Mircea Basarab

**Mircea Basarab**

## Introduction

**Mircea Basarab** is a fictional character in both The Cassandra Palmer series and the Dorina Basarab series written by Karen Chance. Based on Mircea II of Wallachia, he was a noble, along the lines of a prince, in Romania before a gypsy cursed him with vampirism around 500 years ago. ~ Wikipedia

## About

### Powers & Abilities

* First Level Master Vampire
* His master ability deals with the mind, which is a relatively rare gift.
* rumored to be a better-than-average duelist

### How Turned

* Mircea was turned by Gypsy's curse in revenge for what his father did to her sister, Vlad's mother.

### Character / Personalty

* He's the "great negotiator".
* Usually speaks in a mild voice, never raising it.
* Mircea loved to tell tales about the bad old days.
* Mircea is the greatest manipulator known. There's a reason he's the Senate's chief negotiator-he always gets what he wants.

### Physical Description

* Mahogany brown hair—long, black ponytail
* Brown velvet eyes, deep brown
* Eyes: cappuccino, cinnamon, gold, and a few flecks of deep green
* Graceful physique
* Always wore perfectly tailored clothing—always elegant
* Never wore casual clothes like jeans
* Has looked thirty for five hundred years.
* His eyes had turned a glowing cinnamon amber when in the mood.
* Without his human 'mask': "He was terrible and beautiful at the same time, with glowing, alabaster skin, inch-long fangs and eyes of flaming, molten lava."

### Occupation

* Vampire Senate — In charge of Negotiations
* Head of his Vampire House.
* Was a knight when he was alive.

### Family Crest

* Mircea's family crest showed a dragon, the symbol of courage, embracing a cross, a sign of the family's Catholicism. It decorated the wall behind his seat in the Senate.

### Traditional Formal Wear

Deep red thick coat made of rich, heavy wool with a silken nap, edged by a thick band of gold embroidery. It fell a little past his knees, brushing the tops of dark brown boots. The outer garment opened to reveal a thin, golden brown inner robe, so soft that it had to be cashmere. Assumed to be the traditional Romanian dress for a noble. The outfit a potent reminder of his lineage. There were dragons on the waistcoat—a subtle reference to his family symbol. It was topped off by a sword hanging from a jeweled belt at his waist with gold and cabochon rubies.

### Family

* Daughter: Dorina Basarab
* Parents:
* Brothers: Vlad Dracula and Radu Basarab (both younger & both vampires)
* Original Wife: Elena/Helen (mother of Dorina)
* Vampire Wife: Cassandra Palmer
* Boss: The Consul

### Vampire Family

* Tony
* Marco Carales
* Cassandra Palmer
* Rafe
* Jules
* Rico
* Fred

### Other Details

* Older than Tony by about a century.
* Cassie had a crush on him—her first crush.
* Told Cassie Romanian folk tales
* One of the few vampires that cared about modern fashion.
* stayed with Tony for almost a year while Cassie was growing up.
* Cassandra Palmer belongs to Lord Mircea.
* Cassie used to braid his hair when she was a child—he went around Antonio's court with as many styles and ornaments as a doll.
* Rescued his brother Radu from the Bastille in 1769—but he was in Carcassonne in 1661.

## Biography

Mircea had grown up in a court where assassination and cruelty were the order of the day, where his own father had traded two of his sons for a treaty he had no intention of keeping and where he had been tortured to what would have been a horrible death if the gypsy hadn't gotten to him first.

When Mircea's younger brothers Vlad and Radu were in Adrianople as hostages—the Ottoman sultan didn't trust their father to honor a treaty otherwise—Mircea encountered a vengeful gypsy. She hated his father for seducing and then throwing aside her sister, who'd been Dracula's mother, so she cursed Mircea with vampirism. I think the idea was to end the family line since a vampire can't father children and everybody had assumed that the hostages weren't coming back. But, as Mircea pointed out, she actually did him a favor. Shortly thereafter, Hungarian assassins working with some local nobles captured, torture,d and buried him alive, something that might have been a real downer if he hadn't already been dead. Under the circumstances, it was more an inconvenience than anything else.

### Family

The eldest of three sons, Mircea has two younger brothers, Radu the Handsome and Vlad Dracula, both of whom are vampires themselves and feature in the novels. His mother was a devout Catholic and Mircea credits his own religious devotion to her. He fell in love with a peasant girl, Elena/Helen (both are correct), who worked at the family's castle. When he initially propositioned her, believing himself to be quite good at attracting the opposite sex, she slapped him and he was smitten. Romanian women of the time were expected to be demure and submissive to the extreme compared to modern standards and Mircea enjoyed the challenge. They secretly married and Mircea set up a home for her in a nearby village. Due to her lower social status and the enormous political unrest, Mircea was reluctant to make their marriage publicly known. Elena later gave birth to Dorina, a dhampir, with whom Mircea has a strained relationship. ~ Wikipedia

### Transition, Departure, and Return

Due to political unrest in the region, Mircea and his father were eventually attacked by nobles from Târgoviște. His father was scalped, tortured, and killed while Mircea was blinded by hot pokers and then buried alive. As he had recently been cursed with vampirism he was able to dig his way out of the grave. After about a week of noticing things had been different (almost attacking a serving girl), he could no longer deny he was a vampire. In his fear, he arranged for Elena to be left a large sum of money and for her to receive the news of his "death". He then traveled to Venice where he could operate relatively independently as a masterless vampire with no vampire family to protect him. After a few years, he returned to Romania in hopes of reuniting with Elena, but he discovered she had been murdered in his absence. He also learned of Dorina's existence but could not find her for she had been given to Gypsies shortly after her birth. Dorina, however, later found Mircea by coincidence when she was still rather young and Mircea recognized Elena in her features. He later took Dorina out of Romania to raise her. ~ Wikipedia

### Biographical Tid-bits

* Tony entertained him at his Farmhouse near Philly when Cassie was eleven.
* Cassie recalled a long-ago evening when she was eleven, curled up together with Mircea on the divan in Tony's study, him stroking her hair as he told her a story.

## Cassie

Mircea met Cassie Palmer when she was a little girl at Tony's Vampire Court, whom he had sired many years ago, while she was living there. He believed she might become the Pythia one day, so when she ran away some years later, he tried to protect her and make sure she wasn't killed. Cassie feels safe with Mircea but is frequently confused as to how she truly feels. They are currently dating. ~ Wikipedia

"I had heard of your gifts and arranged to meet you. I knew that a clairvoyant of your reputed strength would be a useful addition to my staff, but wanted to be sure what I was gaining before negotiating with Antonio. Once I met you, I suspected that I might be looking at the next Pythia, but I could not know for certain until you grew up." He looked off into the distance and sighed. "I made a mistake in not immediately adding you to my household, but I feared that it was too prominent, and that I would not be able to keep you from coming to the Circle's attention. I left you with Antonio and ordered him to continue to hide your identity. I planned to retrieve you when you matured..." — Mircea to Cassie
## The Senate

Mircea gained master level status relatively quickly. His master ability deals with the mind, which is a rare gift. He is a member of the North American Vampire Senate and holds the position of Chief Negotiator, also Ambassador, due to his ability to thwart even the most adept mental persuasion from members of other competing senates. He is chary and very skilled at navigating political intrigue. ~ Wikipedia

## Related Characters, Places, Groups, Objects, etc.

* Dorina Basarab
* Cassandra Palmer
* Radu Basarab
* Dracula
* Marco Carales
* Rafe
* Louis-Cesare
* Tomas
* Consul
* Kit Marlowe
* Cassanova
* Tony
* Alphonse
* Rico
* Jules
* Fred
* Augusta
* Dante's Casino
* Vampire Senate
* North American Vampire Senate
* Tony's Court
* Tony's Farmhouse
* Master Vampires
* Duthracht Geis
* Geis

## Events Throughout the Series

*This secton may have spoilers, don't read the summary for a book that you have not read yet if you wan tot avoid spoilers. Think of the book title as a "Spoiler Warning"*.

### Touch the Dark

Mircea was present at the Senate Chamber meeting when Cassie was brought in. He escorted her to her suite with Rafe and Louis-Cesare.  After the fight in Dante's lot, they all returned to the suite at M.A.G.I.C.. He dealt out humiliating punishment feedings on the captured Satyr-Were Hybrids along with Rafe and Tomas while Pritkin watched in disgust and Cassie tried to explain it to him. Mircea demonstrates a gentle feeding through touch with Cassie.  Mircea defended Cassie when Pritkin went wildly offensive against Cassie trying to kill her with every weapon in his arsenal at the same time. JP claimed that Cassie was a Lamia demon. Mircea held him against the wall with the gale-like force of his power.

After Pritkin is escorted out, they talk about how they suspect Rasputin of plotting to eliminate Louis as his dueling opponent by going back in time to kill him before his third bite. They discuss Cassie helping them to save Louis-Cesare in 1661 Carcassonne. Mircea and Cassie Haggle. She agrees to help them rescue LC and Radu in exchange or knowledge of her father.  Once alone, Mircea proceeds to seduce Cassie. He explains that the Power will no pass to a virgin and they can't risk it going to hte rival. Plus, theyCircle demands her return to them, but if she's Pythia, they have no claim. Mircea tells her that Roger, her father, refused to give her up. Tony had him and her mother killed and trapped his spirit in a Magical Snare made by Dark Mages. He tells her how he found her and that Rasputin had also sent a vamp squad to kill her. Mircea tells cassie about his brother Radu and how intends to go with her to rescue him. Though he rescued him from the Bastille in 1769, he had been in Carcassonne a hundred years earlier, in 1661 where he'd been tortured for many years. If he can free him there, he may spare him from insanity and mental torture for all his life. It had been Radu who change Louis-Cesare.

Rafe enters warning them that they're under attack by Rasputin's forces and they are through the perimeter wards. Mircea grabs Cassie and they flee down hidden doors, past wards with Rafe and Tomas. Mircea puts it together that Tomas is working for the other side. He viewed the situation as an opportunity to be free of Louis-Cesare and to challenge Alejandro. Toms tries to force the situation when Pritkin stops him with a garrote allowing them to escape. With the Tears of Apollo they shift to 1661 Carcassonne and inhabit the bodies of Louis-Cesare and Marie, his bed-mate. They realize that Rasputin is more likely to attack Radu to prevent Louis from being changed. Mircea (inside Louis) runs to Radu's cell while Cassie recruits a ghost army. While Mircea in too weak from Radu's bites, Cassie manages to fend off Myra, Rasputin, and Dark Mages with a help of her Ghosts, her Dagger Bracelet and Agnes who stopped time before she was stabbed by Myra. The Pythia Power passes to Cassie. Rasputin vanishes with Myra and the ghost army goes after their torturers. Mircea tells Radu the conditions for his freedom and he agrees. Cassie and Mircea shift out—THE END.

### Claimed by Shadow

Cassie learns that Mircea had a Duthracht Geis put on her around age twelve to keep tabs o other and to scare off any would-be suitors to protect her eligibility for Pythia. The Power sends Cassie to the Lyceum Theatre in 1888 London to save him from being poisoned—John Pritkin tags along. When they see each other iatthat time, the Duthracht Geis is multiplied and mutated.

Mircea saves Cassie from Dmitri at the vampire Convocation in 1888 London—four days after he saw her at the Lyceum Theatre, he's only thought of her since. Myra uses her power to go back to 1888 London to try to kill Mircea so he won't be around to protect Cassie. Myra possess various vamps to get to him, finally ending up in Augusta, but leaves when Augusta catches on fire. The Spirit Creature saps Myra of energy and she shifts out. Cassie's power shifts her out, too. Myra informs Cassie the Convocation is in London in 1889 because the European Senate blames Dracula for Jack the Ripper who did his killing spree to impress Dracula. Myra believes that Mircea will put himself between his brother and the Senate—who would take him out—which is her goal.

London 1889, Lyceum Theatre, Mircea is dueling with his younger brother Dracula behind the stage. If he wins, he takes him to prison to spare his life—it was an agreement he made with the European Consul. Outside the theater, the European Senate and their followers are rallying to verrun the theater to come kto ill Dracula and take Mircea as well should he get in the way. Inside the theatre, Cassie finds him dueling with Dracula who is trying to arrest him to save his life from the crazed vampires of the European Senate. Myra pops in the middle of the duel. He gets nicked on the shoulder. Pritkin drops in warning that the vampires are coming—he and Dracula face the mage. Then Myra throws a Null Bomb.

### Tempt the Stars

While trapped in the fireplace at Tony's Farmhouse during a trip to the past, Cassie overhears on a conversation between Kit Marlowe and Mircea. Kit tries to pry information from Mircea about why he spends so much time at Tony's Court and why the child Cassandra holds so much "fascination" for Mircea. Mircea is always in NYC these days. Cassie has a life-like Mircea illusion in the shower.

### Events throughout the Dorina Basarab series

*This section may have spoilers. If you want to avoid spoilers, please don't read the summary for a book that you have not read yet. Think of the book title as a "Spoiler Warning"*.

## Quotes

Bogatia strica pe om."... "Prosperity, like want, ruins many." — Mircea speaking Romanian
"This guy was part of a group that tried to kill us a few hours ago. But the vamps aren't going to kill him, at least not this time. A warning is given for the first offense, along with an object lesson to make it memorable. If the lesson is impressive enough, most people don't have to be told twice."
   Pritkin looked disgusted. "So they're not monsters and murderous beasts, only misunderstood; is that it?"
   Mircea was trying not to laugh. He wasn't trying very hard. I felt my own lips quirk as I caught his eye. "Are you a murderous beast, Mircea?"
   "Of a certainty, dulceaţă," he replied cheerfully. Mircea winked at me before trading his cowed victim for another.  — Cassie, John Pritkin, Mircea Basarab
"Cassandra is mine," Mircea told him in a voice that could have melted glass. "Touch her again and, Circle or no, I will bring you over and ensure that you spend the rest of eternity begging for death." — Mircea to John Pritkin
"I have learned, Mage Pritkin, never to say never to the universe." He glanced at me, and his expression was wry. "It delights in giving us that which we declare most emphatically cannot be." — MIrcea to Pritkin
"You might think to ask them why they sent you, their best-known demon hunter, after Cassie. You have something of a reputation for being—how shall I put it? — extremely single-minded? If I were the suspicious type, I might almost believe that they wanted you to mistake what she was, and remove a possible rival from contention." — Mircea to John Pritkin
"I have told you, *dulceaţă*; you are mine. You have been so since the age of eleven. You will be so forever. And no one harms what is mine. You have my word."
"Like looking forward to the next heavyweight championship match. In this corner, we have Lord Mircea, never defeated in five hundred years of political and social maneuvering. And in this corner, his opponent, the deceptively sweet-looking Cassandra, newly elevated to the Pythia's throne.
## See Also

* Geis
* Duthracht Geis
* Basarab Family

## Book References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *Claimed by Shadow*, ch. 14
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 *Touch the Dark*, ch. 12
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 *Touch the Dark*, ch. 9
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 *Claimed by Shadow*, ch. 1
5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 *Touch the Dark*, ch. 3 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP1ch3" defined multiple times with different content
6. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 10
7. ↑ *Claimed by Shadow*, ch. 7
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 *Touch the Dark*, ch. 10
9. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 11
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 *Touch the Dark*, ch. 13
11. ↑ *Claimed by Shadow*, ch. 2
12. ↑ *Claimed by Shadow*, ch. 7
13. ↑ *Claimed by Shadow*, ch. 13
14. ↑ *Tempt the Stars*, ch. 1, p. 13
15. ↑ *Tempt the Stars*, ch. 2, p. 14–22
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 *Tempt the Stars*, ch. 13, p. Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "CP6ch13" defined multiple times with different content
17. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 14

## External Links

**Content references**

* Mircea Basarab - Wikipedia (ficitonal character)
* Mircea II of Wallachia - Wikipedia (character based on)
* Wallachia - Wikipedia (homeland)
* Radu cel Frumos - Wikipedia (brother)
* Vlad the Impaler - Wikipedia (brother)
* Vlad II Dracul - Wikipedia (father)
* House of Basarab - Wikipedia (family tree)

**General Links**:

* Take A Chance: Gallery
* Cassandra Palmer series - Urban Fantasy Wiki
* Cassandra Palmer Series ~ Shelfari
* The Cassandra Palmer series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia