Marek
| Marek | |
| Dragon Quest VIII | |
| |
| Japanese name | グラッド |
| Romaji | Guraddo |
| Race | Human |
| Family | Marta (mother) Kadan (ancestor) |
| Voice actor | Akio Hirose (Japanese) |
"So I made my decision to leave. And I came here to help the people of Orkutsk with my herbs.
And I should be happy because I have helped them very much. But still I am guilty for leaving my mother all alone..."
—Marek
Dr. Marek is a character in Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. The herb doctor of Orkutsk, he is the son of Marta and a descendant of Kadan of the Seven Sages, though his mother is currently the heir to the Red Orb.
Appearances[edit]
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King[edit]
Marek is a slender, dour-looking man, always seen with his walking stick. He learned all about medicine from his mother Marta, but wanted to put his skills to use helping the people of Orkutsk, so he left to live in town while his mother remained at her cottage to perform her ancestral duty of watching over the ruins behind her home. Marek is glad to have been able to aid the sick in Orkutsk, but he feels guilty for leaving his mother alone.
The party seeks out Marek in Orkutsk at Marta's request, so they can deliver a package including nook grass to him. Marek is out of town, and the item shop owner recommends that the party seek him out in the Herb Grotto, a cave that he uses to grow the medicinal herbs he uses in his work. Marek had in fact been trapped in the cave by a pack of wolves and then boxed in by falling icicles, so the party's arrival with Marta's gift came just in time to save him from freezing to death. With no time to waste, Marek takes the nook grass straight instead of making a tea from it, which is an unpleasant experience but nevertheless reinvigorates him.
As the party leaves the cave, the wolf pack returns. Marek is cornered, but Sir Leopold realizes that though he carries the sage's blood, he is not the heir they seek. Back in Orkutsk, Marek relates his story to the party and asks them to join him in visiting Marta's Cottage to ensure that his mother is safe, since she is the only other possible candidate for the sage's heir. A toughie with a bad cold keeps Marek busy in town, so he asks the party to go on without him. The party finds Marta in the cave behind her cottage, which is blessed by her ancestor's protection to keep anyone within safe from evil, but when Marek catches up to the group, the wolves and Sir Leopold set the cabin ablaze and take Marta's son hostage.
Marta sacrifices herself so that her son might be spared, and the sage's power dies with her. Sir Leopold grows wings and flies away. Marek, who already felt guilty for leaving his mother alone in the mountains, is devastated by this loss. The party buries Marta in the cave, and Marek begs them to catch up to the devilish dog they are pursuing and get revenge for Marta in addition to all of its other victims. To match Sir Leopold's wings, Marek suggests enlisting the help of the Godbird Empyrea, who travels between worlds to face evil. Several inscriptions within the cave recount the legend of the Godbird.
In the wake of Marta's death, Marek adopts her beloved dog Boris.