An ancient vampire from the imperial Roman era. He first appeared in Natural Consequences.
Biography[]
Gaius Cornelius Vaspasianus was a vampire of Roman origin. He was with Nero during the Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE, but it is unknown if he had been turned into a vampire at the time.[1] He arrived in Los Angeles in the 1920s, where he claimed the title of Consul of the Republic of Los Angeles.[2][3]
Together with Wentworth, he led an effort to investigate the Battle of Blackthorne manor. He was goaded into a duel by Alex and killed by him at the start of the Battle of the Bus Tunnel. Alex scrounged Cornelius’s gladius after the battle and kept it.[4][5]
The last person he turned into a vampire was Rosario, just before the start of the Battle of the Bus Tunnel.
Cornelius was the most powerful vampire lord in North America, but also considered mad by many other vampires. Most of his power and influence came from his age.[3] The Los Angeles vampire Harry considered Cornelius to not be proactive.[6]
Possessions[]
Cornelius owned a large mansion in Malibu.[3]
He maintained a large treasure hoard of varying provenance, mystical significance, and value.[7] It also included remnants from killed enemies that were kept as trophies. This hoard was stolen by Anatole. This included the statuette that tied Mitu to the Earth. The search for the lost hoard was a key driver for conflict between and activity from the vampire factions in Los Angeles.[8]
Theories[]
Compared to Anastacia’s court, there were no known members of Fifteen Percent in Los Angeles who were turned in the 19th century or earlier, and the other known faction leaders were younger than Solomon. One possibility is that when Cornelius arrived in Los Angeles in the 1920s he drove off or killed all vampires already there.[2] This would fit with him not being a naturally capable leader.[3]
It can probably be safely assumed that Cornelius turned Solomon. Solomon’s relative apparent lack of knowledge about vampire indoctrination, as evidenced by his ignorance on what was needed to turn someone into a vampire, might have been one example of Cornelius’s lack of leadership ability.[6]
Trivia[]
Cornelius’s cognomen is spelled both Vaspasianus and Vespasianus in Natural Consequences.
Cornelius’s typical term of address—“Lord Cornelius”—is incorrect as it is his nomen gentilicium and refers to his gens.[4] The correct address would either be “Gaius Vaspasianus” or, in informal situations, “Vaspasianus”. For further information, see Roman naming conventions.
Based on his name, Cornelius was part of the Cornelia gens, one of the more widespread and more influential families of Rome. However, not all stirpes (branches) were of equal influence or status. His praenomen Gaius was common in the Cethegi stirpes, though not unique to it.
References[]
- ↑ Natural Consequences, chapter 9
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 5
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Natural Consequences, chapter 2
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Natural Consequences, chapter 7
- ↑ Past Due, chapter 7
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 21
- ↑ Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 19
- ↑ Grand Theft Sorcery, chapter 1