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Handle: Kara
Contact: caletara
Over 18? Yes
Characters Played:None

THE CHARACTER

Character Name: Tavis O’Neill
Series: Deryni
Canon Point: Camber the Heretic
Character Age: 38
Background:
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Tavis was born in the kingdom of Gwynedd in 879. He was most likely discovered to have the healing gift from around puberty, and sent off to school for study, such gifts being rare and valued at the time. However, instead of the more inclusive and thorough Gabrielite or Michaeline schools, Tavis was trained by the Varnarites. His schooling was missing key points and during his training he was either physically and/or psychically injured, some of this later corrected by his Gabrielite comrades. Despite this he was able to make a good enough name for himself and was appointed personal healer and tutor to the young middle prince Javan, who was born with a clubbed foot. The two grew very close and to the point where Javan sickened and refused to eat if Tavis wasn’t there.

During the start of human backlash against the magical Deryni race, Javan prevented Tavis from being fired or imprisoned. However, some other Deryni did not take kindly to the idea that Tavis was ‘aiding the enemy’ and they lured him into an alley, beat him and cut his left hand off. This profoundly affected his state of mind; that his own people would hate him aiding a young child so much (a child who had not done anything to harm them), that they would mutilate him. In addition, Healers were rare and the gift considered sacred. During his recovery, Tavis furthers his rather unhealthy relationship with Javan and pulls energy from him, helping him train and activate Javan’s own abilities so that maybe he might be safer.

After King Cinhil’s death the resentment toward Deryni grows, and Javan’s older twin Alroy is often drugged and too weak to stand up to the regents who do everything in their power to subjugate and murder Deryni.

past canon point

Eventually, it becomes too unsafe to Tavis to stay in the palace, and Javan is unable to project him any longer. Tavis joins up with a ‘Baptizer cult’, a cult supposedly purifying the ‘evil’ deryni taint through baptism, only it’s a trick. Deryni healers with the ability to block powers are blocking the Deryni so they appear human, and making it look like a miracle, to save their lives. Tavis joins them to help. This is not to last however, and only a few years later, the regents massacre the cult. Tavis exposes himself as still Deryni by firing lightning to save a young girl. The human cult members go berserk with rage at being deceived and literally rip him apart.

Personality:

When we first meet Tavis, he is utterly devoted to Prince Javan to the point of where their relationship becomes very unhealthy. The two are rarely seen outside of each other’s company. Tavis acts as friend, teacher, confidant, healer and guardian to the young boy. Tavis is so attached to Javan he would fight tooth and nail to defend him, risk his life over a metaphorical hangnail. He is brought to anger quickly over concern for the prince’s welfare, something he no doubt considers himself only capable of judging. Tavis even tries to give the boy energy each day, something other healers consider not conducive to the prince’s well being.

Tavis has a tendency to try and shield the boy from the horrors his life would bring. An example of this is Tavis' fury at Javan being made to march miles in full armor as part of training, something no doubt expected of someone in line for the throne. Tavis however is more concerned with Javan's foot and soothing the hurt of his crippling deformity than helping him push through the ordeal. He'd proud beyond measure that Javan was able to keep up with his siblings, despite the pain and injury it caused. It is Javan who has to speak up and point out that life is harsh and he's going to have to be able to keep up.

Unlike other healers we have met who are gentle and slow to anger, Tavis is stubborn and bitter and angry at the world, even before he loses his hand. This only comes out when those he deems under his protection, usually Javan, come under threat or harm, but he will protect those under his care vigorously. He cares deeply and as a result of that caring he can sometimes be paranoid and untrusting.

The loss of his hand profoundly disturbs him. The other healers even note that if they don't get him psychological help soon, he'd go critical, and not physically. It is both the idea that his own people could hate him so much as to mutilate him, and it is the loss as a healer. He’s convinced that he’s unable to heal with only have one hand and a stump, so encompassed by his loss that he fails to realize not much has changed besides the loss of a hand. He just has to learn a different skill set and will be unable to do more delicate work that requires multiple hands and more dexterity, like surgery.

Tavis is completely hysterical, closed off and angry as a result of the assault. It takes him a long time of working with other healers to even accept that he can still heal, as well as assuage some of bitterness and anger. Still, he isn’t all together comfortable with the loss of his hand. For a long while he refused to use a hook, to draw attention to the loss. When he finally acquiesces he realizes it inhibits what he is able to do healing wise and removes it for healthier reasons. While he does get better later on in life, at his current point, he still hides the stump and tries to shield it from others, feeling they would be as disgusted by it as he is.

As a healer, Tavis has devoted himself to easing the suffering of others. However, unlike some of his associates, he will defend himself or others if the need arises. This is most likely a combination of his Varnarite training and the bitterness that grows out of losing his hand. When the Regents sign the Statutes of Ramos into effect, starting the wave of anti-Deryni laws and massacres throughout the kingdom, Tavis uses the bitterness others know he possessed since his injury to a good use. As it is no longer safe for him to be in the palace with Javan

When it becomes unsafe for him to stay at the Palace, Tavis uses his known bitterness to try and save his people. He feels it is better to let others think he hates his kind for the loss of his hand, and save them and future generations. Living a lie is alright. His desire to protect grows from Javan and Tavis against the world, to encompassing all other Deryni. He wants to do what he can to save his people.

Powers/Abilities:

Clairsentience: This ability has multiple uses, but most likely are scrying and probing. Scrying requires a backdrop or focus, water, flames, a crystal, something to focus the mind, as well as a item for a psychic signature of whatever he's scrying for. More likely to be used is his probing ability, where he can get basic information on an item, ranging from being able to see inside something like a lock, or sussing out if a drink is poisoned. It's an ability used for knowledge rather than action.

Conjury: Tavis can conjure light, fire, lightning and water. The only time Tavis ever uses this for a destructive purpose is right before his death. However, if pressed he will defend himself and those he cares about.

Death Reading: The ability to read someone’s memories after death. This is immediately dependent on the state of the body. He’s going to get more information immediately after death than he would an hour or a week later. If the brain is pudding, he’s not going to get anything from it.

Energy Augmentation: Tavis can pull energy from other willing people in order to augment his own spell work. This requires physical contact. This will never be done without player contact and approval.

Mind-Influence: Tavis can influence another individual, ranging from telling them to go take a walk, forget a conversation or jump off a cliff. He can also use this to blur traumatic memories and to banish fatigue in himself or someone else for a short time(this is cumulative, and can only be used so many times before the fatigue catches up and the person collapses with exhaustion). Granted, Tavis’ morals are such that he only uses this for what he considers benign factors. This ability is similar to a para-hypnotic state or a hypnotic suggestion. While Tavis could force an individual do something horrific, this is something his oaths as a healer simply wouldn’t allow. Normally this is used for forcing someone to go to sleep, forget conversations or leave an area. This also usually requires physical contact, and the lowering of magical protections. This will never be done without player contact and approval.

Healing and blocking Tavis has the ability to heal wounds, lessen hurt and pain, as well as the medieval anatomical and surgical background. He's familiar with anatomy and physiology and even ideas like clots, but has no concept of germs and the like. Anything on a microscopic level is beyond his current understanding. He is also skilled with the use of various medicines and herbs. If going very deep in healing, Tavis may lose control of his body and forget to breathe or regulate body temperature.

Part of his healing ability, Tavis has the knowledge and power to block those with magic, as well as turn the ability back on. Tavis needs physical contact for both of these abilities. This will never be done without player contact and approval.

Mind Reading Tavis can read other peoples minds. It usually requires limited trance work in order to open the mind and the lowering of magical protections and the like.

Mind speech: Tavis can telepathically talk or send mental images to others. As these interactions are usually on a ‘wide band’ frequency, it’s possible for them to be overheard by anyone listening in for such conversations. Such telepathic contact usually requires a previous psychic link between individuals and those without abilities will require touch contact. Private telepathic conversions are possible with strong rapport bonds. In addition, the further away they are, the more power it requires. Just like a long distance call, it gets less clear the further out you go.

Rapport: Tavis has the ability to mind meld with others. This is a two way sharing and can range from superficial sharing to a complete merging of minds, intimate to the point of sex.

Shields: Tavis has magical shields which enable him to defend against psychic attack. He can raise or lower them as necessary. However, like anything, shields can be worn or forced down, or by drugs that disrupt magical ability. Brute force however, is liable to leave damage, just like banging someone’s head against concrete would. As all Deryni gravitate toward a specific color for magical workings, Tavis’ shields, handfire and the like are Healer green.

Truth Reading: Tavis has the ability to know whether someone is lying, most likely blending psychic ability and a subconscious reading of body language. This ability is used without touch. It requires very little effort, however has limitations. Half-truths are difficult to detect, and you have to learn to ask the right questions. In addition, if someone is magically shielded, Tavis can’t see anything.

Telekinesis: Tavis has minor telekinesis, used mainly to call small objects like cups, or manipulate unseen areas like locks. However, he can use this ability for more destructive means like bending bars or squeezing someone's heart until it stops.

Transfer Portals: Tavis has the knowledge on how to use and set up transfer portals, enabling him to go from one location to another. However, setting them up takes more power than he has alone and there are other methods of transportation available in game.

Warding: Tavis also has the ability to use wards, devices that act as shields to keep him or others safe when he’s unconscious or away. However, he doesn’t have the magical tools he needs at the moment to do this.

Power Nerfs (if applicable): N/A? I don’t think any of Tavis’ abilities are powerful or breaking. He hardly uses any of his possible abilities, mostly healing or influencing others to take pain away. Above all, Tavis is a product of medieval knowledge and customs and is limited by such. As such, he has no concept of things like germs or microbiology and his magical healing is thus limited to what he can see with his eyes as well as his mind. He is capable of treating illnesses with various herbs and medicines, within the limitations of his understanding. In addition, all of Tavis' abilities are limited by his own physical exhaustion. The body can simply only do so much.

Of note however is his severe weakness toward substances that disrupt magic or magical abilities.

Inventory:

Healer’s uniform with green robe, tunic and breeches, with Healer and royal service badges on the arm
Healer’s satchel filled with herbs and medications.

Incentives: All Tavis wants is the well being of Javan and any other Deryni who might be able to be saved. But Javan comes first. Also, he'd like his hand back.

SAMPLES

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