Marius Titus is the main character in Ryse: Son of Rome.
Background[]
Marius was born of the famous Praetor, Senator Leontius and Septima, Marius’ mother. He also had a younger sister Honorata and lived with his family in the high class society of Rome.
Wishing to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a legionary, despite his mother being against the idea, his father trained him to be a skilled swordsman, as well as a firm leader should the time come.
Story[]
Marius's journey begins when he comes home to his family. After his training with the army was complete, he was to posted to Alexandria. After a sparring session with his father, Leontius remarks, "It's a sad but proud day when a son beats his father". Leonitus also tells his son that "he may have mastered the sword but never rush to meet the world with it drawn" and that "not all his enemies will be found on the battlefield", advice which proves to be true much later in Marius' life.
After a conversation with his father where he is handed a dagger of the infamous Damocles, they hear Septima's scream, coming to see that was being chased by barbarians. After fighting off the barbarous attacking their villa, Marius and his father come to the fountain to see Honorata and his mother dead. In a fit of grief and rage, Leontius swears that he will kill every last barbarian.
After a fight to find Platius, they set out to find a close ally of Leontius who could be in danger. Their suspicions were proved to be correct, being too late to save him. They could only watch as Platius was killed by archers. After another fight against barbarians, Leontius is stabbed by Emperor Nero's sword, which was held by a barbarian. Marius would later discover that these barbarians were, in fact, Emperor Nero's servants. After that Commander Vitallion takes Marius into the Fourteenth Legion. Soon after, Marius and the other members of the Fourteenth Legion head to Britannia. They arrive by ships, but quickly become overwhelmed under the barbarian’s clever tricks. Marius leads the counter-attack, rallying the surviving Roman troops and nearly single-handedly preventing the destruction of the remainder of the fleet, which impresses Vitallion. Marius is then promoted from Legionnaire to Centurion, taking and wearing the helmet of his now dead predecessor.
After receiving reports of a rebellion at York, Marius heads north to assist the defeated legion who were originally stationed there. Upon capturing King Oswald and his daughter Boudica. Basillius, the younger son of the Emperor Nero, reveals that his older brother Commodus has been captured, whose whereabouts are unknown. Basillius, threatens Boudica and forces King Oswald into revealing the location of Commodus, coming to learn he’s been traded to the Caledonians. Basillius orders Vitallion and Marius to retrieve him. After crossing the border into Caledonia, the party is ambushed, Vitallion is taken hostage by Caledonians and Marius is separated from his legion. Marius makes his way into the enemy camp, freeing and rallying captured Roman soldiers along the way. He kills the Caledonian leader Glott and rescues Commodus and Vitallion from being burned inside a giant Wicker man.
Once Commodus and the legion return to York, Commodus has Oswald killed in front of his daughter, which sparks a rebellion in the ranks of the Britons’. That's when the Emperors sons flee the island leaving Marius, Vitaillion and the rest of their men to fight off the Britons. After putting up a fight they realize that there is no hope and try to tactically retreat. Once there, Vitallion offers to hold the Britions’ back to save his men, but Marius persuades him to let himself do it instead. Marius telling that Vitallion was the only one who could appeal to the council about the crimes of Commodus and his brother, that they’d listen to a commander. And so Marius stays behind fending off the hoards of barbarians, until he's overpowered and thrown into the sea.
However, Marius was not dead, Summer comes saving his life and so Marius makes his way back to Rome where he finds hungry people tortured by the Praetorian Guards. That leads him to take up arms against them, becoming a criminal. When he returns to his home, he finds Summer already there waiting for him. She reveals that Marius' family were not slain by barbarians, but rather hired thugs from Nero, as he was jealous of Leontius
' popularity. Now fueled by hatred; Marius forges a Damocles mask along with a black armor and goes to a gentlemen's club where Basillius hosts gladiator battles, after he won the fights, he earns an invitation to the Colosseum, to participate in a Gladiatorial Game hosted by Commodus. After receiving the papers he kills the emperors younger son in a basement room and left. But not before hearing a prophecy from the Oracle, who told both Marius and Damocles shall kill each other. But "Emperor Nero can only die on his own sword, you can't kill him".
Once in the Colosseum Marius overcomes all odds earning him a fight with Commodus. During the fight, spared to attempt to cheat but fell short to Marius and was a victim to his sword. After killing him he moved on to threaten the Emperor himself before running away. But he was intercepted by Vitallion outside who was glad to see him again and took him back to the legion. From there he helps to defend Rome from the barbarians led by Boudica. He then is enlisted by Nero to defend him. He blindsides Nero by telling him that he is Damocles and is about to kill him. Nero reminds him that he cannot be killed by Marius's sword, only by Nero's own weapon. Nero summons guards to defend him and he escapes. Marius is distracted by Aquilo, who reveals to have the one truly responsible for the events to have taken place. However, while this is happening, Nero backstabs him with his dagger. Though he is weak, Marius proceeds to kill multiple Praetorians. He then tackles Nero off of a balcony. Nero lands on the pointed end of his statue's sword and dies. Marius, having enacted his revenge finally dies peacefully, while Summer watches over him.
Legacy[]
Though Marius had died, his actions had brought the end of the barbarian threat that had threatened Rome. As well as end the tyranny of Nero, and in time Rome rebuilt and according to Summer would last for a long time. In his honor a statue of him was built in Rome telling his story.
Gallery[]
