The Iron Gate

In you are strolling through the Grove of the Muses, you may pass a scrolled, iron-worked gate.  Peering inside, one can spy a fountain in the center of a brick courtyard.  4 marble benches mark the compass points on the edge of the private sanctuary.  Several carved doors open out onto this secret garden, from beautifully kept tudor & elizabeathan buildings.

And you'll notice, the gate is locked.

One of the Dark Muses possesses the key to this gate, and the knowledge of how to enter the courtyard by other means not visible.  Do not try to scale the gate or access the garden without permission, for this muse, too, is a vampire.

Simon is one of Rook's Dark Muses who first came into her life after she read a tome penned by Barbara Hambly in 1988.  Ms. Hambly's description of the personality, character, mannerisms & appearance of her centeral vampire character, inspired the appearance of this Dark Muse in Rook's imagination.
Rook's Dark Muse has retained much of the original characteristics of Ms. Hambly's vision, but he has also evolved over the years due to his contact with Rook & the other muses of the Grove.

Simon is an ancient vampire, who first became a vampire in 1655.  Simon was a Don in the Court of the Spanish King,  Phillip the First, when his entourage came to England to court the Queen of England.  Simon never left.
He is one of the oldest vampires in London, having survived the Great Fire of 1666.  He has many digs there, and, though he is not the Master of London, he is not a vampire to cross.

Simon was about 22-24 when he was transformed.  He stands about 5'3", & possesses fine boned features.  Though in life he had brown eyes & blonde hair, his transformation triggered a rare "bleaching" which occurs with a handful of vampires.  This bleaching caused his blonde hair to turn white and his dark eyes to become the color of amber yellow.  Occasionaly his eyes change to the shade of sulfur.

Simon has the speed, mental powers, strength and other abilities one usually marks in a vampire, but because he is ancient, these abilities are exceedingly strong.  He is also very graceful, when one can see him move.

Simon has the air of a noble.  He has strong opinions of those around him, and often views others as beneath him, as he feels all the true nobility is dead.  He is very intelligent, and is constantly learning, moving with the times & trends to stay on top of the innovations that each new generation adds to the mortal world around him.  He feels this aids him in his survival, to blend and cover his 'tracks'.  Learning also helps him to fill up the centuries & time when he is not hunting.

Though Simon is ancient, he has created no fledglings.  He feels strongly about never creating any who may one day turn on him.  Though he could easily be Master of London, this lack of desire and views about progeny keeps him from this position.  This does not seem to bother him in the least, for he cares little what others think of him.

Simon is soft spoken, his voice is usually even-toned, and is said to lack any emotion, as if time has worn it away.  His facial expressions are equally as subtle, and his mood, if one whom is not familiar with him can notice any change in his facial expressions, is usually apparant in his eyes.

Though Erik, another of Rook's Dark Muses, is also a vampire, he is wise to give Simon a space, and seldom has any dealings with him.  Though Simon has been a muse for quite some time, few images of him exist in Rook's body of work, as his images of him do not do him justice and often elude capture on paper.  The top image is from Rook's sketchbook, the others are card designs, one a sketch, one completed..

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