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Lanius Monster of the East |
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| | | | | | | | | Editor Race | | Caucasian | | | Editor ID | | VHDLegionLegateLanius | | | Base ID | | 001300aa | | Ref ID | | 00137a9d | | | Editor Factions | | VCaesarsLegionFaction | | | Actor | | Mitch Lewis | | | Special Head Gear | |
- Facial hair
Muttonstache
Daddy O |
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“
Caesar's will is the will of the Legion. And the West... all beneath the flag of the Great Bear exist to test the strength of the Legion. The West shall fall as the East fell, and all the tribes that stretch to the setting sun shall bear the mark of the Legion.
”
Legate Lanius is one of the main military commanders of the Caesar's Legion and Caesar's most trusted war leader. Commonly referred to as the Monster of the East or Terror of the East, he replaced Joshua Graham in this role after the defeat during the First Battle of Hoover Dam and led a campaign of expansion to the East. He laid waste to the tribes in his path, integrating them into the Legion. By 2281, the campaign concluded and the restored Legion was brought to the shores of the Colorado, ready to attack Hoover Dam.
He is one of the principal characters of Fallout: New Vegas and serves as the final challenge if the player sides with the New California Republic, Mr House, or supports an independent Vegas. If they side with the Legion, then Lanius acts as their military commander and issues order for the conquest of the Dam.
With the 1.15 height modifier, Lanius is the tallest human non-player character in Fallout: New Vegas, making him 7' 1" (2.16 m) tall.
Background[]
Origins and myths[]
Little is known of who Lanius was before his rise to the rank of Legate, and what is known is inconsistent and frequently contradictory. Caesar presents him as the greatest warrior of the Hidebarks, a tribe of the Arizona, whose terrifying battlefield prowess allowed him to wipe out Legion patrols single handed, while his leadership delayed the annexation of the Hidebarks by several months past schedule. When the Legion surrounded the Hidebarks' main camp, their chief decided to surrender, rather than be exterminated. The Lanius-to-be went insane with rage and attacked his own tribe in fury, finally subdued after killing fifteen of his own warriors. Caesar had him rescued and tended to, saving the maimed warlord with most of his face torn off. When the warrior finally regained consciousness, Caesar offered him a helmet forged out of iron, a new face to replace the one he's lost, if he decided to fight for him. Lanius accepted the deal, on condition that he could slaughter all the surviving males of his tribe. Caesar permitted him to kill all the men, retaining the malleable boys for training and indoctrination.[1]
Other legionaries offer a differing account. Lucius states that the Legate was actually born into slavery, but his natural talents allowed him to reach the status of a full legionary at the low age of 12, just as he was entering puberty and has never lost a battle in his life.[2] Antony states that it took years to conquer Lanius tribe, with the survivors being given the mercy of joining the Legion, rather than wiped out to sate Lanius' bloodlust.[3] Outside of Legion tales, Joshua Graham, the first legate and confidante of Caesar has no recollection of Lanius during his years in Caesar's service.[4] The fact is all the more puzzling given the fact that all of Arizona was under the Legion's control by the time of Graham's fall, and such a noticeable legionary would certainly make an impression.[5]
It's not a stretch to surmise that Lanius is not so much a specific person, but a myth, a weapon in his own right, capable of bolstering the morale of his own men through his ruthlessness, and ruining that of his opponents.[6] Lanius is keenly aware of his mythical status and is careful to cultivate it, so that he might serve the Legion as a symbol.[7] He even had his own slaves struck blind so that he might never be looked upon without his mask - or to hide certain facts that don't correspond with the myth, like his face being intact.[8] Many other slaves, especially women, feared him greatly.[9]
Campaign in the East[]
Before arriving at Hoover Dam, Lanius was responsible for a campaign of expansion to replenish the Legion's numbers and rebuild the army into an even more powerful instrument of war after the failure at the Dam in 2277. He led the conquest of Colorado, putting its tribal populations to the sword or annexing outright. In Denver, he broke the Hangdogs by throwing their revered hounds onto burning pyres, so that they might burn in the afterlife.[8] The campaign lasted for years, stretching Legion supplies to the breaking point. The lack of food, water, and especially replacements took a heavy toll on his forces and taught him the value of logistics... While the near-defeat seared itself in his mind, making him wary of over-ambitious plans.[10]
His last campaign before he was ordered to take the Dam by Caesar took place in the wilds of Utah. At the conclusion of the campaign, Lanius' forces assimilated 14 tribes and exterminated 5 more, for a total of 19 tribes.[11] The victory by Gaius Magnus achieved after his arrival has apparently added a twentieth, judging by the distinct armor the centurion was granted.[12] All these tribes couldn't stop him and the NCR was to be the next great conquest.[13] To the legionaries, his mere arrival was a harbinger of doom for the Republic.[11]
Fact or myth?[]
As a symbol, Lanius was the perfect legionary. His very name, Latin for "butcher", was granted to him after victory in several battles.[14] His legendary brutality led to him being considered a savage beast, and Caesar made a point of noting that he supposedly was only loyal to Caesar himself, with no love for the Legion. His apparent lack of loyalty to the greater organization was considered an asset, as he cared little for battlefield losses or legionary deaths in general. All that mattered to him was victory over the enemy, at any cost. To reinforce his reputation, Caesar relied on Lanius to implement punitive measures against underperforming legates and centurions: Executing the officer in front of his troops, then having every tenth legionary in the disgraced unit beaten to death by his peers.[15] The decimatio (decimation) was a terrifying ritual and has caught the attention of Radio New Vegas, which promptly disseminated the news across the Mojave, bolstering Lanius' mythical status in the Mojave.[16]
This carefully cultivated myth made out Lanius to be a brutally effective commander, legendary for his devotion to Caesar and to sense weakness in any army.[17] To his foes, he was a brute not know for subtle tactics, capable only of mounting ferocious, but ultimately simple tactics like frontal assaults and wave attacks, seeking to overcome the NCR through sheer brute strength.[18] His allies also saw little more than a tenacious beast, which would drive its fangs into its prey and pay no attention to losses as long as the enemy hurt more. Capable, of course, of detecting traps and laying its own, but a beast nonetheless.[19]
Most feared what would happen to the Legion should Caesar die, leaving Lanius to seize his mantle and claim control over the vast army.[20][21] Many of them rightfully so.[22]
The man behind the mask[]
But Lanius was no beast. He was worse: A man, with a strong ideological foundation driving his beliefs. To Lanius, war was the crucible of civilization, where the weak were consumed as fuel, allowing the strong to be forged and rise to greatness.[23] A beast would have no respect for diplomacy. While he prized martial aptitude above diplomacy, he did not disparage those who fought with words.[24] What he disdained was treachery, especially Vulpes' methods:[25] Although he accepted it as a ruse in Caesar's service, he disliked the notion of the Omertas' uprising playing a role in the Legion's victory, believing that it would sully the honesty of a victory through strength of arms.[26]
In the NCR, Lanius saw passable foes. Excellent in combat at range, with leaders that exhibit occasional brilliance and with respectable fighters in the form of the Rangers. However, politics resulted in Lanius being faced by the less capable General Lee Oliver instead of the cunning Chief Hanlon, a fact that Lanius considered regrettable.[27] However, he also recognized the boon the Republic bestowed upon him: Hanlon was keenly aware that the new Legate would not repeat the mistakes of the old, wasting men in futile assaults on entrenched Army unit. Oliver was not, believing him to be the savage he was made out to be.[28] This weakness was what Lanius would use to secure victory for Caesar: Using intake pipes and maintenance tunnels, legionaries would infiltrate the Dam and strike simultaneously with the surface forces, enveloping the NCR forces and destroying them without risking defeat due to attrition.[29] The strategy was risky and required speedy execution: Delays could allow the NCR time to regroup and form a counteroffensive.[30]
However, although Lanius revered Caesar and the Legion, his master's contrarian words notwithstanding, Lanius had his reservations about the entire campaign.[31][32] With the lessons of the conquest of Colorado and especially Denver, the cursed city, fresh in his memory, Lanius considered the West a trap, rather than a treasure. The Republic's troubles in maintaining effective control over its territories and providing for its people only confirmed that perception.[10] Though he was ready to march on it for Caesar, he was also ready to return East and continue refining the Legion, if defeat - whether immediate or distant - was possible.[33]
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
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This character is involved in quests.
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Quests[]
- Et Tumor, Brute?: Although not directly related to the quest, killing Caesar or allowing him to die will result in Lanius replacing him as the ruler of the Legion. His reign is much more brutal and militaristic, killing and enslaving the communities of the wasteland. If captured, Chief Hanlon is crucified along with the rest of the surviving Rangers, the Followers of the Apocalypse are hunted down, while the Enclave Remnants are pursued to the ends of the earth, instead of being deemed a lost cause. If sold to Caesar, Arcade Gannon soon finds himself crucified when Lanius tires of his wit.
- Veni, Vidi, Vici: The Legate gives the player their final orders in the assault on the Dam and debriefs them once they deal with General Oliver.
- No Gods, No Masters, All or Nothing, Eureka!: The Legate is the final challenge in all three quests and successfully defending the Dam requires the player to defeat the Legate.
- The most straightforward way is to kill him, however, it is not the easiest. The Legate is designed to be a significant challenge for combat-focused characters: He moves 80% faster than normal non-player characters, capable of keeping pace with the player even with both legs crippled. He also has significantly more fatigue points, increasing the difficulty of knocking him down, cannot be disarmed, and his primary weapon, the Blade of the East, is a version specific to him that has a high chance of knocking its targets down.
- Furthermore, Lanius has two scripted actions. Once his health is below 60%, he will start using his unique healing powder, regenerating 8 hit points per second for 27 seconds (216 hit points in total). He has five doses and will continue using them as needed. Once his health reaches 40%, the Legate will disengage and retreat to regenerate health. The also script marks him as non-hostile (so the player's allies stop attacking) and restores his limbs to full health. He returns into the fray after several seconds.
- Defeating Lanius through diplomacy is the other option, although it requires making several consecutive Barter and Speech checks (55, 65, 75, 85, and 100). There are multiple paths through his dialogue, all relying on convincing Lanius that conquering the West would defeat the Legion in the long term. One path focuses on the fact that the NCR's vast territory would require the Legion to loosen their foothold in the East and lose it in time. Another emphasizes the fact that the NCR's ability to hold the West relies on caravans and Republic's logistics, something the Legion lacks. Another option is to bluff and plant the seed of doubt within him, that the NCR deliberately allowed him to establish a foothold on the Dam, with a trap in wait for him. Finally, if the player cannot meet the checks, they can use a few fallback options, including a bluff that members of Caesar's court actually conspired with the Republic to depose Lanius by setting him up for failure at the Dam (though the conversation will go awry if the player mentions that in doing so, Lanius would give time to the NCR and thin the Legion's ranks).
Inventory[]
- ¹ Lanius' armor is marked as unplayable and cannot be looted. The same is true for his specific version of the Blade of the East. Upon death, he spawns a different, weaker version intended for the player.
Notable quotes[]
- "We shall see how brave you are when nailed to the walls of Hoover Dam, your body facing West so you may watch your world die." (after being threatened by the Courier)
- "And who are you to come before me... you bear the insignia of the Bear, yet you do not wear it as a soldier of the West wears it."
- "Caesar's will is the will of the Legion. And the West... all beneath the flag of the Great Bear exist to test the strength of the Legion. The West shall fall as the East fell, and all the tribes that stretch to the setting sun shall bear the mark of the Legion."
- "I see you fight with words, like all beneath the flag of the bear. Let us hope your skill with weapons proves greater." (when attempting to reason with Lanius)
- "A plan by Vulpes... treachery is a weapon that one should never rely on. I can only hope that the Omertas died when their treachery was exposed, to have the plan succeed only would have sullied the Legion. It does not matter, victory shall be ours, it shall be swift, and it will be honest, purchased with blood." (when told that Operation Racket was sabotaged)
- "As for wisdom... there is wisdom in your words, man/woman of the West. Know that I shall return East. I shall not remain there forever. On that day, the strength of the bear shall be tested. If the West is one day filled with ones such as you, perhaps it shall be a worthy fight, indeed." (when told there is victory in wisdom)
- "My coming would have saved you, set your people free in ways they cannot see. War would have tested them. Broken the weak with its violence, yet allowing the strong to arise. Violence gave you that strength, awakened you - I can see it upon your face, where two bullets left their mark."
- "Our forces are better equipped to take objectives than hold them. I do not wish to defend this place if another option exists. Our opponents follow a strict chain of command, which is both a strength and weakness. I intend to use you to strike at that weakness. Find the enemy commander, this General Oliver. Kill him or his resolve. Do this, and his cowards will retreat, leaving the dam to us."
- "Mars's eyes are upon you. Do not fail him - or us."
[read more...hide]
Behind the scenes[]
- Lanius was designed by John Gonzalez and Chris Avellone. Chris Avellone wrote all of Lanius' dialogue.
- In the G.E.C.K., Lanius has the unique class "Legionary Bad Ass".
- The ending slides for the Legion's victory with Lanius as Caesar depict him in centurion armor, indicating that specific slide was finalized before Lanius' custom suit was finalized. He does wear the correct helmet, however.
- Lanius is summoned via script when the endgame quests are active. He will not appear if the player somehow glitches into the Legate's tent before the endgame.
Gallery[]
Collector's Edition playing card.
NCR propaganda poster featuring Lanius.
Lanius as he appears on the Achievement/Trophy for completing "Veni, Vidi, Vici".
Caesar's Legion ending slide featuring Lanius in centurion armor
Appearances[]
Lanius appears in Fallout: New Vegas and is mentioned in Honest Hearts and Lonesome Road.
References[]
- ↑ The Courier: "I've heard rumors of your legate, Lanius. What's his story?"
Caesar: "Lanius is the greatest of my battlefield commanders. Some might call him a great man, but I'm not sure he qualifies. Once, he was the greatest warrior of the Hidebarks, a tribe of the Arizona. Maniacal in battle. Sometimes he'd ambush Legion patrols by himself. When, after several months we found and surrounded the Hidebarks' camp, their Chieftain raised a banner of surrender. The warrior who was not yet Lanius went insane with rage. He struck down his Chieftain and attacked his own tribe."
The Courier: "What happened when Lanius attacked his own tribe?"
Caesar: "He killed fifteen before they brought him down. He didn't die, obviously. I had him tended to. He was maimed, most of face torn off. It was days before he regained consciousness. When he did, I went to his bedside and showed him the helmet I'd had forged to cover his face. I said he could have it if he'd fight for me. He accepted... on condition that he be allowed to kill the surviving males of his tribe. I said, make it the adult males and you have a deal."
(Caesar's dialogue)
- ↑ Courier: "Is there anything you can tell me about the Legate?"
Lucius: "He's the best warrior in the Legion. A full Legionary by the time he was 12, he's never lost a battle. Had the Legate been in command during the Battle of Hoover Dam, the Legion would've won. I have no doubt about that."
(Lucius' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "What can you tell me about Legate Lanius?"
Antony: "It took years for Caesar to conquer Lanius' tribe, and Caesar showed mercy to the survivors, allowing them to join the Legion. Had the positions been reversed, Caesar would be dead. Lanius is called the Monster of the East because he never, ever shows mercy."
(Antony's dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "You don't think Lanius can lead the Legion?"
Joshua Graham: "I think only Caesar can lead the Legion. I've never met anyone who could take his place. I couldn't. I never had a mind for logistics. I don't know Lanius, but from what I've heard, he has no interest in leading anyone unless it's in battle. No. The Legion dies with Caesar. What follows now are just the last steps of a man who does not yet realize that he's walking dead."
(Joshua Graham's dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "And since forming the Legion, all you've done is conquer other tribes?"
Caesar: "That's right. Decades of warfare, absorbing lesser tribes, gathering power. Forging the dross into a vast, razor-sharp scythe. My Legion's expansion has never ceased. Much of the Utah and Colorado, and all of Arizona and New Mexico, are mine. We have cities of our own, but nothing compared to Vegas. Finally, my Legion will have its Rome."
(Caesar's dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "He's just one general. I can handle him."
Ulysses: "Lanius carries all the terrors of the East with him. He's the myth, the weapon the Legion needs. When he arrives, he'll fall on Hoover Dam like a hammer, break the Bear in two."
(Ulysses' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "He must have a weakness."
Ulysses: "His strength lies in his title - and it is his weakness. He will not fight a losing battle and destroy what he represents. Put the idea of loss in him. Convince him the Bear will not be the twentieth tribe beneath his heel, it will make him pause like nothing on earth. You do not need to convince him alone. Draw upon history. The past of other Legates are not filled with victories. Remind Lanius of this."
(Ulysses' dialogue)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Courier: "Who is Legate Lanius?"
Ulysses: "Lanius... the "Butcher." Monster, Terror of the East. Not even his slaves have seen his face - struck them blind so they can't. Wears a mask, don't even know if it's the same man. He put Colorado to the sword, broke the Hangdogs by throwing their hounds upon the flames, so they might burn forever in the afterlife."
(Ulysses' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "What do you know about Legate Lanius?"
Siri: "The Legate is not a man to be crossed, especially if you're a woman. That's all I will say about it."
(Siri's dialogue)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Courier: "As Legate, do you really believe that, or are you taking a chance?"
Lanius: "Hnh. Long ago... when taking Denver, I had to face such a challenge. Many died, over many years to claim the city as ours. It was the lines of food and water that nearly broke the Legion's strength... and the lack of tribals near that cursed city. What I felt in that struggle, I felt as I saw the map of the West. The West is a trap. The bear has already been caught in it, and it is dying."
(Lanius' dialogue)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 The Courier: "Who is this Legatus you mention?"
Gabban: "Legatus Lanius, Monster of the East! Quite a man, if man he be. Caesar prides himself on selecting the right tool to overcome each new obstacle. In Lanius, he found his hammer. He's never been defeated in battle. 14 tribes have laid down arms at his boots. Another five, rendered extinct. His latest campaign in the wilds of the Utah has concluded, and he is en route. When he arrives, your doom arrives with him."
(Gabban's dialogue)
- ↑ Armor of the 87th Tribe
- ↑ The Courier: "Any idea on how to beat him?"
Ulysses: "Nineteen tribes could not do it. All the lights in Vegas cannot."
(Ulysses' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "You're the Legate, I'm guessing?"
Lanius: "I am the commander of this army. The Son of Mars has granted me the name Lanius. And the time to serve him has come once more."
The Courier: "What does Lanius mean?"
Lanius: "The word means "butcher" in Latin. I was granted the name after proving myself in several battles. Perhaps after today's battle, you too will earn yourself a new name."
(Lanius' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "He sounds more like a savage than a general."
Caesar: "Lanius is savage. Savagely loyal, too, but only to me - he has no love for my Legion. But this has its uses. He has no attachment to his men, no compunction about battlefield losses. All he cares about is destroying the enemy. When another legatus or a Centurion fails to achieve results, I send Lanius to make things right. His first step is to beat the failed commander to death in front of his assembled troops. Then he orders the ritual of decimatio."
(Caesar's dialogue)
- ↑ Radio New Vegas news report from Bitter Springs.
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas loading screen hints: "Legate Lanius, the Monster of the East, is the military commander of all Caesar's forces in the field. He is legendary for his devotion to Caesar and for his ability to sense weakness in any army."
- ↑ Courier: "Any speculation on Legion tactics?"
Robert House: "With Caesar dead, it's hard to know what to expect. The Legate, Lanius, is renowned as a brutal man, not a subtle tactician. Frontal assaults, wave attacks - these are the sort of tactics one would expect from such a man. The Legion will mount a ferocious and determined frontal assault from the east, that much is certain. Still, Caesar is a capable strategist. I'd be surprised if he hasn't found some way to infiltrate the dam, or the NCR's rear areas."
(Robert House's dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "What can you tell me about the Legate?"
Vulpes Inculta: "To call Lanius ferocious would be an understatement. In battle, he seizes the enemy in his jaws and will not let go. He thinks nothing of suffering losses, so long as the enemy suffers more. Though unsubtle, he is not dim. He detects traps, and sets his own. Be glad you will not have to face his judgment... if you are true to Caesar."
(Vulpes Inculta's dialogue)
- ↑ Vulpes Inculta: "I'm pleased that you were able to cure Caesar's malady. Though the Legate is a fine leader, we yet need the wisdom of Caesar to guide the Legion."
(Vulpes Inculta's dialogue)
- ↑ Vulpes Inculta: "This is a moment I'd hoped would not come for many years. Caesar's death puts the Legate Lanius in command now."
(Vulpes Inculta's dialogue)
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas endings
- ↑ The Courier: "Where you see death, I see change - and I see it as a strength."
Lanius: "[SUCCEEDED] Hnh. My coming would have saved you, set your people free in ways they cannot see. War would have tested them. Broken the weak with its violence, yet allowing the strong to arise. Violence gave you that strength, awakened you - I can see it upon your face, where two bullets left their mark."
(Lanius' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "Maybe you're willing to listen to reason."
Lanius: "I see you fight with words, like all beneath the flag of the bear. Let us hope your skill with weapons proves greater."
(Lanius' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "What can you tell me about the Legate?"
Vulpes Inculta: "Lanius served Caesar well, as his greatest battlefield commander. With Lanius at the head of the Legion, however, I doubt he'll have much use for my services. He prefers... direct methods."
(Vulpes Inculta's dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "Good, because the Omertas' plan was stopped, Vegas is as strong as ever."
Lanius: "A plan by Vulpes... treachery is a weapon that one should never rely on. I can only hope that the Omertas died when their treachery was exposed, to have the plan succeed only would have sullied the Legion. It does not matter, victory shall be ours, it shall be swift, and it will be honest, purchased with blood."
(Lanius' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "What do you think of the NCR?"
Lanius: "They are passable foes. Like their citizens, they prefer their war from a distance, and at that, they excel. Their leaders have on occasion shown brilliance, their rangers in particular have adapted well to our strategies. But their rangers are few, and this General Oliver we face is not their best. I regret not being able to face Hanlon, the one who led them last time."
(Lanius' dialogue)
- ↑ Courier: "Why do they call Lanius the Monster of the East?"
Hanlon: "Oh, the usual reasons. People say he's enormous, carries a big sword, chops peoples' heads off. That's not what makes him a good commander, though. Folks say he came from a heck of a tough tribe, took Caesar a long time to conquer. It was thanks to Lanius. But once Caesar broke him, he was born again. He'll go anywhere and do anything to win. Legion says he can smell weakness. Once he finds out where an army's vulnerable, he'll go to it like a dog for the throat."
(Hanlon's dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "I'm ready. What is the plan?"
Lanius: "In the past, the NCR has relied upon attrition, withering our numbers with ranged fire and falling back as necessary. Not this time. The dam contains tunnels to its heart, overlooked by the NCR... now occupied by the Legion. When the battle begins, the NCR will find our teeth at their throats in a dozen places. There will be no attrition, no falling back, only carnage."
(Lanius' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "Any idea what our chances are?"
Lanius: "Their men take comfort in - and rely on - killing at a distance. They will not have the luxury of such comforts this time. Our warriors will wash over them in a tide of blood, severing arms before they can attack, legs before they can run, and heads before they can pray. So yes, fortune favors our chances, messenger. Provided *you* move quickly."
(Lanius' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "Are you looking forward to the battle?"
Lanius: "I live to serve Caesar's will - and the will of the Legion. If my victory serves them both, then I am pleased."
(Lanius' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "What, Caesar giving you orders beyond the grave?"
Lanius: "Caesar's will is the will of the Legion. And the West... all beneath the flag of the Great Bear exist to test the strength of the Legion. The West shall fall as the East fell, and all the tribes that stretch to the setting sun shall bear the mark of the Legion."
(Lanius' dialogue)
- ↑ The Courier: "There is victory in wisdom, Legate."
Lanius: "As for wisdom... there is wisdom in your words, man/woman of the West. Know that I shall return East. I shall not remain there forever. On that day, the strength of the bear shall be tested. If the West is one day filled with ones such as you, perhaps it shall be a worthy fight, indeed."
(Lanius' dialogue)
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