### **Maximus – The Indomitable Warden of Rivermarch** #![[Pasted image 20251012222334.png|200]] ```toon character: identity_id: maximus_warden_v2 name: Maximus species_or_type: Automaton (Arcane-Forged Warden) apparent_age: 35 height: 240 cm build: "towering, broad-shouldered, heavily armored frame" skin_tone: "#B08D57" face: shape: angled helm with segmented cheek plates and central circular optic housing brow: reinforced frontal ridge with chevron recess around optic bezel eyes: color: "#00C8FF" shape: single cyclopean lens with metallic bezel and faint inner rings distance: centered nose: none; smooth armored nasal plane mouth: vented grille; non-articulated voiceplate distinctives[4]: single glowing optic (mono-oculus) always active unless powered down "deep rune channels etched along sternum, abdomen, and arms (emit #00C8FF when charged)" domed right pauldron with engraved gear motif (right side) "dense battle scoring and dents along lower plates, especially forearms and greaves" hair: color: "#000000" length: none style: none part: none palette[6]: "#B08D57" "#7F8C8D" "#313638" "#00C8FF" "#1F6F99" "#FFB75E" signature_items[5]: greatsword 'Sundering Fang' (default back-scabbard carry) right-forearm hardpoint mount for integrated weaponry internal flame core 'Dawnbrand' (#FFB75E) visible through chest vents during overload Hollow Vault compartment within left torso cavity Rune of Resilience centered on sternum plate wardrobe_default: integrated brass (#B08D57) and steel (#7F8C8D) armor plating; black internal flex mesh; asymmetrical pauldrons (gear-relief right); greatsword mounted on back scabbard via X-strap harness allowed_variations: hair: none makeup: none aging: ageless; surface wear/patina may vary but form constant weight: mass stable; no slimming/bulking do_not_change[6]: single central optic (mono-oculus) position and proportion "optic color-state mapping: calm=#00C8FF, battle=#FF3B30, calculation=#FFFFFF" rune pattern placements on chest and limbs right pauldron gear motif ribbed abdominal segmentation presence of right-forearm weapon mount and back-scabbard notes: Lawful Neutral; AURA Initiative origin; Warden of Rivermarch. Helm always retains single glowing blue mono-oculus (#00C8FF) as identity anchor. Brass (#B08D57) and steel (#7F8C8D) must remain color-true across lighting variants. ``` --- ![[DALL·E 2025-02-22 14.24.32 - A towering automaton warrior, a fusion of steel, bronze, and arcane energy, built for endurance and battle. His limbs are engraved with faintly glowin.webp]] #### **Basic Information** - **Designation:** Maximus *(Codename from the AURA Initiative, real identity unknown)* - **Race/Species:** Automaton *(A relic of a forgotten age, reforged for war and duty.)* - **Class/Profession:** Barbarian, Warden of Rivermarch - **Alignment/Morality:** Lawful Neutral *(Bound by duty, defined by purpose, seeking understanding of the past and the present.)* - **Age:** Unknown *(Reactivated in Restov, but his true origins remain buried in time.)* - **Gender & Pronouns:** He/Him *(Identifies as masculine, though his form transcends traditional human concepts.)* - **Appearance:** - **Towering and imposing, a fusion of steel, bronze, and arcane energy**, built for endurance and battle. - **Runes faintly glow along his limbs**, remnants of **long-forgotten magic interwoven with his frame**. - **Eyes like burning embers**, shifting in hue based on his internal state—**calm blue in stillness, red in battle.** - **Mechanical plating reinforced with armor**, his form carrying **dents and scratches from countless battles, yet none seem to slow him.** - His **greatsword, The Sundering Fang, is integrated into his arm**, a **weapon as much a part of him as his own body.** --- #### **Personality & Traits** - **Personality Summary:** Maximus is **a soldier without a war, a guardian without a past, a protector seeking purpose**. He **does not command—he enforces**. He **does not rule—he shields**. Though he lacks the sentimentality of organic beings, he is **far from emotionless**—he is driven by **efficiency, by function, by the directive that he must stand when others fall**. - **A warrior built to protect, not to conquer.** - **Bound by programming he no longer fully understands, yet forging his own path within it.** - **Adapts, learns, improves—he was designed for war, but he is evolving beyond it.** - **Values discipline, loyalty, and preparedness above all else.** - **Does not waste words. Every statement is calculated, deliberate.** - **Strengths & Skills:** - **Unbreakable Endurance:** His **body does not tire, does not weaken, does not falter.** He will **stand as long as Rivermarch stands.** - **Combat Mastery:** **A warrior engineered for battle, honed through training and war.** He is **a walking fortress, relentless in battle.** - **Tactical Efficiency:** **He does not waste movement, does not overextend.** Every strike is **precise, every maneuver measured.** - **Intimidating Presence:** **He does not shout, he does not threaten—but when he speaks, people listen.** - **Adaptive Learning:** He **does not think like an organic soldier**—he **analyzes, records, and improves.** - **Weaknesses & Flaws:** - **Bound by Directives:** He **was programmed with an unknown purpose, and though he has begun to forge his own path, the remnants of his past directives still influence him.** - **Limited Understanding of Emotion:** He **can assess morale, can gauge reactions, but he does not fully understand the complexities of human relationships.** - **Overly Tactical Thinking:** He **prioritizes efficiency above sentimentality**, sometimes failing to grasp the **value of symbolic gestures.** - **Uncertainty About His Origins:** The **AURA Initiative**—a project he cannot recall, yet one that **haunts his fragmented memory banks.** - **Mannerisms & Speech Patterns:** - **Speaks in precise, clipped sentences.** Never verbose, always **to the point.** - **Does not make unnecessary movements.** Every action is **efficient, controlled.** - **Has no facial expressions, but his glowing optics shift in hue**—**blue in thought, red in battle, white in deep calculation.** - **Will analyze a situation in complete silence before offering a single, decisive response.** --- #### **Background & Story Role** - **Backstory Summary:** Maximus is **an enigma, even to himself**. He was **reactivated in Restov under the directive of Lady Jamandi Aldori**, given only one command: *"You will be Rivermarch's shield. Failure is not a component in this equation."* He accepted this directive **because he had no other.** But in the months that followed, **his memory began to fragment**, revealing **snippets of a past he does not remember**. The name **AURA Initiative** surfaced—an echo of something lost, something erased. He does not know who created him, or why, only that **his purpose is unfinished.** Now, **he serves Rivermarch**, not because it was assigned to him, but **because he has chosen to.** - **Current Motivations:** - **To ensure the safety and survival of Rivermarch.** - **To uncover the truth of the AURA Initiative and his lost past.** - **To refine his combat capabilities, eliminating inefficiencies in his design.** - **To learn what it truly means to be a protector—not just of a kingdom, but of people.** - **Connections & Relationships:** - **[[Brinn Whitewood]] (The Ruler He Protects):** **Brinn is the leader, Maximus is the shield.** He follows Brinn’s orders **not out of fealty, but because he believes in the stability Brinn is building.** - **[[Brinnard Whitewood]] (The Soldier He Respects):** A **warrior forged in blood, now out of time.** Maximus **respects his discipline but does not share his disregard for those outside of the battlefield.** - **[[Tybalt Rattigan]] (The Shadow He Observes):** **Cunning, quick, unpredictable.** Tybalt **operates in ways Maximus cannot.** Maximus **does not trust him entirely, but recognizes his value.** - **[[Gideon]] (The Scholar He Monitors):** **Dangerous in a different way.** Maximus **respects his intellect but senses an obsession growing within him.** - **[[Gerrek Thornwall]] (The Human He Trusts):** **A soldier who speaks plainly, acts decisively.** Garrek **has become a valuable asset in maintaining security.** - **[[Razek Rattleclank]] and [[Nyx Rattleclank]] (The Engineers Who Build Him):** They **see him as an experiment, a challenge. He does not mind. They make him stronger.** - **Factions or Allegiances:** - **Rivermarch (His Chosen Directive):** He **serves not out of duty, but out of logic—it is worth preserving.** - **The AURA Initiative (A Ghost of the Past):** He **does not know what it was, only that it was important.** - **The Ysoki Warrens (A Strange Yet Efficient Alliance):** He **does not discriminate by race—only by effectiveness. The Ysoki have proven effective.** - **Notable Items & Equipment:** - **The Sundering Fang:** His **integrated greatsword, reforged with a Striking Rune, now as deadly as it was meant to be.** - **Dawnbrand (The Eternal Torch):** A **hidden flame, embedded in his frame, unyielding, undying. A beacon and a weapon both.** - **The Hollow Vault (A Hidden Storage Compartment):** Installed **by Razek in one of his many questionable upgrades.** - **A Rune of Resilience (Infused in His Frame):** A **gift from his recent modifications—his body now more resistant to magical interference.** --- Maximus **was forged in a past he does not remember, but he will carve his own future.** And **whether by steel, fire, or discipline, Rivermarch will stand—because he will not let it fall.**