Tiarnan

Description

Tiarnan has a slight build and fine, almost elfin features. He has a calm, friendly manner, which makes him pleasant company, and he smiles warmly, seemingly finding secret amusment in even the most mundane of circumstances. Though he seldom gets agitated or raises his voice, he is able to state his case with quiet authority when matters become serious. He dresses in rich fabrics dyed in bright blues and greens, some of which are decorated with designs of celtic origin. Though it is clear that he is not strong or hardy, he moves with swiftness and grace. Tiarnan has a river otter named Kai as his familiar.

Personality

Tiarnan's personality evokes the feeling of a cool, bubbling stream on a summer's day. Calm and friendly, he also has a playful, almost mischievous streak, though he rarely means serious harm to anyone. Crafty and pragmatic rather than idealistic, he adapts his view as issues develop, and he is willing to compromise to achieve his aims. Like all those touched by the fae, he has a fondness for bargains, and he sees no reason not to negotiate according to the strength of his position.

Magic

Tiarnan specialises in creating and manipulating images, which allows him to manipulate the unwary. He has some faculty with the Art of Imagonem, but also some knowledge of faerie glamour, which allows him to exceed the boundaries of Hermetic magic on occasion. Aside from Imagonem, Tiarnan favours the Techniques of Muto and the Forms of Animal and Aquam. His Gift manifests through a thin sheen of water that coats his skin as he summons the energies required to cast magic.

Tiarnan's Views on the Magi at 1195 AD

Cormoran

This mercurial giant is impossible to pin down, for his attitudes change at every encounter and he can vary from generous ally to spiteful foe without cause or warning. I have come to the conclusion that much of the damage he has done in the past was not the result of deliberate malice, but rather because he seems incapable of seeing how his actions may impact on others. I typically greet his interventions at Council with a mixture of astonishment and despair, since he often advocates such wild, unrealistic schemes that I can scarcely believe he is serious. It is true that he has a grand, sweeping imagination and sense of ambition that most others lack, but most of his ideas fall on deaf ears due to the fact that he rarely thinks them through properly.

I do sense that Cormoran has tried hard to overcome his troubled early years, and I have been impressed by the dedication he has shown to renewing the forests over a long period at considerable personal effort and expense. However, just when I think that that perhaps he really has changed for the better, he does something so stunningly crass and thoughtless that I am reminded why he cannot be trusted with any matter of importance. He seems congenitally unable to exercise discretion and circumspection; indeed, I sometimes suspect that he must bear a faerie curse that compels him to tell any secret he possesses to the most unsuitable person imaginable. Despite his almost unparalleled ability as a warrior, Cormoran is as much a danger to us as he is to our enemies, and it is best if I do not involve myself in any of his schemes.

Cynfelyn

The fierce enmity that I once felt for Cynfelyn has been tempered by the passage of time. I still find him uneasy company, yet his mere presence does not trouble me to the extent it once did. I suspect that part of this stems from the fact that Theo’s passing has removed the most direct and bitter source of conflict between us, but I also sense that Cynfelyn’s outlook on life is less narrow than it once was. Whether this is due to the influence of his former familiar, his interactions with his otherworldly allies or simply the effect of growing maturity I cannot say, but he seems better able to appreciate other points of view. I doubt I will ever view him as open minded, but he has clearly learned that preconceived ideas are sometimes a prison. Opinions that he does not share are now greeted with only a derisive snort or snide remark, rather than boiling rage, which I suppose is progress of a sort.

Cynfelyn is still capable of appalling lapses of judgment (Ponrius! What was he thinking?!), for he retains an unshakeable belief in the righteousness of Code, which sometimes clouds his view of people, actions and causes. However, there is more wisdom, danger and nuance in the world than can possibly be addressed by the dusty scrolls of Durenmar. Still, despite our past differences, and the inevitable clashes that are yet to occur, I shall endeavour to judge him fairly in the future.

Marius

All children share characteristics with their parents, and Marius is no exception. There is much of Theo’s vaulting ambition about him, for despite all his professed caution, he has taken significant risks in uniting the Welsh princes against King Richard, and he and his lands could face cruel retribution should the civil war go against him. I knew that he would eventually seek to take the Crown of Math, but I had hoped that it would happen in less pressing times. As it is, Marius has, for good or ill, taken a first, great down a path that will test his judgement and allegiances at every turn. I can only hope that his inheritance from his mother, a steely pragmatism that Theo lacked, will allow him to navigate the temptations and obstacles that fate and the powers will place before him.

Marius has the potential to be a great king, but he is only at the beginning of his journey. Though there is no guarantee that he will succeed, I shall do all in my power to help him achieve his destiny. However, I must at all costs avoid a repeat of the ruin that befell his father, and this includes providing misplaced enthusiasm that could encourage him to overreach in the way that Theo did. I sometimes wonder whether, had I counseled Theo to move more cautiously, he would still be with us; though I shall never know for sure, I suspect that the last thing he needed was an advisor who shared his goals so completely. So, my role must be to assist Marius quietly and carefully, without direct involvement in his schemes. I hope that remaining detached and watchful may give me more insight regarding future perils, for it is all too easy to get swept up in the moment, and enthusiasm can impair judgement. I hope he will understand that my reserve does not imply any lack of interest in his cause; far from it, it is I actually the fact that I care so much that means I must be wary about misplaced fervour.

Medius

I sense that Medius has changed the most of all the residents of Severn Temple. In his early days here, I dismissed him as an intellectual lightweight, unable to appreciate the complexities of a world not fully described in the teachings of his House. Though this was probably an unfair characterisation, the legacy of some of his ridiculous early judgements still lives with us. Yet, though he still sometimes confuses legality with probity, Medius has shown that he is a far more complex and thoughtful character than I once gave him credit for. With the exception of Cormoran, with whom Medius appears to have lost all patience, he has become more even-handed in his dealings with others and more appreciative of diverse opinions.

Despite all his years as Pontifex, I view Medius as more of an efficient administrator than a leader. This is also true of his role as Quaesitor, where he seems better suited to acting as a clearing house for information on the various threats that assail the Tribunal than as a judge. This has enabled him to develop a broad range of contacts, and he is trusted by a wide spectrum of the Tribunal. In my opinion, he faces two main challenges going forward. First, I sense that he is prone to taking on too much, which means that he cannot pursue all tasks as swiftly or completely as they deserve. Second, his religious faith has become a more central part of his being in recent years. Though his religion lacks the harsh bite of the Christians, I still find his symbols disturbing, and I hope that he is able to ensure that devotion does not become zealotry.

Tiarnan's previous views can be found here.