Sandiago – Santiago from the novel The Alchemist, and possibly Nomad Donuts of San Diego
https://wiki.wizard101central.com/wiki/NPC:Sandiago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alchemist_(novel)
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-alchemist/character/santiago/
https://nomaddonuts.com/
Sandiago is a Retired Nomad in Caravan, Mirage. He travels to the Arcanum when Wizards need to make their way to Wallaru.
He looks familiar to many folks. He is a wizened traveler who seems to know more than he is revealing.
According to Mike S. (my W101 developer source) there is a possibility that the writer, who was from California, chiefly responsible for the character of Sandiago was inspired by the donut shop for the character’s occupation. However, Mike was kind enough to correct me in that Sandiago was inspired by the protagonist of the novel “The Alchemist”.
The Alchemist
The Alchemist (Portuguese: O Alquimista) is a novel by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho which was first published in 1988. Originally written in Portuguese, it became a widely translated international bestseller. The story follows the shepherd boy Santiago in his journey across northern Africa to the pyramids of Egypt after he dreams of finding a treasure there.
Santiago, a shepherd boy from a small Andalusian town, is the protagonist of The Alchemist. He is determined, headstrong, and curious to learn all he can about the world. As a result, he resisted his parent’s desires that he become a priest and chose instead to work as a shepherd so that he would have the opportunity to travel throughout the country. Despite his natural adventurousness, Santiago remains conservative and self-satisfied in many ways until he dreams of uncovering a treasure hidden near the pyramids in Egypt. Santiago hesitates to pursue his dream until he meets Melchizedek, a mysterious old man who claims to be the king of Salem. After Melchizedek reveals to him the magical powers of nature, Santiago becomes a willing spiritual seeker and sets off to fulfill his Personal Legend, the innate dream each person has of accomplishing their greatest desire.
As the story progresses and Santiago comes closer to the treasure, he becomes more focused on his growing understanding of the mystical force that imbues everything, called the Soul of the World. The time he spends crossing the desert on his way to the pyramids teaches him to pay attention to the world around him and to see all of creation in his surroundings, even in a single grain of sand. The knowledge he gains from the desert allows him to recognize nature as a single, unified whole. His greatest spiritual advancement, however, comes after he meets the alchemist, who helps him to understand himself and to read the omens in his environment. Santiago ultimately learns to communicate with the wind and the sun and the Hand That Wrote All, a force evidently synonymous with God.
Nomad is a San Diego staple and local favorite known for vegan friendly eclectic donuts. They are located at 3102 University Avenue in the heart of ultra-neighborly North Park.
It is an independent bagel and donut shop that has stayed true to its community and values since they first opened in 2014. San Diego Magazine voted the restaurant Best Donuts in San Diego in 2020.
The current list of all the (known) Mirage references can be found here.
Although I am well versed in Pop Culture references but I do not claim to have caught them all. Let me know your favorites in the comments and if I’ve missed one you caught, let me know so I can add it to the list.
Text for this article is excerpted from the linked wiki pages
Sandiago image is from Wizard101, and is copyright of KingsIsle Entertainment
The Alchemist novel cover is borrowed from Wikipedia. It is in the public domain.
Nomad Donut images are copyright Nomad Donuts
Image usage qualifies as fair use under US copyright law.
Vulcan Stev's Database 