EDUCATION/OCCUPATION: He is one of the three leaders of the Volturi coven, along with Aro and Marcus.
FAMILY/COVEN RELATIONSHIPS: Caius‘s mate is Athenodora. His closest coven members are Aro, Marcus, and Sulpicia. He and the other original Volturi are served by members of the Volturi guard.
Caius was immediately attracted to the idea of joining forces with the gifted vampires.
PERSONAL HISTORY:
Caius was born at least a century before Aro, and was transformed into a vampire when he was in his late forties. Before he met Aro, he‘d run afoul of the Romanian coven. Caius escaped with his life but developed a great hatred for the powerful Romanians. He met a female vampire named Athenodora and they began to travel together as a bonded pair. Caius met Aro for the first time when Aro was only a few years into his vampire life. Young though he was, Aro was already formulating his plan to dominate the vampire world. He had formed a coven with another talented vampire, Marcus. Caius was immediately attracted to the idea of joining forces with the gifted vampires. He didn‘t like feeling weak, knowing that the Romanians — or anyone stronger than him — would be able to destroy him at will. He wanted to be powerful and strong as much as Aro did. Though Caius had no psychic gift, Aro was drawn to Caius‘s ambition and passionate capacity to hate; he saw a great potential for manipulation in what could be both a weakness and a strength.
Caius and Athenodora doubled Aro‘s numbers, and then they were quickly joined by Aro‘s sister, Didyme, and later Aro‘s romantic interest, Sulpicia. Aro and Caius worried about diluting their power further, and from then on brought vampires into the coven as subordinates only.
Aro and Caius were in agreement again after Didyme‘s death devastated Marcus: The wives must be protected at all costs. Thanks to the unchanging nature of the vampire, Caius is still as devoted to Athenodora as he was when they first fell in love. He is able to reconcile this love with her prisonlike circumstances by telling himself that it is the only way to protect her.
Caius was not as patient as Aro, but was willing to follow Aro‘s long-term plan because he could see that doing so gave him a better chance of getting what he wanted than seeking it head-on would. He supported Aro‘s cause, enforced vampire discretion, because it brought him to his ultimate goal: war against the Romanian coven.
After the Romanians were mostly destroyed, Caius was satisfied to spend his time punishing offenders of Aro‘s law, while leaving the rest of the decision-making to Aro. Caius wouldn‘t have been quite as satisfied without Chelsea‘s influence, but Aro made sure that she kept him tightly bound to the coven.
After the Romanians were all but extinct, Caius kept himself occupied with other crusades. One was his campaign to wipe out the werewolf population. Similar to his response to the Romanians, Caius had once felt vulnerable and powerless during an attack by a werewolf.
His characteristic reaction was to attempt to destroy the entire species that had made him feel helpless. (The werewolves he hunted to near extinction are also known as the Children of the Moon. They are not related to the Quileute wolves.)
Caius led most of the hunting parties and always participated in the destruction of offenders.
Another crusade was the offensive against the immortal children. Caius led most of the hunting parties and always participated in the destruction of offenders. He also oversaw the clean-up after the Southern Wars, making sure the newborn armies and their creators were utterly annihilated. Caius is always at the head of any Volturi punishing expedition, leaving Aro free for more important projects.
FAMOUS QUOTES
“And we will visit you as well. To be sure that you follow through on your side. Were I you, I would not delay too long. We do not offer second chances.” New Moon, Chapter 21
“ Now she has taken full responsibility for her actions.” Breaking Dawn, Chapter 37
MARCUS
NAME: Marcus
DATE OF BIRTH: Around 1350 B.C.
DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: Unknown
SOURCE OF TRANSFORMATION: Unknown
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Greece
HAIR COLOR: Black
EYE COLOR: Red/black, with an overlying milky film (vampire) HEIGHT: 6‘0‖
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Marcus has an average build and, like Aro and Caius, is incredibly graceful in his movements. His black hair is shoulder length, and his white skin is translucent, with a papery texture.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: He can see the relationships or connections people have to one another. For example, in a group situation he can easily pick out the leader, or sense the strength of the bond between mates or friends. He can also see where those bonds are weak.
EDUCATION/OCCUPATION: He is one of the three leaders of the Volturi coven, along with Aro and Caius.
FAMILY/COVEN RELATIONSHIPS: His mate, Didyme, died long ago. His closest coven members are Aro, Caius, Sulpicia, and Athenodora. He and the other original Volturi are served by members of the Volturi guard.
PERSONAL HISTORY:
Marcus is physically the youngest of the Volturi. He was transformed into a vampire before he was twenty. Aro found Marcus soon after his own transformation. Marcus was a solitary nomad at the time, but he quickly grew fond of enthusiastic young Aro. Aro was the first friend Marcus had as a vampire. When Aro wanted to form a coven with Caius and Athenodora, Marcus was hesitant. He didn‘t trust the very intense and bitter newcomer, but Aro talked him into the partnership. With his gift, Marcus could see the growing ties between Aro and Caius, but he never truly understood what Aro saw in Caius.
Marcus‘s life changed dramatically when Aro brought home his newly turned younger sister, Didyme, along with the first members of the guard — vampires who were drawn to Didyme‘s aura of happiness. None of these early subordinates lasted more than a few centuries; they were still experimental at that point. Didyme‘s gift had always been with her, though subtler during her human years, and so she was used to many suitors. She did not take these suitors seriously; her true allegiance was to her brother. After her wild newborn years were over, however, she came to admire Marcus greatly. They fell in love with the strongest romantic bond of any of the Volturi, as Marcus was in a position to know.
They were so happy together that soon Aro‘s ambition to dominate the vampire world became increasingly less important to them. After a few centuries, Marcus and Didyme discussed leaving the Volturi to live on their own. Aro, having read both their thoughts, knew these plans. He wasn‘t pleased, but he pretended to give his blessing.
Marcus‘s power was much more valuable to Aro than was Didyme‘s. On the battlefield, Marcus could easily determine the leader and key members of the opposition by the bonds between them and the other fighters. He could tell which person would die for another, which would turn traitor given incentive. In a diplomatic situation, Marcus could see how foreign vampires felt about the Volturi if they would not allow contact with Aro. Within the coven, Marcus could see if someone‘s loyalty was wavering, or if someone‘s feelings for another had become stronger than their bond to the coven. He was also quite dangerous in a fight — a skill Didyme did not share.
Aro waited for an opportunity, and when he knew he would not be caught, he murdered his sister, despite the fact that he truly loved her. Aro‘s grief was genuine, and Marcus never found out that he was responsible. Aro seemed to do everything in his power to discover the culprit, but of course all of his efforts, combined with those of Marcus and Caius, came to nothing. Once he‘d given up hope of vengeance, Marcus became incapacitated by grief. He lost interest in the coven and began to consider suicide. Aro had sacrificed his beloved sister in order to keep Marcus‘s valuable gift in his coven, and he was aghast at the possibility of losing Marcus after all. Aro discovered Chelsea and used her gift to keep Marcus tied to the fortunes of the Volturi; he was unable to abandon the coven, even through suicide. Chelsea‘s gift kept Marcus loyal to Aro, but it was not enough to make him show any enthusiasm for the Volturi. Aro tried
to make Marcus more amenable through Corin‘s gift, but Marcus refused to accept her comfort.
He did not want to forget his pain. Corin‘s gift proved more useful with the wives.
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE VOLTURI COVEN
ATHENODORA Caius‘s mate
DIDYME The deceased mate of Marcus, and sister of Aro SULPICIA Aro‘s mate
The Volturi Guard
ALEC
NAME: Alec
DATE OF BIRTH: Prior to 800 A.D.
DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: Exact date unknown; around the age of 12 or 13
SOURCE OF TRANSFORMATION: Aro
PLACE OF ORIGIN: England
HAIR COLOR: Light brown
EYE COLOR: Red/black (vampire)
HEIGHT: 5‘0‖
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Alec is taller than his twin sister, Jane, but not by much.
He is boyish in appearance and resembles Jane, although his lips are not as full.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Alec cuts off all physical senses — sight, touch, hearing, etc.—
from anyone, human or vampire. He is also able to extend his power over a large group of humans or vampires at the same time. His gift manifests as a mist, nearly invisible, that moves slowly away from himself toward his object, blanketing all the space in between. He is able to project this mist several hundred meters. He can also control who his mist affects, allowing the other Volturi soldiers to kill his senseless victims easily.
EDUCATION/OCCUPATION: He is a member of the Volturi guard.
FAMILY/COVEN RELATIONSHIPS: Alec‘s twin sister, Jane, is also a member of the Volturi guard. Guard members show the Volturi the loyalty they would family.
PERSONAL HISTORY:
Alec was born in England around 800 A.D., son of an Anglo-Saxon woman and a Frankish soldier. He was born a few minutes after his fraternal twin sister, Jane. Both Alec and Jane had strong psychic abilities that were evident even in their human state. Aro was made aware of Alec and his sister through the thoughts of a visiting nomad. Aro visited the twins but decided they were too young to transform immediately (the Volturi had already instated its rules about immortal children). Aro left them in the care of their parents, planning to return in a few years. Though the twins‘ gifts were obvious to anyone paying attention, Aro observed no menace toward them. They were only toddlers at the time, however, and Aro did not foresee how public opinion toward them would change as they grew. If he‘d had any suspicion of the villagers‘ eventual reaction to them, he would have taken them back to Volterra and raised them himself.
Eventually, the superstitious locals found the twins too frightening to endure.
Alec and Jane grew older. As they got bigger, the villagers found their unsettling natures more and more disturbing. Their talents had not taken a focused shape at that point, but bad things tended to happen to people who were unkind to the twins or their family, and good luck followed those who were friendly to them. Eventually, the superstitious locals found the twins too frightening to endure. They were accused as witches and condemned to be burned at the stake. Aro was apprised of the situation by a nomad who knew of Aro‘s interest in the twins. Aro hurried to the village, arriving just in time to interrupt the execution.
The horrible pain of burning affected both of the twins deeply, and shaped the way their psychic gifts manifested themselves after the transformation. As Alec burned, his entire focus was on escaping the pain. As a vampire, this focus translated into an ability to totally anesthetize any human or vampire. Because he could project this sensory deprivation over many targets at the same time, he became the single most valuable weapon in Aro‘s arsenal.
FAMOUS QUOTE
“They send you out for one and you come back with two… and a half.” New Moon, Chapter 21
CHELSEA
NAME: Chelsea, born Charmion
DATE OF BIRTH: Before 1100 B.C.
DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: Around 1100 B.C.
SOURCE OF TRANSFORMATION: Aro
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Greece
HAIR COLOR: Light brown
EYE COLOR: Red/black (vampire)
HEIGHT: 5‘3‖
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Chelsea is short, with an hourglass figure.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Chelsea can influence the emotional ties that people feel toward one another by either strengthening their bonds or breaking them apart.
EDUCATION/OCCUPATION: She is a member of the Volturi guard.
FAMILY/COVEN RELATIONSHIPS: Her mate is Afton, another member of the Volturi guard. Guard members show the Volturi the loyalty they would family.
PERSONAL HISTORY:
Chelsea was born not long after the original Volturi members. She was originally named Charmion, but as she frequently interacts with humans and vampires outside the city of Volterra, she has changed her name a few times over the millennia in order to keep it from attracting attention. She chose the name Chelsea in the 1950s and will use it until it becomes uncommon.
Aro discovered Chelsea in the midst of a very difficult time for the Volturi. He had recently murdered his sister, Didyme, in order to hold on to his talented partner, Marcus.
Unfortunately, after Marcus had exhausted his search for Didyme‘s killer, he became suicidal.
Aro did what he could to keep Marcus from finding a way to end his life, but he could tell he was losing the battle. When he discovered Chelsea, he was quick to utilize her abilities. He had her bind Marcus tightly to Aro so that he couldn‘t disobey Aro‘s wishes. Later Aro added Corin, hoping to help Marcus become more interested in the goals of the Volturi, but that was less effective; Marcus refused to let Corin‘s gift erase his pain.
Chelsea became the linchpin in Aro‘s organization.
Chelsea became the linchpin in Aro‘s organization. Her ability to both make and break emotional ties is the power that keeps the guard unified and the coven functional. She is also able to dissolve the loyalties between coven members, with the exception of a romantically bonded pair; those ties are stronger than her power. The attachments she creates are nearly as strong as a romantic union. It was her ability that kept the powerful twins, Jane and Alec, from ever questioning their subordinate position to Aro and the rest of the coven, and that allowed Aro to recruit many gifted vampires — like Demetri and Heidi — who initially had no interest in the prestige of belonging to the Volturi. Her gift is long lasting; it does not fade immediately when she is not present. It does wear off over a matter of time — decades or centuries — depending on how long a person has been exposed to it before separating from her.
Because of her vital role, Chelsea is the vampire Aro is most dependent on and most vulnerable to.
Because of her vital role, Chelsea is the vampire Aro is most dependent on and most vulnerable to. Knowing this, Aro has a special relationship with Chelsea that is unlike any other among the guard. Chelsea wears the pure black robe of the coven leaders, and she always gets what she wants. For example, her mate, Afton, though not exceptionally skilled, holds a prestigious place with the guard. Chelsea enjoys all the perks of living with the Volturi, plus perfect job security — unless Aro finds someone with a better version of her talent.
Aro is nothing if not cautious, however, and he doesn‘t leave himself vulnerable for long.
Aro made sure that Chelsea was often exposed to Corin‘s gift throughout the centuries; Chelsea is not aware of the true strength of Corin‘s addictive talent, but she would have a very difficult time leaving the Volturi.
DEMETRI
NAME: Demetri
DATE OF BIRTH: Around 1000 A.D.
DATE OF TRANSFORMATION: Around 1000 A.D.
SOURCE OF TRANSFORMATION: Amun
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Greece
HAIR COLOR: Black
EYE COLOR: Red/black (vampire)
HEIGHT: 6‘3‖
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Demetri is tall and lean. His pale skin has a faint olive tone. His wavy, dark hair is shoulder length.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: He is a skilled tra
cker. He catches the essence of a person‘s mind and then follows it like a scent over any distance.
EDUCATION/OCCUPATION: He is a member of the Volturi guard.
FAMILY/COVEN RELATIONSHIPS: Guard members show the Volturi the loyalty they would family.
PERSONAL HISTORY:
Demetri was originally discovered by the Egyptian coven‘s leader, Amun. Amun worked with Demetri to develop his tracking ability, and the two were very close. At the time, the Volturi had a tracker. However, when Aro heard that Amun had a more talented tracker than his own, he hurried to Egypt and offered Demetri a place with the Volturi. Demetri had no interest in leaving Amun, but Aro had Chelsea dissolve the bonds between the members of that coven, and then tie Demetri to the Volturi. Demetri joined them immediately.
Demetri is a permanent member of the guard and a part of all of the Volturi‘s important missions. Though tracking gifts are more common than any other kind of psychic gift, Demetri is by far the best-known tracker in the vampire world. With the rare exception of strong mental shields, Demetri‘s gift is unstoppable and allows the Volturi to find anyone, anywhere. Demetri can link to a target once he has physically met that person, or he can pick up a person‘s trail from anyone who has met them in the past.
The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide (twilight) Page 14
