Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Episode 2 of Mayfair Witches.Evil spirits, psychic visions, murder, and therapy — the recently premiered Episode 2 of AMC's Mayfair Witches has it all. The second show to be produced as part of the network's Immortal Universe, along with Interview with the Vampire, Mayfair Witches centers on Dr. Rowan Fielding (Alexandra Daddario) while she begins to discover her family's long line of witch ancestors and relatives. As the show unfolds, the various factions that reside within the world of the Mayfairs are being established as well as the characters that represent them.
One such faction that has had only brief mentions thus far is the ever-mysterious "Talamasca." Up to this point, the main exposure the audience has had to this group has come through the character Ciprien Grieves, played by Tongayi Chirisa. Since Mayfair Witches is based heavily on the books written by Anne Rice, there is already a deep lore in place in order to draw information on just what exactly the Talamasca is and does, as well as who Ciprien Grieves is and what his abilities are.
What Is the Talamasca?
Comparable to the theory that there is a secret group that influences world events known as "The Illuminati," the Talamasca is a secret organization that exists not only in the Mayfair Witches world but in the entire Immortal Universe of books and shows. The primary goal of the Talamasca is to track, observe, cover up, and sometimes interfere with the hidden world of the supernatural. This includes vampires, witches, and everything in between.
The Talamasca are excellent record keepers and are used throughout the books to provide the reader with information on the various characters, creatures, and happenings in the universe. One of their main goals is to suppress information regarding the supernatural from the public in order to maintain the balance of the world. The organization has offices all over the world with the main headquarters in London, England. This base, or "motherhouse" as it is called, also contains sublevels full of artifacts from the dealings of the Talamasca, including the diaries and journals of the vampire Lestat (Sam Reid).
The Talamasca's origins stretch back centuries. The first member of the Talamasca, or elder, is said to have come to being through bumblebees. In the biography of a vampire named Pandora, who lived in the time of Christ, it is said that a being revealed its existence through a group of bumblebees, which then transferred its consciousness into a scarecrow. This would be the first elder of the Talamasca order, even though the order itself wasn't officially founded until the 11th century. The elder that readers of Rice's books are most familiar with is David Talbot, who meets Lestat and befriends him, helping him throughout his life — such as when he needs to get his body back from a body snatcher in The Tale of the Body Thief.
What Do Talamasca Agents Do in the Field?
The Talamasca uses psychic field agents or detectives to carry out missions or surveillance on various supernatural kinds. In AMC's Mayfair Witches, the audience is introduced to Ciprien Grieves, who is an agent of the Talamasca and a composite of two characters from Rice's novels, namely Michael Curry and Aaron Lightner. In the TV show, Ciprien is seen having visions after touching objects, such as the fence outside the Mayfair house or a glass from Rowan's kitchen. Ciprien is charged with protecting Rowan as she investigates her family tree as well as keeping track of the spirit Lasher (Jack Huston). His abilities are psychometric, meaning he can glean images, events, or other information from objects or people he touches. This explains why he has an intense physical reaction to touching Rowan's hand. His connection to the Talamasca is also depicted briefly in a phone call he places to one of his superiors for instructions on Rowan's case.
It will be interesting to see how big of a role the Talamasca play in Mayfair Witches and beyond, as the show is expected to cross over eventually with Interview with the Vampire in the future. The secret organization definitely adds a layer of complexity that can go as deep as the show makers want and get viewers interested in the lore. If anything, it will be a good tool for exposition to audiences who are not familiar with the abilities and histories of various characters.