Tarquin "Quinn" Blackwood is the titular character and narrator of Blackwood Farm, facilitating the crossover of Lives of the Mayfair Witches with the Vampire Chronicles after Merrick.
Description[]
"A long oval face, with features that were too delicate-a nose too narrow, eyes round with round eyebrows and a full cupid's-bow mouth that made me look as if I were a twelve-year-old girl. No huge eyes, no high cheekbones, no rugged jaw. Just very pretty, yes too pretty. My short curly hair he'd rendered in thick swirls. Of course the cameo said nothing of my height of six foot four inches, that my hair was jet black, my eyes blue, or of the fact that I was slight of build. And it was my height that told people that in spite of my all too precious face and feminine hands, I really was a young man."
- Quinn from Blackwood Farm
Personality[]
Quinn is honest, optimistic, and trusting, having been raised in a loving family that accepted his quirks and eccentricities. He is extremely loyal to his family, including the employees of Blackwood Farm who he views as his family, with the exception of his mother, who he is contemptuous towards. Quinn's early education was fragmented, but he is passionate about art and the works of Charles Dickens, and becomes close to his tutors. A practicing Catholic, Quinn is nonetheless quick to accept his own bisexuality, and is accepting of the sexualities of others.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Tarquin Anthony Blackwood was born around 1975 to Patsy Blackwood, who was only 16 at the time. Quinn is looked after by his grandfather Pops, grandmother Sweetheart, his Great Aunt Queen, and Big Ramona, Little Ida, and Jasmine, a family employed to help maintain the bed-and-breakfast where they live, Blackwood Farm. Quinn has spent his entire life accompanied by a spirit named Goblin. The first clear memory Quinn has of Goblin was his birthday party when he was 3 years old, which is also the first instance known of Goblin being able to physically touch Quinn by pushing his hand and forcing him to ruin a birthday cake. He is given a harmonica for his birthday by his grandfather, Pops which he loves to play although Goblin hates it because Quinn pays him no attention whilst playing it. At the age of 7, whilst playing in the old cemetery with Goblin, Quinn sees a group of ghosts huddled together. Quinn is quite interested in these spirits which fade only to come back again, but as they don't move or talk he simply leaves them, much to the relief of Goblin.
It is around this time that it is decided that Quinn should begin his education. Pops takes him to a private school only for Quinn to be kicked out which Quinn is pleased about because all he wants is to stay at his home, Blackwood Farm. This process is repeated a few times until Aunt Queen comes to visit and meets Quinn for the first time. Quinn immediately loves Aunt Queen and is also convinced she can see Goblin although she denies it. Quinn is taken to a psychologist for the first and last time, they say that Goblin is just his imagination and will fade over time. Whilst Quinn is being taught at home, by his family, to read and write , they discover that Goblin knows more words and their meanings than Quinn does. Goblin can now write quite competently using Quinn's hand and can speak to Quinn in his mind.
Aunt Queen soon leaves Blackwood Farm but hires people to teach Quinn at home in Blackwood Farm. These people are soon forced away by Goblin and Quinn until at the age of 10, a teacher comes who they both love: Lynelle Springer. She pretends to talk to Goblin to keep him happy. Soon everyone in the house loves Lynelle, including Patsy who begins spending more time with Quinn on account of it. Soon Quinn gets a computer which Goblin can type on using Quinn's hands. It soon becomes apparent that Goblin is getting stronger as other people can feel him touch them and can turn electrical things on and off. Quinn also discovers, with the help of Lynelle, that although Goblin learned words faster than Quinn when they were younger, he can't understand the bigger words that Quinn uses.
When Quinn is 16 years old his Aunt Queen invites him to go to New York with her and he accepts the invitation gladly. On the way to New York Quinn notes that Goblin is getting weaker the further away from home they get. When Quinn is 17 years old, his teacher Lynelle dies in a car crash.
Soon before Quinn's 18th birthday his grandmother, Sweetheart, becomes very ill and goes into a coma and dies soon after Quinn turns 18. Quinn finds out his mother Patsy was pregnant but had an abortion.
Quinn goes into the attic at Blackwood Farm and finds lots of things belonging to "Rebecca Stanford" who apparently lived at Blackwood Farm years ago and disappeared quite suddenly. Quinn is then visited by the ghost of Rebecca who sleeps with him and wants him to find out how she died, and also manages to trick Quinn into starting a fire which is quickly put out.
Quinn decides he wants to visit "Sugar Devil Island" which is part of Blackwood Farm but is in a dangerous swamp and no-one knows exactly where in the swamp the island is. Quinn soon manages to find the island and inside finds the remains of Rebecca, a woman that is held up by a hook and suggests that the woman was tortured before she died. Quinn also, to his surprise, finds evidence that someone has been living in the house on the island.
Quinn returns home and tells everybody what he found. It is then that Aunt Queen explains the full story of Rebecca to him and that she was supposedly thrown out of Blackwood Farm by Manfred Blackwood, his great great great grandfather.
Quinn soon goes back to the island but there is still no sign of whoever has been living there. Quinn leaves a letter behind to explain that the house belongs to him and that he would like the trespasser to leave. Quinn falls asleep inside the house and dreams that he is Rebecca enduring the torture and dying. After waking, Quinn finds that it is dark and outside he sees someone in the swamp who appears to be dumping bodies in it. Goblin leads Quinn home in the dark.
Quinn insists on telling the sheriff what he saw but no-one seems to believe him. The trespasser from the island comes into Blackwood Farm and leaves Quinn a letter telling him to stay away from the island.
Quinn decides to open the island to everyone and the police search the swamp and take the remains of Rebecca away for analysis. Quinn's grandfather, Pops, dies after arguing with Patsy. Quinn sleeps with Jasmine.
Soon the stranger from the island returns to Blackwood Farm and attacks Quinn but Goblin attacks the stranger and makes them leave Quinn alone. Quinn is hurt quite badly so is taken to Mayfair Medical where he witnesses the ghost of Rebecca again but this time he ignores her and tells her to leave.
Whilst still in Mayfair Medical Quinn meets his new teacher Nash. Here he also meets Mona Mayfair and Stirling Oliver who can both see Goblin. Quinn finds out that Stirling Oliver is a member of something called the Talamasca and that Mona is a "witch". He also falls in love with Mona as soon as he sees her.
Quinn attends the reading of Pops' will where Patsy is left a lot and Quinn learns that Pops had a child with a woman named Terry-Sue and the boy is called Tommy who would technically be Quinn's uncle.
Quinn decides to go visit Mona Mayfair who is surprisingly waiting for him. Mona and Quinn sleep together and Quinn is surprised by Mona's "experience". Quinn also learns a little about the Mayfairs and takes Mona back to Blackwood Farm with him. Quinn says that he wants to marry Mona who then explains that she is already going to marry Pierce Mayfair. Quinn also finds out that Mona had a baby who was then taken away from her. Quinn says he'll help her find her child but Mona doesn't seem to think its possible.
Michael Curry and Rowan Mayfair arrive at Blackwood Farm to take Mona home and despite all Quinn and Mona's protests she goes with them in the end. Quinn encounters the intruder from the island again who tells Quinn to get rid of all the people who are on the island and to refurbish the house there. The intruder says if Quinn does this he can have the island during the day but the intruder keeps it during the night.
Quinn orders that the Hermitage on the island be refurbished. Quinn goes to visit his uncle Tommy and leaves his mother money to put Tommy into a good school. Quinn goes to Mona's house again and there encounters Julien Mayfair. Julien then tells Quinn that Quinn's great grandfather was actually Julien's son which makes Quinn a blood relative to Mona. This is dangerous in the Mayfair family due to the fact if they had children they may not be entirely normal. Quinn then finds out from Rowan that Julien was a ghost.
Quinn has dinner with Rowan, Michael and Mona. Quinn then discovers that Mona is sick and is having ongoing treatment at Mayfair Medical. He arranges to visit her there the next day. Quinn then goes home to find the intruder from the island sitting with Aunt Queen who clearly doesn't realise who she is talking to. The intruder introduces themself as Petronia.
Quinn tells Stirling Oliver everything that has happened with Petronia and the island. Stirling Oliver visits Blackwood Farm and finds out Aunt Queen wants to take Quinn on a trip to Europe. Also Stirling Oliver tells Quinn that it will be Aunt Queen's last opportunity to go with him as the doctor says she soon won't be well enough for travel. Quinn therefore agrees straight away to go on the trip and also invites Tommy who accepts.
The trip is organized for the next day and when Quinn tells Mona he is leaving, she tells him she thinks it's a good idea and they arrange to keep in contact through e-mail and telephone.
The trip through Europe lasts for three years which is longer than Quinn expected. At the beginning of the trip Goblin was forced to leave Quinn as he couldn't travel that far. Goblin returns to Blackwood Farm and starts breaking things until Quinn, via computer (and Jasmine), tells him to stop and that they can speak through the computer, also by e-mail. There is also a night in Europe where Quinn thought he saw Petronia but wasn't sure of it.
They return at the end of three years after Aunt Queen becomes too ill to travel anymore and has to go home. Quinn is also worried about Mona because she hasn't been returning his e-mails recently. On returning he discovers that Mona's sickness had gotten much worse and because she is too sick he isn't allowed to see her.
Also Quinn is surprised to find that in his absence Jasmine has given birth to Jerome, his son. Quinn also makes a trip to the island and finds Petronia there again. Strangely Petronia welcomes Quinn this time and lifts him up and flying (!) takes him against his will. Quinn wakes up and realises he is in Italy and that there are people cleaning him. There are two girls and a boy doing this who tell him to stand up to "her" tests but Quinn doesn't understand them. Quinn is drugged and upon awakening finds himself in a "glorified round cage made of gold".
There are two men in the room and Quinn notes that they don't look human. Quinn realizes that he recognizes one of the men and that it is in fact his great great great grandfather Manfred Blackwood. Manfred is annoyed that Quinn has been taken by Petronia and Quinn learns the other man is called Arion.
Petronia appears and ignores Manfred who is furious with her. Petronia makes Quinn fight with her until Quinn is almost dead. Then Petronia gives Quinn her blood to make him immortal.
Life As a Vampire[]
Quinn is now a vampire and fledgling of Petronia. Soon after he is made, Arion (maker of Petronia) gives Quinn his blood so that Quinn is stronger. Arion tells Quinn that they must only feed upon people who have commited evil deeds (the "evil-doer" as they are commonly referred to). Quinn accepts this and is then told by Petronia to pick someone from the three servants in the house to feed upon. These are the same servants Quinn met when still alive so Quinn is reluctant to feed on any of them even though he can now see they have all commited some very bad deeds. Quinn eventually kills the two girl servants and afterwards Manfred also lets Quinn drink from him.
Quinn then sees the ghost of Rebecca but ignores her now as he believes that to be finished now that he has died. Quinn is taken to hunt with Arion, Petronia and Manfred and here discovers that he can fly. The four of them arrive at a wedding full of "evil-doers" but Quinn mistakenly kills the bride who wasn't evil at all. Petronia, obviously enraged by this, begins beating Quinn until Arion stops it.
The sun rises and Quinn sleeps during the day dreaming of killing his mother Patsy. The next night Arion teaches Quinn how to hunt properly and teaches him about what he now is, a vampire. On returning to Petronia and Manfred they explain "the rules" to him: that the Talamasca is now his enemy and also that hunting in New Orleans is forbidden because Lestat won't allow it.
Quinn decides to return to Blackwood Farm and even though Petronia and Arion ask him not to , he makes preparations to leave straight away. When Quinn arrives at Blackwood Farm Goblin attacks him and feeds on him, drinking his blood. Goblin attacks Quinn every time Quinn feeds on someone and his attacks are becoming stronger each time. Petronia visits Quinn at the island in the swamp and leaves him the vampire chronicles so he can understand things a bit better.
On reading the novels he decides to find Lestat to ask for his help in dealing with Goblin. Quinn writes a letter to Lestat explaining a little about him and Goblin and asking for his help. He also encloses a cameo of himself for Lestat. Quinn takes this letter to Lestat's flat in New Orleans where he finds Stirling Oliver. Stirling can clearly see what Quinn is now and although Quinn tries to fight against it, he feeds on Stirling Oliver until he is pulled away from him. The person who pulled him away was Lestat who quickly deals with Stirling Oliver by warning him not to try it again and also not to make any mention of Quinn in any report he might make to the Talamasca.
Lestat takes Quinn's letter and then takes him to feed and afterwards Quinn is attacked by Goblin. Lestat goes with Quinn back to Blackwood Farm where they spend a bit of time talking to Aunt Queen about cameos and their history. When Lestat and Quinn are alone, Goblin returns to feed on Quinn but Lestat burns him as he does so. Quinn then tells Lestat the story of himself and Goblin (and his entire life). After the story is done they hear a noise and Quinn discovers Goblin has killed Aunt Queen. Lestat suggests Merrick can perhaps help get rid of Goblin.
At the wake of Aunt Queen, Quinn is alone as Lestat has gone to find Merrick. Quinn notices Petronia there who has left Aunt Queen a cameo. Quinn also witnesses the ghost of Julien Mayfair who warns him against turning Mona into a vampire. Quinn leaves after seeing Rowan and Stirling Oliver arrive.
Quinn is accompanied by Lestat and Merrick to the funeral where he speaks about Aunt Queen, as do many people. Also Quinn, out of habit, goes up to recieve communion and Lestat and Merrick follow him. After the funeral Merrick tells Quinn to go home with his family and to keep Patsy in particular at home.
When Merrick and Lestat arrive at Blackwood Farm, Quinn is told that Goblin is in fact the ghost of his twin brother who died shortly after they were born. Quinn doesn't believe this until Patsy confirms it and says his name was Garwain and that it was Quinn's fault that his brother died. Quinn hears the same story from Jasmine and her grandmother. Goblin leaves a message on the computer saying he wants Lestat and Merrick gone and that he hates Quinn. Quinn then gives Merrick all the information he can about Goblin so she can get rid of him.
Quinn kills Patsy and the ghost of Rebecca appears and is satisfied because he killed her and leaves. Quinn drinks from Lestat so he has enough strength for what is going to happen next.
A fire is built and Quinn and Lestat watch as Merrick performs a ritual which involves the remains of Goblin/Garwain. The ritual ends with Merrick jumping into the fire with Goblin and even though Lestat pulls her out and tries to save her, she is dead. Quinn and Lestat visit Oak Haven and speak to Stirling Oliver telling him about Merrick so that the Talamasca know what happened to her. Stirling Oliver tells Quinn Mona Mayfair is dying.
Quinn and Lestat leave the Talamasca to hunt. They arrive back at Blackwood Farm where they find Mona waiting for Quinn, dying. Quinn tells her what he is and Lestat makes her into a vampire for Quinn.
Later it is stated by Arion that he witnessed the death of Mona Mayfair in the Second Great Burning, and that it is likely that Quinn was destroyed as well.