Algernon Guincamp, better known as Pinety, was a sorcerer and a former lover of Lytta Neyd. His family traditionally went into the military as soldiers and his father hoped to instill that into Algernon, but Algernon went to study magic, even after his father gave him an authentic Viroledan blade for his 16th birthday, having hoped that'd change his son's mind.
He worked under Grandmaster Ortolan at Rissberg castle. Along with Harlan Tzara, he hired Geralt of Rivia to investigate a possible demonic possession that turned out to be staged by Sorel Degerlund. However, this act was frowned upon by the other mages at Rissberg, who firmly believed that Sorel was a star pupil and there was no such thing as horrific deeds if all of it was done in the name of magic. Thus, Pinety and Harlan were forced to resign and leave. Pinety decided he'd move to Nilfgaard because, while the mages weren't as revered as in the north, they were paid well. He then gave Geralt the Viroledan blade that he'd never used and left.[1]