Santiago Lobo

Santiago Lobo is a major supporting character in Raven's World series, serving as one of the twin dhampir (half-vampire, half-human) brothers who operate as paranormal investigators and vampire hunters in New Orleans during the early 1800s. Santiago is the more serious and skilled fighter of the Lobo twins, offering sanctuary to Raven and Elizabeth at his family mansion while maintaining a complex relationship with the supernatural world.

Physical Description

Santiago is described as a tall man dressed in fine attire, with long black hair tied at the nape of his neck. Like his twin brother Domingo, Santiago is characterized as being "charming and deathly handsome," possessing the kind of supernatural attractiveness that makes it easy to understand why women would fall for either twin.

Both brothers speak with slight Spanish accents, suggesting their Hispanic heritage, and maintain an aristocratic appearance befitting their wealthy plantation lifestyle in New Orleans.

Biography

Origins as a Dhampir

Santiago's unique nature stems from extraordinary circumstances during his birth. As he explains to Raven:

"When our mother was bitten, the curse flowed into our blood. She gave birth to us during the transition from human to vampire. Our father took us far away. He knew our dark secret, but he couldn't bring himself to kill his sons."

This timing created the extremely rare dhampir condition - beings who possess the strengths of both vampires and humans while avoiding the weaknesses of either species.

Early Life and Development

Santiago and his twin brother Domingo were raised by their father after their mother's transformation and disappearance. As they grew, they discovered their supernatural abilities:

Their father raised them despite knowing their "dark secret," unable to kill his own sons despite their supernatural nature.

Loss of Mother

Their mother's fate remains a source of pain for both brothers, though Domingo claims nonchalantly that "no one heard from her again. Probably killed by a hunter." Raven observes that despite Domingo's casual tone, his body language reveals this remains a deeply sensitive topic.

Life in New Orleans

Lobo Mansion

Santiago co-owns and operates an immaculate mansion featuring:

The mansion serves as both a luxurious home and a base of operations for their supernatural investigations.

Relationship with Elizabeth Parks

Santiago has known Elizabeth Parks "for a very long time" and describes their relationship as complex but trusting. Despite his general hostility toward vampires, he accepts Elizabeth because:

Their relationship includes both friendship and occasional romantic tension, with Domingo noting Elizabeth's "infatuation" with newcomers like Raven.

Professional Activities

Paranormal Investigators

The Lobo brothers operate as "investigators of the paranormal" rather than traditional hunters, as Santiago explains:

"Not witch hunters, more like investigators of the paranormal. Humans are plagued by evil be it demons, vampires, witches-- Or whatever else may lurk in the dead of night."

Business Model

Their operation follows a specific pattern:

This approach allows them to help humans while maintaining the secrecy of the supernatural world.

Anti-Vampire Operations

Santiago and Domingo despise vampires and actively hunt the predatory ones infesting New Orleans:

"Santiago and Domingo kept a close watch. They despised vampires, and now they infested their beloved New Orleans. The Lobo brothers would slay the most sinister of the vampires and then disappear without a trace."

Their dhampir nature allows them to operate without detection, as "the world of vampires and hunters were concerned, they believed Dhampirs to be nonexistent."

Combat Abilities and Skills

Swordsmanship

Santiago is the superior swordsman of the twin brothers, demonstrating:

His fighting style is described as "dancing" - graceful, precise, and aesthetically impressive while remaining deadly effective.

Dhampir Abilities

As a dhampir, Santiago possesses enhanced capabilities:

Tactical Intelligence

Santiago demonstrates strategic thinking in:

Personality and Character Traits

The Serious Twin

Santiago is consistently portrayed as the more serious and responsible of the brothers:

Moral Complexity

Santiago embodies the moral complexity central to the series:

Emotional Intelligence

Santiago demonstrates sophisticated understanding of others:

Key Relationships

Family

Allies and Residents

Professional

Significance in the Series

Bridge Between Worlds

Santiago represents the possibility of existing between supernatural and human worlds:

Moral Anchor

Santiago provides ethical grounding for the supernatural community:

Character Development Catalyst

Santiago's interactions drive growth in other characters:

Thematic Representation

Santiago embodies key themes in Raven's World:

Santiago Lobo represents the ideal of maintaining humanity while possessing supernatural power, using enhanced abilities to protect rather than prey upon humans, and building bridges between the mortal and undead worlds through careful judgment of character rather than species prejudice.