Erend Vanguardsman

Erend Vanguardsman is one of the two tritagonists (alongside Varl) of the 2017 video game Horizon Zero Dawn, a major character in its 2020 follow-up spin-off comic series of the same name and one of the four deuteragonists (alongside Varl, Zo and Kotallo) of its 2022 sequel Horizon Forbidden West.
A member of the technological Oseram tribe, Erend is the younger brother of the late Vanguard Captain Ersa, who was killed by the rogue Oseram known as Dervahl, seeking revenge against the Carja and Oseram through a bomb plot. However, with the help of Aloy, he later defeats Dervahl and foiled his plot of destroying Meridian. He later joins in the battle against the Eclipse and HADES, before becoming victorious. Six months later, Erend later joins with Aloy to the Forbidden West.
He is voiced and motion-captured by .
==Appearance==
Erend is a Caucasian man in his late twenties, with a tall, stocky build and pale blue eyes. Erend's dark brown hair is fashioned in a mohawk, and he has thick sideburns and a moustache. Erend is always seen in Vanguard armour, which is made primarily of forged Oseram steel and secured with leather straps. Erend's clothes, like that of most Oseram, has a dreary colour palette of whites, oranges, and neutrals.
In Forbidden West, Erend's moustache and sideburns appear to have grown longer.
==Personality==
Erend looks to be a typical Oseram on the surface: arrogant, rude, proud of his heritage, and a heavy drinker. Underneath his outward demeanour, though, lies a man beset by despair and intense self-loathing. His acceptance of his imperfections, as well as his sister Ersa's high aspirations, have influenced his mindset. Erend, while not foolish, has a propensity of acting before thinking, resulting in humorous relief or awkward conversation tension.
When the circumstance calls for it, Erend is capable and competent. Following Ersa's death, he put his desire to murder Dervahl aside and saw to it that he was delivered over to the Oseram, fulfilling his liege Sun-King Avad's demand, and stepped up to the post of Captain for the Eclipse's last attack. In the face of peril, he became more grounded, focused, and composed. Erend is equally devoted to his friends and comrades, voluntarily accompanying Aloy into war against HADES, as well as joining her into the Forbidden West and stop Far Zenith.
==Skills==
* Public Speaking: Erend is a gifted orator, as seen by his ability to calm a mob of Nora and keep them from attacking the Carja escort.
* Skilled Fighter: Erend is a skilled warrior who served in the Vanguard as a member (and subsequently captain). Part of his success might be attributed to his raw strength, which is bolstered by the weight of his armour.
* Warhammer Proficiency: Erend fights with a warhammer, and his immense power allows him to slam adversaries and barriers with a single strike.
* Literacy: Erend can read Carja glyphs and, after gaining a Focus, can learn to read Old World writing.
* Ancient Knowledge: Because of his interactions with Aloy and later GAIA in the Forbidden West, Erend has rudimentary understanding of Old World culture.
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