Matoriv is a former companion of the hero Avan and one of the most powerful mages in the world of Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai. Originally a member of the party that defeated the Demon King Hadlar fifteen years before the main story, he later becomes the mentor of the young magician Popp. After the victory over Hadlar, Matoriv served as an advisor in the kingdom of Papnica, but grew disillusioned with human ingratitude and retreated to a cave near Valge Island to live in seclusion. His reappearance occurs when Dai and his friends are in dire straits; though initially refusing to help, he is moved by Dai's determination and agrees to support them. Matoriv is an eccentric and often lecherous old man, but he is also fiercely clear‑sighted and utterly reliable in combat. He considers himself a Grand Sorcerer rather than a Sage, disliking what he sees as the pretentiousness of the latter title, despite being able to wield both mage and priest spells. He holds that a mage must remain the coolest and most perceptive member of any party, and he instills this philosophy in Popp through brutal, life‑or‑death training. He has mastered over a hundred spells and is one of the few humans capable of casting the immensely powerful Kasizz spell. His own creations include the unique spells Donk and, most famously, Medroa (also called Frizz Cracker), a combination of fire and ice that can annihilate even time‑stopped objects. Throughout the story, Matoriv serves as a wise adviser to Dai, Popp, and Maam—whom he has known since she was a child due to his friendship with her parents, the warrior Loca and the priestess Leyra. He trains Popp relentlessly to unlock the boy’s potential, first forcing him to master the Zoom spell, then gradually teaching him more advanced magic, and ultimately passing on Medroa by putting both their lives on the line. Matoriv also aids Dai in learning the Sky Slash technique by teaching him to sense invisible things. His health is severely damaged by years of overusing powerful spells, causing him to cough up blood when casting strong magic, but he never hesitates to push himself for the sake of his pupils. In the final confrontation against the Great Demon King Vearn, Matoriv is too weakened to participate in the direct assault, but he later appears to destroy a guardian monster near one of the Black Cores, the threat that Vearn had seeded across the world. Afterward, he encourages his former fellow disciple Masopho to freeze the core, completing his last major contribution to the heroes’ victory. Matoriv’s personality is a blend of bombastic eccentricity, strict discipline, and deep‑seated care for those he respects. He treats his students harshly but believes in them absolutely, and he gradually comes to regard Popp as his pride as a teacher. His key relationships include his rivalry‑like friendship with the martial artist Brokeena, his respect for Avan, and his role as an older brother figure to Masopho. By the end of the story, his influence has shaped Popp into a Grand Sorcerer in his own right.