Born and raised in the unexciting state of Oklahoma, USA, Octavius is a dedicated young man with good, honest intentions but a misconstrued sense of conformity and self-identity. He has been known to hide himself in a facade of simple-minded athleticism in an effort to blend in with other boys his age. Most of this stems from his historian mother's belief that her son would need a strong name, and opted for the moniker of one of the most revered Roman soldiers. While she is the only family he has and he loves her very deeply, Tavi often resents his mother for sticking him with a less conventional name for the rest of his life.

Because of the desire to blend in after the initial mocker of his first name, he has been known to lay low in a guise that is not his own. It has made him a doormat, doing whatever is needed to become part of a crowd. Beneath that is a scholarly and resourceful young man who prefers to lie in wait and observe everything before coming to a conclusion, and to follow wisely instead of leading foolishly.

He enjoys people-watching as a pastime in order to gain wisdom secondarily, and it helps him find inspiration in whatever he happens to be doing. He is a very loyal and quiet young man, but he does make a lot of ill-advised decisions, as his mind is clouded by what others think rather than focusing upon what matters in his own personal set of morals and experiences.