Voilas

Voilas was a potter in Skopentzana during the reign of Maleinos II. When a civil war broke out between Maleinos and his grand domestikos Stylianos, Voilas joined the city militia formed by Toxaras and became his deputy.

After wandering Khamorth tribesmen crossed the border at Midwinter's Day, peasants from the surrounding countryside fled their farms and came to the city for refuge. Voilas agreed with Toxaras that they weakened the city defences and should be forced out but did not act on this when the prelate Rhavas denounced such actions as anathematic.

A few weeks after Toxaras confronted Rhavas on the walls of the city, showing the prelate the tribesmen had arrived and lay siege to the city, an awful accident occurred. Toxaras slipped on an icy step leading up to the top of the walls and fell to his death. Voilas went to Rhavas' residence and urgently asked him to accompany him to the wall. When he did so, Voilas showed him Toxaras' corpse and stated that it was Rhavas' fault since he had cursed him causing him to fall to his death. Rhavas was sceptical, stating that men often curse one another without effect and that Toxaras had climbed those steps many times after their exchange without ill effect.

Voilas was doubtful of this and when one of the other militiamen asked Rhavas to curse the Khamorth, he made the same request. However, Rhavas replied that he would continue to pray to Phos for the city's safety and not issue useless curses. Voilas and the other militiamen thought this wasn't good enough, that only a curse by a holy man in Phos' name would do but held their peace from fear of angering Rhavas.