Briar Moss

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Briar Moss, once known as 'Roach', is a character from Tamora Pierce's quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens as well as the stand-alone The Will of the Empress.

Briar is of unknown, multiracial parentage. He is described as having straight black hair and brown skin, typical to natives of Sotat, his birthland, but with a Western nose and light, gray-green eyes.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

1 Background
2 Magic
3 Orpheus
4 Student
5 Sources
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Background

Briar Moss was, in early life, a street rat called 'Roach'. In The Circle of Magic quartet, he is about 10; in The Circle Opens quartet, he's 14; and in The Will of the Empress, Briar is 18. His mother was killed when he was approximately four, and he joined a gang, the Lightnings, led by the 'Thief-Lord', in Deadman's District in Hajra. He was caught three times, recieving a tattoo of an X on the webbing between each thumb and forefinger for the first two; on the third he was sentenced to life at the docks. A passing mage, Niklaren Goldeye, caught sight of the trial, saw Briar's psychic affinity with plants, and took him to Winding Circle Temple to be educated in plant magic.

Although initially a thief, Briar developed a strong sense of right and wrong, which would serve as a weapon against criminals and seductresses. He is cantankerous, but possesses profound loyalty to his foster-sisters Daja Kisubo, Sandreline fa Toren, and Trisana Chandler, as well as a cutting sense of humor. His affinity with all things botannical has made him not only a master gardener, but has also led to such oddities as stealing and later coming to own an ancient, magic-storing, miniature pine tree called a shakkan, tattoos of flowers that live and grow under his skin (he attempted to tattoo over his prisoner X tattoos with vegetable dyes and one of Sandry's needles), and the ability to control growth of plants.

After coming back from his trip, Briar appears to be very sexually involved. He is constantly flirting and smuggling maids into his room. He believes the Empress to be beautiful, however, considers her untouchable.

[edit] Magic

Briar has plant magic and his teacher is Dedicate Rosethorn, who is also a plant mage. Briar can make plants grow very quickly. Rosethorn taught him how to make medicines and restore them to their full potential. He also enjoys and makes money by caring for shakkans (similar to bonsai), trees kept small which usually store magic in the way the plant looks.

[edit] Orpheus

In Circle of Magic - Briar's Book, a deadly epidemic threatens everyone in the city. Briar's beloved teacher, Rosethorn, dies of this mysterious plague. Briar actually chases her into the Afterlife and makes clear to her that either she must return to the world of the living or he will stay with her in the city of the dead. A chagrined Rosethorn returns to life.

[edit] Student

In Street Magic, Briar finds Evumeimei Dingzai (Evvy), a former slave, who has stone magic. Evvy refuses to go with the nearest stone mage (Jebilu Stoneslicer) and thus, Briar must become her teacher. Briar teaches her meditation and at the same time about rocks and what they are used for. Evvy calls Briar 'stone killer', because plants roots dig into rocks and destroy them over time.