Maric

Maric is a temperance-faction Beyonder of the Chained pathway and Sharron's closest field partner. Introduced as a pale gambler surrounded by obedient zombies, he helps Klein Moretti enter Backlund's underground Beyonder world, fights the Rose School of Thought's indulgence faction, and later serves the Church of The Fool as the Minor Arcana card Knight of Swords. (Chapters 233, 241–246, 330–350, and 2191)

Biography

Role in the Central Conflict

Maric and Sharron flee the Rose School of Thought after rejecting its sacrificial cruelty and doctrine of indulging every desire. Their alternative is temperance: repress the pathway's escalating urges and release them only in controlled, decisive action. Because joining an orthodox Church would exchange persecution for confinement, Maric remains in the illegal Beyonder world, using Kaspars's Bravehearts Bar as a contact point. He introduces Klein to Sharron as a bodyguard and, despite irritation when Klein's copper whistle makes his zombies disobedient, continues dealing with him once the practical misunderstanding is resolved. (Chapters 233, 241–246, and 330–331)

When Wraith Steve and his companions reach Backlund, Maric and Sharron recruit Klein for an ambush. Maric openly explains the cumulative curses and desires of his pathway, drinks sedatives to blunt the artificial full moon created by the Scarlet Lunar Corona, and accepts the role of visible bait. He fights Jason and Tyre while resisting both bloodlust and the Corona's suppression, helping keep the stronger enemies occupied until Klein and Sharron can overturn the encounter. The victory eliminates their immediate hunters and gives the temperance faction the materials and artifact held by Steve's group. (Chapters 330–350)

Maric remains Sharron's operational partner as she pursues advancement. He negotiates with Klein over the Tutanssess II mummy, helps test whether the transport is a trap, and accepts a revised plan when divination reveals that a direct robbery is too dangerous. Later, he works with Sharron, Reinette Tinekerr, and Emlyn White in campaigns against the indulgence faction. His role is often logistical and tactical—contacts, reconnaissance, bait, and maintaining withdrawal routes—because preserving the small temperance faction matters more than winning any single confrontation. (Chapters 875–883, 1041–1060, and 1219–1237)

By the second book, Maric has advanced from Sequence 6 Zombie to Sequence 5 Wraith and holds the Minor Arcana identity Knight of Swords. He and Sharron hire Lumian Lee to locate Oxyto after their own intuition and divination fail to explain why Death-pathway demigods avoid the target. Maric accompanies Lumian into the Underworld by possessing or attaching himself to him, knowing that prolonged exposure can turn even a living Wraith into a permanent undead creature. (Chapters 2191 and 2199–2203)

In the battle, Maric carries a Sun-domain artifact precisely because its power can damage the Underworld's creatures, even though it also purifies him. He forms and hurls spears of sunlight until the right side of his body melts and he can no longer safely repeat the attack. He continues acting as the group's tactical brake, warning when pursuit or further exposure becomes unreasonable. The mission ends with Maric and Sharron regarding Lumian as a friend rather than a contractor who still owes them. (Chapters 2204–2208)

Maric's lifelong repression eventually produces its own psychological cost. He seeks Anthony Reid's treatment to stabilize the emotions and impulses he has suppressed, and asks Anthony to hypnotically extract intelligence from captured indulgence-faction members. The decision shows that temperance is not effortless immunity: it is a discipline that requires maintenance. Maric later warns the coalition about Project Vortex and is last seen with Sharron on the platform connected to Klein's dream, alive and still participating in the Church's operations. (Chapters 2294–2295 and 2334)

Appearance and personality

Maric has messy brown hair, brown eyes, and an abnormally pale face. He commonly wears a white shirt, black vest, and dark trousers. His gaze initially carries obvious malice, and the zombies playing cards around him make his first meeting with Klein deliberately threatening; years later he retains the same sickly pallor and untidy appearance. (Chapters 241–244 and 2294)

He is irritable, suspicious, and more openly emotional than Sharron, but he consistently keeps bargains and accepts personal risk for the faction. His defining struggle is not a lack of violent impulses but the effort required to contain them. He uses drugs against full-moon bloodlust, submits to psychological treatment when repression becomes unstable, and repeatedly withdraws when the cost of continuing would endanger the entire group. (Chapters 330–350, 875–883, 2204–2208, and 2294)

Pathways and abilities

Maric follows the pathway called Prisoner or Mutant in the first book and Chained in the second. He is explicitly Sequence 6 Zombie during the fight with Steve and later Sequence 5 Wraith as Knight of Swords. Each advancement retains earlier physical powers while adding a new curse and stronger desires, making self-control part of the pathway's functional cost. (Chapters 330–331, 877, and 2191)

Cumulative lower-Sequence traits

Prisoner grants an enhanced body, keen senses, and an instinctive awareness of crime and killing. Lunatic can sacrifice rationality for a broad increase in strength, speed, perception, and resistance to mental effects, but using that state raises the danger of losing control. Werewolf adds further speed and strength, rapid healing, poisonous claws and teeth, and simple darkness-related spells. It also intensifies bloodlust, especially under a full moon. (Chapter 331)

As a Zombie, Maric's body becomes cold and steel-hard. Ordinary bullets have difficulty penetrating it unless multiple shots strike the same point, and injuries that would kill a normal person are survivable unless the brain is destroyed. He can summon and control zombies and ghosts and use cold or decay-related effects. The price is an intensified hunger for human flesh and blood; under the full moon, a temperance practitioner who refuses that hunger becomes painfully weak rather than feeding it. (Chapters 241–244 and 331)

Wraith state and possession

At Sequence 5, Maric can become a spirit-like Wraith, pass through physical obstacles, hide in reflective surfaces, affect souls directly, and possess or attach himself to another person. This lets him travel with Lumian into the Underworld without maintaining an ordinary body beside him. Possession does not erase environmental danger: the Underworld can gradually convert a living Wraith into true undead, and remaining attached to an ally limits Maric's independent movement and exposes him to effects that strike spirits. (Chapters 2191 and 2199–2204)

Wraith powers remain especially vulnerable to Sun-domain purification. Maric can channel a Sun artifact to throw radiant spears, but every use burns and melts his own spirit body; after two major attacks he is too damaged to repeat the technique. Full-moon effects likewise exploit the pathway's curse, while prolonged emotional repression eventually requires psychiatric care. His strength therefore depends as much on preparation, artifacts, and coordinated timing as on raw durability. (Chapters 331, 345–350, 2204–2208, and 2294)

Relationships

• Sharron: Maric's closest partner and temperance-faction leader. They escape together, share resources and intelligence, and operate as a practiced pair from the Steve ambush through the Underworld campaign. (Chapters 330–350, 875–883, 1041–1060, and 2191–2208)
• Klein Moretti: Klein begins as a useful client and becomes a trusted ally against Steve and in the mummy operation. Maric's early hostility gives way to repeated cooperation grounded in fulfilled bargains. (Chapters 241–246, 330–350, and 875–883)
• Reinette Tinekerr: Reinette is the senior protector and teacher behind the temperance faction. Maric supports operations meant to restore her body and authority. (Chapters 1041–1042 and 1219–1237)
• Emlyn White: Emlyn is a recurring ally in joint attacks on the indulgence faction. Maric helps connect the Sanguine's resources with the temperance faction's intelligence and field experience. (Chapters 1041–1060 and 1219–1237)
• Lumian Lee: Initially a hired specialist, Lumian earns Maric's respect by carrying the Underworld operation beyond the agreed terms and protecting his companions. (Chapters 2191–2208)
• Anthony Reid: Anthony treats the psychological strain created by Maric's long suppression of desire and assists with intelligence extraction. (Chapters 2294–2295)

Items

• Sun-domain ring: A sealed artifact Maric carries into the Underworld because its sunlight can damage local monsters. It forms radiant spears, but its purification also melts Maric's Wraith body, sharply limiting repeated use. (Chapters 2204–2205)
• Sedatives: Maric uses prepared drugs before the Steve ambush to reduce the bloodlust and weakness induced by an artificial full moon. They mitigate the curse but do not remove it. (Chapters 330–331 and 345–350)