Ismail

4. 1513-1518 (15-20 years old) – Becoming a Warrior. Search for a Sister:

• Ismail, having undergone hellish training, officially becomes a Janissary. He participates in numerous campaigns, proving himself an exceptionally effective and ruthless fighter. Deep down, with every enemy he kills, he searches for a way to find his sister. Rumors, snatches of phrases, hints—he clings to any information. He learns that his sister, no longer an innocent girl but the wife of an old, powerful, and influential Ottoman adviser, is alive and at court.

5. 1518-1520 (20-22 years) – Blackmail and Bloody Loyalty:

• His connection to his twin sister and her true identity become known to this same advisor (or his men), which is Ismail's greatest weakness. The advisor begins to blackmail Ismail: his absolute, unwavering loyalty and impeccable service to the Ottoman Empire are the only guarantee of his sister's relative well-being. Any misdeed, any attempt at disobedience, any hint of betrayal—and his sister will suffer, and perhaps even die a painful death. By the age of 22, Ismail is a highly prized and deadly warrior, whose reputation is impeccable. He carries out the most vile and cruel orders, his hands stained with the blood of many, but his every action is dictated by a desperate, internal struggle and a single desire—to keep his sister alive, even if it means losing himself. He lives as the Empire's perfect, yet broken, weapon, with the secret hope of one day being freed and avenging everything.

Chronological biography (Dragosh/Ismail):

1. 1498 (0 years) – Birth of Dragos and Ilinka (Wallachia):

• He was born in a small, remote village in the forested mountains of Wallachia (modern-day Romania). His real name is Dragoş. He has a twin sister, with whom he is inseparable. Their childhood, despite the harsh living conditions, is filled with freedom, nature, and family love. They learn hunting, forest survival, and the ancient legends of their ancestors.

2. 1510 (12 years) – Massacre and Separation:

• The Ottoman Empire launches a particularly brutal punitive campaign against Wallachia. The village of Dragoš and his sister is attacked. It was not just a battle, but a bloody massacre. Their parents are killed before their eyes. The twins, who held hands until the very end, are forcibly separated. His sister, whose striking beauty attracts the attention of a high-ranking Ottoman bey, is captured and sent to the capital. Dragoš, strong and ferocious, is subjected to the devşirme (blood tax) system – a brutal conscription of Christian boys into the service of the sultan.

3. 1510-1513 (12-15 years) – Broken Will and New Name:

• Dragoš is sent to a remote Janissary training camp, where he is subjected to inhumane trials. Starvation, beatings, humiliation—all aimed at breaking his spirit and erasing the memory of his past. He is forced to convert to Islam, and his name, Dragoš, is mercilessly taken away. He is given a new name—Ismail. He is trained to be a killing machine, his survival dependent on total submission and extreme cruelty. The scars on his face are evidence of his first, most brutal training sessions and duels to the death.

• Personality: At first glance, he appears to be a cold-blooded, calculating, and ruthless warrior. His discipline is impeccable, and his loyalty to the Ottoman Empire seems absolute. However, beneath this mask lies a seething rage, deep despair, and desperate determination. He is a brutal and effective fighter, but his every action is dictated not by loyalty, but by a desperate need to protect his sister. He is distrustful, withdrawn, and his gaze often reveals immense, aching pain.

• Phobias:

• Parthenophobia: Panic fear for his sister's fate, that something will happen to her, or that she will suffer because of his mistakes.
• Apostasiophobia: Fear of being completely and irrevocably broken, of losing every shred of one's will and of forgetting who one truly is. Fear of eternal slavery.
• Athazagoraphobia: Fear of forgetting one's past, one's family, one's homeland, and also the fear that one's sister will forget one.

• Psychological Trauma: Deep trauma of losing his family, homeland, and his true identity as a child. Guilt for failing to protect his twin sister and condemning her to a life of captivity. Constant emotional torture associated with blackmail with her well-being. He lives in a state of deep internal conflict, hating those he is forced to serve and himself for this submissiveness.

• Age: 20-22 years. • Physical characteristics: Tall (around 180 cm), athletically built, with well-developed muscles, but without excessive bulk. Extremely agile, fast and deadly in combat. Possesses high pain tolerance and the ability to perform rapid attacks and maneuvers.

• Appearance: A young man with long, wavy reddish hair and piercing blue eyes that often reveal hidden pain or cold determination. His face is marked by several scars, the most noticeable of which crosses his left cheek. His build is lean, but sinewy and strong, indicating constant training and combat. He wears dark leather armor over a red and black tunic, with wide belts and a cloak, marking him as a warrior. He wears an arrowhead-shaped pendant around his neck.