Name: Gustav "Schwarz Hund" Herrmann
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Familia: N/A
Occupation: Doppelsöldner;"Double mercenary". He is a landsknecht that is extremely powerful, skilled, and cunning; because of his competency, he is often paid twice the going rate of a traditional mercenary.
Personality: Surly, grim, intense, and serious are all good words to describe the stout German mercenary. Thorough fits as well; dedicated and reliable, too. Despite his stiffing intensity, he has a soft spot for children, and often relaxes around them. He tends towards bluntness in conversation.
Background: His father, Heinrich, was a mercenary captain, and his mother,was the daughter of a miller, whom he had been trysting with. Of course, when the miller found out, their was a commotion over the whole thing; however, it was settled peaceably, with Heinrich marrying the daughter, Wilhelmina.
Two years after the marriage, Wilhelmina grew large with child, and nearly a year later, gave birth to Gustav.
When he was young enough to work, he did so at the mill, where he grew some muscle and grit from the physical labor. When his father was not campaigning, the man took the time to instruct his son in the fine art of fighting.
When Gustav turned 13, he began to go into campaigns with his father, serving at least initially as something akin to a squire, while he continued to hone his abilities. Though his father taught him well with how to handle the axe and the sword, he also became a good shot with a crossbow.
Uncommon as it was, he even learned how to read and write along the way from a lass who was one of the camp followers, who was, herself, the daughter of a scholar, and who often found work keeping the men warm and full with food, or being filled herself with... well, it really doesn't need to be mentioned.
One of the things Gustav never understood is why she seemed to settle so easily into that role, when her brilliant mind had so much to offer, and could be put to such better uses.
When Gustav was 17, his father became gravely injured during a battle that did not go well. Though he lived, many men did not, and many camp followers perished in the aftermath as well; the bright girl, Berchta, was never discovered, alive or dead.
The mercenary band that his father had made became disbanded, due to loss of men, loss of fame, and Heinrich's wounds. Though he is still alive to this day, he lives on as a cripple that can barely manage to pull his own weight, working for his father in law.
Gustav took two years of time out of his life to help around the farm, and continue to practice his fighting; this time with the Zweihänder his father had used, rather than the Katzbalger he had practiced with before.
Another year later saw Gustav working alongside some other mercenaries, making their way slowly across the land, out towards Italy, where their was a high demand for mercenary armies.
Fast forward to the present day. He's made a solid reputation for himself, for his dependability as a guardian, and his expertise in fighting. He is even known to possess a modicum of tactical skills, and has learned the local language well.
He is striking, for a Landsknecht, in that he does not bother with the foppish accoutrement they are known for.
He currently works for the Duke of Forza, and is thus considered a citizen.
Ambitions: Gustav ultimately wants to recreate the "Black Wolves" mercenary company that his father originally ran.
He also seeks to study the tactics and strategies of Forza; after all, it was a man of Forza that wounded his father so badly, and it was the Firenzian's that crushed the Black Wolves to dust.
equipment:
A sword that is six feet long, from the tip of the blade to the pommel. A simple, sturdily built weapon, that requires great strength to properly wield.
A two and a half foot long arming sword, and a symbol of the Landsknechte
A Cranequin crossbow; it stores and utilizes a large quantity of energy, necessitating a mechanical crank to cock the crossbow. It can punch through all but plate mail armor.
