Overview
Marcellus is a Thalassai imperator who commands the Thalassai legions alongside Aelius and Hadrian. He is an air and temporal mage and a former student of Lunorax. After Aelius becomes imperator of Chronasis and Hadrian commands in Pyrenis, Marcellus takes charge of both Terranova and Aetherion.
Appearance and Manner
Marcellus has short brown hair, though he can alter his apparent hair color and height with illusion magic. He is quiet, controlled, and strikingly still, often briefing commanders in clipped sentences without changing expression. His deadpan manner is familiar in Thalassai strategic briefings, and Cassian has to prompt him to elaborate.
Abilities and Military Work
Marcellus fights with rapid short-range temporal blinking, compressed air blasts, airblades, and shockwaves. His rapid blinks blur across arenas and battlefields, his air detonations tear apart arena stone, and his magic clears battlefield dust. He defeats Eira and Cassian in arena matches, while Aelius defeats him in a colosseum duel.
Marcellus is also a scout, infiltrator, and military organizer. He scouts from Terranova, gathers intelligence in Ulzathir on Zain's militarization, and briefs Thalassai leaders on Solvarria, Tharendur, and the Plains of Eternity. His illusion magic creates field disguises: during the Tharendur mission, he changes his apparent hair and height, creates clothing illusions for the group, and silently blinks ahead to locate a town. Thalena also assigns him to naval defense with Pontarius, citing his immense naval combat ability.
History
Marcellus emerges after the retirement of the older archons of air and water as Lunorax's gifted student, a young man who shares his dual affinity and speaks little. He later rises into Thalassai's imperator-level command, takes charge of Terranova and Aetherion, keeps the legions ready for creatures from the darkness, and defends Thalassai against hostile fleets near Terranova.
Cassian sends Marcellus to Ulzathir for intelligence on Zain's preparations, the pressure on Solvarria, the Haverloch border posture, and the risk that Ulzathir will move west after Solvarria and Tharendur. After Thalena's disappearance, Marcellus stands with Aelius and Hadrian when the imperators endorse Cassian's nomination as archon of time.
As an active imperator during the Solvarria and Pyrenis Campaign, Marcellus joins Eira, Kaelion, Xarion, and Kazehiro on the route through the Plains of Eternity and Tharendur. After the ambush west of Tharendur and Xarion's meteor strike, Marcellus and Kazehiro flee south to Solvarria as instructed. Their arrival lets Hadrian link up with them, complete Thalassai's takeover of Solvarria, and cut the nation's trade lines with Ulzathir. When Ulzathir considers retaking Solvarria, Marcellus holds the border with the remaining high-level Thalassai mages. After Qadir's detonation near Pyrenis, Marcellus leads the Pyrenis rescue alongside Ignaros.
Relationships
Marcellus's recurring commanders and allies include Cassian, Thalena, Aelius, Hadrian, Lunorax, Ignaros, Pontarius, Calythos, Eira, Kaelion, Xarion, Kazehiro, Astryx, Anshar, and the Thalassai legions. Lunorax is his former teacher, Aelius is his fellow imperator and superior sparring rival, and Kazehiro becomes his partner during the Tharendur mission and the Thalassai takeover of Solvarria.