A Brief History of the Scribes

Though they had great power, the First Born knew they were creatures of the Earth and therefore vulnerable to attack by those who learned of their secret weakness. As they cross-bred with humans and other First Born, their wives, children and lovers were also vulnerable. Accordingly, the First Born sought strong human warriors to protect them and their secrets. 

Using supernatural power, the First Born placed curses on these chosen warrior family lines, forcing them and their descendants to serve them for all time. The curse placed on these family lines bound them forever to serve the specific bloodline that originally cast the spell.  It is impossible to sever the relationship, and those that tried, soon died.  But the curse also granted longevity and abnormal strength.

Over time, these cursed family lines evolved to be more than mere guardians and protector; they became trusted advisers. Eventually, they became known as Scribes and the position was considered a great honor. As the ages passed and the memory of the brutality and cruelty of the original curse faded, the Scribes themselves became wealthy and powerful — many jealously protecting their position in the hidden, supernatural world. Some also protected the power of their First Born (and later, Offspring) masters by zealously recording and advising bloodlines and lineage, consulting with the Keeper of the Lines (watercolor here) on ideal genetic matches. The scribes also took on the lifestyle of their masters, good from good, cruel from cruel. 

To facilitate communication between the benevolent members of the Eleven and their First Born, the Council of Scribes was created in 860 AD. This grand meeting of Scribes was a chance to retain and build their power and influence by exchanging information and gossip.  The Scribes began keeping careful records of each family line and using this immensely powerful information about strength of bloodline. They often acted to arrange marriages between First Born and even for their Offspring children.

As for the Crimson Scribes (as depicted here and here in the Art section), they are not aligned with any specific family lineage. Instead, the Crimson Scribes serve only the High Council of the Eleven (based in Istanbul, or as the city was originally called, Constantinople). To learn more about these powerful operators within the Angel Punk universe, keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming blog entry - or check out the novels.