Marcus Aurelius

*“What doesn’t transmit light creates its own darkness”*

—Marcus Aurelius

**Rider of "Gold"** ("金"のライダー, *"Kin" no Raidā*) is the Rider-class Servant of the Gold Faction who appears in **Fate/Genesis**. While Rider initially appears to be the embodiment of a benevolent Heroic Spirit committed to seeking out virtue and truth, it is soon revealed that he is haunted by an alter-ego: a dark fragment in his soul born from past regrets that has recently been exacerbated after his summoning, presumably due to an unidentified corruptive influence.

## Profile

### Identity

Rider’s True Name is Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, (マルクス・アウレリウス・アントニヌス, *Marukusu Aureriusu Antoninusu*), known as the **Philosopher King** and the last of the Five Good Emperors. He ruled alongside his adopted brother, Lucius Veras, over the Roman Empire from AD 161-180. In life, Marcus was known for his Stoicism, as he rose above the difficulties and tragedies which could have defined his reign to serve as a model of mental composure and equanimity in the face of conflict. Even though he was given absolute power as emperor, he retained egalitarian ideals and lived as modestly as possible, which led to general adoration and love on the part of his subjects. He was also famous for his defeat of the Parthian Empire and the Sarmatians during the Marcomannic Wars. He wrote his philosophical magnum opus, *Meditations*, as a collection of self-admonishments while on the battlefield. Nonetheless, he had barely been able to hold the Germanic peoples at bay during his reign and his death marked the end of the Pax Romana, as his successors were inept, thereby contributing to the eventual fall of the Roman Empire.

##### Rise to Power

Born in southern Iberia under the name of Marcus Annius, Aurelius’ father died when he was only three years old, leaving the family in some difficulty despite their *ex-praetor* status. Although he had barely known him, Marcus attributed his aspirations to live modestly and piously to his father’s posthumous reputation. The hardships of his early life affected his psychology as well, as he came to hold an egalitarian position and would retain his humble, unassuming demeanor even throughout his reign as emperor. After his father’s death, Marcus and his mother moved back to Rome in order to live with his grandfather. Educated at home, he expressed a keen interest in Greek philosophy from an early age and soon proved himself to be a diligent student and somewhat of a prodigy in the classical arts. Marcus grew to be a serious young man obsessed with learning, although he also enjoyed martial sports such as wrestling, hunting, javelin tossing, and horsemanship.

When Marcus was around the age of seventeen, the reigning emperor Hadrian, who was childless and aging, took notice of Marcus due to his rising prominence in the Equestrian Order. While Marcus had been enrolled in the order since the age of six—an unusually young age—Hadrian only began to show an interest in him after Marcus nearly defeated his chosen successor, **Lucius Verus**, in a riding competition. Some time later, Marcus rode before the emperor in a campaign festival through the streets of Rome. As was customary for the ritual, he threw a crown of leaves before the statues of the gods at the conclusion of the parade, and his crown landed on the brow of Mars. Unbeknownst to Marcus, the emperor had been observing him and took this to be an auspicious omen. Hadrian had his adoptive son Lucius invite Marcus to a banquet that he was holding at his villa outside the city. There, disguised as a scholar, Hadrian appraised the young Marcus' skills by debating him. Impressed by his philosophical foresight and strong capacity for reasoning, Hadrian quietly decided to make Marcus his heir alongside Lucius.

A few months later, Hadrian suffered a stroke and pronounced Antoninus Pius to be Caesar before he died. Antoninus, the uncle of Lucius, declared his nephew and Marcus to be his co-successors *invitis omnibus* (“against everyone's wishes”), in accordance with Hadrian's final wish. Marcus accepted the news with sadness and unease. He attempted to hide his displeasure, but during his years at the emperor’s estate he became withdrawn and melancholic. During this time, Lucius and Marcus began to develop a close friendship. Initially, Lucius had seen Marcus as a rival, mainly out of a sense of jealousy for the emperor’s favor. After the death of his adoptive father, Lucius became rebellious and impetuous, often taking action on his own against Antoninus' wishes. However, Marcus was conscientious of the fact that Lucius was grieving Hadrian's death, and continued to support Lucius despite the latter’s antagonism. Eventually, Marcus was able to mend their broken relationship by commending Lucius to Antoninus, which restored him to a position of honor. Following this, Lucius asked Marcus’ forgiveness and embraced him as a brother.

Marcus was appointed as consul alongside Lucius at the unprecedented age of twenty years old. Upon his appointment to the station, Antoninus arranged a marriage for Marcus with his daughter **Faustina**. While Marcus had been attracted to Faustina ever since his adoption into Caesar’s household, he did not want to force her hand and nobly offered to quietly annul the marriage after the ceremony should she so desire. Eager for the status and wealth that would be granted to the wife of the emperor-elect, Faustina quickly assured him that she had no hesitations and the two were soon married with the emperor’s blessing.

However, the marked peace of Marcus' early married life was not to last. Around the same time that his first child **Lucilla** was born, the Emperor Antoninus died suddenly from illness. Marcus was declared Caesar, but he refused to accept the position unless Lucius was appointed alongside him. With no other options available to them, the Senate was forced to accede to his request, and Marcus and Lucius became co-rulers over the vast extent of the Roman Empire.

##### Troubles and War

As if they had been waiting for a ripple in the empire's stability, the Parthians attacked the same year in which Antoninus died. Their assault could not have come at a worst time, as the Tiber had overflowed its banks that spring, and the flood had left Rome in famine. Aside from this, there were rumors of plague on the northern fringes of the empire. All factors considered, when the governor's army in Syria was defeated, Marcus had no choice but to fight back.

Shortly before Marcus left for Antioch, Faustina, who was three months pregnant at the time, dreamed of giving birth to two serpents, one fiercer than the other. The ill omen proved to hold true, as the Roman army bet with severe difficulties while battling along the desert frontier. Having little firsthand experience in warfare, Marcus relied heavily upon his adopted brother's wisdom on the battlefield. Lucius soon proved himself to be a highly capable military commander. They fought together in Antioch, and after a series of miraculous victories, managed to turn the situation in Syria to their advantage. Tales of their exploits soon reached the ears of the populous, and Marcus became beloved by the people of Rome.

It was then that Marcus received the heartbreaking news that is twin sons, **Commodus and Gemellus**, had been born only after great difficulty and it was likely that neither would live long. Leaving the Syrian front in the hands of Lucius, Marcus returned to Rome but was too late, as they had both died shortly before his arrival. War had bereaved him of even holding his sons, and he mourned bitterly. In cruel irony, he was forced to stifle his grief as his return from Antioch was celebrated triumphantly by the citizens of Rome, unaware that his children had died. Marcus steadied himself. Quoting from the Iliad he said, "One man prays: 'How I may not lose my little child', but you must pray: 'How I may not be afraid to lose him'...

*Leaves,*
*The wind scatters some on the face of the ground;*
*Like unto them are the children of men...*
Shortly after Marcus' return, Lucius succeeded in vanquishing the Parthians and rejoined him at Rome. But he brought back more than just victory, as his troops carried the plague. Disease swept through the provinces of the empire, and taking advantage of the turmoil, the Germanic tribes attacked. Marcus and Lucius quickly crushed the initial wave of barbarian invaders, but seeds of contention had been sown between the two brothers. Lucius felt that Marcus secretly blamed him for the pandemic that had broken out, and he was jealous of Marcus' greater power despite having no blood relationship to the former emperors. Marcus, in turn, strongly disapproved of Lucius' vices and vanities, as the latter was given to gambling, debauchery, and frequent losses of temper. Upon one of his entries into Rome, Lucius had even sprinkled gold dust in his hair and "paraded about like a god." There were also whispers that Lucius and Faustina were carrying on an affair behind Marcus' back, although he had turned a blind eye to the rumors out of his love and concern for both individuals.

## Abilities

In life, Rider was known as the **Philosopher King**, and as such he was not particularly noteworthy in mounted warfare. Nonetheless, due to his rank in Rome's Equestrian Order as well as the numerous legends pertaining to his posthumous equestrian statue, Rider was able to be summoned into the class and subsequently possesses all of the abilities associated with it in the current war. Classified as one of the Four Calvary classes, he is able to ride both living and constructed mounts, which includes modern machinery and even Divine Beasts (with the exception of Dragons). As a Rider, he also possesses Magic Resistance as a class Skill. Because of his deification as an emperor upon his death, and especially because of the fact that he was summoned in Italy during the current war, Rider has a D rank in Divinity and shows a boost in all his stats, including the rank of his Noble Phantasm. However, even though Rider was considered one of the “Five Good Emperors” of Rome, he does not possess Imperial Privilege, as he is extremely uncomfortable with the idea of exercising his "emperor's prerogative." This reflects his past, as after he was declared emperor he wrote the self-admonishment to "See that you do not turn into a Caesar; do not be dipped into the purple dye—for that can happen." Thus, expressing his commitment to egalitarianism, Rider willingly gave up the skill when he was summoned.

Rider’s most unusual abilities include his seemingly high physical parameters, which are normally associated with the Lancer class. He has a notably high degree of agility and possesses refined close-combat skills that capitalize on his weapon’s range and speed. Rider himself is puzzled by this phenomenon, as these are abilities he did not possess in life. He speculates that he is able to fight in a manner similar to a Lancer due to the tactical advantages presented by the class, as his primary means of warfare (as *Imperator* of Rome) lay in military strategy. In fact, his theory is not far off from the truth, as Rider uses his Noble Phantasm **Forged in an Emperor's Mold** to subconsciously mimic the abilities of his adoptive brother (and alter-ego), **Lucius Veras,** a military hero and formidable warrior from Rider’s past life. In other circumstances Rider can also be summoned into the class of Caster, specializing in anti-magic magecraft that stems from his extensive philosophical writings, or the class of Ruler because of his just reign and proclivity towards impartiality.

### Riding

As expected for his class, Rider has a high level of skill in riding. During his life, Rider faced both the Germanic tribes and the Sarmatians (kinsman of Scythians); Eurasian steppe peoples who were particularly known for their form of equestrian warfare. Rising to the challenge, Rider learned to efficiently maneuver cavalry forces, which demanded that he acquaint himself first-hand with knowledge of mounted warfare. As such, he is most familiar with horses and chariots, although he can also ride Phantasmal Species up to the level of Divine Beasts. Born into the Age of Man, his ability to control these creatures seems a non-sequitur as no legends of him riding mythical creatures exists, except for the fact that, like most Roman Emperors, he was deified upon his death, which grants him powers over some divine entities.

Summoned into the modern era, Rider can also control machinery such as cars, motorcycles, boats, and trains. Even if he has never seen the vehicle in question, as soon as he has taken control of it as a mount he is granted an instinctual, holistic understanding of the machine's internal composition as well as how to operate it, using the equipment as if it were an extension of his own body. As a Rider class Servant, he has the ability to enhance his mounts, optimizing their functional capacity and, in certain cases, even pushing them beyond their physical limits by imbuing them with his own Mana. Vehicles such as motorcycles are optimal for Rider in a one-on-one confrontation, as they allow him to fight against other Servants while driving without compromising maneuverability. Cars, in contrast, are not nearly as versatile. Presumably, he is capable of utilizing aircraft as well due to his high rank in the skill, although he has yet to demonstrate such a capacity in combat.

Ostensibly, Rider's own level of dexterity and natural speed surpasses that of any of the mounts he controls, and as such the main function of riding is to preserve Mana while traveling over long distances. However, in Rider's case he freely admits that his limited physical capabilities, and as such he mainly relies upon his horse and secondary Noble Phantasm **Sarmaticus** in order to engage in physical combat. Unlike other Rider class Servants, Rider primarily uses his mount as a weapon. By summoning Sarmaticus in the form of a Roman Pilum and imbuing his own body with the excess power normally associated with a Rider's mount, he is able to drastically increase his own durability, speed, and offensive capabilities. Because of its nature as a Noble Phantasm, Sarmaticus cannot be destroyed except by another Servant or its own user. Disguising his Noble Phantasm as a weapon also protects Rider's True Name, and unless he uses his Noble Phantasm in its true form it would be difficult for an opponent to guess at his identity aside from the fact that it is Roman in nature.

### Skills

**Combat** refers to Rider's physical prowess and style of fighting. He primarily uses his *pilum*, a type of two-meter (6'7") post-Marian javelin, as his main form of attack, which is actually his Noble Phantasm in the form of a weapon. Due to the length of the spear, as well as his highly acrobatic, agile style of fighting, many mistakenly believe him to be Lancer upon first glance, and for strategic purposes Rider is more than happy to leave this misconception uncorrected.

* Rider attacks an enemy using his *pilum*.
* The unusual flared head of Rider's pilum.
* Rider uses the detached head of the pilum as a sword.
1/3
As a weapon, the pilum was historically unique for its pyramidal head and iron shank, which was attached to a wooden shaft by a short tang. Typically, upon contact with a target, the soft-metal shank would either bend or break off of the shaft, thus rendering it difficult for the target to remove and impossible to throw back. Furthermore, the triangular shape of the spear's head would viciously imbed itself into the flesh of a struck target, making it arduous and extremely painful to remove. However, the most formidable aspect of the pilum was its weight, as the heavy spear could even be driven through an opponent's shield and straight into their body. Rider's weapon reflects these origins, as the head of the javelin can in fact break off from the spear's shaft in order to be used as a charged missile or to shorten the weapon for close-combat melee fighting. Instead of a simple triangular shape, Rider's pilum displays an unusual flared head, with several blades attached to the shank below the spear tip. The intention of the blades is to deliver even further damage upon contact, although he can also detach the bladed head in order to use it as a short sword. Due to the fortified nature of his weapon as a Noble Phantasm, he can also use the heavy pilum to penetrate almost any defense, to the point of piercing through magically-enhanced armor.

Rider's prowess in combat is somewhat surprising considering that Rider-class Servants usual have low physical stats, which seems to balance their powerful Noble Phantasms. In fact, Rider’s his speed, skill, and agility are mainly due to the influence of his alter ego as well as the durability afforded to him by his Noble Phantasm, and as such he still falls within the typical class mold. By appropriating the skills of his weapon, Rider is able to fortify his own body to the point where he can drastically increase his endurance and resist heavy amounts of damage. It should be noted that this is rather draining on both Rider and his Master’s Mana reserves, and as such he is restricted to short bursts of speed and limited durations in which he can physically fight. Still, Rider is a notably fast combatant and is able to out-maneuver almost any other opponent over short distances, including Servants known for their speed, such as Lancer-class Servants.

In order to preserve his energy, Rider will typically wait for the opponent to frame the attack, taking the defensive side. While it may seem as though this allows the opponent to dance circles around him, Rider is simply holding himself back to counter more efficiently, using minimal movement to deflect their onslaughts. But when he spots an opening Rider is relentless in offense, showing no hesitation in striking back. His style of fighting is characterized by both fury and grace, as he is highly acrobatic and often launches himself into the air to gain a higher position from which to attack. Able to turn quickly and strike from odd angles, Rider can skillfully work his way around an opponent’s defenses in order to ensure that he lands a hit, swiftly executing several assaults within the span of seconds. Coupled with the strength of his Noble Phantasm, his furious barrages are carried out with all the force of a charging cataphract, which allows him to cut through even the strongest defense.

**Magic Resistance** (対魔力, *Tai-Maryoku*) grants Rider the ability to resist certain spells and magical effects, such as coercion, paralysis, or other externally-imposed effects. He is able to cancel spells with chants below three verses, and can even resist the effects of Greater Rituals and High Thaumaturgy. Furthermore, because of Rider’s inclination towards stoicism, if the spell in question is perceived to be "illogical" he can easily nullify it. This flows from Rider's interest in philosophy, as in his past life he was able to easily pierce through the arguments and fallacies of others in his debates. Following this, spells which adhere to Plato's hierarchy of being are generally still effective against Rider, but magecraft that seeks to manipulate reality or bend the rules of logic can be broken down with certain impunity.

**Charisma** (カリスマ, *Karisuma*) is a composite of both Rider’s “charm” as well as his talents as a leader of Rome, which is sufficient to lead a nation as well as boost the morale of the forces he commands. Loved by his people and famous for his literary accomplishments, moral character, and defeat of various invading tribes, Rider closely resembled Plato’s “philosopher king” ideal. His intelligence, reliability, and the adoration of his people contributed to his success as a leader and fostered an admiration for his reign. In its current expression in the Holy Grail War, this Skill is particularly useful in that it enables him to enhance the abilities of his allies. In general, Rider is able to raise the stats of allies who are fighting within his proximity, augmenting their Skills and lessening their susceptibility to Magic. However, because Rider's personal ideals are at odds with his commitment to the Gold Faction, he is unwilling to take initiative in battle and as such his level of Charisma is somewhat mitigated.

**Stoicism** (ストイシズム, *Sutoishizumu*, 忍苦, lit. *"Endurance of Bitterness"*): Stoicism is centered around the principle of developing one’s self-control and fortitude in order to overcome destructive emotions, holding that becoming clear and unbiased in thinking enables one to understand universal reason. This stems from the belief in the divinity of the cosmos whose soul is shared with all beings. As such, achieving harmony with Nature and resigning oneself to the fate of the universe are two of the highest goals of Stoicism. As a Skill, the philosophy expresses itself in the ability to remain completely calm and clearly analyze a situation in battle, thereby allowing Rider to gradually adapt to and be able to counter his opponent via “habituation.” In other words, the longer Rider can endure in battle, the harder it becomes to defeat him, as he begins to gain a clearer perspective of his given circumstances and his opponent’s abilities until he is figuratively and literally unshakeable. This Skill is similar to Single-mindedness and also resembles Advice of the Strategist in that it allows Rider the ability to completely immerse himself in a singular task as well as to correctly grasp and analyze the true nature of a situation, respectively. In addition to acclimating himself to the flow of the battle, Stoicism allows him to overcome his desires and impulses via force of will as he brings his desires into harmony with the will of Nature. While this may at first sound fatalistic, it increases the certainty that he will accomplish his goal, as his desires align with the course of the universe. Another aspect of his Skill is that it grants him a mental fortitude and indefatigable calm that enables him to resist mind control, mental disruptions, fear inducement, etc. Using Stoicism in conjunction with Charisma, Rider can share this immunity to mind-control with his allies. Finally, the expression of Stoicism as a Skill allows Rider the ability to analyze every impression and bring it into a unified epistemology, thereby correctly judging the world. This frees him from the deceptions and lies of his opponents as well as allowing him to perfectly observe their style of fighting and, to a certain degree, predict their thoughts and movements.

## Quotes

* *"At some point you have to recognize what world it is that you belong to; what power rules it and from what source you spring; that there is a limit to the time assigned you, and if you don’t use it to free yourself it will be gone and will never return."*
* *"Is it your reputation that is bothering you? But look at how soon we’re all forgotten. The abyss of endless time that swallows all. The emptiness of all those applauding hands."*