| Caius | |
|---|---|
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| Jamie Campbell Bower as Caius | |
| Statistics | |
| Fullname | Caius Volturi |
| Birthday | Unknown |
| Species | Vampire |
| Age | Approximately 3000 years old. |
| Height | 5'8" |
| Weight | 180lbs. |
| Eyes | Crimson |
| Hair | White |
| Power | Strategic and tactical acumen. Political influence. Very well developed combat skills. |
| Parents | Unknown |
| Siblings | Unknown |
| Occupation | One of the three leaders of the Volturi coven or Judge, Jury and Executioner. |
Biography
In his mortal days, Caius was a warrior-king in ancient Italy. His people, the Etruscans, existed in city-states, often at war with the Greeks or alternately, each other. He was every inch a ruler, charismatic, passionate and competent. His conquests on the field of battle as well as in the political halls of power were legendary in their times.
The circumstances of Caiuss death are unknown. Like the other elders, Caius is very tight-lipped about it. He would rather continue to be acknowledged as one of the three oldest vampires in the world. It is possible that Caius slew his own maker. Regardless, he speaks little of it.
Caius continued to rule his city-state after death, now something of a god-king. His subjects both worshipped and feared him and the young vampire reveled in that. It was a different time then, many believed that the gods walked the earth and begot immortal children. The idea of an eternal ruler with tremendous power and required blood sacrifice was something to be believed. A king needed a queen and Athenadora was the most lovely of the noble girls in his realm. The romance between Caius and Athenodora started out as passionate. She was his decoration, the eternal beauty by his side. He created other progeny, his generals, but discovered that newborns were difficult to control. Many were killed either because of their natures or because of suspected plots against their creator.
The rise of the Roman Empire, however, gave Caius pause. And it was then that he met Marcus and Aro. He was impressed enough with them to join forces, with the goal of absolute power and authority. It would take the three of them to influence the growing Roman Empire as well as the growing vampire population. Humanity was also growing, changing and maturing. Humanity would not accept the idea of god-kings for much longer. The idea of creating an alliance was a new thing; it went against the mistrustful and solitary nature of vampires. It was a necessary thing, to control humanity as well as vampires. Secrecy became their first true law. The reign of the god-kings was over and the Volturi was born.
Their first test came about a century later. A second coven, this time from Eastern Europe, also wanted to exude its authority over all vampires. The two covens could not exist simultaneously, and so, war was inevitable. The young Volturi coven was victorious, but failed to completely eliminate the Romanian coven. Caius found that war with his own kind thrilled him and enjoyed the conflict much more than he let on. The purpose of the Volturi coven began to move toward consolidating power in the vampire world and they began to actively recruit vampires of a like mind and talent. They were also not above finding talented mortals and changing them.
Over the course of the next five hundred years, the Volturi coven grew, both in numbers and in power. It quickly became the largest coven ever seen, though keeping that many vampires together and cooperating was a constant challenge. In order to keep the peace, the Volturi members needed to be kept occupied. One of Caius's favorite tasks was to take smaller groups out into the field, looking for offenses and keeping the peace. It was during this time that Caius encountered the werewolves, or Children of the Moon. At first, he completely underestimated them, thinking they were no more dangerous than large wolves. This gross miscalculation nearly cost Caius his existence, for on one of his "hunting trips", he found himself outnumbered and ambushed. Only by his great personal skill in combat, his knack for tactics and a fair amount of luck, did he survive. Immediately afterward, Caius declared the werewolves to be the enemy of all vampires and began a nearly successful campaign to exterminate the species. Ruthless, determined and efficient, Caius decimated their numbers, drawing them to the brink of extinction. He has trophies of this time in his quarters in Volterra, mounted wolf skulls and hides, reminding him of his power over his enemies.
Caius might have succeeded in his quest to eliminate the Children of the Moon, but another crisis was gripping the vampire world. The plague of the immortal children had begun, leaving a devastating path in its wake. The twisted sentimentality that led to the creation of vampire children was nearly responsible for revealing the existence of vampires to humans. It was increasingly more difficult to cover up the devastation wrought by these vampire infants. It became apparent that a sharp lesson was needed. The resulting war was savage, brutal, but necessary. The immortal children and those that protected them were eliminated. The result made such an impact upon the surviving vampires that the creation of a vampire child became a taboo of the highest order. As with the genocide against the werewolves, Caius was certainly in his element. Though his passion and emotions were not starting to fade, he found that large scale warfare quickened him like nothing else. The Volturi were now the acknowledged rulers of vampire society and it became accepted that they would respond in force, to any threat to the vampire world.
It would be centuries later when he would bring entire guard to war again, this time to destroy the newborn armies in the southern half of North America. Once again, the devastating response the Volturi had quelled any defiance in lesser vampires. The vampire population of Mexico was nearly decimated as a result.
Between wars, Caius is ever vigilant for threats or transgressions. He does this to compensate for his diminishing ability to feel emotions. Even his queen, Athenodora, fails to stir him as she once did. She is kept safe, more out of habit, than out of any remaining feeling. He tells himself that this makes him stronger, able to act without the unnecessary complication of emotions, but in reality, he fears the complete loss. Overly humane vampires, such as Carlisle Cullen, are treated with contempt in order to disguise his jealousy that he is unable to feel those emotions any longer.
Personality
Caius is, in many ways, still the warrior-king he was in his mortal days. He believes in the divine right of kings, even if he no longer believes in gods. Ruling the vampire world is both an honor and a burdan, but thats not to say the job doesnt come with some perks. Caius has a strong sense of justice, though in the last few hundred years, his definition of justice is a bit looser than it was before. However, he still sees his role as that of a king and protector of his people. He does not see himself as cruel or selfish.
Though not quite consciously aware of it, Caius seeks to rekindle his dying emotions. Having feelings, any feelings, is better than being a marble statue. As anger and cruelty are most easily stirred, Caius places himself in situations that will awaken his wrath and he indulges those emotions completely.
Caius is ruthlessly efficient and eminently pragmatic. He always keeps an eye toward his goal and of his brothers, is the least likely to become distracted. Caius is not the sort to rest easily on his throne. He perceives that everyone is jealous of his power and wants to take what is his. He will interpret the slightest nuances into a threat, and then mull it over until it becomes a full-blown conspiracy in his mind. The Olympic Coven seeks to overthrow him and rule. The werewolves are out to destroy him. Thats not to say that a little paranoia isnt healthy, for someone in Caius's position. After all, just because youre paranoid doesnt mean they arent out to get you!
Caius has considerable (at least by his standards) affection for members of his guard. He is reminded of his mortal days, leading his men into battle and that is one of the few experiences that stir his emotions. The camaraderie, the excitement of the battle, the thrill of victory, all of these things comes back to him when he is in the field with the guard. Therefore, when opportunity arises, he prefers to be dispensing justice because of the personal gratification it gives him. This is not to suggest that he will sacrifice himself for members of the guard. In war, people die… even vampires. Any good field commander knows that there will be losses in battle and while he feels a passing sadness when a good soldier is killed, it is all for the greater victory. Even these feelings are somewhat artificial, as he is responsive to Chelseas bonding as well. It's said that he shows special consideration for vampires without unique abilities, as he himself lacks a special talent. However, he has limited patience for "problem children" in the Guard. He expects obedience and respect from those beneath him.
Relationships
| Name | Relation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gianna | Employee | Generally, Caius does not deign to notice Gianna. She will continue to live, as long as she serves well. |
Additional Photos
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Playlist
"Empire" by Queensryche.
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