Alex

Alex is a student at the Archon in the Mürekkep ve Çelik ("Ink and Steel") campaign. He comes from White City, wears a plain robe, has short brown hair and a light beard, and studies writing, languages and history. He had long been a member of the Golden Arrow before he first stood for its presidency.¹

The election

In his speech Alex said the club had lost its worth in recent years, provoking an outcry. He reminded the members that grandmasters and coloured masters had come from its ranks, called it against the spirit of magecraft to research without ever leaving the Archon, and promised members across the Empire, a search for undiscovered talent in the countryside and more journeys abroad. He then withdrew in favour of Mamor von Edart; Mamor said Alex had told him he could not win and had been moved by Mamor's speech.^{2 3 4 5}

At Castor's suggestion Mamor brought Alex to help lead the boycott against the witch hunters. Alex agreed to speak with the younger students he knew. He said he had met witch hunters often and that, without a protecting family name like Mamor's, he expected them to come for him. Castor, working in secret for Nocklin, suspected one or both of the two young men of serving Polus, and proposed that both be watched.^{6 7 8 9 10}

Friendship with Castor

After Castor's release from the witch hunters, Alex took him to the Archon's countryside where students picnic, with cheese and wine. Whatever Castor had done for the Empire, he said, what had been done to him was unjust; he wanted a world without witch hunters and was ready to pay the price. Some students, he said, thought what certain people did in dark corners was sin and treason, but others did not; he himself would call that person "the Wise". He criticised the influence of priests and hunters and called the decisions of Emperor Conrad the Conqueror harmful to the land. Nobility and knighthood, he said, came by birth, but children of every origin came to the Archon for their minds, and mages should be heard more.^{11 12 13 14 15}

On a walk to the Archon's green flying garden, Alex set a book about immortal mages on the grass and quickly gathered it up again. He also had a library book like a history of the Archon's misty past, which he said had lain under his bed for two months, though this was a well-told lie. He returned it and paid the fine for lateness. Castor showed him his own rare book on the immortal mages.^{16 17 18}

Alex asked why Castor had held back Yotun from striking a witch hunter. Castor answered that rash violence would bring arrests and squander the legitimacy won by the killing of Follos, and Alex agreed.¹⁹

The Skydock gathering

Alex told Castor of a group outside the Golden Arrow whose like-minded members met now and then to talk of what to do and how to protect themselves, and invited him to its meeting by the griffon cages, masked, promising to keep his secret if he did not come.^{20 21}

The masked guests, more than expected, uncovered their faces: among them were Alex, the student Chris, the former Golden Arrow president Ulrich and several assistant teachers. A pigeon turned into Blue, the council member of the school of enchantment, who spoke for the Sinner's cause. When Castor stepped back after the speech, he walked beside an excited Alex.^{22 23 24}