Xadreque Machado

Xadreque Machado is a rogue Technocracy mage who secretly corresponded with Cornelius Balt for over four years.

In his initial letter to Balt, Machado indicates he has dwelt in a Horizon realm for over four hundred years, and signs his letter (in Portuguese) as "Xadreque Machado, High Illuminator, Order of Reason." Harlan Gandt of Iteration X suggests that Machado was a member of their early forerunner, the Artificers, dwelling in Autochthonia. Machado indicates that he has grown disillusioned with the Technocracy's brutality, and asks for Balt's help disseminating information to the Sleepers.

Machado and Balt carried on their correspondence until the Week of Nightmares in 1999. In Machado's last letter, he warned Balt that he would soon be targeted by Technocracy assassins and indicated they should rendezvous somewhere in the Umbra. Machado's ultimate fate is unknown, as the Avatar Storm cut off Autochthonia and the other Horizon Realms from Earth. A partial record of his correspondence with Balt was recovered by the Technocracy and decrypted by Iteration X.