A very powerful sage who resides in the desert near Egypt's Al-Fayoum oasis, hidden in Arab garments, and rumored to have lived for over 200 years. He is known to be able to turn lead into gold and to possess the elixir of immortality (the Elixir of Life). Not only has he understood and realized his own Personal Legend, but he has also made it his business to find those rare people on earth capable of realizing their own and to guide them. He enabled Santiago's ultimate enlightenment by teaching him the language of the desert, how to listen to his heart, and how to command the elements of nature (the wind and the sun) during his greatest test.
Where he comes from, how he has passed the age of 200, or the intricate details of his life story remain a secret throughout the text. He is known to have learned alchemy from his ancestors and carries the purity and wisdom of ancient alchemists. However, he did not gain his knowledge from encrypted books, but through pure action (diving into the Soul of the World).
Though he appears dressed in black from head to toe, he is wearing white, traditional desert robes. He carries a falcon on his shoulder and a steel sword in its scabbard. Despite his age, he is incredibly agile; his eyes are deep and bright enough to pierce a person's soul.
Santiago
He is his master and tester; he transforms him into a true traveler of the universe.
İngiliz
Someone whom he judged not yet ready for alchemy because he was buried in books, and to whom he ordered only practical action.