Commander Gustavius

Commander Gustavius is an honourable member of The Scarlet Spears and a rank-four commander within the organisation. In his mid-fifties, he has lost the agility of his youth, but the years have given him the wisdom and battlefield experience that make him a revered leader. He wears his station with pride, yet in his heart he longs for the days when he defended the Empire against hordes of orcs and goblinoids.¹

In the Legion

In his early years Gustavius served with distinction in the Third Legion. He trained at the Academy of War and emerged as a promising leader, able to carry out intricate tactics even with fresh recruits under his command. He won notable successes in skirmishes against the goblinoids, but it was a legendary victory during the Crusade of Miraak Var Trask that wrote his name into the Empire's military history.²

The Battle for the Lion's Teeth

Miraak Var Trask, a fearsome hobgoblin chief, had united countless clans in a relentless campaign across the Eastern Provinces. Leading a routine perimeter check with only a hundred men, Gustavius came upon a goblinoid horde some twelve thousand strong marching on his outpost. Knowing the land well, he understood that such a force could wipe out the small camp, and he chose to engage it to buy time for the Legion to respond.²

The clash, the Battle for the Lion’s Teeth, took place in the Valley of Lion’s Teeth. Gustavius placed half his men on the high ground at the valley's edges while he and the rest held a rocky, shallow river crossing. The terrain let the outpost send warnings to nearby camps and gather reinforcements, and for four gruelling hours Gustavius used hit-and-run tactics to stall the goblinoid advance until the full strength of the Legion arrived and destroyed the horde. After this costly defeat the hobgoblin chief's crusade withered and failed.²

The Scarlet Spears

After the victory Gustavius was promoted and was soon given the chance to retire, but retirement did not suit him. About a decade ago he joined the Scarlet Spears and rose to his present rank, becoming a prominent political figure in the Western Provinces. He is a familiar face at Legion meetings and a trusted advisor to the count.²

His long-time friend Auximus Tibalt, a scout he hired many times during his Legion years and came to trust for his loyalty, joined the Scarlet Spears after Gustavius became commanding officer of the Western Provinces and serves as his second hand. Eleanor Ponytail has served under his command in the Western Branch for three years.³

Gustavius works to stop the Brine Blades from forming close ties with the Legions near Neptun, and he will put in a rival bid for any mission he knows the Brine Blades are seeking, even at the cost of debt. He also hopes to acquire rights to an estate within the crater as a second stronghold in the Western Provinces, convinced that an outpost in Vansreik would further increase the company's influence in the region.⁴

In battle

Gustavius remains a formidable fighter whose technique is flawless, and he still trains every day. Observant, he chooses his opponents and plays on their weaknesses; aware of his lost agility, he usually finishes enemies by exploiting flaws in their technique, preferring to face melee fighters rather than spellcasters or archers. He takes an active part in training his soldiers, and so knows how and when to order them to carry out highly technical fighting manoeuvres.²