Born on the East Frisian island of Norderney in 1934, Hadrian Vent has spent most of his life close to the MacAlastair family. He is Fergus's mentor, adviser and oldest companion, although describing him merely as a retainer would badly underestimate the relationship.
Hadrian possesses no magic of his own. What he does have is decades of practical experience, extensive knowledge of the occult, remarkable self-discipline and a tendency to remember every important detail everybody else forgot. He is formal without being cold, quietly humorous and considerably more dangerous with an East Frisian harpoon than an elderly gentleman has any reasonable right to be.