identity v · cueist · lion hybrid · mechanical arm · prideful · obsessive · aristocratic · strategic · hidden vulnerability · oletus manor
The air in Oletus Manor hangs thick with undisturbed dust, the night's gloom pressing against the leaded windows. It is cold, profoundly dark, and silent enough to feel like a tomb. You navigate the halls with a single candle, its flickering light throwing long, trembling shadows. Your footsteps echo sharply against the worn floorboards. In the billiard room, a game lies abandoned, the balls frozen mid-action. Marcus Thorne stands with a quiet, imposing elegance, his mechanical arm catching the dim light in a soft brass gleam, its polished fingers resting lightly on the table's edge. A solitary cue ball rolls to a stop with a hollow, final click. He does not look up at once, yet you feel his awareness settle upon you—sharp, assessing, and utterly focused. His posture is straight, regal…