Early in Act Two ofBaldur’s Gate 3, a certain character shows up that has left many players confused. That character is Flaming Fist Marcus,once a member of Counsellor Florrick’s entourage, now turned into an ally of the Absoluteand Ketheric Thorm. He serves the purpose of initiating afight in Last Light Inn, trying to knock out the cleric Isobel and shut down her protection of the area. He’s a tough enemy with a collection of powerful abilities, but who is he actually, and where did these powers come from?
[Warning: Spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3.]
Other characters in the Inn know Marcus, speaking of their shared experiences, and he is generally treated as a character that should have a greater existing backstory than he has, buthe is rarely mentioned after his fight, and little is ever said directly to indicate his motivesor history. Luckily, through a mix of examining his dialogue, investigating the Shadow-Cursed Lands, and combing through fan theories, it is possible to discover a bit more about this strange character.
What We Know About Flaming Fist Marcus
The Facts Of The Matter
Regardless of players' choices, the first time they will see Marcus is when they enter the area of the Last Light Inn. Players who come here early won’t see Marcus until his confrontation with Isobel, the Selûnite cleric;players who paid a visit to Moonrise Towers first, will see him during their interrogation with Jaheira. The Harper leader is naturally concerned about the player group, since they carry tadpoles, but if the group has been to the Absolute’s headquarters, Marcus will vouch for them, communicating telepathically that he knows they’re a fellow True Soul.
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Players can choose to expose Marcus to Jaheira immediately, which will lead him to flee. Alternatively, they can hold off and enter the Inn without conflict, proceeding to meet with Isobel. If Marcus vouched for the party, he’ll try and convince them to help him obtain Isobel, before leaving to prepare for his fight. From here, things play out pretty similarly whether players have been to Moonrise or not.
After this initial interaction, players can choose to discreetly inform Jaheira of Marcus’s status as a True Soul, which will prompt her and the Harpers to prepare for combat. However, this does not do much to change the fight.
Upon talking to Isobel upstairs, Marcus will appear (or reappear, as the case permits), this time flying into the room on a pair of horrible wings. He will try to knock out Isobel and take her to Ketheric Thorm, which would also remove herprotection from Last Light Inn. Players can choose todefend Isobel and kill Marcus, or aid him in serving the Absolute. This can end with either Marcus knocking her out and flying away with the cleric, or him dying. Either way, this is the end for Marcus in the game’s story.
Why Did Marcus Betray The Flaming Fist?
The Pursuit Of Power, But What Kind?
Based on what Jaheira and Isobel say,Marcus was a Flaming Fist, one that came to Last Light Inn with Florrick’s group. They and other NPCs around the Inn feel very betrayed at his actions, and seemingly had no idea he had turned on them. It’s also worth noting that, when Marcus initially shows up, it does not seem like the other characters are surprised to see him, so it’s not like he’s been missing for some period of time. All of this, plus his quick entrance and departure from the story, leads people to believe he was part of some cut content, and this is probably true.
The other things that can be learned during his time in the story are his motivations and his power set. Marcus seems to have willingly joined Ketheric’s side in exchange for power, unlike other True Souls who are forcibly indoctrinated or manipulated. It can be guessed that the power Marcus is referring to deals with the strange wings on his back, which he seems capable of hiding when necessary. ButMarcus also has vampiric life-draining powers at his disposal, a powerful magic ring, and is listed as an aberration in his stat block.
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So it seems like Marcus, once an ordinary Flaming Fist soldier, was lured into a deal with Ketheric by promises of power, which were granted so he could go out and kidnap Isobel.It’s not clear exactly why Marcus was chosen for this purpose, or how he ended up separated from the Fist to deal with Ketheric in the first place. Though the Flaming Fistworking with Florrickmention having sought a way into Moonrise Towers previously, and this is likely when Marcus made his deal.
Where Did Marcus Get His Wings?
Stolen Divinity And Desecration
Part of understanding Marcus has to do with understanding his wings. Because, as some players have surmised, they are probably more than just a fast way to travel. Some players have pointed out that they were likely once Aasimar wings, of the same kind thatDame Aylin aka the Nightsongpossesses. This is becausea dead Aasimar, named Olam, can be found in the House of Healing’s morgue. Olam apparently perished due to the Shadow Curse, and his body lacks the wings Aasimar would typically possess.
Aasimar wings are symbols of divinity, with certain Aasimar like Aylin being akin to demigods, and Marcus making a deal to basically become one makes his motivations pretty understandable. Though, his wings are more skeletal and have black feathers, which could either be a mark of Ketheric’s necromancy, ora symbol that Marcus is like a fallen Aasimar, possessing none of the grace of someone like Aylin.
Marcus’s Other Strange Powers
But that doesn’t explain Marcus’s other powers; at least, not at first glance.Marcus’s Vampiric Shout power is probably tied to the fact that his wings were attached using necromancy, either by Ketheric or his ally Balthazar. This ability could have sweetened the deal. As for why Marcus is listed as an aberration, it could either be because of his tadpole parasite, or his nature as an amalgamation of different creatures and types of magic.
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Finally, there’s theShifting Corpus Ring, the description of which could provide one final hint about Marcus. It is described as a ring belonging to “battlefield scouts and city pickpockets,” which may just reveal Marcus’s role as a scout. Or,it could relate to his past before joining the Flaming Fist.
Marcus having started as a pickpocket and having to move up in the world through deception, could lean into his characterization. The ring is also described as “deceptively simple,” which may be a metaphor for Marcus himself. Despite all these details and theories, the truth is that Marcus is a traitor who serves a rather singular purpose inBaldur’s Gate 3’s story before being discarded.
Sources:Difficult_Country686/Reddit,Toyhouze/YouTube
Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
