For the record...

[marcmagus]

I can't recall if I've posted about this already, but I get the question a few times a year, so I thought I'd address it.

No, I do not take my handle (Magus, or Marc Magus if somebody beat me to Magus) from the character of that name in Chrono Trigger, a game made by Square Software for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (and the SuperFamicom in Japan). I think Chrono Trigger presented a very interesting character to bear my namesake, and I like the artwork they made for him well enough that you'll occasionally see a sprite of him striking a pose with the wind billowing his cloak as my LJ icon, usually for my geeky/gamery posts. (That's a two-frame animation straight from the game. IIRC, it's while he's looking out over a cliff at a plot-intensive moment.). He has great magical power, a body frame not totally dissimilar to mine, he looks great in a cloak, and he's something of a loner; they did a good job.

To back me up, a quick web search reveals that the game was released to the US in September, 1995. I'm uncertain exactly when I first took on the name (I may have a printout in a box somewhere which would give a good idea), although I think it was around '92. However, deyaniera can confirm that I was using the handle "Marc Magus" when we met in Spring of 1995.

Forestalling the other common question, no, the name doesn't come from the novel The Magus, by John Fowles, either. I read the book around '96 after people kept asking me, although I didn't really enjoy it all that much.

Actually, it's more of a title than a name. I guess I was a bit of a braggart in my teens, although I've had enough total strangers give me compliments like, "No wonder they call you that" that I'm not totally embarrassed to still use it. To find its meaning, you'll have to dig up a copy of the Dungeons & Dragons Companion Set Players Guide. In the segment of the rules about Magic Users building a tower and attracting followers, they state that Magus is the title for a Magic User who could build a tower, but chooses instead to wander.

It's also a singular of "magi" which sounds cooler than "mage", and it's alliterative with my name (something I probably wouldn't choose now, but which was in fashion in the place I first needed a handle). The original form was, in fact, "Marc the Magus". Ah, youth.

No idea why that was in my thoughts just now. Maybe because I've been spending too much time playing video games (although not ChronoTrigger), maybe for some other reason.

Comments

[miintikwa.livejournal.com]

If I'm remembering things correctly, you mentioned to me at one point that you picked the AOL screenname after using 'MarcMagus' on either a bulletin board or a chatroom in '93. So, yes- it was probably closer to '92, '93. (The main reason that stuck with me was because it was right after I graduated high school.)

I haven't played ChronoTrigger. I want to, now. Connecting with my Magus is always a good thing. :) Speaking of 'Magus-es' (I know it should be Magi! :P), you know that we (David and I) are basing a character in the Toman/Willow book on you, yes? I think you'll like him.

--K

Re:

[miintikwa.livejournal.com]

Er. You being the MarcMagus character that you RPGed, not *you* as a person. We're doing our best to avoid *that* since it can cause problems.

*needs caffeine*
...

Re:

[davidmadly.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we're basing it not on you you, but on, like, you, you know? And I can vouch for the timing of your handle acquisition, since I was attached to Kara physically when you two met online.

Re:

[miintikwa.livejournal.com]

*giggle*

I read that as 'attached to Kara psychically' and I was going to go 'you mean you're not anymore?'

Then I re read it and went 'oh.'

You mean you're not anymore?

*snicker*

And, I have, somewhere, the original IM of you and I meeting, Marc. It was, IIRC, May of '95. :)

*hug*
--K