Hadrian Marlowe
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- Birth Date
- ISD 16117.09.29
- Species
- Human
- Ethnicity
- Sollan Imperial
- Caste
- Palatine
- Blood Type
- AB+
- Aliases
-
- The Sun Eater
- Hadrian Halfmortal
- Demon in White
- The Black Devil
- Home Planet
- Delos
- Affiliation
- Sollan Empire
- Introduced In
- Empire of Silence
- Birth Date
- ISD 16117.09.29
- Species
- Human
- Ethnicity
- Sollan Imperial
- Caste
- Palatine
- Blood Type
- AB+
- Aliases
-
- The Sun Eater
- Hadrian Halfmortal
- Demon in White
- The Black Devil
- Titles
-
- Royal Knight Victorian
- Bearer of the Grass Crown
- Ships
-
- ISV Tamerlane
- Demiurge
- Home Planet
- Delos
- Affiliation
- Sollan Empire
- Introduced In
- Empire of Silence
Well she remembered when she had first laid eyes on him, the day the Cielcin attacked Emesh. He’d had no military background, no real experience with the xenobites before that day, but he had volunteered to dive into the tunnels after the enemy. He had negotiated their surrender—the first surrender of Cielcin to man in three hundred years of war…
— reflection by Jinan Azhar[1]
Hadrian Anaxander Marlowe, also known as The Sun Eater, is a Palatine noble of the Sollan Empire who ended the centuries-long war with humanity's greatest enemy, The Cielcin. Born on Delos, he is the eldest child of Archon Aleister (Alistair) Marlowe and Lady Liliana Kephalos-Marlowe, and was destined for a life of privilege and control on Delos. However, Hadrian rejected his lineage and set out on a galaxy-spanning journey that would alter the course of human history.
Appearance and Personality
Appearance
Hadrian cuts an imposing figure with a tall, lean frame, violet eyes, and long black hair. As a Palatine, he is genetically modified to be physically superior—immune to most diseases and resistant to aging. His typical attire consists of black and red suits which pay homage to his noble lineage, but his appearance evolves over time to reflect his many roles and journey's. Hadrian carries himself with a quiet confidence and an almost palpable magnetism.
Personality
Hadrian is charming, thoughtful, and deeply philosophical with a subtle wit and an iconic Marlowe temper. Despite his aristocratic upbringing, he is empathetic and questions the rigid hierarchy of his empire, naively thinking he can easily change it. His personality evolves throughout the series, shaped by his experiences in war, loss, betrayal, and his divine revelations. Hadrian often reflects the influence of key characters in his life and throughout the series. For example, Hadrian often finds himself using the same stern and cold demeanor of his father, the quiet patience of Kharn Sagara, or the strategic teachings of Tor Gibson.
Full series spoliers below, proceed with caution.
Attributes and Abilities
This section should list the character's skills, knowledge, and abilities, particularly any magical/superhuman abilities, that represent the character in the relevant book.
On the planet Annica, Hadrian has a personal encounter with The Quiet that leaves him with the ability to see across an infinite number of realities and “swap places” with alternate versions of himself across time. This power proves invaluable to Hadrian and his allies, most notably during the Battle of Berenike, where he survives an orbital laser strike launched by Syriani Doriyaica.
Hadrian also hosts a resurrection ability through The Quiet, though it is more at will of The Quiet rather than something he can control.
While Hadrian was never formally trained as a Scholiast, his mentorship under Tor Gibson, himself a Scholiast, shaped his worldview profoundly. Coupled with Hadrian’s own longing to walk the Scholiast path, these teachings instilled in him the intellect, curiosity, discipline, and philosophical clarity of one.
Relationships
Dramatis Personae
This section should begin with list of relationships identified by the author's Dramatis Personae, plus any other characters linked to this character.
- Valka Onderra (paramour)
- Tor Gibson (tutor)
- Pallino of Trieste (sworn armsman)
- Crispin Marlowe (brother)
- Aleister Marlowe (father)
- Liliana Kephalos-Marlowe (mother)
Following this list, provide a description of the character's interactions with other characters in the series. Describe their effect on the article subject's personality and story arc.
Valka Onderra
Tor Gibson
History
Preceding the Books
Hadrian Marlowe is the firstborn son of Aleister Marlowe, Lord of Devil's Rest and head of House Marlowe, and Lady Liliana Kephalos Marlowe, daughter of Her Grace Elmira Gwendolyn Kephalos, the Duchess of Delos. Born into one of the Sollan Empire's most prestigious bloodlines, his life was marked by both privilege and hardship. Despite his privileged birth, Hadrian’s relationship with his parents who had no love for each other was strained; with a mother who preferred the company of women, rarely spending time with her children, Lady Liliana was absent for a majority of Hadrian's upbringing. While Lord Aleister Marlowe did not want a son but an heir, someone stern, ruthless and someone that would do anything to farther perpetuate House Marlowe through the Sollan Empire's hierarchy. His early years were spent on Delos, where he was educated in history and philosophy from Tor Gibson, the only person who has been showing him kindness and someone Hadrian sees more as a father than his biological one. Hadrian also received combat training from Sir Felix Martyn, the castellan and commander of the house guard, preparing him for a future as a noble leader.
Visit the Empire of Silence Summary page to read an in-depth recap. For further reading, see Chapter Summaries (Empire of Silence)
In The Lesser Devil (Novella)
In Howling Dark
Visit the Howling Dark Summary page to read an in-depth recap. For further reading, see Chapter Summaries (Howling Dark)
In Queen Amid Ashes (Novella)
Visit the Demon in White Summary page to read an in-depth recap. For further reading, see Chapter Summaries (Demon in White)
Visit the Kingdoms of Death Summary page to read an in-depth recap. For further reading, see Chapter Summaries (Kingdoms of Death)
In Ashes of Man
Visit the Ashes of Man Summary page to read an in-depth recap. For further reading, see Chapter Summaries (Ashes of Man)
In The Dregs of Empire (Novella)
Visit the Disquiet Gods Summary page to read an in-depth recap. For further reading, see Chapter Summaries (Disquiet Gods)
In Tales of the Sun Eater & Other Stories
This section should describe the known life of the character, divided by short stories into subheaders like below.
Divide information by story; one header for every short story.
Official Art
This section should provide official depictions of the character, giving preference to images without text. All images should be preceded by a description of where the image is included and must give credit to the artist. A consistent image scaling and aspect ratio is preferred.
Artist:Kieran Yanner
Artist:James L. Cook
Artist:Kieran Yanner
Artist:Kieran Yanner
Artist:James L. Cook
Artist:James L. Cook
Artist:Rene Aigner
Artist:Rene Aigner
Trivia
- Out-of-universe facts, in a list.
- Remember to cite sources.
See Also
- Links to other articles that relate to the character, in a list.
- Only link pages that don't appear frequently in the text above.
Notes and References
- Hadrian Marlowe, Willing Conscript, Patreon Trading Card A001 - Lore Snippet
Index
This section contains a list of chapters wherein the character was mentioned or present, divided by novel.
The Dregs of Empire (Novella)
Mentioned: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18.
Present: N/A.
Tales of the Sun Eater & Other Stories
Mentioned: The Dragonslayers, Kill the King, The Four Devils, After the Feast, Guns of Pharos.
Present: The Demons of Arae, The Night Captain, The Pits of Emesh, Daughter of Swords, The Fangs of Oannos, The Royal Game.
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