Name: Ida

Age: 18

Gender: Female

Origin: German, Suebian from the Semnone tribe in Schleswig-Holstein region.

Religion: Prays to the Nordic gods but mostly to the god, Wodan (Odin) and the goddess, Nerthus.

Appearance: Ida stands at 5 feet, 7 inches with a medium-large build. Her bone structure is composed of broad shoulders, broad hips and long legs. Her arms and legs have a muscular build that is above average compared to most working-class women, but just small enough to keep her from being mistaken for a man when up close. She has light brown hair that reaches just above her shoulder blades. However, she keeps the outer layer of hair combed to her right and fashioned into a hanging Suebian knot near her temple. She has an oval-shaped face with a fair-medium complexion, square jaw-line, rounded nose, and light-brown almond shaped eyes. Her face does not betray her youth, yet her eyes show that she has taken her first step on the path to wisdom and experience. She wears a vivid blue, sleeveless tunic and brown pants. Her pants are cinched at her ankles by leather strings and the tucked into her worn, brown leather shoes. A tan, leather belt is cinched round her waist and holds a dagger on her right hip and a leather pouch to the left of the dagger.

Personality: Ida is neither naive nor experienced. Although she still has some things to learn about being a free woman out in the world, she can usually get a good feel for other people and their intentions. She is sensitive about her lack of knowledge and certain basic skills (reading being one of them), and can be quick to anger should she feel she is being verbally attacked. She wants to learn many skills as she travels the world, but in doing so she knows she must interact with people; a fact which she swallows reluctantly. Ida tends to keep people at an arm's length at first, but should she find someone she can truly trust, she can be a dear friend to them.

History: Ida was born into slavery and brought up to be a sacrifice to the goddess, Nerthus. Her days were often spent tending to livestock and the priests of her tribe (i.e.: washing their clothes, preparing and serving their meals, etc.). Life, to her, seemed unfair and very unpleasant as she watched the other children grow into proud warriors, hunters, weavers, wives and what not. But as she grew up, she was constantly told that her servitude on earth will be rewarded by an ever-lasting service to the goddess, Nerthus.

When Ida was 16, it was her turn to attend to Nerthus in the annual feast. At the end of the festival, Nerthus, the priest, and two slaves go to the goddess' island, where the slaves wash Nerhtus and her chariot before they are thrown into the lake to drown. Although only the priest is supposed to see Nerthus, when Ida was bathing the goddess, she saw a vision of her. Nerthus showed Ida a shadowy part of the lake that turned out to be an underwater tunnel that led to an air pocket. When it was time for Ida and the other slave to be sacrificed, Ida tried to lead the other slave to the tunnel, but the slave had accepted her fate and joined Nerthus with a watery breath.

Ida remained on Nerhtu's island, teaching herself a few necessary skills to survive while also finding the time to learn about herself and her desires. After a year, a familiar boat returned to the island with the priest and two slaves. Ida sneaked aboard the boat and rode it back to the mainland. From then on, Ida put half of her hair in the "free-man's" Suebian knot and is traveling the world for knowledge, culture, wealth, adventure and anything else she was denied before. Maybe she will even find a place that she can call home.

Skills: Whittling- While on the island, Ida taught herself how to whittle little people that she would later burn as sacrifices to the gods. She also whittles animal figures for the same purpose. But on the road, she sometimes offers them for trade.
Fishing- Fearful of upsetting Nerthus, Ida chose not to hunt the animals on the island, but instead fished her meals from the sea. She normally spears them in shallow water with sharp sticks but can also catch them by hand if she is quick enough.

Equipment: Ida keeps a 6 inch dagger and leather pouch on her belt. The pouch sometimes has coins or sometimes little trinkets that she treasures such as pretty beads that may have fallen off of someone's clothing. She has a brown, wolf pelt that she wears on her shoulders and back in cold weather and it reaches down to the middle of her back. She has a small, leather satchel that she keeps her small, whittling knife in and a small water skin.

Miscellaneous: Although she has yet to have a relationship, Ida is realizing that she has a very strong attraction towards women.

Name: Maeon of Thebes

Age: 23

Gender: Male

Origin: Greek

Religion: Maeon respects all the gods, but favours Apollo and Hermes with the Muses coming second to them.

Appearance: Of average height, Maeon has the slim, lean-muscled build of an athlete. He has reddish-brown hair, worn almost to the nape of his neck and with a tendency to curl; in summer it bleaches to a more sandy shade and his eyes are a shade mid-way between grey and green (there are persistent rumours of barbarian blood in the family ancestry, leading to their fairer colouring). He has strong features that are pleasantly regular without being handsome, although his engaging smile gives him a certain attractiveness, as more than one woman has noted before now. He has a very pleasant voice. He wears a simple knee-length belted chiton and sandals.

Personality: Maeon is cheerful, good-natured and friendly. He has a mischievous sense of humour and apparently refuses to take life seriously – his music and his religion are the only things he treats with any gravity. He’s a natural wanderer, unable to stay in one place for too long – his gaze will inevitably drift to the horizon and he will start to wonder what lies beyond. He has a boundless curiosity for other people and their culture; he will happily befriend any ‘barbarians’ he may come across – he is particularly fascinated by their music. He is loyal to his friends, and though not a warrior he possesses a stubborn courage.

History: Maeon was born in Thebes. His family were members of the middle class, owning a decent sized farm just outside the city and making a good living selling their produce to the ever hungry city. Maeon was never interested in the farm, and with an elder brother and sister, stood little chance of making his living at it in any case. His father was able to afford a slave to teach his sons, Leonidas, and this tutor discovered the boy’s gift for music. After some pleading, Maeon’s father agreed that he could leave the family home to train at one of the musical schools in Athens. It was a long journey for a young boy and an elderly slave, but they made it and the seeds of Maeon’s love of travelling were sown.

Maeon blossomed at the school – he threw himself into the music and athletic training with enthusiasm and grew into an accomplished musician. He left the school at sixteen, but was unable to return home straight away as Leonidas caught a fever and was unable to travel. Maeon nursed his faithful companion, although it was doomed to do no good, and Leonidas died in his young pupil’s arms. Maeon insisted on spending what money he had saved on the funeral rites, and no one dared complain they were too elaborate for a slave who’d only been freed a few days before his death. He left Athens and started his wanderings.

Maeon worked as an itinerate musician and sometimes practised his dexterity with small pilferings, though that was mostly for fun, only from those who could afford it and he’d never keep the money, usually giving it to charity (he’s seen many hungry children in the streets of the cities), although he always donates some to Hermes. He is currently wandering after spending a while with a wealthy young widow; she was a generous patron, but Maeon sensed her determination to ensnare him in the bonds of matrimony and left with some haste.

Skills: Maeon is a skilled singer and lyre player.
He’s a fast runner – travelling for most of his life has kept him fit and limber.
Sleight of hand: he has very dextrous hands, able to make a coin dance back and forth over his knuckles and perform many minor tricks, as well as ‘pickpocketing’, being capable of swiping a carelessly tied money pouch or an item from a market stall without being noticed.
His memorising of songs and poems and messages has given him decent powers of recall – he doesn’t have a photographic or near perfect memory, but still good.

Equipment: His lyre, which he usually carries worn across his back, a sling with a pouch of ammo (both worn at his belt). He has some basic ‘survival gear’ – a waterskin, a couple of flints for creating fire and a knife (a general purpose tool rather than a weapon). The only other thing he carries is his money – a few coins in a pouch concealed under his clothing. He may occasionally cut himself a staff while travelling, either to lean on or use as a weapon.

Miscellaneous: nothing I can think of right now.

Name: Eachann Mac Gow (EU-chun)

Age: 20

Gender: Male

Origin: Keltoi, Aeddun located between Emain Mancha and Tara on the eastern coast of the isle of Eriu. (Ireland)

Religion: Eachann pays his respects to the Celtic gods and superstitions. The name of the gods can change from place to place leading him to be respectful of other religions which he believes are likely the same gods under different names.

Appearance: Tall and broad of shoulder Eachann is the son of a blacksmith, he was fostered by a warrior and very much looks the part. A violent life has left him battle scarred by both man and beast leaving him blind in his left eye which is covered with a leather patch. His good eye is a piercing blue that glints with animal cunning from a broad-featured face considered handsome by some. Weathered by the sun his fair skin is as tan as it will get but still a good deal lighter than most that live in the south.

As is custom his full beard and carefully styled strawberry blond hair is meticulously maintained, braided, and spiked in the warrior tradition. He wears thick brown wool trousers checkered in green tucked into dependable leather boots with a dark blue tunic decorated in Celtic designs embroidered in green along the elbow length cuffs and deep swooping collar. A hooded, brown wool cloak lined with marten fur and cinched with a bronze brooch is worn for cold weather. Bangles and bracers of bronze up his arms provide both protection and decoration as does the golden torc around his neck.

Traveling the world can be very dangerous; it pays to be that danger. The well-loved iron broadsword he keeps strapped to his back seems very much a part of him, the hilt crafted from oak is inlaid with bronze and ivory taken from a boar that cost him his eye and nearly his life. In addition to the sword his father made him, Eachann visibly carries a spear, a knife and a light cloth traveling satchel.

Personality: Boisterous and proud Eachann values honesty, generosity and bravery. His life has been rough but full of privilege compared to those born of a lower station and he realizes this seeking to give back and show kindness regardless of status. Despite how he may come off to more “advanced” civilizations Eachann is very intelligent and would have quickly progressed from initiate to take his bardic challenge, advanced to ollave and eventually become a full druid himself had he not been so heavily influenced by his foster-father who was a great warrior known across the island. Quick to laugh and dance Eachann is a good friend to have but a terrible foe as well, forgiveness is alien to his people and atonement must be paid through Log-n-enech an honor price or through blood and vengeance.

History: Like many Celt children Eachann was instructed in games of strategy and war, hurley, baire and fidchell; honor, music, dancing, poetry and a deeper understanding of the natural and supernatural world including “tree-knowledge,” the Ogham alphabet and riddles by his parents and the druids. Upon reaching the age of reason Eachann was fostered to his uncle Lennox as it was considered inappropriate for parents to raise their own children after reaching seven years of age. Alongside him was Hearn, his cousin, new foster brother and eldest son of the current King who had chosen Lennox as his best warrior and cousin to raise him. Together they continued their education and learned to track, hunt and fight.

With the death of Hearn’s father it was rumored that Eachann was likely to be chosen to take his place; his good standing as an honorable and generous man, apparent favor with the gods and skill as a warrior lending him high marks with his peers and the elders alike. Fate intervened the afternoon of the funeral hunt. While tracking a boar Eachann was surprised by a second beast as it was spooked out of hiding, goring his side it threw Eachann over its back and into the oak tree it had been rooting around for acorns. Slivers of branches pierced and stabbed him as he crashed through them and hit the trunk. He barely managed to survive the fight, the boar was slain but his left eye had been pierced. He was no longer whole; he couldn’t be king unless he was physically perfect.

During the feast that night Eachann expressed his distress over the day’s events to a druid wearing a wolf’s headdress. He spoke over mead as she administered additional herbs for pain and tended to him. The warrior felt he was destined for something greater, if not a king then what? Offering to consult the spirit world the druid beckoned him away from the festivities. Within a circle of stones she ate a handful of the strange mushrooms and pushed some into his mouth, the stones began to spin faster and faster growing to impossible heights. Waking in the morning alone and naked he wandered home wondering at the fragments of the visions he could remember. A howling wolf attacking him, it’s bearing him to the ground biting at his neck and there are words echoing in his mind. “Go east, south and to the east. There you will find the destiny you seek.” Claw and teeth marks on his shoulders, neck and back; these visions are too real.

Shortly after Hearn took the crown, Eachann was on his way. With all his affairs in order he said his goodbyes and took a ship south. His first steps out into a larger world of adventure and wonder.

Skills: Eachann’s education covered music where he learned the songs, poems and chants of his clan and people. He learned to play a drum and the crwth. Dancing served many purposes, for recreation, religion and combat. The Druids taught “tree knowledge,” riddles, herb use and basic medicine. From his father he learned basic blacksmithing, a talented but unfocused amateur he knows enough to maintain his weapons and equipment. Games such as hurley and fidchell taught him strategy and teamwork. His education shifted more towards hunting, riding, survival and skill with arms when he became strong enough to properly hold a sword. Lennox trained his foster sons to fight with shields and spears, slings were mostly used for hunting but could kill a man in a pinch. Eachann is ambidextrous.

Equipment: A single set of clothing is carried; he does not come from a bashful people and will wash, dry and mend his clothing in the nude without a second thought. His satchel contains simple provisions, grooming equipment, herbs and rations, flint, and a small sack of salt for curing meat or trade if need be. A water skin hangs off the back of his belt with a dagger sheathed behind it. Also hanging from his belt is a second more visible dagger, and a sling in a pouch. His fire-hardened oak shield and iron sword are sheathed across his back as can be his spear when not in use as a walking stick. A third dagger is sheathed in his right boot.

Miscellaneous:

Weaknesses:
Isolated: Eachann is limited culturally; salt is traded from the rich mines backing the largest hill forts but Eachann was no trader and setting out into the wider world for the first time his knowledge of other customs and languages is close to nothing.

Tone Deaf: While understanding the hows of playing a crwth Eachann was never very good and focused on other aspects of his training.

Over confidence: Proud and confident Eachann's local legend status and the gesa that follow has gone to his head and can quickly put him in great danger. However, as a reasonably experienced warrior he understands that he can be seriously injured even if he doesn't believe he can die.

One-Eye: Trained well enough to compensate for the loss in most activities, effectiveness of ranged combat drops significantly due to lost depth perception. In addition the battle scarring can be difficult for people not used to such things to be around.

Barbarian Customs: Fighting naked, taking heads, attempting ridiculous feats in the name of glory are a few of the many practices that may be considered uncouth and reckless by more "civilized" cultures.

Gesa: (Note: Gesa are believed by Euchann but aren't necessarily true.)
* Must not drink alcohol alone.
* Must not draw a sword without drawing blood.
* Must not kill a man before breakfast.
* Can only be killed if drunk and unarmed.