Deryni - The Haldane Potential

The Haldane Potential

In 903, Earl Camber MacRorie of Culdi theorizes that certain humans possess the natural ability to be invested with the full range of Deryni powers. Camber develops a magical ritual to perform this feat and utilizes Cinhil I Haldane as his subject, believing that the Haldane prince would need such powers to overthrow King Imre Festil-Furstán and reclaim the throne of Gwynedd. The ritual is successful, and Cinhil later uses his newly-acquired powers to accomplish the Haldane Restoration. Although later research indicates that the Deryni masters of the past were aware of this possibility, Cinhil is the first known human to acquire Deryni abilities.

While other humans are later shown to acquire such powers, this human ability to wield Deryni powers becomes known as "the Haldane potential." Similar to natural Deryni powers, it is hereditary within the Haldane line. However, unlike Deryni powers, the Haldane powers require no training. Once the powers are activated (usually through a magical ritual), they are fully accessible, as the knowledge of how to use them is automatically included with the powers themselves. In general, the reigning Haldane king sets the potential in his heir at a young age (using a ritual he designs), leaving the heir's powers dormant until he ascends the throne himself. A second ritual (distinct from the coronation) fully activates the potential in the new monarch. Various forms of these rituals have been depicted in the novels, and they may or may not include the participation of other people. It is thought that the ritual variations serve to prevent other Haldanes or other Deryni from usurping the powers and the throne itself.

To date, all of the Haldane kings specifically depicted in the novels have wielded at least some of the Haldane powers. However, whether or not any of the other Haldane kings had their hereditary powers activated is unknown. During the two centuries of Deryni persecution in Gwynedd, the Haldane kings justify their arcane powers by claiming that such powers are part of their Divine Right, a sign that they have been chosen by God to sit upon the throne. For much of this time, it is also believed (specifically by the Camberian Council) that only one Haldane can wield the power at a time, and that right is reserved for the reigning king. However, this belief is disproved during the reign of King Kelson Haldane, when several members of his immediate family hold varying levels of arcane power at the same time.