Nikolai Goodwin

“It was only after she’d been gone for a few months that I realized that I was the problem. I’m not the man I used to be. There’s little room in my heart these days. Far too little for a child to fit into. ...And I suppose I envy that about you."

— Goodwin to Hamilton, admitting his mistakes regarding Delilah

Nikolai Goodwin is the founder and dean of Goodwin's School for the Magically Gifted. He is a well-known mage who moved to Nevurdul for his own reasons. He has successfully usurped control of Sweetwater from its Mayor, Sofia Sweeney, becoming its unofficial leader.

Appearance

Goodwin is a Human male with Caucasian, tan skin. He has a chiseled jawline and cheekbones, and is generally regarded as quite handsome. Goodwin has side-parted, short, dark hair and a thin, pencil mustache. His eyes are dark purple. He often wears dark sweaters and pants, but also dons an overcoat on outings.

Personality

Goodwin is an intelligent man with an eye for the big picture. He has very little patience for anything that he doesn't believe can benefit him or the world at large. This is reinforced by him seeming to assign value to others based on what they can contribute to society, including people like Sasha Densharr and Abigail Dorazio. He is a cold, focused individual, who believes thinking with the heart is a fool's decision.

Despite all of this, Goodwin has shown some kindness here and there. It's likely these acts of kindness are only to further his own personal ambitions, but there's also the possibility these acts are genuine, such as his offer to Sasha to come to the Mainland to help spread knowledge of Nevurdul and the Ka-Tar.

Background

Goodwin was born in The Mainland, where he spent the young years of his life studying various crafts, including archaeology. However, none of it spoke to him. At some point, he discovered his magical abilities, and found it to be the study he'd been looking for. From then on, Goodwin devoted his life to studying and practicing the arcane arts.

At some point, Goodwin met Abigail Dorazio, and believed her to be a student of the highest caliber, with the potential to change the world with her research. The two apparently kept in-touch to some degree for awhile.

When Hamilton Caldwell was 18 and on his first expedition, he and Goodwin met. This was not long before Goodwin would set sail to Nevurdul to spread interest of the arcane to those who might better accept it.

Over the next several years, Goodwin settled into Sweetwater and began constructing a school to teach Nevurdul's people. This school continued to grow in popularity, until it became the sole path for magically-gifted individuals to pursue in order to further their goals.

Relationships

• Hamilton Caldwell: Goodwin vehemently despises Hamilton, to the point where he hates him more than servos. He blames Hamilton for pulling Abigail from a more world-altering path as an archaeologist and, in his eyes, leading her to her death.
• Sasha Densharr: Goodwin clearly enjoys Sasha's company, and most notably, the determination she brings to the table. In his own words, she reminds him of himself when he was younger, and appears to want to help focus her potential as she grows.
• Finn: Ever since Goodwin banned servos from Sweetwater, he and Finn have had a rough relationship. However, Goodwin does seem to have slowly allowed Finn to assist him in more ways, although it's unknown if this is simply because he tags along with Sasha.
• Sinclair: While Sinclair seems to admire Goodwin, the feeling is clearly not mutual. Goodwin makes no attempts to hide the fact he's simply using Sinclair to assist him in his own pursuits.
• Sofia Sweeney: Sofia, much like Sinclair, seems to admire Goodwin's achievements and demeanor. Also much like with Sinclair, Goodwin seems to only have interest is using Sweeney for her status.
• Abigail Dorazio: Apparently, Goodwin and Abigail had some kind of relationship many years ago. Goodwin's hatred for Hamilton stems from what he "did to Abigail", so he clearly believed she was something special.

Trivia

• When Goodwin first arrived in Nevurdul, he taught some people how to use magic free-of-charge and indiscriminately. This ultimately led to the formation of the Ravagers.
• Goodwin can read and speak Ka-Tish.

Character Information

Name: Nikolai Goodwin
Age: 65
Occupation: Famous Mage and Dean of Goodwin's School for the Magically Gifted
Creature Type: Humanoid
Race: Human
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Languages: Common, Ka-Tish
Status: Alive