𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃͟𝐄͟𝐈͟𝐂͟𝐈͟𝐃͟𝐄͟
”Dreadsome Ironmonger, invoke salvation unto us all.”
INFO
| BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Marin |
| Alias: | Butcher of the Badlands, Ironmonger, Left Eye, Inquisitor, Deicide, Hexenbane, |
| Species: | Human, Variant |
| Skin Color: | Light skin, almost pale |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Eye Color: | Orange, commonly described as a “raging inferno” |
| Height: | 2.88m (Varies) |
| Homeland: | Badlands |
| Order: | Executors Iron (Former) |
| Current Occupation: | Lord Inquisitor of the Second Inquisition, charged with cleansing the hellish spawn of the dark arts and bringing order to chaos. |
| Moral Alignment: | Chaotic Lawful |
| Magically Gifted: | Yes (Infused) |
Abilities Equipment, Class Info
| EQUIPMENT | |
|---|---|
| The Conduit | A weapon far bigger than a large mortal man. The sword is a titan of black and silver, decorated with the Executors Iron's most sacred vow along its face. Due to the amount of cursed and demonic creatures Marin has slain with it, the sword has become an "anathema" to malevolent entities. |
| Ironmonger's Heavy Plate | Unique to the Knights of the Executors Iron was the Ironmonger's heavy plate. The armour itself encases its wearer, though parts are able to be removed if the desired by its owner. Each suit is inscribed with a numeral markings to denote how many campaigns its wearer has served in, as well as other personal iconography. Marin's armor is marked with an almost faded VII, denoting seven campaigns served within the Order. Wrapped around the left gauntlet is a chain connecting to Conduit's pommel, binding the weapon to his forearm as per old Executors tradition. |
| Onyx Coat | Worn over his armor is a black coat with a fur mantle. The hood can be pulled up, and is usually done so over his helmet. Marin places significance on this piece of outwear, and will even make one for those that he has come to care for on his travels. |
| Rosary | A beaded necklace with a strange crucifix at the end. Worn and held during resting points by a fire, or whilst at a location suitable for prayer to the pantheon. |
| ABILITIES/FEATS | |
|---|---|
| Deicide Physiology | Marin's already extraordinary body was amplified upon his first Apotheosis, the manifestation of his Deicide imprint. The grueling process shaped his entire physiology, infusing him with gifts and augmenting his physical and mental attributes. One of these gifts is empowerment upon slaying a primordial, and perhaps even an empyrean. |
| Dreadful Presence | Emanating unless he is unconscious, Marin radiates a chilling aura. An invisible force granted by his Deicide physiology that delivers a feeling of unease to those around him. Weak willed individuals may find themselves shivering with anxiety, sweat falling from their pores, items falling from trembling hands, and even a loss of will to resist and instead cower. Those with considerable mental fortitude will merely find themselves ‘cold.’ |
| Magic Resistance | Unlike the common Tharsis paladin orders, those of the Executors Iron typically lacked the traditional ability to call upon miracles. Instead, they each held innate resistance to arcane effects, and were taught techniques to combat enemy mages. One of the techniques known by Marin is "reflection," used to redirect evocation spells back at the caster provided he is within close enough range. |
| Swordsmanship | Without a doubt, Marin's swordsmanship is beyond extraordinary. Wielding a titansword is no easy feat, and he does so as if it were a mere broadsword. Even the fastest of duelist struggle to dodge his swings, and those who parry often find their weapons shattered from the blows dealt by the Inquisitor. He has slain great foes during the Bloody Seven campaigns, even champions of the other races. |
| Thaumaturgy | Following his first apotheosis, Marin was infused with the ability to utilize the arcane. However instead of carefully weaving magic into conjurations like the typical caster, Marin instead oppressively dominates the arcane, wielding it like a weapon rather than an elegant instrument. He leans towards the practices of hemocraft and igni, the elements of blood and flame whenever the need for a conjuration arises. |
| WEAKNESSES | |
|---|---|
| Self Condemning | Following the grim fate of his order and the grueling experience of his first apotheosis, Marin developed a self condemning attitude understood as a "death wish." Coupled with the taught behavior to never compromise, he has routinely thrown himself at the worst the Overrealm has to offer, no matter how deadly. This is not to be confused with bravery, as Marin does not act for the sake of courage and glory. |
| Never Compromise | Developed from his brutal indoctrination and upbringing in the Executors Iron order, Marin never gives an inch in combat. Regardless of his body's condition he will continue to force his way towards his opponent like a automaton who's only directive is to fight. This has brought him close to death on numerous occasions. He hasn't learned to let go, even if he at times he should have. One day he will meet his end, provided this mentality isn't fixed. |
| Depth Perception | All of his senses are sharp, but his eyesight is hindered due to the fact he is missing his right eye. Combined with the fact he wears a helmet, blindsiding him can provide his opponent a tactical advantage. Though only a fool would rely on this weakness, as decades of combat and acceptance of dirty fighting allows him to make up for the disability. |
| The Hunger | An unexplainable "ailment" afflicting Marin. The sensation occurred during the climax of the Bloody Eighth, when he and the Executors were driven made upon stepping into an infernal layer. Ever since, he has struggled with resisting a dark urge manifesting as an apparition of a lupine creature. Whenever Marin draws his sword, he is barraged by demands to give into the apparition, sometimes faltering to the pressure. |
| Diminished Empathy | His origin as a child of the Badlands, loss of his brotherhood, condemning to a seemingly eternal penance, and suffering from the sanity eating "Hunger" has left Marin with little empathy. Because of this, persuasion typically lacks the certain tact one would want for a mutual agreement, and often results in violent outcomes. Forming new emotional bonds is difficult, supposing he himself even attempts to. |
| CLASS/VERSE INFO (OOC) | |
|---|---|
| Classes (Multiclassed) | Based off of how I used to play Marin during the many campaigns I brought him into, Marin's main class is Paladin, Oath of Conquest. Additionally, he is multiclassed into Fighter ( Battlemaster) and Warlock ( Undead ). If I’m being honest, he’s a hybrid when it comes to his lore and the custom setting I write in him, acting the least “Paladin” as one would expect of him. The only “magical” abilities he has comes from hemocraft usage and the conquering presence from channel divinity. He’d much rather use his fists and his greatsword due to his martial prowess. |
| Fandom/Verse | A lot of the aspects listed are inspired by known fantasy settings. If I write him in Forgotten Realms or other TTRPG focused settings, the box above detailing his class information will be referred to. As it stands, he exists within a custom setting I am actively developing, and such he functions as a fandomless character. |
LORE
"The Child of the Badlands."
On the very outskirts of the uncharted territories, horrors of The Long Dark have begun creeping from their corners. Cultists seeking sacrifices to bring about the existence of new dark gods, witch covens growing their dark powers, awakening vampire clans reaching to seize the land they once ruled, and beast men congregating into predatory tribes. Towns and villages on these outskirts plea for support from their governments, but their cries are ignored. Men, women, and children left to suffer the encroaching tide of the Long Dark’s monstrosities.However even these damned creatures whisper of a threat to their activities. An organization of witch hunters, exorcists, vampire slayers, and blight cleansers. The Second Inquisition exists as the anathema to the spawn of the Long Dark. Their Inquisitors, agents of varying backgrounds who are infused and augmented with the dark essence of which they hunt, prey on the deplorable filth who seek to consume the feeble.Perhaps one of the Inquisition’s most renown tools is Marin, the Butcher of the Badlands. Once a child who hailed from the titular region, he was taken and indoctrinated into the Executors Iron, a paladin order of the Tharsis Nations. The child was forged into an Ironmonger who conquered many anarchic territories and fought in the Three Way War against that of the Orc Warhost, the Elven Clans, and the Tharsis Nations.After investigating a strange phenomenon, he and his order became entrapped in a battle against an ancient evil that beckoned from the deepest layer of the Infernal. Months of combat and torment against the incomprehensible fractured the minds of the paladins, with Marin battling the Netherspawn as well as a growing hunger that surfaced with every kill. In the end, and despite the perilous battle, the Executors emerged. They were shaken, many raving in their mental anguish. Those that were capable of speech spoke of one thing; “Devourer. He, the one thousand pierced wolf, the Deicide.”Upon their unexplainable return and brief tribunal, the depleted and weakened Executors were excommunicated and exiled to the Sullied Region by the Lion’s Marvel order at the will of the Tharsian High Seat. It was there that Marin and the remainder of his brothers and sisters in arms disappeared. Only spoken of as compromised and tainted by the Tharsis High Seat, who sought to save face in the eyes of the people who had been ignorant to to the existence of infernal horrors in the mortal plane.Here, it was where Marin finally broke the shackles of discipline he learned within the order. The Tenets upon his arm burned with the rage of a thousand warriors, and his existence exploded into an all festering hunger. He carved a wound into the already marred Sullied Region, slaughtering former allies and foes in a lawless land where madness and murder reigned. From one end, his sword cleaved through hordes in a blind rage, before ceasing to another where once more the Ironmonger disappeared. All that was left was the wound he’d carved, and the declaration of war. A shout of hunger, A festering desire to feed on the “sins” conjured by the transcended in their hubris, the first Apotheosis.Years later he emerged; The tale called the “Butcher of the Badlands," spoke of a man who delivered brutal annihilation to those who made foolish sacraments with the occult. His ire was drawn to outskirts of the Long Dark, where he enacted a one man crusade against followers of the evil he once slew alongside his fellow warriors. This crusade eventually drew the attention of the Second Inquisition, who sought to weaponize an empowered mortal’s wrath and steer it to accomplish their end goals against those corrupted by the Long Dark and the closing of the Great Abyss. Finding purpose in the penance offered by the Inquisition, Marin agreed to become a fanatical enforcer for the zealous organization whose mission aligned with his crusade.Many more names have been bestowed upon him following his crusade’s more notable events. Hexenbane by the black witches of the Eclipse Coven for his ruthless violence against their kind, and Devourer by cults of the Great Abyss left impacted by he and the Executors fated assault. There are whispers of his tale. Words spreading fear against those favored by the Abyss, and disarray within the ranking of the Tharsis High Seat, who are hesitant to permit the Butcher’s continued existence under the Inquisition.For even with his allegiance to the living, Marin’s own grim mission of eradicating the Abyss and all who would parlay with it, is all that matters. This is the desolate will of the Deicide.