Markus Abrudas

### Profession

Primarch of CarthaanFerrum Primus (formerly)Carthaanean slave soldier (formerly)

### Class

Infiltrator

*Primarch* Markus Abrudas of Carthaan (345 BCE - 250 BCE) was the first *Ferrum Primus* of the Blackwatch and later the first *Primarch* of Carthaan. Born a slave in the city of Tyra, Markus was the first colonial to pledge loyalty to Aurelion *Imperator* after he liberated the Carthaaneans from centuries of institutionalised slavery. Following the conclusion of the Unification War, he ruled Carthaan for seventy years as its first *primarch*, presiding over an era of peace and prosperity for his people in Aurelion's name.

Markus is most famous for authoring the epic saga *A Song Of Seven Colonies*, which chronicled the life of Aurelion and the events of the Unification War, and is considered to be the foremost historical text of the Aurelian Era. While not formally recognised by centralised turian religion as a living spirit, Markus is nonetheless revered as one by the majority of Carthaaneans, who refer to him as *Markus Sancti* ("Blessed Markus").

## Biography

### **Parentage**

Markus was born in Tyra, the capital of Carthaan, in 345 BCE. It is believed he was the only child of Anaea and Barca, two household slaves owned by Magister Dion, one of Tyra's ruling elite. Anaea was Dion's concubine, while Barca was his bodyguard. The pair were lovers, who took great pains to conceal their relationship from their master. Despite their caution, Anaea inevitably found herself with child. Although she could not be certain who the child's father was, she believed it to be Barca.

Upon discovery of Anaea's condition, Dion threatened to have the infant Markus drowned at birth. Anaea pleaded for her unborn son's life, managing to convince Dion that Markus was his biological son. While this belief stayed Dion's hand, it did not endear him to the boy in any way. Markus remained his legal property and was treated the same as any other slave. Barca was tasked with raising Markus and training him to become a slave soldier like himself.

The question of Markus' true patrilineal parentage continues to be debated in academic circles. In *A Song of Seven Colonies*, Markus writes that Barca was his father - a statement that House Abrudas references as irrefutable proof of their slave ancestry. However, critics argue that, because Markus' mother was Dion's concubine, he could well have been his master's son. By calling Barca "father", Markus was instead acknowledging the paternal role which he played in his life. Markus once had the opportunity to discover his true parentage but, afraid of what he might uncover, chose instead to live in the comfort of ignorance.

Barca was killed by Quinteia Arterius in an attempt on Aurelion’s life. To protect the life of his son, he threw himself between Markus and Quinteia, who slashed his throat open with her venom gauntlets. As he died in Markus’ arms, Markus swore an oath to his father, promising to hunt down and kill every last biotic insurgent. Markus then buried his father on a scenic hilltop in the Thracian wilderness, with Aurelion present for emotional support. Aurelion posthumously awarded Barca with a medal for gallantry, which Markus buried him with. After the war, Markus had the bodies of his father and mother exhumed by spirit priests and reinterred in their homeland of Carthaan, effectively founding the Abrudas family vault in the Tyran Necropolis.

Markus harboured a grudge against Quinteia for the rest of his life, blaming her for his father’s murder. He struggled to accept Aurelion’s decision to let her live, which only festered into a deep-rooted prejudice against all biotics. He was famously harsh in his punishment of biotics who did not surrender themselves to the Blackwatch and wilfully resisted the law. He was however merciful to biotic children, whom he would send directly to the Cabals instead. Despite his role as *Primarch* of Carthaan, Markus would often accompany his men in the tracking and killing of biotic rebels, as he had done in his career as a Blackwatch agent.

### Death of Aurelion

News of Aurelion's death broke Markus.

During Aurelion 's funeral procession, Markus walked beside his son, Auri, and his family, behind Pallix. He visibly struggled to walk under the weight of his grief and the heat of the Palavenian sun, having to lean on Auri and Elissa for support. As Aurelion was interred within his tomb, Markus keened (as is turian custom at a funeral) while weeping profusely, his sobs making his cries sound far more wretched than intended.

Aurelion left much of his personal effects to Markus, including his diary, which contained many personal notes to him. In these notes, Aurelian repeatedly reaffirmed his undying love for Markus and apologised for being forced to choose duty over love. In his final message, written the night before he died, he addressed Markus directly, telling him that he so dearly wished they could have spent their mortal lives together and, if not for his divine calling to prepare for the Reapers, he would have gladly pledged his body and spirit to him for eternity. He signed this message off with: *"We shall meet again in Eternity, my beloved. You always were and shall always remain Imperator of my heart."* Overcome with grief and a lifetime of unspoken regrets, Markus fell to his knees and wept for the only man he had loved, cursing the universe for having been so cruel to the both of them.

After the funeral, Markus returned home to Carthaan with his family. Before their ship departed, he turned to take a final look at the Palavenian skyline, the setting sun blazing like a river of molten gold upon the gilded stone of Aurelion's funerary palace, before tearfully whispering one last "Farewell, *amor meus*." Markus would seldom return to Palaven following Aurelion's death and only for official events related to the Imperial Family. He would later remark to his second wife, Sevilla Narkkin, that he had no longer incentive to return, now that his beloved was gone.

### Reign of Pallix Arterius

#### Arrest of Aurelion Abrudas

Markus and his family travelled to Palaven to pay homage and swear obeisance to Aurelion's successor, Pallix Arterius.

## Loadout

* **Health:** 750
* **Shields:** 1125
* **Primary weapon:** Punitor (semi-automatic sniper rifle, Armax Arsenal)
* **Secondary weapon:** Carbrix (Turian automatic sub-machine gun, Armax Arsenal)
* **Armour:** Praedator Armour (Turian medium armour, Armax Arsenal)
* **Melee weapon:** Kopis (Turian forward-curved short sword, Armax Arsenal)

## Powers

* **Marksman**
	+ Recharge Speed: 4.80 sec
	+ Duration: 7.80 sec
	+ Rate-of-Fire Bonus: 30%
	+ Accuracy Bonus: 70%
	+ Bonus headshot damage: 25%
* **Proximity Mines**
	+ Recharge Speed: 8 sec
	+ Damage: 680
	+ Radius: 4.50 m
	+ Target Movement Speed Penalty: -30% for 8 seconds
* **Sabotage**
	+ Recharge Speed: 8 sec
	+ Hack Duration: 12 sec
	+ Radius: 3.25 m
	+ Backfire: 400
* **Sentry Turret:**
	+ Recharge Speed: 4 sec
	+ Turret Damage: 127.50
	+ Turret Shields: 1700
	+ Armour Damage Bonus: +100%
	+ Flamethrower Damage: 84.50 per second
* **Tactical Scan**
	+ Recharge Speed: 2.67 sec
	+ Duration: 26 sec
	+ Overall Damage Bonus: +25%
	+ Weapon Damage Bonus: +7.50%
	+ Target Movement Speed Penalty: -30%
* **Sticky Grenades**
	+ Damage: 1320
	+ Armour Damage Bonus: 50%
	+ Radius: 3.60 m
	+ Grenades stay active for 15 seconds when attached to a wall or surface, exploding when an enemy approaches.
* **Battlefield Awareness**
	+ An augmented reality display highlights nearby enemies through walls and cover.