Big Vlad

Pathologic 2=

Vladislav Olgimsky Sr., also known as Big Vlad, is the head of the Olgimsky family and the leader of the Town-on-Gorkhon's industry and economy.

Description
"A huge, mighty, scary man who owns the Bull Project—the town’s entire manufacturing base. His mission is for everything to be stable, run smoothly and have a useful purpose. A Russian merchant, with all that entails. A utilitarian thinker with a touch of the social-Darwinist belief in the survival of the fittest (which he counts himself among). A professional ruler who keeps track of all his moves and has his people in every corner (except the Polyhedron, which frustrates him). Treats people as a resource. That being said, he favors sustainable natural resource use and will not make meaningless sacrifices. Vlad is respected because being one of his people warrants you a decent living and at least some degree of labor regulation."

- From the game's design documents

Vlad Olgimsky Sr. is clever, but quick-tempered and unrestrained. He is capricious, cruel and biased in his judgement of others. He wields absolute economic and social power and is unafraid to flaunt it. He holds his money and business in high regard, prioritising his wallet over all.

Background
Through the creation of the Bull Enterprise the Town's industry is concentrated in Big Vlad's hands. At the time the story unfolds, a great deal of his power has been passed to his son, Vlad the Younger, possibly in turn to prepare him for inheritance. His son doesn't have the best relationship with his father because they disagree about how best to manage and subordinate the workers and the Steppe: the father thinks is right to treat them almost as though half-animal; the son believes in the value of their culture and communicates with them on an almost-equal footing.

Despite the seemingly obvious contempt for the nomads, he received the title of Böos, "like a bull." He assigned Oyun as the Foreman of the Abbatoir, and spoke closely with Isidor Burakh, though his respect for the man seemed limited as a business relationship.

Big Vlad met his wife Victoria Olgimskaya in a store in the Backbone, where she was buying a brooch. They were married within a year of meeting.

Haruspex Route
"My path was called '"The Diaphragm."' I thought I was free to decide the fate of the Kin. But fortune… heh… had something else in mind."

As Big Vlad held Isidor Burakh is positive regard, following the healers death he turns his eye to protecting Isidor's son, the Haruspex. While the Haruspex's reputation in the Town is poorly due to accusations of patricide Big Vlad is one of the few people in the Town who believe that he is innocent. On the evening of the Haruspex's return to the Town Big Vlad sways the people of Town to absolve the Haruspex and wipes away the false accusations of patricide. If the Haruspex had been arrested by Alexander Saburov he will sway the Governor to release him. Big Vlad offers the Haruspex his home and his people, telling him that it is best that he stay away from the affairs of the Town for a while. Upon being asked about Isidor Burakh's funeral Big Vlad informs the Haruspex that it is likely that his father will be buried in the Cemetery the following morning. Big Vlad insists that the best thing for the Haruspex to do would be to go the Broken Heart to drink to his father's memory.

With the closure of both the Termitary and Big Vlad's factories due to strange soot appearing in the air the workers Big Vlad held so carefully under his thumb begin to ask questions. Prior to the beginning of the epidemic Big Vlad deals with questions and rioting both from the Kin outside of the Termitary and from the Townsfolk who are now without work.

Upon receiving the key to his father's house on the second day since his return the Haruspex is able to find a note with a key in his father's room. The note reads V.O, meaning that someone with those initials was the one to give Isidor the Warehouse the key belongs to. Though the true owner of the key is Vlad the Younger, as Big Vlad also shares the initials V.O the Haruspex can inquire to the origins of the key. If told about the key Big Vlad says that he will investigate the origin of the key, likely knowing that it was his son.

Prior to the outbreak Vlad the Younger locked up the Termitary, trapping the workers inside as he feared the wrath of an upcoming strike. Following the Sand Plague outbreak, however, unbeknownst to him, the Sand Plague has already infected the Termitary, killing most of the Kin inside. Following the arrival of the Inquisitor the Termitary is unlocked, revealing the fate of the Termitary to the Town. Inside the Termitary the Kin who had suffered through the outbreak ask for the Haruspex to bring them the one responsible: Vlad Olgimsky. As the owner of the Bull Enterprise Big Vlad is one of the candidates for the person responsible. When told of the events in the Termitary Big Vlad initially refuses to go, seeing the survivors not as people, but as commodities that will eventually forget the tragedy. If the Haruspex knows - either through asking himself or asking the Changeling - that Vlad the Younger has gone to the Termitary he can inform his father who will, depending on how the Haruspex discovered the information, send people to collect Vlad the Younger or go in his stead. If Big Vlad goes in Vlad the Youngers steed he will die following the reunion of the Kin. If people were sent to collect Vlad the Younger no one will die and Big Vlad will instead leave his Wing of the Lump and instead go to Capella's Wing, overlooking a portrait of Victoria Olgimskaya. He will consider saving his son a failure of his power.

In the Diurnal Ending Big Vlad is found in the Cape alongside his son, overlooking the statue of Victoria Olgimskaya. Big Vlad is planning to continue his business as usual, claiming that there is no better time for hard work. Though the Haruspex believes that the Bull Enterprise is dead Big Vlad believes that is merely sick, and can be healed.

In the Nocturnal Ending Big Vlad flees the Town with a number of the Utopians and Humbles.

The Marble Nest
"Fat Vlad, the ruler of the Bull Enterprise, has disappeared. People like him always have a corner to hide in."

- Bachelor's Marble Nest map hover.

Big Vlad is still alive during The Marble Nest, but he has disappeared, presumably gone into hiding.

Spoken Dialogue

 * → See Big Vlad/Spoken Dialogue

Description
Vlad the Heavy is clever, but quick-tempered and unrestrained. He has a terrible temper and wields enormous economic power. He is capricious, cruel, and biased in his judgments.

The power of urban industry is concentrated in his hands. But so far, a great deal of his power has passed to his son, Vlad the Younger. His son doesn't have the best relationship with his father because they disagree about how best to manage and subordinate the workers and the steppe: the father thinks is right to treat them almost as though half-animal; the son believes in the value of their culture and communicates with them on an almost-equal footing.

Despite the seemingly obvious contempt for the nomads, he received the title of Böos, "like a bull."

Background
Clan Olgimsky, led by Big Vlad, controls the meat processing plant, the Termitary and to some extent the Abattoir. In fact, the Abattoir was initially realized by the forces of all three dominant families of the city, but is now run mostly by the older and younger Olgimsky.

Although the construction of Polyhedron is credited to the Stamatins and the Kains, the main force for its physical construction was offered by Big Vlad. For this project, he mobilized the Order and thus gave the architect the required number of hands, and possibly materials as well. Vlad was also responsible for the building of Lara Ravel's shelter.

Portrait Quotes
"Vlad is a cunning and unfriendly man. Dealing with him is tough. I find it odd that he runs the Kin so smoothly. Civilized people can't usually find a common tongue with our Steppe people; you have to turn into a beast regularly in order to communicate with them. I think they've stricken some sort of secret pact; this peace has to have a hefty price."

- Alexander Saburov's take on him "This town prospers thanks to his acumen. The Abattoir, the factories, the warehouses; the trading processes themselves are completely under his control. Saburov and I have long abandoned our attempts to interfere with his domain; we don't have the slightest idea of The Bull Project's day-to-day life. I wouldn't be surprised to find out one day that Vlad had installed slavery there."

- Victor Kain's take on him

Plot
After Vlad the Younger locked the Termitary at the beginning of the epidemic, the Kin there were left to die of starvation. Despite his conflicts with his son, Big Vlad agrees to take the blame, choosing to surrender himself to the Termitary to be killed. The protagonist (the Bachelor or the Haruspex) has a choice: to either name him as the culprit, or his son. If Vlad is chosen, he wishes for the continued existence of his business and his family, with which without a successor would hardly retain any influence in the face of Big Vlad's death.

Spoken Dialogue

 * → See Big Vlad/Spoken Dialogue