All real people as much as possible, with some "composite" renderings of incidental characters where needed to reduce clutter. Sticking as close as possible to "factual" accounts while making some sacrifices for the sake of drama. But nothing that is gratuitously or blatantly historically inaccurate. If it *could* have happened, it's free game though. Planning on four seasons, which would roughly be 88 hours of television - should be enough time to cover lots of good stories. Nothing if not ambitious.