The Great Bear

Name: Baron Josef Lebedjev
Age: 52
Race: Human
Hair Color: Gray
Eye Color: Blue
Height: 6'3''
Weight: 245 lbs.
Level 8

Personality: A seasoned military leader, Lebedjev has a great deal of tolerance for his enemy as he chooses to learn everything he can to become familiar with them. Having found allies with some of the finest of leaders within many parts of Salvar, Lebedjev is well-versed in warfare. A man who hailed from the barbaric lands of Skavia, the baron has become quite civilized and accustomed to life as a baron that if it weren't for his appearance, it'd be nigh impossible to know he hailed from the savage tundra.

A well respected commander, Lebedjev is known for his fairness and respect towards his enemies which dispels the rumor of savagery amongst most barbarians. He is normally calm and collected when he is commanding his forces, often prescribing to the philosophy that anger and hatred only beget more violence. Ironically for such a man steeped within war, Lebedjev desires peace and while he never had much stock in diplomacy, as an older man and with the resources to back it up Lebedjev has begun to favor reason and uses war as a last resort.

Appearance: Aptly nicknamed, Lebedjev is a giant of a man and could quite literally resemble that of a bear. Towering over most men and possessing a large frame, he is able to rival others in both cunning and strength. Typically dressed in clothes of a commoner, eventually in uniform towards the latter half of the civil war, Lebedjev gives the very appearance of a military commander. Balding with a gray rim of hair around his head as well as a drooping mustache, Lebedjev also displays his age as an older noble. The noble is scarred from years of war both mentally and physically, but seems to wear them with pride.

History: Born within Skavia, Josef Lebedjev quickly found himself plunged into the ways of war before he could even walk. The baron grew up within a tribe of warring barbarians that were nomadic across the savage tundra and reknowned for their use of guerilla tactics on opposing forces. While much of this history has been recorded in the annals of history, it definitely must have left a lasting impression upon the young Baron as he would later find out.

Eventually, Lebedjev would find himself leading his own tribe on raids within the outskirts of Uroda's steppes, often fighting savagely with nobles who he'd later call friends. As the stories go, the barbarian continues to fight and lead his clans to claiming more and more land within Uroda until eventually he stops. Whether it was from dissension in the tribes or his own vials, Lebedjev was abandoned outside of Skavia with nothing but those most loyal to him. To this day he or those closest to him have never revealed the reasons behind his seperation from his countrymen and it remains one of his deepest mysteries.

Trapped in a hostile country and sworn never to call Skavia his home again, Lebedjev did what was in his character. Using his men and wits as a leader, the barbarian quickly moved into the countryside and began to raid the surrounding fiefdoms. Bolstering his numbers and resources, eventually the Skavian would capture a fiefdom and bring a baron to his knees who had been a long and bitter rival of his. Before the years of the League and choosing a despotic baron that few could consider an ally, Lebedjev wasn't reprimanded for his capture and soon assumed control of that fiefdom while later appointing himself Baron.

After all, who was going to know?

Choosing to shed much of his primitive upbringing and customs, Lebedjev quickly assimilated to the high life of Uroda and made good use of his resources. He'd eventually build up his fiefdom and become accustomed to the style of war nobles often practiced. Unable to do anything but move forward, Lebedjev let his ruse as a Baron take root and he began to expand his territory by waging war with any noble who chose to attack him or remain hostile to his new people.

By using the same guerilla tactics he had learned within his homeland and intuitive thinking in much of his military campaigns, Lebedjev quickly became the thorn in many sides. While hit-and-run raids from small roaming tribes of barbarians were expected as a noble, none of them were prepared for it to be done by a fellow baron. Because of that, the young baron was able to quickly expand his growing empire within Uroda and attained the nickname of "The Great Bear" for his ferocity and willingness to go for the throat of an enemy rather then fight until one side decides to surrender.

Fast forward ten or twelve years and Lebedjev eventually amasses enough territory and power to be one of the single most powerful barons second only to the Vagarand. While he'd spend much of his years in and out of the League, Lebedjev could now be considered one of the most formidable barons within Uroda. His ferocity and prowess as a military leader is legendary among warring nobles and it has been said that the two groups of nobles you'd never want to cross were the Vagarand and Lebedjev.

With the country plunged into war, Lebedjev has returned to the ranks of the League to aid them in crushing the Church. Stories have arosed how the Church spent months trying to use insurgents to usurp the baron from his throne but not even the peasants under his own rule would betray him, saying much about his leadership. That in mind, Lebedjev has used his vast resources and military might to push the Church back and out of much of Northern Uroda, giving the League a foothold back on their own land. Ever since then, it's been a steady push back towards Knife's Edge until he managed to drive Church forces into a rout.

With his status and history as a seasoned military leader, Lebedjev quickly assumed command of much of the League's forces and has been spending much of his time teaching officers under his command his unique tactics for waging and combating against guerilla warfare. The latter of which would become vital in the coming months as the League begins to march onto Knife's Edge.

As of now, Lebedjev answers directly to the Vagarand, and while incorporating modern military warfare with his own unconventional tactics, the baron has quickly become a prime target and someone to be feared by the Church.