Joram MacRorie

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In the fictional universe of the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz, Joram MacRorie was the son of St. Camber of Culdi. He was a priest and knight of the Order of Saint Michael, and he played a central role in the Haldane Restoration of 904. A noble and moral man who was always loyal to the House of Haldane, he later became the leader of the underground Deryni resistance movement who struggled against their race's persecution.

Joram Angus MacRorie was born on November 23, 878, the third son of Earl Camber MacRorie of Culdi and his wife, Lady Jocelyn de la Marche. Like his father, Joram desired a religious life from an early age, and he joined the militant Order of Saint Michael shortly after his knighting in 896. After three years of seminary training, he was formally ordained a priest in 899. In 903, his childhood friend Rhys Thuryn discovered the existence of Prince Aidan Haldane, the only survivor of the Festillic coup of 822. After consulting with Camber for advice on how to proceed, Joram and Rhys began seeking Aidan's grandson, Prince Cinhil, who was unaware of his royal heritage and had become a monk years earlier. After King Imre murdered his brother, Lord Cathan MacRorie, Joram and Rhys abducted Cinhil from his monastery, intent on placing the reluctant prince on the throne of Gwynedd. Throughout the year 904, Joram was the key liaison between his father and the Michaelines, who were providing military support for their upcoming coup against King Imre. In addition to working with Cinhil to help the prince accept his true identity, Joram also participated in the ritual that bestowed Deryni-like powers upon Cinhil. The Haldane Restoration was successfully accomplished in December, and Prince Cinhil became King of Gwynedd.

After the Battle of Iomaire the following year, Joram and Camber discovered the bodies of Princess Ariella and Vicar-General Alister Cullen, who had killed each other in a violent battle accented with arcane powers. Despite his misgivings, Joram eventually agreed to help his father take on Cullen's identity, realizing that Cullen's close relationship with King Cinhil was necessary to minimize the king's resentment toward Deryni. Joram helped Camber switch appearances with Cullen, then returned to camp with the body of his "father." Though he knew otherwise, the rest of the world believed that Camber MacRorie died in 905.

Although he reluctantly accepted that the deception was necessary, Joram was never completely comfortable with his father's dual identity. The night before Cullen was due to be installed as Bishop of Grecotha, Joram convinced Camber to be ordained a priest to ensure that his father would not illegally receive the appointment. Shortly thereafter, Joram was appointed Bishop Cullen's confidential secretary, enabling him to work closely with his father on a daily basis. All too aware that his father was still alive, Joram publicly opposed the movement to canonize Camber in 906. Nonetheless, Joram was unable to stop it, and his father was canonized as Saint Camber that same year.

Joram continued to work with Camber for the next several years, and both of them became founding members of the Camberian Council in 909. His concerns about Camber's dual identity resurfaced in December of 917, when Camber (as Cullen) was elected Archbishop of Valoret and Primate of All Gwynedd, but he realized that they had come too far to turn back. On December 25, the Regents of King Alroy attempted to arrest Camber and his supporters. Although they escaped from Valoret, Joram's brother-in-law, the Healer Rhys Thuryn, was killed in the melee. Two weeks later, Camber himself was also killed, ambushed by the Regent's forces while traveling.

With the aide of his sister, Evaine, Joram organized the evacuation and seclusion of their Deryni allies throughout 918. However, Evaine died on August 1, sacrificing her own life to free their father's trapped soul. Joram took control of the Deryni resistance, dedicating himself to removing the Regents from power and restoring Deryni to a position of equality in Gwyneddan society. He successfully activated the Haldane potential of Prince Javan Haldane in 921, but Javan's murder in 922 once again strengthened the power of the Regents. Unable to communicate with King Rhys Michael Haldane, Joram and his allies began to make long-term plans for another armed coup, this time designed to remove the Regents from power and restore the independence of the throne. Finally, in 928, they succeeded in making contact with the king. With the assistance of Queen Michaela, and Rhysel and Tieg Thuryn, Joram succeeded in activated King Rhys Michael's Haldane powers, enabling the king to survive his battle with Prince Miklos of Torenth. However, the king died of his wounds several days later, and a new set of Regents marched forth to remove their predecessors from power. Joram quickly mobilized his own forces to support the new Regents, and all of the great lords of state were captured or killed.

Though he was outlawed after the events of 917 and the Michaeline order was disbanded several years later, Joram never abandoned his identity as a Michaeline knight and priest. He remained loyal to the House of Haldane despite his exile, and his strength and leadership were instrumental in keeping the Deryni resistance movement alive during the long years of hiding. Known to be cautious and meticulous in his plans, Joram was also a bold tactician who remained utterly dedicated to protecting and defending his people. Father Joram MacRorie died in the year 948, at the age of 69.

[edit] Sources

• Katherine Kurtz and Robert Reginald, Codex Derynianus, ISBN 0-89370-011-8