Marlquaanite

Marlquaanites are various powered individuals in the Gerosha multiverse of Dozerfleet Comics, central to The Gerosha Chronicles. Their common defining feature is a bond to the Marlquaan, the meta-origin of their powers. They are some of the most powerful entities on Earth, though the exact limitations of what they can do vary by how they are bonded.

Powers and weaknesses
Marlquaanites vary in terms of how they are bonded, meaning each of their powers works a little differently. The phenomenon of how it works is comparable to the cosmic storm in the Marvel universe that is responsible for the Fantastic Four. The Marlquaan gives seemingly random abilities, but those abilities seem to coincide with the bonded individual's personality somehow. If not, then it slowly reshapes their personality to make the combination of ability and personality fit. Many of them end up with "batteries" of a sort that dictates how much energy the Marlquaan will grant them, if in fact they are beings whose ability sets expel lots of energy. Extirpon, for example, has two different "batteries" for feeding off positive and negative human emotions. Mapacha may be able to catch fire when she runs, and has incredible stamina. However, she will eventually get fatigued. A simple night's rest, or day of relaxation in the sun, usually replenishes her. The Gray Champion's powers seem to have unlimited fuel, but intangibility and invisibility depend on his concentration. His transporting through electrical wires also requires him to have control over deciding which wires he comes out of. Chillingworth absorbs energy from around himself, similarly to an Emwault.

The Tragedy of Lord Zeras
Main article: The Tragedy of Lord Zeras

First Meethlites
Main article: First Meethlites

Rise of the Phaelites
Main article: Rise of the Phaelites

A So-Called Heretic
Main article: A So-Called Heretic

Vile Magenta Cloak
Main article: Vile Magenta Cloak

90 Has No Secant
Main article: 90 Has No Secant

Cursed is the Ground
Main article: Cursed is the Ground

The Natural Logarithm
Main article: The Natural Logarithm (story)

The Gray Champion: Modern Legend
This was the first time that Dozerfleet Comics (then known as CormComics in Cormorant Entertainment) had envisioned Marlquaanites. The two most-prominent Marlquaan-bonded entities were Gray himself, and a mystical Arab entity known as Verdabbin. Gray's ally was a Korean-American teenage girl known as "Heeshwa Pwong." This story was modified after another story, where a being that preceded John Domeck in the role of Gray Champion saved a girl named Chastity on the American plains from a rogue Indian who had become a serial killer, and had an army of other rogues preying on white villagers. The latter story was the first written, as the Dozerfleet founder needed to create an adaptation of Hawthorne's Gray Champion short story discussing a new arrival of the Champion. The former with Verdabbin took a lot of plot points from 2002's Spider-Man film, down to the point where Gray's suit was going to be heavily damaged in a fire in the final battle.

The reworked character of Dereck Johnson as Eqquibus takes a lot of cues from Earth-96283's Green Goblin. Following several more tweaks, the setting was moved from Grand Rapids to Boston. Modern Legend would become the inspiration for the volume title The Gray Champion: Modern Legends. The significantly revised plot to Modern Legend would include a clip in reference to "Concrete Angel," as performed by Martina McBride. The new piece would be dubbed The Gray Champion: Freedom's Apparition, and would explain in more detail how Gray and Eqquibus are created by the Marlquaan storm.

There were plans for Gray to eventually lead a small team of other Champions, including Red, White, and Blue. A possible Black Champion could have become an adversary to the team. Ultimately, such plans were scrapped. Blackveil took form instead of a Black Champion. The Red and White Champions were scrapped entirely. The Blue Champion was reworked as a villain, and became Chillingworth II.

The Gray Champion: End of Decadence
This was a roughly-planned sequel to Modern Legend, one in which Gray and Heeshwa would have to stop a Marlquaanite vixen from putting an orgy-inducing trance on youth across America. The story ultimately went nowhere, as plans to develop its plot were scrapped in favor of finishing Replox: Abstract Foundations ahead of schedule for the Holt Lutheran High School senior literature class project that was due in late May of 2002.

The Gray Champion: Freedom's Apparition
Main article: The Gray Champion: Freedom's Apparition

Freedom's Apparition came from a significant reworking of the plot to Modern Legend. In this story, billionaire Dereck Johnson accidentally transforms himself into the horse-headed incubus known as Eqquibus by instigating a Marlquaan storm inside his lab. He also brings John Domeck into the 21st century by accident, giving John the ghost mimicry powers via Marlquaan bond that would allow John to adopt the Gray Champion moniker for himself.

Extirpon
Main article: Extirpon (story)

The Gray Champion: Chillingworth's Revenge
Main article: The Gray Champion: Chillingworth's Revenge

Miles Charleston is revealed to have also become a Marlquaanite. As a member of the Society of the Icy Finger, he has made it his mission to hunt down John Domeck and take revenge on what John did around 400 years ago to mess up the Society's plans. Miles gains the ability to freeze things, as well as speak in a chilling and creepy manner. He uses these to his advantage to become Chillingworth II, and declares war on John and Hea Pang both by murdering Dae Pang after first gaining her trust.

This story also reveals that John's daughter Marge made it to the late 20th century, where she was adopted and raised by the Ramirez family of Cuban-American immigrants. Marge has since become a fashion model living in Miami. She is also the superheroine Mapacha, able to run fast and even have some flight ability. She tends to catch things on fire when she runs, however. Her Amerindian heritage from being the daughter of Kicked Deer begins to shine through. Gray and Mapacha team up to defeat Chillingworth, who wants them and everyone friendly to them dead.

Hea also is given Hester's locket by the Ramirez family when she travels to Miami with Gray, the Medsors, and her own daughter Tabitha Pang. It's revealed that Hester's locket was once entrusted to Hester Prynne, and that it bore the Beamer's Ruby inside. From then on out, Hea becomes the keeper of Hester's locket.

Extirpon 2
Main article: Extirpon 2

To overcome one of his greatest foes to date, Extirpon must learn to unlock his Positive Battery. More of how Extirpon and his bond to the Marlquaan work is explored in detail.

Sodality
Main article: Sodality (series)

Hea is among those captured by Judge Terry Beliah. Upon her release, Eric Opendi and John Domeck are also released, as is Marge. Hea and the others freed end up joining the Sodality of Gerosha, where Hea is later called upon to aid members of the Sodality when they are ready to retire. She allows them to use Hester's locket to transfer their powers to a willing successor. Almost every major named Marlquaanite that is not already dead by 2020 manages to appear in this series.

Ciem Tomorrow
Main article: Ciem Tomorrow

It is hinted at that some Marlquaanites were going to join Dana McArthur and Team Ciem in taking back Gerosha from the Phaletori. However, much of the original plot to Ciem Tomorrow was scrapped after Comprehensive Gerosha was abandoned in favor of Cataclysmic Gerosha. The old story narrative did, however, begin with Dana being rescued from Hebbleskin remnant decapitation by the Gray Champion. This was after Gray had failed to arrive in time to save Candi. Gray's failure to save Candi does slightly traumatize Dana. Gray himself considers retirement when he was only able to save one of the two women he was sent to rescue. Extirpon's whereabouts in Ciem Tomorrow are unknown, as are his reasons for not intervening when Gerosha ends up a domed town trapped in eternal nightfall.

Development
Marlquaanites date back to Hyper-Uber-Proto Gerosha (Earth-G0,) which began in 2001. The first character to become one was the Gray Champion. His concept was later re-defined for later renditions. Uber-Proto Gerosha (Earth-G1, in 2004) allowed for the possibility of Marlquaanites, as it acknowledged the events of 90 Has No Secant. Proto Gerosha (Earth-G2) in early May of 2005 used The Sims Deluxe to create the world of Stan Flippo and his family, and also acknowledged Meshaluta's history as valid. Test Gerosha (Earth-G3) became an early basis for The Battle for Gerosha, which would establish indirect Marlquaanites in the form of Phexos who were given powers by mutated Phaelites. The 2005 Ciem in Gerosha Prime (Earth-G3.1) webcomic elaborated further, illustrating Candi Levens to be a Centhuen Prototype. Direct Marlquaanites were hinted to exist in Gerosha Prime, though none wound up actually featuring.

In Despair Gerosha (Earth-G4,) groundwork was laid for integration between Marlquaanite legends and normal Flippo family / Ciem mythos. Formal induction of Marlquaanite mythos into the greater scheme of The Gerosha Chronicles didn't happen until 2007, when the January 2007-initiated DSHW of Ciem instigated Classic Gerosha (Earth-G5.) The Gray Champion was the first Marlquaanite to be added, with his enemy Verdabbin being reimagined as Eqquibus. Extirpon would later be added in January of 2009. Plans existed for Gray to have a daughter, the "Fire Raccoon." However, Mapacha was not added until Comprehensive Gerosha (Earth-G6) in 2010. The earliest sketch of what could become Mapacha was made in 2001, but the first uploaded digital artwork of her dates to 2012. The decision to clarify Phexo and Meethexo powers as indirect Marlquaan bonds came in Cataclysmic Gerosha (Earth-G7) in late 2012.