Michel de Lap Haven

Michel de Lap Haven (ミッシェル・ド・ラップ・ヘブン), also known as the Archmage (大魔道師), is a recurring character in the Gagharv games.

Profile
Michel appears as a young man with brown hair with a red headband in and. In, he appears as an elderly man with a white beard and green coat and goes by the name of Grandpa Lap. Michel is a wizard possessing great power and has traveled to the lands beyond Gagharv and the Great Serpent's Backbone using transfer spells. As such, he has appeared in El Phildin, Weltluna and Tirasweel and has assisted the adventurers there.

Past
Michel is born in Tirasweel in G.908. For reasons unknown, he shows up in Ragpick, Phenthe, at the age of 16, in G.924.

In G.936, at the age of 28, Michel senses wave of wickedness coming from the west. Using teleportation magic, he successfully and independently travels across the Gagharv. After arriving in the western El Phildin, the start his investigation into the source of these waves.

Chronologically, Michel's first appearance in the series is in G.937. Avin, Rutice, and Gawain visit Verusisla to receive a divine revelation after Belias and the Octum's Apostles' attack when they find Michel there, examining a Blue People mural of black and white dragons representing Octum and Bardus, respectively. Avin and Rutice suspect him until Gawain orders them to stop. Michel explains that in his homeland there are similar places called Shrines, which serve as destinations of pilgrimage. Michel assists them to activate the vision by casting a spell that clears their minds. After Avin's group receives the visions of the locations of the remaining Sacred Treasures, Michel disappears.

Later, his attempt to visit Cathedral from the west coat fails. Thomas and Avin find him shipwrecked near Kanapia on their way back to Brizac. He informs he tried to go to Cathedral from the west coast. Combined with his accent, Gawain suspects Michel is not originally from El Phildin. Michel confirms, revealing that he came from Tirasweel on the other side of Gagharv.

After returning to Brizac, Michel reveals that he used a transportation spell to get to El Phildin from Tirasweel and travelled through the region for intel. Apart from a curiosity in the world beyond Gagharv, he reveals he has learnt Octum is about to be revived. Since this affects both sides of the Gagharv, Michel joins Avin's party.

They first look for a way to calm the tectonic waves and visit Kanapia. Michel suggests to put a shock on the plates in order to calm the tectonic waves. Gawain remembers Crimson Flames, a special kind of peat with a power-storing nature growing in Eiton Cave. Michel assists the party and stays until they fight silver-haired Mile in Cathedral.

After Mile regains consciousness, Michel stays behind to hold back Octum's Apostles while the rest of the party descends into the Sealed Land. He comes back again before the party fight Belias, assisting a severely injured Lucias to stand and fight back. Belias comments Michel is new to him and acknowledged his abilities.

During the ending, Michel speaks to Professor Eleanor about El Phildin's magic system. Eleanor offers him to visit the Great School of Magic to learn more, but Michel promises that will have to wait until he finished his business first.

In the post-credits event, Michel speaks with Thomas about going back to Tirasweel using the southern route. He mentions Avin entrusted him with Elysium, adding that El Phildin has no further need for it and hopes it may prove useful in the future, foreshadowing the events of and. With the Gods gone from El Phildin, Elysium ("Paradise of the Gods") is no longer a fitting name and Michel renames it to Esperanza ("Path of Hope" in the ancient language).

7 years have passed since the events of A Tear of Vermillion, now aged 35 he travels to Weltluna using his Transfer Magic to investiage the events surrounding the Dark Sun. His first appearance is in the Water Tribe Village of Shulf. He is seen overlooking the large crevus in the earth known as Gagharv, and is eventually found by Forte and friends. He explains to them the existance of El Phildin and Tirasweel beyond Gagharv and the Backbone of the Great Serphamt Michel, going by the name Mitchell, assists Forte and the group at various points in their adventure. He comes to Weltluna alongside Avin, Mile, Captain Thomas, and Vice Captain Rouca by Planetos II. He's also the one who gives Forte Espelancer.

Many years have passed since the events in El Phildin and Weltluna. Michel now in his 80s can be found living back at his home in Tirasweel in the village of Ragpick. Here, he appears as an old man who helps Jurio and Chris in the beginning of their pilgrimage, by stopping Goose's attempt on escaping from the village. After Jurio and Chris left Ragpick Village, they met a family who claims that Grandpa Lap once saved them from bunches of wolves. If they returned to Lap's Cottage after this scene, Grandpa Lap denies the praise he received and faking his memory loss.

Later, Jurio and Chris learns that Grandpa Lap once traveled to Witch's Island, and the fact that he was once a great sorcerer from Morrison. It is also revealed by Durzel's letter that Grandpa Lap once used the name "Ortega", and trains him in the way of swordsmanship. He's also the one who changed Gueld's Staff's shape and keeps it until he entrusted it to Chris.

If one reads the books about Great Sorcerer Ortega and talks to several NPC across Tirasweel, it's revealed that Michel has done the following, but not limited to:


 * Defeating Warlock Geppeus in a friendly duel in his residence on an ice mountain on the north.
 * With Geppeus' help, defeats a Demon.
 * Slays hordes of dragons and obtained the title of "Dragon Slayer".
 * Delivered Crimson Fires for the people of Negar Island and told them to use the fires for their own good.
 * Divides Tirasweel's magic system into two schools: Kand and Chapel.
 * Builds the Holy Capital of Oldos, where everyone can learn about magic.
 * Entrusts Ragpick Village's Elder with Silver Dagger.
 * Entrusts Durzel with the sword Espelancer.

In G.943, Michel travels as the only known person in Tirasweel to the Witch's Island. In G.945, he travels through Tirasweel to visit the Shrines.

In G.955, Michel de Lap Haven enters priesthood under the name Ortega. Battle between Ortega and Geppeus results in reconciliation. Three years later, Ortega leaves Oldos and retires to Ragpick under the name Lap.

In G.972 Durzel entrusts Gueld's staff to Lap.