The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer
Stefan and Vladimir both lost mates to the Volturi--Stefan during the third decade of the initial battle--ensuring that their drive for vengeance would never fade.
Stefan and Vladimir both lost mates to the Volturi--Stefan during the third decade of the initial battle--ensuring that their drive for vengeance would never fade. They are always searching for ways to discomfit or damage the Volturi. They are particularly bitter toward Jane and Alec, who were not involved in the original war but strengthened the Volturi to the point of invincibility, making it impossible for the Romanians to exact their revenge.
Every few decades, the Volturi send Demetri and others after the remaining Romanians, so Stefan and Vladimir are constantly on the move and always on their guard. If the Volturi focused their efforts, they would be able to wipe Stefan and Vladimir out, but since the two pose little threat, the Volturi have never committed their assets to a drawn-out chase.
FAMOUS QUOTE
"We've been waiting a millennium and a half for the Italian scum to be challenged. If there is any chance they will fall, we will be here to see it." Breaking Dawn, Chapter 32
VLADIMIR
NAME: Vladimir
DATE OF BIRTH: Unknown
DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: Before 1000 B.C.
SOURCE OF TRANSFORMATION: Unknown
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Dacia (Proto-Romania)
HAIR COLOR: Ashy blond
EYE COLOR: Red/black (vampire)
HEIGHT: 5'4"
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Vladimir is slight and short. He has papery skin similar to that of the Volturi, and his hair is so blond it appears almost white. Unlike the Volturi, his eyes are a clear, dark red.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: He does not possess a quantifiable supernatural ability.
FAMILY/COVEN RELATIONSHIPS: He is part of a coven with Stefan.
PERSONAL HISTORY:
Like Stefan, Vladimir was one of the original twelve ruling members of the Romanian coven. Vladimir was the head of a coven of four--large by normal vampire standards--when he joined forces with the other Romanian vampires. His big, successful coven was one of the inspirations for the notion of coexistence to pursue power.
They ruled over humans and vampires alike, demanding slave labor and copious human sacrifice.
During their rule--which lasted nearly a thousand years--the Romanians lived brazenly and decadently. For thousands of miles in every direction, they were known and feared. They ruled over humans and vampires alike, demanding slave labor and copious human sacrifice. Occasionally humans would create armies to try to overthrow what they considered to be beautiful demon overlords, but of course all such attacks were futile, resulting in an easy feast for the Romanians. Obedient humans were spared death, if not labor, and a few lucky individuals pleased the Romanians enough to earn immortality.
Vampires were a well-known fact in the human world when the Volturi began to rise. Their contention that vampires should conceal their existence was scoffed at.
After the Volturi had defeated the Romanians, the Volturi copied many aspects of the Romanians' way of life--the formation of a permanent guard, the stationary home, and the eschewing of hunting in favor of prey being rounded up and delivered to them. The difference was that they did all of these things while remaining invisible to humans.
Only Stefan and Vladimir, who were planning to spring a trap for the expected Volturi retreat, escaped.
Unlike Stefan's, Vladimir's mate survived the initial overthrow of the Romanians. She was killed around 810 A.D., during the last of many attempts the Romanians made during the centuries to regroup, repopulate, and topple the Volturi. The Romanians had amassed an army of more than a hundred new recruits and were confident that the Volturi would fall. This ill-fated assault occurred a decade after Aro had acquired Jane and Alec. It was the first time Aro displayed their talents in battle. The Romanians were decimated. Only Stefan and Vladimir, who were planning to spring a trap for the expected Volturi retreat, escaped. After this, Vladimir and Stefan made no further attempt to create more vampires for their coven. They decided to disappear until the Volturi weakened or another power presented itself.
FAMOUS QUOTE
"Now the Volturi's eyes are filmed with dusty scum, but ours are bright. I imagine that will give us an advantage when we gouge theirs from their sockets." Breaking Dawn, Chapter 33
The Nomads
Many vampires prefer to roam the world on their own or with a single partner. These vampires are known as nomads.
ALISTAIR
NAME: Alistair
DATE OF BIRTH: Around 1300
DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: Around 1320, at approximately 20
SOURCE OF TRANSFORMATION: George
PLACE OF ORIGIN: England
HAIR COLOR: Black
EYE COLOR: Red/black (vampire)
HEIGHT: 6'2"
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Alistair is tall and slender.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Alistair can track both people and things. He can sense the general direction of whatever he is looking for, but it takes him a long time to narrow this feeling down to a specific location. If whatever he's seeking is on the move, he may never catch up.
FAMILY/COVEN RELATIONSHIPS: He prefers to wander alone.
PERSONAL HISTORY:
Alistair grew up in England during the turbulent reign of Edward II, considered the weakest of the Plantagenet kings. Alistair's father was one of the barons who continually fought against Edward's attempts to limit the power of the British Peerage. Throughout Alistair's youth, his father and older brother were embroiled in conspiracy after conspiracy as they tried to protect the rights of the aristocracy while also trying to gain a place of preeminence over the other barons.
Alistair lived quietly at the family's country estate with his mother and sisters. He had no interest in his father's schemes. Alistair loved to hunt for sport and was considered the best hunter in the county. He was also an avid falconer. He kept many falcons, and training them was his favorite pursuit. He loved his birds and spent more time with them than with people.
Unknown to Alistair, his father formed an alliance with two other barons after the banishment of the king's favorite counselor. Their object was to get Alistair's older brother placed in that vacated position, and thereby control the weak king. Some of the other barons had the same idea, but with their own champions. After multiple betrayals on all sides, Alistair's brother was implicated in a plot to overthrow the king, and he and a few others were executed for treason. The charges were mostly false, created by another powerful aristocrat with an agenda that differed from Alistair's father's.
Losing his precious heir pushed Alistair's father over the edge. The baron's anger against the king became deeply personal and slightly deranged.
Losing his precious heir pushed Alistair's father over the edge. The baron's anger against the king became deeply personal and slightly deranged. He began plotting to actually do what his son had been executed for. He felt he could no longer trust his old allies. He began to explore ever darker sources of aid, becoming deeply involved with the occult.
Alistair knew nothing about his father's designs. Of course he knew of his brother's execution; he, his mother, and his sisters grieved privately and withdrew from society entirely. The mark of treason on the family was a hard blow for his sisters, who would have more difficulty making good matches. Alistair, who had never particularly wanted to inherit, was resigned to his duty, and planned to care for his sisters if they wished to remain unmarried.
Then, late one night, Alistair's father came for him. Alistair obediently went with his father, though he was not allowed to bid his mother farewell and had no idea why he was needed. Alistair's father told him nothing until they arrived in London. Alistair grew more and more concerned as his father led him through secret tunnels under the city, exchanging cryptic signs with masked men along the way. Finally, they reached a council room. Around a large round table were many minor aristocrats, some of whom Alistair kn
Alistair listened in horror, shocked at the change that had come over his father.
Alistair listened in horror, shocked at the change that had come over his father. It was apparent his father was mad. The baron had created a plan to set Alistair on the throne of England, and swore Alistair would be the next Charlemagne. Alistair tried to leave but was restrained. The baron ranted that he had sold his soul and paid an unthinkable price to make Alistair invincible. Alistair tried to reason with his father, to no avail. He entreated the other men present for help, but they seemed to believe the baron's story absolutely.
Shortly thereafter there was a quiet knock on the barred door. Every man in the room, including the baron, blanched. Some clutched at crosses. One man scurried to throw the door open. A man entirely enveloped in a dark red hooded cloak glided silently into the room. Everyone bowed to him. He was greeted as Astaroth by the baron. Quietly, Astaroth asked for the room to be emptied. The aristocrats ran to the exit. Only the baron stayed. Astaroth thanked the baron for his offering. The baron looked sick, but nodded and left, leaving Alistair alone with the hooded man.
Astaroth laughed casually and told Alistair that his father was certainly mad, but that it was true Alistair could be king if he wanted.
Astaroth, whose name was actually George, threw off his cloak. Alistair was surprised to see a very handsome man who had long blond curls and wore modern clothes. The man was not much older than Alistair. Astaroth laughed casually and told Alistair that his father was certainly mad, but that it was true Alistair could be king if he wanted. Astaroth would give him power to stand against any man--even an army. Alistair could do what he wished with the power, but he might think about honoring his father's wishes, as his father had indeed paid a great price to buy this honor for his son.
Astaroth/George was a vampire not unlike Boris, the vampire who changed Laurent. George also enjoyed entertaining himself with humans; he just had a darker idea of fun than did Boris. He led on humans in love with the occult, asking them to sacrifice everything they held most dear in exchange for his supernatural assistance. He liked to see how far humans would go to get what they wanted. Of course, he could always have taken their sacrifices without their consent, but he liked to watch them struggle with the dilemma. He pretended to be one of the princes of hell because it impressed the mortals.
George gave Alistair a few pointers: Stay out of the sun, and don't attract too much attention. Of course, Alistair had no idea what George was talking about. George then bit Alistair, wished him good luck, and disappeared.
Unable to restrain himself, Alistair slaughtered most of them.
When Alistair's transformation was complete, he found himself surrounded by a large group of terrified peasants bound together with manacles. Unable to restrain himself, Alistair slaughtered most of them. When he was totally sated, there were still a few left living. It was then that his father entered the bloody council room; Astaroth had given him advice on how to stay alive when dealing with his indestructible new son.
The baron was prepared for Alistair's thirst, but not for his anger. He tried to explain the next steps to Alistair, but Alistair was furious with him--horrified by what he'd just been through, followed by the murders he'd committed. He shoved his father out of his way, accidentally killing him.
Alistair was surprised by many things that night: his super strength, his sharp senses, his speed--none of which he expected. Escaping the underground maze was child's play, as he quickly discovered he could break through the stone walls. He wasn't able to ride a horse--he found his father's and tried to mount it, but the poor beast broke its own neck trying to escape him--but once he tried running he found that horses were unnecessary. He raced home to find his house empty, his mother and sisters vanished. In a burst of insight, Alistair realized what his father's offering to Astaroth must have been. Totally devastated, Alistair sought refuge with his falcons, only to find that they could bear his presence no more than the horse could.
Alistair left civilization that night. He avoided all contact with humans, except when he hunted. He mistrusted everyone from that point on, assumed conspiracies existed everywhere, and was paranoid about authority figures.
Alistair met Carlisle in the seventeenth century. Carlisle had already discovered a way to exist without the traditional vampire diet, but had not yet gone to Italy or met the Volturi. Alistair was a total recluse at that point, and had no interest in conversation. Carlisle was lonely, though, and so enthusiastic about finding someone to talk to that eventually he got Alistair to respond a little bit before he left. Carlisle was concerned about Alistair's isolated life; every few decades, Carlisle would visit to see how Alistair was doing. Against Alistair's wishes, they ended up as friends of a sort.
FAMOUS QUOTE
"I can't believe I got myself sucked into this mess. What a fine way to treat your friends." Breaking Dawn, Chapter 32
CHARLES
NAME: Charles
DATE OF BIRTH: 1922
DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: 1949, at age 27
SOURCE OF TRANSFORMATION: Makenna
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Denmark
HAIR COLOR: Dark blond
EYE COLOR: Red/black (vampire)
HEIGHT: 6'0"
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Charles is thin, but muscular.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Charles can sense when someone is lying to him.
FAMILY/COVEN RELATIONSHIPS: Charles's mate is Makenna.
Charles said he would be there through anything.
PERSONAL HISTORY:
Charles was a law student in Barcelona when he met Makenna. They fell in love. After some time, Makenna told Charles that her family was unusual and she was approaching some big changes. Charles said he would be there through anything. Makenna told him she had to leave for a while, but would come back. If Charles wanted to wait, he could. If not, she would understand. When she returned more than a year later as a vampire, Charles was still waiting. After hashing through all the pros and cons together, Charles decided to join her. They waited three years so Makenna would be able to keep from killing him, and then he was successfully transformed. They live nomadically for the most part, but Makenna still visits her family often.
FAMOUS QUOTE
"I, too, know when I am hearing the truth, and when I am not." Breaking Dawn, Chapter 37
CHARLOTTE
NAME: Charlotte
DATE OF BIRTH: Between 1920 and 1925
DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: Approximately 1938, at around age 18
SOURCE OF TRANSFORMATION: Maria
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Southern United States
HAIR COLOR: Pale blond
EYE COLOR: Red/black (vampire)
HEIGHT: 5'0"
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Charlotte is very petite.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Charlotte does not possess a quantifiable supernatural ability.
FAMILY/COVEN RELATIONSHIPS: Charlotte's mate is Peter.
PERSONAL HISTORY:
Charlotte was added to Maria's newborn army during a time when Maria was regrouping and not actively planning to conquer any more territories. Maria still kept a large number of newborns to protect herself, but she was not as picky about the newborns she selected. Jasper had just destroyed a large batch of newborns, and when Maria went hunting for more, Charlotte was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Peter was in charge of babysitting the newborns on a day-to-day basis, keeping them from attacking one another, feeding them as inconspicuously as possible, and helping Jasper a little bit with their fight training. Peter was the first person to talk with Charlotte after her transformation. He was the only stable, sane thing she knew during her first weeks of vampire life. As Charlotte's first year of life passed, a deep bond formed between them.
Charlotte could tell something was wrong with Peter in those last weeks with Ma
She trusted him enough that she broke into a sprint without a second of doubt.
One night, Jasper was giving the newborns one-on-one instruction. He would call them out individually, but none came back before the next was called. Charlotte was the eighth to be selected. Jasper called for her and gestured for her to follow. But Peter was there, looking both furious and fearful. He yelled for Charlotte to run. She trusted him enough that she broke into a sprint without a second of doubt. She heard him running with her. She listened for some other pursuit, but heard nothing.
When they were very far away, Peter said they were safe, and Charlotte stopped running. Peter finally explained what was going on, and what he feared they were up against. However, they quickly learned that much of what they knew about life applied only to a limited geographic area. Soon they were comfortable with the new vampire world they'd discovered. Peter only had one lingering regret, and after five years, he decided to go back for Jasper. Charlotte wanted to go with him, but Peter told her that he could sneak in more easily alone.
Charlotte was surprised that Jasper chose to join them. She wasn't entirely thrilled with having him in their new coven. Certainly, he added to their strength. However, he was depressing to be around in those days. When he decided to leave them, she was relieved. She preferred to have Peter to herself. Peter always kept in touch with Jasper, and after Jasper found Alice, Charlotte enjoyed his company a lot more. If not for their dietary peculiarities, Charlotte would have been tempted to join Jasper and Alice.