[Cherry_Lover]

Originally Posted by GDB

I thought Dark Sakura just sort of materialized there? Or just projected an image? Either way, it's not like she actually walked through the barrier, if I recall.

No, she walked in, at least in that instance. The second time she shows up (the night before the final battle), it's just a familiar that she made look like her, but the first time around she just walks in and talks to Rin (at that point, I don't think she's far enough under the influence of Angra Mainyu for her to fully control her powers and, indeed, had Rin been a little nicer to her, it could well have ended there).

1) Was it ever stated where the jewel that Rin used to save Shirou came from? I mean, I know her dad gave it to her, and that it's "unique", but was it ever stated where he got it?

It's never stated, but it's a "family heirloom", so I assume that the prana in it was built up over several generations, ith the intention of it being used when it would aid the Tohsaka family's quest for the Grail the most (so, I would assume that Tokiomi (and his ancestors) would be very pissed if he found out that Rin ended up using it to revive the guy her little sister loves...).

2) Was it ever stated why the Einzberns trusted Kiritsugu? Like, in-depth? Was it merely because he had a good reputation as a mage-killer or whatever?

He wanted the Grail, they wanted the Grail. It was purely an alliance of convinience, but since their goals were (seemingly) identical, they couldn't see any way it could go wrong. And, of course, to make doubly sure, they got him to marry the Lesser Grail (so that he would be attached to the family) and got them to have a child who would act as both a back-up plan (if he were to lose) and also an incentive for him to ensure that he doesn't (because if he had won, they'd have let him live with Ilya and, probably, do whatever the hell he liked with her (they might also have found a way to extend her life, as thanks)).

Originally Posted by Haak

I remember it being said in the visual novel that one of the masters summoned Angra Manyu simply because they made a mistake but I'm not sure. Einzberg does ring a bell, though I would've bet on a Tohsaka to make a monumental cock up like that. =P

It was the Einsberns, and it was intentional, because they were trying to get the god Angra Mainyu. But, since he doesn't exist/the Grail can't summon him, they got the "next best thing", which was some human who was turned into him by a bunch of asshole villagers who used him as a scapegoat for all their sins. Of course, ordinary humans aren't that powerful, so they basically lost straight away (note that the version of him summoned in HA has powers that the original version never had), and he was then absorbed into the Grail, at which point things went tits up.