Martin Davis

**Martin Davis** is the Viceroy of the Southern Chapter of the Order and the father of Nick Davis.

## Biography

### Early History

Martin was believed to have been the Scion of Arthur. He was never Called, but still holds a lot of power in the Order. In 1995 he was attending UNC where he tricked to kickstart Camlann so that he would be Awakened. He opened two Gates to allow Shadowborn to cross over. When his plans failed, he pinned the blame on his own Kingsmage Natasia Kane and then became bonded with Isaac Sorenson.

Martin married Anna Rheon, and they have Nick. Like most Scion parents, Martin couldn't wait until Nick was old enough to begin training. Anna however was terrified. They fought a lot. They argued about Nick's future, Martin's training regimen for him, and Martin's decision to homeschool Nick so he'd have more control over his studies. When Nick was eight, Martin started bringing other Lieges around to train him. He told them not to go easy just because Nick was a kid. And they didn’t. He got broken bones, bruises, black eyes, and concussions, all healed by a Scion of Gawain.

One night Anna and Nick were missing. He was scared they’d been kidnapped by the Shadowborn and that’s why he called the Regents for help. They found theme a mile out of town. Martin was incredibly frightened and angry. He’d never imagined his own wife would take his son from him. A Merlin took Anna away without letting either of them say goodbye. Martin broke down in tears as they left, knowing she’d be punished. He tried to stop it, but the Regents’ word is final. Anna was mesmered by Tacitus to forget about Nick, Martin, and the Order. Nick says that his dad never got over what the Regents did to Anna.

Martin stopped Nick's training for a while and stopped talking about ranks and bloodlines. Nick was allowed to go to a private school. A few weeks after Anna was taken away, they were at a park near their neighborhood. Nick saw his mom and ran to give her a hug. But she just smiled and held him away from her, asking who he was. She has no idea who Nick and Martin were. After that incident, Martin move them out of town within the week. Not long after, Selwyn Kane came to live with them. A Merlin brought the boys to the Lodge to perform the Kingsmage Oath.

### Legendborn

Martin is a psychology professor at UNC. Because of what happen to Anna, Nick is estranged towards him. At the initiation ceremony, Davis intervenes in a fight between Nick and Sel. He's happy to see that his son decided to return to the Order and picked a Page. He introduces himself to Bree and thanks her for convincing Nick to come. During the ceremony, Davis gives a speech to the new Pages and initiates them. Afterward, Felicity is Called, Davis tries to calm everyone down but is attacked and injured by an uchel. His spine gets broken, but William heals him. He will be fully recovered in about a week or two.

The next day, Martin hosts the Pages' dinner at the Lodge. He announces that the Regents have decided to accelerate this year’s tournaments at all chapters. Instead of taking months for Scions to select a Squire, the tournament will be six weeks long. The first trial will occur after the evening’s meal, and the tournament will conclude with the Selection ceremony. He offers any who would like forfeit their position in the trials an opportunity to leave. After three people do, there are now twelve Pages competing for the three open Squire positions. After Nick is attacked by a hellsnake after the first trial, the Regents call a meeting. The next day Martin flies to the Northern Chapter to meet with them and the other Viceroys about the situation and the increase in the number of Shadowborn. Martin calls Nick after the second trial and tells him he needs to fly to the Northern Chapter as well.

Martin and Nick come back before the Selection Gala. At the gala Martin makes a speech before the Scions Select their Squires. After Nick leaves to be with Bree, he asks an attendant to get him, so that his Kingsmage can mesmer Bree. When Bree wakes up, she is tied to a chair in Martin's study in his home. He tells her that she is unworthy for Camlann and not worthy for Nick because she is Black. He reveals that he wanted to be Called by Arthur when he was the Scion. Martin also complains about how he feels the Vassals don't serve the Legendborn anymore. He also doesn't think women should be allowed to be knights. Bree realizes that Martin was the one who opened the Gates in 1995, not Natasia. He tells Bree that Gates have been opening at an increased rate at every chapter, he only “pushed things along where he could.” He's responsible for the attack on the night of the initiation ceremony. He tells Bree that he will force Nick to do what he wants by threatening to open more Gates if he doesn’t do what he says. He is planning on making sure Nick’s Called by Arthur and takes up Excalibur that night. Martin will then rule the Order through Nick. Then, Isaac arrives with a kidnapped Alice. Isaac begins erasing her memories, whole days at a time. Martin tells Bree that if she wants Isaac to stop, she will leave UNC and the EC program. She won’t speak to Nick or any of the other chapter members again, and forget she ever learned about the Legendborn world. If she doesn’t, Isaac will take her to one of the Order’s institutions where the Master Merlins will torture her to learn more about her abilities and mesmer all her loved ones. Bree, feeling helpless, agrees. Bree and Alice are released and return to their dorm.

Martin then goes to the Lodge where he tells Nick that Bree has changed her mind and rejected his offer to be his Squire and she's gone. Nick doesn't believe his dad and flys off the handle. Martin tells him they should talk privately, and they leave. Martin takes his son to the Cave of the Dragon to begin enacting his plan to force Nick to become Awakened. When Bree arrives at the Cave of the Dragon, she sees the Legendborn and Martin fighting Shadowborn while Nick is buckled over on his knees trying to resist Arthur's Call. When Nick is no longer able to hold off Arthur's Call, he moves towards Excalibur. He tries to draw the sword and can't, leaving everyone shocked. Arthur takes possession of Bree and Calls her. She pulls Excalibur free. Martin tells the Legendborn to stop Bree, but they refuse because she holds Excalibur. Arthur, through Bree, calls Martin a traitor and Martin flees. Later that night, Isaac mesmers Sel and leaves him two miles from the Lodge. He then kidnaps Nick, and Martin, Isaac, and Nick disappear.

### Bloodmarked

Martin, Isaac, and Nick continue to move around the country to stay in hiding from the Order. They eventually discover why Bree’s the Scion of Arthur. Later, when Erebus arrives at the cabin they are staying in, Isaac fights off the Mageguard. Erebus orders Max to kill Nick, but Martin save his son by jumping in front of the aether construct spear Max throws at Nick. The spear goes through his chest, killing him. Nick and Isaac are both frozen in shock. Max tries to kill Nick once again, but Nick cuts off his head. Isaac fights Erebus, with Erebus winning (it is unknown if Isaac is still alive).

## Physical Description

Martin looks like his son. He is tall and broad in the shoulders. His eyes are a deep blue that's almost black. He has a shock of thick, dark blond hair cropped close at the temples. Martin has angled cheekbones and deep-set eyes. His voice is sonorous and steady and he speaks with a heavy Southern drawl. He wears a silver ring on his left hand.

## Personality

Martin is driven by a desire for power. He is resentful at never being Awakened, and thus never getting to have Arthur's powers and abilities and getting to be the head of the Order over the Regents. Martin thinks all wars are opportunities, and Camlann is no different. He tried to kickstart Camlann in order to be Awakened and then tries again with Nick so that he can rule through his son. Martin is calculating and deceptive. He speaks with a Southern charm and in gentle tones of hospitality to lure others into relaxing. Sel doesn't trust Martin because he's "Oathed to the hilt." He's sworn to do the Regents' bidding by an Oath of Service, which forces him to lie to keep the Regents' secrets. He was very harsh and cruel to Nick when he was younger. He was willing to put Nick through intensive training, even when it resulted in him getting beaten up pretty badly. Martin saw it as necessary to prepare him for being Arthur's Scion. However, after Anna's memories were erased and she was removed from their lives, Martin feels bad for Nick and begins spoiling him. When Sel came to live with the Davis family, Martin is kind and generous to him. Because Sel was obedient, Davis gave him praise and attention. However, now that the boys are older, Martin threatening to strip Sel from his Oaths whenever Sel is anything less than perfect. Martin is racist because he didn’t want Bree to be Nick's Squire, believing Black people shouldn’t hold that much power. He is also sexiest as he believes female shouldn’t be knights, even if that means female heirs are killed so that a male can be the heir. He views

## Powers and Abilities

* **Longsword Proficiency**: Due to being a Scion, Martin is trained and proficient with a longsword.
* **Weapons and Combat Training:** Due to being a Scion, Martin is trained in various weapons and forms of combat.
* **Sight:** Due to being a Scion, Martin has the Sight, which allows him to see magic and Shadowborn.

## Relationships

### Nick Davis

Nick and Martin have a complicated and tense relationship. Martin raised his child in a very harsh and cruel manner. He was willing to put Nick through intensive mental and physical training from a very young age because he saw it as necessary for him as the Scion of Arthur. Sel tells Bree that before she showed up, Nick defied his father to prove to himself that he doesn’t care what Martin thinks. Nick resents his father and hates his upbringing. After Anna was mesmered and removed from their lives, Martin felt bad for Nick and began doting on him in every way possible. He gave in to his tantrums and fantasies, allowing the Order’s future king to turn his back on the Order. Nick does not want anything to do with his dad until he goes back to the Order with Bree. When Martin is killed by Max, Nick does cry for his dad’s death. In a bloodwalk with Bree and Sel, he tells them that he killed Max for himself not for his father.

### Selwyn Kane

The night of the First Oath, Martin asked Sel if his abilities were failing that was just to make Sel question himself. Martin threat to remove him as Nick's Kingsmage, that was just to get him out of the way of his plan. Bree said to Martin, "you were going to torture him!" In return he says, "the Kane boy needs to be leashed." He disregard Sel’s pain even due he raised him when he was 10.

## Trivia

* Martin's uniform as Viceroy is a deep crimson robe edged in gold with a cowl and deep sleeves.
* A painting of him from 1995 hangs in the Lodge's salon.
* Upon seeing Nick at the initiation ceremony, he quotes Tennyson to him.
* He keeps historic chapter records and archives locked away in his personal study in his home.
* Before Bree did the oath of fealty Sel tried to kill her, but Martin intervene, dust Martin save Bree’s life.
* His house has a pictures of Nick in a PeeWee football uniform, grinning wide. Sel at a violin recital, looking thin and dour even as a small child.

## Appearances

* *Legendborn*
* *Bloodmarked*

## Notable Quotes

* “Because he was not worthy… Just as you are not worthy. Not for Camlann, and not for my son." — *Legendborn*
* "Nick doesn't see the grand vision of his ascension. What the return of the king means, and what it can restore. The opportunity of Camlann that I never had." — *Legendborn*
* "The world is a great chain of being; lind everyone has their place. Even you. Even me. The hierarchy that holds the Order together has lost its value because the danger has appeared distant. Once the Vassals are reminded of the destruction we prevent, they will be reminded of their place in things. Their place under the king.” — *Legendborn*
* "Nicholas is a hero to his core. If it's necessary, I will show him how I have learned to open the Gates, and how I will continue to if he doesn't follow my lead. He will be Called by Arthur and take up Excalibur tonight and, as king, he will do as I say. Then the whole of the Order and its Vassals around the globe will bend to our will." — *Legendborn*

## References

1. ↑ *Legendborn*: pg. 211
2. ↑ *Legendborn*: pg. 425
3. ↑ *Legendborn*: pg. 351