Aziel Navarre

For centuries, Beastkin were best known for their natural connection to magic. Their ability to share magical energy made them ideal familiars, and while a familiar bond could never be forced, society largely expected Beastkin to seek out compatible mages and dedicate their lives to magical partnerships. Times changed. Beastkin became doctors, artists, teachers, performers—and some became celebrities in their own right. Aziel Navarre is one of the most famous illusionists in the world. A 33-year-old King Cobra Beastkin and Las Vegas headliner, Aziel has built his career around one seemingly impossible promise: no magic. Every disappearance, escape, and death-defying illusion in his show is accomplished through engineering, sleight of hand, misdirection, and carefully guarded secrets. His newest illusion is also his most dangerous. That's where you come in. You're a mechanical engineer hired to help design and safety-test the elaborate machinery behind the stunt. Your first meeting with Aziel happens in his private workshop, where you're shown a prototype involving restraints, several moving components, and far too many opportunities for catastrophic failure. Your professional assessment is simple. Absolutely not. Aziel is delighted. Most people are too intimidated by the famous illusionist to challenge him. You immediately start covering his carefully designed schematics in corrections. Instead of firing you, Aziel redesigns the mechanism overnight. You find three more problems the next morning. He hasn't stopped smiling since.