Marcel

Marcel is the former captain of Eastwing's Infantry Division and is currently a mercenary for hire. Traveling alongside Pantaro O'Sutherlands, the aether anomaly Shark, and eventually Howly Skumtoss, He becomes one of the two heads of the guild Harthia's Greatest, while also being considered leader of its members that hail from Eastwing. He is a vigilante that administers "justice" through Eastwing anonymously, being dubbed by its people as "The Hangman."

## Appearance

Marcel has bright red hair and dark red eyes, alongside stubble across his jawline. On his torso, he wears a black poncho with blue highlights, along with a bandana of the same colors on his forehead, fashioned from an Eastwing flag. Underneath, he wears a red button-up shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows and wears a necklace with five Rhen coins looped into it that he considers "a good luck charm." He also wears brown leather gloves and boots, as well as light gray pants.

When using his sensory aether Deadeye, his right eye gains a glowing orange crosshair over his pupils.

## Personality

Marcel is typically a goal-oriented and blunt person with a sarcastic streak. He likes to crack jokes if for nothing else than to make himself laugh, as well as being a very social person, which has allowed him to expand an information network with many whom he has created a favorable relationship with. He's very insistent on reciprocating for favors, and if he feels he is indebted to someone he will act on it until he no longer feels that way. This is partially his reasoning for being the vigilante known as "The Hangman," as it's part of the culture of Eastwing to always support each other in times of need.

He sees marksmanship as an art form, and thus likes to make his gunplay a sort of spectacle and takes pride in his fighting style.

## Powers and Abilities

**Gunslinging Spectacle -** The term Marcel uses to describe his fighting style, which is an unorthodox form of revolver dual-wielding. Consists of spinning his revolvers to make his shots hard to telegraph, as well as odd shot placement in order to either ricochet or throw an opponent off guard. Sometimes, he will rush down an opponent and try to fire at them point blank to further catch an opponent off guard.

 **Sensory Aether: Deadeye** | Sensory Aether that affects Marcel's right eye when activated. When in use, it allows Marcel to detect and register movement and attacks in his surroundings much easier. It's strongest function is that it gives him an idea of bullet trajectory, allowing him to make full use of his fighting style. Could also be used to scout areas for potential targets or enemies.

## Weapon:

**Peacekeepers -** Marcel's six revolvers that he differentiates via playing card symbols that he carves into the barrel: Spade, Club, Heart, Diamond, and eventually King and Queen. The first four revolvers are used for typical combat, while the King and Queen house special bullets from various sources that are used on occasion(ex. bullets made from the remains of Frank). The revolvers contain 8 bullets initially, with the cylinder being changed to 12 rounds when Marcel begins using King and Queen. They also have bayonets that stop at the end of the barrel, allowing for slicing melee combat.

**Kinetic Regalia: Dreamcatcher -** A revolver-themed gunblade, infused with Marcel's Aether to become a kinetic regalia.

* **Slight of Hand -**The nature of the weapon's Kinetic Aether allows Marcel to alter the bullet's properties before they leave the barrel. Bullet properties include: Pellet Spread, High Caliber Rounds, Explosive Rounds(on impact, timed, remote), bullets that ricochet much easier, and Heat Seeking Rounds.
* **Grestille Blade -** Inspired by Kayde's Grestille Arm, the blade of the weapon is made from the same combination of gres and steel, allowing him to conduct Aether through the weapon more effectively as well as giving the weapon extra durability.

## Equipment

**Eastwing Flag Poncho -** Marcel sports a poncho made from the remains of an Eastwing flag.

**Eastwing Flag Bandana -** Just like his poncho, Marcel's bandana is made from the same flag.

**Quickdraw Holsters -** Unlike most standard issue holsters for military use, Marcel's revolvers are designed to give the least resistance when drawing his revovlers.

## Backstory

Marcel is born in the naval kingdom of Eastwing, growing up alongside his older sister Jem in a supportive, middle class family. He attends the same school as a young prodigy destined for to become the future Grand Admiral of the kingdom, Sylvain Auric. The two find that they have much in common, and grow to become close friends. Sylvain shares his dream of becoming Eastwing's leader in order to make Eastwing into a "second heaven," a dream that the young Marcel believes is worth following. With Marcel expressing his want to make Sylvain's dream a reality, their goals were set: Sylvain would work to become the Grand Admiral, and Marcel would work to become his right hand man as Vice Admiral. While Sylvain's success would be nearly guaranteed, Marcel had to work very hard throughout his schooling years. Marcel would train in gunplay, quickly adopting a mindset that gunplay is an artform and finding beauty in the art of marksmanship. His Aether typing would become Kinetic and Earth, which he focused into his gunslinging fighting style. Aside from combat, he was discovered to have a high affinity for Sensory Aether, and a large portion of his training was dedicated to training this Sensory Aether. Fortunately for Marcel, this complimented his fighting style to a tee.

Following their education, Sylvain quickly won the hearts of the people and was appointed the next Grand Admiral of the nation at the age of 20. Marcel would take a longer to catch up, reaching the military rank of Infantry Division Captain at the age of 21. Soon after, Marcel takes part in the first Eastwing-Palstrine conflict, with orders being given by Sylvain to uncover what knowledge he believes Palstrine is hiding. Sylvain claims that Palstrine is in possesion of blueprints for a weapon of mass destruction and that these plans being carried out can not come to pass. These claims are a result of Atlas warping Sylvain's perception of his goal from being the most "prosperous" nation possible to the "strongest" nation possible. In what was the climax of the conflict, Marcel's Infantry Unit was able to obtain these plans, but are soon besieged by Palstrine's military elite, leaving a wounded Marcel the sole survivor. Marcel was able to pass the plans off to a foot soldier to deliver to their commanding officer, telling the soldier that he would hold off the Palstrine troops giving chase. Before these troops arrive, he passes out from his wounds, clutching a revolver in one hand and an Eastwing flag in the other, the material that would eventually become his poncho.

Marcel awakes in what appeared to be a shack of some sort, which he later realized is a dwelling named Pantaro's Box resting on the back of a large aether anomaly turtle named Big Slime. He is greeted by a large, muscular man who introduces himself as Pantaro O'Sutherlands. Pantaro explains that he had retrieved Marcel from where he had collapsed and had taken it upon himself to help him get back to fighting shape. Bewildered by Pantaro's charitable acts towards him, he reluctantly accepts his help. Over the course of a few months, Marcel and Pantaro get to know one another, sharing each other's pasts and hopes for the future. Pantaro finds Marcel's shared dream with Sylvain to be admirable, pledging himself to assist him in whatever ways he's able to. The strain caused by the deaths of his comrades during the conflict is eased by Pantaro's assistance and advice, and he is able to reach a better condition than his pre-injured self. Physically fit once again, Marcel tells Pantaro he'll be back someday and vows to repay the debt he feels from the hospitality he was given as he sets off for Eastwing.

Upon reaching Eastwing, he is greeted with shock, as he was presumed to be killed in action many months prior. He is quickly audience with Sylvain, who is also shocked by Marcel's return. Sylvain confirms that the conflict had ended, and that both sides had reached an agreement to cease military operations against one another. Marcel's return prompts Sylvain to begin a tirade on how he wants to make Eastwing the "strongest nation of them all," deviating from their dream of making Eastwing a utopia for all peoples by building upon the nation's reputation that showed "any person could make a name for themselves regardless of race or origin." He instead went in favor of a military approach to keep their nation under the strongest of preservation. This leads Marcel to quickly question the change in his motives. Sylvain then states that their dream is rooted fantasy, that military might was the only way. Marcel promptly quit the military, claiming that this new vision of Sylvain's was something he isnt willing to fight for. Sylvain begrudgingly accepted Marcel's resignation, and the two parted ways with a deep rift now between them.

Marcel returned to Pantaro's Box, opting to travel the continent of Harthia with Pantaro and join him in assisting others and doing mercenary work. Through people that Marcel meets on these adventures, Marcel begins creating an information network in order to understand the events that occur throughout the nation, as well as rumors on possible future events or conflicts. Jem, who had taken Marcel's place in the military as Infantry Division Captain, would come to be his primary informant on the goals and happenings of the Eastwing Military.

Little by little, Marcel would come to see the new mindset that Sylvain had adopted did the opposite of what he originally wished, whether it be from firsthand experience or through details he would learn through his information network. Law enforcement became much more strict and it became harder for newcomers to strike it big in Eastwing. Crime rates began to rise, which only kept law enforcement on their path, with abuse of power beginning to show. Marcel took such offense to the treatment of his countrymen and resolved himself to rebel. He would go out at night and anonymously intervene with Eastwing military and law enforcement activities that he deemed to be against the best wishes of the nation's people. He would sometimes tie up his targets in rope that had a noose-like shape and hang them up to be on display the next morning. Word of this began to spread to the people of Eastwing like wildfire, with the vigilante being dubbed as "The Hangman."