Gregory Ruma

> I think the man they’re clamorin’ to see is none other than Gregory Ruma.”
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> “What?” I asked, holding back a gasp. “The Gregory Ruma? He’s still alive?”
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> “Course.”
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> Shock paralyzed my mind. I knew arcanists had prolonged lives—hundreds of years, thanks to the magic flowing freely in their veins—but last I heard, Gregory Ruma disappeared while on the hunt for pirates, never to be heard of again. And now he was in Fortuna? In the flesh? The man who founded my home island? The man known for his good deeds and epic adventures? The man I always imagined I would become? I almost convinced myself I was dreaming.
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> “You admire this man,” Luthair whispered from the shadows. I nodded, my heartrate rising with anticipation as I glanced into the crowd, looking for a way to sneak by.
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> “He’s the best arcanist of all time,” I said. “I have to meet him. If only for a second.”
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> Zaxis forced a sarcastic laugh. “You have to meet him? Why? So you can ask to be his apprentice? He’d never take someone like you.”
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> I came to a halt, my mind jerked into a state of overthinking. I hadn’t even considered asking him to be my mentor. That was a brilliant idea. If anyone could teach me about magic, it was Gregory Ruma, the Legendary Swashbuckler. Why hadn’t I thought of it?
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> Pushing my way through the crowds, I headed for the main gate, Luthair slipping through the shadows with little difficulty. I had to speak with Gregory Ruma. I just had to.
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> ...
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> The man next to the guildmaster stepped forward. His coat was a mix of pirate clothes and armor—thick with leather, worn with age. His hair fell to his shoulders, and his beard was kept trim. When a strong ocean wind washed over the rest of us, it didn’t seem to affect him. On the contrary, he was caught in his own personal breeze that kept his coat fluttering, his hair flowing back, and his shirt slightly open—all a magical show to heighten his appearance.
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> And his silver pendant, with the same sword and shield design, sat right in the middle of his bare chest. He had been the one controlling the faux storm earlier.
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> And I already knew who he was.
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> His reputation preceded him.
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> Gregory Ruma.
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> “It’s a great honor to meet you,” I said, still dazed he was only twenty feet from me. His smile reminded me of William—easy-going, charismatic, no hint of malice—and when he relaxed, he hooked his thumbs into the belt loops of his trousers.
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> The leviathan mark on his forehead was so prominent and extensive that it went into his hair, wrapped around his neck, and disappeared beneath his shirt. Did it cover his body? I had never seen an arcanist mark get so large. Both his and the guildmaster’s marks intrigued me like no others.
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Intro : Ruma is introduced as a hero made flesh. The main character, Volke Savan, comes from the island named after him. We quickly learn Luthair believes Gregory Ruma is responsible for Mathis' death.

Eldrin : Leviathan - Desimus - There is little back story to this eldrin as Ruma is quickly introduced as the main villain of book one.

Ruma is quickly introduced as the main antagonist of book one. He and his eldrin are plague ridden and have lost their sanity. This is where we see first hand how "normal" a plague-corrupted arcanist can seem.

That aside, he took credit for discovering an island that was already inhabited, as he found his wife while "discovering" the isle of Ruma. I like to think of him as Christopher Columbus: discovering things which already have natives and being self aggrandized .