He was born in Spain in the early 1900’s to a 16-year-old girl who was raped by a Rogue. He never knew his father. He was orphaned at 5 years old and taken in by a Darkhaven who taught him what he was. He had never been given a name, so they named him, giving him an elegant, meaningful name – Eleuterio de la Noche Atanacio. We just call him Rio. *grins* He has the ability to kill with his touch, particularly when provoked. We make it a point not to piss him off.
Some facts about Rio’s homeland:
• Many different groups of people have settled in Spain throughout history, including Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, Celts, Basques, and the Moors (Muslims who came from North Africa).
• The most enduring contribution of Spain to the world is its language, which was imported to the Americas with the expansion of the Spanish Empire in the 16th century. Now, more than 400 million people speak Spanish in 22 countries, including 35 million who speak it in the United States.
• The Iberian Peninsula was one of several refuges during the last ice age, so it was largely from Spain that northern Europe was repopulated after the ice age ended.
• The official language of Spain is Castilian Spanish (74%), though Catalan (17%) Galician (7%), and Basque (2%) are also spoken.
• Tomás de Torquemada (1420-1498) was the first Grand Inquisitor in the Spanish Inquisition. His name has been associated with the Inquisition’s horror, fanaticism, and bigotry. Ironically, he was a descendent of a converso, or someone who had converted to Christianly from Judaism or Islam. In 1832, his tomb was raided and his bones were stolen and burned.
• During the last ice age, most of Europe was covered in glaciers, but most of Spain was far enough south to escape the ice. Consequently, plants that were wiped out across Europe survived in Spain. Europe as a whole has 9,000 plant species; there are over 8,000 plant species in Spain alone, with 2,000 of them being unique to the country.
• In 1478, the Pope gave the Spanish King, Ferdinand V, power to initiate the Spanish Inquisition, during which people were tortured to prove they were true Christians. Thousands of converts fled Spain as the Inquisition spread fear across Europe. During the first 50 years of the Inquisition, 5,000 people were executed. The Inquisition was finally abolished in 1834.
• The largest producer of olive oil, Spain accounts for 45% of the world’s total olive oil production.
• Spain was neutral in WWI and WWII but experienced a civil war (1936-1939) which killed over 500,000 people. The victorious General Francisco Franco ruled as a brutal dictator until his death in 1975. After his defeat, Spain began to transform itself into a modern, industrial, and democratic European nation.
• When a child loses a tooth in Spain, a small mouse called “Ratoncito Pérez” leaves a surprise under the pillow.
• There are no laws against public nudity in Spain.
• Spain has the lowest age of consent for sexual activity in Europe at 13 years old. Both Malta and Turkey have the highest at 18.
• Spain’s national sport is fútbol, or soccer.
• Traditionally, Spanish women keep their maiden name after marriage. For example, if Eva García Piñedo married Carlos Hernández Rio, she may keep her own name, (García Piñedo). She could also be known as Señora de Hernández Río. In Latin America, she might also be called Eva García Piñedo de Hernández. The de (“day”) means, literally, that Eva is “of” her husband. The last name of their children would be Hernandez García. In the next generation, the mother’s maiden name would be dropped.
• For nearly 500 years Roman Catholicism was the official religion of Spain. It ceased to be the official religion of Spain in 1977. Around 85% of Spanish consider themselves Catholic and 40% go to church regularly. There are around 350,000 Protestants, 400,000 Muslims, and 15,000 Jews.
A tip of the hat to our brother Rio!
Have a fangtastic day my friends! <3 Brock V"""V
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