of Books
  • Note: The fight was interrupted by Featherine Augustus Aurora showing up.

Versus Threads

VictoriesLossesInconclusive

None.

None.

None.