Santiago is a talented young man from a small Andalusian town who is literate and expected to become a priest. However, driven by a desire to travel the world and see new cultures and places, he left seminary and became a shepherd, buying a flock with three gold coins given to him by his father. While sleeping, traveling the Andalusian countryside, a dream he has twice in a row at a ruined church calls him to a treasure buried at the Egyptian Pyramids. His meeting with Melchizedek, the King of Salem, allows this quest to be defined as a 'Personal Legend.' Despite losing all his capital, he embarks on a massive journey that leads him from Tangier in Africa to the Sahara Desert. On this adventure-filled path, he learns to speak with the universal language and his heart, to read nature, and to love. In the end, even though he understands that the treasure is actually at his starting point, where he saw it in his dream, this treasure is not just gold, but the vision, wisdom, and love he gained in the desert.
He comes from a poor and religious peasant family. Until the age of sixteen, he grew up in a seminary, receiving an education in Latin, Spanish, and theology. He left school because he wanted to travel the earth more than he wanted to learn about the sins of God or man, and with the support of a wanderlust his father felt deep down but never acted upon, he took his flock and began the life of a shepherd.
He has a Spanish dark tan; initially, he has the appearance of a typical Andalusian shepherd with his jacket, a large book, and a staff. However, after crossing to Tangier and starting his desert journey, he adapts to the environment and takes on traditional Arab clothing such as a white tunic and headpiece (turban/keffiyeh). As time passes, his face is baked by the desert sun, and his body evolves into that of a durable desert traveler.
Fatima
A soulmate who is not an obstacle to the realization of his Personal Legend.
Simyacı
The final master who provided him with the vision to unite with the universe and transform into the wind and the light.
İngiliz
The friend from whom he learned the limitations of theory and the importance of practical experience by parting ways.
Melkisedek
The guide who taught him the concept of a 'Personal Legend'.
Billuriye Tüccarı
The protective friend who enabled him to fight against his comfort zone.