Pen Marten

> "*I was following orders, but you should know I would have done it anyway. I have too many questions to let you go to waste.*"
> ― Pen Marten
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Medium by day, masque by night, Pen Marten is one of the main characters of *Origin Stories*, first introduced in Killerjoy.

Pen was the ward of Dom Bodega when the act to eliminate all the masques was given out to the Cavals. Thanks to Illum Nairo's deception, she survived and was able to continue her training as a masque in Dirthe.

## History

### Early Life

Pen's journey as a masque started as ward to Dom Bodega, the self-proclaimed king of the masques. Which would make her pretty important as far as the masquerade is concerned. Unfortunately, when Gentin Rove Harspin's edict to capture or removed all the masques was carried out, that wasn't really the case anymore. She was spared by the questionable Illum Nairo. She joined him and many of the other masques he saved in Carver and worked to protect the city.

While in Carver, she worked as a medium for the Carver Carrier, the one and only news source in the colony city not controlled by Delmontpelier. She used her skills as a medium to find out more information about whatever Nairo needed her to. And when she wasn't doing that, she would be acting as Ember Spin working to protect Carver.

She has a history with Attle Bowman, the extent of which is unknown. Their relationship began on accident when she interviewed him at the Hollidan Building thinking him an overseer.

Shortly before the start of Killerjoy, Pen was protecting the family gargoyles at Eckle Lake, or at least supposed to be, on Nairo's orders. She was watching when Silver One showed up and killed the prowlers who had attacked the gargoyles. She also saw him remove his mask to reveal that he was actually Attle. After observing him for a time, she and Nairo believed that Attle wasn't an outright threat to the masques and so he could live.

### Killerjoy

Pen Marten was present at the Demaro Jun's Summit at the Paramount. She spoke to Attle briefly before the summit started. Once it began, she asked Lord Prime Rove Austra about silver One and the gargoyle at Mayor's Manor. Her questions were cut short when the wicker attacked. Nairo instructed her to go there to make sure the wicker didn't get out of hand and step in if necessary. She watched Silver One get arrested by the lords.

As Ember Spin, Pen broke into the Sky Hall and broke Silver One out. With his help, they fought their way through the lords and proxies still in the Sky Hall. They fled using a chop piloted by Wander Soul. They had to fight Lovis and Blite again on the chop on their way to Brandishier. Once at Brandishier, Nairo revealed to Silver One all that the masques knew of him and a small amount of detail about their plans to prevent the next Annihilation. Despite her urging, Attle elects to not join with the masques.

Later, she was monitoring Three Hands and Vermon in the hiding village. When she realized he was gone, she went to go and tell Attle. Together they went to the hiding village to see if they could find out more. When they couldn't, Pen gave him a round that would help him find her again if he needed her.

When Nairo put his plans into action, Ember Spin was monitoring Vermon in his tube. She saw Attle enter the hideout from above. A fight broke out between the two of them, but they were evenly matched. Pen admitted to being tired of fighting him and all that she'd been doing lately. Though, the fighting still did not stop. It didn't stop until after Three Hands revealed his allegiance to Nairo and the masques of Carver and the lords jumped into the fray. Pen was knocked out at some point during her fight with Lovis.

When she came to, she had a change of heart and decided to help Attle and Jun. She gave Jun one of her pills to help him bounce back from his injuries. When Nairo's device backfired, she decided to stay behind so that Jun, Lovis, and Attle could survive. Attle, however, had other plans and took that choice away from her, sacrificing himself in her stead.

Afterward, Pen is the last masque left in Carver. She decides to stay in Carver and pick up where Attle left off.

## Quotes

> "*I suppose I’ll have to ask him myself. Demaro Jun is plenty the looker, though. Think he'd lend me his dial?*"
> ― Pen
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> "*Perhaps, if you don't try to arrest me first, I'll tell you, sometime.*"
> ― Pen
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> "*I never wanted this! But I have to...I have to do this!*"
> ― Ember Spin
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