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From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Markel Smythe
Player: @Sheyon
Rank:	Commander
Origin:	Magic
Archetype:	Corruptor
Security Level:	50
Identifying Data
Real Name:	Markel Aaron Smythe
Known Aliases:	Mark, Marky, Shadowed One, Darkweaver, Firestarter
Species:	Human
Age:	41
Height:	5'6"
Weight:	176lbs
Eye Color:	Blue
Hair Color:	Blond
Additional Data
Place of Birth:	New York City
Citizenship:	American
Current Residence:	The Asgard
Occupation:	Scholar, Mystic, Healer
Marital Status:	Married (1st wife, deceased; current wife, Rosalyn Taylor-Smythe, aka Blood Red Rook)
Legal Status:	Criminal, escaped felon; wanted in Paragon City for other outstanding acts of villainy and as a suspected Arachnos collaborator
Known Relatives and/or Associates
Daughter (about six-years-old; name and location unknown)
Known Powers
Dark magics, fire magics, healing magics, limited Mu magics, technopathy
Training / Abilities
Extreme sensitivity to the arcane; rumored to be physically conditioning and learning hand-to-hand combat techniques
Equipment
Magestone, an ancient artifact which increases magical potential within the user; other various summoned armors which can provide additional protection against physical attacks.
Footnotes
Former Legacy Chain mage and Destined One, one of the original commanders of the ex-Arachnos organization, the Shadow Spiders.
"Unity. Brotherhood. Sacrifice."

A former Destined One, Markel has risen to co-lead the renegade Arachnos organization the Shadow Spiders. Faced with threats from all sides, Markel helps to steer and guide the future of that which he and his comrades had worked so hard to build. Just another day in the Shadow Spiders...

[edit] Background

Markel Smythe (pronounced "smith") was born in the Big Apple. His father was a mechanic. His mother was a nurse. They were decent, hard-working people who raised their son as any parent raising children in the 1970s might.

Markel was thirteen when he had a strange encounter that probably changed his life forever. He and his friends were passing by a tent that was known to house an old magician. They had only ever seen this magician in passing, and their nickname for him was "Old Spotty," for the age-spots that covered his face. One day, the children dared each other to enter the tent for a chat with Old Spotty, but no one had the courage to do so--until Markel, tired of their bickering, approached the tent and cautiously poked his head inside. As the rest of his body followed suit, his friends ducked behind a nearby fence.

To his surprise, the magician was not angry at this intrusion. In fact, he seemed to expect Markel. The two chatted for a bit (though nowadays Markel forgets about what exactly). When it came time for him to leave, however, the magician gave him a small gift: a yellow gemstone. It was about the size of a child's palm and seemed to glimmer and pulse unnaturally in the low light of the tent. Not totally understanding, Markel pocketed the stone and bade the magician farewell.

When his friends saw him reemerge, they all rushed him, eager to hear every detail. When Markel finished explaining what happened, they boldly poked their heads in the tent as well. But to their surprise, the tent was empty! They prodded Markel for a bit, thinking perhaps he was pulling their leg, but Markel just shrugged it off. Soon the pack of children were back to their usual thing.

Markel never told them about the gemstone, however. And they never did see the magician again from that day forward.

[edit] The Legacy Chain

It was during Markel's teenage years that he and his family relocated to Paragon City. Markel's magical talents also began to manifest during this time, but he always kept it a secret from everyone around him. Living in the "City of Heroes", however, he could not hide from the ever-watchful Legacy Chain. They approached him in secret, as they are wont to do, and offered to teach him how to effectively use his power. (Privately, they also wanted to keep an eye on the fledgling magician to make sure he only used his power for good.) And the young Markel eagerly accepted.

As an apprentice in the Legacy of Flame, he was schooled in fire magicks and he took the name "Firestarter" as his secret identity. When he wasn't studying math or sciences for high school, he was studying arcane history or reading up on ancient relics. His penchant for study made him an expert in magical lore in no time, though he was also a powerful hero by his own right. Before he finished college, he was already a Blaze of Flame.

As most people expected, he pursued an academic life. While he was a graduate student, he met and married Mariella Stone—a fellow member of the Legacy Chain, heroine, and scholar. The couple had no children, but they remained happily married until Mariella fell prey to a wasting disease seven years later. As medical and even magical cures proved to be ineffective, a distraught Markel secretly began prying into the dark magics of the Netherworld in search of a cure. He knew the Legacy Chain would never approve of his pacts with the darkness, so he sought to keep it under wraps as best he could.

Just as he felt he was on the verge of a breakthrough, he was found out and it took the full might of his cell group to hold him back. Markel watched his wife die alone. Devastated and enraged, he attacked, killing one of his fellow Legacy Chain. His superpowers and his crime exposed to the public, he didn't even try to defend himself when he was sentenced to Ziggursky Penitentiary.

[edit] The Zig

Markel quickly had to learn the finer points of life behind bars. Because of his age (Markel was 35 when he was arrested) and quiet nature, some of the other prisoners either tended to leave him alone or else paint a big fat target on him. The latter quickly became the former after an incident in which a fellow prisoner had to be relocated to a sanitarium after trying to claw his eyes out and endlessly screaming something about horrific demons melting out of the walls and trying to gnaw on his flesh. No one could prove that Markel ever did anything other than look at the guy, but everyone else got the message.

Markel languished in prison for four years until—as fate would have it—Arachnos launched the first phase of their Project DESTINY. As Arachnos fliers bombarded the Ziggursky Prison, the prison itself briefly lost power, allowing the inmates to leave their cells and wreak havoc on the inside. Not content to stick around, Markel slipped into the shadows and met up with one of the Arachnos operatives on the ground. To his surprise the operative was looking for him, among several other prisoners whose names were on a special list. Not questioning the operative, Markel boarded one of the first fliers out of the prison to a place called Mercy Island—in the Rogue Isles.

Markel Smythe

[edit] Project DESTINY

Arachnos may have plucked him from that stinking prison, but it seemed that their obligation to him was now over—even despite being on their special list of "Destined Ones." From here on out, he was on his own. He approached a fellow prisoner with whom he shared a mutual respect, an Outcast named Zackary Williams, who went by the name of Frostbolt and also held the power of ice.

Without a penny to their name and only their magics to rely on, the pair took what jobs they could in order to simply survive. They had a good thing going for a while. Even the Fortunata Kalinda began to take notice of these two "hopefuls," and she offered them an official Arachnos job: clear out a Snake pit.

It was easy enough for these two super-powered humans. But then the unexpected happened—betrayal. Frostbolt wasn't going to share Kalinda's blessing with Markel, and he aimed to make sure that the older man didn't walk out of that cave alive. The battle was furious, but in the end Markel crushed Frostbolt by draining the life from his body.

Whether Kalinda knew or foreknew of Frostbolt's betrayal she never revealed. But to Markel it was clear that he was being tested. And indeed, he learned a very hard lesson that day: the weak will perish and only the strong will survive in the Rogue Isles. (Not only that, Arachnos was watching him.)

When Kalinda formally asked Markel his name so that she could bestow her blessing, Markel knew that the Firestarter was forever dead in that cave. In fact, he probably died with his wife back in Paragon City. He took the new identity "Markel Darkweaver."

[edit] The Shadow Spiders

Sometime afterward, Markel was recruited into Arbiter Death's fledgling organization, the Shadow Spiders. Despite the fact that he wasn't a soldier and had no military training to speak of, he fared well. His tireless work and sacrifice was eventually rewarded and he became one of Death's Overseers.

However, it was precisely because of the fact that he was no soldier, that he was a Destined One—or worse, a "mere mystic"—that he passed over for command when Arbiter Starkweather announced his resignation. Markel took it as a slap in the face and actually had every intention of leaving. But after hearing an impassioned speech by Dr. Von Havencrabs that the home they had worked so hard to build was worth fighting for, he was convinced to stay.

A plan was developed to break away from Arachnos, and the Shadow Spiders assembled a team to announce their intentions to Lord Recluse himself. As expected, the Lord of Villainy moved to squash the renegades, but the Shadow Spiders prevailed. Among other things, Markel himself secured his freedom from Project DESTINY.

Meeting back at their base in Fort Hades, the Shadow Spiders then confronted Starkweather's chosen successor Specialist Otaris and offered him a choice: stay on and be part of the future of the new Shadow Spiders or leave peacefully. And in case he didn't... they rested their heels on the massive electromagnetic pulse bomb Dr. Von Havencrabs had built. Saddened and disappointed by the traitors, Otaris chose to leave, turning his command over to Markel and Operative Griffin.

Markel now co-leads the Shadow Spiders, helping to steer and guide the future of their new organization, combating threats from within and without.

[edit] Relics of Power

Related Articles: Relics of Power, Relics of Power/The Redeemed

Full Story: Darkness Falls

Markel was, for a brief time, a member of the ancient group of immortal corrupters known as the "Cursed Ones." Deceived into their ranks by Lady Myth, Markel took up his relic—fashioned in a similar likeness to his magestone—and he instantly knew the true nature of the Relics of Power. As all the knowledge and power of eternity threatened to overwhelmed him, his sense of the arcane increased a thousand fold and he became driven by an insatiable hunger to seek out more relics to corrupt others.

Having been previously warned of the danger of the "Cursed Ones," Markel railed against his relic, knowing what it would do to him if he ever chose to give into its power. Despite that, he could not bear to part with it. When his friends discovered the change that had taken hold of him, he fled rather than fight the ones he loved and cared about most; however, they refused to let him fall. The loyalty of his friends, his loyalty to them, and his feelings for a certain Moira Dirge were instrumental in bringing him back.

He destroyed his relic, but it did not come without a price. A foul taint forever darkens his soul. Most magic-users will pick up on this and anyone who has ever accepted a relic will immediately know his presence. (Conversely, he may also sense the presence of any nearby Cursed Ones and their "relics of power.") Dubbed the "Shadowed One" by his former peers, he also finds himself targeted, nearly having been trapped on Primeva by the combined efforts of no less than three Relics in retaliation for turning his back on them. He is also still very much aware of the knowledge he held as a Relic. The full weight of who the Relics are and what they are capable of is always at the forefront of his mind.

[edit] Darkweaver

The destruction of his relic also earned him the ire of the one who gave it to him. Lady Myth eventually captured Markel and forced him to do her bidding. To ensure his loyalty, she then tore his soul into two pieces. One she infused with the blackest hatred for life, love, and everything to do with humanity; and the other, Markel's true self, remained hidden in his subconscious to be painfully aware of the atrocities he would commit in her name.

When the Shadow Spiders re-captured him, they commissioned their old ally Legionbreaker with finding a way to restore Markel back to his normal self. The best they could hope for was switching the two personalities so that the Markel they knew remained dominant while the darker half, which came to be known as Darkweaver remained repressed.

When Bad Dream made his return to the Rogue Isles in the July of 2009, he forcibly extracted Darkweaver from Markel and placed him in a clone body. Darkweaver has all the memories, powers, and abilities that Markel had up until the point of their split, but anyone familiar with Markel and can read auras will notice that the two are like night and day.

[edit] Personality

Markel's most pronounced characteristic is his compassion. He cares very deeply for his Spiders, whom he calls his family, and there is very little he wouldn't do or hasn't already done for them. Because of his healing ability and his experience in magic, he is often called upon to patch up wounds or else provide guidance and counsel in arcane matters, and he is generally happy to assist in such things.

But like most leaders, he susceptible to frustration and burnout. He and his Spiders lead dangerous lives and sometimes do not learn from their mistakes or else dig themselves into even deeper trouble. Extraction from such things is usually painful and difficult and definitely taxing to his psyche, especially during times of multiple or repeated crises. During this time, he becomes terse and even short-tempered. In severe albeit rare cases, Markel has been known to slip into deep bouts of rage. He rarely acts upon it—as he does not condone wanton murder, torture, or destruction—but instead he becomes very withdrawn and lashes out at anyone who attempts to come near him. He usually requires a reality check to pull him from such pit.

He is a man of contradictions. He does not like to see innocents suffer or evil persevere, yet he will not hesitate to kill, torture, or destroy to protect those he loves. He can be very stubborn yet also easily swayed, very wise yet also very naive. He is quick to forgive certain offenses but will hold a grudge against others. It all depends on how he feels about a certain situation, how it affects him, and how it affects the Spiders.

But for the most part, he rarely goes in half-cocked. He will tend to think things through, choosing the best course of action or else the lesser of two or more evils. And he generally sleeps very well at night knowing the Spiders will again live to see another day.

[edit] Equipment

A list of noteworthy items in Markel's possession.

[edit] The Magestone

The artifact that was given to Markel by the magician all those years ago was identified by the Legacy Chain as a magestone. Mystic lore reveals that there were probably several magestones and in different hues (Markel's stone is yellow). It is unknown what these colors mean, but all the stones are said to have the same basic function.

Magestones strengthen the magical potential of a user. The more the magic-user uses their power in conjunction with a magestone, the more powerful they themselves become—and this enhancement is permanent. In other words, if the user were to lose their magestone, their power would not return to their previous levels. (It is believed that this power is capped at some point, however.) But because of this, magestones are highly sought after by those who know about them.

Perhaps sensing the abuse that would follow, the creators of the magestones built in a safeguard: magestones can only be bestowed from one person to another. You can steal another person's magestone, but you cannot tap its power unless the owner willingly gives it to you. It is believed this can be circumvented, however, by killing the owner.

Markel's magestone grants him a few unique powers and characteristics. For one, his eyes glow a fiery green color. This grants him visual sensitivity to magic; he can do more than sense ley-lines and auras and the like—he can actually see them. Other powers are as of yet unknown or undiscovered.

The demon's true name is unpronounceable, so Markel just calls him Fluffy for now.

[edit] The Helmet of Infernal

Markel acquired the helmet of Infernal when fellow Shadow Spider Executioner Garroh met the Vindicator in single combat. Before engaging the hero, Markel inquired over the comlink if Garroh might "save a piece for him" as he learned that Infernal's armor was imbued with demons and he wished to learn more about it. To his pleasant surprise, Garroh presented Markel the helmet one night in Pocket D.

Markel immediately set to work, and several days later he unveiled his accomplishments. Not only did he manage to unbind the demon from the helmet, he rebound it to his own incantations. It is not a willing servant and it is only through sheer power that can he control it. Nevertheless, it fights for him and him alone.

The helmet of Infernal is now just an inert piece of armor.

[edit] Noi Bracelet

A gift from Shadow Spider Noi Kino. Markel's bracelet is one of four. The other bracelets were given to Dr. Von Havencrabs, Amun Aergad, and Arren Starkweather. (Though Noi has since constructed a fifth bracelet to give to the Blood Red Rook.) Noi's bracelet is said to be the "control" bracelet. These bracelets are all linked and allow a small array of abilities to be performed on one another. The bracelets allow the user to send and receive emotional and sensory data from the other users as well as knowing where they are at all times. These bracelets have also since been upgraded to include other features such as the ability to shunt life energy to another user to empower them (though the amount of energy given drastically outweighs the amount of energy received), the ability to read the surface thoughts of another user, and a knockout command to render another user unconscious for whatever reason. After an incident in which several Spiders were kidnapped and replaced with Nemesis automatons, Noi Kino modified the bracelets so that they could not be forcibly removed by magical or technological means except by the will of the wearer.

(Update: Markel no longer possesses his Noi bracelet as his was removed by amputation.)

[edit] Moira's Wristband

It was one day in February that Moira Dirge presented to Markel her wristband, explaining that within it contained all the knowledge of all the databanks from his time period all the way up to her own. Under Moira's instruction, Markel navigated the sea of menus to a particular video file recovered from the archives of the Legacy Chain. Playing the file, Markel was stunned to see his long-dead wife giving a lecture to a group of mages. After seeing her face and hearing her voice after so many years, Markel was further stunned when Moira said that the file and the wristband was his to keep.

The wristband has been permanently modified to work only with Markel's DNA. Controlled by his eye movements, all Markel has to do is blink to see schematics to technologies that hadn't been invented yet as well as cures to diseases that hadn't been discovered. Granted no one in this time period has the means to even reproduce these marvels, Markel safeguards the wristband for just such a time, searching for the technologies they can reproduce.

[edit] Skills and Abilities

Markel is a gifted magic-user by his own right, and is proficient in at least three schools of magic.

[edit] Dark Magic

The touch of the Netherworld is cold and dark. When unleashed upon a person, he or she feels as if their muscles were going numb. While not lethal up front, a constant barrage of dark energies will kill a person as easily as any weapon as cell tissues are painfully afflicted and then destroyed. Driven to the darkness by his wife's sickness, Markel will occasionally permit his enemies a glimpse, corrupting their sanity while he drains the life from their body.

[edit] Fire Magic

It takes a steady mind to learn how to safely wield fire magics. An unstable person is just as likely to hurt himself as he would his enemies. Markel has been working with fire magics since his youth as a mage in the Legacy Chain. Because of the sheer number of years studying this school of magic, he actually has a more natural command of fire than he does of darkness.

[edit] Healing Magic

Through sheer concentration, Markel is able to mend even the most broken of bodies, regrowing flesh, knitting bones, and repairing skin. He requires physical contact in order to initiate a heal, though he is also able to radiate a soothing aura to calm a patient and even stabilize them until either he or another person can fix them up. He cannot heal himself in this manner; and depending on the extant of the injuries, he may tire very quickly as he pours massive amounts of healing energy into their body. There is a limit to what he can do. For example, he cannot restore eyesight or raise someone who has been dead for more than a few minutes. Nevertheless, Markel is an exceptional healer.

[edit] Mu Magic

Markel has since learned from the Codex of Bloodlines (currently in the hands of Mu'Drakhan) that he is a descendant of Mu on both sides of his family, perhaps explaining his talent in magic. Though he was barred from officially joining Arachnos as a soldier or mystic, his status as a Destined One gave him the right to choose Scirocco as his patron. Having broken away from Arachnos, however, and so soon after proving himself to his patron, Markel's training was cut short. He is merely a novice in this school of magic.

[edit] Regeneration

(Note: This power is not shared by Darkweaver.)

Unless Markel is utilizing dark magics to drain another being, he cannot heal himself. This particular quirk of his magic has far-too-often left him in a situation very near death and unable to help himself, so he approached fellow Shadow Spider Demon Maker Lerezal for help. Gifted with the ability to create "demons" that bond with human beings in order to grant them specialized powers, Lerezal created for Markel a demon of regeneration.

Named Genos, Markel's demon is still quite young—a child, really—but nevertheless exquisitely powerful. Without medical or other magical intervention, minor wounds can take a manner of minutes to close up, serious wounds a few hours, critical wounds up to a day. And as Genos matures and strengthens his bond with Markel, the time to heal can reduce dramatically.

Like all of Lerezal's "demons" Genos possesses the ability to speak through Markel, which would sound like a child's voice filling the air around them. Genos's true form is that of a fiery salamander with phoenix-like wings.

[edit] Technopathy

(Note: This power is not shared by Darkweaver.)

An unusual ability for a mage. Markel gained this power after an incident with Empress Yinjian left him drained of his magics. Dr. Von Havencrabs attempted to jumpstart Markel's recovery by infusing him with what little magic power he himself possessed. Though Markel regained his full power, it didn't come without side effects.

The Doctor, who was in the midst of testing a project, noticed that his nanites were showing an unusual attraction to Markel and were patterning themselves after his powers. Even the technological systems aboard the Asgard and artificial members of the crew were being inexplicably drawn to Markel's aura (usually with embarrassing results)! And very soon afterward, Markel himself gained a following of robotic guardians.

Markel found that he could see and hear their programming as easily as a psychic might dive into the mind of a normal human being, but that didn't mean he comprehended the vast sea of code that was now in his own mind. Rather than spend years studying robotics, the Doctor built a microchip and surgically implanted it in his brain to not only decipher the code for him but also allow him to directly interface with a machine. He is able to make changes to code, issue commands, and even take complete control. Obviously, simple machines are more easily controlled than complex ones and technological beings even more so. Nevertheless, he retains full control of his guardians and even the Asgard, the base of the Shadow Spiders.

[edit] Miscellaneous Powers

Magic Sense - Being a trained magician, Markel is able to sense all sorts of magics. The presence of magical beings, auras, or items are not hidden from him. With a little bit of concentration, he may even be able to determine the nature of the magic.

Flight - Markel possesses the ability to fly by means of magic. Aside from getting to place from place, it makes him extremely maneuverable while in combat. He can fly out of reach from foes as well as easily juke out of the way of attacks.

Teleportation - Markel is able to bind an object to himself to summon and dismiss as he pleases. He is also able to concentrate on an ally and teleport them to his side, usually to help them escape a sticky situation or traverse difficult terrain. Strangely though, teleporting himself has proven to be an elusive skill for him to master.

[edit] Affiliations

A list of people and organizations with whom Markel has ties. ((This section will probably be undergoing revamping and updating. If I leave you out, it's not that I hate you. Pinky promise!))

[edit] Friendly

People

• Dr. Von Havencrabs - Brothers by choice. Most see the Doctor as quite mad, though Markel knows that under that facade of madness is a very deeply caring individual. The two have endured many trials together and are actually quite close. There is nothing that one won't do for the other.

• Blood Red Rook - The chief strategist of the Shadow Spiders and Markel's second wife. Markel association's with Rook began after Arren's second capture by Black Tie when the two attempted a daring rescue from the Black Tie submarine base. Markel offered to teach her how to use her newfound powers, obtained from Ghost Widow, as well as providing her insights into the Relics of Power. The two became closer and were eventually married.

• Arren Von Havencrabs - An Arren who hails from an alternate universe where John Starkweather died and his daughter was adopted and raised by Dr. Von Havencrabs. Though this Arren is generally very happy and enjoys giving hugs and shooting pink fire.

• Demon Maker Valraa - Lerezal has risen to co-lead in the Shadow Spiders with him and Doctor Von Havencrabs, and Markel greatly respects her immense magical and psionic abilities.

• Amok Valraa - Lerezal's brother. When Mako freed himself from the influence of Amok and his servitude to Starkweather, Markel stood by his friend. In return, Mako has offered the services of his "Talons of Avalonus."

• Executioner Garroh - A friend from the early days of the Shadow Spiders, when they were still an Arachnos organization. After the secession, Garroh's loyalty to Arachnos prevented him from following, however, Markel still considers him a dear friend and comrade.

• Kira - Doctor Von Havencrabs' adopted daughter and thus Markel's niece. Their relationship is probably a little more complex than that... They keep each other out of trouble. Or try to, at least.

• Rook the Vaulted - Markel's association with Rook began long ago, though it was when Rook finally joined the Shadow Spiders that Markel began to know him better. The two share a mutual respect, and Markel is also one of the few people to have seen Rook without his mask... though admittedly, Rook did not have much choice in the matter.

• Sarah Nightingale - Rook the Vaulted's girlfriend and chief engineer of the Shadow Spiders. The Doctor and Markel trust Sarah implicitly and have given her free reign to tinker and perfect the systems aboard the Asgard. Markel considers her a dear friend and one of the sweetest people aboard the ship.

• Talisien - Despite the fact that Talisien was once marked for death by Arbiter Starkweather, Markel remained on good terms with the man, even bearing a great deal of respect for Talisien as a person. Rumor has it that after he was exiled, Talisien asked Markel to take over his personal project, Operation: Dreamcatcher.

• Yinjian - Psychic mercenary and prankster. Despite her Weapons Union membership, Yin has a home among the Spiders as well. A common sight aboard the Asgard, Markel has grown closer to Yin and considers her a niece of sorts.

Organizations

• Shadow Spiders - Markel's home and family in the Rogue Isles. Markel has been with the Spiders since its inception and rose to co-lead it with Dr. Von Havencrabs and Dennis Griffin. Despite the antics of some of his subordinates, Markel wouldn't trade them for the world. As said by Overseer Unholy Wind, "It's like herding cats, but at least you're my cats."

• The Talons of Avalonus - Mako Avalar's band of adventurers. Because Mako himself has no love lost with Arachnos, he has offered his hand in friendship toward the Shadow Spiders.

[edit] Neutral

People

• Arbiter Death - The one who recruited Markel into the Shadow Spiders. Markel treated him with the respect his position deserved, though he did not entirely trust the Arbiter. (Too many skeletons in the closet.) When Starkweather passed him over for command, Markel's disposition toward him soured—even more so in the light of his choices regarding the issue of Rose Taylor and the torture of Lord Anti. Hostilities have now ceased, and so he remains cordial only for the sake of Arren Starkweather.

• Bad Dream - Markel was initially told by Arbiter Pestilence that Bad Dream didn't exist. As if it were a bad joke, Markel then began receiving separate accounts as to the activities of Bad Dream and even saw the man in passing, though Markel had more pressing things to investigate. Bad Dream then left proof of his existence by savagely beating Markel into a coma. Oddly, the two exist in a state of truce...

• Unchainer - Markel had a run-in with this mystical artifacts thief while on the trail of a Cursed relic. He chased her but was unable to stop her from taking up the relic for herself. Time passed, and Markel eventually lost track of her until a chance meeting one night in Pocket D. She was changed and noticeably without her relic. The two were quite candid. Even the ultimate power didn't seem to be enough for her. She found that desired not to destroy the world but to remake it. Markel can't help but regard her with a sort of morbid curiosity. Just what sort of world would the Unchainer bring about? Tune in next time...

Organizations

• Villains of Paragon City - The current command of John Starkweather. The Spiders always keep their eye on him for any plans he might pull.

[edit] Hostile

• Empress Yinjian - The Praetorian version of the psychic mercenary, amnesiac, and prankster. This Yin is cold and power-hungry. Seeking the residue of broken relics to magically enhance her own vast psychic ability, her repeated rape and assaults upon his mind (and that of several other Spiders) has earned Markel's singular hatred. Though she was killed by the Spiders, she continues to taunt them as a metaphysical whisper. Though there are reports that she has a physical body once again.

• Lady Myth - Lady Myth was the one who deceived Markel into taking one of Relics of Power, and his destruction of said relic earned him her singular ire. Of all the Relics, Lady Myth was the least corrupted yet also the most cruel. Their feud came to a head when Markel was captured and forced to do her bidding, namely finding another host for her relic. She left her mark on him by taking from him his magestone and then tearing his soul into two pieces: one his normal self and the other as unspeakably cruel as she is. Though she is no longer a relic—and thus no longer as dangerous—Markel dares not underestimate her and still keeps an eye out for his old adversary.

• Zyren Treskal - Zyren has had a long and violent history with the Shadow Spiders. But it was around the winter of 2008 that she turned her attention to the Blood Red Rook. Since both of them eventually became Relics, there was no way they could directly harm one another, so Zyren targeted those whom Rook loved and cared about the most—including Markel. Following his abduction, Zyren lost her own relic and became mentally unstable. The feud ended when Zyren somehow came under the authority of Kira and she and the Doctor forced Zyren and Rook to settle it once and for all in a duel. Though Rook lost, she and Markel promised to stick by the terms of the agreement. That doesn't mean they trust Zyren to do the same however...

Organizations

• The Legacy Chain - Markel spent much of his young adult life as a member of the Legacy Chain. Though he never had any contact with members outside his cell (most Legacy Chain members never do), he knows how cell groups tend to operate. Where he once had great respect for this organization, he now has immeasurable contempt. He blames them for the death of his wife and views the Legacy Chain as puritanical to a fault and stupidly close-minded.

• Relics of Power - Markel once vowed to take up arms against this ancient group of corrupters (also called Cursed Ones), but then the Darkweaver found himself Cursed—subverted into their ranks by the being known as Lady Myth. The magician has since broken free of the grip of his relic, but yet has not yet escaped their icy whispers.

[edit] Deceased

• Specialist Otaris - The overthrow of Otaris was never about power or jealousy. Unfortunately, he saw it as personal. Exiled by Arachnos for his "failure," Otaris' brain deteriorated, plunging the cyborg into a state of madness. In his final days he sought to go out in a blaze of glory against Starkweather who abandoned him, the Spiders who ousted him, and Arachnos who betrayed him. Havencrabs and Markel took Otaris back in, both for their own reasons. Where the doctor would have tried to help his former friend, Markel was perfectly happy to give him the death he desired against the impending Arachnos onslaught. However, his condition was regressing faster than expected. Losing all sense of self-preservation, Otaris attacked the Spiders a dozen to one; he was no match for them. Mortally wounded, he fell to his knees urging them to finish it. Markel stood before his beaten opponent, a flaming sword in hand. He granted the warrior a swift death, beheading him with a single stroke.

• Operative Dot - A friend from the early days of the Shadow Spiders. When Talisien was expelled by John Starkweather, "Jippers" and Markel stayed close to him. Markel was attracted to Dot's loud and spontaneous personality and he cared for her as if she were a daughter. When Dot lost her Crab backpack, Markel led a search party and found her dazed on a tower on Sharkhead Isle, eventually helping to restore her to full health. During the Arachnos split, Markel lost contact with Dot until Talisien returned to the ranks of the Shadow Spiders to deliver the bad news that she had been killed in a power play committed by a fellow Bane Spider. Markel mourned her loss.

• Arren Starkweather - When Arren first arrived to the Shadow Spiders, Markel was sure that she was just a daddy's girl. But when Amun Aergad became afflicted with a debilitating curse, she took it upon herself to care for him, something for which Markel is both surprised and deeply touched by. The two became closer following Amun's disappearance and Markel, upon Dr. Von Havencrabs' recommendation, promoted her to Overseer to prove to Arbiter Starkweather that she could become better than her father. Arren's headstrong attitude and Markel and Crabs' sometimes heavy-handed punishments certainly caused the three more than their fair share of headaches, but no one could question their devotion to each other. Arren was suddenly taken away while on an operation to rescue Executioner Trent; she was impaled through the heart by a steel girder thrown by Lord Recluse. She died instantly.

• Moira Dirge - A soldier from the future who warned the Shadow Spiders about the ancient beings known as Cursed Ones. The two dated for a while, however the relationship failed. Moira's reluctance to express her feelings became a major point of frustration for Markel and by the time she did he had already fallen for another. Though very hurt, the two remained friendly. But life went on. After Markel lost his magestone to Lady Myth, Moira took it upon herself to look for it, not out of duty but... kindness. She never made it back, and Doctor Von Havencrabs and Markel had to endure the hurt of digging her badly-decomposed body out of a Snake cave. The magestone was tightly clutched to her chest. Markel found out that day that he had never really gotten over his feelings for Moira and he vowed to find her killers.

[edit] Trivia

Little tidbits about Markel that don't go anywhere else.

[edit] IC

• The Legacy Chain still calls him "Darkweaver". (As if Markel and Darkweaver need to be further confused. :P)
• Markel was named for his maternal grandfather, a German, who emigrated to the U.S. in the 1900s.
• Markel was born with a twin sister who died at birth. Her name was Emily.
• It was revealed to the Shadow Spiders (and to Markel himself) that he fathered a child out of wedlock. The mother was a fellow magister and also his partner during the Rikti War, but he lost contact with her while on a mission when a Rikti bomb detonated close by, separating them both.
• Secretly, Markel likes to ride atop the shoulders of his largest robot guardian, Atlas.
• As a fire mage, naturally, his clothes are warded against fire.
• Every mage needs a kitty! Though Markel does not own a cat, he still very much adores them. He is also an animal person, in general.

[edit] OOC

• Markel originally had no personality, no concept other than a loose visual inspiration based off the character of Ammon Jerro from Neverwinter Nights 2. Much of who he is today grew out of in-game interactions.
• Along that line, Markel's original costume called for a bald hairstyle. When I remade him on my own account, I modified it to include a hood. Nowadays, Markel has since grown his hair out and may or may not wear a hood.
• The jewel that has always been a part of Markel's costumes originally had no explanation. It just seemed like a cool way to link all my costumes together. The story of the Magestone, however, is my way of finally fleshing it out and maybe explaining why Markel "levels up."
• Despite the fact that many people incorporate the Zig/Destined One story arc somewhere into their villain's background, I wanted Markel to stand out in that it would be his primary identifying factor.
• There is an entry for an NPC named "Markel Smythe" on Wowhead! Too bad it predates the time I started playing CoH/CoV, then I could say that they copied me! But I assure you, it's a complete coincidence!
• Markel's true relationship with Garroh. ;D
• I am always open for roleplay with this character. Don't be afraid to send a tell to @Sheyon!

[edit] Views and Opinions about Markel

Leave in-character comments here.

• "Ever since David died, I've felt that there was nothing left for me but my cause. In the service of my vision, I have had everything to die for, and would have done so without a thought. You, Markel Smythe, have given me something to live for."

-The Blood Red Rook

• "Markel is probably one of the most amusing people on these god-forsaken islands. The mage is semi-naive, but at the same time rather perceptive and wise. He's an interesting cookie, but what he lacks is attention to the details. Noticing the lose fibers on the shirt and pulling them to see what happens. Oh, and his insistence on the sole reliance on magick; stupid idea. Nonetheless, the producers aren't writing him out any time soon, nor will I let them."

-Bad Dream

• "Ah, my dear Mr. Smythe. How he doesn't appreciate the benefits of being friends with me. Certainly, I have been tormenting him and his Spiders... but I wouldn't do that if I didn't care for them... well Actually I still would, but that's not the point! But Marky, Marky, Marky! Always with the hurtful words! I care for you and your little friends so greatly! Hehehehehe. Yes, yes I do."

-Vinnie Frizzle

• "The mans got balls! Hah!"

-Baron Violent

• "Markel's more mature than most of the Spiders. Yes, he has a grumpy side, but that really comes with the territory... he's one of our leaders and he's very dedicated to keeping us all safe, so it's natural that his job can sometimes frustrate him. Looking past that, though, Markel and I have more in common than most people might think, and I think maybe that's why we get along so well. To me, he's more than a teammate... he's a close friend, and someone I really look up to."

-Sarah Nightingale

• "You will never be forgiven."

-Justin Kain