Roy

Roy (ロイ, Roi) is a supporting character in Suikoden V. Roy is an orphan from the streets of Rainwall, working with his friends Faylen and Faylon and bearing an uncanny resemblance to the Prince.

Childhood and Revenge
Roy was a petty thief operating in Rainwall with his friends, Faylen and Faylon. Roy was told during his childhood that he bore an uncanny resemblance to the Prince of Falena. This angered Roy, who wondered why, if they looked so similar, he had grown up a pauper, and his counterpart a Prince. Euram Barows, seeking to smear the Prince's name after his family had been embarrassed when it was revealed that they had stolen the Dawn Rune, took note of Roy's facial features and offered him a job: to dress up as the Prince and rob the citizens in Sable, a town that supported the Prince. Roy, eager to not only steal massive amounts of loot but also tarnish his doppelganger's name in the process, eagerly agreed.

Soon after Roy began stealing from the citizens of Sable, rumours began to spring up about the "Bandit Prince". Using a wig and a copy of the Prince's outfit, many within Sable who saw Roy began to believe that their Prince had indeed turned into a bandit. Even Boz Wilde and Dinn could hardly believe their eyes upon seeing the sudden likeness. Boz even cried out the Prince's name, asking what he was doing, upon seeing Roy; this gave the rumours spreading throughout Sable even more legitimacy, and soon the majority of the town shifted opinion on the Prince.

Eventually the Prince himself traveled to Sable in the hopes that if he were to catch his impostor, the people of Sable would realize that he was not a bandit after all. The group eventually cornered Roy at the top of Ranro Mountain. Confronted, Roy claimed he had done it all for fun, noting that he had enjoyed embarrassing the Prince, whose pampered life Roy felt the prince did not deserve. Incensed by Lyon's declaration that he was acting childishly and that the Prince was far more worthy of his life than Roy would ever be, Roy challenged the Prince to a duel, stating that if he lost, Roy would do what he wished, but should Roy prove the victor, he would take over the position of Prince.

Imposter Uncovered
After a long battle, however, Roy found himself bested by the Prince in combat. Agreeing to uphold his end of the conditions, Roy claimed he was ready for whatever the Prince and his army may do to him. However, Faylen and Faylon rushed into the room before the Prince could come to any decision, stating that Roy had been put up to the act and that they still had everything they had stolen from the people of Sable. Roy rebuked them for their offer, saying that the Prince's bodyguard, Lyon, had been right: he had done it because he had wanted to, not because he was coerced.

However, upon hearing that Roy had been put up to the idea, Sialeeds realized that the one behind the scheme was none other than Euram Barows himself. Sialeeds would set up a trap, using the thieves as bait to draw Euram out. Disguised along with Lyon and with the help of Dinn, Sialeeds pretended to be attacked by the Prince, Faylen, and Faylon. Euram, unable to resist the opportunity to play the hero, attempted to come to their rescue. Euram challenged the Prince to a battle only to be defeated. Sialeeds called out Roy to meet the crowd who had gathered to watch the fight between Euram and the Prince as Euram rebuked the Prince for not sticking to the script he had given him. Suddenly aware of the two princes, the crowd quickly realized Euram had orchestrated the entire plot. An angry mob of citizens ran Euram out of town, restoring the people of Sable's loyalty to the Prince and the Imperial City Recapture Army.

The Prince's Double
Sialeeds noted how Roy's looks would make him a good body double for the Prince, and bound by his promise over the duel, Roy would agree to join the Imperial City Recapture Army as the Prince's double.

During the Sun Rune War, Roy served a valuable part in many of the campaigns conducted during the war. During the New Queen's Campaign, Roy served as the first of three groups in the effort to rescue Princess Lymsleia; his troop attacked Alenia's, distracting her. Later during the war, when the Recapture Army was forced to retreat from their Ceras Lake headquarters, he moved to Raftfleet in his princely costume, the Godwin Faction was fooled into thinking that the Prince had relocated to the floating town rather than the Dwarf Camp.

Just as he was able to sow confusion amongst the Recapture Army's enemies, Roy's looks could also cause much confusion among his allies. He attempted to impersonate the Prince in the baths and trick Miakis and Lyon; he was forced quickly to retreat after Miakis threatened to alter his body in order for him to properly belong on the girl's side of the bath. Many members of the Recapture Army were confused by his pranks, including Moroon, who Roy insulted while wearing his costume, and Linfa, whose game Roy lost at while pretending to be the Prince. Oboro was so freaked out by Roy's similarity to the prince that he even investigated whether they were somehow related; however, it turned out merely to be a freak coincidence the two resembled each other so strongly.

From Impersonator to Thespian
Following the end of the war, Roy decided to pool his talents for convincing people into a new career - this time as an actor. He headed to the north, where it is said he joined a theatre troop. After some gruelling training, his work paid off, and Roy became a star.