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| I made this as a 3D model in Sketchup Pro 2019 |
"We watch, and we are always here."
Who
are these scholars, the Talamasca? It is easy
to be impressed by their knowledge,
mannerisms, lifestyle and immense wealth. Throughout the Lives of the
Mayfair Witches
and the Vampire Chronicles, we see
snapshots of their history as seen through the eyes of witches, vampires
and the scholars
themselves. The Talamasca is
referenced in the poem that Ancient Evelyn teaches Julien Mayfair as a
girl in his attic
hideaway (see The Poem). They are the scholars that the verse warns about.
Michael
Curry embarrasses Aaron Lightner when he points out a link
between the Talamasca's wealth and
the fall of the Knights Templar. The Knights Templar were soldiers of
the Church
until the 14th century, when the
Church declared them heretics. The Knights were executed and their vast
holdings reclaimed
by the Church, distributed in part
to the reigning monarchs, and somehow, a portion of those holdings also
fell into the hands
of the Talamasca. Aaron Lightner's
explanation of the Knights Templar as the basis of the wealth of the
Talamasca was
meant to convey that the Talamasca
had no part in the destruction of the Knights; only that their left
behind wealth had found
a new home.
Centuries
later, Marius meets one member of the Talamasca in Venice,
Italy while he is living there with
Amadeo, soon to become Armand. At this time, the scholar is young.
Years later,
Marius meets him again when he
journeys to the Motherhouse in England, which is not the mansion
occupied by the 20th century
scholars but a remote medieval
castle.
It is in the 16th century that we see the Motherhouse in Amsterdam,
where Peter van Abel takes young Deborah after her mother is executed as a witch.
Throughout
this history, members of the Talamasca have quietly tried
to make contact with the vampires
and witches they watched, and they always seemed to be around. 'We
Watch and We Are
Always Here' is a very apt motto for
them.
The
File on the Mayfair Witches is full of references to habits, speech
patterns, preferences, rumors, and
the like regarding the Witches in general and in particular, the Legacy
Witches as individuals.
Throughout this extensive file, they
are not only recording observations and learned facts about the
family's power as witches,
but also about sightings of Lasher
and accounts of his abilities, if he has any. They are just as
interested in Lasher
as a ghost as they are in the family
as witches.
What
do they do with all of this information besides store it in the
vaults where Rembrandt's painting of
Deborah and Armand's artwork are kept? What purpose does this
information serve?
It could serve an important purpose
if the information were provided to the people it concerned, as in the
case of Rowan Mayfair,
who found more answers than most
people in the dark could ever hope for. Does this information serve all
of mankind
by being disseminated all at once,
or does it serve by illuminating the lives of the people whose
paranormal powers have effects
on the world around them?
As
David Talbot collects stories from fellow vampires, perhaps someday
he will find some meaning in them
that he didn't find in the Talamasca. The Talamasca does not seem to
refute or support
its own findings; merely, it serves
as a human database of facts and folklore collected throughout the
centuries.
History of the Knights Templar
Catholic Encyclopedia's Knights Templars
Knights Templar ~ A Mini Gallery
