Justicar Marrius Rahyn

Overview
Justicar Marrius Rahyn is the current faction leader of The Kingsmen of Olaran, specifically the units associated with the Borderlands. He is played by Aaron Dyer, joining the event in 2018 then being promoted to second in command of the faction in 2019. Aaron was then promoted to "faction leader" in 2020 and was a major inspiration to both players and staff that year.

Character Background
Marrius Hofler was born to a family of fruit farmers in the Thornwood. Specifically the Hoflers were known for a particularly delightful collection of fruits commonly consumed with spirits and thus improving the flavor. While his life was peaceful enough as he grew, the young Marrius was dissatisfied by the daily life of living and running a farm and, at merely eight years old, he decided to hide in a cart headed for the port city of So'l. After a few weeks roaming the city, surviving off of what he could scrounge up, he found an opportunity to earn his keep aboard The Maelstrom, a Sea Lord vessel, and for the next two years he served as a cabin boy and carpenter's apprentice.

Unfortunately, an altercation between the then ten year old Marrius and some of the other crew near Delcour led to his expulsion from the ship all together. While those involved claimed the he had attacked an officer with no provocation, in truth the boy had attacked the officer in question for whipping one of the crew over a trivial offense. Regardless the young man now found himself alone in a new and strange city with no direction in life and little money to change his circumstances.

As fortune would have it a knight and Kingsmen, Sir Alexander Rahyn, took a shine to Marrius when the young man defended another urchin from their tormenters. Seeing the makings of a great man, Sir Alexander made Marrius his squire, and for three years he taught his ward everything he knew regarding the ways of the law and the lifestyle of a knight. Between cleaning armor, brushing down the knight's steed, and constant training in swordsmanship, Marrius began to grow into a strong and level headed young adult.

At thirteen Sir Alexander secured a place for his charge at The Academy of Kingsmen and, while saddened by being separated by his mentor and father figure, Marrius took the opportunity to join the prestigious institution. For the next six years he studied and trained, excelling in his fighting ability and strength as much as expanding his knowledge of the kingdom and its workings. At the end of this time he took his vows and was stationed with his comrades in Murnock just as the Golthans made an attempt at taking the highly strategic and valuable Mines of Murnock.

Soon after his arrival, Marrius received word that his mentor and adoptive father Sir Alexander had been killed in battling the invaders. With this message came the knights sash and a necklace, mementos for the young man to cherish. In his anger and grief, the kingsman volunteered to defend the very same mines in which Sir Alexander had been killed. Unknowingly he would be part of one of the more legendary battles of the whole conflict.

Under the command of Inquisitor Braxton Petras, the unit Marrius had joined were attacked by an overwhelming force of Golthans who had broken through the main defenses and assaulted their position continuously for three days. However the Kingsmen held out against impossible odds until reinforcements arrived. His first taste of true combat affected Marrius deeply, and due to this traumatic experience he learned to prefer deescalating situations rather than turning to violence immediately. He would often be heard saying the phrase "Words first, swords if needed." This mantra is the main reason for his ascension through the ranks of his order, the sharpness of his sword second only to the cutting edge of his words.

The Autumn Feast (1117 YL)
Marrius, by now an Executar, was not present when King Osiric was murdered. He had been on assignment in the Fire Mountains before getting requested to join the ill fated expedition for the Sword of Hope as Executar of the Borderlands.

The Ithacus Campaign (Late 1118 YL - Early 1119 YL)
Due to terrible storms the Olar fleet was separated and while the main force landed near each other, many ships were either turned away or dashed on the rocky shores. The Executar survived and, under the command of Justicar Braxton and with the assistance of Marshal Strong-Shield, he rallied the Kingsmen to make camp and prepared for further forays into this new land.

Unfortunately a disagreement between the leadership of the campaign and the sudden and unexpected appearance of King Randar led to a duel between the then Duke Killian and Commodore Torvin, which resulted in the former being removed as the leader of the search. Tensions boiled over the next day and fighting between the Kingsmen and Hearth-Guard over supplies from the Sea Lord's ships led to all out fighting with the Rangers joining the Duke's troops while the Sea Lords threw their lot in with the Kingsmen.

Executar Marrius was splitting his time directing troops into battle and guarding King Randar who was beginning to show a sign or two of madness. Some present have whispered about a game of fetch being played, and mention of The Stick came from this same encounter. Regardless the noble warrior led his fighters well, and when The Battle of the Long Prows was fought he held the right flank of the Kingsmen against their kin to great and terrible effect. The Duke was eventually captured and a truce made, and the revelation of the extremity of the

With the Rangers and Hearth-Guard held at bay, the other two factions occupied a nearby town in the hopes of holding the food and water supplies as bargaining tools to bring the belligerents to heel. This was a partial success, with tempers beginning to cool and an evening of tournaments of comraderie being held on the first night the four factions came together, though the Rangers left the events early under their new leadership.

Any semblance of peace was quickly lost the next morning when Duke Killian arrived with a weapon which he claimed was the Sword of Hope, claiming it proved his worthiness for regency of Olaran under the current circumstances with King Randar. Marrius during this time had been promoted to Justicar, and was commonly seen among the golden ranks during the many skirmishes that broke out over these new tensions. These encounters ultimately led to The Battle of the Dread Fort during which the Rangers and Kingsmen vowed to remove themselves from the fight and let the Sea Lords and Hearth-Guard fight it out.

Bruised and bloody, another peace talk was held, during which the then Captain Rook revealed he has given a fake sword to the Duke as a test and revealed what he considered to be the real sword. This was of great interest to the Kingsmen, Justicar Marrius among them, though with less zeal than the now Reeve Braxton. The talks ended in a call to return to Olaran and settle things at home and not on foreign soil.

The Battle of the Thornwood (1120 YL)
Upon their arrival home, the Reeve departed for the capital, leaving Justicar Marrius in charge of a detachment of Kingsmen to represent their faction during a meeting of the Throne's Council to determine the legitimacy of Duke Killian's claim for regency. However the new Justicar had different ideas and, when the gathering rapidly became a trial of Killian for treason, he quickly stepped in to mediate the proceedings as the voice of the law. The resulting penance required of Killian by joining The Order of Luminos was a success for the the new leader's skills in diplomacy, and he was confident the Kingsmen had things in hand.

This was quickly proven untrue when the Rangers, under the direction of Captains Calloway and Arquus, kidnapped Torvin during his sudden attempt to re-evaluate the treaty written between The First Sea Lord and King Alirion the Unifier. The ensuing chaos led the Justicar to react quickly in supported the Rangers despite his misgivings, though by the end of the first day of battle the cloaks of green and gold had formed a formal alliance. Together they now battled the blue and red of the Sea Lords and Hearth-Guard, at first being pushed back before turning the tide and giving as good as they got in the ensuing battles. The blood of many Olar was spilled in the Thornwood for two days of fighting, ending only when The High Priest of Luminos was assassinated and the Church of Luminos insisted on a year's peace to honor the holy man's passing. The Justicar began to see through the veil of his faction's relationship with the church, and went in search of answers back at the Academy in hopes of uncovering some of their ancient secrets.

Personality and Traits
Marrius has a long history of standing up for those who cannot defend themselves. He is honorable and stalwart in both his life and in combat, with the strength of a bull. Together with his devotion to the laws that govern the land and those they protect he is well respected among his enemies and loved among his friends. Those who fight by his side do so with conviction, but are just as willing to hold and listen to him reason out an argument to great effect.

Unlike others in his faction, Marrius tends to avoid discussing Luminos despite the zealous nature of some of his fellows. With his new position as Justicar, it is rumored he intends to make changes within the Kingsmen ranks, taking them back to their original roots as warriors for the realm as well as for its monarch.

Relationships
Killian Staghunter (fmr. Duke of Lannock) -

Commodore Torvin Saelithend -

Commander Tove Mørkulv -

Captain Kaiþera Farsailor -

Commander Rook Calloway -