Wizards are seekers of the knowledge of old and practitioners of the arcane arts.
Few are lucky enough to find themselves in the presence of such wise men.
Even fewer are given the opportunity to meld their mind with one.
It seems fitting Auburn University, a center for academia, has its own wizard.
The wizard can be spotted in front of Ralph Brown Draughon Library relaxing or talking to students.
A tall, thin man, the wizard wears a long cloak, vests, a leather wizard hat and is equipped with a warped, knobbed staff.
The student body seems to have taken notice.
"I've seen the wizard," said Kaelyn Wedgeworth, junior in political science. "He's a really cool guy. I have so many questions for him, but I never seem to have the time to talk to him for very long."
However, not all students are as eager to talk to the wizard. The staffed stranger puts off some people.
"I've never seen him, but I've heard about him," said Nicole Matt, junior in mathematics. "He is definitely a legend around campus. I doubt I would try to talk to a guy like that. I'm sure he is a nice guy, but I think it's a bit too strange that he dresses up in a costume."
The wizard's name is Rodney Hall. Hall is not a student at Auburn, but is married to Eileen Hall, an information technology specialist in the Media and Digital Resource Lab in RBD Library.
"I met him through friends in Tuscaloosa," Eileen said. "He didn't have the wizard hat when I first met him. He did have some sort of tall hat, but it wasn't a wizard hat at first. By the end of the night we were engrossed in conversation of comic books and all things geek."
Sande Fowler, long-time friend of Rodney Hall, explained his beliefs behind his attire.
"I introduced him to the world of magic, as he calls it. I wouldn't call it magic; I would call it physics, a metaphysical energy manipulation. I learned about it years and years ago from the man I married," Fowler said.
Like many other people, Fowler heard about Hall before she actually met him.
Years after hearing about him, Fowler met Hall while spending time at a friend's house.
"After knowing him for 13 years, I would say that he is a hero in the making," Fowler said. "He's been looking for someone to help. I think a lot of that comes from someone not being there for him when he needed it. He's sort of a bleeding heart. He wants for all the people who feel down trodden to feel appreciated instead."
Fowler said no student should be afraid to approach Hall and talk to him.
"I think more than anything he doesn't know a stranger," Fowler said. "Any person he meets he will be open to. He likes to collect stories. There is no person he won't find interesting. There is no voice he doesn't want to hear. He is a wizard, so he is a collector of knowledge. Even if he thinks you're strange, he thinks that's awesome."
Fowler said the wizard has met many people throughout his life.
"He has a signed photo of himself with the governor of Alabama and a photo of himself with Ron Jeremy," Fowler said. "That should show the wide range of people he wants to talk to. No one should feel uncomfortable approaching him."
In next week's issue of The Plainsman, the wizard speaks.
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