The Amazing Magnus
Sir Magnus Sunders (a.k.a. The Amazing Magnus)
Magnus Sunders, known as the Amazing Magnus when he was still alive, was the ringmaster for the Circus of Shadows when The Great Strombolio was still a performer. He served as a mentor to the future Dark Champion, teaching him about the circus and about life.
He saw Strombolio off during the War, and patiently waited for him to come back up until his death just days before Strombolio came back to the circus.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Before the War, Magnus was in excellent physical condition. He was capable of performing many diverse acts within the circus.
During the War of the Wendigoes, his health deteriorated due to malnutrition and the ravages of the War. This made him more prone to getting infections, which led to him catching the flu from one of the sick housed inside a loaned circus tent. He passed away just a few days before Strombolio arrived back at the circus.
Body Features
Magnus was slightly leaner than Strombolio is now when he was alive. He was also about an inch shorter.
Facial Features
Strombolio might have gotten the idea to grow out his beard from Magnus. When he was alive, Magnus had a full, shaggy beard much like Strombolio's. When his health began to suffer from the ravages of the War, it fell out in huge clumps.
Apparel & Accessories
Magnus wore a pied jumpsuit, just like Strombolio. However, rather than purple and black, his was malachite green and black.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Like Strombolio, Magnus was born into the Circus of Shadows. Many harlequin gremlins are. Unlike Strombolio, he didn't have a mentor to teach him everything about the circus. He had to learn his way up the hard way.
After Strombolio left, Magnus participated in the War efforts by providing food and shelter to those who needed it. This lasted until April of 2245 S. E., when he took ill from the influenza pandemic that wreaked havoc across Altairus. The virus was too strong for his system, which was already weakened from undernourishment and exhaustion. He passed away just a few days before Strombolio returned, but fortunately got the chance to see Altairus saved from the Heart of Darkness before he went.
Employment
Magnus was the ringmaster for the Circus of Shadows from when he was about 27 years old to the time of his death in 2245. Before this, he was just another performer, eventually taking over for the old ringmaster when the latter retired.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Magnus taught Strombolio everything he needed to know about show business. He was always there for him when the latter needed help or wanted to know more about something. In many ways, he was like a second father to the little rising star.
Failures & Embarrassments
Magnus had a long history of performing in the Circus of Shadows before he was the ringmaster, and as such he has had more than a few bad shows. This all has taught him resilience.
Taboos
Magnus was not happy when he learned that not only had one of his performers, Mr. Twicchit, had deliberately sabotaged Strombolio's act, bringing the entire circus tent down, but that Twicchit, a grown adult, had been essentially bullying a child young enough to be in first grade behind his back. It was no surprise to anyone when he gave the nekomata puppeteer a vicious dressing down before sacking him.
His attitude towards bullying is part of the reason why Strombolio is so intolerant of it.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
When he was alive, he wanted to serve as a mentor to the young Strombolio. Having always wanted children, but never having time to settle down and raise his own, he made Strombolio into somewhat of a surrogate son. He went as far as to defending him when a jealous coworker tried to sabotage his act and reassuring him that said coworker's subsequent firing was not his fault.
Representation & Legacy
After his death, the shadowy liquid that Magnus collapsed into was swept into a bottle. Strombolio still keeps this liquid on a high shelf in his trailer.
Social
Hobbies & Pets
Magnus really loved animals. In addition to doing away with the circus's abusive menagerie, he kept a number of different animals as pets over the course of his lifetime. These ranged from cats, dogs, and birds to owls, basilisks, platypi, and even a Cerberus hound at one point. Everyone around him thought he was a little crazy.
- "The show must go on!" (A catchphrase he passed on to Strombolio)
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