Divine Inheritance (OOC + SU)

I will be posting soon(ish). Not like, tonight or anything. But like, within the next 2-3 days. But first, I'll be resubmitting Marcus' profile, with updates/some improved writing, as to adjust for his conflict with Ilda.

 

New Marcus... though much of it is the same.

Spoiler

Name: Colonel Marcus Maximus
Age: 23
Race: 1st Generation Demigod
Lineage: Andromache, Queen of the Amazons (Mother); Mars, God of War (Father)
Title: (One no longer subscribes to self-titling; a title is best earned through deed and bestowed by one’s peers).

Physical Description: Even in his youth, Marcus Maximus was regarded as a massive person. By the age of thirteen, he was already standing at six-and-half feet in height, and weighing roughly 225lbs. He has only grown taller and larger since then. Now, at age 23, he has reached what appears to be his maximum height at around eight-and-half feet tall. Where any normal human being would have begun to suffer (and even die) from massive muscular and skeletal failure at such a height, Marcus has been spared such harsh backlash by his Demigod ‘genetics’ which have allowed his muscles and bones to develop in strength in proportion with his height, thus allowing him to live a healthy, and potentially long, life.

His height has only been complimented by his other dimensions, and the physical build that he boasts. He has capped in weight at around 320lbs, a weight that is composed of only the minimum, necessary percentage of ‘fat,’ and an abundance of muscular build that could rival even a full-blooded God in a contest of pure appearance. Due to his height, his weight and build appear less a mass of bulk, and more of an even, balanced cut. With a seemingly untarnished and perfectly proportioned body, and appropriately squared-off facial structure, he stands as a particularly handsome fellow when he is not lathered in the spilled blood of a recent engagement.

In compliment to his build physique, Marcus typically ascribes to a strict, almost vain standard of personal-grooming. Though most of this is of imperial influence, he prefers to keep his hair either cut short to under and inch in length, or otherwise simply shave it completely. When allowed to grow while on a long campaign mission, it flows into a rough, black matting that falls to around shoulders length, and proves a chore to keep tidy. Likewise, he would much prefer to keep his face shaven, but it too will grow if left unchecked. Because of both his long hours in the outdoors and his natural, inherited influences, his complexion is often one of a deep, dark tan.

Personality: Little, if anything, has changed in Marcus’ basic disposition over the course of the passing years. As a warrior birthed of the famed Amazon tribes, the son of their Queen, as well as the offspring of the Mars, the God of War, he maintains it as his born obligation to maintain the path of a warrior and commander. He carries a strong thirst for battle, something that is born into him as any physical trait, and will take on any challenge or challenger who wishes to do battle against him. Most thoroughly, he enjoys getting a good battle; whether in pitched combat, or in the heat of clashing armies, the greater the threat, the steeper the costs, and the more proficient the foe, the more satisfaction he gleans, for he knows that battle an equal or superior adversary will bring out the best in his own abilities.

A creature of (some) habit, Marcus stays true to his traditional, ceremonial approach to combat, especially evident in his long preparations. His adornment of armors and weapons is a carefully engaged routine, in which, when time allows, every minor facet is detailed in a ritualistic manner. Some who have claimed to have walked in on his ‘psyche up’ process assert that he will always deliver a prayer to his Father, Mars, that he may achieve victory in the battle to come. Whatever the actual ritual of preparation encompasses for him, it works, and Marcus always enters a fight in complete form and focus.

However, for all of his great habits and tendencies, Marcus is prone to some faults. His warrior-like mentality often strikes out as overconfident and outright demeaning to others, his troops and under-ranked officers included. He has an immense level of pride in himself as a warrior, believing that his skill and strength cannot fail, and that he ultimately carries his father’s deepest blessings. His sense of pride also extends into a code of honor that dictates that he should never truly backdown from a conflict. He is a staunch follower of the ancient motto of “With your shield, or on it,” dictating that it is better for him to die in combat than it is for him to continue living for having fled and avoided battle altogether. His own interpretation of this code of conduct has frequently caused him to resort to bullheaded engagements, which might have ended in utter defeat, if not for his divine blood.

Biography:

Early Years​

Marcus is, a First-Generation Demigod. His father is Mars, widely recognized within the Imperial Borders as the God of War; his mother is Andromache, the current reigning Queen of the Amazon Tribes, who resided upon the island off Azureth’s southeast coast, and one of the 12 Clans that comprised the Empire’s following. Though his presence among the Amazons saw its share of scrutiny, he was ultimately accepted, either as a political tool, or simply out of due respect for the Gods. Regardless of how he was perceived by the Tribe, his life was preserved and his place among the Amazon society secured.

Even as a heralded “prince” among his society, he was not spared the rigors of ritual and tradition. As the child of a War God and one of the most prestigious warrior cultures in the world, his future was laid out since he was accepted into the Amazon society. From the moment his legs could carry him properly, he was trained and molded by his mother and her subjects in all aspects of warfare. From single-combat to army tactics, from hand-to-hand combat to archery, he was conditioned for battle. The disposition of his heritage made him all the more tolerable to the trials of his people, and his Demigod prowess was supplemented immensely by the additional trials.

First Blood - Campaign in the South​

By the age of sixteen, Marcus was since lauded among his once skeptical Tribes as a prodigious warrior. It was at this time that he was gift his first weapons and armaments: A sword and shield of Imperial style crafting, which had long become the standard of the Amazon warriors as well.

As it stood, there was a fierce alliance binding the Amazons to the regime of Emperor Newgate. When called upon, they were quick to offer assistance to the Imperial armed forces, and were rewarded handsomely for their contributions. With the Empire in a running state of war, and the situation only growing more acute, it was short matter of time before Marcus finally saw a real battle. Joining an Amazon contingent, he engaged in a battle against a barbarian rebellion in the southeast corner of the Empire. In a six month campaign that would be penned as the “Terresalibres Ward,” Marcus rose to quick success, reportedly slaying dozens of rebels and routing an entire battalion with minimal aid.

Defense of Alvish - Selection for Succession​

The Terresalires Ward ended in victory for the Aezureth forces. As always, the Amazon contribution to the effort was not dismissed. Among the praised was the young Marcus Maximus, whose feats had been regarded as quite spectacular for one so young.

Recognized for their valor and skill, the Amazon forces from the Ward were immediately summoned by an Imperial general to the aid of another troubled location. The coastal city of Alvish, exposed and isolated along the southern edge of the Empire, and left with minimal defenses, was at a waning standstill against a foreign power. Riding the wave of their recent success, the Amazons deployed, ready to take on this next task. However, this time, they made an allowance for Marcus to command the campaign.

It took a mere evening for Marcus to decide upon his tactic. Determining the importance of naval engagement in a coastal battlefield, he ordered the bulk of his own warriors to set sail to engage the enemies at sea. Meanwhile, he personally lead a smaller collective, integrated into the Imperial units being dispatched to the area. With attention given to the coordination of timing, Marcus effectively deployed the forces at his disposal.

The timing worked almost perfectly; his naval detachment arrived nearly simultaneously with the soldiers moving by land. With the enemy’s navy engaged by the Amazon ships, the units on land were able to lead a swift campaign against the threat already on land. Albeit worse for the wear, the port at Alvish was successfully rid of the foreign invasion, due in part to the effective planning of young Marcus.

Though it was a small victory in the long run, Marcus’ tact for warfare impressed the Imperial officers. When it was revealed that he was also of the lineage of the God of War himself, his status within the military was cemented. It was there, in the aftermath of the Defense of Alvish, that it was proposed for Marcus to claim a right to the Throne. As a descendant of the God of War, he was viewed by those that witnessed his rising brilliance as the perfect person to inherit the Empire in a time of such dire war.

Age the age of seventeen, he was officially selected to compete for the title of Emperor, and sent to Sax to receive the last training he would need to compete for the honor.

Change of Fate – Dethroning of Emperor Newgate, and Conscription Under Atticus
​

At the age of eighteen, Marcus Maximus set out on horseback towards the Azurethan capitol of Sax, where he would commence the training and competition for the right to ascend to the Imperial throne.

However, upon his arrival, chaos erupted within the castle walls. Atticus, a high-ranked member of Emperor Newgate’s Imperial Court, had challenged the Emperor for his throne. The resulting duel ended in the defeat and slaying of Emperor Newgate at the hands of Atticus, and a violent outburst of despair by the former Emperor’s daughter, Lilith, which might have nearly laid ruin to the entire city had it not been swiftly quelled by the likes of Marcus, and Atticus’ daughter Jaxx, among others.

In the aftermath of these events, Marcus stayed only to aid in picking up the pieces left from Atticus’ aggressive takeover and Lilith’s consequent reaction. After being reassured that his assistance was no longer needed in Sax, he hastily made his return to the Amazon lands, where he divulged the details of the shift in imperial power. Though initially confident that Atticus would honor the rights of the Amazons as per Newgate’s example, they were proven wrong when the Imperial navy, with Atticus himself upon the commanding ship, beckoned upon the shores of their island.

The new Emperor delivered a bold, straightforward message: Marcus Maximus was to fight under Atticus’ new Imperial Army, or the Amazon Tribes would be full submitted to his will. Seeing no other course of action beyond engaging needlessly in a losing battle, Marcus agreed to the terms. Casting aside his Amazon duties, much to the dismay of, and against retribution from the tribe at large, he departed from his home once more to engage in Atticus’ stricter, more brutal campaign to put down the uprisings growing more rampant throughout the land.

His decision was viewed as an act of betrayal by the Amazons; though many cried out for him to be stripped of any birthright he might have had, no official rescinding was mandated. Yet, his own mother reprimanded him with the ultimatum that he was never to return to the tribes’ lands while adorned by the Imperial banners.

Necessary Submission? – The Eastern Campaigns​

Marcus was tasked with the mission of suppressing the continually growing rebellions and external invasions arising in the eastern half of the Imperial continent. His campaign efforts saw him taking up the strategic footholds within the rugged terrain of the central mountains, which provided the protection necessary to maintain both elements of stealth and a defensive advantage. Over the nearly five years that followed, he would gradually increase his hold on that region through a war of attrition against the numerous barbarian armies. Eventually, through decisive combat partnered with brilliant diplomacy, he was able to wrest complete control over the central region from its aggressors.

The success of Marcus’ central region campaign had come in a timely manner. As he finally managed to solidify his hold on the region, the city of Barisor to the north beyond the mountains, had been set upon by foreign invaders in cooperation with native barbarian rebels. While planning a campaign to secure the Northern regions, he was joined by General Lucius Malignus, a high-ranked commander of the Imperial Army. Upon a strategic meeting, Marcus determined that Barisor wasn't the true target of the initial invasion; rather, it was the port city of Carmilla Sar, to the Southeast, that was of real defensive concern. With Lucius approval, Marcus personally moved to engage the invading enemies at Carmilla Sar, while the General would move North to reclaim the city of Barisor, which was predicted as a staging site for the larger invasion to come.

A Changing Tide - Battle of Carmilla Sar​

(WIP)

Goals: Though he was once a chosen candidate for succession to the Imperial Throne of Azureth, Marcus has never seemed to care strongly for such an honor, title, or responsibility. In his younger years, he sought merely to prove himself to the Imperial military. These days, however, he is focused on maintaining his duties to the Emperor, Atticus, and making good on his promise to ensure that his people, are safe from the invading and rebellious tribes.

Weapons, Armor, and Equipment
(Barring such provisions as food and hygienic items; I doubt we need to get into that material. This list will comprise of things that he will generally be given immediate access to for the time being.)​

Polearm – Billglaive; the immediate go-to weapon of Marcus’ first choice, used at the outset of most battles. A weapon based in design off of a spear, the pole handle is about the same length as Marcus’ height, with an affixed blade surpassing that by roughly two feet. The blade, while clearly inspired by the typical spear, it takes some liberty in modification, implementing elements of other weapons. The main body of the blade is a wide, single-edged, glaive-like piece. The edgeless side of the blade takes cue from a weapon known as a ‘Bill,’ featuring an extension that hooks off of the blade in the direction of the wielder, and notched at its point of contact with the main body of the blade. The functionality of this set up allows the weapon to be used for catching and hooking the weapons of enemies. At the opposite end of the blade is small metal fixture used primarily as a counterweight against the blade-end; the fixture can be used just as well as a blunt-force weapon.

Arming Sword; officially relegated as a sidearm, this sword follows the design of a modern Imperial standard. However, because the typical design of the blade would have been deemed too small for Marcus’ practical use as a sword, his has been proportionally scaled up to accommodate his larger build. It is a double-edged straight bladed weapon, measuring to five feet in length with the blade comprising all but eight inches of the weapon’s overall length. The hilt is constructed for single-handed use, with a cruciform hand guard, and outfitted with a pommel on the bottom.

While the blade would normally be left at its uncomplicated design, Marcus’ status as an officer of the Imperial army comes with the benefit of personalized décor on request. Marcus’ desired ornamentation outfits the blade with a theme paying homage to his heritage. The hilt bears tribal markings imprinted upon it, while the pommel has been forged to resemble the head of a wolf, as to nod to his lineage from Mars.

Dagger; a shorter weapon, measuring to a mere total of twenty inches in length, Marcus’ dagger is little more than a simplified, downscaled version of what his sword might be. While its hilt retains comparable length to accommodate the size of his hands, the blade significantly shorter, accounting for only a foot of the weapon’s length.

Shield; no use of a single-handed sword would be sensible without also using a shield for defense. Marcus’ shield is one of Imperial designs, themes, and construction. It resembles a ‘heater’ style shield, cut to the framework of a rounded, pentagonal shape. The shield, specially crafted for his personal use, covers a great enough height as to cover the entirety of his neck down to knee-length. In aesthetic, it shows his clear allegiance to the Imperial cause, bearing a silver and purple color scheme in denotation of royal order, and imprinted with the silhouette of an eagle, a primary symbol of the God Jupiter, from whom Emperor Atticus is descended.

Officer’s Armor; crafted in a similar mindset to his shield, Marcus’ armor is of an Imperial-issued look and build. Its pieces consist of several silver polished, and purple-lined armored plates typically worn overlaying a tunic and leggings (though the can sometimes be worn over a sort of chain mail as well). The plating comes in either separate pieces or as jointed parts to maintain a sense of mobility for the wearer.

The breastplate is the most nondescript piece, featuring merely a hint of a feather-like printing to tie into its aesthetic theme. Joined to the breastplate, the shoulders are forged toe resemble the heads of eagles and cover the length of the upper arm stopping above the elbow; small, circular plates function like axles joint these to the torso armor. The forearms are armored from below the elbows and form single pieces that protect hands and fingers as well. The wrists are jointed, while the fingers and thumbs are made from a set of individual overlaying plates, culminating in talon-like fingertips.

The lower body follows the continuation of an avian theme. The upper leg plates span from just below the hip down to a point above the knees, where knee plating is jointed between them and armored leggings that cover both the fronts and backs of his calves and his feet in their entirety. In suit with the aesthetics, the toes of the feet are given a slightly clawed design, though not nearly as prominently as those of the fingers.

Often, the armor will be capped off (literally and figuratively) by a helmet that covers all but face. Like the rest of the armor, an Eagle-like appearance is maintained in the headpiece, found in the semblance of the forehead to a beak, and the visage of eyes above it, as well as moderate plumage emerging along the top-center of the helmet.

Due to the ingenious mixture and crafting of ores, the Imperial-grade armor is particularly resistant to the effects of temperature extremes, being highly resistant to both cold and heat, even when directly applied against it. The undergarments have also been treated against such elements as ice and fire. Between the alloy and, presumably additional magics applied to the plate mail, the armor retains astounding durability while managing to remain light enough a weight to not hinder the movements of its wearers.

Marcus also has access, upon his own command, to ranged weapons such as bows & arrows, for which he typically prefers the use of a longbow, primarily due to his size and stature making short bows somewhat awkward to handle. He typically does not actively carry one upon his person, however, unless entering into archery-based combat on a personal level.

Powers, Abilities, & Skills​

Supernatural Conditioning; a passive attribute in Marcus’ state of being is that he is gifted with a supernatural physical prowess, enabling him the capacities to lift several tons of weight, run at sonic speed and battle within the immediate sub-sonic vicinity if he so wishes. His dexterity and reaction times are greatly enhanced, and he possesses a level of resilience comparable to the physical strength he can exert. His stamina ranks such that he can outlast entire armies before reaching fatigue, with battles against other Demi Gods and the Gods themselves being able wear him down on their own.

Supernatural Senses; Marcus’ sensory functions are heightened to an extent akin to his physical prowess, such that many sensory stimuli come much clearer to him than they would a typical mortal. His thresholds for sensory pain and damage are heightened as well in adjustment to the more acute perceptive skills.

Enhanced Recuperation; in one part from his Godly essence, and in the other from a biological trait stemming from his warrior lineage, Marcus is imbued by an expedited and more efficient healing factor. His body naturally mends physical wounds more quickly than purely mortal beings, as to facilitate a quicker return to combat. In addition, strain of muscular exertion is more efficiently benefited, allowing him to return all the much stronger from both intensive training and difficult battles.

Vita Navitas; it is the staple trait of any trained and disciplined warrior to harness some manner of control over themselves. In particular, practices towards this end are structured to condition awareness of and dominion over one’s mind and body, an indispensable skill to have in any battle. Upon the field of battle, the physical body must always be adept, and in sync with an appropriately attuned mind. For most common soldiers, this training results in little more than their strength and dexterity; their ability to engage swiftly and cleanly in combat with little to no lapse in their focus. To those that excel beyond the commonalities of physical prowess and grace, and cognitive acuity, new plateaus bequeath unto them the ability to take the reins of a deeper level of their essence, steadily developing beyond the body and mind, and delving into their latent spirit.

This power over one’s spirit, that of the spirit in combat, is regarded as the pinnacle of power for anyone that would call themselves a warrior.

Through a natural disposition, inherited from his Divine genetics, and the compounded effect of his intensive childhood training under his mother and the other tribeswomen of the Amazons, Marcus has proven prodigal in his mastery of this, the essence: “Vitas Navitas,” a term synonymous with the very life force that ebbs and flows from the spiritual core of all that lives and draws breath. Over the course of his training, and the years spent amid battle and war, Marcus has developed this skill to a level of proficiency as to beget a sense of mastery altogether. He can manipulate the flow of this energy within himself with an absolute ease, capable of micromanaging it down to the smallest of bodily fibers, and maintain significantly higher sensory and cognitive faculties than most others on the field of combat.

As a descent of a major God, and even more so as one with such a close generational gap, Marcus’ life force is exceedingly more potent and abundant within him than it would be in any mortal human. His well of energy could eclipse even that of other Demi-Gods, particularly those whose heritage is further diluted by mortal blood than his own.

The benefit of this power is to a multifaceted effect. Directing the flow of this energy through his body and mind allows for the amplification of neuron stimulation, augmenting his physical prowess and perceptive senses beyond their basic limitations. The sheer abundance and potency of energy that inherently exists within Marcus’ God-spawned soul is amazingly efficient in reinforcing his immune systems, rendering him effectively undaunted and unaffected by most viral and bacterial maladies that frequently plague the bodies of mortals, and heartily resistant to others. Still, invasive magics and Divine curses and afflictions can impact his health and immunity. Further, it has allowed Marcus an adaptability to different environments within the physical, such that sudden changes in such areas as weather, do little if anything to faze him.

Vitas Navitas can prove just effective outside of the body as it is within. Though it took much trial and error, and several years of practice after being taught how, Marcus has developed an expansive margin of skill in externalizing his life force. By nature, Marcus, and any living creature for that matter, radiates an aura of energy created by that which dwells inside. Through his practices and practical uses, Marcus’ abilities with his aura enable him to manipulate its intensity on a whim, forging it into a tangible and viable defensive layering against the effects of external magics used against him. Either from ejecting energy from his own aura, or simply expelling it from inside of his own body, he can release projectiles in a variety of form and a range of sizes, almost always to a potentially violent effect upon their targets and, as a residual effect, their surroundings. The techniques of externalization can be further utilized to a ‘bonding’ effect, allowing Marcus to utilize otherwise commonplace implements as potent conduits through which to focus and exert his power; this is most frequently seen by way of his imbuing of his weapons, armor, and other equipment, with some infusion or coating of energy.

Throughout his practice in the arts of Vitas Navitas, Marcus has gained a gross awareness of his own energy. In tow with this, he has also acquired a strengthened awareness for energies around him. He can clearly sense the presence of Gods, other Demi Gods and other powerful creatures of magic or divinity within a wide radius, expanding out to a measurement in miles, while being able to accurately pinpoint them while they are near to his own location.

Martial Skill; Marcus has been sufficiently trained in the various martial arts of his era and geographic region, encompassing both practices of the Amazon tribes and the methods of the Imperial Military under both Emperors Newgate and Atticus. He is versed in the use of weapons, ranging from polearms, to shields and swords, to ranged weapons as the bow & arrow. He is practiced and developed in manners of weaponless, hand-to-hand combat in styles that incorporate striking and blocking moves, grappling, and throws, and freely integrates these different styles with one another when and where possible. He is well-adjusted to many different environments running the expansive gamut of geographic and spatial diversities. He knows his own body, and how to use its attributes to a considerable extent and effect.

Tactician; Marcus Maximus is prized within the Imperial as a man of astute knowledge of formations and troop movements. He seems constantly aware of the entirety of any battlefield on which he is engaged, and misses few, if any, details regarding the actions of his own army and allies, and his enemies alike. He is confirmed to have masterminded several Imperial victories over foreign and domestic aggressors over the years, gaining particular notoriety for his quelling of an uprising in the Southeast corner of the Empire before he was even twenty years of age. It is not unfathomable for Marcus to be concocting multiple strategies in the events of different eventualities, and his adaptability to changes in the flow of battles and wars grant him an edge for improvisation when necessary.

Indomitable Courage; stemming largely from his sheer personality, Marcus has displayed a level of resistance against magics and abilities that would directly influence his ability and willingness to engage in battle psychologically. Magics that would aim to impact his willpower, morale, and resolve seem to have no effect on him unless he is already in a position susceptible to such powers, such as already being locked in a hopeless battle with no victory in site.

 

So... if Caboose doesn't show... what do? I'm sure as Hell not going to say that Marcus lost a battle that wasn't fought... and I'm certainly LESS willing to abide by the whole 'Carmilla Sar is lost to barbarians' plot point if the person spearheading it isn't around.

Is anyone else qualified to control Caboose's characters until he comes around again?

 

It is, at this point in time, that I would like to formally, and publicly express what will be my final decision: I will not be seeking to continue in my participation in this RP.

My reasons are multiple, but if I had to narrow it down to a final cause: I have, as I've thought of it, found myself having reached an immense lack of motivation to continue writing for Marcus.