Ok so this is not a perfect description of Marius, but it should give everyone a general idea.
Two scruffy looking men at the tavern's counter are holding their clay beer mugs just a bit too tightly. Their dirty heads are close together and they are whispering something together nervously. The men are doing quite well to hide their anxiety as their posture seems relaxed and there is a smile on each of their faces. But to someone observing closely the cold sweat on their foreheads, the quick glances and the trembling hands reveal the fear gripping their backbones. The tavern is quite full and most of the patrons do not waste a breath for the duo at the bar. Yet in the shadowy corner near the entrance and one of the fireplaces, the sharp eyes of one man do not let the subtle signs pass unnoticed.
Marius Thulmann watches the suspicious duo for a moment longer and takes a puff on his pipe. The sudden rush of air lights the the tobacco in the pipe's bowl brightly and reveals the witch hunter's facial features for a blink of an eye. One of the men happens to cast a quick glance at Thulmann's direction at the very moment and seems to miss a heartbeat. The strikingly bright blue eyes on the emotionless, weathered face are locked into his and seem to eat their way right into his soul. The witch hunter immediately recognizes the source of the farmers' fear… It is Thulmann himself the men are worried about. Apparently his reputation has proceeded him and reached this backwater place before him.
The two fools at the counter must have done someone something wrong, committed some act of evil, to be wary of a witch hunter. Normal people living their lives in peace have nothing to fear from Marius or the organization he is a part of. Then again pathetic criminals like these two are unworthy of his attention. They are better left to be handled by the local authorities or a marshal than to waste the precious time of a witch hunter. No. Neither of them is the one he is after…
It is easy for anyone to compare Marius with Ark. The two could not be much more different in outlook or behavior. Where the young sylvari half-blood is a joyful fellow, the witch hunter is almost sulky in his grimness. If he ever smiles, it doesn't come openly and never does he laugh out loud. All the darkness, the chaos and the evil have eaten most of his joy for life. Marius Thulmann practically exists only to destroy the malevolent beings whose actions are turning regular people into somber creatures such as himself. On a trip, the witch hunter tends to ride the point and at a campsite he often lies his head down somewhat apart from the rest.
In a conversation, Marius is often slow to respond, but those who know him better also know he will more often than not have a reply ready. The man of 40 or so summers never seems to lie, not even when a little white one could be more valuable than the ugly truth. More than once have his words hurt someone deeply even when that has not been his purpose. And once again, Marius and Ark are very different when it comes to sharing information about themselves. The Sendrian never speaks of his past unless asked directly. Even then he is prone to avoid responding if at all possible. All his companions have managed to gather about him during their travels together is that Marius Thulmann is a son of a nobleman from Davnor. Yet he has left his homeland decades ago in search of an undead lord responsible for the disappearance of his little brother, the only person Marius has apparently ever truly loved.
It is also clear to anyone well versed in the Antaronian heraldry, that the tattoo of Rydor symbol engulfed in flames on his left palm is the sign of a semi-secret joint order of the Iron Flame and the Justicars. The members like Marius are simply referred to as witch hunters although their prey is hardly only warlocks or conjurers of evil powers. The name of the Ertain based order is so secret that almost no one outside it is allowed to know it.
The whole presence of Marius Thulmann screams of danger. Rare are the men brave or insane enough to sneak upon the witch hunter let alone challenge him into a duel. And rarer still are the ones who have walked out live from such a foolish attempt. For Marius is not a forgiving or merciful man. In his world there are too many people making the lives of others miserable to let every one of them live when caught. But he is sworn to uphold the law and if the law says someone should not die for his sins, then so be it. Fortunately the law does require criminals to be punished for their abusive actions...
In most occasions the hoarse voice and the sharp words of the witch hunter are enough to intimidate anyone willing to test his or her luck in combat with the raven-haired man. But in the uncommon occasion when it is not enough to turn someone aside from the path of self destruction, he or she will have to survive a ruthless warrior who spits on the idea of fighting honorably. In mortal combat only one thing matters to Marius - survival. The witch hunter is a very strong man even though his tall frame isn't bulging with muscle like one of them northern barbarians. Yet his prowess in battle does not come from physical power alone. The enchanted mighty hand and a half sword flies around with respectable skill and ease and tends to find the weak spots in the opponent's defense. But before an enemy can lock himself in a fierce melee fight, he must be able to dodge a bullet or two from the duo of pistols Marius carries everywhere. Not all can…
The witch hunter's outfit is mostly black. The wide brimmed hat hides most of the weathered and scarred face including the blue eyes, a sharp nose, thin lips and the stubble covering a strong chin and cheeks. A completely black suit of chain seems to suck in light and create a shadow around Marius. On top of the armor is a black leather vest with sewn in scabbards for six throwing knives. And long leather boots cover his black leather pants to the knee. A heavy oiled leather overcoat keeps the witch hunter warm and dry during wind and rain.
As a part of a team, Marius Thulmann packs more than just firepower. His years of fighting against the undead and the witches have given the witch hunter invaluable experience and knowledge that can be used in the group's advantage against their enemies. His tracking skills have proven to be most useful too from time to time. Marius also has an uncanny ability of seeing through the facades people put up to hide their secrets and he rarely fails get results when questioning suspects. The incredibly blue eyes seem to notice everything from small details to hidden objects.
Shadows of the Empire Q&A
Shadows of the Empire
Neva
You're all far too kind.
