List of Legacy of Kain characters

Main characters

Kain

Main article: Kain (Legacy of Kain)

Kain is the central character of the Legacy of Kain series. Initially portrayed as a murdered nobleman brought back from the dead as a vampire to take revenge against his murderers, Kain comes to embrace his vampiric powers and turns his back on his duty as the predestined guardian of the Pillar of Balance to rule Nosgoth in its decay. However, he develops a legitimate desire to save his homeland by defying his fate and returning the Pillars to the Vampires.

Raziel

Main article: Raziel (Legacy of Kain)

Raziel is a player character of several games in the Legacy of Kain series and the titular character of the Soul Reaver sub-series. He is both referred to personally as a reaver of souls, and is wielder of the weapon known as the Soul Reaver (which also happens to be his own future soul trapped in the form of the physical blade). Raziel stands in contrast to Kain as an ethically upright character; however, the treacherous situations in which he finds himself rarely lend themselves to unambiguous ethical judgments, and he often ends up doing the wrong thing for the right reason.

Blood Omen

Anarcrothe the Alchemist

Anarcrothe is an antagonist character in Blood Omen, one of the insane sorcerers whom Kain is tasked with killing in order to proceed in the game. Anarcrothe appears only in Blood Omen where he is voiced by Richard Doyle.

A member of the Circle of Nine, Anarcrothe serves as the Guardian of the Pillar of States. His experiments in the art of alchemy have left him with unsightly scars.^[1] After the Circle was driven mad, Anarcrothe used his magic to create the Dark Eden area along with fellow Guardians Bane the Druid and Dejoule the Energist. During the course of the game Kain confronts them there, but Anarcrothe proves to be elusive, summoning Malek the Paladin and making an escape. At the end of the game Mortanius the Necromancer does Kain's work for him, killing Anarcrothe during a dispute and enabling Kain to purify the Pillar of States.

Ariel

Ariel as she appears in Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

A recurrent support character in the Legacy of Kain series, Ariel appears almost exclusively as a ghost. She offers enigmatic advice to the main characters, which, in the first Blood Omen and Soul Reaver games, inform the player of her/his next objective. While Ariel continues to provide clues and guidance in later games, they are mainly of a plot-advancing nature. Ariel is voiced by Anna Gunn throughout the series. Early in the production of Blood Omen, Ariel was known as "Adonathiel".

Ariel's death, first depicted in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, is a background event to which other characters often refer and a keystone element of the overall Legacy of Kain plot. In life, Ariel was a powerful and beautiful sorceress,^[1] the Guardian of the Pillar of Balance and leader of the Circle of Nine. Her assassination by dark forces was the catalyst for the downfall of Nosgoth. Nupraptor the Mentalist, Ariel's lover and fellow Guardian, fell into a paranoid madness upon finding her corpse, which he psychically inflicted on all the other members of The Circle of Nine. The insanity of the Guardians causes the corruption of their Pillars and the gradual decay of Nosgoth, motivating Kain's quest in Blood Omen and forming the basis of Kain's subsequent dilemma.

In the games, Ariel is encountered with few exceptions at the Pillars of Nosgoth, to which her spirit is bound. Her appearances across the series do not occur in chronological order and her behavior toward the main characters, particularly Raziel, varies widely. In Blood Omen, she guides Kain as a fledgling vampire while concealing the fact that he is her replacement as Balance Guardian and must sacrifice himself to succeed in his quest. In Soul Reaver she is an ally to Raziel, offering him cryptic advice, while in her brief Soul Reaver 2 appearance, which precedes Soul Reaver chronologically, she treats Raziel with ambivalence. Ariel goes back to a more substantive role in Defiance, in which she initially identifies Raziel as an enemy but she later guides him to undo the harm caused by her murder, resolving her subplot.

The scrapped original ending of Soul Reaver was to include an event in which Raziel strikes down Ariel to absorb her soul into the Soul Reaver, intended to enable new powers in Raziel's weapon. A scene describing this event is used in the final version of Soul Reaver to foreshadow future plot lines, and the concept is adapted into the plot of Defiance where instead of being struck down by Raziel, she holds his hand and is absorbed through his body into the Soul Reaver. Upon baptizing the blade with pure spirit energy, she is subsequently released from her limbo imprisonment at the Pillars.

Azimuth the Planer

An antagonist character in Blood Omen, Azimuth is one of the insane sorcerers whom the main character must kill in order to progress in the game. Voiced by Anna Gunn, she appears only in Blood Omen; her actions are revealed to have repercussions in later games, however. During the pre-production stages of Blood Omen, Azimuth was known as "Hericus".

Azimuth is the Guardian of the Pillar of Dimension, ruling over the city of Avernus from the cathedral in its center. Sadistic even before Nupraptor's insanity poisoned her mind,^[1] during the events of Blood Omen she allows the extra-dimensional thralls that she summons to ravage Avernus. When Kain reaches her she also possesses a time-streaming device which allows her to summon creatures from other times in addition to her demons - a key item in future plot points - which Kain recovers after killing her. Kain also receives Azimuth's "third eye" as a key item, which allows her vision into other worlds or dimensions. This is used to restore the Pillar of Dimension, which she serves.

Blood Omen encourages assumptions that Azimuth is involved in the sacrificial cult of Hash'ak'gik via a bloodstained book that the player can examine in her cathedral, and the time-streaming device found in her possession suggests that she experiments in time travel. Both of these possibilities are further developed in Defiance, in which the cult of Hash'ak'gik is shown to be centered in catacombs beneath Avernus Cathedral, and the future evolved vampire Turel is present there as a fixture of the cult.

Bane the Druid

Bane is an antagonist character in Blood Omen; one of the insane sorcerers whom Kain must kill in order to progress in the game. He appears only in Blood Omen, and is voiced by Paul Lukather. In the early stages of development Bane's name was "Orzach".

Bane serves as the Guardian of the Pillar of Nature, giving him power over flora, fauna, terrain and the weather.^[1] Bane, Dejoule the Energist, and Anacrothe the Alchemist jointly created the magical Dark Eden area,^[2] which Kain infiltrates during the course of Blood Omen. His primary game function is that of a boss with the ability to transform earth into water. Upon defeating Bane, Kain receives his antler head dress as a key item, which is used in the restoration of the Pillar of Nature.

Dejoule the Energist

Dejoule is an antagonist character in Blood Omen; one of the insane sorcerers whom Kain must kill in order to progress in the game. She only appears in Blood Omen, in which she was voiced by Anna Gunn. Her name is a reference to the SI unit of energy, the joule.

Dejoule serves as the Guardian of the Pillar of Energy. Her experiments in the harnessing of energy have altered her physical makeup, and she emits a magical aura that harms anyone in proximity to her. Due to this she wears a cloak of insulating material to protect her close associates.^[1] This is later obtained by Kain as the key item to restore the Pillar of Energy. Driven mad with the rest of the Circle members, she used her powers to create Dark Eden, a twisted parody of nature, with fellow Guardians Bane the Druid and Anacrothe the Alchemist. When Kain arrives at Dark Eden during his quest to eliminate the Circle of Nine, Dejoule unleashes her powers on Kain, but is soon overcome once and for all.

Elzevir the Dollmaker

Elzevir is a dollmaker who has mystic abilities to animate his creations. He was responsible for King Ottmar's melancholy, as he had stolen the soul of his daughter (the Princess of Willendorf) through enchanting a lock of her hair he had won in a contest the king had held to create toys for her.^[3]

The Hylden Lord

The Hylden Lord is a recurring antagonist video game character in the Legacy of Kain series, known variously as the Hylden Lord, Sarafan Lord, the Hylden General and the Dark Entity. In Blood Omen 2 he is voiced by Earl Boen, and in other games he is portrayed by René Auberjonois, Tony Jay, and Alastair Duncan when possessing other characters.

In Blood Omen, the Dark Entity appears to be in control of the Hash'ak'gik cult, he is mentioned only as a recipient of sacrifices performed by a mysterious cult. The developers of the game revealed later that the Dark Entity is the identity of the being that masterminded the fall of the Circle of Nine by possessing Mortanius the Necromancer and using him to assassinate Ariel.^[4] In the final battle against Mortanius, the Dark Entity transforms the necromancer's dying body and manifests as the Dark Entity - the game's demonic final boss.

The Dark Entity returns in Blood Omen 2, now referred to as "the Sarafan Lord" and appearing to be a new enemy, but it is later explained to be another name of the Dark Entity.^[5] The Sarafan Lord is shown in the game's opening sequence as the leader of the reformed Sarafan Order, which destroys Kain's vampire army, halting his conquest of Nosgoth. He defeats Kain with the help of an artifact known as the Nexus Stone. The Sarafan Lord goes on to rule Nosgoth's capital, Meridian, for 200 years. However, he is eventually thwarted by a revived Kain, who takes control of the Nexus Stone. During the course of the game the Sarafan Lord is revealed to be leader of the Hylden, a race banished from Nosgoth in ancient times, who is plotting to break the seal over his people. Kain ruins his plans by casting the Nexus Stone into the gate to the Hylden's place of banishment, sealing it and preventing any Hylden from entering Nosgoth.

In Defiance Turel finally appears, worshipped by the humans of the Hash'ak'gik cult as their leader "Hash'ak'gik", but the real Hylden leader appears as well, referred to by the main characters as the Hylden Lord or Hylden General. Encountered firstly as the possessor of Mortanius, the Hylden Lord goes on to possess Janos Audron after the collapse of the Pillars of Nosgoth. Raziel tries to prevent him from using Janos to enter Nosgoth but the Hylden Lord proves too powerful, flying away to commence the Hylden plan for dominance described in Blood Omen 2 in the unwilling body of Janos.

Malek the Paladin

Malek is an antagonist character introduced in Blood Omen as the ward of the Circle of Nine and Guardian of the Pillar of Conflict. He is an enemy to vampires who must be destroyed before Kain's quest can succeed. Malek's largest role is in Blood Omen, in which he is a boss character, but he makes cameo appearances or is mentioned in most games in the series.

Malek as he appears in the opening cinematic of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain

In Blood Omen Neil Ross provides his voice, while his voice actor in Soul Reaver 2 is uncredited. Early in the production of Blood Omen, Malek was known as "Guillaume".

In Blood Omen, Malek is the last of the Sarafan, an order of vampire slaying warrior-priests. As one of the seven Sarafan Inquisitors, he first appears in a flashback in the game's opening sequence - 500 years prior to the game events he failed to protect the Circle of Nine from the vampire Vorador, resulting in the deaths of six Guardians. As punishment for his failure, Mortanius the Necromancer tore the soul from Malek's body and fused it to his armor, damning Malek to everlasting unlife in the service of the Circle. During the game proper, Malek appears first in Nupraptor's Retreat, and is presented as too strong an enemy for Kain to destroy single-handedly. Early in the game, their battle in Malek's mountainous bastion ends in a stale-mate, forcing Kain to pursue other options. Eventually Malek dies at the hands of his old adversary, Vorador, rather than Kain.

Malek makes a brief appearance in Soul Reaver 2 which provides further detail on his failure to protect the Circle of Nine from Vorador - he is waylaid by Moebius the Timestreamer, who attempts to force him to destroy Raziel. Alongside Rahab, Malek is the only Sarafan inquisitor who does not partake in the storming of Janos Audron's retreat. Malek is also mentioned in Soul Reaver - his name appears in the Tomb of the Sarafan along with those of Raziel and his brothers. Apparently, Malek was the only one of the seven Sarafan inquisitors not raised by Kain, as his human remains had been destroyed by Mortanius during the events of Blood Omen. His likeness also figures in a puzzle in Defiance.

Moebius the Timestreamer

Moebius is an antagonist character introduced in Blood Omen; one of the insane sorcerers whom Kain must kill in order to progress in the game. Alongside Kain and Raziel, Moebius is the only character who makes at least a cameo appearance in every single game in the series, and serves as a major antagonist. He is used as a boss character in Blood Omen, but is more frequently used to advance the plot of the games in which he appears. Within the context of the story he has power over time, and his foreknowledge of events allows him to interact with the main characters in a consistent manner despite his chronologically inconsistent appearances. Throughout the series he has been voiced by Richard Doyle. According to bonus features in the games, Moebius was known as "Bridenal" in the early development of the series.

Moebius is introduced in Blood Omen under the title of "Oracle of Nosgoth". Later he is revealed to be the Guardian of the Pillar of Time; his prophetic ability is based on his power to travel through and observe diverse time phases. Described as "intensely devious and conniving",^[1] Moebius is behind King William the Just's turn to tyranny. Moebius later manipulates Kain through his alter-ego as the Oracle, and through time traveling devices left in Kain's path, into assassinating King William in the past, before he becomes a threat. Kain's act inspires outrage against vampires among Nosgoth's human majority, which Moebius leads in bloody crusade against vampires. Kain battles and kills Moebius, but by this point Kain is the last surviving vampire in Nosgoth.

In Soul Reaver, Moebius appears to Raziel in the final scene of the game, leading into the events of Soul Reaver 2. Soul Reaver 2 adds new layers to Moebius' character. Over the course of the game he urges Raziel to kill Kain several times from behind a facade of ineffectualness, revealing to Raziel that they serve the same master, the Elder God. As he did with Kain in Blood Omen, Moebius uses time traveling devices to manipulate Raziel, who unwittingly enables the slaying of Janos Audron. At the end of Soul Reaver 2 Moebius almost succeeds in goading Raziel into imprisoning himself in the Soul Reaver.

Moebius returns in Defiance, following on from his role in Soul Reaver 2. Initially encountered in the Sarafan Stronghold, he provides the elder Kain with dubious guidance, later appearing towards the end of the game. Following his death at the younger Kain's hands in Blood Omen, he was resurrected by the Elder God and traveled to consort with his master at the Vampire Citadel.

However, the elder Kain - whom Moebius had thought to be dead - attacked and killed Moebius, whose soul was subsequently devoured in the Spectral Realm by Raziel, permanently preventing any further resurrection. Raziel then used Moebius' corpse to enter the Material Realm, allowing Kain to imbue the Reaver with Raziel's soul and battle the Elder God.

Moebius is one of few characters in Defiance that interacts with both of the protagonists. He does not personally appear in Blood Omen 2, although an enormous statue of Moebius is found in the Eternal Prison and is used by Kain to crush the vampire Magnus.

Mortanius the Necromancer

Mortanius as he appears in Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

Mortanius is a character in Blood Omen initially as an enigmatic benefactor and guide who delineates the player's goals in the game. Later in the game he is revealed to be Guardian of the Pillar of Death; one of the insane sorcerers whom the main character must kill, and is fought as a boss. Mortanius' motivations are murky and his character is revisited in Legacy of Kain: Defiance. In Blood Omen he is voiced by Tony Jay, while in Defiance he is voiced by Alastair Duncan.

Mortanius appears in the opening scenes of Blood Omen, first cursing Malek the Paladin for failing the Circle of Nine, and then resurrecting the newly murdered protagonist, Kain, as a vampire. During the game Mortanius is heard more often than seen, speaking to Kain directly through occasional voice-overs. In the end Mortanius is revealed to be the agent responsible for many of the game's pivotal events - the murder of Ariel and the resulting madness of the Circle, and the assassination of Kain as well as his rebirth as a vampire. The final battle in Blood Omen takes place against Mortanius, whom Kain kills, and the concluding one is fought against the Dark Entity, a demon-like monster created out of Mortanius' corpse.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance interprets Mortanius' actions in Blood Omen as the result of a conflict among his own will and that of the Hylden "Dark Entity" possessing him. He is forced to lead the cult of Hash'ak'gik, an organization which his Hylden possessors use to control their human followers, against his wishes. When met by Raziel, he explains that he revived Kain as a vampire with the hope that as the Scion of Balance, Kain would restore the Pillars of Nosgoth and renew the seal on the Hylden. Welcoming death, Mortanius goes to the Pillars of Nosgoth to confront the younger Kain, coinciding with his death in Blood Omen.

Nupraptor the Mentalist

Nupraptor is an antagonist character in Blood Omen; one of the insane sorcerers whom the main character must kill in order to progress in the game. He only appears in Blood Omen, in which he is voiced by Richard Doyle, but he plays a significant role in the backstory of the series and is mentioned in later games.

Nupraptor is the Guardian of the Pillar of the Mind, and his mental powers make him susceptible to fierce attachments to others, as well as irrational actions.^[1] Nupraptor was the lover of Ariel, the Balance Guardian, and he goes mad after her death, sewing his eyes and mouth shut to deny the outside world. Because of Nupraptor's psychic link to the rest of the members of the Circle, he forces the other Guardians to share his madness, contributing to the downfall of the Pillars and of Nosgoth as a whole.

When Kain sets out to kill the members of the Circle, Nupraptor is his first target. When the young vampire confronts Nupraptor, Malek the Paladin appears to protect him. Nupraptor dismisses Malek and fights Kain himself, a battle which ends in Kain's victory and Nupraptor's death.

King Ottmar

King Ottmar is a support character in the Legacy of Kain series. He only appeared in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, where he was voiced by Neil Ross.

Ottmar is the King of Willendorf, Nosgoth's wealthiest city. During Blood Omen, Kain has an audience with Ottmar in the hopes of rallying the army of Willendorf against the Legions of the Nemesis. Ottmar is mired in grief due to his daughter, who has become a lifeless puppet. Ottmar grants Kain a royal favor in return for healing his daughter, and the young vampire requests the army of Willendorf to fight the Nemesis. Ottmar personally leads his army in the battle and is slain, inspiring Kain to travel back in time to rewrite the past. Ottmar is not mentioned in the game after this point.

Vorador

Vorador is a recurring support character in the Legacy of Kain series who gives assistance and direction to the main characters of several games. Throughout the series, Vorador has been voiced by Paul Lukather. For a brief time in the game's early production, Vorador's name was changed to "Infernus" but it was changed back to Vorador.

Vorador, an ancient Vampire (also the first 'vampirized' human, as vampires were rendered sterile by the Hylden's curse) who predates even the Pillars of Nosgoth, the master swordsman and swordsmith who forged the Soul Reaver, is one of the most powerful figures in Nosgoth's history. Old beyond reckoning, he has consumed the blood of countless humans and through this learned all there is to know of the world.

Vorador as he appears in Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

In Blood Omen Vorador is characterized as an old vampire who enjoys the advantages that vampirism grants, but the loss of his people to vampire purges has left him bitter. Vorador is infamous for storming the Sarafan Stronghold where he slaughtered six members of the Circle of Nine 500 years before the game takes place, making a personal enemy of Malek the Paladin in the process. In the game, Vorador gives advice to the young Kain, even coming to Kain's aid and finally killing Malek. The end of Vorador's story is unglamorous: the vampire-hunting mob led by Moebius captures Vorador and beheads him.

Vorador appears in small roles in Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance in which he provides Raziel with information. Soul Reaver 2 reveals that Vorador's sire is Janos Audron, and in Defiance he is explained to be both the first human in Nosgoth to become a vampire and the crafter of the Reaver blade, the sword that will become the Soul Reaver.

Vorador is a significant support character in Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2 who leads a vampire resistance known as the Cabal. He is explained to be the progenitor of all the vampires that appear in the game except the protagonist Kain. Paradoxically, Blood Omen 2 is set 400 years after Vorador's execution in the first Blood Omen. According to Amy Hennig, the writer and director of Defiance, an explanation for this was meant to be included in Defiance, but was removed due to time constraints.

William the Just/Nemesis

William the Just is an antagonist character who appears only in Blood Omen, voiced by Tony Jay. William's death becomes a major aspect of the series, as it suggests that it is possible to change history.

William was a young king who came to power before Kain's birth. In the original history, Moebius the Timestreamer caused a transformation in William from a kind ruler to a warmongering tyrant known as the Nemesis. During the events of Blood Omen, the Legions of the Nemesis defeat the forces of King Ottmar of Willendorf, driving Kain, who is allied with Ottmar, to travel back in time and change history. Kain kills the younger version of William, preventing him from ever becoming the Nemesis. The fact that both Kain and William are armed with the Soul Reaver is key in creating a paradox strong enough to "derail" history (apparently orchestrated by Moebius the Timestreamer). Upon returning to the present, Kain discovered that Moebius leveraged King William's assassination into a crusade against vampires.

Soul Reaver

Dumah

Dumah is an antagonist character introduced in Soul Reaver, in which he is a boss character. He also appears in Soul Reaver 2 in an akin capacity, voiced in both appearances by Simon Templeman. In the early stages of production he was code-named "Ronin Boss", and at another point his name was rendered in a truncated form, "Duma".

Dumah first appears in the opening scene of Soul Reaver as one of Kain's vampire lieutenants, the third eldest, under Turel, of Kain's brood. He is the peer of the main character Raziel and leader of a vampire clan, the Dumahim, which are the first brand of fledgling vampires Raziel encounters upon his resurrection as a wraith. When Kain ordered Raziel's execution, Dumah is one of the two lieutenants (the second being Turel) that physically threw Raziel to his death. When Raziel finds Dumah during the game events, he has mutated into a giant with armor-like flesh and great physical strength, but has been left impaled in the ruins of his fortress by human vampire hunters. Raziel allows Dumah's wandering soul to return to his body after removing the spears - Dumah thanks his brother, but Raziel rebukes him, goading Dumah into combat. In his mutated form Dumah is impervious to ordinary attacks. Only by leading him into a furnace chamber does Raziel succeed in killing him and devouring his soul, from which Raziel gains the Constrict ability, that allows the player to interact with certain puzzles.

The human version of Dumah makes a short appearance in Soul Reaver 2 at a much earlier point in the series timeline. A prominent member of the vampire-slaying Sarafan Order, Dumah aids in the murder of Janos Audron. The wraith Raziel encounters and kills Dumah as part of a non-optional battle, providing the corpse which Kain will reanimate as a vampire years later.

Unlike every other ability gained in Soul Reaver, Raziel lacks Dumah's Constrict ability in later games in the series. This is because this skill was put into the game primarily as it was hard to make a suitable animation for Raziel moving certain switches. In Soul Reaver 2, on the PlayStation 2, this limitation did not exist so the ability was no longer required. It could be said that Raziel still has the ability and simply never found a need to use it after he began time traveling.

The Elder God

The Elder God is a video game character in the Legacy of Kain series, voiced throughout the series by Tony Jay. Although not named in-game, the title of Elder God is given in the manual of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and a variety of other sources. The Elder God's role in Soul Reaver is that of an ally to the game's protagonist Raziel, but subsequent games in the series portray the Elder God in a less beneficent light. The Elder God is the final boss of Legacy of Kain: Defiance, and arguably the main antagonist of the series overall.

The Elder God is first depicted in Soul Reaver as the entity that revives the main character Raziel after his execution by Kain. He is depicted in this game as a huge squid-type creature in the opening cinematic, but otherwise in that location in-game, only part of one his tentacles can be seen. In this game, he talks to Raziel anywhere he is, but in subsequent games he only talks to him when Raziel meets him physically. It claims to preside over the Wheel of Fate, a cycle of birth, death and rebirth to which all souls are drawn. Vampires, being immortal, are exempt from this cycle and the Elder God seeks to destroy them in order to free their souls. The Elder God bids Raziel to take revenge against his destroyers and guides Raziel in locating them. At the end of the game, he tells Raziel that he will be beyond his influence if he goes through the time portal after Kain. The events of Soul Reaver 2 take place at an earlier point chronologically in the series, but the Elder God, being omnipresent, recognizes Raziel and chastises his refusal to kill Kain. In this game, he is also a giant-squid type creature (even so-called by Raziel), though he resides in a pit of water in the material world rather than the spirit world, and only that location. There is no apparent animosity between the Elder God and Raziel throughout the first Soul Reaver game and he seems to be an ally to Raziel, telling him the locations of his brothers and Kain who conspired against him, but in Soul Reaver 2 Raziel greets him with disdain upon their first meeting, having learned of the Elder's ties to Moebius the Timestreamer. At one meeting Raziel questions whether or not the Elder had truly resurrected him, or was simply present upon his awakening after he had been cast into the Abyss. Raziel, being indestructible would be a convenient tool for the Elder God, and thus not his agent at all.

In Legacy of Kain: Defiance the Elder God continues to exhort Raziel to serve him. At the end of Soul Reaver 2, Raziel, weakened after the soul reaver sword turned against him, fades into the spectral realm (spirit world). But, at the beginning of Defiance, we find him in the spectral underworld part of the Spectral Realm and the Elder God is a giant elaborate mass of tentacles and eyes rather than a Squid. Over the course of the game it is revealed that the Elder God was worshiped by the Ancient Vampires, and it encouraged the Ancients to wage war with the Hylden, who did not share their faith. When the Hylden afflicted the Ancients with blood-thirst, sterility and immortality, the Elder God abandoned them, eventually orchestrating the rebellion of the humans against the Vampires by manipulating Moebius. The final battle in Defiance ends with Kain defeating but not killing the Elder God, who warns Kain he is immortal and will return, remarking "and on that inevitable day, your wretched, stagnant soul, will finally be mine."

Melchiah

Melchiah is an antagonist character in the Legacy of Kain series, which Raziel fights as a boss. He appears in Soul Reaver and Soul Reaver 2, in which he is voiced by Michael Bell.^[6] During the development of Soul Reaver his code-name was "Skinner Boss".

Melchiah first appears in the opening scene of Soul Reaver as one of Kain's vampire lieutenants. He is the leader of a vampire clan, the Melchiahim, and a peer of the main character Raziel. As the last of the lieutenants to be raised, Melchiah is the weakest of Kain's sons and his flesh continues to decay despite his immortality. During the game events Melchiah is shown to have mutated into a large mass of rotting flesh, forced to stitch on the hides of his victims to maintain his form. Melchiah's offspring also share this quality, though despite their slow movements, they are capable of quickly digging themselves into and out of the ground around the cavernous and tunnel areas in which their master rules. Raziel fights Melchiah first, and gains the ability to pass through barred gates while in the spectral realm by consuming his soul.

The human version of Melchiah makes an appearance in Soul Reaver 2 at a much earlier point in the series timeline.^[7] He became an inquisitor of the Sarafan Order,^[8] one of those who storm Janos Audron's retreat and aid in his murder. The wraith Raziel encounters and kills Melchiah as part of a non-optional battle, providing the corpse which Kain reanimates as a vampire centuries later.

Morlock

Also known as "Tomb-Guardian", Morlock is the most influential Turelim that feature within the game Soul Reaver and due to his loyalty to his master, Kain; he is criticised by Raziel and is thereby referred to as a "chained dog". Raziel first encounters Morlock in the tomb of the Sarafan after having found out about his past, and after he is defeated and killed in combat Raziel gains a relic from Morlock that allows him to fire projectiles thus allowing him to solve otherwise impossible puzzles. He is noticeably more powerful than the other Turelim and, while relatively easy to kill, is unusually tough when compared with his brothers. This is thought to be because of the relic he carries but how he gains possession of it and what this relic actually is, remains unknown.

Morlock's place in the game was originally meant to be taken by the vampire lieutenant Turel as one of the game's main bosses, but was later replaced due to time constraints. During his appearance, Morlock speaks some of Turel's originally-planned dialogue sequences.

Rahab

Rahab is an antagonist character that appears in both Soul Reaver and Soul Reaver 2 as a boss, voiced by Neil Ross in Soul Reaver, while his voice actor in Soul Reaver 2 is uncredited. In the early stages of production he was code-named "Aluka Boss".

Rahab is one of Kain's six vampire lieutenants who first appears, with the others, in the opening scene of Soul Reaver. He is the leader of a vampire clan, the Rahabim, and a peer of the game's main character, Raziel. Unlike other vampires, Rahab is immune to the harmful effects of water, but suffers from a severe weakness to sunlight, even by vampire standards. When encountered several centuries after Raziel's execution, he has mutated into a sea-monster form, capable of submerging himself in water to avoid the sun. Having evolved into an aquatic state with the lack of legs, he rules over the Drowned Abbey, though his offspring still retain the ability to venture forth on land. During the game's events, Raziel kills Rahab by shining sunlight into his lair, scorching him to death. Upon devouring Rahab's soul, Raziel obtains his resistance to water and ability to swim. Interestingly, the name Rahab comes from Jewish folklore and is described in the Book of Isaiah as a sea-demon, a dragon of the waters, the "[demonic] angel of the sea;" true to his water-conditioned form in Soul Reaver.

The human version of Rahab makes an appearance in Soul Reaver 2 at a much earlier point in the series timeline. He is prominent in the Sarafan Order; his armor is decorated with the images of seahorses that foreshadow the eventual outcome of his vampiric unlife. The wraith Raziel encounters and kills Rahab as part of a non-optional battle, providing the corpse which Kain will reanimate as a vampire centuries later. Alongside Malek, Rahab is the only Sarafan inquisitor who does not participate in the storming of Janos Audron's retreat.

Turel

Turel is an antagonist character first shown in Soul Reaver as the head of the Turelim vampire clan, standing as second eldest of Kain's brood under Raziel. Turel goes on to appear in several games in the series, and is voiced by Richard Doyle in Soul Reaver 2 and by Gregg Berger in Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

Turel appears in the opening of Soul Reaver as one of the two vampire lieutenants (the other being Dumah) who carry out the execution of Raziel, but he is only seen in the opening sequence. Turel was originally intended to reappear as a boss like the other lieutenants, but while the game does include certain references to him (such as a sarcophagus bearing his name in the Tomb of the Sarafan), his in-game appearance was cut due to time constraints. The remains of his vampire clan serve under Kain in his absence and are encountered primarily in the Timestreaming Chamber where they act as its guardians for their master.

During the development of Soul Reaver Turel's development codename was "Morlock Boss", derived from the cave-dwelling humanoids of H.G. Wells's The Time Machine. The codename "Morlock" was later applied to a Turelim vampire guarding the Sarafan Tomb, who was added to the game in place of Turel and speaks some of Turel's originally-planned dialogue.

Soul Reaver 2 explores early points in the series timeline - Turel appears in this game as a human warrior-priest, prior to his death and resurrection. A prominent member of the vampire-slaying Sarafan Order, Turel aids in the murder of Janos Audron. The wraith Raziel encounters and kills Turel at the end of the game, providing the corpse which Kain will reanimate as a vampire centuries later.

The omission of Turel in Soul Reaver created a loose end in the series plot, and Defiance addresses it by including the vampire version of Turel in a monstrous bat-like form. Defiance takes place earlier in the series timeline than Soul Reaver, but Turel's presence is explained as being the result of Dimension Guardian Azimuth the Planer's experiments in time-travel. Trapped in the catacombs beneath Avernus Cathedral, Turel is worshiped by the cult of Hash'ak'gik, and the cult's Hylden masterminds in the Demon Realm use him as a vessel to command their human followers in the Material Realm. Raziel discovers and kills Turel, gaining enhanced telekinetic abilities by consuming his soul.

Zephon

Zephon is an antagonist character introduced in Soul Reaver, in which he is a boss character. He also appears in Soul Reaver 2 in a parallel capacity. He is voiced by Tony Jay through-out. During the development of Soul Reaver his code-name was "Wallcrawler Boss".

Zephon first appears in the opening scene of Soul Reaver as one of Kain's Vampire lieutenants. He is the leader of a vampire clan, the Zephonim, and a peer of the game's main character, Raziel. During the game proper, following centuries of evolution, Zephon appears in a mutated form as a massive, stationary insectoid monster where his body has melded with the Silenced Cathedral, an abandoned human citadel once used against the vampires. His offspring are spider-like creatures who entangle their ensnared victims within webbing, and attack with deadly claws. Raziel uses fire from the weapon of a dead slayer to destroy Zephon, and devouring his soul gives Raziel the ability to climb on certain surfaces.

The human version of Zephon makes an appearance in Soul Reaver 2 at a much earlier point in the series timeline. As one of the leaders of the Sarafan Order, he participated in storming Janos Audron's keep and aided in his murder. The wraith Raziel encounters and kills Zephon as part of a non-optional battle, providing the corpse which Kain will reanimate as a vampire several centuries later.

Soul Reaver 2

Janos Audron

Janos Audron is a recurring support character in the Legacy of Kain series. Throughout the series, he has been voiced by René Auberjonois.

Janos as he appears in Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

Janos Audron is first mentioned in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain as the backstory for the game's continue item, the Heart of Darkness - a long-dead, legendary vampire whose heart continues to beat after it is torn from his chest. Janos is introduced as a character in Soul Reaver 2; reaching him in a time period before he is killed is a major goal of the game. When found, Janos gives information to the main character Raziel, revealing himself to be the secret tenth guardian of the Pillars; guardian and keeper of the Reaver. Feared by humans as source of the vampire bloodline, Janos is hunted down and murdered by five of the Sarafan inquisitors.^[9]

Janos also appears in Blood Omen 2 despite the fact that this game occurs after his death. First encountered in a monstrous form as a result of being drained of his blood to power the Hylden's doomsday weapon, Janos is only identified as "the Beast". After Kain destroys the Mass, Janos reverts to his normal form and aids Kain and Vorador in defeating the Hylden. During the final battle, the Sarafan Lord casts Janos into the Nexus Portal and he is presumably trapped in the demon dimension, his final fate thus far in the series.

In Defiance, Raziel returns the Heart of Darkness to Janos' body, bringing him back to life. After his revival, the ancient vampire took Raziel to the Citadel of the Ancients. Soon after their arrival, the younger Kain of that time line made his fateful decision, and the Pillars collapsed. The Hylden Lord was then able to take control of Janos' body. Raziel is defeated by the Hylden-possessed Janos, who then leaves the wraith seeping into the Spectral Realm as he leaves. This leads into the events of Blood Omen 2, in which Janos is an unwilling tool of the Hylden's scheme to dominate Nosgoth.

Janos is referred to as "the father of the vampire race" and stands as the last of the Ancient Vampires, living on beyond the death of his race out of a sense of obligation to safeguard the Reaver and keep the Hylden sealed away.

Blood Omen 2

Faustus

Faustus is an antagonist in Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain. He is briefly visible in the opening cinematic as a legionnaire in Kain's armies, making his first prominent appearance early in the game. Formerly one of Kain's reluctant allies, he is described as "an indifferent soldier", caring only for those on the winning side.

He is the first boss encountered in the game. As Kain departs an area in Meridian known as the Smuggler's Den, Faustus ambushes and taunts him before instigating battle. Faustus reveals that he has betrayed Kain, his former commander, to side with the Sarafan Lord, concerned only for the pursuit of power. The character may have been inspired by a German legend, in which a man makes a pact with the devil in exchange for knowledge.

After a brief struggle, Kain proceeds to scorch Faustus using various nearby furnaces, then engages in melee combat with the vampire. As Faustus attempts to flee into the air, he loses his grip and falls to the ground, lifeless. In killing Faustus, Kain obtains the "Jump" Dark Gift.

Magnus

Magnus is a character in Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain, and the game's fourth boss. He is the only one of the game's bosses who does not appear in the introductory cinematic. As Kain's champion and closest ally, he participated in the war with the Sarafan, departing Kain's camp in the night before the final battle to make an attempt on the Sarafan Lord's life. Defeated, Magnus was transported to the Eternal Prison south of Meridian.

Kain encounters his former lieutenant during his mission in the Eternal Prison. Driven almost entirely insane from two hundred years of torturous imprisonment, Magnus attacks Kain numerous times throughout the Prison, seemingly immune to vampiric weaknesses such as water and fire. Kain battles Magnus before leaving the Prison, defeating the vampire by causing a large statue of Moebius the Timestreamer to collapse upon him.

Though Kain first assumed that Magnus had betrayed him and joined the Sarafan Lord when he did not return to his war camp centuries before, the dying Magnus explained his failed attempt to assassinate the Sarafan Lord. Reconciling with his ultimately loyal lieutenant, Kain granted the thankful Magnus a swift death, obtaining the "Immolate" Dark Gift from his corpse before departing the Prison.

Marcus

Marcus is a minor antagonist in Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain. He is seen in the introductory cinematic during Kain's battle against the Sarafan Lord, and appears in the early stages of the game. Kain encounters him in Meridian's upper city.

Marcus converses with Kain, claiming that Kain is no friend of his and tried to murder him, alluding to background events. Marcus attempts to foil Kain's search through the city for the Bishop of Meridian, charming Sarafan guards into attacking him on sight. Once Marcus reaches the cathedral, he possesses the Bishop.

Kain attacks Marcus, using the cathedral's bells to harm the vampire. Resorting to melee combat, Kain defeats and kills Marcus, obtaining the "Charm" Dark Gift from his corpse.

Sebastian

A vampire and an agent of the Sarafan Lord. A former lieutenant of Kain, Sebastian is revealed to have orchestrated the ambush which cost Kain the war against the Sarafan. He is met early in the game, when Kain happens upon a courtyard filled with bodies. After the vampire seems to know Kain, Kain gives chase, only to ultimately lose his trail. In the Industrial Section of the city, when Kain is searching for the Nexus Stone, he encounters Sebastian for the last time. Despite constantly taunting Kain, and attempting to foil his plans, Kain continues on his journey. When they meet in the chamber that houses the Nexus Stone, Sebastian and Kain fight, and Sebastian finds himself extremely outmatched. He attempts to break the Nexus Stone when he cannot kill Kain, but is stopped. As Sebastian lay dying, Kain asks him what the Sarafan Lord is doing, and it is then that Sebastian tells Kain of a powerful weapon beneath Meridian, known only as "The Device". Kain obtains the "Berserk" Dark Gift from his corpse.

The Builder

A Hylden architect imprisoned in the Eternal Prison, where the condemned can be punished for eternity. The Builder created "The Device" which houses a being called only "the Mass", a creature so powerful it can kill everything in Nosgoth with a thought. Kain learns that The Builders people created "The Device", and "The Mass" to win a war against their ancient enemy (later, learned that the Enemy was the original Vampires, of which Janos Audron is the last). In exchange for the information about the Device, and The Mass's weakness (Hylden Blood), Kain grants the Builder his final wish....death.

The Seer

A Hylden witch soothsayer that lives in the wastelands outside of Meridian and aids Kain. She tells Kain of the Devices location and how to get around in the Devices halls. Soon after, the Sarafan Lord sets upon her home with Archers and fire. She tells him to drink of her blood, and grants him the "Telekinesis" Dark Gift. It is unknown what her fate was.

Umah

Umah is a supporting NPC in Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain. She narrates a tutorial for the main character Kain (and thereby the player) at the beginning of the game in the context of reminding him of his vampiric abilities, and introducing him to Meridian, the fictional city in which the game is set.

Umah is a member of the Cabal vampire resistance group who watches over Kain in his 200-year recovery. She guides Kain around Meridian and directs him toward the Cabal Sanctuary. Later Umah discovers the Nexus Stone artifact during a reconnaissance mission, but is captured by Sarafan knights. Once she is rescued by Kain, the pair meet the Sarafan Lord and narrowly avoid death thanks to a spell Umah uses to bring them back to Sanctuary.

Late in the game when Kain has possession of the Nexus Stone, Umah steals it from him, fearing his ambitions. Kain later finds her losing a fight against Sarafan troops and kills her. He remarks that she "could have been [his] queen, now [she] have left [him] alone.", hinting at an attraction. In the game's closing scene Kain reflects on Umah's claims that his rule would not differ from that of the Sarafan Lord.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Legacy of Kain: Character Biographies". http://www.siliconknights.com/Kain_Walkthrough/faq/faqchars.htm. 
2. ^ Legacy of Kain: DARK CHRONICLE > Encyclopaedia > Bane the Druid
3. ^ Elzevir the Dollmaker
4. ^ "Legacy of Kain: The Plot". http://www.siliconknights.com/Kain_Walkthrough/faq/faqplot.htm. 
5. ^ First Q&A talk page with Amy Hennig
6. ^ Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (1999) (VG)
7. ^ The History of the Soul Reaver
8. ^ Legacy of Kain: DARK CHRONICLE > Encyclopaedia > Melchiah
9. ^ Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos). PlayStation 2. (2001-10-31) "Janos Audron The humans have forgotten us entirely, and claimed the Pillars for themselves - wholly ignorant of their true purpose. To them, I am merely a devil; the origin of their vampire 'plague'."