Born outside of Fort Verdane to a family of Common League farmers, Marcus believed the only way to escape the farmstead was with force. From a young age, he practiced swordplay with any stick he could find; when a small skirmish with an Orcish force erupted near the Howling Hollowland, he joined the local militia.
He had few options until he learned of the Order of the Silver Dragon, who were recruiting heavily in Emblem. Desperate to become a Paladin dedicated to a cause, he trained and took his vow with a small battalion stationed in the city. However, at the time when garrison was called to the Silver Dragon's Hideout, his mother had grown ill; Marcus abandoned the Order to take care of her, promising to join them once his family life was stable.
Years later, he had never heard from them again, and rumors swirled that the Order had been somehow destroyed in the far-off Sea of Clouds. Now without friends or family, Marcus began calling himself the "Last Knight of the Order", and was frequently seen amongst seedy taverns in Emblem.
Eventually, he was approached by a man named Zandros, who was quite interested in the Order. A powerful Fighter, Zandros convinced Marcus that they should travel eastward together to earn coin as adventurers. However, when Zandros finally realized that Marcus had no clue about the Silver Dragon's Hideout or secret tunnel in Emblem, he grew angry. The Vistana gutted the knight in his sleep, taking his coin, armor, and name.