Characters / The Troy Saga

Kingdom of Dardania

Anchises

• Abusive Parent: Was very psychological abusive of Helikaon when he was child. Personally dragging a young Helikaon to see the remains of his mother after she fell to her death.
  • To top it off, the reason he let Odysseus take Helikaon on a journey to sea was that he tried to convince to Odysseus let an "accident" happen that would get rid of the boy. When it became clear Odysseus wasn't going to, he just hired an assassin instead.
• Adaptational Villainy: A notable one in comparison to his counterpart in The Aeneid. The only other characters more unlikeable are Agamemnon and Peleus.
• Asshole Victim: No one is particularly sad that he was murdered. Even Helikaon is forced to admit eventually he only vowed to avenge whoever his father's murderer was because that's what expected of honor back then.
• Posthumous Character: Assassinated before the start of the series.

Gershom

• The Big Guy: He's described as very muscular and tall, helps with him being Helikaon's bodyguard.
• Hero of Another Story Of the The Book of Exodus
• Historical Person Punchline: He's Moses
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Has a rough and easily irritable manner but despite his protests to the contrary he ultimately is this. He's on the run for killing two Royal Guards who attempted to rape a slave girl and also looked out for the other servants of the Royal Palace from his brother's wrath.
  • In addition, following Helikaon's assassination attempt, he risked going to the Egyptian quarter of Troy where it's likely he would have been spotted by someone who knew him, to track down a mysterious healer who could help heal Helikaon. As part of a condition for getting the healer's help, he agreed that he would when called upon on one day become the man's willing servant for a year.
• Nice to the Waiter: Showed this towards the servants of the Egyptian Palace who often caught the ire of Ramses. Gave an unlucky eunuch an advanced warning that Ramses planned on having him killed for bumping into him. This is also what ultimately got him sent on the run from Egypt when he intervened to stop the rape of a slave girl and killed two Royal Guards.
• Noble Fugitive: Is an Egyptian Prince on the run when we meet him at the start of the series.

Helikaon/Aeneas

• Ascended Extra: He is this when looking at the role Aeneas played in The Trojan Cycle. ^note  Important to remember The Aeneid isn't part of the original Trojan War mythos .
• Blood Knight: Despite him liking to think otherwise, he revels in combat, along with being quite skilled at it, more than he would care to admit.
• The Dreaded: Becomes a national enemy to the Mykene for his killing of Mykene heroes like Alektruon and his punitive responses to their pirate raids.
• Founder of the Kingdom: Of a certain city from central Italy.
• I Have Many Names: He was given two names as a child; Helikaon by his mother and Aeneas by his father. Aeneas is his official royal name and what he's generally known as by the people's of the Great Green but those who know him or are close to him call him Helikaon.
• Love at First Sight: He falls in love with Andromache at first sight.
• The Magnificent: Has a few of them:
  • "The Golden One''
  • "The Burner" - Mainly amongst the Mykene and his other enemies for his punitive responses to pirate raids.
• Modest Royalty: Often wears a simple tunic despite his royal status.
• Parental Substitute: Dex isn't his son but as his father was rapist pirate who he killed and Halysia, initially, doesn't want anything to do wit Dex, he takes on the parental responsibilities when he's not on trading or other overseas missions.

Dex

Diomedes

Halysia

• Battle Cry: Gave off her people's tribal war cry as she jumped across an incredibly wide and deep chasm to get her son, Dex, to safety.
• Dying Moment of Awesome: And what a one it was. Riding on an only semi-tamed wild horse she jumps over a deep chasm that bears the name of the last idiot who tried to make the jump and manages to do so that gets her son, Dex, to safety. All while being chased down by blood-thirsty Mykene and suffering a nasty spear wound. She succumbs to her wounds shortly after while holding Dex and finally dying when Helikaon arrives. Even Banokles spoke in awe of her actions as the tale begins to spread around.
• The Chief's Daughter: Is the daughter of a semi-nomadic tribe that lives in Dardania's borders.
• Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Her golden hair is one of her most distinguishing characteristics and dies getting her son, Dex, to safety. As well as also in general one of more kind-hearted individuals in the series.
• Mama Bear: Despite trying to keep her distance from him because she reminds him of being raped, when Dardanos comes under attack by Mykene her motherly instincts take over and rushes back into the palace to get him out.
• Parental Neglect: Tried to pass off most parental responsibilities of Dex to Helikaon, her servants, and generals as all he reminded her of was her rape by his Assyrian pirate father.
• What You Are in the Dark: Ultimately proves she does care for Dex as she had the opportunity to get out of the city unharmed when it was under attack by the Mykene but chose to go back when she realized Dex was still likely hiding somewhere with no one to help him given most the servants and soldiers were either dead or off fighting.

Kingdom of Ithaka

Bias

• Handicapped Badass: He loses his lower arm sometime in the Time Skip during the war but that doesn't stop him from readying himself to defend his Queen from ransacking pirates or leading a one-man resistance movement on the island after they overrun it.
• One-Man Army: When Ithika gets overrun by pirates in Fall of Kings he becomes a one-man guerilla movement on the island that causes the pirates no end of trouble and fear.
• Token Minority: He's a Nubian who was born in Ithika and is the only black-skinned individual described in the series serving on Odysseus' ship or from Ithika in general.
• Took a Level in Badass: He was already an accomplished sailor and knew how to handle himself in a fight but when Odysses' described in one of his tales said he threw a spear that lassoed the moon he began training day and night in spear-throwing and eventually becoming quite skilled at it. He wins many tournaments throughout his life, and one in the series, with this ability.
• We Used to Be Friends: Was good friends with Helikaon since the latter's first journey with Odysseus when he was a teen but by the time of third year of the war he genuinely comes to hate Helikaon and wishes for his ship and him to burn at sea. Even after Helikaon helps liberate Ithika from pirates, he thanks him for the assistance but doesn't take back his words or show a desire to mend wounds.
• What the Hell, Hero?: The reason he comes to hate Helikaon is because of the latter's punitive raids across the Great Green when war between Troy and the west breaks out. Becoming the stuff of nightmares for any community based close the sea.

Leukon

Odysseus

• Adipose Rex: Next to being ugly, this is his most common descriptor.
• Berserk Button: Harming children going by his opinions of Peleus and Anchises.
• Blood Knight: Was one in his youth that, following the death of his only child, he grew out of. However Penelope believes it's made a comeback as the war with Troy drags on for years.
• Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: He's largely a genial story-telling merchant king for most of the series but when he's forced by circumstances to ally Ithika with Mykene in the war against Troy he proves a valuable strategic asset. Even Agamemnon was impressed with his mind for military matters and ultimately it's Odysseus' plan that Agamemnon uses that's what finally lets him conquer Troy.
• Friend to All Children: Gets along with and enjoys children quite a bit throughout his life; from Helikaon, Achilles, and Kalliope from before the start of the series when they were kids to Xander. The death of his son from plague actually taught him some humility and what brought him out of his Blood Knight "Sacker of City" days.
  • It's actually for this reason he can't stand being around Peleus over his raping of his own daughter, Kalliope.
• Inferred Survival: By the time of the Distant Epilogue of the series, no one's heard from Odysseus since Thera erupted yet Andromache still insists that if anyone could have survived it, it would be Odysseus.
• The Magnificent: Has a few of them.
  • "The Prince of Lies" for his entertaining stories of his adventures that range from exaggeration to outright fabrications.
  • "The King with No Enemies" referencing that he's maintained good relations with just about all the kingdoms of the Aegean. ^note Though at least one character mentions that Odysseus has no enemies because he killed them all in his younger years.
  • "The Sacker of Cities" from his time as a Blood Knight in his younger years.
  • "The Ugly King" is probably his most common epitaph.
• No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: He hired the famed assassin, Karpophorus, to kill Anchises after the later had hired the former to kill Helikaon while he was sailing with Odysseus. It comes back to haunt him as when years later Karpophorus makes another attempt on Helikaon that fails, his dying words are say Odysseus is the one who hired him to kill his father. This forces him into the Trojan camp of the war as Anchises was a relative of Priam and thus leads to Priam declaring Ithika to be an enemy of Troy.
• Perfectly Arranged Marriage: With Penelope, though originally she hated him but eventually came to love him followin him taking ill and her nursing him back to health.
• Token Good Teammate: Is this of the western kings that makes up the anti-Trojan alliance, aside from Nestor who mainly follows Odyssesus' lead. Occasionally uses this to act as an intermediator between Trojan and the Western Kings alliance.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When he learns Agamemnon planned it so both Hektor and Achilles would die in their duel, that was the final straw and he declared he was departing for Ithika even though it risked putting his kingdom next on Agamemon's "to conquer" list.
• Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Him being described as ugly is one of his common descriptions by both the narration and characters in-universe. Penelope meanwhile is described as being quite beautiful and aging gracefully.
• Uncertain Doom: His fate is left ambiguous by the end of the series. Last time Andromache's people heard from Ithika was 10 years ago and he still hadn't returned but Andromache believes if anyone could make it back it would be Odysseus.

Penelope

• Defiant to the End: When Ithaka was overrun by vengeful pirates and she was held prisoner by them, often subjected to a variety of humiliations, she never once gave them the satisfaction of begging for mercy or showing she was afraid.
• I Will Wait for You: In the time of the Distant Epilogue, it's referenced she keeps waiting alongside her son for Odysseus to return from his Uncertain Doom.

Kingdom of Mykene

Agamemnon

• Adaptational Villainy: While he was an antagonist to Achilles in The Iliad and not the nicest guy around, here he's pretty much pure evil with the entire war being of his machinations and one that he's had planned for years. Even before the war, he covertly sponsored numerous pirates raids throughout the Great Green.
• Adaptational Wimp: He's stated to be great warrior in his own right but he only ever kills someone by his own hand once, who was already half-dead anyway, and leads from the rearguard of his army when near a battlefield. His counterpart from The Iliad meanwhile held off the entire Trojan Army by himself at point.
• Big Bad: The entire war is his doing. Many tragedies and hardships suffered by characters can also be traced back to him directly.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Downplayed, he projects a cool/dispassionate persona publicly but everyone knows of his desire for conquest. However he keeps how much bloodlust and hatred for his fellow kings he truly to himself for most of the series.
• Death Is Dramatic: He's, along with Menelaus and Idomeneus, blown sky high when he came to the volcanic island of Thera looking in vain for Priam's treasure. Just as it began to violently erupt.
• Empty Eyes: Kassandra, and many others who have met him, note this about his eyes and how unnerved it leaves them feeling.
• Informed Ability: Is stated to be a great warrior in his own right but one of the first and only times he draws his sword and kills someone is when he puts the finishing blow on Banokles after he head been holding up the Mykene army all morning and was already half-dead on his knees.
• Meaningless Villain Victory: Ultimately, he is successful in conquering Troy and wiping out most of Priam's family. However his victory his short-lived as the Hittite Empire orders him to leave Troy or face a war with them. The plunder he desired from Priam's treasury also alludes him as Troy spent it all in the defense of the city. To top it all off, he's killed when the volcano on Thera erupts when he came to it looking for Helikaon and Andromache.
• Nay-Theist: He believes in the Gods but only performs rituals/offerings to them publicly as he's knows it's good for morale of his men. He doesn't think a true king should have their destiny or fate controlled by someone else, not even Gods.
• Pragmatic Villainy: He loathes just about all his allies and when the war is over, planned to turn on them all but kept this confined to his inner thoughts as he knew he couldn't take on Troy by himself.
  • Extends to the rest of the Mykene kingdom as well as the war with Troy bled their nation of men and resources that leads them to be overrun in the subsequent years by barbarians following the war.
• Tranquil Fury: He keeps a mostly controlled and cool persona for outward appearances, but his inner narrations are of him frequently fantasizing about the joys he'll get seeing Troy devastated and how he can't wait to lay waste to his then-current allies.
• Villain Respect: Initially he thought little of Odysseus, thinking him just a glorified liar who ruled over an insignificant kingdom, but when Odysseus was forced by circumstances to ally Ithaka with Mykene he was impressed with his strategic mind. Outlining that Troy could only be beaten when it's trade routes and wealth were cut off, targeting it's weaker allies like Dardania and Thrakia, rather than with a more direct assault on the city.
• Villainous Breakdown: He projects a cool public persona for most of the series but this is gradually chipped away as the siege of Troy drags on and his Machiavellian actions begins to drive away his allies out of disgust. When the Hittite Emperor issues him an ultimatum to leave the recently conquered Troy or face war he loses his cool publicly for the first time. Only gets worse when he finds out Priam's legendary treasury is completely empty.
• Visionary Villain: Played with. He thinks he's prophesized to become a great conqueror who will be remembered for ages but his war with Troy is also just as much that his kingdom's gold mines have dried up and he desperately needs to get at Troy's legendary immense treasury to keep his kingdom economically afloat.
• Would Harm a Child: In addition to ordering and planning the deaths of the heirs to the Trojan throne, he personally threatened to kill Xander and Kassandra if they didn't do as he says.
  • He also revived human sacrifice and had no problem using a captured teenage girl from a village as said sacrifice by a Pedophile Priest.

Argurios

• Code of Honor: Has lived by a relatively simple one instilled by his previous king, Atreus. He's never killed women or children, took no part in the pillaging/sacking of defeated towns, and obliges Mykene social customs such as the "Law of the Road" that compels Mykene travelers to endure the same hardships of those they are travelling with when in foreign lands. He comes to realize this relatively simple code puts him contrast with just about all other Mykene that Agamemnon likes to promote and favors.
• Covered with Scars: His aged body is littered with them from his many years of campaigning.
• The Exile: As punishment for aiding Helikaon and killing a Mykene pirate, he is banished by Agamemnon from Mykene and declared a traitor.
• Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Helikaon is shocked when Odysseus relays to him that the Mykene think he somehow "bought" Argurios, saying all the gold in the world wouldn't be enough to accomplish that.
• Living Legend: Not the degree of Helikaon, Hektor, or Odysseus but his exploits are well-known across the peoples of the Great Green, even some Trojan Eagles he meets in Troy have some Hero Worship of him. Many a Mykene soldier still speak highly of him even after he was exiled and fought against them.
• May–December Romance: He's at least a decade-and-half older than Laodike.
• No Social Skills: A failing Argurios is all too aware of and actually none too happy with, often lamenting he would love to make friends but his own shyness prevents him from doing so and his reputation and scarred face make him appear standoffish and arrogant.
• Odd Couple: Looks to be on the surface of it with Laodike, him being an aged and gruff Mykene warrior and her a demure Trojan Princess.
• Old Soldier: Had served with Agamemnon's father, Atreus, for years by the start of the series.
• Proud Warrior Race Guy: Is fairly noble one in contrast to most of the rest of the Mykene. He gradually comes to realize that the Mykene being this has made them largely viewed with disdain by many peoples of the Great Green.
• Together in Death: He and Laodike both die together from wounds on the same night of the siege of the Royal Palace. They both die holding on to one another.

Banokles

• Accidental Hero: He only went about defending Piria/Kalliope because he was sword brothers with Kalliades, the one who actually took the initiative to defend her.
• Ascended Extra: Is mentioned a few times in Argurious' sections of the first book and gets some POV sections near the end of the book but gets promoted in the second book where he and Kalliades' story dominate the first half of the book.
• Boisterous Bruiser: Just about always eager and ready for a good fight/pitched battle, as well also in good spirits in contrast to the more dour Kalliades.
• Brains and Brawn: The brawn to Kalliades' brain.
• Do Not Go Gentle: When he becomes the last remaining soldier fighting for Troy, he takes as many Mykene soldiers with him to the grave as possible. He eventually loses count and it took the Mykene all morning before they finally put him down.
• Dying Moment of Awesome: Is the last remaining soldier still fighting for Troy when everyone else left was killed off or managed to escape. He guesses he kills somewhere over 17 men and took most of the morning for the Mykene to finally put him down.
• The Exile: He and Banokles are this at the start of Shield of Thunder with Agamemnon committing a purge of the Mykene soldiers returning from failed plot to overthrow Priam.
• Four-Star Badass: The series is full of them but he's a notable example in that he started out as a simple, if experienced, Mykene foot soldier and eventually finds himself as a general on the Trojan side of the conflict leading a Thrakia resistance movement against his former Mykene countrymen.
• A Good Way to Die: Dies having held up the Mykene army all morning and thinking happily of Big Red.
• Happily Married: Marries Big Red, the most famous whore of Troy.
• Heroic Sacrifice: He held up most of the Mykene army for most of the morning of the final day of the war that allowed for valuable time for Helikaon, Andromache, Kalliades, and the children to escape Troy and put some distance between them and Agamemnon.
• Heterosexual Life-Partners: Sword-brothers with Kalliades.
• Hidden Depths: Despite his protests and desire to be a simple grunt, he's much more capable leader than he cares to admit.
  • It's also clear he cared more for Piria than he let on
• The Kingslayer: Launches a surprise, near suicidal, attack on the royal guard of King Peleus during a battle that, amazingly, succeeds and sends Peleus running for the hills only to be launched from his horse and at Banokle's mens mercy. While he doesn't directly kill Peleus, he does order his execution once Peleus tells him who he is.
• Love at First Sight: Played for laughs as he initially poked fun as Kalliades falling love with Piria/Kalliope when he barely knew her but in the chapter after this he comes across Big Red and falls in love almost instantly.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: Red to Kalliades' blue.
• Reluctant Ruler: In what initially started as him just leading a scouting operation of the invading Mykene/Thessalian armies of Thrakia leads to him coming across first the refugee sons of the recently killed Thrakian king, then the shattered remnants of the Thrakian army, which eventually culminates in him leading the resistance movement in Thrakia once the Trojans have to withdraw back across the Hellespont.
  • Reaches a comical conclusion by the very end of ''Fall of Kings" that following the death of most of Priam's family, Andromache escaping with the heir to the Trojan throne, and the deaths of the rest of the Trojan senior command he's now the default highest ranking leader of Troy.
• Those Two Guys: With Kalliades. It's very rare for the two to not be in close proximity of one another.
• Token Enemy Minority: As a reward for helping saving Andromache from Mykene assassins, he and Kalliades are made members of the elite Trojan Horse. Rises all the way to the rank of general that includes being a military advisor to Hektor and Priam.

Kalliades

• Brains and Brawn: While Banokles isn't an idiot nor is Kalliades a particular genius, he is this to Banokles more Boisterous Bruiser. For example he figures out Piria is likely a runaway priestess from Thera, and thus also a runaway royal princess, on his own from simple deduction while most others had to be told that by people who already knew her.
• Brutal Honesty: Had no compunction flatly stating to pirates that one of their crewmates who they considered a great swordsman would have barely qualified as average to any trained soldier. Punctuated by the fact that Kalliades killed said pirate just the previous day.
• Death Seeker: Big Red points this out to him that this has likely been underlining motivation for him all the way since his sister and mother were killed when he was a child.
• The Exile: He and Banokles are this at the start of Shield of Thunder with Agamemnon committing a purge of the Mykene soldiers returning from failed plot to overthrow Priam.
• Friend Versus Lover: Downplayed on his end but Big Red stated that she didn't like him and assumed he didn't like her either. Which was to his surprise.
• Freudian Excuse: Big Red points this out to him that his commitment to protecting Piria might have more to do with how she subconsciously reminded him of his dead sister who was killed by raiders when they were children rather than genuine love.
• Hero Worship: As with many other common Mykene soldiers, has this for Argurios even after receiving a nasty scar across the face courtesy of Argurios during the battle at the Trojan Royal Palace. He's given the sword of Argurios near the end of the first book and keeps it close to him to the end of the series, where he gives to Helikaon after he vows to give up soldiering.
• Heroic Second Wind: Gets this when he finally breaks out of his Death Seeker mentality and decides he actually wants to keep living after he had been fighting all morning holding off waves of allied Mykene and just as another one was bearing down on him and his men. Fortunately, Banokles unexpectedly arrives with reinforcements.
• Heterosexual Life-Partners: Sword-Brothers with Banokles.
• Hidden Depths: Is a lot smarter than one can would give him credit for. He figures out, if not who she exactly is, that Piria is likely a runaway priestess from the Isle of Thera based off where she was picked up by the pirate crew he was serving with at the time and that based off her attitude and also high price on her capture that she is a princess of an important monarch. ^note  She's the daughter of King Peleus and sister of Achilles
• Hopeless Suitor: Is told by Odysseus that Piria/Kalliope only has love for one person and it is not a man^note  Andromache but nevertheless still maintains feelings for her and promises to ensure he'll make sure Piria will be re-united with who she really loves.
• Just Friends: Despite his feelings for her, he knows this is all he'll ever be to Piria.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: Blue to Banokles' Red.
• Scars Are Forever: Received one right across the face courtesy of Argurios when they found themselves on opposite sides of the besiegement of the Trojan Royal Palace. Wears it with a pride, actually, given he got it from a Mykene hero.
• Those Two Guys: How he and Banokles start out in the series eventually getting promoted to main cast. Though during the war he tries to distance himself from Banokles as he doesn't want to get him killed because of his subconscious Death Seeker mentality.
• Token Enemy Minority: As a reward for helping saving Andromache from Mykene assassins, he and Banokles are made members of the elite Trojan Horse. Kalliades even becomes the equivalent of an officer and advisor to Hektor.
• Token Good Teammate: Going off his recollections of his time with the Mykene army, he was this. Never partaking in the sacking of defeated towns or the raping of women.
• Uncertain Doom: He was on the Bloodhawk with Odysseus when Mt. Thera erupted and the ship was never seen again following the storms but no complete confirmation of his death.

Kolanos

• Asshole Victim: If his pirate raids that saw him order the burning of children and raping of women wasn't enough, he tries to sell out his own men to save his skin following when his assault on the Trojan Royal Palace goes south. Priam double crosses him and allows his men to leave unharmed but only the condition they make it so he suffers loud of enough to hear his screams from the top of his tower.
• Dirty Coward: When informed that Hektor was arriving with reinforcements that would leave the Mykene surrounded, he immediately tried to make a break for it, only failing as Hektor burst through the gates he was dashing towards. With that escape attempted failed, he tried to barter with Priam offering to sell out his soldiers for the Trojans to kill in exchange for his services to Priam (offering information of Agamemnon's plans for war with Troy).
• The Dragon: He's the highest ranked of Agamemnon's Royal Guard, making him as a close to a second-in-command that a King would have. He's also the most recurring immediate threat of the first book.
• Praetorian Guard: He's part of the King's Followers for Agamemnon of which, in addition to acting as his agents over seas, is this when he's in the company of the King. Fittingly enough, he has the easily swayed loyalty of the Trope Namers as when he and his men are the mercy of the Trojans following their defeat in the siege of the Royal Palace, he tries to offer his services to Priam to save his own skin saying he'll give him all the info he has on Agamemnon's war plans.

Menados

• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He's introduced thinking back fondly over the last time he saw his grandchildren.
• Doting Grandparent: He's introduced thinking back to him playing around with his grandchildren.
• Good Counterpart: While how "good" he is might be debatable point, he can be seen as this to Kolanos. Both sacked the city of Dardanos but Kolanos largely did on it his own volition while Menados was Just Following Orders that were given to him directly by Agamemnon. Kolanos went out of his way to recruit pirates and criminals to be members of his crew and encouraged tactics such as Rape, Pillage, and Burn while Mendados had his men assigned to him and he gave express orders for his men to only target soldiers and the Royal family when attacking Dardanos. In addition when they both found themselves at the mercy of Helikaon, Kolanos tried to sell out his own men to save his skin while Menados was ready to die alongside them.
• Honor Before Reason: A surprisingly heroic example. He lets Helikaon, Andromache, and Kalliades go unharmed as Helikaon had earlier in the war showed him mercy when their positions were reversed.
• Makes Us Even: He had Helikaon, Andromache, Kalliades, and the boys Dex and Astyanax at the mercy of him and his soldiers but he let them go unharmed. Even though their capture would have put them back in the good graces of Agememnon. Helikaon had earlier in the war, at Hektor's urging, spared Menados' life after had been captured following his sack of Dardania's capital that saw Halysia killed.
• Noble Demon: He sacked Dardanos as those were orders from Agememnon rather than out of any particular malice (even though he had no fondness for Helikaon with him being a proud Mykene). He also orders his officers to make sure the men don't go on mindless looting and or raping.
• Old Soldier: He was friends and served with Argurious when he was younger, so this puts him around the age Argurious would have been.
• Scylla and Charybdis: When he learns of Peleus' defeat he knows this means his attack on Dardanos will be unsupported with no reinforcements. Leaving him with the options of either attacking the city but would then be overrun by the arriving Trojans and Dardanians led by Hektor and Helikaon or not attack and risk execution by Agamemnon for not following orders.

Kingdom of Thessaly

Achilles

• The Ace: As Hektor is this to the Trojans, Achilles is this of the western kingdoms.
• Ascended Extra: After either being absent or being a minor character in the first two books of the series, he finally becomes a POV character by the time of the third book.
• Broken Pedestal: Has this for his father, Peleus. Was initially happy to bring glory to his father's name and kingdom but as his legend grew, his father began to resent him for overtaking him in fame that puts serious strains on their relationship. Finally broken when Peleus speaks ill of the deceased Kalliope and Achilles defends her honor.
• Black Knight: His black armor is what distinguishes him in the midst of a chaotic battle and is easily the most legendary solider amongst the alliance of western kings.
• Demoted to Extra: He isn't even mentioned in the first book, only becomes a minor character in the second, but eventually becomes a POV character by the time of the third book.
• Foil: To Hektor. While Hektor is a Reluctant Warrior who only does so as it is what's expected of him as Troy's prince, Achilles largely does it for glory and is also more prone to Honor Before Reason than Hektor.
• Hidden Depths: While arrogant and glory-hungry, Achilles does go to great lengths for those he considers friends (aiding Odysseus in retaking Ithaka from the pirates who settled there), loves his sister deeply despite his father considering her a traitor, and is very much a man of honor even to his enemies. In fact, Achilles' portrayal here might be one of his most sympathetic ones in modern fiction.
• Living Legend: The only character in the series who is considered a possible equal to Hektor, if not greater.
• Pride: His greatest flaw according to Odysseus.
• Reassigned to Antarctica: How we're introduced to him in his first POV chapter in Fall of Kings. His father, being jealous of his son's fame beginning to eclipse his own, reassigns him to go negotiate for grain shipments from neutral kingdoms that are far from the main theaters of action. While the supplies are important, it's blatantly obvious why Peleus is doing this and that Achilles is more valuable at the frontlines. Relatively short-lived as he soon receives word Peleus is dead and now he's King of Thessaly.
• Warrior Prince: Arguably the most famous in all of Greek mythology.
• Would Hurt a Child: Agamemnon sent him on the mission to kill Paris and, if possible, kidnap Helen. He was given explicit orders to also kill their children. While he secretly hoped Helen and her children would be able to getaway before his arrival, when he caught them making a break for it he flatly informed Helen her children would die if she were to be taken alive.

Kalliope/Piria

• Because Destiny Says So: Her driving motivation throughout the story is when she's given a prophecy by a seer on Thera that Andromache will be in great danger from murderers and thus flees the island to try and prevent it.
• Boyish Short Hair: Cuts her hair extremely short to disguise herself on her journey to find Andromache. Works for the most part but Odysseus recognizes her almost immediately since he knew her as a child.
• Broken Pedestal: Idolized her older brother, Achilles, as a child but following her rape and Achilles not coming to her defense she came to hate him along with most other men.
• Died Happily Ever After: Implores Andromache, Kalliades, and Bonakles not too feel saddened by her death as she got everything she wanted; to be re-united with her lover (Andromache) and to die surrounded by friends (Kalliades and Bonakles).
• Didn't Think This Through: Zig-zagged. She left Thera the same night she received the prophecy and throughout her journey to Troy thinks on how she doesn't even know if Andromache would welcome her back or if she did that would mean both would have to on the run and there's not many places they could go or many practical skills they have as royal women. Nevertheless this doesn't deter her from her mission.
• Does Not Like Men: Her rape by her father as a child and time on on the all-female island of Thera has given her a low opinion of men for the most part. Changes her stance somewhat during her time with Kalliades and Banokles, at least in regard to them.
• Fire-Forged Friends: Didn't think much of Kalliades or Banokles as she first encountered them when they were part of the pirate crew that captured her and took a long while to warm up to them even after they rescued her from the pirates during her escape attempt. Eventually comes to value their friendship and dies happy that they were at her side.
• Guys Smash, Girls Shoot: Doesn't get that many chances to display it as Andromache but during their rescue of Andromache from Mykene assassins she's using a bow-and-arrow while Kalliades and Banokles are engaging in close sword-to-sword combat.
• A Good Way to Die: Got all she ever wanted upon her death; she saved Andromache from the prophesized assassination attempt, as well as re-united with her, and died surrounded by her friends.
• Odd Friendship: With Kalliades and Banokles. Odysseus as well.
• Rape as Backstory: Was raped by her father, King Peleus, as a child.

Peleus

• Ain't Too Proud to Beg: When Banokles and his men have him at their mercy, he starts pleading that they can hold him for ransom and to take him as prisoner to Hektor.
• Asshole Victim: No one among his allies is particularly upset he's been killed. Agamemnon even thinks it's good as he thinks Achilles will be an easier king to manipulate the old and stubborn Peleus.
• Bullying a Dragon: At one point he slaps his son (yes, Achilles) for talking back , then tries to do it again in the span of several minutes. Achilles proceeds to grab his hand and warn him, very calmly, never to do it again. Peleus practically craps himself on the spot.
• Dirty Coward: Likes to think himself a great warrior given he's the father of Achilles, but he pointedly chooses to remain in the rearguard of his army during a battle with Hektor (even after one of his generals suggested a good time to enter to increase morale) and then when he sees a calvary charge by Banokles heading his way he almost-immediately flees when things start going south.
• Dirty Old Man: Probably the most villainous example in the entire series, even makes Priam look good by comparison.
• Hated by All: No one, not even Agamemnon, in the alliance of the western kingdoms like Peleus. He's only tolerated as he has the next highest number of troops after Agamemnon and his son, Achilles, is considered to be worth a 100 soldiers. Odysseus only won't speak ill of Peleus when he's around Achilles as he doesn't want to hurt his friendship with him.
• Karmic Death: He's killed by Banokles, one of the two men who ended up protecting and escorting Kalliope while she was on the run from Thera. When begging for his life and tells Banokles who he is in hopes it will ensure they'll bring him to Hektor as a prisoner, Banokles orders his execution right there implying Banokles took this as a chance to aveng his dead friend.
• Never My Fault: Blames Kalliope for her getting raped by him.
  • In addition, when his battle with Hektor wasn't going fast enough for his liking and then started to go south, blamed his generals and soldiers for the way it was going over his own inaction.
• Pervert Dad: Raped his own daughter.
• Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: Crossing over with Villainous Incest, but he's portrayed as probably the most loathsome of the western kings (only Agamemnon being possibly worse). Odysseus can barely stand to be in the same room with him.
• Smug Snake: During our only POV section with him, his entire inner thoughts are him greatly looking forward to his presumed victory over Hektor's outnumbered army and how he can't wait to kill a captured Hektor himself.

Kingdom of Troy

Royal Family

Agathon

• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: His first appearance is him acting as the cooler head to prevent a fight to the death breaking out between his half-brother Diomedes and Argurious. As well as taking the time to pull Andromache aside to tell her about Hektor's possible death at the Battle of Kadesh.
• Dirty Coward: As soon as he got the faintest whiff that Hektor was not only alive, but in the city and on the way with reinforcements he was among the first to head for the hills. Leaving the Mykene solders who were fighting to place him on the Trojan throne to fend for themselves.
• If I Can't Have You…: Specifically singled out for Andromache to not be one of the royal woman spared by the Mykene and Thrakian soldiers plans for mass rape as she laughed at his attempted marriage proposal of her following Hektor's supposed death.
• Noble Fugitive: Becomes this when his coup attempt fails at the end of the first book.
• Pragmatic Villainy: Utilized his Thrakian mercenaries and Mykene troops, on loan from Agamemnon, for his attempted coup rather than Trojan soldiers loyal to him so as to not start his potential reign having Trojans massacring other Trojans.
  • He also protested to his Mykene conspirators on inviting Argurious and Helikaon to the Royal Palace to also be killed in the coup, knowing their reasons for this were entirely personal, as he didn't want two of the most famed warriors of their day there to possibly rally a defense.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: He's last mentioned trying to seek refuge amongst various neighboring kingdoms in the east. He's never directly referenced again and his final fate is uncertain.

Antiphones

• Adipose Rex: Is the largest of Priam's kids. Following a failed assassination attempt on him, he begins to shed quite a bit of weight and by the time of the war, he's turned most of the fat into muscle.
• Big Brother Worship: His thoughts while he's bleeding out after having fought off Thrakian soldiers sent to kill him and managing to warn the palace of the coming attack is wondering if Hektor would be proud of him.
• The Big Guy: Is the largest of Priam's children and eventually turns most of fat into muscle.
• Even Evil Has Standards: Was originally part of Agathon's coup attempt against Priam but backed out when he learned of Agathon's plans to allow the Thrakian and Mykene soldiers to kill not just Priam but also his other brothers, their families, and mass rape of all the women of the palace (including Andromache) who weren't his sisters.
• Heel Realization: Backs out of Agathon's palace coup when he sees how much bloodlust Agathon has and what he intends to allow to happen to the unfortunate servants caught up in the palace.
• Hidden Depths: He's quite adept at finances as well as organization of large-scale projects. Made suggestions to Priam on trade opportunities that turned out very well. Priam not giving him credit for any of this is what initially leads to him to conspire with Agathon to overthrow him.
  • Also displays a mind for military tactics, discussing with his brother Polites who, Priam made his chief strategos, on how to properly defend in the city.
    • The Mykene assassins think he's just a harmless fat idiot who'd be easy meat. After dispatching two, Antiphones takes some time to point out to the third that he's still a prince of Troy with everything that entails.
• Nice to the Waiter: He shames his would-be assassins for needlessly killing a loyal and kind servant of his when they come for him.
• Redemption Equals Death: His last words imply him hoping that he's finally made up for his involvement in the palace siege attempt from the first book.
• Took a Level in Badass: Following his failed assassination attempt, he begins to shed a massive amount of weight and turns the remainder into muscle. Eventually by the time Troy is under siege, he's taking part in the frontline combat and dies in battle.
• Unfit for Greatness: Inverted, he has skills and is quite intelligent, Priam just appointed him to his current position of "Master of Horse" largely as a joke as his massive weight means he hasn't been able to ride a horse for years.

Andromache

• Action Girl: Takes part in a few battles over the course of the series, most notably when in the first book she is part of the archers defending the palace from the Mykene invaders. By Fall of Kings, she takes part in the defense of the city when the Mykene breach the city walls.
• Amazonian Beauty: In addition to being described on the tall side, her time on the isle of Thera has given her a rather athletic/muscular physique. Something that even characters who don't even like her find enticing.
• Big Sister Instinct: When she deduces from an off-handed comment by Priam had her sister, Paleste, was likely killed by Hekabe because of a mix up by a Trojan diplomat that got her younger sister originally sent to Troy instead of Andromache, she poisons Hekabe.
• Birthmark of Destiny: Was born with one, interpreted by many that it's the Shield of Thunder that means she'll give birth to the Eagle Child. She tends to roll her eyes at it though, at least initially.
• Break the Haughty: Arrived at Troy with a rather low opinion of both it and her future family but through circumstances and her own actions finds herself humbled a bit and comes to have a more understanding of some of her family members given how they had to deal with Priam as a father.
• Culture Clash: Has a bit of this when she first arrives in Troy that comes from her background as a princess in Thebes under Plakos and time one the isle of Thera. Some instances being refusing to bow to Priam when they first meet as that's not what's done in her country and her time on Thera sees her breaking Trojan gender norms/roles quite frequently.
• Color Motif: Has a preference for the color green based off her clothing.
• Corrupt the Cutie: When she first came to Troy, she vowed not to get caught up in the petty palace politics that make up Priam's court but finds herself having to occasionally out of both her own actions and desire to help her friends/servants.
• Does Not Like Men: Downplayed. She doesn't hate men as Kalliope/Piria did but being forced to leave the Lady Land paradise of Thera to be setup in an Arranged Marriage with Hektor, who she had never even met, had her espouse some very low opinions of the male race out of frustration.
• Fiery Redhead: Her red hair is one of her most remarked upon characteristics and is far more outspoken than women of her day/position are expected to be.
• Friend to All Children: Gets along rather well with children, befriending both Xander and Kassandra (both around the age of 12-13 in the first book) at the start of the series. When the war breaks out, she takes in other children of kings who ended up killed or fleeing from their conquered homelands.
• Fire-Forged Friends: With Deiphobus, "Dios", another one of Priam's sons. They originally did not get on at all as her bumping up against Trojan gender norms nearly caused a duel to the death between Deiphobus and Argurious. Following the palace siege at the end of Lord of the Silver Bow where they both partook in the defense of the palace, they become close friends, with him often keeping her updated on the happenings in Priam's court. Him even telling her he can call her "Dios" which he only lets those he considers his friends do.
  • Decades later, one of her grandsons his named Dios in his honor.
• Guys Smash, Girls Shoot: She's quite skilled with a bow-and-arrow while her two possible lovers, Helikaon and Hektor, are skilled swordsmen.
• Lady of War: When she's able to, she is quite skilled in combat and rather useful with her bow-and-arrow. When Troy is under siege, she begins training the wives and widows of the members of the Trojan Horse on how to use a bow-and-arrow for self-defense.
• Male Might, Female Finesse: Her romantic lovers, Helikaon and Hektor, are experienced in close-range sword combat while she's a very skilled archer.
• My Greatest Failure: She never quite gets over Laodike's death. Blaming herself as she misjudged the severity of a spear wound Laodike received during the palace siege and didn't have one of available surgeons look at it until it was too late.
• Nice to the Waiter: Treats her servants very kindly. One notable episode is that she allowed her overworked servant to relax in one of her baths after she nearly worked herself to death after she presumed her husband died. Priam, on his daughter Kerusa's advice, fired her after this was found out. Andromache stormed into Priam's megaron after he fired her and remained bowed on her knees for hours so she could have an audience with Priam.
• No Pregger Sex: To hide her pregnancy by Helikaon, and since Hektor can't due to injuries he suffered before in battle, she goes to Priam and tells him she will sleep with him but on the conditions that only once every month and that once she's confirmed to be pregnant then they will never sleep together again.
• Questionable Consent: On the advice of a healer who suggests Helikaon be allowed women to sleep with him while he was in recovery as he was still fairly out of it mentally and seemed to be losing the will to live. Andromache does this herself and while Helikaon does dream of sleeping with he also doesn't remember any of this. So it becomes this.
• Redhead In Green: Described as wearing quite a bit of green clothing, from royal attire to bathing suits.
• Sympathetic Adulterer: Played with. Try as she might, she can't stop her feelings for Helikaon and sleeps with him when he was recovering from an assassination attempt ^note  He was fading in and out, so he doesn't remember any of it . When she comes to know Hektor more, she begins to feel terrible about this seeing how much weight and burdens Hektor carries on his shoulders.
• The Unfavorite: Did not get along with her father and the feeling was mutual. The main reason she was sent to the Isle of Thera was because he didn't think he could find a man who could stand to marry her.

Deiphobos

• Fire-Forged Friends: With Andromache.
• Mistaken Identity: What gets him killed by a Mykene assassin is his passing resemblance to Helikaon
• Took a Level in Kindness: Was initially introduced as a Prince Charmless who castigated Andromache for violating Trojan gender norms and inviting Argurious to the private beaches of the Royal Family but he learns some humility when he partakes in the defense, alongside Argurious, of the Royal Palace from attacking Mykene/Thrakians

Kassandra

• Blessed with Suck: Her predictions are, fittingly, unheeded as well also likely killing her.
• The Cassandra: The Trope Namer herself.
• Cassandra Truth: Makes plenty of these throughout the series, all of which come true and almost all unheeded. Only Andromache begins to take them seriously at a certain point.
• Color-Coded Eyes: Has grey-blue eyes since her childhood case of brain fire.
• Creepy Child: Was originally a normal girl but suffered a disease known as "brain fire" when she was three and since then facilitates speaking in half-intelligible gibberish, ominous creepy predictions, and acting like a normal young girl. She's self-aware of this and even has a breakdown when she's with Andromache about how she's aware it makes people afraid of her.
• Death Is Dramatic: Has probably the biggest one in the entire series, literally. Blown away at ground zero in a massive volcanic eruption on the isle of Thera.
• Go Out with a Smile: She dies with a big smile on her face, knowing she'll be reunited with her mother and siblings. As well as finally free of the visions that have tormented and caused her physical pain most of her life.
• I See Dead People: Claims she can talk to the spirits of characters who have died like Hekabe and Piria.
• Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: The rest of the series does some major Demythification to the rest of the The Trojan War myth but Kassandra seems to be the one notable exception. She still makes many Cassandra Truth predictions that turn out to be true but most characters in-universe chalk it up to a disease she suffered as a child and possible insanity.
• Messy Hair: As she enters he teenaged years, her hair becomes gradually unkempt. Covering most of her face sometimes.
• Power Incontinence: Her powers cause her physical pain, make it so she's sometimes unaware what's real and what's a vision, and also seem to be gradually killing her.
• You Can't Fight Fate: Knows and has learned to accept all her visions will come true eventually, even the ones stated to occur long after her death and shrugs when others suggest that it's impossible to predict the future.

Kreusa

• Daddy's Little Villain: Does not get along with Andromache, getting one of her servant girls fired for Andromache letting her wash in her bath. Andromache suspects she had having knowledge of Agathon's coup attempt as she was conviently out of Troy the night of the attack.
• Dirty Coward: She's the only member of the Royal Family referenced fleeing Troy when Agamemnon's invasion force arrived
• Parental Favoritism: While Hektor is Priam's favorite overall child, Kreusa is his favorite of his daughters.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: She's referenced as having fled Troy when Agamemnon's invasion force arrives but what happens to her ultimately is unknown.

Hekabe

• All for Nothing: As she dies, Andromache informs her the child she is pregnant with is Helikaon's not Priam's thus leaving Hekabe to impotently rage thinking all of her life's work has been undone.
• Evil Matriarch: It's possible Priam's children and enemies are more afraid of her than they are of him.
• God Save Us from the Queen!:
• I Did What I Had to Do: Says this word for word when she thinks back to murdering Paleste in order to get Andromache engaged to Hektor to ensure the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Eagle Child.
• Lady Macbeth: Priam's no slouch but his enemies were probably more afraid of her than they were of him.
• Women Are Wiser: Priam is smart enough on his own but she's noted to have acted as a check on some of his more rash short-sighted decisions. With her death, many of Priam's opponents believe this makes him an easier target.
• Would Harm a Child: Has ordered the deaths of not only her own children and step-children but also Paleste, Andromache's little sister and Hektor's first bride-to-be.
• Visionary Villain: Just about all of her actions relevant to the series are rooted in trying to ensure the Eagle Child prophecy comes true, believing it will make Troy an eternal city.
• You Remind Me of X: Says Andromache reminds her of her in her younger days when she first came to Troy.

Hektor

• The Ace: Arguably the biggest example of the entire series, which is saying a lot. Even Helikaon considers him the greater warrior. Him simply being on a battlefield is considered near assurance of victory for Trojans and their allies.
• Adaptational Heroism: As with other modern interpretations of the conflict, Hektor is arguably the most heroic and noble-minded character in the entire series. While it wouldn't be fair to call him a villain or evil in the The Iliad, his actions from there that would more questionable to modern audiences are omitted here.
• Big Brother Instinct: He's tried to look after and take care of his many siblings from Priam's mind games and cruel parenting.
• Big Brother Worship: Just about all his siblings look up to him or idolize him in some way.
• Call to Agriculture: When not off campaigning or performing his other royal duties, he can often be found at a relatively simple farm located outside of Troy.
• Father to His Men: Hektor is noted for caring much about the lives of his men and their families, taking care to know not just his men's names but their wives and children as well. He also directly pays for schools and orphanages for the children of soldiers he leads.
• Foil: To Achilles, discussed by Odysseus. Both are the most skilled warriors of their day and from their respective sides of the Great Green but Hektor is a Reluctant Warrior who does so out of his duty to his kingdom.
• Honor Before Reason: He has elements of this but to a much lesser degree than just about all other characters in the series. The reason he agrees to his fateful duel with Hektor isn't because his honor would be diminished if he refused but because Agamemnon and Odysseus have promised to let the women and children of Troy, except the royal family, safely leave the city and be escorted to neutral kingdoms.
• Knight in Shining Armor: The Bronze Age equivalent of one if there ever was one. He's far and away the most heroic character on either side of the conflict and even leads the elite Trojan Horse.
• Living Legend: Arguably the biggest example in the entire series, at least among the eastern kingdoms, with only Achilles and Helikaon being close to him. His supposed death in the first book leads to many of Troy's enemies believing his absence now makes the city an easier target.
• The Loins Sleep Tonight: An injury Hektor received in battle sometime before the series has left him unable to have sex. This causes no end of problems for him and Andromache when she reveals to him she's pregnant with Helikaon's child and how they'll explain that to Priam.
• My Master, Right or Wrong: He's a loyal son of Priam despite his father's needless cruelty and Machiavellian actions. By the time of the third book however, he's begun to grow out of this with his father's increasing descent into madness and eventually cuts him out of the military planning.
• Parental Favoritism: Priam goes out his way to make sure his various children, and the rest of the world for that matter, know Hektor is his favorite child.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: Is in charge of the Trojan Horse and has been sent off by his father to fight in many wars for Troy's allies. When the war with Mykene and western kingdoms come, he's the premier military figure on the Trojan side.
• Reluctant Warrior: To the shock of many whenever told it, Hektor cares little for war. He leads his kingdom's army as it's what's expected of him as its crown prince.
• Shrouded in Myth: He's spoken of reverence when he's brought up and when he finally makes an appearance, he actually lives up to it. Banokles even compared seeing him combat was like as if it were the War God Ares.
• Warrior Prince: One of the most famous examples from all of Greek Mythology. In the series he's Troy's premier military figure, having led the elite Trojan Horse in many wars at his father's command and is well-known throughout the Eastern Mediterranean.
• With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: His driving motivation. He believes as the crown prince of Troy, and it's presumed future king, he needs to devote himself to his kingdom's protection and continued safety. This is mainly why he leads the Trojan Horse in so many foreign wars at his father's command even though he himself doesn't care for war. Even thinking that as a prince he forfeits the right to marry for love as marriages for royals should be about advancing his kingdom's interests/safety.

Helen

• Adaptational Ugliness: Not ugly but Helen is described as rather plain looking but has a nice smile.
• Better to Die than Be Killed: Commits suicide with her children than to have them be killed by Achilles or be brought back as a prisoner of Agamemnon and Menelaus.
• Defiant to the End: When Achilles sees she's about to commit suicide with her children, he tries to get her to stop by telling her she doesn't belong with the Trojans she's Helen of Sparta, but she retorts that no she's "Helen of Troy" and falls to her death.
• Driven to Suicide: Achilles promises her he will bring her back to Agamemnon and Menelaus alive but him saying her kids will have to killed is what causes her to make this decision.
• Demoted to Extra: She is a minor character here with only having one POV section in the book. It is clear Helen is not the cause of the war in this series, with her "kidnapping" by Paris being an Excuse Plot for Agamemnon to justify a war he had been planning for years.
• Happily Married: Was in one with Paris.
• Modest Royalty: Doesn't wear that much extravagant clothing and often, secretly, returns the expensive jewelry Paris buys her for more simple/less-expensive ones.
• Noble Fugitive: She was in Troy when Sparta was conquered by Agamemnon and when he placed his brother, Menelaus, on the throne, making her this. There is no abduction of her from Sparta by Paris here.
• Legend Fades to Myth: Happens almost immediately upon her death. In life she was desribed as plain, plump, nice princess but nothing particularly noteworthy. But as the story of her Defiant To End begins to spread amongst soldiers on both sides of the conflict, many begin to speak of her awe and where her reputation "as the most beautiful women in the world" begins to take hold.

Laodike

• Childhood Friend Romance: Had feelings for Helikaon and while she knew it was unlikely he had the same for her, they were dashed pretty hard when she could plainly see Helikaon was madly in love with Andromache. She eventually got over it when Argurios came along...
• May–December Romance: Argurios is at least a decade older than her.
• Opposites Attract: With Argurios. Her a shy, reserved Trojan princess and him an aged, gruff, Mykene war hero.
• Shrinking Violet: Parental abuse from Hekabe for most of her life as given her a rather reserved and shy demeanor.
• Together in Death: Dies the same night as Argurios during the palace siege, they were holding each other's hands as they did. Priam even later built a tomb that housed both their remains.

Paris

• Adaptational Heroism: Of a sort. He's considered a coward by many but he isn't the vain and womanizing prince of the original myths. He does genuinely love Helen and he didn't abduct her from Sparta, she was living in Troy at the time Sparta was conquered by Agamemnon and he married her shortly after.
• Adaptational Wimp: Not that his counterpart in theo original stories was anything to write home about but he's painfully out of his depth when he goes to face Achilles.
• Book Worm: More inclined towards scholarly activities and has just about zero of the martial prowess of his other brothers.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: When Achilles and his men storm their winter palace in a surprise attack, he charges right towards Achilles armed with two swords but he is quickly disarmed and killed.
• Death Seeker: It's implied him running off to face Achilles when the latter launched a surprise attack on their palace was him trying to make up for freezing in her when his brother was assassinated.
• Demoted to Extra: He's a minor character in the series with only a few scenes in each book. As Helene being "abducted" by him is only a surface level Excuse Plot for Agamemnon to justify his war, one of which he was already prepared and looking for.
• Dirty Coward: Is thought of this by a great many but he didn't do much to dissuade it when he froze in fear after seeing his brother getting attacked and didn't rush to intervene.
• Fearless Fool: Credit where it's due, when Achilles and his men burst into their winter palace as part of a surprise attack he charged right towards the invaders ready to defend his family but that Achilles effortlessly killed him with only a few swings of his sword is not a surprise to anyone.
• Happily Married: Was in one with Helen.
• Momma's Boy: Takes care of Hekabe in her dying months and was obviously closer to her than he was to Priam.
• My Greatest Failure: Not that he has much in the way of accomplishments but he beats himself up pretty hard over how he froze in fear when he saw his brother get murdered in the streets and he didn't rush to save him. Haunts him right up to his last day.
• The Unfavorite: Even though he views most of his sons who aren't Hektor with bemused disdain, Priam displays particular disappointment and annoyance with Paris. Saying to Paris he must have been sick with something when he impregnated Hekabe with him.

Polites

• Give Him a Normal Life: He gets his kids out of Troy before the siege sets in and secretly sends them to go live a life with a farming couple in a distant kingdom further inland, not even the adopting parents know of their true heritage. Done to prevent Agamemnon from trying to track them down to wipe out all possible remnants of Priam's family.
• The Good Chancellor: Priam initially appointed him to it as a joke but despite Polites' own massive self-doubt, he proves quite able given the circumstances he finds himself in. He and Hektor essentially become Troy's co-rulers for a brief bit when Priam's Sanity Slippage requires them to cut Priam out of the decision-making process.
• Go Out with a Smile: He dies smiling, thinking amusingly that Kassandra's prediction of Priam out-living his sons was correct as he dies just right before Priam throws himself from the top of his tower.
• Papa Wolf: Got his kids out of Troy and sent them go live an obscure life in some distant land to save them from Agamemnon's desire to fully wipe out Priam's family.

Priam

• Abusive Parents: Belittles and inflicts cruel lessons on just about all his kids, in particular his sons who aren't Hektor. Even with Hektor, he only seems to value him so long as he's continually victorious on the battlefield and brings glory to Troy.
• Adaptational Villainy: Aside from a few Pet the Dog moments in the first book, he's just as much as a cruel Machiavellian bastard as Agamemnon is. In contrast to his rather Reasonable Authority Figure from the original Trojan mythos.
• The Alcoholic: Likes his wine but gradually starts to become a problem as the series progresses and the stresses of war, and old age, begin to get to him. By the third book it's rare for him to show up without at least some reference in the narration to him either already drinking or desiring a drink. It's implied his wife dying might also have something to do with it.
• Authority in Name Only: By the time of the third book, his gradual Sanity Slippage has gotten to the point that Hektor and Polites quietly cut him out of the decision making process in regards to the defense of Troy and replace all of the guards in the palace with ones they can trust.
• Dirty Old Man: In addition to sleeping with a many women who are younger than some of his daughters, one of the first things he does when we first meet him is feel up one of Andromache's breasts.
• Disney Villain Death: Dies jumping off his tower atop his palace that overlooks Troy as Mykene soldiers come to kill him.
• Large and in Charge: He is described as a very towering figure, even the tall Andromache has to look up to him when the two converse.
• Massive Numbered Siblings: He has 50 kids, only eight of whom are through his wife.
• Offing the Offspring: He has had many of his sons executed for attempted coups and failed assassination plots on him.
• Outliving One's Offspring: Per Kassandra's prediction, he outlives all of his sons, though just by a few seconds
• Parental Favoritism: Makes no secret Hektor is his favorite. Often belittles the accomplishments of his other children by saying Hektor would have done it better.
• Pet the Dog: He has a tomb setup containing the remains of Argurious and Laodike so they can be Together in Death even though we got indications he wouldn't have approved of their relationship if they lived but does so out of respect for Argurious leading the defense of his palace from Agathon's coup attempt.
• Questionable Consent: He likes to brag he's never forced himself on a woman but as Andromache points out to Antiphones , it's debatable if any of the women he's slept with would have refused given the vast difference in social power between a king and a servant girl and also if refusing was worth the risk given Priam's known penchant for petty cruelty.
• Sanity Slippage: Following the death of his wife, Hekabe, this gradually occurs to him over the remainder of the series. His alcoholism worsens, his military decisions ranging from ill-conceived to downright disastrous, and eventually his mental faculties decline to the point he can't even remember what year it is.
• Scatterbrained Senior: Crossed with Sanity Slippage but he's clearly starting to go senile following the Time Skip in the second book. Aside from a few moments of lucidity he often forgets where he is, confuses, Andromache for Hekabe multiple times, and forgetting what time he's in.
• Unholy Matrimony: Was Happily Married with Hekabe and both were Machiavellian Abusive Parents as one another.

Other Denizens of Troy

Big Red

• Friend Versus Lover: Initially, she flat out stated to Kalliades that she didn't like him but in the same conversation admitted that it was more because she sees a bit of herself in Kalliades and thinks his subconscious Death Seeker mentality means he'll end up getting Banokles killed when they're off on campaign.
• Happily Married: Much to her surprise, to Banokles, even though when they met she thought he was just another dumb horny soldier uttering sweet nothings about how he genuinly loved her.
• No Name Given: She's only ever referred to as Big Red. Even Banokles just calls her "Red".
• Unproblematic Prostitution: Has mostly done well for herself as one Troy's most famous prostitutes and the wealth she's acquired over the years has given her a rather large amount of independence for a woman in the Bronze Age. Her more surly attitude when she first appears comes from her increasing age means she doesn't get as many clients as she used to.

Polydorus

• Hero Worship: Has this for Argurios and geeks out little when he gets a chance to meet him while Argurios is in Troy.
• Praetorian Guard: A member of Priam's Eagles, the bodyguards of the Trojan royal family. Eventually he gets promoted right up to being Priam's personal bodyguard, accompanying him wherever he goes.

Xander

• The Bus Came Back: After only one minor appearance in the second book, he comes back in the third book now as a full-time medic for the Trojan Army.
• Determined Doctor: Is warned by many on both sides of the conflict that when Troy falls, he will likely not be spared if he is in the city from the ransacking Mykene soldiers. Nevertheless he remains determined to stay and treat whatever injured he can find and turns down many opportunities to leave when he has the chance.
• Kidnapped Doctor: Is taken captive by Achilles and Odysseus following an early morning attack on the Trojan entrenchments outside of the city.
• Put on a Bus: He's gets many POV sections in the first book but once arriving in Troy he gradually fades into the background, only getting on appearance in the first book.
• Uncertain Doom: His ultimate fate is left uncertain following Troy's conquest when Agamemnon departs to chase after Helikaon and Andromache.