//Gianluca Moretti-Velasco

"If it's still standing, I haven't started yet."

▸Backstory

Gianluca Moretti-Velasco is an independent veteran operative and the father of Renata Chiara Velasco. Codename Ragnar, Gianluca is a Sound/Steel-type Vandal — a destruction specialist who weaponises sonic resonance and metallic force to dismantle structures, defences, and morale.

A master drummer and graffiti artist before the war, Gianluca led sonic revolts behind enemy lines — performances that doubled as demolition operations, concerts that ended with the venue's structural integrity as a casualty. Now he supports his daughter Renata's mission with rhythm and rebellion, serving as nERF's brand manager and the moral spine of the Old Guard.

▸Personality

Gianluca is the Old Guard's line-holder — not in the physical defensive sense that Lincoln embodies, but in the moral one. He is the ethical baseline, the standard against which the other veterans measure their compromises. When the Old Guard debates whether an action is justified, Gianluca's opinion is the one that determines whether anyone sleeps afterward.

This moral authority is expressed through destruction, which is either ironic or perfectly consistent depending on your philosophy. Gianluca's Vandal class means his function is targeted demolition: removing infrastructure the enemy depends on, dismantling defences, collapsing corridors of power. He doesn't fight people. He fights structures. The Sound/Steel typing tells the truth: steel is the material, sound is the method. Resonance frequencies that shatter reinforced walls. Harmonic vibrations that disintegrate armour plating. Everything has a frequency at which it fails, and Gianluca finds it.

His approach to destruction is fundamentally artistic. He was a drummer and graffiti artist first — someone who understood rhythm, impact, and the aesthetics of controlled chaos. The transition from performance art to demolition operations wasn't a career change. It was a medium change. The beats got louder. The installations got bigger. The audience stopped applauding and started running.

As nERF's brand manager, Gianluca handles something no other Old Guard member can: the resistance's image. In a world of corporate propaganda (NexTech, Tectra, OrdoPrimus), the ability to control narrative through sound and style is as tactical as any weapon. Gianluca ensures nERF looks like a resistance worth joining, not just a military worth dying for.

▸Appearance

Gianluca's design is inspired by Miks and Tejo (Valorant), and partially by Rook (Marathon). The aesthetic is a blend of rock musician and demolition expert — the kind of character who could be on stage one moment and in a warzone the next without missing a beat.

• ▪Hair: Black, shoulder-length, kept loose — the sort of hair that belongs on a stage, not a battlefield. Gianluca doesn't see the distinction.
• ▪Eyes: Dark brown, expressive, animated — unlike the stillness that defines most Old Guard veterans, Gianluca's eyes are constantly in motion, tracking rhythms in the environment that no one else hears
• ▪Build: Athletic, broad-shouldered, with the forearm development of a professional drummer — Gianluca's weapon is resonance, and resonance requires power
• ▪Outfit: Leather jacket over tactical gear — the rock musician aesthetic preserved through decades of warfare. 009 Sound System patches alongside Retronyx insignia. Steel-reinforced gloves designed for both drumming and combat.
• ▪Color Palette: Chrome steel, deep red, matte black — the palette of a concert that's about to become a demolition
• ▪Distinguishing feature: The hands. Gianluca's hands are in constant motion — tapping surfaces, testing resonance, drumming idle rhythms on tabletops. He is never not playing something.

▸Relationships

▸Abilities

Passive — Resonance Cascade

Gianluca's attacks create sonic vibrations that build up on enemies. When the vibration reaches critical levels, it causes bonus damage and can shatter armor or barriers.

Tactical (1) — Sonic Breaker

Fires a concentrated sound blast that damages enemies and reduces the durability of nearby structures or shields.

Core (2) — Metal Symphony

Summons metallic instruments that play a destructive melody. The symphony damages enemies in an area and amplifies Gianluca's other sound abilities.

Special (3) — Harmonic Destruction

Creates a frequency that resonates with enemy armor, causing it to vibrate violently and eventually shatter, leaving enemies vulnerable.

Ultimate (4) — Cacophonous Apocalypse

Gianluca unleashes a devastating symphony that shatters all structures in a massive area. Enemies are stunned and take massive damage, while the battlefield becomes a chaotic ruin that hinders enemy movement.

▸Trivia

• ▪Name origin: Named after Gianluca Pellerito (drummer) and Gianluca Farinelli (filmmaker). The dual reference — percussionist and visual artist — captures his character precisely: Gianluca is art and impact in equal measure.
• ▪Marathon archetype: Based on Rook — the pure line-holder. Gianluca isn't the most powerful Old Guard member, but he's the one who shows up, holds steady, and ensures the moral line doesn't shift while everyone else is focused on the tactical one.
• ▪Brand manager: Gianluca manages nERF's public image — ensuring the resistance looks like a cause, not a militia. In a media landscape dominated by corporate propaganda, this is one of nERF's most critical non-combat roles.

▸Goals

1. ▪Keep the moral line visible — the Old Guard makes difficult choices under pressure. Gianluca's role is to ensure those choices are weighed against ethical baselines, not just tactical ones.
2. ▪Support Renata's evolution — Gianluca's artistic violence became Renata's creative warfare. The father's job is to watch the daughter surpass the teacher and ensure the art doesn't consume the artist.
3. ▪Maintain the rhythm — metaphorically and literally. nERF needs tempo: offensive beats, defensive holds, rest measures. Gianluca keeps the operational rhythm that prevents the resistance from burning out or losing cadence.