Levi

Levi (レヴィ, Revui) is a minor character in Suikoden V. Levi is a powerful rune magic scholar with an interest in rare and powerful runes.

History
Levi is a masterful magician whose dedication to his work is near total. Levi hates being called a "sorcerer" or a "wizard" preferring the term "rune magic scholar".

He claimed to have created the Big Hole in order to have his apprentice Bergen mine there for materials that may be of use for his research. He treats Bergen very shabbily, often stringing him along with a promise to show him some powerful magic if he helps him with one more task.

Levi also has a serpentine staff which seems to have a mind of its own. It can communicate with dragon horses as well as the serpent, Byakuren, seemingly without words. Levi was also spotted talking to it on several occasions. It is unknown if this strange staff is a product of Levi's rune magic research.

He initially refused to join the Imperial City Recapture Army and almost relented when offered the Dawn Rune until he realized the Prince couldn't remove it. However, he did accept an invitation to join after he felt the use of the Twilight Rune far to the west. It is said that when the rune was used he turned to face Doraat all the way from the Big Hole.

Although he showed an initial interest in Ernst's condition while at Ceras Lake, he did little to investigate the matter at first, often being distracted by the events regarding rare and powerful runes during the Sun Rune War itself. However, as the war came to its conclusion he did indeed begin investigations into the nature of the rune which caused Ernst's condition. He also developed a great curiosity about Jeane and Zerase, two figures that held great runic powers themselves.

Following the war's end, he journeyed with Norma and Ernst to Zelant, where the incident originally took place, without Bergen, who had become scared of the destructive power of rune magic as the war raged on.

Trivia

 * Levi is named after the famed real-life magician, Éliphas Lévi. The writings of Éliphas Lévi had a deep impact on the works of Aleister Crowley, the namesake of, naturally enough, Crowley. The real life Crowley also saw himself as the reincarnation of Levi as he was born in the same year as Levi died.