Captain Commander Marnis

Captain Commander Marnis Goriish

Marnis Goriish was an Elven soldier, known both for his loyalty and dedication to the troops under his command, as well as his immense, overwhelming might.

History

Marnis was born at a difficult time, at the very start of the Age of Plague as it began to ravish the world, killing millions. On the 20th day of the 10th month, sixth months after plague had begun to spread, Marnis was born to Galivis and Hylvyre Goriish in the gilded city of Camor.

The Plague-Ridden Newborn

Camor was not far from the epicenter of the disease, where it had first begun in the Draconian capital of Zephys, thus it had already reached the prized Elven capital by the time Marnis was born.
On top of that, he was born at a very low birth weight, partially because he was born prematurely, a month and a half early.

Pryskadiel by Jarhed

His parents feared he may not make it due to health complications from the very start, but only two days into his life, he contracted Dragon's Doom, the disease that had been terrorizing the countryside.
His mother, Hylvyre, had an idea. She went to a friend of a friend, who was a noble and prominent mage named Pryskadiel. Hylvyre asked if there was anything she could do.
Pryskadiel told the Goriish family that she could not destroy the plague, but she could help Marnis to withstand it.
The young Marnis was taken to an underground secret facility, where other Elven mages practiced forbidden magics out of the eye of the common folk. Here, Pryskadiel gathered together multiple mages she believed could help, including the Lich known as Licvan, and worked to save the child.

Year of Birth

232 ME 0 Years old

Circumstances of Birth

Born in Plague

Birthplace

Camor

Parents

Galivis Goriish

Hylvyre Goriish

Pronouns

He/Him

Gender

Man

Hair

Bald

Height

10'

Belief/Deity

Selene

Corporal Ironforge by Jarhed

Marnis was not saved out of the kindness of their hearts, however. These mages wished to try out multiple new ideas, and this newborn test subject was the best opportunity for that.
They had a way to rid the body of the plague, but that was not the first step. First, they needed to work on a body that could withstand anything, including Dragon's Doom. This was also in an attempt to see if they could create a superior warrior, in the same way that the Dwarves had been working on Project Black Boar to create the perfect soldier known as Corporal Ironforge.
These mages wanted Marnis to be the Elven Corporal Ironforge.
His body was modified, augmented so that it would grow to the size of a Draconian and have the strength and durability of an Emetian. His bones were enchanted to grow, his muscles grafted so they would expand as large as they needed to, and his skin was hardened until it was all but rock.
Then, and only then, did they rid him of Dragon's Doom. After they proved the boy could withstand it, meaning they could make immune patients if they so wanted to. However, it could only be done to babies, and it was irreparable.
As said above, however, they could not destroy the disease, only get it out of Marnis. It needed a host, and Marnis's father Galivis volunteered. Marnis was only five months old when his father died in front of him of his own Dragon's Doom. Marnis would grow up to admire those who had fathers in their lives, particularly respecting the lengths that fathers would go to protect their children and trying desparately to figure out if there was anything the child could do in return.
Hylvyre raised Marnis until he was four years old, doing the best she could for him in a world that was devolving to chaos and isolation as disease spread around the globe, shutting down governments and businesses. The Elven economy was destroyed, not by the plague itself, but by the rich Elves immediately hiding away and refusing to pay for anything, keeping the poorer Elves like the Goriish family to fend for themselves.
When Marnis was three and a half, Hylvyre caught Dragon's Doom. She tried to keep it a secret from him, not wanting her son to worry for her, but eventually she could not withstand it, and he had to take care of her in her final days. He was already incredibly large at this point thanks to Pryskadiel's enchantments, so he was able to work and bring home anything his mother needed.
But this led him to someone he knew could help. He attempted to ask Pryskadiel to heal his mother, but she refused to aid Hylvyre. She said it was not for parents, and that there was no cure for Dragon's Doom. Marnis had no choice but to suffer alongside his mother.
His mother told him to stop worrying as she suffered in her bed, because he had his whole life to worry about others. Her final words were:

"Never stop caring for others. Love everyone you meet, and worry for them when it's right. You have a kindness in your heart that's bigger than anyone else's. Let that define you more than your muscles or your bones. Be kind, Marnis. Be kind."

— Hylvyre Goriish

Captain Maitre Garcon by Jarhed

And at the age of four, Marnis Goriish was orphaned. But those words remained engraved in his soul for the remainder of his life. To be kind above anything else.

Guardian from the Guard

There was nowhere for Marnis to go. Orphanages in Camor had been shut down to new orphans for fear of spreading the plague, and even then no one was adopting because they did not want to potentially take in a carrier.
Marnis had an opportunity, however, because of his size. Pryskadiel had told the young boy he would make a fine soldier, and so he made his way to the nearest barracks, where he was met by one of the Captains of the Elven Army, Captain of the First Corps Maitre Garcon.
Maitre heard out Marnis and immediately agreed to take him in, becoming his Parental Guardian. Maitre did not want Marnis to be a soldier, detesting that he was modified to be something against his will.
However, Maitre's superiors thought otherwise. When the head of the Elven Army at the time, the legendary hero Captain Commander Narkard Leran, heard of the super soldier that Maitre had adopted, he immediately ordered the Captain of the First Corps to recruit the boy into the army.
Maitre refused Narkard's orders, keeping Marnis out of the army well into the boy's adult life. If Marnis was to join the army, it would be of his own free will.

Joining the Corps

At the age of 33, Marnis Goriish told Maitre that he was finally ready. After having spent the years prior helping those suffering from Dragon's Doom, Marnis had decided that the best way to help was to be like the man who saved him: a soldier.

Narkard Leran by Jarhed

Narkard Leran was pleased, in 265, to find that Marnis was now under the command of the Elven Guard. Immediately, Marnis was placed in the First Corps, the frontline forces led by Maitre, as Narkard knew he would be an asset to them in battle due to his durability.
Maitre was at least glad that he could keep an eye on his ward, able to order him and keep him out of danger. Again, however, this displeased Narkard, who thought that Maitre was holding the army back.
This was one of the reasons that Marnis was promoted to Aspirant Captain, the lowest ranking officer position in the army, only four years into his service in 269. This way, he had to see combat, leading his own troops.

The Young Captain

Other reasons included Marnis showing excellent marks during training drills, as well as his passion to help others and his immense strength. He was the perfect candidate, but he was only 37 years old.
Still, he did his best, fighting in small skirmishes against Dwarven forces, the Draconians of Bortan, and even small detachments of the Kingdom of Man's military. Ultimately, he was decorated with enough honors that got him another raise in rank by the year 284.
The next rank for Marnis was Aspirant Captain, the direct subordinate of a Captain of the Corps. This meant he was the one serving below Maitre, which both were rather pleased with, although Maitre was not incredibly happy at the increased danger Marnis was in and how quickly Marnis was rising through the ranks. It was altogether too fishy for him. What was Narkard up to?
In 305, Marnis was promoted a third time in the span of 40 years of service. This time, it was not to a position that was subordinate to anyone but Narkard himself: Marnis was promoted to Captain of the First Corps, Maitre's former position and the second highest rank in the entire army. He was promoted over the Captains of the Second and Third Corps, who were waiting for that position so they could ascend the ranks.
More than that, however, was the fact that Maitre was still alive and serving in the army. Maitre was on detail in Shafai, returning to find that he had been demoted to Aspirant Captain of the First Corps, serving under Marnis, his own ward.

Grammir by Jarhed

Captain, Alone

Maitre had always given Marnis advice. A particular bit that always stuck out to Goriish was when his mentor talked to him about leading. Marnis said that he hoped to lead one day, but Maitre responded with:

“Oh, don’t hope too much. Being a leader isn’t all too great. A leader needs to bear the burden of all his subordinates. A leader needs to protect them all and hope that they can all make it back together. That’s not always that easy.”

— Captain Maitre Garcon

This always remained in Marnis's head, even when Maitre was no longer with him.
A pincer attack, orchestrated by the young Dwarven soldier known as Grammir, was the end of Maitre. However, it was not Dwarven soldiers that killed Marnis's guardian. It was an opposing force of Draconians that were fighting against the Dwarves, as Grammir planned for the Elves would get caught in the crossfire.
Maitre knew Marnis could withstand a lot, but he saw an attack coming that would even harm the boy that had been bred for combat. And so, Maitre jumped in the way of the attack. Dying in Marnis's arms, Maitre held him close and said:

"It's funny... even though you’re in command, I still see you as my subordinate. I still… want to protect you.”

— Captain Maitre Garcon

What Grammir was not prepared for was Marnis's resilience. He tore through the Draconian forces, surviving, albeit unaware of Grammir's role in the attack.
Marnis continued on, alone in his command, but he did not let those feelings of loneliness drag him down. He did everything he could to connect with every one of his subordinates, particularly the Aspirant and Sous-Captains, but also just the lower ranking soldiers below even them. Every life he was in charge of was important to Marnis.
Despite all of this, a great rage was building in his heart. One that was snowballing out of control.

Captain Aeydark by Jarhed

It was also around this time that Marnis met a promising young soldier, one that he was unable to connect with. Marnis feared him instead: Aeydark Lesuant.
Aeydark was bloodthirsty and rushed into battle far too much. Still, despite Marnis's worries, Aeydark was eventually promoted to Captain of the Second Corps, being the third ranking in the Elven Army below Marnis and the still fighting Captain Commander Narkard Leran.

Attack on the Treasury

Marnis was given a rather mundane post for a time, as the King believed that he needed to relax. Marnis was tasked with guarding the royal treasury in Camor Keep alongside his closest and most trusted soldiers. He wasn't particularly pleased, but he accepted the assignment.
In the year 448, Marnis was guarding the treasury when it was attacked by a Purple Draconian that called himself Tanosh.
Tanosh killed Marnis's subordinates as he broke into the vault, proclaiming it an accident and saying:

"I didn't mean to kill anyone."

— Tanosh

Marnis tried to kill the intruder, but he found it impossible to pierce the purple scales. Tanosh made off with a Thorasite fragment from the vault, stealing nothing else. As he left, however, he told Marnis that when Marnis forgave him, they should meet by Lashmur Lake, where Tanosh hoped to build a new home.
It was against Tanosh that Marnis unlocked Impossible Magic, a new Elemental Affinity of Earth that combined with his natural Water affinity to create geysers.
Marnis never met Tanosh again. Some believe Tanosh was killed by a group of Debt Collectors about a year after his encounter with Marnis, while others claim he retired after fulfilling his goal. That hardly mattered to Marnis. Tanosh was not important as an individual, but instead by what he represented to the Captain.
But Marnis remembered Lashmur Lake, a place in Draconian Territory, bordering the villages of Ealla and Evity. Eventually, it would border another village as well, one that would be founded some years later. A village known as Ilder.

Otikul Nurdesh by Jarhed

The Magic College

Marnis's rage had grown exponentially after Tanosh's attack, and Narkard took notice of this. He told Marnis that if he was going to continue serving as Captain of the First Corps, he needed to get himself under control. Marnis was, at first, unsure of how he could do this, until Narkard told him of the place that had changed his life for the better.
The Magic College of Zephys, a Draconian institution of education that was famous for teaching some of the most powerful mages in history. Narkard convinced him, saying:

"Everyone who is anyone has gone there. I grew into the man I was today studying at that school. You can grow there as well, I'm certain of it."

— Captain Commander Narkard Leran

In 516, Marnis joined the Magic College Class of 520, a class that would ultimately become infamous as one of the most remembered classes in history, with Marnis as one of its major faces, alongside others.
One of those that particularly stuck out to Marnis was the Village Chief of Ilder, Otikul Nurdesh, who lived in the place Tanosh had told Marnis to go. Throughout their time of study, Marnis and Otikul often fought, though Otikul would never lose, always ultimately evading Marnis. This only further ignited Marnis's rage.

Ilifaren by Jarhed

He did, however, end up making some friends, or more accurately accquaintances. Ilifaren, a Wood Elven Hunter in his class, as well as a Human from the Jihdi Empire named Jehlur Daka, who had served in the Ninja Legion.
Both of them were warriors and understood Marnis's care for those that served with him, seeing past the rage he felt and connecting with the man underneath it.
Ilifaren in particular was Marnis's sparring partner assigned by the school, and often would try to push past his rage, but didn't know how to do so. However, Marnis never defeated her, in part due to her unmatched luck. Due to this, he always placed low in class rankings.
There was also a man that understood his care as a soldier, but instead of seeing past his rage, he fueled it. This was his classmate Ikkul Ravofarn, a Bortanni soldier who challenged Marnis to a duel as often as he could.
Marnis took great pleasure in these battles, as he got to see the true might of the Draconians strongest warriors.

The 520 Massacre

A great tragedy took place on the dawn of the year 520, where the Class of 521, Marnis's direct underclassmen, were all slaughtered by the Grand Wizard at the time, Drixodal Vortrin, save for one student: Urokris Erthar.

Drixodal Vortrin by Jarhed

The Class of 520 were the first on the scene. They saw the devestation personally, and Marnis was the one to discover that Vortrin had, under the weight of the grief and guilt he felt over the deed, taken his own life.
Marnis had not been particularly close to any of his underclassmen, but still he was distressed by this event. The tragic mass loss of life at the hands of another monstrous Draconian warrior. His rage grew, and as with everyone in his class, this event changed the course of his life forever.
After training for the next few months, Marnis participated in his class Graduation Tournament. He did not score well on the academic test at the end, placing towards the bottom of the class, and he also ended up losing twice in the tournament, placing 9th overall in the class after losing first to Otikul Nurdesh and then again to the Shadow Mage Aaldir.
Humiliated, Marnis returned to Camor, having learned nothing but hatred. He never saw Jehlur Daka again, and would rarely see Ilifaren.

Olthash Bifaeth by fyrcracker

The Ilder Massacre

As he was studying at the Magic College, Marnis had sent one of his soldiers to spy on Ilder. Part of this was due to Tanosh's words to him all those years prior, and another was because of his growing rivalry with Otikul Nurdesh.
This soldier, Pengeon, was ultimately killed by the Mardaar family, particularly Olthash Bifaeth Mardaar, wife of the Chief Protector of the Village, its greatest warrior Ordoth Mardaar.
Marnis was enraged, and he knew he could not let this slide.
Aeydark suggested an idea to Marnis, and Marnis agreed without thinking. His rage had taken him over at this point, and he needed revenge for Pengeon and all of the other men that had died to Draconian aggression.

"How about a hunt? We show these Draconians what real warriors are like by turning them into prey before us. The hunters become the hunted, and you get revenge for your men."

— Captain Aeydark Lesuant the Hunter

On the 20th day of the Month of Chaos, 526, the Elven Guard invaded the village of Ilder, razing it to the ground and killing as many soldiers and civilians as they could. Aeydark called it a hunt, and that is a more correct term. However, Marnis managed to convince Narkard to get the historical records to call it a Massacre instead, after the 520 Massacre. If the Draconians could massacre so many and get away with it, he figured he could as well.

Ordoth Mardaar by fyrcracker

He killed three soldiers immediately upon arrival, and the deaths of at least two civilians are attributed to him as well. However, he was stopped from further destruction when he stumbled across Olthash Bifaeth Mardaar and her son Oraakil Mardaar.
Olthash used Puppetry to keep back Marnis, telling Oraakil to go get his father to repel this invasion, since she knew she could not do it alone.
Marnis respected her strength. As much as he knew she was to blame for the death of his subordinate, he also knew that it was likely Ordoth that did it. Olthash was merely a powerful warrior that looked out for her family. What she was putting on the line to sacrifice for her child... it brought him back to his own family.
Captain Marnis Goriish did not kill Olthash Bifaeth Mardaaar, but she would go missing during the Massacre, and the fault was pinned on Marnis, with many believing her to be dead.
When Ordoth arrived, Marnis was gone, and so was Olthash. Ordoth and all of Draconian territory would blame this, and Ordoth's ensuing descent into rage-induced madness, on Marnis. No one knew that he had fled out of respect for Olthash. No one knew who was truly to blame.
But even Marnis did not recall this. Like Ordoth, his anger was too strong to think. Marnis's rage had taken over so much that he was not even aware of the fact that he launched this operation on his 294th birthday.

Captain Rapport by Jarhed

The Elven Civil War

In the year 548, a global coup called the Grand Crowning took place, and the Elven throne was taken by Fleat Pteethtack, the Half-Elven Pretender King and bastard son of King Daeric Nerifir.
Fleat killed Daeric, taking the throne. Marnis took up arms immediately, but Narkard calmly ordered him to exit the city, as they had a meeting to attend.
The entire Elven Guard left Camor, which Fleat had taken, and staked out in the Elven Forest. Here, they met Fleat's half-brother, the full blooded Elf Quothas Nerifir. Narkard said that Quothas would be the one they would support for the throne instead of Fleat.
Marnis, as well as the other Captains of the Corps (Aeydark and Briller) were given Korvian Abilities by the Korvian known as Etcher, with Marnis's expanding on his abilities by granting him the natural powers of every species, making him an unstoppable soldier.
The other Captains took their soldiers to invade Camor, while Marnis was left in the Elven Forest to prevent the army from being flanked and prevent any enemies getting into the city to support Fleat.
To help Marnis, he was given other Sous-Captains and Aspirant Captains to help. Alongside his own Sous-Captain at the time, Repos, he was given command over Sous-Captain Demie, as well as Aspirant Captains Rapport, Monstre, and Deces, not to mention a large chunk of the Elven army, including future hero Vethster.

Captain Demie by Jarhed

Repos was killed in a hostile attack by Tsar Sackerton of the Mishans, but Marnis was able to dispatch of Sackerton and send him running after tapping into a fraction of the power built up from his rage. To fill in his place, Rapport became Marnis's new second-in-command.
Marnis blamed this on the newly resettled Ilder, having been built back up again by Oraakil Mardaar after Marnis and his soldiers destroyed it in 526. Marnis repeatedly warned Oraakil to give up the dream, saying it was Elven land and it was far too dangerous to let Draconians settle so close to their forest.
Oraakil refused, leading to a small scuffle between the two that ended with Oraakil being defeated but ultimately saved by the Druid, Lorzavur Exikmaan. Marnis retreated with his soldiers, warning Oraakil that they should not have to meet again.
Marnis desparately did not want to fight Oraakil. He respected Olthash and sensed rage in Oraakil's heart, rage that mirrored his own. His enemy was not Oraakil, and he didn't want it to be.
This changed at the end of the Civil War, when Marnis discovered something.
On the floor of the Elven Forest, the helmet of Captain Demie sat, surrounded by blood. She was never seen again, and Marnis believed he knew what happened to her. She was dead, and Ilder did it. Oraakil did it, or one of his soldiers. Marnis would make them pay.

Oraakil Mardaar by fyrcracker

The Raid of Ilder

In the year 550, after two years of indifference throughout the war, Marnis finally acted. His rage blinded him, carrying him to Ilder to take them out once and for all.
In a battle against Oraakil, who had learned to control his rage, as well as Oraakil's son Hardel Mardaar, Marnis was uncontrollable. He destroyed entire areas of the village, but Oraakil managed to talk him down, defeating him and helping him to control his rage with a technique Oraakil had learned called Rage Crystals.
It was not easy. It was like fighting against one's own nature. But eventually, he succeeded.
In the midst of this attempt at controlling his rage, Oraakil was stolen away, and Ordoth Mardaar appeared to take out his revenge. Marnis, having finally controlled his rage thanks to Hardel, battled Ordoth alongside Hardel and the returned Oraakil.
Oraakil kept Hardel safe and used the teachings Ordoth had given him to defeat his father, though traditionally defeating him was not possible. Instead, Oraakil, Marnis, and Hardel combined their might to throw Ordoth into a land where he would, hopefully, not be a problem again: Shafai.
And it was with Oraakil, as they sent Ordoth away, that Marnis found the answer to the question in his mind subconsciously since he was five months old. What could a child do to repay their parents sacrifice? They could live. As long as they were alive, that sacrifice was paid back in full, and when they died, it would be alright as long as their life was well lived. Marnis needed to keep living life to its fullest, and only then could he repay his father's sacrifice.

Captain Hadon Leran by Jarhed

Rapport and Deces, as well as a sizeable portion of his soldiers, died in the Raid of Ilder to Oraakil's forces. Monstre was the only Captain to survive, but this time, Marnis only had himself to blame. And he promised that he would never again allow for his rage to get anyone else killed.

Return to Camor

Marnis returned to Camor to discover that Narkard's campaign had succeeded, and Quothas Nerifir was placed on the throne.
Marnis had been very deliberate in not exactly officially supporting Quothas as King. He didn't particularly agree with the war, killing other Elves to put someone on the throne. More than that, he was not particularly excited about Narkard, who had once been a great hero, but by then had become rather old, in Marnis's eyes, had lost his sense of justice, replacing it with blind loyalty.
However, when Marnis returned, he found that the Captain of the Third Corps, Briller, had been killed. In his place, Narkard's son Hadon Leran had taken over.
Immediately, Marnis took note of Narkard. It was not by accident that his son had fallen into this position. Narkard had been working hard and sacrificing for his son to succeed, though he clearly hid it well. Marnis began admiring Narkard in a way that had previously been reserved for resentment to the man that coerced him into this deadly profession.
Narkard began personally training Marnis after this, noting Marnis's lack of anger and commending him for finally growing past those roadblocks. This training was deemed unnecessary by Marnis, but Narkard insisted.
He was preparing his successor, after all.
When Hadon returned from Hell in the year 560 with a son, Marnis was the only one of the Captains to not only congratulate him, but accept the young boy. Marnis played with the little one as the other Captains argued and bickered, particularly Hadon and Narkard, over duty, love, and justice.
Marnis didn't want Hadon's son to be left out, nor feel neglected. He wanted the young boy to know love from his very first days, so that he could spread it to all.
He kept in his heart what his mother had told him. To love everyone he met, to let his kindness define him. Marnis wanted to be a kind Captain, and a kind Captain Commander as well.

The Eighth Captain Commander

After a conflict between Narkard and his son after Hadon's return, the old Captain Commander officially announced his resignation. As he had said to Marnis in private:

"I have grown too old to swing my sword with the same precision, and I feel that as my blade has dulled so have my wits. I would like to see a day where I have no need to carry a blade... where the sun sets on a bloodless sky. I trust you to keep it that way."

— Captain Commander Narkard Leran

Thus, Narkard handed the title of Captain Commander of the Four Corps of the Elven Guard over to Marnis, leaving a letter in the Office of the Captain Commander for Marnis that simply read as follows:

"The blade is a last resort. Always a last resort. Good luck, and serve with duty, honor, and justice."

Of this era, however, Marnis considered his greatest accomplishment to have been having children of his own, a son and a daughter named Maitre and Olthash, after two figures that greatly impacted him.
It is said that he always told his children

"You are everything to me. I love you more than words could ever express... I only hope my actions show it every day."

— Captain Commander Marnis Goriish