Name: Markos "Mark" Raymen
Age: 26
Species: Moon Shifter
Preferred Animal: Leopard
Family: Karlie Raymen, Saskiah Raymen
Face Claim: Cody Christian

In every corner of the world there are myths and lore that influence the locals, pieces of ancient history that dig into the very identity of a community until they become entrenched in the mythos. These people rely on the folklore of their ancestors to guide them through, focusing on promises made by entities whose names had long since been lost. Deep in the heart of France it was a prophecy weaved into a legend from a throwback time, the story imparted to each new generation. It was foretold that a set of twins would reawaken the dormant powers of a chosen clan, bringing them back from extinction. While most dismissed the story as a pipe dream, some stories ring with truths.

Born the second child in a family directly descended from the Moon Shifters, Mark Raymen’s world revolved around the legends and the prophecy. Some of his earliest memories were of those stories, of the speculation and hope that his cousins Kiel and Saskiah would be the one’s to save their race. As a child he didn’t understand fully what any of it meant, the blindness of innocence allowing him to play with his sister and his cousins without any of the politics or conjecture that surrounded the twins.

Being the younger sibling by two years Mark was a little more rambunctious and carefree. He had an easy laugh and a penchant for mischief that could only be curbed by Saskiah. Karlie was close with Kiel, the two bonding in quiet corners or out in woods while Mark and Kiah were out and about. There were times Mark resented his sister, as is typical with most younger children, chafing under the assumed protection of his elder sibling. Karlie was a protector at heart, constantly standing up for everyone and getting into things that in her brother’s opinion weren’t her concern. Still he loved his sister, as they were both often overlooked in lue of their famous and revered cousins.

As Mark grew older the legends that were told made a little more sense, the idea of the supernatural community becoming more acceptable as age brought understanding. While he acknowledged his ancestors and the traditions of the Moon Shifter tribe he was doubtful that anything would revive their lineage, the reliance on a prophecy seemed silly and naive to him. The Shifters had gone extinct over 150 years before and the chance that his cousins might magically revive them was ludicrous. Perhaps it was his own pragmatism or the slightly pessimistic view he had developed over the years that had him looking at things so negatively.

Once Mark hit his teenage years it had become blatantly obvious that he was a cast off child. Karlie was the oldest and often the perfect child, never stepping so much as a toe out of line, it fell to him to be the screw up. Not to mention being the cousin of the Prophecy Twins didn’t earn him any favors, pushing him even deeper into the shadows. Still Mark didn’t harbor any negative thoughts towards his cousins themselves, his relationship with Kiah was his only saving grace. She was the only one that saw him for just him and accepted everything about him unconditionally. Deep in his heart he hoped that the Prophecy was false and that things would never change.

As Fate often does, she took his deepest fear and brought it to life. Karlie graduated high school and promptly announced she was leaving, traveling away for college and a different life. Their family was disappointed turning their backs on her as soon as she left. Mark was left to deal with the fallout, chained to his parents and his tribe. For a few years he kept things together, got a job with a gaming design company after high school that enabled him to work from home, and did the best he could for his parents and his family.

His parents practically disowned poor Karlie, ignoring her attempts to call and talk completely cutting themselves off from their only daughter. Mark did his best to keep in touch though with the weight she had left on his shoulders a seed of resentment bloomed within him, though he managed to bury it hiding it at the bottom of countless bottles of liquor. With some apprehension and dread the day of the ritual dawned the entire tribe gathered as a Fae helped bring the twins together.

Mark hung on the fringe of the crowd positioning himself with a clear view of Saskiah as the ritual began. It seemed to take forever and yet to no time at all, when it was complete a hush fell over the crowd. Saskiah had been tapped, the shifter gene activated within her much to his chagrin. He glanced around in confusion wondering why no one was celebrating, his eyes landing on Kiah who had collapsed. Panicked Mark pushed his way through the crowd, desperate to get to his beloved cousin in case she was injured or exhausted from the ordeal. As he broke through the true reason for her collapse met his eyes, as she bent crying over Kiel’s still body. The ritual had proven too much for his weakened constitution, his heart giving out under the pressure.

Things were strange following the ritual, the entire tribe was somber as they laid Kiel to rest though there was an undercurrent of excitement that marred what should have been a time for grieving. People hung around Saskiah for hours on end, demanding her time and shoving Mark even more to the background. It fell to him to call up his sister, busy with a serving shift, to break the news. Even through the phone line it was unmistakeable how the revelation had broken his sister, her relationship with Kiel was even closer than her relationship with him.

It was several days later that Karlie called to tell him she was never coming home, that she was disgusted that the tribe had forced something so dangerous upon Kiel and allowed his life to be forfeit. Unable to talk her out of it Mark had stared at the phone for hours wondering how it was that his life had gotten turned so upside down. To add insult to injury he hadn’t been tapped as a shifter though his only solace in that was no one in their village was either. So the elders urged Kiah out, to travel and find other shifters that may be tapped in her presence.

So Mark was forced to watch yet another loved one walk out of his life, leaving him behind to handle things on the homefront. Mark continued to work, his parents calling it playing more than work as he spent most of his days locked away in his room drinking and playing video games.

His life passed by in a blur of alcohol and video games, his bank account swelling with each new release though he spent an inordinate amount on booze. He’d barely spoken to Karlie since delivering the news of Kiel’s passing and in turn he hadn’t heard from Kiah since she had left. It would tough, tough to be the one left behind to keep things running. Somehow his father found reasons to blame him for everything, for Karlie leaving most especially. On occasion he even found ways to blame him for not being strong enough to receive a shifter tap causing Mark to crawl into even more bottle of the numbing alcohol.

It was Saskiah’s mother, his aunt, that finally pulled him out of his funk her worry for her daughter overriding her belief in her quest. No one had heard from Saskiah in a while and her mother worried that something might have happened to her, that she might be stranded somewhere without help or support. Mark buckled under his aunt’s desperate plea, packing his things to go in search of his wayward cousin. He traveled the world, following leads and rumors across continents following the trail that Kiah had taken in her pursuit of other shifters. Finally he came accessed information about a supernatural city, a haven for people with all manner of gifts and the word was that Kiah had gone there.  

On impulse Mark called Karlie, explaining to her the situation and asking for her help in the search for Saskiah. It took some convincing, her prejudice and anger toward the tribe for what had happened Kiel and for how her family had treated her since leaving clouding any familial affection she might have still had. Finally he managed to convince her, flying out to Evermore where the sibling met for the first time in years. He knew that her sense of protection would kick in when he detailed out the city, the strange new environment daunting for anyone to traverse alone.

The night they flew in was the night the Gemini comet came blazing overhead, touching down in a fiery blaze of glory somewhere away from the city proper. They were both standing together, watching through a wide window when a wave of pain gripped them both driving them to their knees and finally into unconsciousness. Mark awoke feeling different some bone deep instinct warning him that something about himself was changed. As he took stoke he noticed the pain that had been present over the last week in his wrist was gone however much to his astonishment he now bore a moon tattoo over the spot.

That was it, the symbol that he had both secretly longed for and dreaded since he had been able to understand his ancestry. Karlie came to with the same mark upon her wrist, putting them both under a time restriction to locate Kiah. It took longer than Mark had hoped to find her, the vision that wracked them both slowed their progress. Mark was plagued with haunting visions of Kiel, his parents, and people he had never seen before. By the time they reached Kiah Mark was half out of his mind and running full tilt toward a mental breakdown.

The ritual was virtually painless though his first shift was a bit intense, when the blue light finally cleared he stood in the center of shifters on four paws. His tail flicked back and forth as he looked around, the heat sensitive vision of the snow leopard painting the world in brilliant blues and reds. He’d never imagined himself as a leopard, their cool and aloof demeanors fit him somehow though.

After being tapped Mark was able to transfer his work to Evermore, continuing his work as a gaming graphics designer. Keeping his problem with alcohol relatively under wraps from both Kiah and Karlie, the following year passing in relative peace. The barrier disrupted everything, the explosions and magical prison slamming into place and trapping them all inside.

Logical - Caring - Protective

Skeptical - Self-Centered - Ungreatful