Rumors of War

Elysia is a precocious teenaged priest of Hestia searching for her mentor, thought to have disappeared while investigating an omen.

Elysia often displays a healthy curiosity and intelligence, and she harbors a strong will, though she is often seen as aloof and cynical, and comes off as being sheltered.

Nenshe is an egocentric rogue who travels and adventures for the challenge and the profit. He’s convinced that hard work hardly works and has trouble passing up the opportunity to show off his talents.

Nenshe appears shabby and unrestrained and is easily dismissed by others as useless.

Obadai is a veteran warrior who unswervingly serves the Order of Orion. His resolve seems unwavering and his motivations are unclear.

Obadai is mentoring Elysia with the promise to help her find her previous teacher. He has a great deal of patience despite her criticism.

Alquis is a pensive gambler and magician. He puts on airs of sophistication to impress his peers and is understood to have a harsh temper that is slow burning.

Alquis shows obvious contempt for those he considers to be inferior to himself and has an opinion about everything.

Arturo is an enthusiastic historian who hopes to write an account of adventures the likes of which have been told for generations.

Arturo believes his gifts as a storyteller to be his greatest asset to those around him while giving little thought to his other, not-inconsiderable skills.

Esther is a reticent warrior from a faraway land and she has only just recently begun to open up to others.

Esther claims the status of an exile for reasons she keeps to herself and though her peers occasionally question her motivations, she seems determined enough for herself.

Mercer is a crusader for The Smith and has difficulty getting along with those who don’t share his ideological beliefs.

He’s fiercely loyal to his sacred order and isn’t one to negotiate when he feels his honor is on the line, he favors brevity over eloquence.

Baraka is an honorable, if opinionated warrior, whose main concerns seem to be based around committing to only the most correct actions. He’s wary of deceit and manipulation, perhaps to the point of paranoia.

Baraka is strong, tough, and determined, but comes off as overzealous and uncompromising.

Eirena is an antisocial warrior-priest who hails from a more primitive society. She reveres the “old gods” and disapproves of civilization in general.

Eirena is independent and strong-willed, which is more often than not overshadowed by her self-righteousness and xenophobia.

Julian is an accomplished actor and dramatist, though his work is highly political in nature and more obscure than he likes to admit. He’s eager to learn and fiercely dedicated to his friends and allies.

Julian is intelligent and motivated, dedicated and light-hearted; he makes friends easily and is slow to anger.

Koedes, twin brother to Ruasar, is a priest of extreme and focused devotion. He seeks to right wrongs wherever he can and is dedicated to being the change he wants to see in the world.

Koedes has difficulty accepting when he is wrong and is highly critical of his more devious and licentious brother.

Narisa is an erudite and unambitious young woman who primarily seeks personal growth through experience. She prefers to avoid confrontation whenever possible and seeks to end altercations swiftly.

Narisa, despite her outward appearances, acts with brutal and ruthless efficiency in defense of herself and those around her.

Ruasar is the morose twin of Koedes. Despite their idealogical differences, Koedes sees himself as his brother’s enforcer and personal guardian.

Ruasar’s appearance and demeanor are in every way the opposite of Koedes, though as siblings, they are likely more similar beneath the surface than they know.

Animoe is a priest who Elysia meets in chapter 2. She’s responsible for taking care of the temple of Hera and managing the influx of pilgrims to the town. She takes her job seriously and seems to want the best for herself and those around her.

Benito is a former priest, now a hermit, who Elysia met in chapter 4. He’s acquired a reputation for strange behavior based on his choice of a solitary lifestyle. His loneliness only compounds his already incomprehensible actions.

Couric is a young man Elysia met in chapter 2, who hoped to marry his love, Penelo. He comes from a poor background and Penelo’s father Meteon has refused to allow the youths to marry.

Meteon is an affluent merchant and Penelo’s father. He has refused to allow Penelo to wed Couric, but he’s been thus far unable to dissuade the two from trying.

Oernes is an innkeeper who Nenshe met in chapter 3. He seems troubled by the arrival of pilgrims to the town in recent years, despite the increase in business he’s seen.

Penelo is a young woman Elysia met in chapter 2, who hoped to marry her love, Couric. Her father, Meteon, is a wealthy merchant who refused to allow Penelo to marry the poor Couric.

Nicyes is a harsh and world-weary warrior. He does, at times, have what appears to be the bearing of a noble, which clashes with his oftentimes crude language and behavior.

Nicyes is quick to act and has no qualms with committing violence that would sicken others. (Is only mentioned in the story so far.)

Illyra is a sorcerer of sharp wit and strong substance. She knows what she wants and she takes whatever she thinks she can get away with, without apology.

Illyra conceals much of herself from others, trusting few. Guarded and secretive, she shares her mind with few others beyond Occela.

Occela is a displaced shaman from a distant land. She doesn’t speak of the time before she met Elysia and the others but she shares a bond of friendship with Illyra.

Occela is naturally suspicious of those who don’t speak plainly, and is easily misunderstood by others.

Lumino is a simple and uncomplicated man, and the younger brother of Thiago. He was nearly raised by Thiago, and has a somewhat sheltered mentality, what with his brother guiding his every action and choice.

Thiago is a frenetic and high-strung man, and serves as the primary contact for Elysia et al for the Order of Orion. He’s also the older brother of Lumino, who he watches over and corrects constantly.

Manaus is a dangerous and unpredictable assassin whom Occela matches wits with in chapter 8. He proves to be cunning and threatens not only her life, but the lives of people close to her.

Phoele is one of two actors and dramatists Illyra met in chapter 9. He has the drive to succeed, but lacks talent. He and Eraste find a muse in “Thespa” (really Illyra).

Eraste is one of two actors and dramatists Illyra met in chapter 9. He is generally slow-witted, but has excellent timing and delivery when it comes to prepared material.

Geryon is a pompous and conniving villain who Illyra met in chapter 11. He was behind the incident with the tainted festival food, and Illyra knows him from some time before.