The following is a list of characters from
Anne Rice
Anne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien; October 4, 1941 – December 11, 2021) was an American author of gothic fiction, erotic literature, and Christian literature.
She was best known for her series of novels ''The Vampire Chronicles''. B ...
's ''
The Vampire Chronicles
''The Vampire Chronicles'' is a series of gothic horror novels and a media franchise, created by American writer Anne Rice, that revolves around the fictional character Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman turned into a vampire in the 18t ...
'', which began with the 1976 novel ''
Interview with the Vampire
''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...
''. The series primarily follows the
antihero
An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions ...
Lestat de Lioncourt
Lestat de Lioncourt () is a fictional character appearing in several novels by Anne Rice, including ''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985). He is a vampire and an antihero in the majority of '' The Vampire Chronicles''.
Publication history
Lestat is in ...
, a French nobleman turned into a
vampire
A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...
in the 18th century, and by extension the many humans and vampires whose lives he has touched in his own long existence. Some characters from Rice's ''
Lives of the Mayfair Witches
''Lives of the Mayfair Witches'' is a trilogy of supernatural horror/fantasy novels by American novelist Anne Rice. It centers on a family of witches whose fortunes have been guided for generations by a spirit named Lasher. The series began i ...
'' trilogy cross over to ''The Vampire Chronicles'', specifically in ''
Merrick'' (2000), ''
Blackwood Farm
''Blackwood Farm'' is a 2002 horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the ninth book in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series. The novel includes some characters who cross over from Rice's ''Lives of the Mayfair Witches'' trilogy (1990–1994 ...
'' (2002), and ''
Blood Canticle'' (2003).
Rice said in a 2008 interview that her vampires were a "metaphor for lost souls".
The
homoerotic
Homoeroticism is sexual attraction between members of the same sex, either male–male or female–female. The concept differs from the concept of homosexuality: it refers specifically to the desire itself, which can be temporary, whereas "homose ...
overtones of ''The Vampire Chronicles'' are also well documented.
As of November 2008, ''The Vampire Chronicles'' had sold 80 million copies worldwide.
The first novel in the series, ''
Interview with the Vampire
''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...
'' (1976), was made into a
1994 film starring
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Gol ...
,
Brad Pitt
William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...
,
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Antonio Ba ...
,
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut with a leading role in ''The Legend of Billie Jean'' (1985) and gained wider recognition for his breakthrough role as Jason "J.D." D ...
and
Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Caroline Dunst (; born April 30, 1982) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the short ''Oedipus Wrecks'' directed by Woody Allen in the anthology film ''New York Stories'' (1989). She then gained recognition for her rol ...
. ''
The Queen of the Damned
''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the third in her ''The Vampire Chronicles'' series. It follows ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''The Vampire Lestat''. This novel is a continuation of the ...
'' (1988) was adapted into a
2002 film of the same name, starring
Stuart Townsend
Stuart Townsend (born 15 December 1972) is an Irish actor. He portrayed Lestat de Lioncourt in the film adaptation of Anne Rice's ''Queen of the Damned'' (2002), and Dorian Gray in Alan Moore's ''The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'' (2003). ...
and
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
and using some material from 1985's ''
The Vampire Lestat
''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985) is a vampire novel by American writer Anne Rice, the second in her ''Vampire Chronicles'', following ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976). The story is told from the point of view of the vampire Lestat de Lioncour ...
''. An 8-episode television adaptation, ''
Interview with the Vampire
''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...
'', premiered on
AMC
AMC may refer to:
Film and television
* AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain
* AMC Networks, an American entertainment company
** AMC (TV channel)
** AMC+, streaming service
** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company
*** ...
on October 2, 2022, starring
Sam Reid and
Jacob Anderson
Jacob Basil Anderson (born 18 June 1990) is a British actor and musician. As an actor, he is known for his roles as Grey Worm in '' Game of Thrones'' and Louis de Pointe du Lac in '' Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire'', and his recurrin ...
.
Overview
Main
Lestat de Lioncourt
Lestat is a French nobleman born and made a vampire in the 1700s, and the primary
antihero
An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions ...
of Rice's ''Vampire Chronicles''. He was introduced in ''
Interview with the Vampire
''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...
'' (1976), and has been portrayed by
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Gol ...
in the 1994 film ''
Interview with the Vampire
''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...
'';
Stuart Townsend
Stuart Townsend (born 15 December 1972) is an Irish actor. He portrayed Lestat de Lioncourt in the film adaptation of Anne Rice's ''Queen of the Damned'' (2002), and Dorian Gray in Alan Moore's ''The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'' (2003). ...
in the 2002 film ''
Queen of the Damned
''Queen of the Damned'' is a 2002 vampire film directed by Michael Rymer, loosely based on the third novel of Anne Rice's '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series, ''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988), although the film contains many plot elements from t ...
''; and by
Sam Reid in the 2022 television series ''
Interview with the Vampire
''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...
''.
Louis de Pointe du Lac
Louis is a Frenchman made a vampire in New Orleans by Lestat, introduced in ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976). Louis is portrayed by
Brad Pitt
William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...
in the 1994 film adaptation and by
Jacob Anderson
Jacob Basil Anderson (born 18 June 1990) is a British actor and musician. As an actor, he is known for his roles as Grey Worm in '' Game of Thrones'' and Louis de Pointe du Lac in '' Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire'', and his recurrin ...
in the 2022 television series ''Interview with the Vampire''.
Armand
Armand is a 500-year-old vampire with the outer appearance of a cherubic adolescent boy, introduced in ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976), When first encountered he is the leader of a coven of vampires living in a cemetery in Paris, with rituals that reflect their belief that they are damned creatures; when the coven breaks up, Armand is left with many existential questions. His previous life in Venice with Marius, and his capture and indoctrination by vampires there who despised Marius's optimistic manner of living, is disclosed in ''
The Vampire Lestat
''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985) is a vampire novel by American writer Anne Rice, the second in her ''Vampire Chronicles'', following ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976). The story is told from the point of view of the vampire Lestat de Lioncour ...
'' (1985). The character is portrayed by
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Antonio Ba ...
in the 1994 film adaptation.
Claudia
Claudia is a child vampire introduced in ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976). She is created on a whim by Lestat, despite the prohibition against making vampires of the young, and grows up trapped in a child's body. Eventually, she seeks revenge against Lestat and poisons him with tainted blood to immobilize him, before killing him, but she is unsuccessful. Claudia travels with Louis, and when the two are captured by Armand's coven in Paris, she is killed by fire as a creature made against the rules. Claudia is portrayed by
Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Caroline Dunst (; born April 30, 1982) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the short ''Oedipus Wrecks'' directed by Woody Allen in the anthology film ''New York Stories'' (1989). She then gained recognition for her rol ...
in the 1994 film adaptation and by Bailey Bass in the 2022 television series ''Interview with the Vampire''.
Daniel Molloy
Daniel Molloy is a young reporter introduced in ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976) to whom
Louis de Pointe du Lac
Louis de Pointe du Lac is a fictional character in Anne Rice's '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series. He begins his life as a mortal man and later becomes a vampire. He is the protagonist who tells his story in ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1 ...
recounts his life history. The character is portrayed by
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut with a leading role in ''The Legend of Billie Jean'' (1985) and gained wider recognition for his breakthrough role as Jason "J.D." D ...
in the 1994 film adaptation, and portrayed by
Eric Bogosian
Eric Bogosian ( hy, Էրիկ Բոգոսյան; ; born April 24, 1953) is an American actor, playwright, monologuist, novelist, and historian. Descended from Armenian American immigrants, he grew up in Watertown and Woburn, Massachusetts, and ...
in the 2022 television series.
Marius de Romanus
Marius is an ancient vampire, originally from Rome in the 1st century BC and introduced in ''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985). He is portrayed by
Vincent Pérez
Vincent Perez (born 10 June 1964) is a Swiss actor, director and photographer. He played the title character, Ashe Corven, in '' The Crow: City of Angels'', and starred in ''Queen of the Damned'', playing Marius de Romanus. Some of his films in ...
in the 2002 film ''
Queen of the Damned
''Queen of the Damned'' is a 2002 vampire film directed by Michael Rymer, loosely based on the third novel of Anne Rice's '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series, ''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988), although the film contains many plot elements from t ...
''.
David Talbot
David is the Superior General of the secret organization
the Talamasca, which researches and investigates the
supernatural
Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
. David is introduced in ''
The Queen of the Damned
''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the third in her ''The Vampire Chronicles'' series. It follows ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''The Vampire Lestat''. This novel is a continuation of the ...
'' (1988). He meets both Lestat and Louis at the end of the novel. Lestat taunts David, offering to turn him with his powerful vampire blood, which David soundly refuses. In ''
The Tale of the Body Thief
''The Tale of the Body Thief'' is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the fourth in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series, following ''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988). Published in 1992, it continues the adventures of Lestat, speci ...
'' (1992), it seems he and Lestat have become friends. After Lestat tries to end his immortal life by flying into the sun in the
Gobi Desert
The Gobi Desert (Chinese: 戈壁 (沙漠), Mongolian: Говь (ᠭᠣᠪᠢ)) () is a large desert or brushland region in East Asia, and is the sixth largest desert in the world.
Geography
The Gobi measures from southwest to northeast an ...
, he visits David. He also seeks advice from David when Raglan James offers to switch bodies with him, though he doesn't listen to what David has to say. David helps Lestat regain his body. In the struggle with Raglan James, David switches into a much younger body, described as that of an
Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indian people fall into two different groups: those with mixed Indian and British ancestry, and people of British descent born or residing in India. The latter sense is now mainly historical, but confusions can arise. The ''Oxford English ...
with dark brown hair, while Lestat returns to his preternatural body. Lestat kills David's old body, which is
possessed
Possessed may refer to:
Possession
* Possession (disambiguation), having some degree of control over something else
** Spirit possession, whereby gods, demons, animas, or other disincarnate entities may temporarily take control of a human body
*** ...
by James. At the end of the book, Lestat forces the blood upon David, making him his fledgling. David becomes somewhat of a confidant to Armand, and eventually records the story of his life in ''
The Vampire Armand
''The Vampire Armand'' (1998) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the sixth in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series.
Plot summary
With Lestat de Lioncourt still in slumber since '' Memnoch the Devil'', the vampire coven is reunited ...
'' (1998). He is also described as having sexual preferences for young women and men, preferring men in ''The Tale of the Body Thief''. David also appears in ''
Merrick'' (2000), where he contacts the title character, who also happens to be part of the Mayfairs. In this book, Merrick raises the spirit of Claudia for Louis. In the end, it is revealed that Merrick has been using
Vodou to bring both David and Louis to her so she can attain eternal life. This plan works, as Louis gives her the blood and makes her immortal. After he makes Merrick his fledgling, he tries to commit suicide by placing his coffin in the open where he would be burned to death when the sun rose. He nearly succeeds, but he is too old for the sun to end his life. David, Merrick, and Lestat find him and give him their blood to heal his burned form. Their combined blood makes Louis stronger than he had been before. The four then form a
coven
A coven () is a group or gathering of witches. The word "coven" (from Anglo-Norman ''covent, cuvent'', from Old French ''covent'', from Latin ''conventum'' = convention) remained largely unused in English until 1921 when Margaret Murray promote ...
in
, but the Talamasca, enraged that three of their members had taken the blood, threaten the vampires and demand that Merrick, David, and Jesse return to them. Lestat wants to retaliate against the Talamasca, but David talks him out of doing anything rash, and the four leave their home in the Rue Royal.
Jessica "Jesse" Reeves
Jesse is a modern-day descendant of the ancient vampire
Maharet, portrayed by
Marguerite Moreau
Marguerite Moreau (born April 25, 1977) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Jesse Reeves in the fantasy horror film ''Queen of the Damned'', Katie in the comedy ''Wet Hot American Summer'', and her role as Connie in ''The Might ...
in the 2002 film ''Queen of the Damned''.
Bianca Solderini
Introduced in ''
The Vampire Armand
''The Vampire Armand'' (1998) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the sixth in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series.
Plot summary
With Lestat de Lioncourt still in slumber since '' Memnoch the Devil'', the vampire coven is reunited ...
'' (1998), Bianca is an Italian vampire born in
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
in the late 1470s. She has sharp grey eyes and wavy golden hair, which she often interweaves with pearls, and is often described as a woman painted by
Botticelli
Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi ( – May 17, 1510), known as Sandro Botticelli (, ), was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. Botticelli's posthumous reputation suffered until the late 19th century, when he was rediscovered ...
. Bianca lives a happy mortal life with her brothers until they die and she is forced to depend financially on her evil kinsmen, who are bankers. They provide amply for her as long as she kills those who they instruct her to kill. She does this by opening her house to virtually all as an amicable and graceful hostess and secretly placing poison in the wine cups of those whom her kinsmen want dead. Bianca is a renowned
Venetian courtesan
Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress (lover), mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the Royal cour ...
when Marius comes to know her. Marius immediately falls in love with her and becomes obsessed with her, contemplating making her a vampire. A few years after the two meet,
Armand arrives on the scene and also falls in love with Bianca. The three form an amiable sort of love triangle before the Children of Darkness, led by
Santino, destroy Marius's
palazzo
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...
, burn Marius, and take away Armand. After the burning, Marius, severely weakened, mentally calls Bianca to him. Marius makes Bianca a vampire so that she can bring him victims so that he can heal. The two stay together for nearly two hundred years, caring for
Those Who Must Be Kept
The following is a list of characters from Anne Rice's ''The Vampire Chronicles'', which began with the 1976 novel ''Interview with the Vampire''. The series primarily follows the antihero Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman turned into a vampi ...
before Bianca leaves Marius in
Dresden
Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...
, when she overhears him telling
Pandora
In Greek mythology, Pandora (Greek: , derived from , ''pān'', i.e. "all" and , ''dōron'', i.e. "gift", thus "the all-endowed", "all-gifted" or "all-giving") was the first human woman created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hes ...
that he would leave Bianca if it meant having Pandora with him once more. Marius also does not tell Bianca that rumors of Pandora in Dresden are the only reason they moved there. Armand later sees her in Paris in the early 19th century.
Merrick Mayfair
Introduced as the title character of ''
Merrick'' (2001), Merrick is a member of
the Talamasca and is acquainted with
David Talbot
David Talbot (born September 22, 1951) is an American journalist, author, activist and independent historian. Talbot is known for his books about the "hidden history" of U.S. power and the liberal movements to change America, as well as his p ...
. Merrick is suddenly contacted by David Talbot, now a
vampire
A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...
, after his "death". He asks her to raise the spirit of Claudia for
Louis de Pointe du Lac
Louis de Pointe du Lac is a fictional character in Anne Rice's '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series. He begins his life as a mortal man and later becomes a vampire. He is the protagonist who tells his story in ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1 ...
. Louis wants to know if Claudia is at peace after her death. Merrick can do this since she is a powerful witch, as are many of the Mayfairs. When her godmother, Great Nannane, died there was no one who could take care of her because her sister (Honey in the Sunshine) and her mother (Cold Sandra) were deceased. There is also a matter of her raising. The Mayfair Family is big and they are both black and white but are all distanced from her immediate family. Orphaned, the young Merrick is taken in by
David Talbot
David Talbot (born September 22, 1951) is an American journalist, author, activist and independent historian. Talbot is known for his books about the "hidden history" of U.S. power and the liberal movements to change America, as well as his p ...
and Aaron Lightner and the Talamasca. As she grows her power increases and she studies to learn all that she can. She goes to high school and a university. Meantime she bonds with David and Aaron. When she is an adult she returns to become a full member of the Talamasca. When David suddenly dies, she knows something is not right and Aaron tells her nothing. When she says farewell to David's dead body her suspicions are confirmed. She decides to find papers where information about David has been filed. Merrick finds out that David has helped the famous vampire
Lestat de Lioncourt
Lestat de Lioncourt () is a fictional character appearing in several novels by Anne Rice, including ''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985). He is a vampire and an antihero in the majority of '' The Vampire Chronicles''.
Publication history
Lestat is in ...
. Lestat's powerful vampire body has been stolen by a former member of the Talamasca, Raglan James. When they got Lestat's body back Raglan stole David's body instead and David ended up in the body of a young man. David's original body is destroyed when Raglan, in David's original body, tries to trick Lestat into giving him "the Dark Gift". When David contacts her, years later, Merrick knows all of this. She agrees to raise the spirit of Claudia. When Merrick meets Louis, they fall in love, more or less. After the ceremony, Louis and Merrick express a desire to talk and David goes out. The next night he finds that Merrick has been made into a vampire by Louis. Merrick later confesses to David, Louis, and Lestat that it is what she's wanted ever since she found out about what happened to David. She also revealed that her ancestors had visited her dreams with a similar message of her fate. She used magic to bring David and Louis to her. When Louis later is dying after his attempt to burn himself in the sun to join Claudia, Lestat fully awakes from his sleep. He saves Louis by letting him drink from his powerful blood. Merrick is also allowed to drink and joins the little coven. Later a young vampire named Quinn calls upon Lestat and asks for help in ''
Blackwood Farm
''Blackwood Farm'' is a 2002 horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the ninth book in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series. The novel includes some characters who cross over from Rice's ''Lives of the Mayfair Witches'' trilogy (1990–1994 ...
'' (2002). The spirit of his dead twin brother (named Goblin) had been haunting him all his life, and now, when he is a vampire, Quinn is the victim of several attacks. Lestat can not help Quinn on his own and asks Merrick for help, and she agrees. She explains the nature of spirits and says that Goblin refuses "to go into The Light". She performs a kind of exorcism, but to make the spirit "go into the Light" she ends her own life and they both "go into the Light" together. It was earlier revealed by Lestat that Merrick was suffering, which all new vampires do due to their new nature.
Rowan Mayfair
Rowan is a Mayfair witch who appears in the novels ''
The Witching Hour'' (1990), ''
Lasher
''Lives of the Mayfair Witches'' is a trilogy of supernatural horror/fantasy novels by American novelist Anne Rice. It centers on a family of witches whose fortunes have been guided for generations by a spirit named Lasher. The series began i ...
'' (1993), ''
Taltos'' (1994), ''
Blackwood Farm
''Blackwood Farm'' is a 2002 horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the ninth book in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series. The novel includes some characters who cross over from Rice's ''Lives of the Mayfair Witches'' trilogy (1990–1994 ...
'' (2002) and ''
Blood Canticle'' (2003).
Mona Mayfair
Mona is a Mayfair witch who appears in the novels ''
The Witching Hour'' (1990), ''
Lasher
''Lives of the Mayfair Witches'' is a trilogy of supernatural horror/fantasy novels by American novelist Anne Rice. It centers on a family of witches whose fortunes have been guided for generations by a spirit named Lasher. The series began i ...
'' (1993), ''
Taltos'' (1994), ''
Blackwood Farm
''Blackwood Farm'' is a 2002 horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the ninth book in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series. The novel includes some characters who cross over from Rice's ''Lives of the Mayfair Witches'' trilogy (1990–1994 ...
'' (2002) and ''
Blood Canticle'' (2003). She is made a vampire by
Lestat de Lioncourt
Lestat de Lioncourt () is a fictional character appearing in several novels by Anne Rice, including ''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985). He is a vampire and an antihero in the majority of '' The Vampire Chronicles''.
Publication history
Lestat is in ...
in ''Blood Canticle''.
Tarquin Blackwood
Tarquin is initially featured in the novel ''
Blackwood Farm
''Blackwood Farm'' is a 2002 horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the ninth book in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series. The novel includes some characters who cross over from Rice's ''Lives of the Mayfair Witches'' trilogy (1990–1994 ...
'' (2002) and later in ''
Blood Canticle'' (2003). An oval face, with features that are almost too delicate. Sharp, intelligent blue eyes and jet black hair, cut short that is slightly curly. He stands at an impressive height of , and is of a slight, handsome build. Tarquin Anthony Blackwood was born in 1980 to Patsy Blackwood who was only 16 at the time. Quinn is looked after by his grandfather Pops, grandmother "Sweetheart" and Jasmine, a servant, who helps run the house, Blackwood Farm just outside New Orleans. Quinn has spent his entire life accompanied by a spirit named Goblin. The first clear memory Quinn has of Goblin was his birthday party when he was 3 years old which is also the first instance known of Goblin being able to physically touch Quinn by pushing his hand and forcing him to ruin a birthday cake. He is given a harmonica for his birthday by his grandfather, Pops which he loves to play although Goblin hates it because Quinn pays him no attention whilst playing it. At the age of 7, whilst playing in the old cemetery with Goblin, Quinn sees a group of ghosts huddled together. Quinn is quite interested in these spirits which fade only to come back again, but as they don't move or talk he simply leaves them, much to the relief of Goblin. Quinn becomes a vampire and fledgling of Petronia. Soon after he is made, Arion (maker of Petronia) gives Quinn his blood so that Quinn is stronger. Arion tells Quinn that they must only feed upon people who have committed evil deeds (the "evil-doer" as they are commonly referred to). Quinn accepts this and is then told by Petronia to pick someone from the 3 servants in the house to feed upon. These are the same servants Quinn met when still alive so Quinn is reluctant to feed on any of them even though he can now see they have all committed some very bad deed. Quinn eventually kills one female servant and afterward, Manfred also lets Quinn drink from him. Quinn then sees the ghost of Rebecca but ignores her now as he believes that to be finished now that he has died. Quinn is taken to hunt with Arion, Petronia, and Manfred and here discovers that he can fly. The four of them arrive at a wedding full of "evil-doers" but Quinn mistakenly kills the bride who was not evil at all. Petronia, obviously enraged by this, begins beating Quinn until Arion stops it. The sun rises and Quinn sleeps during the day, dreaming of killing his mother Patsy. The next night Arion teaches Quinn how to hunt properly and teaches him about what he now is, a vampire. On returning to Petronia and Manfred they explain "the rules" to him: that
the Talamasca is now his enemy and also that hunting in New Orleans is forbidden because
Lestat de Lioncourt
Lestat de Lioncourt () is a fictional character appearing in several novels by Anne Rice, including ''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985). He is a vampire and an antihero in the majority of '' The Vampire Chronicles''.
Publication history
Lestat is in ...
won't allow it. Quinn decides to return to Blackwood Farm. Even though Petronia and Arion ask him not to, he makes preparations to leave straight away. When Quinn arrives at Blackwood Farm, Goblin attacks him and feeds on him, drinking his blood. Goblin attacks Quinn every time Quinn feeds on someone, and his attacks are becoming stronger each time. Petronia visits Quinn at the island in the swamp and leaves him The Vampire Chronicles so he can understand things a bit better. On reading the books, he decides to find Lestat to ask for his help in dealing with Goblin. Quinn writes a letter to Lestat explaining a little about him and Goblin and asking for his help. He also encloses a cameo of himself for Lestat. Quinn takes this letter to Lestat's flat in New Orleans where he finds Stirling Oliver. Stirling can clearly see what Quinn is now and although Quinn tries to fight against it, he feeds on Stirling Oliver until he is pulled away from him. The person who pulled him away was Lestat who quickly deals with Stirling Oliver by warning him not to try it again and also not to make any mention of Quinn in any report he might make to the Talamasca. Lestat takes Quinn's letter and then takes him to feed and afterward Quinn is attacked by Goblin. Lestat goes with Quinn back to Blackwood Farm where they spend a bit of time talking to Aunt Queen about cameos and their history. When Lestat and Quinn are alone, Goblin returns to feed on Quinn but Lestat burns him as he does so. Quinn then tells Lestat the story of himself and Goblin (and his entire life). After the story is done they hear a noise and Quinn discovers Goblin has killed Aunt Queen. Lestat suggests Merrick can perhaps help get rid of Goblin. At the wake of Aunt Queen, Quinn is alone as Lestat has gone to find
Merrick Mayfair
The following is a list of characters from Anne Rice's ''The Vampire Chronicles'', which began with the 1976 novel ''Interview with the Vampire''. The series primarily follows the antihero Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman turned into a vampi ...
. Quinn notices Petronia there who has left Aunt Queen a cameo. Quinn also witnesses the ghost of Julien Mayfair who warns him against turning Mona into a vampire. Quinn leaves after seeing Rowan and Stirling Oliver arrive. Quinn is accompanied by Lestat and Merrick to the funeral where he speaks about Aunt Queen, as do many people. Also, Quinn, out of habit, goes up to receive communion, and Lestat and Merrick follow him. After the funeral, Merrick tells Quinn to go home with his family and to keep Patsy in particular at home. When Merrick and Lestat arrive at Blackwood Farm, Quinn is told that Goblin is in fact the ghost of his twin brother who died shortly after they were born. Quinn doesn't believe this until Patsy confirms it and says his name was Gawain and that it was Quinn's fault that his brother died. Quinn hears the same story from Jasmine and her grandmother. Goblin leaves a message on the computer saying he wants Lestat and Merrick gone and that he hates Quinn. Quinn then gives Merrick all the information he can about Goblin so she can get rid of him. Quinn kills Patsy and the ghost of Rebecca appears and is satisfied because he killed her and leaves. Quinn drinks from Lestat so he has enough strength for what is going to happen next. A fire is built and Quinn and Lestat watch as Merrick performs a ritual that involves the remains of Goblin/Gawain. The ritual ends with Merrick jumping into the fire with Goblin and even though Lestat pulls her out and tries to save her, she is dead. Quinn and Lestat visit Oak Haven and speak to Stirling Oliver telling him about Merrick so that the Talamasca know what happened to her. Stirling Oliver tells Quinn that Mona Mayfair is dying. Quinn and Lestat leave the Talamasca to hunt. They arrive back at Blackwood Farm where they find Mona waiting for Quinn, dying. Quinn tells her what he is and Lestat makes her into a vampire for Quinn.
Supporting
Santiago
Santiago is a vampire introduced in ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976), and portrayed by
Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea ( ; born 31 October 1946) is an Irish film and stage actor. Rea has appeared in films such as ''V for Vendetta'', ''Michael Collins'', ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''Breakfast on Pluto''. Rea was nominated for the Academy Award ...
in the
1994 film adaptation.
Madeleine
Introduced in ''Interview with the Vampire'', Madeleine is a human dollmaker whom Louis turns into a vampire at Claudia's request. She and Claudia become very close, and when Claudia is condemned to death by exposure, Madeleine is destroyed with her. She is portrayed by
Domiziana Giordano
Domiziana Giordano (born 4 September 1959) is an Italian artist, actress, photographer, and video artist. Giordano has played roles in work directed by Mauro Bolognini, Jean-Luc Godard, Neil Jordan, Ken McMullen, Nicolas Roeg, and Andrei Ta ...
in the 1994 film adaptation.
Gabrielle de Lioncourt
Gabrielle is Lestat's mother, introduced in ''
The Vampire Lestat
''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985) is a vampire novel by American writer Anne Rice, the second in her ''Vampire Chronicles'', following ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976). The story is told from the point of view of the vampire Lestat de Lioncour ...
'' (1985). She is Lestat's first fledgling, and the second to leave him after
Nicolas de Lenfent. She has yellow-blond hair like her son's and cobalt-blue eyes with "too small, too kittenish" features, as Lestat described them, that "made her look like a girl". Gabrielle comes from a prosperous Italian family. She was educated and had traveled to and lived in many cities in Europe. Then she was married at a young age to Lestat's father, Marquis d'Auvergne. Gabrielle gave birth to eight children, but only 3 survived. Out of these sons, the youngest (Lestat), was to become her favorite. She and Lestat shared a special bond: they both were trapped in a place they hated and struggling endlessly to escape. Gabrielle was cold and uncaring to everyone. She was the only person who was educated in her family and read her books every day, yet lacked the patience to teach her sons to read or write anything. Over the years she sold two of her heirloom jewels from an Italian grandmother to aid Lestat, the only person she loved and cared for. She lived life through him; he was the male part of her. She suffered a rapidly declining health due to bad winters and multiple childbirths. It eventually developed into
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
. She funded Lestat's trip to Paris with Nicolas by giving him gold coins and advising him to hitch a ride on the postal carriage. Lestat became an actor there and was far happier than he ever was back home. He was grateful and loved his mother for all that she had done for him over the years so he sent letters to her telling her about his life in Paris. She encouraged his acting career, which gave him a lot of strength. She carefully hid her rapidly declining health to keep him strong. Lestat was made into a vampire by
Magnus
Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...
, and inherited near-inexhaustible wealth when Magnus killed himself in a bonfire. He repaid those who helped him with gold and indulged in his new-found wealth. To hide the truth from Gabrielle, Lestat told her tales of going to
the Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...
, marrying a rich woman, and coming into vast wealth. Intrigued, she went to Paris to see her son before she died. Lestat went to see his mother the second night she was in Paris and tried to hide the truth from her, but she found out upon closer inspection of Lestat's changed appearance that he had become a vampire. When Gabrielle began dying right in front of him, a desperate Lestat made her a vampire. Lestat was now the maker, parent, and teacher, while Gabrielle became the fledgling, the child, and the student. Lestat took her to his tower where they lived happily for months. Things changed, however, when Lestat destroyed the
Satanic cult headed by
Armand, founded a theatre, and made Nicolas into a vampire. After this, Lestat and Gabrielle went traveling around the world. Gabrielle became increasingly distant and cold to her son. They finally parted in Egypt just after the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
. Gabrielle went into the deep jungles of
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
and Lestat went underground to sleep for two years. Gabrielle was off exploring the world on her own for the next 200 years. She did not reappear until 1985 (during 1988's ''
The Queen of the Damned
''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the third in her ''The Vampire Chronicles'' series. It follows ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''The Vampire Lestat''. This novel is a continuation of the ...
''.) She was there to help her son fight against Akasha and help save the world. During this time, she developed a slight bond with Marius, but nothing became of it and she drifted away from everyone again. Gabrielle resurfaced for the last time after ''
Memnoch the Devil
''Memnoch the Devil'' (1995) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the fifth in her '' Vampire Chronicles'' series, following ''The Tale of the Body Thief''. In this story, Lestat is approached by the Devil and offered a job at his s ...
'', in ''
The Vampire Armand
''The Vampire Armand'' (1998) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the sixth in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series.
Plot summary
With Lestat de Lioncourt still in slumber since '' Memnoch the Devil'', the vampire coven is reunited ...
'' (1998) while Lestat was in his catatonic sleep.
In the 2006
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
, ''
Lestat'', Gabrielle was portrayed by
Carolee Carmello
Carolee Ann Carmello (born September 1, 1962) is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals and for playing the role of Maple LaMarsh on the television series ''Remember WENN'' (1996–1998). She is a three-time T ...
who was nominated for a
for her role.
Akasha
Introduced in ''
The Vampire Lestat
''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985) is a vampire novel by American writer Anne Rice, the second in her ''Vampire Chronicles'', following ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976). The story is told from the point of view of the vampire Lestat de Lioncour ...
'', Akasha is the progenitor of all vampires. The queen of
Kemet (Egypt) circa 5000 BC, Akasha and her husband Enkil are plagued by the evil spirit Amel. During an assassination attempt on Akasha and Enkil, Amel enters a dying Akasha's body, making her the first vampire. She in turn makes Enkil a vampire by drawing out nearly all of his blood and then allowing him to drink nearly all of hers. After millennia, they become living statues and sleep upright in their thrones. What befalls Akasha and Enkil also befalls all vampires; if they are injured, so are their children, if they die, so do all vampires. Called Those Who Must Be Kept, Akasha and Enkil are hidden and cared for by a series of ancient vampires in locations around the world. In the late 1800s, Lestat discovers them and drinks from Akasha, acquiring her supreme powers. Over a century later, Lestat's music awakens Akasha in ''
The Queen of the Damned
''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the third in her ''The Vampire Chronicles'' series. It follows ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''The Vampire Lestat''. This novel is a continuation of the ...
''.
Akasha is portrayed by
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
in the 2002 film ''
Queen of the Damned
''Queen of the Damned'' is a 2002 vampire film directed by Michael Rymer, loosely based on the third novel of Anne Rice's '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series, ''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988), although the film contains many plot elements from t ...
''.
Nicolas de Lenfent
Nicolas "Nicki" de Lenfent is Lestat's closest friend and lover in Paris, introduced in ''
The Vampire Lestat
''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985) is a vampire novel by American writer Anne Rice, the second in her ''Vampire Chronicles'', following ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976). The story is told from the point of view of the vampire Lestat de Lioncour ...
'' (1985). Lestat is abducted from their bed and made a vampire by Magnus. Lestat later makes Nicki a vampire as well, which only amplifies Nicki's depression. Nicki was portrayed by Roderick Hill in the 2006 musical ''Lestat''.
Magnus
Magnus is the vampire who turned Lestat into a vampire in ''
The Vampire Lestat
''The Vampire Lestat'' (1985) is a vampire novel by American writer Anne Rice, the second in her ''Vampire Chronicles'', following ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1976). The story is told from the point of view of the vampire Lestat de Lioncour ...
'' (1985). Magnus is characterized by black hair and eyes of the same color. As a mortal, he was an
alchemist
Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscience, protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in Chinese alchemy, C ...
. He was an old man when he trapped the vampire Benedict in chains and stole the Dark Gift/Blood for himself. That happened at some point during the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
. According to the "Old Queen" (Alessandra) of Armand's coven in Paris, Magnus was 300 years old when he made Lestat, which would put his year of birth in the late 15th century. Over time, he was driven mad by his vampiric nature and his immortality. Before killing himself, he sought an heir to inherit the immense wealth that he had accumulated over the years. Magnus searched for years for an heir, with no success. In his dungeon, he had hundreds of decomposing bodies stored in a room, the discarded remains of his search for a suitable heir. Every one of these candidates had blond hair and blue eyes, just as Lestat does. After choosing Lestat as his heir and giving him explicit instructions to scatter his ashes after he had burned up, Magnus leaped into a pyre that he had made for himself. He left Lestat to struggle and learn for himself of his new vampiric nature and its powers. Lestat would later lament that he learned "absolutely nothing" from the one who made him.
Antoine
Introduced in ''The Vampire Lestat'', Antoine is a French musician, exiled to Louisiana and made a vampire by Lestat. He returns in ''
Prince Lestat
''Prince Lestat'' is a novel by American writer Anne Rice, the eleventh in '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series, published on October 28, 2014. Rice had originally stated the novel '' Blood Canticle'' was meant to conclude the series, but in March ...
'' (2014).
Antoinette, a gender swapped version of the character, appears in the 2022 television series ''
Interview with the Vampire
''Interview with the Vampire'' is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac ...
'', portrayed by Maura Grace Athari. In the story, she is a
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
singer taken as a lover by Lestat. Eventually, Louis and Claudia insist that Lestat kill her as a condition of reuniting their family. Lestat pretends to, presenting her severed finger as proof, but instead makes her a vampire to spy on Louis and Claudia. They ultimately destroy her in their incinerator.
Aaron Lightner
Aaron is a member of
the Talamasca who possesses a particular interest in the Mayfair Witches. Introduced in ''
The Queen of the Damned
''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the third in her ''The Vampire Chronicles'' series. It follows ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''The Vampire Lestat''. This novel is a continuation of the ...
'' (1988), the character appears in the entire ''
Lives of the Mayfair Witches
''Lives of the Mayfair Witches'' is a trilogy of supernatural horror/fantasy novels by American novelist Anne Rice. It centers on a family of witches whose fortunes have been guided for generations by a spirit named Lasher. The series began i ...
'' trilogy (1990–1994) as well as the 2000 crossover novel ''
Merrick''.
Pandora
Pandora is an ancient Roman woman, previously named Lydia, whom Marius de Romanus is forced to make a vampire, and who helps him care for Those Who Must Be Kept for centuries.
Maharet and Mekare
Maharet and Mekare are six-thousand-year-old twins from ancient Kemet who inadvertently began the cycle of vampirism in the world by summoning the demon spirit Amel, who possesses a dying Akasha and turns her into a vampire.
Mael
Mael is mentioned briefly in ''The Vampire Lestat''. Along with Marius de Romanus and Pandora, he is one of the legendary ancient vampires. When Marius tells the young Lestat the story of his life, he says that Mael was the druid priest who abducted him to become the new "God of the Grove". Marius escaped. Mael later returns in ''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988). He is a companion to
Maharet and also seeks to protect her mortal descendant Jesse Reeves. Mael is present when Maharet tells Jesse her story when they later try to reason with Akasha, and when
Mekare
The following is a list of characters from Anne Rice's '' The Vampire Chronicles'', which began with the 1976 novel ''Interview with the Vampire''. The series primarily follows the antihero Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman turned into a vamp ...
kills her. The third appearance by Mael is at the end of ''
Memnoch the Devil
''Memnoch the Devil'' (1995) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the fifth in her '' Vampire Chronicles'' series, following ''The Tale of the Body Thief''. In this story, Lestat is approached by the Devil and offered a job at his s ...
''. Lestat goes to Heaven and Hell with the Devil, Memnoch, and he brought back
Veronica's Veil, causing chaos among mortals and bringing out many of the ancients. Mael tells David Talbot and Lestat that he is going to burn himself in the sun for God. Mael is ancient and thereby too strong for the sunlight to kill him ordinarily, but he believes that the presence of the Veil negates his supernatural powers (but not his vulnerabilities). The final implication is that Mael dies as the novel ends, but it's revealed by Marius in ''
Blood and Gold
''Blood and Gold'' (2001) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the eighth book in her '' Vampire Chronicles'' series.
Plot summary
The book begins with an ancient vampire of Nordic descent awaking after being frozen in a block of ic ...
'' (2001) that Mael's suicide attempt is unsuccessful, "He was badly burnt and brought low, as can happen with us who are very old, and after one day in the sun, he hadn't the courage for more suffering. Back to his companions, he went and there he remains." He appears in ''Blood and Gold'' when Marius tells Thorne about his life, in which Mael is included. Marius has just left Pandora when he meets Mael and his maker Avicus in Rome, the city he moved to. When Marius had escaped and the old god had been killed (because they had Marius), Mael is chosen to become the new "God of the Grove". The druids find out about Avicus in England and they travel there. When they get there Avicus uses "the Mind Gift" on Mael and learns about Marius's escape. To give Mael "the Dark Gift" Avicus wants a victim and freedom, but it all ends up with that Mael is turned into a vampire and they escape together. Mael and Avicus become companions and eventually meet Marius in Rome, where they reveal all this. There is a lot of anger between Mael and Marius while Avicus tries to keep them from fighting. They come to peace where they all live in the city. Mael and Avicus keep the city clean from The Children of Darkness, but one night Mael is injured and Marius agrees to help. Marius must give Mael blood so he can heal and then Mael sees visions of Those Who Must Be Kept. Gradually they get to know more and more, and Avicus seems to have been made by Akasha before becoming "A God of the Grove". Mael is furious that Marius kept such an important secret to himself, about that Marius destroyed his belief and about the connection between Avicus and Marius. Marius eventually takes them to Those Who Must Be Kept and Mael tries to drink from Akasha.
Enkil
The following is a list of characters from Anne Rice's ''The Vampire Chronicles'', which began with the 1976 novel ''Interview with the Vampire''. The series primarily follows the antihero Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman turned into a vampi ...
does not like it and Marius saves Mael in the last minute from being killed by Enkil. Later when Rome is falling Marius goes to sleep and they try to wake him but do not succeed. A hundred years later they decide to leave for Constantinople and finally successfully awaken Marius. In Constantinople, they separate, and then Mael becomes Maharet's companion.
Santino
Santino is the leader of a coven of Satanic vampires, the members of which hold a common belief that they are meant to be the scourge of humankind. He approaches Marius in Rome, some 500 years before Marius meets Lestat, and confronts him about Those Who Must Be Kept, whom Marius has been thinking of. This startles Marius greatly, as he is much older than Santino, so reading his mind should be impossible. He decides to scare the young Santino, by setting his cloak on fire and telling him to leave. Marius does not hear of Santino again until sometime later, when Mael tells Marius of his meeting with Santino. Santino and his satanic coven ultimately attack Marius's Venetian home, his followers burning his house and killing some of the boys he harbors. Marius is badly burned from this incident and his fledgling Armand is taken, along with a number of Marius's boys. The coven burns the boys alive in a giant fire. Santino rescues Armand, claiming to his followers that the young fledgling has a heart for God. Armand does not come over to the darker life of the coven so easily though. With the help of his follower Alessandra, they keep Armand locked up in their crypt, starving him for days before allowing him to feed. Eventually, Armand gives in and is accepted as Santino's apprentice. After some time Armand is chosen to become the leader of the Paris coven, whose former leader went into the fire. Alessandra picks the name Armand for him as a new name and goes with him to Paris. Santino is not heard of again until in the novel ''
The Queen of the Damned
''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the third in her ''The Vampire Chronicles'' series. It follows ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''The Vampire Lestat''. This novel is a continuation of the ...
'' (1988) where he comes with Eric to Maharet's place, meeting Jesse who is still human at that time and where he accompanies
Pandora
In Greek mythology, Pandora (Greek: , derived from , ''pān'', i.e. "all" and , ''dōron'', i.e. "gift", thus "the all-endowed", "all-gifted" or "all-giving") was the first human woman created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hes ...
to rescue Marius from the icy wall in which
Akasha
Akasha or Akash (Sanskrit ' ) means space or sky or æther in traditional Indian cosmology, depending on the religion. The term has also been adopted in Western occultism and spiritualism in the late 19th century. In many modern Indo-Aryan la ...
has entrapped Marius, possibly hoping to redeem himself in his eyes for the wrongs he had done to the elder. After the events of ''Queen of the Damned'', he stays for a time on Armand's Night Island, occasionally playing chess with Armand. He is also mentioned in ''
The Vampire Armand
''The Vampire Armand'' (1998) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the sixth in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series.
Plot summary
With Lestat de Lioncourt still in slumber since '' Memnoch the Devil'', the vampire coven is reunited ...
'' (1998), when Armand, after going into the sun sees both his old master and his old coven master destroying evidence the humans had of vampires existing. Marius never takes his revenge against Santino for destroying his life in Venice and taking his Armand from him (at first because he doesn't have the opportunity and later because the new vampire queen forbids vampires from killing each other, as their numbers are low). Marius harbors a deep hatred for Santino, and centuries later tells his story to a vampire companion named
Thorne. When Marius and Thorne met Santino, Thorne slays Santino with the Fire Gift so that Marius's heart will be at rest. This results in Thorne's confinement.
Khayman
Khayman is a powerful and ancient vampire introduced in ''
The Queen of the Damned
''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the third in her ''The Vampire Chronicles'' series. It follows ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''The Vampire Lestat''. This novel is a continuation of the ...
'' (1988). He was the third vampire in existence, after Akasha and her consort, Enkil.
Azim
Azim is the ancient "blood god" who has ruled in a Himalayan temple for a thousand years. He collects worshippers into his temple using his vampiric gift and drains their blood during the frenzied ceremonies. Azim is described by
Pandora
In Greek mythology, Pandora (Greek: , derived from , ''pān'', i.e. "all" and , ''dōron'', i.e. "gift", thus "the all-endowed", "all-gifted" or "all-giving") was the first human woman created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hes ...
as plump, bronze-skinned, and wrapped in a lavish robe and a silk turban. Despite being "as old as Marius" and therefore powerful, Akasha invades his temple and kills him with a flick of her hand, his skull detonated and his body incinerated by her primal power.
Eric
Eric is mentioned only in ''
The Queen of the Damned
''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the third in her ''The Vampire Chronicles'' series. It follows ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''The Vampire Lestat''. This novel is a continuation of the ...
'' (1988) and ''
The Tale of the Body Thief
''The Tale of the Body Thief'' is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the fourth in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series, following ''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988). Published in 1992, it continues the adventures of Lestat, speci ...
'' (1992). Eric is made a vampire by Maharet around 1000 BC at the mortal age of twenty-nine. His origin and past life are unknown. He survives Akasha's worldwide slaughter due to his immortal age of three thousand years and is one of the immortals who gathered at Sonoma to stand against Akasha. His first and only appearance is in Queen of the Damned where he came to Maharet, Jesse, and Mael with his Italian companion, Santino, who argued with Maharet via telepathy. As they leave, Santino is furious and Eric confused because he did not understand their argument; being Maharet's fledgling, he couldn't read Maharet's mind. It was also stated that there were times that he came to visit Maharet, Mael, and Jesse while bringing with him films from other countries and sometimes joining the three in their singing. Being a vampire of 3,000 years of age, he is very powerful, his skin is hard and as white as marble and therefore couldn't easily burn under the sun. He is also described as having a youthful appearance and soft brown eyes. His brief conversations make him out to have a deceptively fragile personality. His cowardice in particular makes him stand out.
Memnoch
Memnoch is an incarnation of the fallen angel Satan, the devil. He is referenced in ''
The Tale of the Body Thief
''The Tale of the Body Thief'' is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the fourth in her '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series, following ''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988). Published in 1992, it continues the adventures of Lestat, speci ...
'' (1992), and is a central character in the eponymous ''
Memnoch the Devil
''Memnoch the Devil'' (1995) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the fifth in her '' Vampire Chronicles'' series, following ''The Tale of the Body Thief''. In this story, Lestat is approached by the Devil and offered a job at his s ...
'', in which he hunts and abducts the vampire Lestat, to convince the latter of his ideology and to enlist him into his cause.
Avicus
Avicus is an ancient vampire who appears in ''
Blood and Gold
''Blood and Gold'' (2001) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the eighth book in her '' Vampire Chronicles'' series.
Plot summary
The book begins with an ancient vampire of Nordic descent awaking after being frozen in a block of ic ...
'' (2001). Avicus is far older than Marius, but he does not know his own strength, although it is implied in ''Blood and Gold'' that his powers are second to those of Marius. Avicus is from
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
, and some statements in ''Blood and Gold'' indicate that he was created by Akasha herself. The powerful blood he supposedly received and his age give him his strength. If he was not created by Akasha, then his powers have most certainly increased with age, as he was a "God of the Grove" for hundreds of years. When the druid priest
Mael needs a new "God of the Grove" (due to Marius's escape and the destruction of the old "God of the Grove") it's decided that Mael is to become the new "God of the Grove". The Druids learn about Avicus, who can be found in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, though the book indicates the forests to the north. This is most likely Scotland which, at the time when the book is set, had a large druid presence and was completely covered by the Caledonian forest. They travel there to get Avicus, but Mael and he make an arrangement—Avicus will give Mael "the Dark Gift" if he is given a victim and freedom. After becoming the God Of The Grove and learning (from using "the Mind Gift" on Mael) that Marius had successfully escaped, Avicus also wants to escape. Ultimately, Avicus and Mael escape together and thus become companions. They eventually meet up with Marius and the three live together for a time. In
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
, Marius, Avicus, and Mael discover
Zenobia
Septimia Zenobia (Palmyrene Aramaic: , , vocalized as ; AD 240 – c. 274) was a third-century queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria. Many legends surround her ancestry; she was probably not a commoner and she married the ruler of the city, ...
, a vampire fledgling of the ancient
Eudoxia. Mael, Avicus, and Zenobia are left behind by Marius when he takes
Those Who Must Be Kept
The following is a list of characters from Anne Rice's ''The Vampire Chronicles'', which began with the 1976 novel ''Interview with the Vampire''. The series primarily follows the antihero Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman turned into a vampi ...
out of Constantinople. Over 1,000 years later, Marius learns from Mael that Avicus was in love with Zenobia and persuaded her to leave with him, abandoning Mael. Mael blames Marius for this, as he blamed Marius for all his misfortunes in ancient times.
Eudoxia
Eudoxia is a vampire who appears in ''Blood and Gold'' (2001). After the
Fall of Rome
The fall of the Western Roman Empire (also called the fall of the Roman Empire or the fall of Rome) was the loss of central political control in the Western Roman Empire, a process in which the Empire failed to enforce its rule, and its vas ...
, Marius de Romanus, Avicus and Mael move to Constantinople with Those Who Must Be Kept. Shortly after their arrival, they are contacted by the young vampires Asphar and Rashid. They ask them to come to Eudoxia, "the vampire empress" in the city. When her guests arrive she tells them her story. She was around fifteen and about to get married when she was abducted by a vampire. She was then also made one. Her maker she never names, but they stayed together for several years. Eudoxia's maker was very cold and uncaring. After a few years, she is taken to "Those Who Must Be Kept" to drink their blood and is directly after left by her maker. She decides to make copies of different texts for mortals in order to know the world. While she's at this she opens her house to mortals, and an unnamed young man falls in love with her. He offers to leave his life for her and Eudoxia makes him into a vampire. They spend a few years together until "the Great Fire". The power of all vampires resides in "Those Who Must Be Kept" and one of "the Elders" of their temple has put it to the test. All young vampires are burnt to death as they are in the sun, including Eudoxia's lover. She travels to Egypt and finds out that "Those Who Must Be Kept" are in the custody of Marius. She spends her life trying to find him. She does not succeed and forms a coven in Constantinople. Her companions are Rashid, Asphar, and Eudoxia's vampire lover Zenobia. All of them are young when made because Eudoxia thinks they are better off without a connection to their mortal life. When Marius finally comes to the city, she confronts him. She demands to get possession of "Those Who Must Be Kept", but Marius cannot allow this. He doesn't know if he can trust Eudoxia or what "Those Who Must Be Kept" want. The meeting ends in a fight where Eudoxia is defeated, despite being the elder of the pair, as Marius had drunk more of the blood of Akasha. In the fight, Marius discovers that he has "the Fire Gift" when he uses it to burn Rashid to ashes. The next night Eudoxia shows up at Marius's house and he agrees to let her see the shrine. As she talks to Akasha and Enkil, Akasha takes her and drinks her blood but Eudoxia is saved by Marius. To heal, Eudoxia needs a victim for feeding. They find a real nobleman, but they let the people know that he has been murdered. The blame falls on Marius and they destroy his house. In his anger, he destroys Asphar and all other vampires before he throws Eudoxia to Akasha, where she meets her destruction.
Thorne
Thorne is a vampire who appears in the novel ''
Blood and Gold
''Blood and Gold'' (2001) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the eighth book in her '' Vampire Chronicles'' series.
Plot summary
The book begins with an ancient vampire of Nordic descent awaking after being frozen in a block of ic ...
'' (2001), which details the life of the vampire Marius de Romanus. Thorne is a Viking warrior originally called Thornevald that is sent to slay a vampire-witch that has been killing villagers and stealing their eyes. Thorne finds the vampire and learns that she has no eyes of her own, and must take eyes from her victims to see. After a time, the mortal eyes wear out in her immortal body and she must take another pair from one of her victims. This vampire is Maharet, one of the most ancient vampires, and the story of how she lost her eyes is recounted in ''
The Queen of the Damned
''The Queen of the Damned'' (1988) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the third in her ''The Vampire Chronicles'' series. It follows ''Interview with the Vampire'' and ''The Vampire Lestat''. This novel is a continuation of the ...
'' (1988). Maharet does not slay Thorne but turns him into a vampire and keeps him as her companion. Soon the pair are joined by other vampires, including the druid vampire Mael, who shares an uneasy friendship with Marius. Jealous of Maharet's attention to the other vampires, Thorne eventually leaves her. He lies asleep for centuries in the ice of the far north, his jealousy gradually growing into a mad obsession. He is awakened by the events of the novel ''The Queen of the Damned''. Marius makes contact with him using the Mind Gift, a form of telepathy. Thorne journeys south and finds Marius in a large city near the Arctic Circle. Marius enjoys it here as the noonday darkness allows him to live more like a normal person. Marius takes him to his home and discovers that Thorne still harbors a jealous rage for Maharet. Knowing that Maharet could easily destroy Thorne in a battle, Marius tries to dissuade him from his suicidal obsession and begins to recount his life story to Thorne. Marius's story accounts for the bulk of the novel. Thorne politely listens to Marius's account of his life and what he has learned as a vampire. Thorne is particularly interested in the story of the brutal attack on Marius by the vampire Santino and his Satanic cult of followers, who burn Marius in his house and kidnap his apprentice Armand. At the end of the tale, Thorne questions Marius why he has not taken revenge on Santino and offers to help kill him. Marius explains that Maharet now rules the vampires as regent for her mute sister, Mekare, and Maharet forbids it. Marius pleads with Thorne to forget the past and talk of revenge, but Thorne still insists on Marius taking him to see Maharet. Marius reluctantly agrees and the pair are mysteriously whisked away. They awaken in a jungle location, where Maharet lives in seclusion with her sister, the new Queen of the Damned. Several other vampires are present, including Pandora, Marius's long-lost love; Armand; and Santino. After a brief, bitter discussion, Marius admits that he still wishes to kill Santino. However, he will not because Maharet forbids it, and Marius believes that for Maharet's rule over the vampires to be valid, all vampires must obey her. Thorne abruptly kills Santino himself and then attacks Maharet in a jealous rage. Mekare comes to her sister's aid and easily pulls Thorne away. Thorne, knowing he is undone, whispers a request to the mute Queen as they struggle and she complies. Mekare removes Thorne's eyes from their sockets and hands them to Maharet. Maharet accepts the gift and binds Thorne with ropes made of her hair, the only material strong enough to hold a vampire. Thorne ends the novel as Maharet's eternal prisoner, but he is happy knowing that the object of his obsession will always be near him and that her new eyes will last her forever.
Teskhamen
Teskhamen is the "Blood God" from the grove, maker of Marius de Romanus, elder and founder of Talamasca.
Rhoshamandes
Rhoshamandes is a peace-loving vampire, part of the Queen's Blood contingent of vampires. Made directly by Akasha. One thousand years after the Blood Genesis or 1,000 after Akasha herself was made. To be more precise, 3000 BC. His fledglings include Alessandra—the old vampire that Lestat has met during his descent to the catacombs beneath Les Innocents cemetery in Paris, Benedict—a monk turned vampire from whom Magnus stole the Dark Gift, Eleni and Eugénie de Landen—made in the early Middle Ages, as well as Everard de Landen, also made in the Middle Ages. Eleni is the female fledgling who informed Lestat of their progress in the new Theatre Coven led by Armand in The Queen of the Damned. She was presumed dead due to Armand trying to extinguish the coven, as he was the leader.
Seth
Seth is the mortal son of Akasha. He was turned into a vampire by his mother and was initially part of her army, before rebelling and going off on his own. He is the protector of Fareed, the doctor turned vampire. He first appears in the novel ''
Prince Lestat
''Prince Lestat'' is a novel by American writer Anne Rice, the eleventh in '' The Vampire Chronicles'' series, published on October 28, 2014. Rice had originally stated the novel '' Blood Canticle'' was meant to conclude the series, but in March ...
'' (2014)
References
{{Anne Rice
Vampire Chronicles
''The Vampire Chronicles'' is a series of gothic horror novels and a media franchise, created by American writer Anne Rice, that revolves around the fictional character Lestat de Lioncourt, a French nobleman turned into a vampire in the 18 ...