Callisto

## Callisto's Life Story

Situated deep in the hills of the Custurii mountain range in Bacas County, a small cave carves its way through the ancient rock, visible only as a single, flickering light from the cave's narrow mouth.

The cave is the secluded home of a man previously known as Alessandro Farussi, a 15th Century Venetian poet and socialite. He was among the first to fall victim to Mara's blood rage and was made vampire shortly after her own transformation.

The son of an intellectual courtesan, Alessandro learned about the arts from his mother at an early age. Blessed with a handsome face, sharp wits and a keen talent for pompous poetry, he soon became illustrious within the tight-knit circle of the Venetian social elite, especially among the women.

After an unfortunate incident involving the daughter of a nobleman, he had to flee Venice and travelled to Transylvania, changing his name to Callisto to avoid unwanted attention. Through charm, gracious manners and poetry he was able to befriend the royal couple, and they invited him to stay at the castle, as their guest.

Callisto would follow them when they both travelled, but when Vlad was away fighting the Ottomans, he stayed at the castle, entertaining and supporting the fretting princess.

Perhaps it was friendship and a desire not to be alone that made Mara turn him, or perhaps it was indiscriminate bloodlust that drove her. Regardless, Callisto became one of Mara's first victims and an early member of her twisted court.

For centuries he travelled the European nights and feasted on innocent victims. He drank the blood of men, women and children from all levels of society, unfazed. He was immortal, untouchable, a young god of the night.

Until one day in the late 1800s.

He was living in Paris at the time, enjoying the company - and taste - of artists and bohemians in Montmartre, when he met a young woman;

Lodie, a courtesan and dancer at the Moulin Rouge, was an exceptional beauty. Callisto fell hopelessly in love, surprised that he was still capable of such bewildering and bloodless emotions.

Careful to hide his true nature from her, they only met after sunset and he all but stopped drinking human blood. For months he pampered her with lavish gifts, romantic poetry and confessions of love. Suddenly, he cared more for another person than himself, and he became terrified of the gutting ramifications were his dark secret to be revealed.

For a while they were very happy together, but the beast inside him couldn't be tamed. Eventually his hunger for blood could no longer be subdued.

Unfortunately, lodie was close - too close - when the frenzy hit.

Like the final scene of a Greek tragedy, Callisto murdered his one true love, the only person who could turn him away from his gruesome ways. When his savage thirst was sated he saw her lifeless body in his arms, her perfect, pale skin covered in blood, and something within him died.

His lifeless heart broken, Callisto fled Paris in shame, returning to the only place one such as him could live - Transylvania. Here he had been made into the monster he was. He retreated into the cold, desolate mountains and staked out a home of sorts in an old cave.

He is undead evidence that nothing need last forever and that everyone can change, given enough time. In stark contrast to his human life as a flamboyant 15th century drunkard and a ladies' man, now he broods in self-imposed exile.

He's had time to reflect on his actions, how he destroyed the lives of so many. He stole their chance to live, love and die naturally...much like he was robbed when Mara made him.

Like a tragic figure from classical literature, Callisto writhes in intense conflict with his own nature.

Being a vampire, he still has to drink blood regularly, but has sworn only to kill sick and old animals. Sometimes, however, the blood-rage conquers his promise, and only human blood can still the thirst. Afterwards, a great sorrow for the people he has killed tears at him, and he tries to redeem himself by paying penance to their families.

He's never forgotten what he did to his lover, and as the years have passed, he's come to hate what he is. Not one day passes without grief. He has wanted nothing but death for a very long time. It would be so easy - to simply step into the sunlight, and purge the pain forever. No more killings, no more regret.

Life is precious, however, even an undead life like his. Despite his intense desire to die, the survival instinct is stronger. He cannot bring himself to commit suicide or let someone kill him. His body overpowers his will.

Callisto justifies his will to live through guilt. Why does he deserve the freedom of death, when others have suffered so much because of him?

When Mara returned and called for a crusade against humanity - for all vampires to rise and create a glorious vampire nation - Callisto saw an opportunity to redeem himself. Unlike his vampire kin, he resisted Mara's call. Deep from his cave, he vows to do all in his limited power to foil her plans; he dreams of revenge and redemption. He knows that if he confronts her he will lose. Her hold on him is too tight. But he can aid others, champions of a secret world, who may be better able to subvert her sick sovereignty.

His unique knowledge of vampires, their origin and the history of the county could help stop more suffering, and, secretly, Callisto hopes deliverance will give him the courage to die.