Girardino da Liovia

Girardino da Liovia is a favored son of the Liovia family, which is a prominent family within the Erasmus family of Theodova. He is driven by the fact that his immediate family was killed by a rival branch of the Erasmus family at his home following his daughter's naming ceremony. His rise up the family was cemented when he hunted down those who killed his family and exacted his revenge - eventually reaching Filippo Erasmus who allowed the killing. He now works for Filippo as his top cleaner - ruthless and willing to trim the family tree of weak branches.

He has been sent to Bornheim to take over the Erasmus family holdings as Cristobal Erasmus fell out of favor and Tycho Terrante was viewed as both incompetent and a liability - good only for back-alley work.

• Ethnicity: Human, Theodovan
• Born: 421 AH
• Parents: Adolfo (392-453) and Maria (401-453) da Liovia
• Siblings:

  • Faber (418-453)
  • Simone (425-453) [married to Petri Janus]
• Spouse: Colette (422-453) [married Winter 451]
• Issue: Enrica (452-453)

The da Liovia family was a wealthy and influential branch family within the Erasmus family. They enjoyed the protection of powerful patrons within the family and Girardino's father, Adolfo, well played his own personal connections to increase the stature of the family. Each of the da Liovia children received an exceptional education with private tutors as well as entrance into Università di Chalpe.

While is brother Faber and sister Simone both excelled at university, Girardino struggled with his lectures and classes. His mentors considered him skilled in several of the physical arts - but near hopeless at debate, philosophy, and mathematics. His father understood and soon after called his son home and instead brought him into the family business.

While politics and family are the bread and butter of prominent Theodovan families, the Erasmus family was closely divided between two factions. The slightly larger faction was made up mostly of the younger or newer members of the family and interested in opening up new trade and alliances with other families, while the most established and “first families” preferred to keep their legitimate business practices simply as a cover for a more “hands-on” political approach. The da Liovia was one of the smaller long established families with deep ties among smugglers along the southern coast of Miran.

Girardino was a natural for this line of business and soon helped propel his family to greater heights.

On one of his trips he met Simone from a Theodovan family of low means. Although his mother did not approve (and had been trying to marry him off for years) he married her on a rainy day in the winter of 451. She never did win the approval of her mother-in-law until she quickened with child. While Maria da Liovia was not as happy when the child turned out to be a girl, nonetheless Simone and Maria grew closer together.

The naming ceremony of the child would forever be burned into Girardino's eyes. His family had already gathered before the household shrine and was just waiting on him to deal with a “business” problem. While Girardino was at the family's offices in the city, a rival family attacked their villa. By the time Girardino returned to the villa the servants and his family were dead.

A steward, who was in the cellar at the time, managed to survive and tell Girardino exactly what had happened - Girardino recognized the man because he was the one that caused the “business problem” that kept Girardino and his close “associates” away during the massacre. Girardino's grief turned to rage, which hardened into a desire to payback those who had wronged his family.

The family's wealth was considerable given its size, but once word of what happened leaked out several of his family's partners decided to reduce the family's assets. With only the money that his family kept hidden, he blazed a trail of revenge against the Marco family who was behind the attack. As the bodies and lost wealth piled ever higher he climbed up their family ladder leaving a trail of corpses in his wake.

At the top was Filippo Erasmus, who had given permission to the Marcos for the killing. While he had no problems killing any of the Marco family, his upbringing was simply to rigid for him to kill Filippo. This was a flaw that Filippo took ruthless advantage of, eventually forcing Girardino to work for him. Girardino proved himself a very capable killer and so, for now, he cleans up Filippo's problems.

Girardino swore that one day he will kill Filippo and his entire family. Filippo knows Girardino wants to kill him so he takes every opportunity to rub his nose in the fact that he is still alive and Girardino cannot do anything about it.

• Dakarian Insurrection, Trading Houses, AH 462.