The main character in Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is Ike. He is the son of Greil, leader of the Greil Mercenaries, and begins the story as a young mercenary rather than a prince or king.
Ike becomes involved in Crimea’s war after the neighboring kingdom of Daein invades. Following a personal tragedy involving his father, Ike takes leadership of the mercenaries and works alongside Princess Elincia, the displaced heir to Crimea. His journey combines military conflict, royal politics, and tensions between the human Beorc and the shape-shifting Laguz.
A common mix-up is choosing Marth, who is the protagonist of the original Fire Emblem and several related games, or Hector, who is a major lord in Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade. Ephraim is one of the principal protagonists of Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. Ike later appears prominently in Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn and as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros.