Iophon

[Chevi]

IOPHON

22 | 10th December 52 CE | Peregrini | Periegetes (Tour Guide)and Fabulator (Storyteller) | Bisexual | Original | Robert Sheehan

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Personality.

Iophon is friendly, easygoing, and talkative. He is eager to strike up a conversation with anyone and everyone, and charming enough that it doesn't feel pushy. He is honestly curious about people, and stories, and the world around him. In fact, he loves stories wholeheartedly, and sees them as a tradition and art form, rather than an easy way to make some coin. With that said, however, Iophon loves an easy way to make some coin. He is clever, with a good memory and a winning personality, but he is not ambitious at all; he likes the finer things in life, and likes spending his free time with enjoyable activities. He is not one for hard work, or an established career. He is the embodiment of "carpe diem". He also has no qualms about making up a story and telling it as true whenever he feels like it; he is an enjoyable guide for visitors to Rome, but he is an abysmal academic source...

Appearance

Iophon is tall, long-limbed and lean, with curly black hair, short cropped black beard (he's still working on that), hazel eyes, and a bright, wide smile. He tans in the warm months of the year, and has some freckles. He is fraternal twins with Artemon, and not many people can tell by looking that they are related at all. Iophon generally has a decent appearance, he likes his tunics clean and presentable, but he is fighting a constant losing battle against keeping his hair in check. He is usually seen hanging around monuments, temples, and other sites of interest, with a satchel slung over his shoulder, filled with interesting tidbits, and trinkets for sale.

Family

Father: Empedion (b. 18)

Mother: Tsillah (b. 23)

Siblings: Euphemios (b. 40), Apollodora (b. 42), Hermolaos (b. 46), Niketas (b. 49), Chrysanthe (b. 51), Artemon (twin brother, b. 52), Tryphosa (b. 57).

Spouse: n/a

Children: n/a

Extended family: aunts, uncles and cousins

Other: n/a

 

History

52 CE – Iophon is born a few minutes after his twin brother, Artemon, into an Egyptian Greek family in a village near Ptolemais Hermiou. Just like all his siblings, he receives a Greek name from his proudly Greek father, and a deep sense of being Egyptian from his mother. Iophon is a bright and curious child, who loves stories, and loves exploring interesting places as soon as he can crawl. 

59 CE – The family is somewhat struggling food and livelihood, and the older siblings go off to work or marry. Artemon takes on fishing. Iophon is showing signs of being an intelligent child, so one of his Greek uncles, who works as a scribe, takes him on as an apprentice. He doesn't live far from the family's home, so Iophon spends his days with him, and his nights at home. His parents hope he might become a scribe, or even - his father's ambition - a scholar. Iophon begins to learn to read and write and count, and he takes to it easily. At the same time, he is fascinated by the endless stories his uncle  Eumaios tells him. He begins to learn history, Greek, Egyptian, and Roman, and alongside he begins his lessons in Latin. 

59-68 CE - Iophon learns letters and languages, but as clever as he is, he is not ambitious at all. He loves to talk, however, and his easygoing and friendly manner makes him popular, not just among the village youth, but also with strangers (especially around the taverns). He picks up the most colorful and useful bits of his studies, and he starts spinning tales for visitors, making up ancient curses and local legends wherever his deep store of tales from his parents, grandparents, and uncles runs dry. His father is more and more disappointed, but Iophon discovers that a good story is worth a pretty coin. He starts visiting the elders of the village and even farther, fishing for the best stories to tell.

68-74 CE – Iophon's father puts his foot down about his twin sons making themselves useful (and gainful). Partly under parental pressure, and partly to look after his thick-headed twin, Iophon joins up with a company of merchants alongside Artemon. He is a shit sailor, but he can keep everyone entertained, and even though he tries to get away with the least amount of work, he does enough not to get kicked overboard. The silver lining in the venture is travel: for Iophon, the world is made of stories, and new lands mean new stories. He is excited for adventure. When Artemon eventually suggest they should go to Rome and seek their fortune, Iophon cheerfully agrees.

74 CE – The twins disembark in Ostia, and while Artemon finds himself work around the docks, Iophon heads straight to Rome. The big city is full of marvels, and Iophon devours all of it: the games, the races, the markets, the baths, and temples and the brothels. While Artemon struggles to find the next big break, Iophon throws himself into life in Rome, not really thinking about tomorrow. He frequents the libraries available at the baths and other public spaces, and eventually starts spinning his tales again, working as a guide for people even newer to Rome than he is. Many of his stories are real, while others are completely made up by him, and not many notice the difference.

75 CE - The earthquake hits Rome, and everything is turned upside down. Artemon decides to move into the city permanently. Since neither of them has money for a house, the brothers rent a small one-room space in an insula, and move in together. Artemon is still chasing the next big thing, and Iophon is beginning to strike deals with brothels, shops, and other tourist attractions, channeling people their way, and getting a piece of the profit... usually in goods.

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