Marius Sanirii Flaminius

Marius Sanirii Flaminius is the major priest of the faith of Varducus God of Time in Cinnamüne, and as such, is the Augur of Cinnamüne (representative of the port city in the Varduccii Collegium). He has been important in the developing understanding of the syncretism between the city’s customs and the official Varduccii dogma, his works being systematized in “Passing Sorrow”, a dense academic work written partially in the Temple of Cinnamüne. He’s a member of the Root Providence, the de facto ruling body of Cinnamüne and he seems to be deep friends with the rest of the members.

# History

## Early life

Marius was born to migrants that moved to Cinnamüne from the now lost border province of Sanitus after an elvish raiding force clashed with an orcish warband, causing great destruction on the province’s rural areas. He was born in a small shed in the outer parts of the city to Gaius Sanirii Flaminius and Caelia Sanirii Luperca, two former liberii farmers. His parents, of lowly birth, had to choose quickly between sending their son to the soldiery or to the priesthood. Having chosen the latter, Marius was left on the Cinnamüne Temple, to be taken care of by the members of the Varduccii Collegium.

Having been raised as a priest since childhood, his development was sheltered yet highly illuminated, having learnt to read by five and having a deep understanding of the theology of the Viennedan by thirteen. It was only when he was sixteen that the clergy of the city allowed him to take part in the esoteric mysteries of the Cinnamüne traditional worship. To this, he had an initial aversion, even having “bad omens” as he realized the initiation ritual. Despite having successfully finished this ritual, Marius didn’t take part in the customs for a good while, as he believed them heretical to an extent which he didn’t doubt in openly expressing to his masters. This earned him much ire in the inner circles of clergy, and some even discussed with the Praetor about marking him as Malii. This was denied, solely on the grounds of the charity work Marius performed regularly as part of his clerical training that stuck with him.

## “Passing Sorrow”

It took the child a year and a half to develop a true understanding of the mysteric ways of the Cinnamen, and how they could and do play a part in the more official worship of the Viennedan. However, due to his previous actions, the majority of the clergy decided that he must take the initiation ritual once again, and write an extended treatise on the Cinnamüne customs to see if he truly understood them.

What started as a form of punishment turned in the span of a year into a highly praised theological work, which cemented Marius’ position in the clergy as a young promise of Cinnamüne, both in his dedication to the academical field and his drive in the more practical parts of worship. The treatise called “Passing Sorrow” was finished and shared amongst the clergy of the city on the same day of the Laying of the Laurels, which is interpreted as a good or bad omen depending on the political alignment of people.

It was during this time that his friendship with the members of the Root Providence started.

## “Temporal Lamentation”

After the Mercian War, much of the clergy of the bigger cities, including Cinnamüne, retired to hermetic meditation and isolation, leaving the field open for their younger counterparts to take control. Being informal in nature, the Varduccii Collegium saw Marius quickly be nominated and elected as Augur of the port city. Some say this was due to his incredible work which culminated in the “Passing Sorrow”, others say that the Root Providence moved strings, as soon he took part in their initiation ritual.

Going from an academic outcast to a young established figurehead, Marius began the work of not only representing the city’s interests in the new Empire, but also firmly planting his syncretic interpretation of Viennedan dogma and Cinnamen tradition. This is contained in his latest and greatest work “Temporal Lamentation”, a highly acclaimed and at the same time controversial dense theological thesis.

Now, Marius has taken to bringing his conclusions to the common folk of the Empire, and some say that he has catched the eye of the son of the Miliar himself.

# Personality

Marius is a hard working and sociable man. He enjoys winning arguments and a good time playing games with his friends. Surprisingly easy going for a priest, it is nigh impossible to convince him he is in the wrong unless stated in a very structured and long debate form. He usually sticks with the first impression he gets of people, and dislikes large social gatherings. His friends describe him as a “silly little bastard of a priest”.

# Relationships

He is friends with the entire Root Providence, and usually butts heads with them on the topic of policy. It is an open secret that most public statements made by the Root Providence are written by him.

He has made his name known in the larger Varducci Collegium both as the representative of Cinnamüne and a sharp (if a bit arrogant) scholar.

He is rumored to have a friendship with the son of Miliar Mezur, Ceannardus, some even as far as saying he has convinced him of his more unorthodox positions on dogma. These rumours remain unconfirmed.