Gustave Theldirk

* Draconic Form
* Humanoid Form

The Brigade

Amontiquette Theldirk - Daughter (Deceased...?)

Lowdik - Adopted Son

Aram Theldirk - Nephew

Ludwig Theldirk - Great Nephew

Camilla Theldirk - Great Niece

Kris Nifeton - Friend/ Possible Successor

Mr Curse - Friend

Knights of Nadir - Associates

F.I.R.E.

Aram Theldirk

The Nifeton Family

The Daggerhart Family

The Crusaders of the Silver Serpent

The Cabal of the Brass Arrow

**Gustavé Allegro-Montémillio Theldirk** was the founder and previous leader of the Brigade, an organization founded to protect the world from destruction. He was a purple dragon who has lengthened his lifespan far beyond what is typical of a dragon, and was nearing the end of his life.

## Personality

Gustave has a distrustful and grumpy disposition, only growing more and more sour towards the world as he nears the end of his long life. His number one priority is protecting the initiative he's started, as well as establishing an heir or heiress to the leadership role he's created for himself. He is also obsessed with keeping the natural order of the world, as he founded the Brigade on the basis of restoring the imbalances caused by the loss of a Dragon-God.

(IRL, imagine a grumpier, less kind Uncle Iroh)

## Appearance

### Draconic Form

In his true form, Gustave is a rotund purple dragon with a greying snout and paws. He has shorter headfins than a typical purple dragon, as well as shorter limbs in general. The fangs on his lower jaw jut out, fully exposed. Whenever possible, he is laying down on his stomach.

### Humanoid Form

Though he tries to avoid having to go into humanoid form whenever possible, Gustave has displayed this mode of existence to Brigade members once or twice in the past. He takes on the visage of a pale, similarly round humanoid, with a bald head and long greying beard. His outfit is very historic looking, with wide puffy sleeves, and he wears the Theldirk family emblem on his chest even though he has been exiled from their ranks for many years now.

## Relationships

### The Glitterati

#### *The Theldirks*

Gustave served as a father and advisor to many generations of Theldirk children. Among them was the current patron of the noble house and leader of the Glitterati, Aram Theldirk, whom he raised from a young age after his mother died of Dragonsbane and his father (Gustave's brother) committed suicide.

However, the child he adored most was his own, Amontiquette Theldirk, a scholar and a daughter after his own heart. However, after some unknown "unspoken crimes" she was buried in the desert by Dinante himself, seemingly killing her and throwing Gustave into a deep turmoil, and causing him to grow a deep-seeded hatred for the Brass god and his following. That was around the beginning of the Insurrection.

During a visit to the Great Northwest around 850 ME, Gustave happened upon a human that was unmistakably Amontiquette in her humanoid form. Seeing this threw him into a frenzied mix of panic and joy, upon which he immediately shifted and caused total chaos. This shameful display resulted in him being banned from ever returning to the country again, as well as his expungement from the Theldirk family.

#### *The Daggerharts*

Having watched their rise to power, Gustave is very amicable with many Daggerharts. He remained in touch with them even after his exile, resulting in eventually watching Pauline Daggerhart perform and maintaing a close pen pal relationship with her. When she, Mr Curse, and the other Daggerharts fled the Southwestern Fringe after the death of Karomatzu, he was quick to allow them to live with him at Nadir's Zenith. Their arrival and the news of his deity's death is what spurred him to begin gathering forces to found the Brigade.

#### *The Nifetons*

Having risen to power after his exile, Gustave thinks very little of the Nifeton noble family. After discovering their killing game that decides the next heir, he regarded them only with disgust. However, due to her relationship with the Knights of Nadir he does have a much better opinion of Kris Nifeton particularly, parading around that he believes that she will be the best heir to his position upon his demise.

### The Brigade

As the founder of the Brigade, Gustave feels deeply responsible for the actions as well as the well-being of all the guild members and their families. After the betrayal of Celica Nictosich that resulted in the death of two Daggerharts and the near compromise of Nadir's Zenith as a home base, he's becoming immensely cautious towards any new members of the guild.

Among his most trusted allies are Shards and Corinthia Sun-Wind, whom he's been friends with for many, many years. It's unknown how or when he met the two of them, but based on the context of their discussions they seem to know each other quite well.

Lowdik was a young orange dragon that Gustave found fending for himself in the southernmost reaches of the Southern Mantle a few years ago. Seeing him lost and afraid caused his fatherly instincts to kick in, as he took the young dragon under his wing and began teaching him as a newfound member of the

#### The Knights of Nadir

After being contacted by Corinthia, Gustave rose from the Zenith and used what little strength he had to dash to the Ashen Breach, having been alerted to the plot against Tephra's life. He then flew the as-of-yet unnamed Knights of Nadir around the great volcano Cataclysm chasing after the rampaging goddess, dropping them off on her back in order to have them fight against the nefarious Jacques Nifeton. After they stopped his plot (though they weren't able to actual slay him) Gustave recovered them and flew them all back to Nadir's Zenith to rest. They became the first recruits of the Brigade that the founded didn't previously know.

Since then, they have been sent on several missions of their own choosing, all of vast importance. Though Gustave has had some disagreements with them (more particularly with Kefyn and his excessive sharing of information with the Cabal of the Brass Arrow) he does regard them with deep respect and appreciation.

## Backstory

Gustave is the oldest member of the Theldirk family alive, and potentially the oldest dragon alive in general other than the Dragon-Gods. He has lived through countless years of war, famine, and destruction. His eyes witnessed life and death in an ageless dance. He survived the colonization attempts on the Southwestern Fringe by the Northeastern Badlands, and the destruction of countless dragon lives during the initial Dragonsbane plague and subsequent purge enacted by Dinante. For many of these years, he served as an advisor and instructor to the Theldirk family youths and leadership. He's even assisted the Daggerhart family in their times of turmoil on occasion, providing insight that has thousands of years of backing.

After spotting what he assumed was his long-lost, thought-to-be-dead daughter Amontiquette and getting exiled from his family, Gustave moved full-time into Nadir's Zenith, where he had occasionally used the Pirene Spring within in order to extend his lifespan. With nothing else to live for, he spent months at a time sleeping in the tower, only waking to write to his Daggerhart friends, or to speak via the CORE to Shards or Corinthia.

He had already been on the cusp of death when he received terrifying news from Pauline Daggerhart, only saying that they needed a place for over two dozen Daggerhart refugees to stay. She didn't make it to the tower, survived by her two children and her husband Mr Curse, who explained the death of Karomatzu at the hands of Curunthsh. With a new motive to live for, Gustave founded the Brigade, recruiting the surviving Daggerhart refugees as well as Shards and Corinthia.

## Campaign Activity

As mentioned previously, Gustave roused himself from his place in Nadir's Zenith in order to assist and recover the as-of-yet unnamed Knights of Nadir in their attempt to save Tephra from the plot of Jacques Nifeton.

Since then, he has remained in the tower almost 24/7, his life slowly weaning away. After the assault by Dinante on Nadir's Zenith the Pirene Spring was completely drained, speeding up his final hours even more.

He has appeared briefly in several oneshots, typically at the end to address newcomers or thank existing Brigade members for their assistance.

## Gallery

Gustave's draconic form. Kimberly Leveille.Gustave's humanoid form. Crabmalique.