Character from The First Law by Joe Abercrombie
The most famous mercenary captain in Styria — a drunken, treacherous, endlessly entertaining scoundrel whose only consistent loyalty is to the next drink and the next paycheck.
Cosca speaks in elaborate, theatrical sentences — part con man, part carnival barker, part genuine philosopher of violence. He's drunk more often than not, broke more often than rich, and treacherous more often than loyal, but he's so damnably charismatic that people keep hiring him. He appears in three books, getting progressively worse each time — from charming rogue in Best Served Cold to functional alcoholic in Red Country, his arc is decline dressed up as adventure. He's the most fun character in the series and the most tragic, because you can't stop watching him destroy himself with a smile. 'I'm a notorious coward, a ## and I have never been overburdened with a conscience' — and he says it like it's a point of pride.
Once handsome, now weathered by decades of drinking, fighting, and bad decisions. Wears a battered breastplate, a magnificent hat, and a smile that promises nothing and delivers less. His moustache is his most maintained feature — everything else is declining.
Also known as: Cosca, Nicomo Cosca, Captain Cosca, The famous Nicomo Cosca