Seleucus

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Seleucus is the name of an albino wizard of evil repute. In the Spring of 1198, Sandre went looking for an albino wizard who had been seen prowling around the covenant of Stranggore the previous year. See the story, Trail of the White Wizard.

Background

The magi of Stranggore suspect that Seleucus is actually Argus's former apprentice, Stephen, who mysteriously lost his Gift c. 1165, over 30 years earlier.

Stephen was Argus's third and final apprentice. He was a proud and headstrong boy, difficult to train. At some point seven or eight years into his apprenticeship he began secret magical experiments to investigate and then manipulate the nature of his own Gift. Sandre found the notebooks of these clandestine experiments.

A few weeks after Stephen lost his Gift, he fled the covenant alone and without money. Few covenfolk of Stranggore remember him: Junior is one, and Brian the Mad another. Of course, the senior magi also remember him well.

Investigation

The covenant's contacts have revealed than an albino wizard travels down the Fosse Way from Bath (or points north) to Stranggore every year, usually during Lent (so, spring) -- though he seems to have skipped 1197.

In Bath, the albino is known commonly as the White Wizard, or less commonly as Seleucus. He has dealings with several prominent citizens of Bath: a master tailor, a wealthy wine merchant, and similar persons of wealth and influence. They seem to know him and dread his coming. Servants whisper that when the White Wizard comes to town, the wealthy try to avoid him, but if he should arrive unheralded then he gets immediate and private audience with even the most important men of the city. Servants whisper that the White Wizard has put a spell over their masters.

Accusation

Seleucus is accused of murdering the hedge wizard and soothsayer Orvyn of Whitby in a diabolic ritual. This accusation comes from the remains of Orvyn himself, by means of Whispers Through the Black Gate. Orvyn claims that Seleucus was trying to steal his magical power.

Stories