Umberto of Gela

Umberto is a commoner from the city of Gela, in the Grand Republic of Thasen, dominated by House Corti. His parents laboured at the port for much of their lives. In early adulthood, seeing few other prospects, Umberto signed on with one of the mercenary companies - a band of infantry named the Gelan Hundred, notwithstanding that there were more than two hundred and many weren't from Gela - that occasionally springs up in the Republic. Much of his career was spent in central Elthos, well beyond the empire. In 617, he was an officer in the company when, at House Corti's expense, and perhaps as more of a token showing than anything else, it accompanied the Salfeld coalition. The company's commanders retired after the war, and Umberto took charge of it. He distinguished himself since then as a versatile, adaptable leader. He fought against the Dominion of Rin repeatedly on the side of various non-imperial polities, always on the losing side, but he was consistently able to salvage his company.

In 630, after the attack on Min Nome, he was approached by Berenice of Summer's Abode about a long-term contract with House Anadun. The house wanted to engage him both as an officer but also to lend his experience as the Anaduns seek to reform their military. He was quick to take the opportunity.

Umberto is blunt, forceful and more than a little avaricious. He is not completely immoral - on some basic level, he understood that opposing Rin was a good thing to do, though more than that, he did not particularly believe that he would be any more than a slave of the Dominion if he fought for it. He's able to temper himself around imperial nobility, not least because offending them is a sure way to dry up his income streams, or worse. That patience is not necessarily a given though.

He has ample military experience, both from observing battles and from commanding the Gelan Hundred. He has no loyalty to House Anadun as such, and the house surely knows it, but they are paying him well, and keeping his company on retainer.

Umberto is an excellent infantry commander and able warrior.