Abdul-Hakeem Malak

Motivation: Free mankind of its superstitious fear of magic.

Skills

• Kabbala (5) Numerological analysis of holy scripture.
• Stage Magic (3) Illusion, performance, and sleight of hand.
• Parapsychology (4) The science of occult investigation.

Magic

Blade 4 - Authority Over Demons. Malak can issue commands to lesser spirits, who must obey as well as they are able. Usually, this means something like "leave this place" or "bother this child no more."

Flame 2 - Numerology. Malak's work is guided by his interpretation of Hebrew scriptures. Such a reading can take hours of intense study.

Notes

This muslim-turned-rabbi is one part skeptic and one part mystic. He believes that mankind's fear of the unknown is the anchor holding it back from its magical destiny. In his work for The Blade & the Flame, he finds himself fighting off supernatural creatures that prey upon humans, and debunking humans who use sleight of hand and scare tactics to victimize their ignorant brothers.

Abdul-Hakeem is getting on in years, and he has never taken on an apprentice. Others in the fraternity have been pressing him to do so, before he takes his expertise with him to the grave. Age, however, is somewhat less likely to precipitate this event than Malak's many enemies, both supernaturals he's banished and mortal con men he's exposed. His Flame provides him no defense against mundane assassins...