Khayman
Khayman is a fictional character in The Vampire Chronicles universe created by Anne Rice. Approximately seven thousand years old, he appears in very few of the books in the series, but is nevertheless considered a powerful force among their number.
Character biography
As a human
As related during the history of the vampires related in the book The Queen of the Damned, Khayman was the chief steward in the palace of King Enkil and Queen Akasha of Kemet (now Egypt) circa 5000 BC. Of Egyptian descent.[1] He was tall and strong as a mortal, with very tan skin, dark eyes, and black hair. (After being transformed into a vampire, his skin whitened and smoothed considerably.)
As head steward to the King and Queen, Khayman was forced to rape the twin witches Maharet and Mekare after the witches incurred Akasha's wrath. Gentle and kind by nature, Khayman was horrified to do so, but was unable to refuse the Queen's demand.[1] From his rape he unintentionally fathered a child with Maharet, named Miriam, who began the bloodline of Maharet's "Great Family" that would later spread to every nation on earth.[2]
When Akasha and Enkil become vampires, they made Khayman bring Maharet and Mekare back into Egypt to find out how their insatiable bloodlust can be mitigated. Maharet replies that the evil spirit now inhabiting the Queen is too large to be contained in her human body; only when more vampires are made (and the spirit thus diluted more and more) will the bloodlust become tolerable. Akasha then betrays Khayman's loyalty and forcibly turns him into a vampire against his will, to verify the witches' claims.[2]
As a vampire
Angry at his fate, Khayman secretly makes the twin witches into vampires as well, in hope of them one day rising up against Akasha and defeating her. After the twins became vampires, Khayman also makes other vampires to fight against Akasha and Enkil (who now present themselves as the gods Isis and Osiris). His "treason" results in a great increase and multiplication of the vampire population, who created the vampire wars that he dreamed of. Eventually Akasha and Enkil would remain in a trancelike state for almost 4000 years.[2]
Khayman survives into the twentieth century, ultimately forgetting his own origins during his wanderings.[3]
When Akasha is awakened from her trance in the 1980s, she rises and drains Enkil completely of his blood, as he has reached a point of lassitude from which he will never reawaken, and begins tracking down and killing her vampire progeny worldwide. Khayman encounters her by chance in Athens, Greece and, in that instant, he suddenly remembers how he became a vampire and what crimes he had perpetrated in Akasha's name. Discovering that he is immune to her attacks, Khayman follows her to San Francisco to attend Lestat de Lioncourt's rock concert.
Since Khayman has been studied by the Talamasca under the name 'Benjamin the Devil,' he recognizes David Talbot and Aaron Lightner at Lestat's concert. He tells them who he is and warns them to leave because of the mounting danger for them there.
He sees the vampires Mael and Armand (the latter to whom he is strongly attracted, although Armand offers no friendly gestures in return). Khayman advises Mael to shield his thoughts from Akasha, since Akasha can find and kill her vampire progeny through mind-reading.
While Akasha slaughters most of her vampire children worldwide, Khayman accompanies Louis and Gabrielle to Maharet's house in Sonoma as one of the 13 surviving vampires who plan to stand against Akasha in The Queen of the Damned. Here he indicates several times that he believes in Mekare's prophecy of Akasha's doom, and awaits Mekare's coming as he conspires against his former queen.
After Akasha is finally destroyed, Khayman becomes the oldest vampire in existence. He is briefly mentioned at the end of Blood Canticle, when he takes away the fledgling vampires Quinn Blackwood and Mona Mayfair to Maharet and Mekare's sanctuary.
Vampire family
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 vampire 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 trilogy cross over to The Vampire Chronicles, specifically in Merrick (2000), Blackwood Farm (2002), and Blood Canticle (2003).
Rice said in a 2008 interview that her vampires were a "metaphor for lost souls".[4] The homoerotic overtones of The Vampire Chronicles are also well documented.[5][6][7][8] As of November 2008, The Vampire Chronicles had sold 80 million copies worldwide.[9]
The first novel in the series, Interview with the Vampire (1976), was made into a 1994 film starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater and Kirsten Dunst.[10] The Queen of the Damned (1988) was adapted into a 2002 film of the same name, starring Stuart Townsend and Aaliyah and using some material from 1985's The Vampire Lestat.[11] A television adaptation, Interview with the Vampire, premiered on AMC on October 2, 2022, starring Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson.[12]
Overview
- ^ a b Rowan and Mona Mayfair are introduced in the Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy (1990–1994).
- ^ Aaron Lightner also appears in the Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy (1990–1994).
Main
Lestat de Lioncourt
Lestat is a French nobleman born and made a vampire in the 1700s, and the primary antihero of Rice's Vampire Chronicles. He was introduced in Interview with the Vampire (1976), and has been portrayed by Tom Cruise in the 1994 film Interview with the Vampire; Stuart Townsend in the 2002 film Queen of the Damned; and by Sam Reid in the 2022 television series Interview with the Vampire.
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 in the 1994 film adaptation and by Jacob Anderson 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 (1985). The character is portrayed by Antonio Banderas in the 1994 film adaptation and by Assad Zaman in the television show.
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 in the 1994 film adaptation, by Bailey Bass in season one of the 2022 television series Interview with the Vampire and by Delainey Hayles in season two of the series.[13][14][15]
Daniel Molloy
Daniel Molloy is a young reporter introduced in Interview with the Vampire (1976) to whom Louis de Pointe du Lac recounts his life history. The character is portrayed by Christian Slater in the 1994 film adaptation, and portrayed by Eric Bogosian and Luke Brandon Field 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 in the 2002 film Queen of the Damned.
David Talbot
David is the Superior General of the secret organization the Talamasca, which researches and investigates the supernatural. David is introduced in The Queen of the Damned (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 (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, 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 with dark brown hair, while Lestat returns to his preternatural body. Lestat kills David's old body, which is possessed 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 (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 in New Orleans, 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 in the 2002 film Queen of the Damned.
Bianca Solderini
Introduced in The Vampire Armand (1998), Bianca is an Italian vampire born in Florence, Italy 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.
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 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, 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 before Bianca leaves Marius in Dresden, when she overhears him telling Pandora 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. Merrick is suddenly contacted by David Talbot, now a vampire, after his "death". He asks her to raise the spirit of Claudia for Louis de Pointe du Lac. 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 Louisiana Creole and are of African and European extraction, but all are distanced from Merrick's immediate family. Orphaned, the young Merrick is taken in by David Talbot 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'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 (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 (1993), Taltos (1994), Blackwood Farm (2002) and Blood Canticle (2003).
Mona Mayfair
Mona is a Mayfair witch who appears in the novels The Witching Hour (1990), Lasher (1993), Taltos (1994), Blackwood Farm (2002) and Blood Canticle (2003). She is made a vampire by Lestat de Lioncourt in Blood Canticle.
Tarquin Blackwood
Tarquin is initially featured in the novel Blackwood Farm (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 six feet four inches (1.93 m), 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 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. 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 and the leading thespian of Theatre des Vampires, introduced in Interview with the Vampire (1976). He is portrayed by Stephen Rea in the 1994 film adaptation and Ben Daniels in the season 2 of the 2022 television series Interview with the Vampire.[16]
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 in the 1994 film adaptation and Roxane Duran in the season two of the 2022 television series Interview with the Vampire.[17]
Gabrielle de Lioncourt
Gabrielle is Lestat's mother, introduced in The Vampire Lestat (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. 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, 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, 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.
Gabrielle went into the deep jungles of Africa and Lestat went underground to sleep. 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.) 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, in The Vampire Armand (1998) while Lestat was in his catatonic sleep.
In the 2006 musical, Lestat, Gabrielle was portrayed by Carolee Carmello who was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her role.
Akasha
Introduced in The Vampire Lestat, 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.
Akasha is portrayed by Aaliyah in the 2002 film Queen of the Damned.
Nicolas de Lenfent
Nicolas "Nicki" de Lenfent is Lestat's closest friend and lover in Paris, introduced in The Vampire Lestat (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 and was also portrayed by Joseph Potter in season 2 of Interview with the Vampire.
Magnus
Magnus is the vampire who turned Lestat into a vampire in The Vampire Lestat (1985). Magnus is characterized by black hair and eyes of the same color. As a mortal, he was an alchemist. 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. According to the "Old Queen" (Allesandra) 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 (2014).
Antoinette, a gender swapped version of the character, appears in the 2022 television series Interview with the Vampire, portrayed by Maura Grace Athari. In the story, she is a blues 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 (1988), the character appears in the entire Lives of the Mayfair Witches 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 kills her.
The third appearance by Mael is at the end of Memnoch the Devil. 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 (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 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 Allesandra, 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. Allesandra 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 (1988) where he comes with Eric to Maharet's place, meeting Jesse who is still human at that time and where he accompanies Pandora to rescue Marius from the icy wall in which Akasha 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 (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 (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 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 (1988) and The Tale of the Body Thief (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 (1992), and is a central character in the eponymous Memnoch the Devil, 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 (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, 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, 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, Marius, Avicus, and Mael discover Zenobia, a vampire fledgling of the ancient Eudoxia. Mael, Avicus, and Zenobia are left behind by Marius when he takes Those Who Must Be Kept 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, 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 (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 (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 Allesandra—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 (2014)
References
- ^ a b Queen of the Damned, Part III, Chapter 4
- ^ a b c Queen of the Damned, Part III, Chapter 8
- ^ Queen of the Damned, Part I, Chapter 5
- ^ Sayre, Carolyn (2008). "10 Questions for Anne Rice". Time. Archived from the original on August 11, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
- ^ Keller, James R. (2000). Anne Rice and Sexual Politics: The Early Novels. McFarland. pp. 12–14. ISBN 978-0786408467. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
- ^ Rice, Anne (September 16, 1996). "Submit to Anne". Salon. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (November 11, 1994). "Film Review: Interview with the Vampire; Rapture and Terror, Bound by Blood". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 14, 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
- ^ James, Caryn (November 13, 1994). "In Search of the Man Within the Monster". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 25, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
- ^ Husband, Stuart (November 2, 2008). "Anne Rice: interview with the vampire writer". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (November 11, 1994). "Film Review: Interview with the Vampire; Rapture and Terror, Bound by Blood". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 14 November 2010. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
- ^ Haflidason, Almar (April 10, 2002). "Film of the Damned: The Tragedy Behind Queen of the Damned". BBC Online. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Oddo, Marco Vito (July 23, 2022). "AMC's Interview with the Vampire Series to Premiere Just in Time for Halloween". Collider. Archived from the original on October 11, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ Wang, Jessica (April 2, 2023). "Interview with the Vampire star Bailey Bass isn't returning for season 2". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
- ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (April 1, 2023). "AMC's Interview with the Vampire Announces a Season 2 Recast". TVLine. Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
- ^ Kazi, Safeeyah (April 1, 2023). "Interview with the Vampire Season 2 Recasts Claudia as Bailey Bass Leaves Series". Collider. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
- ^ Petski, Denise (March 14, 2023). "Ben Daniels Joins Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- ^ Duran, Roxane [@roxaneduran] (May 29, 2023). "Sharing with you a little announcement to reveal this big new that's been making me so utterly happy". Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023 – via Instagram.
Powers, abilities and personality
Khayman's flesh is hard, smooth and white as marble, and he is no longer vulnerable to the sun's destroying rays. He no longer experiences the blood thirst either, but enjoys the refreshment and clarity it provides. He now has the power to kill humans and animals through telekinesis, but will not take blood from any mortal who has made a friendly gesture toward him, preferring to take only anonymous victims. At 7000 years old, Khayman can also kill any vampires weaker than himself by telekinetically igniting their combustible blood.
Another interesting vampiric gift of Khayman is the astute understanding of mechanisms at a mere glance. In The Queen of the Damned, it is stated in his point of view that he understood everything in a machine he sees operating, even down to the level of quantum physics. With this gift, he is aware that the vampiric blood inside him works to change the human tissue in a vampire into something else, and that his body is now entirely made of that something else.
Khayman is generally gentle, optimistic, and friendly, inviting mortals to his rooms and entertaining them with poetry, music and conversation, although he sometimes appears somewhat lonely or even shy. Although powerful, he dislikes wanton brutality. He lives by various guises in many different places, and when he stops having fun or feels pain, he fades out and forgets who he has been. Attempts to think back to his origins are painful, and so he avoids doing so, eventually forgetting entirely.
Appearances in other media
In the 2002 film Queen of the Damned, Khayman is portrayed by Bruce Spence.[1]
References
- ^ "Queen of the Damned". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2011-08-06.
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