The Sorcerer: Character Profiles

BALTHESAR
One of the three Magi who traveled to the birth of Christ. He is also Maggie Cameron's houseguest, where he talks with Joe Surrey.

BIG BOB
One of the ghosts in Omar's care. A large black man, sweet-natured, middle-aged, a civil-rights activist who was lynched by the KKK in the 1960's.

BOBBY JACKSON
A pro-football player, he counts himself as a friend of Omar Ney, who once convinced him to not retire prematurely from the sport that is his life. Bobby attends Omar's wake.

BROOKINGS
Young, beautiful, and sharp, she is the secretary/private assistant to J. J. Honeycutt. Brookings runs the front office for the "most powerful man in the world." To reach him, you have to get past her.

CARDINAL PUCCINI
An elderly, frail but vivacious Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He's been a friend of Omar's since his youth and became a priest through Omar's intervention.

CARRIE
Teenage street girl of Santa Cruz. Blonde, sassy, rebellious, bored, hangs with druggies and punks but her heart's not really in it.

CHARLES
Sweet, fresh-faced young boy in St. Catherine's parish. He and his family are from western Kentucky and are new to California and Santa Cruz. He wants to be an altar boy but is unnerved when Father Logan makes improper sexual remarks to him.

ELBERETH
Consort and constant companion of Gandolf the Wizard. Teenage (or maybe pre-teen) giggly flighty elf of a Santa Cruz girl, lots of long flowing hair.

GANDOLF
An eccentric, self-styled wizard who once was a member of the Magian Brotherhood in a previous lifetime. Now he is a bit of a buffoon who treasures any contact with "Master Omar." Zany, excitable and bizarrely dressed as a 17th century pirate, Gandolf is totally at home in the Santa Cruz new-agey, recreational druggy counter-culture.

GLORIA
A Mexican housemaid working in Santa Cruz. She has never forgotten Omar's kindness and protection when she first came to the US (probably illegally crossing the border) many years ago. She comes to Omar's wake.

GOVIN
The ghost of a young Hungarian man who died under a Soviet tank, protesting the Soviet occupation of 1956. A true martyr, Govin is waiting in the safety of Omar's sanctuary until the time originally appointed for the end of his life, had the tank not ended it prematurely. Govin and Omar met at a pivotal moment for them both – Govin had just died; Omar had just deserted the Red Army and was in hiding outside Budapest. Govin and Omar are especially dear and intimate friends.

GREGORII ROSTOV
A Russian national, and one of Omar's confidants and confederates on the streets of Santa Cruz. A burly bear of a man, of indeterminate age, he is the embodiment of inconspicuous street-smarts, obviously trained in undercover work (KGB, or Russian Mafia, who knows). He joyfully serves Omar in any way he can, his spiritual side equally deep. He and Omar are grateful for each other's comradeship.

HUGH CARDIFF
An immigrant from Wales (probably middle-aged to older) who was helped financially by Omar when first arriving in America many years ago. Probably big, probably a hard-working cheerful Celt of a man who's become Americanized, the most Welsh thing about him now is his accent. He attends Omar's wake.

J. J. HONEYCUTT
A profoundly wealthy, powerful multimedia mogul (and high-ranking black sorcerer, no doubt associated with the Black Lodge of Masters) who is bent on exposing and thus destroying Omar Ney. Investigative reporters and paparazzi are his weapons of choice.

Older but intensely energetic, he works and dresses in extreme opulence (offices in Manhattan and/or Sydney and/or the Bahamas), and revels in the defeat his competitors and opponents (including the White Lodge of Masters, whom Omar Ney serves). Boisterous, threatening, manipulative, plus he smokes cigars (Cuban, of course).

JAMIE
A typical street thug, early twenties, not above rolling a drunk or mugging anyone, for pocket money, real cash, drink, drugs, or the senseless fun of it. Guns, knives, and probably tattoos and missing teeth. A nasty-tempered, chip on the shoulder kind of young man who never got a break in life, and may never get one.

JOE SURREY
A real Texas cowboy raised with homespun values, who can still do the rodeo circuit but is smart enough to have another successful career as a photographer. He works for J. J. Honeycutt's conglomerate, which pays really well and has won him awards, but makes him into an intrusive and harmful paparazzi when sent on assignment to cover Omar Ney. His reporter/partner/lover accuses him of being naive, but he knows the world is dangerous and people aren't always nice. Everything about Joe is genuine and all-American. Slim, tough, handsome, not a kid anymore, with a good heart and conscience, he still wears cowboy boots and hat, plays the guitar, and talks the way he talked in West Texas.

JOSHUA LOGAN
A priest at St. Catherine's who is tortured by his predilection to sexually abuse young boys, as he had been abused. Omar Ney intervenes (on behalf of the son of Omar's friend Maggie) and recognizes that Logan had once been in the fellowship of magi and is in need of redemption. Logan willingly commits suicide and puts his soul into Omar's protective custody, to "reside" with other souls in Omar's sanctuary and work with Omar in hopes of regaining his previous goodness.

JUAN DE VARGAS
An older Mexican and friend of Omar Ney's who attends Omar's wake.

LAURA FITZJAMES A wealthy ex-prostitute, probably tall slim and high-heeled, whose life was turned around when Omar Ney arranged the death of her pimp. She mourns Omar at his wake.

LORELEI MENDEL
The young ambitious investigative reporter assigned to expose Omar Ney as the scandalous charlatan she believes he is. This is her big break, her chance to switch from mere paparazzi to a nationally known news anchor. A smart, attractive, sophisticated woman with an affluent Southern (Virginia) background, she can be as sweet and smooth as necessary, but her natural temperament is hot, impulsive, and hyper. Lorelei screams a lot, especially during sex with her cowboy photographer/partner Joe Surrey. She loves him, in her own way, for his authenticity, but she loves her career best.

MAGGIE
Margarete Cameron is the wholesome hard-working widowed mother of Marty, a twelve-year old boy who has been molested by Father Joshua Logan. Maggie's husband was a soldier killed in Iraq, and she now supports herself and Marty as department assistant for a professor at Stanford. She is a capable, smart, warm-hearted woman, and Omar Ney has spent many years cultivating her friendship (and her life) in hopes of grooming her to merge her soul with his and thus assume his role as sorcerer for the White Lodge upon his passing. As Omar saves Marty from the abusive priest and confronts his own paparazzi threat, Maggie falls in love with Omar, embraces his occult life and becomes the final true romance of his life.

MAITRE D'
Jacques is the dignified gracious maitre d' of the upscale French/seafood restaurant Capt. Paul's. Omar is a regular patron and Jacques is always keen to take especial good care of Omar and friends of Omar.

MARIE THE HOUSEKEEPER
Marie is housekeeper at St. Catherine's rectory and is the domestic staff for Father Joshua Logan. If she knows what Father Logan does with his young boy visitors (and she may not), she keeps it to herself.

MARTY
Marty Cameron is Maggie's twelve year-old son. Naturally cheerful and active, plays short stop on his Little League team, Marty's spirit is quashed by the molestation by Father Logan. When the shadow of Father Logan is lifted from Marty's life, he becomes again the carefree boy who loves to play with Omar's dog White Fang and gets to give a unique all-American boy tour of Santa Cruz California to Omar's friend, the Persian gypsy Taher. The death of Omar is a great blow to Marty but he has Taher and his mother to console him.

MONSIGNOR MICHAEL WAYNE
Basically, a voice on the telephone. He is on Cardinal Puccini's staff and calls Father Logan but is interrupted by the Cardinal. This phone call takes place while Omar Ney is in the rectory confronting Father Logan.

NASSER THE GYPSY
A central figure in the Santa Cruz gypsy community, Nasser is a friend of Taher and all gypsies. Musical and heartful, he plays host at the Persian restaurant, and he accompanies Scheherezade at Omar's wake.

OLD GEEZER-MAN
A street person, probably a bit drunk, but not without his pride or a sense of humor (or a few trinkets worth stealing). He gets mugged by Jamie and Carrie, but is rescued by Omar Ney, and is together enough to be grateful and thank him.

OMAR NEY
A highly advanced sorcerer and secret Sufi in the tradition of the Magian Brotherhood, since 1848, when he was 38 years old. Omar is nearly two hundred years old now, and his allotted time in this life is running out. He is probably the son of Marshal Michel Ney, the "bravest of the brave" in Napoleon Bonaparte's La Grande Armee.

Omar's father was in the fateful retreat from Moscow, and he led the calvary charges that almost salvaged Waterloo for the French. Omar has strong personal ties to all things Russian and Eastern European.

Now, though, in his closing days, he works hard to secure Maggie Cameron as his successor in sorcery to continue his efforts for the Magian Brotherhood on behalf of mankind. The Persian gypsy Taher Mosadeh is his ally but the two of them may not be enough to survive the attacks of paparazzi and powerful worldly men, like the multimedia giant J. J. Honeycutt.

PEDRO RODRIGUEZ
A distinguished older Latino and long-time associate and ally of Omar Ney. In his passionate, idealistic youth, Omar once saved him from going to jail, and he still admires Omar's tough, fair qualities. He's currently the head of the Farm Workers Union and he attends Omar's wake, not as an official but as a loving and appreciative friend.

RABBI SAUL GOTTLIEB
The spirit of a German Jew who in life was a childhood friend of Wolfgang Mueller. In adulthood, when Hitler madness gripped all of Germany, Wolfgang saved Saul and Saul's wife from the gas chambers and smuggled them into Switzerland. Saul remains grateful and remains an advocate on behalf of Wolfgang's spirit ‘until the end of time.'

SALLY HUTTON SMITH
An elegant Peninsula socialite (probably middle-aged, possibly old money from Hillsborough or Menlo Park, Stanford, etc.) who has long admired and enjoyed knowing Omar, a man who in her eyes never judged anyone. She attends his wake.

SARA
An older woman who is barely getting by in Santa Cruz. Her chief pleasure and interest are the sea lions who frequent the Santa Cruz boardwalk area. Not quite a street person, nonetheless she and Omar share a casual acquaintance.

SCHEHERAZADE
Vivacious lead waitress at the Persian restaurant Tehran at Night. Great casual friend of Omar and Taher. Gracious, urbane, warm Persian immigrant from Iran (probably came to US in 1970's?), she is popular with all her gypsy clientele. At Omar's wake, her grief overflows and inspires the mourners to celebrate the heroic and French spirit of Omar Ney.

SEBASTIAN
The suave metro sexual assistant to J. J. Honeycutt. A powerful rich young man, it serves his purposes to serve as Honeycutt's right-hand man now.

TAHER MOSADEH
A true wandering Persian gypsy and high-powered business partner of Omar Ney's. Taher is also a spiritually advanced secret Sufi in the Magian brotherhood and therefore a valuable confidant, best friend, and long-time ally. Of indeterminate age, Taher is a joyful soul who dances as readily as he breathes, quick with a grin and laugh, yet not blind to the harshness of life or uncritical of its evils.

TAMARA
An elegant Russian lady who is escorted on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz by Gregorii Rostov. She, like Gregorii, thinks that Omar is "the best."

WOLFGANG MUELLER
The spirit of a Nazi SS officer who in previous lifetimes had been a member of the Magian Brotherhood. Wolfgang's spirit was rescued by Omar and now"resides", sometimes reluctantly, under Omar's protection in the sanctuary for those spirits who aspire to redemption. Sometimes reveling in his Nazi arrogance, he senses a rapport with Maggie Cameron and under her moderating influence is inspired to reform (as he has done a few other times in the past). He also enjoys continued association with the spirit of his childhood friend, Rabbi Saul Gottlieb.