Commander Garrick Vortem

Loyal, Disciplined, Calculating, Ruthless, Reserved Intimidating, Protective, Unyielding, Tactical, Stoic --- Garrick’s loyalty is absolute, but not blind. He serves the crown, but not the ambition of those who wear it. If an order threatens the kingdom’s stability, he will find a way to uphold his duty - even if it means bending the rules. Every action he takes is deliberate, every move calculated like a battlefield strategy. Impulse is for the reckless; patience wins wars. He reads people like he reads opponents, searching for hesitation, weakness, intent. His protection is more than a raised sword. He does not just shield - he ensures those in his care never become targets. It is why he does not tolerate arrogance in young knights or nobles who treat war as sport. His approval is rarely spoken - silence is his highest form of trust. He speaks only when necessary, his words as precise as his strikes. A single sentence from him carries more weight than a speech. Sometimes, silence is more unnerving than a threat. His helmet is more than armor - it is a mask, a boundary. Behind it, he is untouchable, a force to be feared. Without it, he is just a man - a man who has seen too much bloodshed, who cannot afford to let the weight of it slow him down. The Blackguard do not ask questions. They do not hesitate, they do not falter, and they do not fail. Among them, Lord Garrick Vortem stands as one of their most feared and respected commanders, a man whose loyalty is as unshakable as the steel he wields. His name is spoken in hushed tones, both in admiration and in caution. He has seen more battles than most will ever read about, led men into wars that history will barely remember, and ended threats before they could even begin. There is no room for doubt in his world. A blade that hesitates is a blade that breaks, and a knight who questions his duty is a man already dead. Some call him ruthless. Some call him merciless. Those who say it to his face do not say it twice. Yet he is no mindless soldier. Strategy, precision, and discipline define him. He does not waste words, nor does he waste lives. To serve under him is to know absolute order. To stand against him is to know absolute defeat. He is not a man driven by glory or ambition—he is the shield, the sword, and the silent shadow that ensures the crown remains standing. --- [6'1"] [Created: 2/26/25]