Let him run and watch how far he comes.

Circe (humanoid design)

My first idea was making him his son but that is the one thing I can't do because Eurymachus gets introduced in the Odyssey in the same breath as mentioning his father Polybus. But any other kind of relative is not out of question, since Polites' family tree is totally blank (as far as I know)

Eurymachus claims (in the original Odyssey) that Odysseus held him on his knees and fed him pieces of meat when he was a child. That would fit wonderfully with him being related to someone who's close to the king.

And it would be even more painful when he tries to use the "open arms" phase to appeal to Odysseus and gets killed anyway.

(Of course I headcanon that Eurymachus was a two faced bitch who only did that to save himself (and possibly even to get another try at killing Odysseus once he lowered his bow & got close) <3 no sincerity behind his open arms)

The storm caused by Poseidon was... permanent? A permanent area effect?

It's one thing to say Odysseus' path is blocked by a storm whenever he tries to sail home, but the Vengeance Saga pretty much implied with "no mortal can pass through" that the storm was ALWAYS around Ithaca, no matter if Odysseus was nearby or not.

That means for the ~8-10 years that it took Odysseus to get there after the incident with Polyphemus, there was a constant storm that cut off Ithaca from the rest of the world.

(unless the storm lets everyone pass except Odysseus)

(but if it really stops every mortal...)

If that's true, then it's no wonder the situation with the suitors spiralled out of control. There was literally no way for anyone from outside to check on them. None of Odysseus' friends and allies could have reached them and protect Penelope and Telemachus.

Remember how Athena gave Telemachus the strength to fight Antinous in Little Wolf, at least for a little while?

Now think back to how Athena got struck down by Zeus in God Games and was almost thought of as dead by everyone else until she mustered up the strength to get up again........by thinking of Telemachus.