Rude Gardastance

"...Let me give you a piece of advice. The one you should truly fear isn’t the vampire. It’s the capitalist. Remember. I have the power to frame you for falsified crimes and put you away in prison for all eternity."

- Gardastance to a Hunter

Rude Gardastance (ルード・ガルダスタンス Rūdo Garudasutansu) the "Gold Yaksha" (金色夜叉 Kiniro Yasha) is the former chairman of the Gardastance Group, a powerful American corporation with roots in Chicago.

He has left the corporation in the hands of his family to focus on his life as a vampire, hopping between high society and The Organization.

Money is no object to him; he once bought an entire subway line so that he could avoid sunlight. He owns a private helicopter, and a vampiric tyrannosaurus rex.

In fact, he is the richest vampire in the world. His wealth dwarfs even those of the Mars and Waldstein families.

In 2005, he cancels all appointments and heads to the Mars Family country home in Southern Germany to attend a conference organized by Gerhardt von Waldstein. He and the other officers present are challenged by vampire Levillio and his Eaters from the Sunford Clan to battle.

Appearance
He has neatly combed back 'bright blond' hair, and looks to be in his early forties.

Personality
"What do I fear? Too many things. Communism, inflation, deflation, and war bond levies, just to name a few."

- Gardastance

Gardastance believes firmly in the omnipotence of money....and for someone of his monetary affluence, it truly is just that. He will gladly use his own funds for the sake of the Organization. He believes firmly in the Organization's ideals, and is loyal enough to it that when Levillio challenges him, he swears not as an Organization officer but "as the individual--the independent country--known as Rude Gardastance. Right here and now, my individual 'nation' will declare war on your 'society'."

He is a master bluffer, owing to his supreme calm and confidence. He is by nature a proud man.

Chronology
To be added.

Trivia

 * He likes gold leaf.
 * He smokes cigars.
 * Byakuyamaru Natsugawara, the owner of the Natsugawara Group, says that he respects Rude in the first interlude of Durarara!! SH Volume 4
 * His longevity means that it is possible he has had contact with Karl Muybridge, the chairman of the Nebula corporation and a character from Baccano!.
 * In Vamp! IV, Rude regards Nebula's Chicago headquarters and admits he must "acknowledge the Mist Babel for the debt [he] owe[s] to their chairman from five generations ago."