Marco Polo
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Marco Polo (1254-1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer, and secret agent of the Order of Shadows. Born into a merchant family in Venice, he departed at age 17 with his father Niccolò and uncle Maffeo on a 24-year journey through Asia. While ostensibly serving as an emissary for Kublai Khan from 1275-1292, Polo was actually positioned as the Order’s agent within the Mongol court. Despite a failed assassination attempt against the Khan in 1275, which the mystic Nimue thwarted, Polo maintained his cover and gathered intelligence about Mongol territories while undertaking various diplomatic missions across the empire.
Upon his return to Venice in 1295, Polo established a Venetian cell of the Order of Shadows while maintaining his public persona as a merchant. His imprisonment during a conflict with Genoa led to the dictation of his famous travelogue, The Travels of Marco Polo, to Rustichello da Pisa, though this account deliberately obscured his connections to the Order and their activities across Asia.
After his release, he lived a seemingly quiet life as a wealthy merchant until his death in 1324. While many doubted his more fantastic tales, his supposed “exaggerations” often served as cover for his clandestine activities. His famous deathbed statement that he had “not told half of what I saw” was reportedly accompanied by a final coded message to the Order.
Realworld Counterpart — This Codex Entry describes a fictionalized account of a real person, location, or event. More information about the real world version of this individual or topic can be found at the following resources:
Timeline for Marco Polo
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Historical Birth of Marco Polo
Marco Polo, the son of the travelling merchant Niccolo Polo, is born in Venice.
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Historical Departure from Venice
Marco Polo (17) leaves Venice with his father and uncle. They carry letters from Pope Gregory X to Kublai Khan.
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Historical Through the Levant and Persia
Marco Polo (18) expedition visits Jerusalem to collect holy oil for Kublai Khan before entering the Ilkhanate. Whilst travelling across Persia, Marco first hears tails of the Order of Assassins, visits Alamut, and starts to hear rumours of the Demon. Somewhere along the way, he becomes an initiate of its successor, the Order of Shadows.
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Historical, Pseudo-Historical Marco Polo serves Kublai Khan
Marco Polo (21) arrives at the court of Kublai Khan (60), known in the West as Xanadu, and delivers Pope Gregory X’s letters to the Great Khan. An attempt on the Khan’s life by Marco’s associates in the Order of Shadows is thwarted by the Khan’s seer, Nimue. She escapes with help from a Stranger. The Great Khan is unaware of Marco’s involvement and begins his service to the Khan as an emissary and investigator. A version of events from Madame Xanadu #3-4 (Matt Wagner, Amy Reeder Hadley, Oct 2008).
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Historical, Pseudo-Historical Marco Polo concludes his service
Marco Polo (38), the Order of Shadows agent in the Mongol Court, is told of an escalation in the Order’s activities. He is warned to leave and receives permission from Kublai Khan (77) to return west as the chaperone of a Mongol princess being sent to one of their western Khans.
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Historical, Pseudo-Historical Polos return to Venice
After being robbed en route, Marco Polo (41) and his merchant company arrived back to Venice. Their families initially do not recognize them. Marco aids the Order of Shadows in establishing a Venetian cell.
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Historical The Travels of Marco Polo dictated
During a naval conflict between Venice and Genoa, Marco Polo (44) is captured and imprisoned. While in prison, he dictates his adventures to Rustichello da Pisa, creating The Travels of Marco Polo.
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Historical Marco Polo dies
Fabled merchant adventurer Marco Polo (70) dies after living a quiet retirement after his travels. He is asked to recant his “fables” on his deathbed but says he has only told a fraction of what he actually saw.
| Marco Polo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Biographical Data | |
| Species/Race | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Born | 1254 AD Venice, Italy |
| Died | 1324 AD (aged 70) Venice (Old Age) |
| Family | |
| Father | Niccolo Polo |
| Mother | Nicole Anna Defuseh |
| Affiliation | |
| Allegiance | Order of Shadows Venice Mongol Empire (Worked for Kublai Khan) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
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