Born in the bustling city of Oppara, Marcus grew up in a family of modest means. His parents ran a small shop near the docks, selling basic goods to the sailors and soldiers passing through the city. From a young age, Marcus was drawn to the stories of adventure and intrigue he heard from these travelers. He would often spend hours listening to their tales, eyes wide with fascination, and a mischievous grin on his face.
As a child, Marcus was always a bit of a show-off, enjoying the attention he received for his antics and clever quips. His playful nature often got him into trouble with authority figures, but he had a knack for talking his way out of most situations. His parents, while frustrated with his behavior, couldn't deny his charm and the way he seemed to effortlessly win people over.
As he grew older, Marcus's knack for getting into trouble also led to a sense of restlessness. He craved excitement and purpose beyond the mundane life of his parents’ shop. At sixteen, he joined the local city guard, believing it would be a way to channel his energy and penchant for adventure into something meaningful. The guard offered structure, and Marcus quickly learned the basics of combat and investigation. However, his mischievous streak remained. He enjoyed the thrill of the chase more than the discipline of a guard's life, often bending rules and finding creative solutions to problems. Often, fun and excitement led to trouble and before long Marcus made the wrong kind of name for himself.
Marcus began referring to himself in the third person as a way to stand out and draw attention, finding it amusing to see others reactions to his unusual speech. It started as a playful quirk, a means of entertaining himself and those around him during the long, dull hours of guard duty. Over time, he realized that speaking this way also disarmed people, catching them off guard and making them underestimate him, which proved useful during interrogations or negotiations. What began as a lighthearted habit gradually became a tool in his arsenal, blending humor with strategy, and now it’s as much a part of Marcus as his charming smile and quick wit.
Departing the guard on less than great terms, Marcus eventually left the city guard and took a position as a personal guard for Nirraj Ghaf, a wealthy and influential merchant who had recently moved to Dalain. Ghaf was known for his shrewd business dealings and his mysterious rise to power in the region. Marcus was intrigued by the opportunity to work closely with such a figure, and the promise of adventure and intrigue was too tempting to resist.
At first, the job seemed straightforward enough: patrol Ghaf's manor and ensure the safety of his lands and assets. However, Marcus soon began to notice strange occurrences around the manor and the small commune Ghaf had established nearby. People were disappearing without a trace, whispers of strange rituals began to circulate, and Ghaf himself became increasingly reclusive.
True to his nature, Marcus couldn’t keep his curiosity in check. He began investigating these disappearances, poking around places he wasn’t supposed to and asking questions that made others uncomfortable. He was determined to uncover the truth, believing that something dark and unnatural was at play. His investigations did not go unnoticed.
Ghaf, growing tired of Marcus’s persistent snooping and fearing the exposure of whatever secrets he was hiding, had him thrown into a makeshift jail within the manor.
