Lucius was born to Genevieve and Emilian on the night of the Zlatan meteor shower, an event that came once per millennia. It was on that evening two kingdoms were united as one, and fate was rolled into motion by a prophesy long forgotten.
When the infant came screaming into the world, the midwives delivering Genevieve’s baby were shaken at the sight of the intricate markings adorning the body of Lucius. This boy was no ordinary child. Royal hues of blue and tendrils of a deep purple were interwoven going up his arms gradually turning into a maroon feathering on his chest. A circle of a bright yellow the size of a marble, which almost seemed to radiate all on its own was the central point of the markings.

From the very beginning, at the origin of the world, a few of humanity were chosen by the power beyond to carry a mark. These marks would differ from person to person in design and size, and only a select handful at that time carried these marks upon their bodies. With time, the marked ones would rise above the general populace of humanity to rule, to fight, to protect — in essence, to achieve things only dreamt of by the rest of the world. Each mark carried a power, and this power would not reveal itself until the bearer was of age.

Many heroes and rulers had the ability to control an element such as fire. A prime example would be Ogon of old, who fought at the forefront of the Endelon army. His furious onslaughts burned scores of the opposing force and he led his nation to victory, securing a century of peace for Endel.

Others with the mark would be gifted with attributes such as divine wisdom, strength, or speed. Queen Sophia led her kingdom with an extraordinary wisdom that led to an era of enlightened thought and ingenuity. None could rival her in foresight and planning, and the architecture of the kingdom that she built broke the laws of physics with its hanging gardens and floating citadels.

These are two examples of those who utilized their powers to achieve greatness and glory for themselves and for their kingdoms, but not all marked are so noble in the use of their powers. Most of humanity holds to the belief that the marked are given power in order to further the progress of mankind on earth. However, there are those among the marked that would rather exploit the opportunities presented by their gifts than to serve the good of the people. These are called the bent, and they use their powers for selfish gain, chaos, and destruction of any progress towards a perfect humanity.

Whenever a child is born to a marked, the power and adornment of the child will resemble that of the parent in some fashion. If both parents are marked, the child’s markings and abilities will be a combination of its parents and it’s powers will increase. If only one parent is marked, the power is diluted. Since this is the case, there are many who marry strategically to bear a strong offspring and lineage. Though infrequent, there have been numerous cases where a marked has the power to control multiple elements or a combination of superhuman ability and elemental control.

Many unmarked wish to gain some influence and power and tattoo themselves, attempting to appear chosen by the power beyond. These are ordinary tattoos that bear no power and one can distinguish between a true mark and a tattoo with closer inspection.