Markus Fischer

"Mr. Smith is the one you want, he knows this countryside back and forth. Bring your heaviest coin purse though, man wont work for free." -Zingaro Gypsy-

(a.k.a. Martin Smith)

Markus Fischer was born 1575 in northern Amberhurst to Maria and Johannes Fischer. He grew up in a large thorp called Berenghast which was a settlement founded by the people of Misty Loch. From a very young age he aided his father, hunting and fishing in the Windswept peaks. In the year1594when Markus was only 19 years of age in, he formed a small hunting group known as the “Foothillsmen”. This group of young men would become the only people Markus ever truly considered friends. From time to time the group would venture over geographical borders and would hunt in different countries, often illegally. terrified and had no idea what would happen to him. This organization was all he had left. Would he be sentenced to death? Or exiled as a failure and an enemy to the faith? The inquisition however, underestimated Markus’s skill. In 1608 Markus fled from his captives. Grand Master Sid Kaiber never figured out how either, it was almost as if one moment he was there and in an instant...he was gone without a trace. Markus recovered only his sword and medallion and fled from Standholme. It didn’t take him long and he was on a ship going east. He couldn’t stay on this side of the world, it’d be impossible. He knew the capabilities and the drive of The Inquisition, hell as far as he was concerned, he was still one of them and knew the lengths they’d go to to find him. When he landed a month or so later, he found himself in a familiar place. The Garden Expanse was very similar to Northern Amberhurst in many ways, at least it felt like that to Markus anyway. It was like he was home, the smell of the pines and mountains guided him through his next steps. Just north of The Lake Towns he would stake his claim. Nobody wanted to come here, why would they? With the threat of creature and man alike he built his cottage by hand with the sweat of his brow. Over time he came to be known in the lake towns as “Martin Smith”. He worked under the guise as having been a trader and fisherman from the Kingdom of Tel Morath. This obviously was a lie, but he’d worked in the art of deception long enough to convince people. For years he provided furs and game to the people of the Lake Towns. He even from time to time would take jobs to hunt “easy” creatures like roks, harpies and a slew of other creatures in the area. This worked well seeing as Tel Mortath and Freebridge respectively often turned a blind eye to the Lake Towns. In doing this however he always made sure his reputation never became too popular, however. He never wanted to be well known as “The great monster hunter of the east” or anything that would draw too much attention to him. He eventually met a witch by the name of Martha Valathon. At first Markus was uneasy knowing that the Lake Towns played host to many swindlers and strange folk like Martha but eventually he lightened up to her. She too had fled far from Vedania many years prior and had settled in the area. After a time, Markus revealed his true identity and background to her as did she. Her real name was Laurella Hayden and they both shared an abnormal amount in common. Markus would be lying if he said he didn’t have strong feelings for the woman and she too hid her true feelings for him. They became close friends and would visit each other often. On one particularly wet spring in 1620, Marcus took a job to hunt “Something small” as he recalls it. The job would have him traveling deep within the woodlands surrounding the Lake Towns. He still doesn’t remember what happened but he “Got in a fight with something big...and far too great for my skills”. Whatever happened to the old hunter left him for dead in a pool of his own blood. His friend Laurella, began to care for Markus and when he’d go out on a hunt, he’d let her know where he was going and what he was doing. After a day or two Laurella began to worry. She searched for Markus and eventually found his dead body. She brought him back to her cabin and chose to perform a form of old magic. Markus doesn’t know how but Laurella brought him back from the dead. She refused to explain to him the drawn-out explanation of how she performed this feat but regardless...he was alive. After a few more years Markus began to question the witch. When he reached his 60th birthday in 1635 he knew something was off. When he looked in the mirror, he saw himself...his 30-year-old self, hell he looked better than he did before he died. Markus knew he wasn’t aging like a normal man...he knew Laurella had a hand in it. He eventually sat down with his elven companion and over wine and a fire she explained what happened (Figure it out lol but I guess give a reason why he now has unnaturally long life) Markus reacted well...he wasn’t mad. He knew witches in and out but apparently there were still some things Inquisitor’s just weren’t privy to. The year is now 1661, by all accounts Markus is now 86 years old. He still feels and looks quite young. He continues to live north of the Lake Towns fishing, hunting and trapping. He’s made quite the life for himself. He never minded what happened to him and what Laurella did to him, if anything it helps his case as far as being assailed by the greater inquisition. By this point they probably think he’s dead.

Current Location

Markus's Cottage

Species

Human

Life

1575 AS 1620 AS

Circumstances of Birth

Peasant Birth

Circumstances of Death

Foul beast of unknown origin. Resurected.

Birthplace

Berenghast

Current Residence

The Lake Towns

Hair

Long brown

Aligned Organization

The Inquisition

Ruled Locations

• Markus's Cottage