The Genso Suikoden video games are loosely based on a classic Chinese story -- though 'loosely based' may be overstating the case a bit. However, in both the games and the novel, the basic premise of the story is the same -- one hundred and eight destined warriors from all walks of life come together to challenge a tyrant. In the original story, the 108 Stars of Destiny were each relatively well-defined figures, with a signature trait or a key role in the story. Many of these associations carried over to the Suikoden games, and some have become key features of the story. But what are these associations?
A disclaimer: I have yet to read Outlaws of the Water Margin, the original Chinese tale, though I have recently found a copy. Once I get through with it, I may update this guide to reflect the natures of the heroes therein. However, I have played both Suikoden games rather thoroughly, and consulted numerous web resources to find all I could about them. These are only my conclusions -- feel free to email me (zagyg@io.com) with any additions, corrections, or contentions you may have.
The purpose of this guide is to inspire ideas and act as a reference. I have seen writers unsure of which Star to give their new character -- hopefully, now they will be able to examine this listing and find an appropriate one. It also could be used in the opposite manner -- to find a Star with a role that needs filling and create a character to fill it. It is not, of course, a strict commandment to authors (who, in the nature of Impro, are likely to ignore this and do whatever the heck they want), only a tool to be used as desired.
Entries marked with an asterisk have, in my opinion, a well-defined meaning that is important to the development of the story, and as such should be kept strongly in mind when assigning new characters to them. It may be fairly unimportant who gets the Tenyu or Chijiku stars, for instance, but to give Tenki to anyone but the army's master strategist would probably be a mistake. (Of course, these are only my opinions -- if you've got a good dramatic reason to go counter to them, by all means do so.) Certain entries also have a subtitle, which to me reflects the essence of the archetype. Again, use or discard it as you see fit.
A quick summary of the clearest roles:
The Hero
The hero of the story, the Tenkai Star begins the game in a minor military role, but is quickly driven from his homeland as it becomes clear that his superiors are up to something nasty. He reluctantly joins with an existing army or rebel group, and is eventually made the head (or, from some points of view, figurehead) of the group when the original leader is killed. Claiming an abandoned castle (by clearing it of monsters), he becomes a rallying point for the heroic armies that finally defeat the enemy. But when offered leadership of the revitalized nation, he declines, leaving for parts unknown with only his closest companions.
The Noble General
Both Lepant and Ridley were very influential leaders, critical both for their leadership skills on the field of battle and for their personal influence that brought others to join along with them. Lepant was also quite wealthy and a skilled fighter in small groups, while Ridley brought the Kobold armies of Two River City with him. Both had a forceful, take-charge attitude, and were solid, honorable backbones for their armies.
The Master Strategist
Mathiu and Shu were the master strategists of their respective armies. In some ways, they were the leaders more than the Tenkai Stars were. They plotted out the course of the war and planned their armies' next moves, always keeping an eye on the long-term goals of winning the war. Especially in Shu's case, this could sometimes lead to actions that might seem Machiavellian, sacrificing lives on their own side so more lives could be saved elsewhere.
Both had to be coaxed out of one form of retirement or another, and neither served as active troop commanders or adventurers. Their only role was strategist, but they filled it well.
The Mage
Luc was a wind mage, and the apprentice of Leknaat, the seer. When she delivered the Stone of Destiny to the hero, she also left Luc to help in the upcoming battles. Luc, though young, was taciturn, arrogant and powerful -- he held the True Wind Rune, though he kept that a secret.
The Solemn Knight
Humphrey was a strong, stoic knight of very few words. A solemn man of great personal integrity, he was a member of the Liberation Army even before McDohl joined it. His heavy armor and skills as an infantry captain served the army well.
The Foreign Adversary
Kasim and Hauser were both stern generals who opposed the hero for a time. Kasim Hasil was a general for the enemy Scarlet Moon Empire, while Hauser had fought for the heroic ruler of Muse, but refused to ally with the hero because he held the hero responsible for Muse's fall. Both were eventually converted when others they trusted sided with the heroes, and they became strong assets on the battlefield and in adventures. They were both slightly exotic in appearance -- Kasim had something of an Arabian visiage, while Hauser was notable for being the only black man in Suikoden so far.
The Stern Adversary
Kwanda and Kiba were also initially enemies of the hero, generals for the opposition. They were spared by the hero, and joined up soon afterwards as the enemy's plans were made clear to them.
The Black Knight
Black-armored Pesmerga joined up for his own reasons -- he was seeking the black beast knight Yuber, treacherous villain and holder of the (True) Eightfold Rune. Little is known about either of them, but Pesmerga served the role of the powerful loner who joins you late in the game. It was, in fact, uncertain if either Pesmerga or Yuber were human, or what their deeper motives were.
Gremio was McDohl's servant since childhood, and doted over him. A competent warrior, he sacrificed his life to save McDohl from a trap. Sierra was the first vampire, and original holder of the (True) Moon Rune. When she lost it to Neclord, and the rest of the vampires died for lack of it (or became predators to survive), she set out to reclaim it and get revenge on him.
The Sacrificial Idealist
Warren was a wealthy man who sympathized with the rebels, and hid refugees in his mansion, while Teresa was acting Mayor of the academy town of Greenhill. Both made sacrifices for their cause, and were captured or threatened by the enemy before they met the hero, inspiring a rescue attempt. Their self-sacrificing nature sometimes showed in other ways -- Teresa even volunteered to make restitution to a bitter enemy for something her father may or may not have done.
Kun To was a merchant active in the black market, who supplied the hero's army with boats. Nina was a schoolgirl with a crush on Flik, who elbowed her way into the group and didn't take no for an answer.
Cleo was another servant of McDohl's, a warrior with decent magic talent. In Suikoden II, this slot was filled by one of the animals -- Siegfried the Unicorn, Feather the Griffon, or one of the squids, Abizboah or Rulodia.
The Gentle Bear
Viktor was an early member of the Liberation Army, and founder of the mercenary group that took Suikoden II's hero in. He was also the only survivor of the slaughter of North Window, where a vampire named Neclord killed the entire town. As a result, he sought revenge on Neclord his whole life, and finally got it, with the help of the Star Dragon Sword, which was actually a True Rune (the Night Rune) in physical form. When not seeking vengeance, he was a cheerful, hard-drinking bear of a man, with an ill-concealed soft heart.
The Noble Cause
Valeria was a former Imperial soldier and a skilled swordswoman. She broke with the Empire when its generals planned to burn down a forest that housed both the village of the elves and her own home town. Pragmatic and a bit cynical. Tomo was the daughter of Tsai, who taught her to wield a spear. She often tried to get her parents back together.
The Cunning Weasel
Griffith was an Imperial commander who was defeated by the Liberation Army in a very one-sided fight. He tried to fake a surrender, to stall for time, but the heroes saw through his plans easily. He joined with the heroes afterwards, and helped them infiltrate Kasim Hazil's base. Fitcher was a messenger and diplomat who put on a show of being a fawning coward. It was partially an act, and he was actually quite good at smoothing over diplomatic rough spots and bringing allies into the fold.
The Dark-Cloaked Stranger
Clive was a member of the Howling Voice Guild, a secret society that held the knowledge of how to make and use 'guns,' a strange type of weapon rumored to have their own souls. He was chasing Elza, a former member of the Guild who shared a complicated history with him. He felt he had to hunt her down for her crimes, but some of the things she told him brought much of his past into doubt...
The Blue Lightning
Flik was one of the original members of the Liberation Army. He was in love with its leader, Odessa, and blamed McDohl for her death. He eventually came around, and became one of the key members of the army again. Later, he founded a mercenary group with Viktor, which became the central army of Suikoden II. He originally came from the Warrior's Village, but never returned there from his coming-of-age quest.
The Master Lancer
Camille was a redheaded spear-fighter and an acquaintance of Tai Ho. She tracked down Gremio in order to collect on a series of large bills he had left unpaid, and latched onto the group, planning to stick with them until he paid her back. Tsai was also a spear-fighter, and knew how to use and maintain the dwarven Fire Spears, which could shoot fire onto enemy units. He was recruited into the army to keep that advantage intact.
Bonded by the Past
Kreutz was a soldier who fought against Humphrey in their shared past. It is this very bond that convinces Kreutz to join. Jess was the chamberlain of Muse and secretly in love with the mayor. When she died, he formed a grudge against the hero for his part in it, but eventually was convinced it wasn't his fault.
The Master of Speed Stallion was a devil-may-care elf who held the Godspeed Rune (mistranslated as the True Holy Rune). It allowed him to race at top speeds, and bring the other party members along with him. He was extremely egotistical, and was a little surprised not everyone wanted to talk about his speed all the time.
The Strong Outsider
Kage was a mysterious mercenary ninja, who would only lend his great power and information-gathering techniques to those who could pay his exorbitant price. He joined McDohl and the Liberation Army, but years later, he ended up working for the Highland Army, the villains of Suikoden II. Georg Prime once was a general for the Scarlet Moon Empire, but left before the events of Suikoden I, and had a long and checkered military career in various armies afterwards. Not only was he one of the most powerful warriors in the resistance, but he gave the hero a helpful talking-to in a time of great doubt, and joined on the condition that the hero not give up until it was all over. Stern but friendly and wise, he was a man of some depth.
The Strong Fighter
Fu Su Lu was a friend of the kobolds and the self-proclaimed strongest man in the world. He wore an extremely realistic tiger's mask (at least, one presumes it was a mask), and joined up solely to test his strength (and escape his massive food tab). Hannah was a warrior from the barbarian north, and blamed herself for not being strong enough to save a village she was in from the Highland Army. She joined to right the wrong she couldn't stop on her own.
Kirkis was a shy young elf who went to the Liberation Army for help when the Scarlet Moon Empire was attacking the elvish village. Unfortunately, the elvish leader didn't appreciate having to beg humans for help, and labeled Kirkis a traitor. This indirectly led to the destruction of the elvish settlement. Killey was a red-clad searcher for the secrets of the Sindar. He could be quite brusque and aggressive in his search for answers, but he wasn't a bad person at heart. His unique garb had something to do with the legendary 'Crimson Bird' of his homeland, the Queendom of Falenia.
The Epicure
Milich Oppenheimer was one of the generals of the Scarlet Moon Empire, and very much a vain fop. He renamed the towns of his region to suit his tastes, retained servants such as a painter and a musician to feed his vanity, and protected his castle with giant poison-spewing roses. After he was freed of the mental influence on him, he was very repentant, but no less foppish. Anita was a swordsmistress from the southlands, and a rival to Valeria. She was well-known for her drunkenness and enjoyment of partying hard.
Pahn was a servant of McDohl, and something of a bodyguard. Quite strong and forthright, he was tormented by the struggle over whether to side with McDohl or the Empire. In Suikoden II, this slot was occupied by a second animal (Siegfried, Feather, Abizboah, or Rulodia), as for the Tenman Star.
The Family Tie
Both Sonya and Nanami were women with strong family ties to the hero. Sonya Shulen was a general of the Scarlet Moon Empire who was also the lover of McDohl's father. While a friend of McDohl from childhood, she was the last general to be defeated by him, and held a grudge the longest (unsurprising, as McDohl had killed his father by then). Nanami was the hero's sister, and had studied martial arts with him under their adoptive grandfather. She accompanied the hero on his journey, but grew more and more upset with the carnage going on around her. In the end, though, she was willing to sacrifice her life to save the hero and escape the horrors of war.
The Ringleader Anji and Rina were both closely tied to the Tenzai and Tenpai Stars. Anji was the leader of a small crew of pirates, and a friend of Tai Ho. He joined when McDohl and his friends were strong enough to beat all three pirates together. Rina was a fortune teller for a small travelling circus, consisting of her younger sister Eilie and their adoptive brother Bolgan. She was suave, sophisticated, a hard drinker, and not at all reluctant to use her 'feminine wiles' to charm her way through a situation.
The Free-Spirited Sailor
Tai Ho was originally a simple fisherman who was fond of dice games, but a wanderlust and drive for adventure caused him to join up witht he Liberation Army when McDohl needed a boat. An expert sailor, he was more or less in charge of the navies of both heroic armies. His brother-in-law, Yam Koo, was the Tenson Star, and he eventually married Kimberly. (It was rumored that he came to the area of Suikoden II just to escape his wife...)
The Friendly Second
Kanak was a pirate serving under Anji. He was quite strong, and while not bright, was friendly and good-hearted. Eilie was the knife-thrower in a small circus, alongside Rina and Bolgan. She was more private and quiet than Rina, but harbored a strong, half-secret crush on the hero.
The Mellow Sailor
Yam Koo was a fisherman and Tai Ho's brother-in-law. Generally, he followed Tai Ho's lead, but was far more mellow about it. In the first game, he fought alongside Tai Ho, but in the second, he hung up his trident in favor of overseeing the best fishing spot in the castle docks.
The Powerful Third
Leonardo was another pirate working for Anji, who never quite warmed to the hero -- but where Anji went, he would gladly follow. Bolgan was the fire-eater of Eilie and Rina's circus, an extremely large man with the mentality of a friendly child. He was largely innocent, but his special rune gave him the power to breathe fire for real.
The Shy Youth
Hix was a lad from the Warrior's Village, who was never entirely thrilled about becoming a warrior. He mainly kept on his coming-of-age journey for the sake of Tengaar, who he cared deeply for, and who wanted him to succeed despite himself. He was generally a little mild-mannered and retiring, but danger to Tengaar got him fired up, more or less.
The Bold Girl
Where Hix was mild, Tengaar was forceful. The daughter of the chief of Warrior's Village, she had been in love with Hix for a while -- but since men from Warrior's Village have to complete their journey of manhood before they can get married, she was deterimined to help Hix succeed. She was, if anything, a stronger fighter and mage than him, and far more aggressive, though she needed his help to escape the vampire Neclord.
The Minor Leader
Varkas was the leader of the bandits of Mt. Seifu, who were rebelling against the corruption and crushingly high taxes of the Empire. McDohl's encounter with them was the first significant clue that not all was right in the Empire. Freed Yamamoto was a fencer and an assistant to the mayor of South Window. He joined the hero first to investigate a haunted village, and later to avenge the death of the mayor, who he deeply respected.
The Loyal Hench
Both Tenkoku Stars were 'seconds' to the Tenbou Stars. Sydonia was the slightly scary right-hand-man of Varkas, and second-in-command of the Mt. Seifu bandits. The two were rarely seen apart. Yoshino Yamamoto was Freed's wife, who both did laundry for the entire castle (she claimed to find it soothing) and took up a naginata in its defense when necessary.
Eileen was the wife of Lepant. Still a beauty, she tried to support her husband and keep control of their son, Sheena, but didn't always succeed. Lepant was prepared to leave her to spare her the pain of having a husband gone off to war, but she insisted he was being foolish, and joined the army herself. Chaco was a youth of the Winger tribe, people with bat wings. He didn't care much for non-Wingers at first, convinced none of them cared about Wingers at all, and made a living picking the pockets of visitors to the Winger district of Two Rivers City. Eventually, though, with some advice from his elders, he came around, and offered his help (and his arrogance) to the army.
The Other Strategist
Leon Silverburg was a great but largely amoral strategist, the uncle and teacher of Mathiu. He joined the Liberation Army, but sided with the Highland Army in Suikoden II. To him, winning was the only important matter, and the ethical considerations of war were secondary at best. Klaus was the son of General Kiba, and his second in military matters. He wasn't as great a general as his father, but had his own tactical skills.
The Sanguine Friend
Georges was a self-described idler, and an avid player of a concentration-style game, which was his main contribution to the army. A good person, but not a fighter. Gilbert was a mercenary leader and an old acquaintance of Viktor and Flik. He initially fought for the Highland Army, but was quick to switch sides when Flik confronted him about it.
The Artiste
Ivanov was a painter who had been hired by Milich. He joined the army, searching for the freedom to create his own art, and designed a mural of several of its greatest heroes after Milich was defeated. Tetsu was a designer and builder of hot baths, and a big advocate of being 'toasty-warm.' He built the baths at the army's headquarters, and upgraded them fairly regularly as the army grew stronger.
The Runemaster
Jeane was a runemistress, a woman with the power to embed runes in people and to remove them into rune crystals, and she set up a shop to perform this service for both armies. She was a very secretive and private woman, who never let her guard down, but for all that she didn't seem to have much of a personal agenda.
The Questing Martial Artist
Eikei and Wakaba were both martial artists of some skill. Eikei only respected strength, and was constantly searching for worthy opponents. Wakaba was still in training, but quite powerful for all that. She had become separated from her master, Long Chan Chan, and was on a quest to find him and resume her training. She was quite eager and friendly (perhaps 'genki' would be the best word), but easily frustrated, and prone to accidentally breaking things when she was upset.
The Aged Knight
If Maximillian could be summed up in two words, they would be 'Don Quixote.' An elderly knight whose best days were long behind him, he nevertheless joined both heroic armies on a quest for the glory and honor of his old days, when he was commander of the Maximillian Knights. A little out of touch with reality, he was nevertheless a bold and aggressive leader.
Sancho was Maximillian's squire, a short, pudgy fellow who somewhat lacked in courage. He stood by his master's side in the first war, but scrambled back for home before the second began. Genshu was a wandering swordsman, obsessed with the quality of weapons. He only deigned to join the hero after his weapons were sufficiently good, and was somewhat obsessed with Viktor's Star Dragon Sword.
The Bishounen Knight
In both games, the Chiki Star was one half of a duo of bishounen knights, who used the power of fire. Grenseal was a lieutenant to Teo McDohl, the hero's father, and joined the heroes as Teo's dying wish. Camus was a rough-mannered but cheerful Red Knight from the nation of Matilda, who stood up to Matilda's lord when he was willfully ignoring the crisis the nation was in. He resigned his knighthood in support of Miklotov.
The Other Bishounen Knight
The other half of the duo of bishounen knights, with an affinity for wind or thunder. Alan was Teo's other lieutenant, and joined as Grenseal did. Miklotov was a forthright and slightly tactless Blue Knight from Matilda, who resigned his commission when Lord Gorudo refused to come to the aid of Matilda's allies.
The Designer
Tesla the Scrivener was a master forger, who was needed to create counterfeit orders that would allow the heroes to infiltrate a prison and free one of their allies. While he was hiding under a pseudonym, Viktor tricked him into revealing himself. Jude was a sculptor, who set out to sculpt a Guardian Deity for the main hall of the army's castle. On its completion, the Guardian Deity bestowed a valuable item upon the army.
Jabba and Lebrante were both appraisers of antiques, and opened shops in their respective castles to do so. Jabba was arrogant in his ability to appraise anything, until McDohl brought him a Nameless Urn he couldn't identify. Humbled, he joined up. Lebrante was easier to satisfy, and joined in exchange for a Celadon Urn, which completed his huge collection.
The Ruin Chaser
Lorelai was an archer and an explorer of the Sindar Ruins. This gave her numerous rivals, including Killey. She was willing to help out, especially if it let her keep an eye on a rival, but she always had a thought towards her next exploratory mission.
The Farmer
Blackman and Tony were both farmers. They set up gardens in the castles, and provided the bulk of the food for their armies. Tony also planted new seeds the hero found in his journeys, which allowed the castle restaurant to serve more and different dishes.
The Independent Commander
Joshua was the commander of the Dragon Knights, an order that raised flying dragons as mounts. Their secret was Joshua's True Rune, the Dragon Rune, which allowed dragons to exist in this world, and gave him control over them. His subordinates were Futch and Milia. Gijimu was the leader of the Lampdragon Bandits, commanding Koyu and Lo Wen. While a bandit to the core, he mostly went after rich merchants, and joined the army when Koyu explained the necessity.
Morgan was a monk, blind from birth, who was nevertheless a surprisingly good fighter. He was easily persuaded to leave the Temple of Qlon and join the army. Rikimaru was a swordsman best known for his bottomless appetite and his general inability to pay for his food. He joined the army in gratitude for the hero feeding him and paying off his tab.
Mose was a blacksmith and longtime member of the Liberation Army, who had worked on the Fire Spears. He sharpened and improved the army's weapons. Gantetsu was a priest in a vaguely Buddhist, vaguely Yakuza style who had been excommunicated for his violent tendencies. He only joined the army when the hero's group together could match his strength -- not an easy task.
The Vain Beauty
Esmerelda was a young woman who was fond of opals. When McDohl first met her, she jumped to the conclusion that he wanted to kidnap her due to her beauty, and decided she'd let herself be kidnapped in exchange for an opal. When McDohl bemusedly gave her one, she joined the army, after which she did absolutely nothing. Simone, like Vincent was a foppish former noble with an excessivley dainty style. He threw roses as his weapon, and was actually better in battle than one might think from his attitude. He joined when the hero found the Rose Brooch he had recieved as a gift from Vincent but subsequently lost.
The Soundmaster
The sound effect masters. Both of them could change the beeps and other cursor sounds of the game if you gave them new Sound Sets. Melodye needed a Sound Crystal to get started on her career, while Connell, an experienced crystallographer, already had one.
The Armorer
The armorers. Both Chapman and Hans opened armor stores in their castles, and sold any armor from any armor stores the heroes had visited.
The Great Doctor
Liukan and Huan were both excellent doctors. Liukan was a healer who had been imprisoned by Milich; when rescued, he joined the army and provided an antidote to Milich's giant poison roses. Huan was one of Liukan's students, and provided constant medical care to the army. He was party to a plan to help Nanami, escape the horrors of war.
Fukien was head monk at the Temple of Qlon, and explained the concept of the Stars of Destiny to McDohl. Tuta was a young boy apprenticed to Huan, who was generally employed running errands.
Futch was a young Dragon Knight, bonded to a dragon named Black. He retrieved the Black Dragon Orchid that helped cure a disease the other dragons were suffering from, but Black died in the process. After much mourning, he set out to explore with Humphrey, and eventually found a wild dragon hatchling, which he named Bright.
The Innocent Girl
Kasumi was a young ninja scout who came to warn McDohl of his father's attack, and stayed because she had fallen for McDohl. She eventually became vice-chancellor of the ninja village of Rokkaku, but was willing to set out on adventure again when it became necessary. Tomo was the daughter of Tsai, who taught her to wield a spear. She often tried to get her parents back together.
Maas was a blacksmith, who could sharpen weapons (though not to any great degree). Badeaux was a beastmaster, a man of the wilderness who communicated with animals through his Listening Crystals. Each could make an animal's speech intelligible, but only once. He wasn't too great at human interactions, but was always kind to animals.
The Grand Archmage
Crowley and Mazus were ancient wizards with great runic power. They were rivals from way back, and once duelled on a mountaintop. The duel lasted for a week, and the mountain didn't suvive. Neither would join up until the army was nearly complete.
The Ninja
Fuma and Mondo were both ninja. Fuma was found by McDohl while practicing his invisibility technique... it wasn't a very good technique. Mondo joined at the bidding of Rokakku's elders, and was constantly practicing his skills in the oddest of places.
Moose was the blacksmith of the Warrior's Village, and would only join if his fellow students Maas, Meese, and Mose convinced him to. Sasuke was a young ninja with something of a small crush on Kasumi. He joined at the behest of Rokkaku's elders.
Meese was yet another blacksmith, who worked in the Dwarven Village. Leona was a barkeeper who was also an ally of Viktor and Flik's mercenary group. She opened a bar in the castle, and kept track of everyone's location -- she was the one you talked to to change party members.
The Great Inventor
Sergei and Adlai were the inventors of the elevator. Each was known for unusual experiments, and each came up with the idea of a small room which moved between floors. (Adlai's was powered by four large men turning a crank, while Sergei's design remains a secret.) They installed their elevators in their respective castles. Sergei was a fairly level-headed guy who could defend himself with his wrench, but Adlai was more of a temperamental sort, cranky and absent-minded, and prone to testing inventions on the battlefield that were a danger to friend and foe alike.
The Lady Writer
Kimberly was a counterfeiter with an eye for the men. She only joined on the condition that she got a romantic dinner with Flik, and eventually elbowed her way into marrying Tai Ho. Raura was a scroll-maker -- she could turn rune crystals into vellum scrolls that could release great powers, but only once. She knew Jeane well, and seemed to have some rivalry with her, but she never revealed why. Her sense of direction was rather pathetic.
The Boy Flirt
Lepant's son Sheena was a bit of a spoiled brat. He was quite the womanizer, though most of the women involved didn't appreciate his attentions, and was brought into both conflicts by his father, who hoped to give him some discipline. It didn't work.
Kessler was the leader of a band of thieves on Mount Tigerwolf, and an ally of the Liberation Army from the start. Ledon was his chief henchman. Kinnison was a hunter who lived in the forest with only Shiro at his side. He was a bit shy from his isolation, but a good archer.
Marco ran a shell game -- the kind where customers had to guess which cup a coin would be under. This was the main service he brought to the army, as he paid any winnings out of his own pocket. Shiro was a white dog-wolf hybrid who accompanied Kinnison everywhere. Rather smart for a dog, he also enjoyed the company of kobolds.
The Boatsman
Gen and Amada both provided the heroes with boats. Gen was a shipwright, who helped build a boat that could bypass some rapids that were blocking their way. Amada was a sailor who loaned his boat out to the heroes after he was beaten in a friendly duel.
The Librarian
Hugo and Emilia were both librarians, who constructed libraries in the castles and stored and indexed rare books that the heroes brought them. Hugo formerly worked at the Temple of Qlon, but he joined McDohl in gratitude for the return of the 'War Scroll' (which he had lost). Emilia worked at the Newleaf Academy in Greenhill, and joined to help the hero rescue Teresa, who was in trouble at the time.
The Unique Mage
Both Chisyu stars were mages, though of different power levels. Hellion was an elderly woman who provided McDohl with the Blinking Mirror, a hand-held mirror that could teleport the party back to the larger standing mirror in the castle. Zamza was an egotistical fire mage of only moderate skill, who cared more about his pride and vanity than about actually helping much. His Fire Dragon rune, believed to be one of a kind, did decent damage, but also hurt him with each use.
The Dancer
Surprisingly enough, each of the heroic armies had a dancer in its mix. Even more surprisingly, both were decent fighters. Mina was the incredibly popular dancer at Antei, while Karen was a student of hers, shy at first, but wild while dancing or fighting. Both would only join if the hero danced with them first.
The Lady Lieutenant
Milia was a Dragon Knight, second in command to Joshua, and fought in the air cavalry alongside him. Lo Wen was a member of the Lampdragon Bandits, under Gijimu. She had been run out of Two Rivers for embezzlement, and dreamed of opening a diner someday -- an odd dream for a rough-and-tumble girl like her.
Kamandol, an inventor, was a long-time neighbor of Gen, though the two of them didn't exactly get along well. He developed an engine that powered the boat Gen built to get the heroes past the rapids. Tenkou was a window-maker, who changed the appearance of the text windows in the game based on which Window Sets you gave him.
The Clockwork Trickster
Both Chisyun Stars had close ties to Meg. Juppo, her uncle, was a trickster and gadgeteer who you met in Lepant's mansion. He disabled the elaborate mechanical traps that protected it. Gadget was a robot built out of a wooden barrel by Juppo as a companion for Meg. Somewhat intelligent, it felt very put-upon by Meg's attentions and tinkering sometimes, and hid from her by pretending to be an ordinary barrel.
The Singer
Kasios and Annallee were both singers, of great skill. They could both play any background music from the game for the player, and Annallee frequently performed at the castle's theater. Kasios was a rather vain man who once worked for Milich, while Annallee was a shy, poverty-stricken girl with a beautiful voice who had been reduced to singing for her supper in the streets. She had been separated from her two companions, Pico and Alberto, but was eventually reunited with them. Her singing could occasionally inspire soldiers on the battlefield.
The Teleporter
Viki was the team teleporter. She could teleport the party to any town the hero had already been to -- most of the time. She tended to be a bit dazed and confused, though, and occasionally teleported her victims to a random spot in the world. She is said to be from a far-off part of the world, and to have ended up with the armies by accident. (Another failed teleportation.) After each game, she botches a teleport (in one case after too much champagne) and vanishes without a trace...
Rubi was an elvish archer and a rival to Kirkis. He only joined when Kirkis had grown up some, and could talk him into it. Koyu was a Lampdragon Bandit, under Gijimu. He was young and a little idealistic, and enlisted the help of the heroes when Neclord was raising trouble in the area.
The Grand Fop
Vincent de Boule claimed to be a former noble, now wandering the world to find those in need of help. The truth of this is undetermined. However, he was verifiably a dainty fop, with excessively delicate manners and a propensity for taking tea in the gardens with his dear friends -- and also for trying to skip out on bills when the waiter wouldn't accept his noble gratitude as payment enough. He could handle a sword, but was nothing special with it.
The Pushy Girl
Meg, an impulsive young girl, was learning the art of gadgetry from her uncle Juppo, and practiced what she had learned on his robot Gadget. Forward and energetic, she elbowed her way into the army no matter what anyone else thought of it.
Taggart was a servant to Warren, who came to tell the heroes of the trouble his master was in. Mukumuku was... a giant flying squirrel. Who wore a red cape, and said nothing but 'Muu.' He was the leader of a small tribe of similar squirrels, who could be recruited but did not count as part of the 108 Stars of Destiny.
Giovanni was Lepant's doorman and butler. He ended up employed by the army in a reconnaisance capacity, infiltrating the enemy camp to steal plans or gold, though he always complained about this. Marlowe was a tutor in Tinto who joined to write the chronicles of the war.
The Pragmatist
Quincy was a hunter, who wanted to be on the winning side of the war, and thus only joined when the Liberation Army was large enough to be pretty much certain to win. Richmond was a private investigator, who was a little mercenary, but with a sense of humor. He loved to bet on flips of a rigged coin, but admitted it with good grace when called on it. He investigated the backgrounds of members of the army, and possible whereabouts of new recruits -- for a fee, of course. He is said to have kept a kitten in his trenchcoat.
The Reluctant Strategist
Apple was a student of Mathiu in the arts of strategy. Young and a little innocent, she disliked the people who got her beloved teacher involved in wars he didn't want to fight again. While she never grew to like war, she participated out of a sense of compassion and duty. Her imperfect strategy skills were a source of constant frustration and self-doubt.
The Noted Sensei
Both Chihi Stars were skilled martial arts instructors, who had powerful combination attacks with their students. Kai was a wandering elderly fighter who taught McDohl how to use a staff before wandering on. He later rejoined McDohl in the Liberation Army, impressed with how far his student had come. Long Chan Chan was the creator of the Dragon Style of martial arts, which he taught to Wakaba. He was an extremely mighty martial artist, and a good teacher, but had a bad habit of running out on his bills.
A Girl and her Pet
Both Chiku Stars were girls who cared about their pets very much, and whose pets you had to find before you could recruit them. Lotte, a powerful mage with an Earth Rune, had lost her cat Mina (which had somehow made its way to another town in another province entirely). Millie owned a rather freakish eight-eyed groundhog named Bonaparte, which she controlled with her Groundhog Rune. It had run off and become vicious when she first met the heroes, but calmed down after being beaten. It could grow to enormous size and chew on the enemies once per battle, and outside of battle Millie sometimes made it grow so she could sleep in its mouth.
The Blacksmith
Mace and Tessai were the top blacksmiths of their armies. Mace, an elderly man, had trained the four other blacksmiths that joined the army (Maas, Moose, Mose, and Meese), then retired in a distant valley. His apprentices cajoled him out of retirement, and he was the only one who could bring the army's weapons to their maximum potential. Tessai dreamed of one day tempering a legendary weapon, and his dream came true when Viktor brought him the Star Dragon Sword. He joined the army just so he could have a chance to work with it. With the proper hammers, he too could bring weapons to their strongest.
The Gossip
The gossips. Onil and Granny Taki both were always willing to spread their latest bit of knowledge -- which, often, was what you had already been told to do next. They were handy reminders, but not much of anything else.
The Great Kobold Captain!
Both Kuromimi and Gengen were proud, brave, and noble Kobolds. Neither was particularly well-spoken, and outsiders might see them as more than a bit scruffy and mongrel-like, but their bravery was beyond reproach.
The Starry-Eyed Kobold Sidekick!
Gon and Gabocha were younger relations of Kuromimi and Gengen, respectively. Each was eager to join up with their older relative to prove they could be every bit the Kobold hero their idol was. Together, each pair of Kobolds could do a combined attack that sometimes summoned a whole platoon of Kobolds to stomp the enemy.
The Supplier of Food
Both of these stars had something to do with cookery. Antonio was the head chef for the Liberation Army, called upon when it was realized the army needed someone to cook for it. Yuzu was a very young girl who had inherited her grandfather's farm. She took care of the animals for the army, and was cheerfully unattached to them -- aside from her favorite sheep Taro, the animals were branded with names such as 'hamburger' or 'pork chops.'
The Master Chef
Both Lester and Hai Yo were skilled chefs. Lester was an expert at stews, and joined some time after Antonio when he found McDohl had been tasting his stews in the village where he lived. Hai Yo (also known as Seiryu) was on the run from the Black Dragon Clan, a secret society of master chefs, though he had once been one of its four greatest chefs. He loved Shun Min, the daughter of the clan's leader, and agreed with her that the clan was corrupt. They tried to escape with a secret recipe that could bring forcible happiness, which the clan planned to use for its own ends, but Shun Min died in the attempt. Hai Yo joined the army to hide, but was eventually caught and challenged by the Black Dragon chefs in a series of Iron Chef-like battles...
The Bringer of Death
Kirke was a headsman, a grim executioner who was puzzled as to why McDohl wanted his help. He was a decent fighter with his axe, in the end. Kahn was a vampire hunter, descendent of a long line of vampire hunters. He devoted his life to learning how to defeat Neclord, the vampire who set his family on this course. He wasn't opposed to teaming up with Sierra to do it, especially as she was a rather unconventional vampire with many of the same goals.
The Storehouse Quartermaster
The storehouse keepers, Rock and Barbara held onto excess items for the heroes, and generally kept the stockpiles and supplies for the armies in decent order. Not the most dramatic of jobs, but their mastery of logistics was a backbone for their armies.
Ledon was a petty bandit who ran a small inn on Mount Tigerwolf. He offered travellers tea drugged with knockout potions, and then robbed them of everything of value. He tried this trick on Odessa and her party once, only to be scolded by Kessler, his boss, as they were supposed to be Odessa's allies. Sid was an incredibly morbid Winger, with a sick sense of humor. He was fond of 'playing' with Chaco, in the sense of 'scaring him half to death,' but always had spare time to make graves for the fish he ate, or tell terrifying stories to the local kids.
The True Love
Sylvina and Shin were both defined by their romantic relationships with another character. Sylvina, an elf, loved Kirkis, but couldn't understand why he cared about humans so much. After their village was burned, though, she reconciled with Kirkis and agreed to marry him and lend her bow to the Liberation Army's effort. Shin was the bodyguard of Teresa, and seemed to be in love with her, but the two were both stubborn enough as to never really admit it.
The Giant Woman
Ronnie Bell and Oulan were both big, strong women. Ronnie Bell was often called 'giant woman,' due to her height and strength, but hated the name. She worked at the Liberation Army's secret factory from the beginning, and helped prepare the Fire Spears. Oulan was a bodyguard who was first found defeating a group of thugs who preyed on women. This may be one reason her fan club was all-female.
The Gambler
The gamblers. Both Gaspar and Shilo set up games of Chinchirorin, a dice game, in the castle, and took on all comers at their own expense. They could be useful sources of money, if the hero's luck held.
Window was a young man from the Warrior's Village with no interest in fighting. He preferred windowmaking, and once he was given a Window Rune, he joined the Liberation Army to handle their windows. Alex, the husband of Hilda, was obsessed with the secrets of the Sindar, and was constantly trying to explore their ruins for treasure. When Hilda had a brush with death, though, he came to realize what was truly important. Later, he came to run the item shop in the army's castle.
The Innkeeper
The innkeepers. Both Marie and Hilda ran inns that eventually had to close for various reasons, but opened new ones in the heroes' castles. At these rest stops, the heroes could get a good night's sleep, or save the game.
Zen was a gardener, fond of flowers. After planting the seeds McDohl brought him at the Qlon Temple, he joined up to take care of the flowers in the castle. Bob was a werewolf, from the Lycanthropes' Village. His village was burned down, and he might be the only survivor. His natural form was a wolfman, but his Rabid Fang rune let him stay in human form.
Sarah was a washerwoman who agreed to join in exchange for some soap. The hunt for soap sent McDohl all across the city, trading a long chain of things to finally end up with soap, only to find out Sarah didn't need it after all. Ayda was a protector of the woodlands, who lived alone in the forest. She joined when the heroes helped Feather, a griffon in danger.
Sansuke was a maker of baths, who set up the bathhouse in the Liberation Army's castle. Pico was a musician backing up Annallee. He was a bit of a Don Juan, breaking the hearts of women across the country, but saw Annallee differently -- she was more like a sister.
Qlon was a young boy who specialized in announcing the names of towns to visitors. He was frustrated with Milich changing the names of the local towns to unpronouncable French phrases, and joined the Liberation Army out of gratitude when they beat him. Alberto was another backup musician for Annallee. He apprenticed to an armor maker for a while, but dropped that to rejoin Annallee when he heard of her whereabouts.
The Wandering Cartographer
Templeton was a boy determined to map the entire world, or as much of it as he could reach. He was frustrated by war, because the destruction of towns and fortresses meant his maps were perpetually going out of date, and joined the heroes' armies so they could stop the war as soon as possible. He provided them with the Suiko Map, a magic map that showed its holder's precise location.
The Clumsy Crook
Krin and Hoi were both very poor thieves. Krin, a perpetually- grinning hunchback, occasionaly had a good idea, but never quite got into a situation to use it properly. (He was foiled by bad luck when he tried the same tea trick on the heroes that Ledon had used earlier.) Hoi tried to impersonate the hero, dressing like him and using mock versions of his tonfa, but the charade was made more difficult by the fact that he was a portly, unwashed fool. He scammed villagers and picked pockets, but eventually was caught by the hero, and both were beaten up by the townsfolk who'd caught on (the hero was assumed to be an accomplice). He joined the army, but didn't mend his ways...
The Goods Merchant
Chandler was an item merchant, who gathered medicine and miscellaneous items from every town the Liberation Army had been to so he could sell them in the castle. Gordon ran a trading post, where goods were bought, sold, and traded, for the express purpose of doing the same at other trading posts and hopefully turning a profit.