. . . . "Pikridios Goudeles was a member of the bureaucratic faction of the Empire of Videssos. When first encountered he is head of an embassy sent by Vardanes Sphrantzes to attempt to placate Thorisin Gavras during their civil war. He has authority and prestige among the city's bureaucrats. He uses a bookkeeping trick to embezzle the funds for a flashy ring under Scaurus' nose when the latter is appointed to oversee the bureaucracy, and then explains the trick to Scaurus (who later catches another bureaucrat attempting to use it). He is chosen by Thorisin Gavras as emissary to Arghun, Khagan of the Gray Horse Arshaum clan, and learns the rudiments of swordplay from Lankinos Skylitzes. Upon arrival in Pardraya his skill in diplomacy and rhetoric help the embassy more than once, and he is able to convince Arghun to ally with Videssos rather than Yezd, causing Bogoraz, the Yezda envoy, to attempt to poison the Khagan. Goudeles participates in the Arshaum campaign against the Yezda, and fights in the final battle against Avshar (to his pride). Later he is a member of Marcus Scaurus' wedding party. Goudeles had a wife in Videssos the city and a mistress. He was a capable logothete and a courageous man, intelligent and charismatic. He was tolerant in matters of religion, but culturally elitist, disdaining the \"barbarian\" ways of living he encountered on the Pardrayan steppe."@en . . . "Pikridios Goudeles"@en . . "Bureaucrat, Ambassador"@en . "Pikridios Goudeles was a member of the bureaucratic faction of the Empire of Videssos. When first encountered he is head of an embassy sent by Vardanes Sphrantzes to attempt to placate Thorisin Gavras during their civil war. He has authority and prestige among the city's bureaucrats. He uses a bookkeeping trick to embezzle the funds for a flashy ring under Scaurus' nose when the latter is appointed to oversee the bureaucracy, and then explains the trick to Scaurus (who later catches another bureaucrat attempting to use it)."@en . . "Direct"@en . "Pikridios Goudeles"@en .