The first 19 arcs of his life were particularly uneventful. His education was his primary concern, as it was for most Eidisi at this age. Upon completing primary school, he immediately transitioned into higher education at The Academy, in the Institute of Languages. It was during these arcs of study, that he became fluent in the Ancient and Common tongues, as well as initiating the study of Rakahi. However, a fateful encounter in his 20th arc would change his future trajectory.
During the Sofithia festival, while Tavius was at the age of 20, he had a chance encounter with one of Yvithia’s blessed; Taysin Alline. Due to the nature of the festival, The Academy was closed and the entire city of Viden had come together to celebrate the immortal. At the banquet, Taysin had caught Tavius’s attention due to the mark of Xypha that was prominently displayed on her right eye. He had not been aware of the existence of the mark prior to that meeting, but seeing his curiosity, Taysin explained that she was one of the chosen few to have met and been blessed by their beloved Yvithia.
Tavius spent the duration of the festival asking Taysin questions about her lifestyle, her youth, her fields of study and her profession in an attempt to ascertain how she had gained Yvithia’s favour. Taysin quickly picked up on his clumsy, roundabout investigation, but entertained his efforts by answering his questions with the exception of her profession. The only detail she revealed was that she was employed in The Intelligence Authority, which was important for upholding the Mathisi. She was fully prepared to shut down the rest of his inquiries, but to her surprise, he had no further questions. As a result, she was fairly impressed by how he attempted to gather details from her despite his inexperience. But the fact that he recognized when to lay off the pressure instead of outright blowing his cover with excessive prodding was the trait that ultimately formed a positive impression. She recognized that his approach to gathering intelligence was unrefined but could be honed in the future if he learned how to properly apply himself. Near the end of the festival, she recommended that he pursue an education in the Institute of Humanities.
Following through with Taysin’s recommendation, Tavius transferred from the Institute of Language to the Institute of Humanities, but in doing so he learned that he would need to restart his academic progress. The pursuit of education was worth it in his eyes, and he had developed a respect for Taysin so he strongly believed that she was steering him in a positive direction. His lessons in the Institute for Humanities taught him to explore the City of Viden rather than confining himself to the Academy for additional resources of information. Case studies and first person accounts became valuable, teaching him that there was more to learning than simply absorbing the details provided in the textbooks. The Biqaj merchant traders became a specific resource that he often frequented, as he learned that they had access to current events due to their trade routes taking them around Idalos. These arcs were very instrumental in helping him build a network of contacts and understanding how to gather information efficiently.
During his studies in arc 719, The Intelligence Authority began recruiting students that displayed an aptitude for espionage. Tavius was one of the students selected, and he mistakenly believed that it was upon Taysin’s recommendation. It was due to his own merit that earned him a role in the faction, however, it was determined that he was more suitable to be under the command of Yorrick Farrow to facilitate his growth.
Under Farrow’s tutelage, Tavius became more skilled at interacting with the general public, in turn learning how to convert those interactions into valuable methods of surveillance without drawing too much attention to himself. Farrow’s guidance also led to Tavius undertaking an Unarmed Combat style, specifically Menochoros, as a means of defending himself without killing. Farrow suggested that unarmed combat would be beneficial to Tavius, in that if he were to ever have his espionage tactics foiled and his identity to be exposed, he could disengage his opponents without killing them, in order to preserve the intel that they may hold.
Even though Farrow is his mentor, Tavius still finds himself at odds with the fact that he is in a position of inferiority to a human. One specific area that he often challenges him on is the use of the leather armor. Yarrow has mandated for Tavius to wear the armor when he is out in the field because he acknowledges his subordinates strive for growth, which in turn makes him prone to making mistakes and in much greater need of protective gear should his efforts be compromised. Tavius on the other hand, uses the armor as an excuse to challenge his superior’s methods of efficiency, claiming that he would be much more effective in his role if he were to appear as trustworthy as possible by donning his casualwear. Ultimately, Tavius must succumb to his chain of command, whether he likes it or not...
