Eli Malcolm (Magician)

Stage Name: Arcanum
Played By: Chuck Lawrence

Background: Eli is an aloof and mysterious loner, but years of performance allow him to charm people in the right setting. He enjoys bilking drunks out of their money by doing small tricks at the saloon. His act includes knife-throwing, hypnosis, and a live rabbit. Eli traveled from Colorado to Junction, Texas with a caravan.

Junction, Texas

Episode 1: Shortly after arriving in Junction, Eli was nearly run down by a stagecoach then performed for a small audience — a last-second escape to avoid being shot by a hypnotized volunteer. Eli then met with Professor Bleeker, borrowing his small clockwork turtle (Donatello). Exploring town, Eli discovered a giant snake swallowing a hobo and killed it with his knives.

Episode 2: Eli dragged the snake’s corpse to camp in plain sight before finding the show’s compère (Pinky). Together they hid the dead snake in the water well, just in time to evade sheriff Jed’s interest.

Episode 3: Eli encountered a standoffish black cat, then followed the giantess (Gertrude) to her tent. He attempted conversation after eavesdropping her complaints to “Vass,” but the giantess was sleep-deprived and unfriendly. Eli toured the cages belonging to animal trainer Viktor, finding a snake pen with no signs of forced entry along with a lion painted with tiger stripes, an angry tortoise, and a miniature camel.

Episode 4: Eli broke into an unattended wagon and stole a ring and a letter from botanist Dr. Jane Hackett about a “forced state of dreaming” and related prison experiments. After witnessing a confrontation between Pinky and Viktor over the missing snake, Eli took part in Milford’s attempted rescue. Eli tied his legs so that he could be pulled from the water stop, releasing the torrent of rats.