Magiano is a notorious malfetto thief and an Elite, well known for his tricks and schemes. He is able to mimic the powers of others and use them for his gain. He was the inspiration for Tristan Chirsley's Temptation of a Jewel, a play that tells about an arrogant knight who bragged he could steal a jewel from an ogre, but a boy got to it first.
Biography[]
Magiano was once a nameless boy, a malfetto orphan who lived in the temples of Domacca. One of the priests said that he has no need for a name. He was known as the Boy of Mensah. The malfettos in Domaccan temples were not fed enough so that the priests could communicate with the gods. There, he met the Girl of Mensah, the second malfetto in the temple, and they became very close friends. They played together and sometimes they would steal fruits from the altar when they were very hungry. Before the boy turned twelve, the Girl of Mensah told him about a fishing village named Magiano and that a boat there left once every week for the Ember Isles. She asked him to meet her there so that they may escape from the temple in which he obliged. That night, he readied himself when he heard the screams of the girl. He tried to save her but was too late. They were meant to be sacrificed at the age of twelve. He fled the temple and ran until he reached the village of Magiano. As he sailed away, he promised that Magiano will be his name and that he will always carry joy with him as if he were carrying her.
His original markings were his pair of unusually slitted yellow eyes and a flat red mark across his back. However, the priests in his temple tried to remove the mark on his back by peeling back and removing his skin, but to no avail. This left a raised scar of red and white flesh that occasionally breaks open when too much exertion is used.
Magiano is well known for escaping the Inquisition Axis several times during his robberies. Rumors said that he was only a myth, used by mothers to scare their children into obedience, until Adelina and Violetta sought him out after they were cast out of the Dagger Society. Later on he joins Adelina, becoming the third recruit for the Rose Society.
When Adelina encounters Magiano in an alleyway, she finds his voice familiar, realizing that he was her " cell mate" when she was locked up in the dungeons for the murder of her father, Martino Amouteru. After Adelina was hauled out to be burned at the stake, Magiano mimicked her powers of illusions to escape his cell. He feels gratitude towards Adelina for indirectly allowing him to escape.
He later falls in love with Adelina and enjoy intimate moments with her, as he is the few people who can cheer her up and calm her nightmares. When Adelina dies and becomes a constellation, he rides out to seek her. Legends say that Adelina transforms into her human form only at night so the lovers can reunite.
Personality[]
Magiano has an undeniable greed, never having enough when there is still more that he could steal for himself. This led him into the hands of the Inquisition Axis many times, though he always escapes. However, his luck did not prevail, and eventually he got himself captured, leading to his first encounter with Adelina. Magiano has a mischievous personality, stealing one's valuables as revenge should they cross him. He can also be impatient some times, and likes to flaunt expensive items he bought with the jewels and gold talents that he has stolen. However, he is still a very happy person and cares for the people he loves. He radiates joy, as according to Adelina, and cares for her despite his carefree nature.
Physical Description[]
Magiano has soft brown skin with dozens of dark braids that hang down to his shoulders. One of his markings left from the blood fever are his bright, yellow eyes (honey-colored) which he can slit like cat pupils at will (he says his vision sharpens when he does this). His second mark was a red mark that spread across his back, but now it is a raised scar of flesh. He is also very gilded, wearing golden bangles, hoop earrings, and expensive robes with gold patterns on them although his robes were always mismatched. During Adelina's reign, his mismatched robes were replaced with finer ones on heavier silks
Powers and Abilities[]
Mimicking - After an Elite uses their power, Magiano is able to copy the threads manipulated by them right after they are used and can, therefore, mimic their power.
Thievery - Magiano is a highly skilled thief that relies on his cunning and his ability to mimic powers in order to steal valuables. His skills are a known legend across the land, and he was even inspiration for a famous play about the competition between a dumb-witted knight and a clever young boy to recover a jewel.
Music - It is implied in the book that Magiano spends a lot of money on expensive and flashy lutes. He can play beautiful music and it is rumored that he can lure a person right off a cliff with music from his lute. His playing is described as: 'his fingers fly along the lute's strings in a blur of motion, but the notes each come out crisp and clear, absolute perfection. There is a story in his notes as he makes up the melody, something cheery and wistful, maybe even humorous, some secret joke.'
Relationships[]
Trivia[]
- Magiano is in love with Adelina Amouteru.
- Magiano aligns with joy, ambition, and greed.
- It is said that Magiano shall die from insanity as a result of mimicking other Elites if he did not give up his powers.
- Magiano likes to play the lute, and can trick people by playing.
- Magiano is the name of a fishing village in Domacca.
- After leaving Violetta in Kenettra, he spends the rest of his days following Adelina's constellation in the hopes that she would come to him.
- Folktales say that at midnight, Adelina's constellation would transform her back to her human form and she would walk the earth with Magiano until the dawn separated them again, the same way Eratosthenes, Compasia's mortal lover, did with Compasia.
- Artwork by Tumblr user Deanpinterester [1]
- He used to stand guard outside Adelina’s door, making sure she didn’t suffer from more illusions or nightmares.
- He seemed to often be inwardly jealous or unhappy when Adelina thought about or interacted with Enzo, as afterwards he would have an unhappy expression, which he would try to hide.