Darius (Immortal)

**Darius** was an infamous Immortal, once a terrifying warlord who became a man of peace.

## History

### Early Life

Darius was born as **Mryd**, in a nomad's tent somewhere in the Ural Mountains of Eastern Asia in 50 CE. At the age of 7, in 57 CE, his tribe abandoned him and he was taken in by Gothic nomads. From then until 66 CE, Mryd followed all the rites and tradition and training to become a Gothic warrior. When he first sought to court a woman, he began by complimenting her father's horse -- as was the tradition in that culture at the time.

In 80 CE, Mryd was elected a warlord. In 95 CE, he led his forces into battle against Germanic Teutons who were attacking his people's lands. It was in this battle that Mryd experienced his First Death.

### Immortal Life

Mryd did not truly learn about had happened to him for another two years. In 97 CE, however, he encountered the Immortal Ahaseurus the Parthian who became his mentor, taught him about his immortality and the Game in which he had now become a player. In 100 CE, Mryd took the name **Darius**, a reference to his mentor's sons. He kept this name for the rest of his life. Darius and his mentor traveled the world until 170 CE, when he attempted -- and failed -- to behead Ahaseurus. After this he took up residence among the Romans. He stayed there until 178 CE.

After this time, Darius returned to his roots as a Goth warlord. Although he was cunning and cruel to his enemies, he was beloved by his army. In 365 CE, his army caused the First Death of Claudianus. Darius took him on as a pupil. Claudianus gave himself the name Gray's Son in honor of Darius, and the gray wolf skin that he wore in battle. Darius led his warband for decades more, allying themselves with Alaric I in 395 CE. In 409 CE, Darius began an illicit affair with Alaric's sister Callestina.

The following year, Alaric and Darius' combined forces -- along with those of the Kurgan -- attacked Rome. During the battle, Callestina was slain -- when she revived Gray's Son began to teach her the ways of Immortals. With her newfound lifespan, she asked Darius to commit to an eternity with her -- he coldly spurned her advances.

Darius led his forces from Rome to Paris after the battle. Outside the gates of the city, the Immortal Emrys challenged Darius. Darius proved to be the better swordsman, absorbing Emrys' Quickening. However, the goodness of the ancient Immortal overwhelmed Darius in the only recorded instance of a Light Quickening. Darius returned to his army, only to immediately give up his sword.

He soon turned to Buddhism, a practice he involved himself in until 490 CE. Three years later, he became a Catholic monk. In 1170 CE, Darius took up residence in a cathedral on Rue St. Jacques in Paris. Occasionally Callestina would come to Paris in an effort to get revenge on Darius -- though she attempted to discredit him, his parishioners found him above reproach. Darius refused to retaliate in any way, hoping only that she would find piece. Similarly, in 1200 CE, Darius attempted to teach Xavier St. Cloud about peace -- while the effort was an abject failure, from then on Xavier would occasionally return to Paris to taunt Darius with his crimes.

Some time around 1500 CE, the the Fifth Chronicle disappeared. It ended up in Darius' possession -- though he never revealed how. In 1634 CE, Darius traveled to a French abbey to meet the Immortal Ursa. From 1774 CE to 1778 CE, the Chronicler Henri Lasalle was assigned to observe Darius, though nothing particularly notable happened during those years.

When the French Revolution occurred, Darius sheltered the Immortal Sean Burns and provided him comfort that he could not be with his friend Carolyn Mortimer when she was beheaded by guillotine -- lest he absorb her Quickening and kill innocent people. However, the subsequent Napoleonic Wars drove Darius from Paris -- he sought to ease the suffering of the wounded soldiers, using medical techniques that had been lost to time. It was during this that he met Duncan MacLeod, and their encounter forced Duncan to reexamine his life as a warrior.

The two remained close friends, however in January of 1816 CE, Duncan fought off three human brigands that broke into Darius' church seeking silver. They killed Darius -- albeit temporarily. Duncan slew two of the three, but the revived Darius intervened on the third man's behalf. Realizing that he could never give up the sword entirely, Duncan left for the United States. Although they visited each other periodically, to drink or play chess, they never remained together for long after this.