Year When Made: 1349
Approximate Age: 30 years when made an immortal. Been an immortal for approx.7 centuries.
Appearance: Santino was tall and well muscled, fine of build and proportion. He had rich black hair, large black eyes and was comely.
Paramour & Consorts: Eric and Allesandra.
Fledglings: Many Unknowns.
Mortal Background/History:
Santino was born and lived in a small but wealthy Italian town. During 1349, a plague (the time of the Black Death) took the town in which he lived, and all the citizens died including his family. Santino was walled up in his house and survived this outbreak, then was found and saved by a vampire who was scavenging through the corpses of the town. Santino was given the Dark Gift by this vampire.
Immortal Background/History:
(TVA, B&G) Santino was the Master of the Roman Coven up to 1700, and helped to create the Great Laws. He followed the worship of Satan and, in 1499, led an attack upon Marius because he lived among mortals. Santino failed to eliminate Marius, and his Roman Coven captured Marius' young fledgling, Amadeo.
(TVL) There are rumours that Santino eventually went mad and then his coven dissolved, the members of his coven knew nothing of Santino's whereabouts. He dropped out of sight and mind for around several centuries.
(QotD) He reappears later in communication from time to time with Maharet and Mael. Santino also appeared to be a sometime companion of Eric.
(QotD) When Akasha awakens in 1984, Santino helps Pandora rescue Marius from the ice. The reasons for this rescue are known only to Santino himself, perhaps this deed was done in search for forgiveness for acts done long ago against Marius. He survives throughout Akashas slaughter of immortals.
(MtD) After Lestats journey to Heaven and Hell, Santino (along with Marius) sets out to destroy all evidence that was left by the vampires that went into the sun after seeing Veronicas Veil.
(B&G) Later on, Santino is destroyed at Maharet and Mekare's place by the vampire, Thorne, mentally igniting his blood. This was done in revenge for what Santino did to Marius and was an indirect punishment towards Maharet for what she did to Thorne.
Why:
Being the sole survivor from the plague that hit his town, Santino was the only being that the unknown vampire could find and give the Dark Gift.
Novels:
Mentioned in The Vampire Lestat, Queen of the Damned, The Vampire Armand and Blood and Gold.
