Gawain Alexander

Gawain Alexander bani Flambeau is a Hermetic mage and a military veteran. In January 2003, his cabal-mate Dr. Marcus Jackson received a message from the Rogue Council warning about a threat arising in Etruria. Alexander and his apprentice, Jezebel Lee, flew to Italy in early February to investigate.

Alexander and Lee infiltrated an archaeological dig lead by Dr. Massimo Pallottino, an Awakened mage, and Dr. Lucrezia della Passaglia, a Giovanni necromancer (with whom Alexander grew "chummy"). The dig uncovered a tomb dating back to the fourth century BCE, sealed with symbols that resembled Hermetic magic. Alexander thought he had persuaded Pallottino and della Passaglia to delay opening the tomb until the following Monday, but during the night both archaeologists entered the tomb and released Larth, an Awakened Etruscan liche.

Alexander and Lee followed Pallottino and his apprentice to the tomb and were just in time to see both killed by Larth. The liche reacted with rage when he saw Jezebel's Seal of Solomon, believing the Hermetics to have a connection to the Cult of Mercury that originally entombed him. Alexander shot the liche several times, the combination of Forces magic and .50 hollow-point rounds badly damaging him, and Lee managed to force Larth through a portal into the Dark Umbra.

While recovering from the Paradox backlash back at their hotel, Alexander dictated to Lee some final comments meant for Jackson, noting that the Rogue Council's advice had been wise: Jackson, a Euthanatos mage like Pallottino, would've been hopelessly outclassed by Larth, but the liche was vulnerable to the spheres of Forces and Spirit which were Alexander's and Lee's respective specialties. Still, he mused, the Rogue Council could've given them more information, since if he'd known they were dealing with a liche he might've been able to save the archaeologists.

A short time after composing this note, Alexander was abducted from the hotel by agents of the Panopticon, who also took several scrolls from Larth's tomb. His final fate is unknown.