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"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."
―T. S. Eliot

The Land of Nosgoth, usually abbreviated to Nosgoth, is a fictional setting in which the entirety of the Legacy of Kain series takes place, originally conceived by Denis Dyack, Ken McCulloch and Silicon Knights, then expanded upon by Amy Hennig and Crystal Dynamics. First entering production in 1993 and appearing in 1996's Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, it has since been further explored and developed by ensuing entries in the series, and derives inspiration from various literary sources, including Shakespearean drama, vampire mythology, Gothic culture, Gnosticism and steampunk.

Nosgoth is regarded by characters in-game as a dying world, and each game in the series depicts different moments in the transition of the land from abundance to desolation, though in a non-sequential order. The ultimate fate of Nosgoth, and its potential redemption and restoration to its former glory, is the most-prominent and oft-recurring theme in the storyline of the overarching series, and has yet to be resolved as of Legacy of Kain: Defiance. As the majority of the games take place in the same limited area, it has consistently remained ambiguous whether Nosgoth is the name of the entire world, or a region. Generally, the term "Nosgoth" is used to refer to the conceptual setting overall.

Mythology[]

BO-Concept-Art-Circle-of-Nine

Concept art of the Circle of Nine from Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain.

SR2-Environment-PillarsConcept

Concept art of the Pillars of Nosgoth from Soul Reaver 2.

Texture-Mural-Pillars-Diagram

A diagram outlining the relationship between Nosgoth's magical principles.

Nosgoth is a fictional setting, incorporating elements of fantasy, steampunk and science-fiction.[1] It shares several features and traditions common to other fictional worlds, being introduced as an analogue to medieval Europe, involving "sword and sorcery", supernatural creatures and futuristic technology. Nosgoth's eras also include many parallels to real-world human history, with elements resembling creation/salvation myths, medieval kingdoms and knighthood, the Crusades, the Reformation and Renaissance, and the Industrial Revolution, all at appropriate times (under such a system, the birth, rise and fall of Kain's empire roughly corresponds to the 20th century and beyond).[Blood Omen][Soul Reaver][Soul Reaver 2][Blood Omen 2][Defiance]

Principles[]

Main article: Pillars of Nosgoth
Main article: Circle of Nine

The metaphysics of Nosgoth can be divided into nine magical principles: Balance, Conflict, Death, Dimension, Energy, the Mind, Nature, States and Time.[Blood Omen][Defiance] Further, eight of these principles can be combined to form the classical elements: Conflict and Nature are aligned to Fire, Death and States create Water, Energy and Time are associated with Earth, and the Mind and Dimension form Air.[Soul Reaver 2][Defiance/6][Defiance/8][Defiance/10] Fire and Air are associated with Light, and Water and Earth with Darkness.[Soul Reaver 2] These principles, along with Spirit, form the basis of Nosgoth's physics and magic system.[Soul Reaver 2][Defiance/4][Defiance/12] They are represented in the form of the Circle of Nine, an oligarchy of incredibly-powerful sorcerers who preside over the Pillars of Nosgoth. The Pillars are inextricably tied to the health of the land; their integrity, or lack thereof, directly influences the balance of the world.[2]

Realms[]

Main article: Material Realm
Main article: Spectral Realm
Main article: Demon Realm

At least three separate but coterminous planes exist within the setting (usually described as "realms"); the Material Realm (the corporeal plane of the living), the Spectral Realm (the ethereal plane of the dead), and the Demon Realm (the entropic plane of demonic entities). However, even these separate dimensions are not considered to exist "outside" the boundaries of Nosgoth.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance] The Material Realm, where time flows in a linear fashion and physics largely behave as they do in the real world, is the main setpiece of the series, but the Spectral Realm (where time is "irrelevant") and the Demon Realm both figure heavily into the series' fiction.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Soul Reaver manual (US)]

Time travel[]

Main article: Timelines
Main article: Paradoxes
Main article: Time-stream
Main article: Soul Reaver

In Nosgoth, although time travel exists and is available to certain individuals, history is usually immutable; the continuum of time within the setting is extremely resilient, and does not allow for the introduction of historical paradoxes.[Soul Reaver 2] The futures of Nosgoth's inhabitants are predestined, and the concept of fatalism is a reality rather than an idea.[Soul Reaver 2][Defiance] However, the Soul Reaver introduces loopholes to this rule, and - throughout the course of the games - Kain has succeeded in changing history three times.[Soul Reaver 2][Blood Omen] When the time-stream is derailed, it replaces the old timeline with a new, altered iteration of history; the previous one "dies". As such, parallel histories or universes cannot exist - only the "current" timeline is considered active or "real".[3][4]

Geography[]

BOmapscan-09

A map of Nosgoth from Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain.

Beyond its obvious nature as a fictional land, it is (deliberately) never explained what Nosgoth actually is.[5][6] Formally, it should always be referred to as the Land of Nosgoth.[5] The breadth of territory referred to under its name (including several entities that may be considered sovereign states) could suggest that Nosgoth is a continent, but it has also been indicated that it is a world or planet.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen]

As no game has ever gone beyond the bounds of Nosgoth, and no references have been made of lands outside of it, some have speculated that it may indeed comprise an entire world, or may be a Pangaea-like supercontinent. Thus far, all maps depicting Nosgoth have presented it at a large expanse of land, with the only known ocean on the south and west.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen]

Nosgoth is a vast realm with a diverse landscape, including mountains, forests, plains and swamps, but very little non-polar desertification. Real-world seasons such as winter are mentioned, and the land appears to have a temperate climate, similar to that of northern central Europe.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen][Blood Omen/Miscellaneous]

Landmarks[]

Oracle'sChamberConcept2

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain sketch of the Oracle's Cave.

Defiance-Texture-Pillars-VistaStronghold

A Nosgoth landscape vista in Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

SilencedCath2

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver render of the Silenced Cathedral.

Defiance-Texture-SarafanStronghold-Vista

A Nosgoth landscape vista in Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

KH cloister2

Soul Reaver 2 concept art of a cloister in the Sarafan Stronghold.

Defiance-Texture-VampireCitadel-VistaAvernus

A Nosgoth landscape vista in Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

BO2-Environment-EternalPrison-Exterior

Blood Omen 2 concept art of the Eternal Prison.

Defiance-Texture-VoradorMansion-Vista

A Nosgoth landscape vista in Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

Defiance-BonusMaterial-EnvironmentArt-VampireCitadel-12

Legacy of Kain: Defiance concept art of the Vampire Citadel.

As in any setting, Nosgoth's landmarks have fluctuated across its various timelines and eras; features which exist in earlier periods are wiped from the world as time progresses. A few major points of interest, however, are constant, and endure throughout several ages.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen]

Settlements[]

KH GASLAMP

A Chronoplast lamp as portrayed by Kory Heinzen.

BO2-Environment-Meridian-Concept

Blood Omen 2 concept art of Meridian by Steve Ross.

Con 10

Legacy of Kain: Defiance artwork of the city of Avernus.

Most of the villages, towns and cities in the series are visited during eras when humans dominate Nosgoth, and thus resemble real-world settlements of the corresponding time period.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen] Many of Nosgoth's settlements use pseudo-Germanic naming conventions, particularly in northern and central regions.[Blood Omen]

Bodies of water[]

KH EARLY13 underwater

Soul Reaver 2 artwork of the Great Southern Lake.

In Nosgoth's known regions, lakes act as the main water source; most of the events of the series occur far inland. Only one sea is known to exist.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen]

History[]

Main article: Timelines

Eras[]

Nosgoth's history can be divided into six distinct eras, progressing in descending chronological order:

  1. The era before Nosgoth's recorded history, spanning thousands of years;[10][11]
  2. Nosgoth's early history, spanning roughly 450 years;[10][11]
  3. The history preceding Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, or pre-Blood Omen era, spanning roughly 50 years;[10][11]
  4. The events of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, or Blood Omen era, spanning less than a single year, and officially concluding with the collapse of the Pillars;[10][11]
  5. The era following Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, or post-Blood Omen era, spanning roughly 500 years, and officially concluding with the raising of the lieutenants;[10][11]
  6. and the events of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, or Soul Reaver era, spanning at least 1500 years.[10][11]

The full span of known history in Nosgoth comprises a minimum of 5500 years.[Soul Reaver 2/8][Blood Omen 2/9] Since Nosgoth's history was altered three times throughout the Legacy of Kain games, four timelines have been observed in the series. These can be informally referred to as:

The full history of Nosgoth is revealed gradually as the series progresses, and important elements of the world's backstory are revealed in later timelines. Not all events are persistent between the timelines - certain aspects of history have been heavily altered or expelled as the time-stream was derailed.[Soul Reaver 2/5]

However, although it is not possible to determine the full extent of the changes incurred by each paradox, it is known that history admits only the slightest alterations to the timeline during these derailments. "History abhors a paradox", and the time-stream tries to maintain its integrity to the greatest degree possible.[Soul Reaver 2/5]

Events[]

BO-Concept-Malek-head

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain art of the vampire purge.

BO-Concept-Art-VoradorKill

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain art of the slaughter of the Circle.

BO-Concept-Malek-Punishment

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain art of Malek's punishment.

BO-Concept-Art-Ariel

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain art of Ariel's murder.

BO-Concept-Art-Kain-Trapped

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain art of Kain in the Underworld.

BO-Concept-Art-Kain-Turning

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain art of Kain's transformation.

Main article: First timeline

In the aeons before Kain's birth, with the genesis of the Pillars of Nosgoth, the unspoiled land was protected by an oligarchy of sorcerers known as the Circle of Nine, nine Guardians sworn to protect and serve the Pillars.[2][10][11] When a Guardian died, the Circle would briefly remain broken, until a successor was born to assume their place; therefore, the Circle usually consisted of nine members.[Blood Omen/9][11][Soul Reaver 2/2] Just as the origin of the Pillars was seemingly lost to history, the events surrounding the summoning of the Circle of Nine were also unknown; as long as the Pillars existed, there was a body of sorcerers sworn to protect them.[2][10][11] Before recorded history, the mystical sword known as the Soul Reaver was forged, and seminal individuals such as the Guardians Moebius and Mortanius, and the vampires Janos Audron and Vorador, were born.[Defiance/4][10][11][12][13][Defiance/9]

Main article: First timeline

In Nosgoth's early history, the land's vampire population began to increase, capturing the attention of the Circle.[Blood Omen/6][10][11][Blood Omen/5] Fearing this "scourge", the Circle brought into existence the order of the Sarafan, a monastic order of warrior-priests devoutly loyal to their Guardian sponsors.[11][Blood Omen/5] Led by Malek, Raziel and Turel, these hunters slaughtered thousands of vampires in their masters' names, culminating in the death of Janos Audron (reputed to have been Nosgoth's greatest vampire).[11][Blood Omen/Miscellaneous][Soul Reaver 2/Epilogue][Blood Omen strategy guide][14][Soul Reaver 2/9] Upon learning of this, the vampire Vorador retaliated by infiltrating the Sarafan Stronghold, murdering six of the Guardians before humiliating Malek in battle.[Blood Omen/6][10][11][Blood Omen/1][Soul Reaver 2/9][Soul Reaver 2/1] Mortanius punished Malek for this failure by fusing his soul to a hellish suit of magical armor, condemning him to protect the Circle for eternity.[11][Blood Omen/1] Though the Pillars culled new Guardians, the Sarafan never truly recovered after the deaths of their commanders, and the vampire purge came to its cessation before long.[10][11]

Main article: First timeline

Prior to the corruption of the Pillars in the pre-Blood Omen era, Nosgoth had been a peaceful, pastoral land, overflowing with abundant life and vitality.[12][Soul Reaver 2/1] However, Mortanius - seduced by a Dark Entity bent on overthrowing the Pillars - became possessed.[2][10][11][15] Using his body as a host, the Entity murdered Ariel, the Balance Guardian; Kain was born to succeed her in this role.[10][11][Soul Reaver 2/2][Blood Omen/12] Ariel's lover, the Mind Guardian Nupraptor, was driven insane by grief, and turned his abilities against his fellow Circle members, unleashing a telepathic assault which left all nine Guardians irrevocably insane and corrupt (including the infant Kain).[Blood Omen/3][10][11][Soul Reaver 2/2] The Pillars themselves visibly turned gray and corroded to symbolize their patrons' mental decay.[11][Blood Omen/1] While Kain matured over the years, pledging allegiance to the Lion Throne and witnessing the rise of the legions of the Nemesis, the Guardians spurned their sacred duties, and instead poisoned the land with their deranged sorcery.[Blood Omen/9][Blood Omen/2][Soul Reaver 2/5][11]

Main article: Events of Blood Omen
Main article: First timeline

Recognizing the impact of his failure, Mortanius sought to redeem himself and save Nosgoth.[15] To preserve the land, the infection would have to be eliminated - all nine Guardians would need to die.[Blood Omen/2][11][Blood Omen/12] In his thirtieth year, still ignorant of his identity and destiny as Balance Guardian, Kain - a nobleman - embarked on a journey across Nosgoth.[11][Soul Reaver 2/2] Outside a tavern in Ziegsturhl, he was murdered by a group of brigands.[Blood Omen/1] In the Underworld, Mortanius offered to revive him so that he might take revenge; he readily accepted, and was reborn as a vampire, unaware that Mortanius had orchestrated the entire assassination.[Blood Omen/2][Blood Omen/12] Kain slew his assassins, but quickly realized that the decaying Pillars held the key to his future. If he could destroy the Circle and right the Pillars, he was promised, he would find release and peace from the blood curse which now affected him.[Blood Omen/2]

Following direction from Mortanius and the specter of Ariel, Kain eliminated the Circle, member by member, and restored their Pillars.[Blood Omen] During his quest, Moebius - posing as the Oracle of Nosgoth - warned him of the legions of the Nemesis, and guided him to Vorador, who recounted stories of the Sarafan purges.[Blood Omen/6][Blood Omen/5] Ignoring Vorador's counsel to stay out of human affairs, Kain chose to challenge the Nemesis' horde.[Blood Omen/9] He claimed the Soul Reaver and a time-streaming device from Avernus Cathedral, and traveled to Willendorf, where he was able to gain the favor of King Ottmar.[Blood Omen/9][Blood Omen/8] Kain and Ottmar mobilized the army of the Last Hope against the legions, but in the subsequent Battle of the Last Stand, the Willendorf forces were devastated. Cornered, Kain activated the time-streaming device, and found himself fifty years in the past.[Blood Omen/9][Blood Omen/10]

Main article: First timeline
Main article: Second timeline
SR2-Texture-Stronghold-SarafanStabbingVampire

A Soul Reaver 2 mural of the Sarafan.

SR2-Texture-Stronghold-JanosAudron

A Soul Reaver 2 mural of Janos Audron's death.

SR2-Texture-Stronghold-ReaverConvergence

A Soul Reaver 2 mural of the battle between William and Kain.

Texture-Mural-Pillars-WarMuralA

Soul Reaver 2 mural of Nosgoth's ancient history.

Texture-Mural-Pillars-WarMuralB

Soul Reaver 2 mural of Nosgoth's ancient history.

Texture-Mural-Pillars-WarMuralC

Soul Reaver 2 mural of Nosgoth's ancient history.

Texture-Mural-Pillars-WarMuralD

Soul Reaver 2 mural of Nosgoth's ancient history.

Wandering in this era before his birth, Kain realized he could kill William the Just - the young boy-king who would, in the future, become the Nemesis - and thus prevent the legions from ever coming to power.[Soul Reaver 2/5][Blood Omen/10] He took it upon himself to assassinate William, infiltrating his stronghold. William had been armed with that era's incarnation of the Soul Reaver by Moebius, and Kain used his own Reaver (the same sword, from the future) in battle against the youth.[Soul Reaver 2/5][15][Blood Omen/10]

The convergence of two Reavers distorted time and space, enabling the introduction of the assassination of William the Just.[Soul Reaver 2/5] Seizing this advantage, Kain defied history by killing William, expelling the Nemesis and shunting Nosgoth into a new, alternate timeline. As he returned to the present day, however, Kain discovered that his reckless actions had changed the land for the worse.[Soul Reaver 2/5][Blood Omen/10][Blood Omen/11]

Main article: Events of Blood Omen
Main article: Second timeline

In this timeline, though the legions of the Nemesis never came to exist, Moebius had capitalized on the death of William, presenting him as a martyr to the citizens of the land, and thus igniting a renewed hatred of vampires among the population.[Soul Reaver 2/5][Soul Reaver 2/1][Blood Omen/11] His mercenary army, sponsored by the people, had launched a new crusade on the vampires; within decades, they had driven their enemies to near-extinction.[Soul Reaver 2/3][Blood Omen/11] Kain arrived just in time to witness the execution of Vorador, the last of the era's vampires; he retorted by defeating Moebius's mob and murdering the Time Streamer, but the damage had been done.[Blood Omen/11] He had been left the last surviving vampire in Nosgoth, and, summoned to the Pillars by Mortanius, he was finally forced to confront his destiny.[Soul Reaver 2/5][Soul Reaver 2/2][Blood Omen/11]

At last aware that Mortanius had masterminded his assassination to destroy the Circle, Kain battled the Death Guardian, and defeated the Dark Entity who arose from his corpse.[Blood Omen 2/11] As the Pillars lay on the threshold of restoration, he realized the truth - that he was the Balance Guardian, and that only his self-sacrifice could fully heal the Pillars. His final, climactic decision loomed - sacrifice himself to restore the world, or refuse the sacrifice and ensure the world's corruption. Rather than commit himself to oblivion, Kain chose the latter path, deciding to preserve the vampire race from its impending extinction and rule the world in its damnation.[Soul Reaver 2/2][Blood Omen/11] The collapse of the Pillars ensued.[Soul Reaver/1][Blood Omen/12]

Main article: Second timeline

Appreciating the irony of his decision, Kain set the ruined Pillars as the seat of his fledgling empire; the unrestored Balance Pillar served as the base of his throne.[Soul Reaver/1][11][Blood Omen/12][16] Five centuries later, he began his conquest of the land in earnest, seeking to recruit a cadre.[11][16] As a vampire raised by necromancy, he could not "turn" a vampire via the traditional Blood gift, but - by breathing a small portion of his vampire soul into a corpse - he could draw the corpse's soul back into the body, reviving it as a fledgling vampire.[11][13] Stealing into the long-forgotten Tomb of the Sarafan, he carried out this process on the six martyred commanders. Their well-entombed corpses - though long dead - had been spared the corruption of the grave.[Soul Reaver/9][11]

Going from crypt to crypt, Kain breathed his gift into each of the Sarafan corpses - Raziel, Turel, Dumah, Rahab, Zephon and Melchiah, in order, and thus raised his first-born "sons" as the lieutenants of his fledgling empire.[Soul Reaver/9][11] The six lieutenants had been too long dead to remember much of their human lives; they remained ignorant of their Sarafan roots, and of Kain's blasphemous private joke.[Soul Reaver/9][11][16] Complicit to his will, they recruited clans of their own, "turning" the corpses of their human victims to do their bidding. Within a hundred years, the humans of Nosgoth had been thoroughly domesticated by Kain's minions, and, over the ensuing centuries, the vampires evolved, their bodies adapting and transforming.[11][16][Soul Reaver manual (US)]

Main article: Events of Soul Reaver
Main article: Second timeline

Under Kain's regime, many of Nosgoth's landmarks and settlements were destroyed; humanity's last bastion became the City, north of the now-tumultuous Lake of the Dead - now ravaged by the raging whirlpool of the Abyss.[Soul Reaver][16][Soul Reaver/Miscellaneous] Putting slaves to work, Kain had the Sanctuary of the Clans constructed around the remains of the collapsed Pillars - a shrine to the new age. Huge furnaces were built to belch smoke into the sky, shielding the land from the effects of the sun.[16] However, Kain ultimately realized that the Pillars had indeed been much more than a human edifice; left unrestored as they were, they could do nothing to prevent corruption from seeping into the land like a poison, turning his empire into an irredeemable wasteland.[2][16][Soul Reaver/2]

After Raziel's execution, Nosgoth's health declined further, and by the time of Raziel's return centuries later, the vampire clans had devolved into monstrous beasts and scattered to the corners of the land.[2][Soul Reaver 2/3][17] By this time, Nosgoth was wracked with cataclysms, putatively teetering on the brink of collapse.[Soul Reaver/2] Channeled into battle against his mutated brethren, Raziel encountered Kain in a fateful confrontation at the Pillars; Kain raised the Soul Reaver against Raziel, which shattered when Kain attempted to strike him down. The soul-devouring sentience in the blade was thus released, and became Raziel's symbiotic weapon.[2][Soul Reaver/6] Strangely satisfied with this outcome, Kain lured Raziel into the northern wastes, where the two were propelled into Nosgoth's past.[2][Soul Reaver/14][Soul Reaver/15]

Main article: Second timeline
Main article: Raziel spares Kain
Main article: Third timeline
Texture-Mural-LightForge-Banishment

Image of the enemy race's banishment from Soul Reaver 2.

SR2-Texture-Mural-AirForge1

Image of the enemy race's curse in Soul Reaver 2.

In the pre-Blood Omen era, Raziel uncovered much more of Nosgoth's ancient history. Before the Pillars existed, the ancient vampires were involved in a devastating war for control of the land, battling an unidentified enemy race. The vampires raised the Pillars to exile their adversaries to the Demon Realm, but became afflicted with a predatory blood-thirst. To them, the Reaver was a holy icon, the instrument of their eventual salvation.[Soul Reaver 2/3][Soul Reaver 2/2][Soul Reaver 2/4] Traveling to the Sarafan Stronghold, Raziel met with Kain, who related to him the story of the Nemesis and the assassination of William the Just. Kain argued that his fate had been artificially rigged by the earlier alteration to history; he sought to introduce more paradoxes, hoping to reclaim his original destiny to restore Nosgoth. By defying the time-stream, Raziel triggered the Raziel spares Kain, prolonging Kain's life and shunting Nosgoth into another alternate timeline. Soon afterwards, he was deceived by Moebius, and found himself in the post-Blood Omen era.[Soul Reaver 2/5]

Main article: Third timeline

In this time period, Nosgoth had been subjected to violent demon incursions due to the decay of the Binding.[Soul Reaver 2/5] Exploring the Air Forge, Raziel was able to confirm that the winged race were Nosgoth's first vampires, the architects of the Pillars, and the creators of the Reaver. Their blood-thirst had been a literal curse, inflicted upon them by their vanquished enemies.[Soul Reaver 2/6] Determined to speak with Janos Audron - the last survivor of the ancient vampire race - he made his way back in time to Nosgoth's early history, the era of his own, human life as a Sarafan priest.[Soul Reaver 2/7]

Main article: Third timeline
Main article: Kain spares Raziel
Main article: Fourth timeline
Defiance-Texture-VampireCitadel-Mural-TheRaisingOfThePillars

Legacy of Kain: Defiance mural of the raising of the Pillars.

Defiance-Texture-VampireCitadel-Mural-TheSummoningOfTheGuardians

Legacy of Kain: Defiance mural of the Circle of Nine.

Defiance-Texture-VampireCitadel-Mural-TheBloodCurse

Legacy of Kain: Defiance mural of the affliction of the blood curse.

Defiance-Texture-VampireCitadel-Mural-TheForgingOfTheReaver

Legacy of Kain: Defiance mural of the Reaver's forging.

Defiance-Texture-VampireCitadel-Mural-TheHumanGuardiansRevolt

Legacy of Kain: Defiance mural of the human revolt.

Defiance-Texture-VampireCitadel-Mural-TheWheelOfFate

Legacy of Kain: Defiance mural of the vampires' suicide in the Elder God's name.

Defiance-Texture-Avernus-Mural-HistoryIsWrittenByTheVictors-2

Legacy of Kain: Defiance mural of the Wheel of Fate.

Defiance-Texture-VampireCitadel-Mural-ScionOfBalance

Legacy of Kain: Defiance mural of the Scion of Balance.

Here, Raziel was able to meet Janos - a winged ancient - who affirmed many of the truths he had learned. As the ancient vampires fell to the blood curse, the Pillars would come under human guardianship, leading to the ancients' civilization and history being wiped out and forgotten. Ultimately, the humans came to view the vampires as a plague upon mankind, and, eventually, the friction between the humans and (a new generation of) vampires led to the instigation of the Sarafan against the vampire menace.[Soul Reaver 2/8] Raziel witnessed his former, human self-murder Janos, and, motivated by a lust for revenge, pursued the Sarafan commanders, just as Vorador's slaughter of the Circle took place (also in response to Janos' murder).[Soul Reaver 2/9]

Raziel discovered how he himself slaughtered the Sarafan leaders, and was his own murderer - thus becoming the catalyst not only of Kain's future empire, but of his own dark destiny.[2][Soul Reaver 2/9] Subsequently, he realized how he was fated to become the ravenous spirit imprisoned in the Soul Reaver blade - that this was, and always had been, the hellish cycle of his destiny. The Wraith Blade, he finally understood, was his own soul, twinned and bound eternally to him. His motives still a mystery, Kain sought to change history by preventing the blade from consuming Raziel's soul. However, this had been choreographed all along by the Hylden - the enemy race - and as the Kain spares Raziel shunted Nosgoth into yet another alternate timeline, Kain's memories were reshuffled as well.[2][Soul Reaver 2/Epilogue]

Main article: Fourth timeline

Kain's past had been changed by the paradox.[Soul Reaver 2/Epilogue][18][19] In this timeline, Vorador's resurrection had occurred at some point after his demise, and - together - he built a new generation of vampires to attempt the conquest of Nosgoth alongside Kain.[Blood Omen 2/11][Defiance/12][Blood Omen 2/1][20][21][Blood Omen 2/3] In response, the Sarafan Lord - who was, in actuality, the Dark Entity who had possessed Mortanius, and a leader among the Hylden race - rallied a new incarnation of the Sarafan to impede Kain's ambitions.[19][Blood Omen 2/9] He had been able to enter the Material Realm following the collapse of the Pillars, and waged a decades-long vampire-Sarafan war.[Blood Omen 2/9][22] Two hundred years after the Pillars' collapse, this war came to its conclusion in the battle of Meridian, in which the Sarafan were victorious.[23]

Another two centuries later, the young Kain was revived by the Cabal, a vampire resistance movement operating in Meridian to end the reign of the Sarafan.[23][Blood Omen 2/1] Following Vorador's direction, Kain eliminated several of the traitor vampires who had enabled his original defeat, learned of the Hylden Lord's origins, and discovered Janos Audron - somehow alive - in Hylden captivity.[Blood Omen 2/8][Blood Omen 2/9][Blood Omen 2/3][Blood Omen 2/2][Blood Omen 2/4][Blood Omen 2/6] The vampires collaborated in ensuring the destruction of the Hylden Gate, but Janos fell into the Demon Realm during the conflict.[Blood Omen 2/11][Blood Omen 2/10] Kain was victorious nevertheless, and dispatched the Hylden Lord with the Soul Reaver, departing to challenge the leaderless Sarafan and, in the future, establish his empire just as before.[Blood Omen 2/11][Defiance/13][24]

Main article: Fourth timeline

Following the sparing of Raziel by Kain in Nosgoth's early history, Raziel, nearly obliterated by the Reaver, realized that he could never escape his terrible destiny - Kain had merely postponed it.[Soul Reaver 2/Epilogue][25] He slipped into the depths of the Spectral Realm, where he would remain for five centuries.[Defiance/2] The Elder Kain, desperate to find Raziel, discovered and traveled to the Vampire Citadel, following a lead gleaned from Moebius.[Defiance/5][Defiance/1][Defiance/3] There, he discovered another piece of the puzzle that was Nosgoth's history. The ancient vampires had not ceded their influence over the Circle of Nine willingly; they were overthrown by Nosgoth's humans. Unwilling to receive the blood curse when they came of age, the human Guardians Moebius and Mortanius led a revolt against the vampires, seizing control of the Pillars.[Defiance/9] This rebellion had been orchestrated from behind the scenes by Moebius' master, the Elder God.[19][Defiance/13]

Main article: Events of Blood Omen
Main article: Fourth timeline

After twists and turns, Raziel and Kain's paths inevitably crossed again in the Blood Omen era. By now, both had become fully aware of most of the land's history, and had been convinced by Vampire Citadel prophecies that they represented two opposing heroes - the pre-ordained vampire and Hylden champions, destined to battle and decide the fate of Nosgoth.[Defiance/4][Defiance/8][Defiance/9][Defiance/6][Defiance/10][Defiance/7][Defiance/11] In truth, Raziel was both of these figures; his free will enabled him to choose between either side of the conflict. Kain, on the other hand, was the Scion of Balance - destined to restore the Pillars to vampire control.[19][Defiance/13] It transpired that the ancient vampires had started the Vampire-Hylden war in the Elder God's name; when they received the blood curse, the Elder God shunned their race, driving many of them to suicide (in hopes of returning to the Wheel of Fate).[Defiance/10]

Upon discovering the Heart of Darkness, Raziel resurrected Janos Audron against Kain's wishes. During the collapse of the Pillars shortly afterward, the Hylden Lord possessed Janos, destroyed Raziel's body, and used Janos to open the Hylden Gate, ensuring that the bleak future Kain feared would indeed come to pass.[19][Defiance/12] Kain grimly pondered whether his cast at destiny - his hope of restoring Nosgoth - had all been in vain. Eventually, though, Raziel was able to cleanse Kain of the corruption of the Pillars before willingly entering the Reaver blade, as history dictated. His soul purified, Kain was able to perceive the Elder God for the first time.[3][Defiance/13]

Raziel had concluded that "all the conflict and strife throughout history, all the fear and hatred, served but one purpose - to keep my master's Wheel turning. All souls were prisoners, trapped in the pointless round of existence, leading distracted, blunted lives until death returned them - always in ignorance - to the Wheel". Kain skirmished with the Elder God, succeeding in damaging him with the Soul Reaver, but was unable to destroy him in the tumult of the fall of the Spirit Forge. The vampire reflected on the gift of hope that Raziel's sacrifice had accorded him - that he might someday restore Balance.[Defiance/13] He had, however, lamented that he could, perhaps, save the world, but "never again could [he] give Nosgoth back her innocence".[Defiance/5]

Inhabitants[]

Nosgoth is inhabited by myriad races and creatures across the eras, sapient and otherwise. Aside from humans and some animals, most of these bear relation to real-world mythologies and fantasy bestiaries. A variety of major and minor factions have also organized among these cultures, forming alliances and waging war on enemies.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen]

No strict taxonomy has ever been officially provided, but it is possible to differentiate between races, sub-races, creature families, factions and sub-factions based on observation.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen]

Races[]

Defiance-Texture-Cemetery-KainHuman

Kory Heinzen's portrait of the human Kain.

Con 02-vorador 1

A Kory Heinzen portrait of Vorador, a vampire.

BO2-Enemy-Hylden-Variants-Large

Steve Ross' concept art of the Hylden.

WolfConcept

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain concept art of a wolf.

Golem

Kory Heinzen's Legacy of Kain: Defiance concept of a golem.

Con 03

Kory Heinzen's Legacy of Kain: Defiance concept of an Archon.

BO2-Enemy-Demon-ConceptD

Soul Reaver 2 artwork of a demon.

Defiance-BonusMaterial-EnvironmentArt-Underworld-14

Kory Heinzen's Legacy of Kain: Defiance concept of a Revenant.

Raziel concept02

"Raziel_concept02"

Nosgoth's most prominent sapient races include:

  • The humans: A constant feature in the land's history, Nosgoth's humans are closely akin to their real-world counterparts. Despite their frailty, they have the potential to become extremely powerful sorcerers as well as formidable warriors.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen] Originally primitive, "hairless apes cowering in caves", they became more civilized beings thanks to the intervention of the Hylden.[Blood Omen 2/11][13] Although spirited and numerous, they are described as "simply unenlightened... and vulnerable to manipulation" - "they fear what they don’t understand; and they despise what they fear".[Soul Reaver 2/8] From Nosgoth's early history and onward, humans are typically the dominant species in the world - they launched numerous crusades against the vampires, nearly bringing them to extinction at least three times.[Soul Reaver 2/3][Blood Omen/6][Blood Omen/5][Blood Omen/11][Blood Omen 2/1][Blood Omen 2/3] However, by the Soul Reaver era, they have become domesticated by Kain's empire, reduced to a tiny population of hunters and citizens kept alive solely to make existence for the vampire fledglings more challenging.[Soul Reaver][16]
  • The vampires: The vampires originated as an entirely distinct race and culture.[Soul Reaver 2][Defiance][Blood Omen 2] However, their piety-driven rivalry with the Hylden, and the subsequent war, led to the extinction of this ancient species.[Defiance/10] Their bloodline was partially preserved by the passing of their blood curse on to humans; even in early eras, the lineage of the vampires consists exclusively of former humans who have received this "dark gift".[13][Defiance/6] All vampires in Nosgoth share certain traits; most characteristic are their constant, insatiable thirst for red blood, their immortality/longevity, their sterility, and their heightened durability and regenerative capacities. Four highly-varied generations of vampire have existed throughout history, each with other common powers and physical attributes.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen] A unique, universal quality of Nosgoth's vampires is their capacity to physically evolve - as time passes, they tend to experience growth spurts, emerging in more "divine" or "mutated" forms, with new abilities and vulnerabilities dictated by their personality and personal nature.[13][Soul Reaver manual (US)][26][27]
    • The Ancient vampires: The first generation of vampires, with black wings, "blue skin and cloven hands".[Soul Reaver 2][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Soul Reaver 2/2] The ancients, originally mortal, were considered "godlike" - "the wisest, strongest, most noble race" - but their attempts to impose the doctrine of the Elder God on the Hylden resulted in their downfall.[Blood Omen 2/9][Defiance/10] After they banished their foes to the Demon Realm by summoning the Pillars of Nosgoth, the Hylden retaliated by afflicting them with a predatory blood-thirst.[Defiance/4][Soul Reaver 2/2][Soul Reaver 2/6] Despite their incredible power, their civilization fell shortly afterward, with many ancients taking their own lives, and others falling victim to the human Guardians' revolt.[Defiance/9][Defiance/10] By Nosgoth's early history, Janos Audron was left the sole surviving specimen of their once-great race.[Soul Reaver 2/8]
    • The second generation of vampires: As the ancient vampires' civilization declined, they began to pass the blood curse on to humans, bestowing these fledglings with the essence of their bloodline.[Defiance/12][Defiance/6] As they evolved, the former humans adopted a few of the ancients' physical traits, such as cloven, tridactyl hands and bidactyl feet, but were still markedly different; they "seemed to retain much of their former humanity".[Soul Reaver 2/1][28] When their population started to noticeably increase, the Circle of Nine instated the order of the Sarafan to exterminate them, and forced them into seclusion.[Blood Omen/6][10] In latter timelines, this generation was indeed eradicated with the death of Vorador in the Blood Omen era, though the vampire race would live on.[Soul Reaver 2/5][Blood Omen/11]
    • The post-Blood Omen era vampires: In the fourth timeline, after the collapse of the Pillars, Vorador (having been resurrected) sired many new vampires single-handedly, collaborating with Kain to revive their kindred and seize control of Nosgoth.[Blood Omen 2/11][Defiance/12][20][21][Blood Omen 2/1][Blood Omen 2/3] This new incarnation of the race stemmed entirely from his bloodline, but otherwise did not seem dissimilar to the second generation which preceded it.[Blood Omen 2/3] These vampires were also human-like in appearance, with pallid skin and dress styles dictated by Kain himself during his tenure as their general.[Blood Omen 2][29] Each one was able to communicate via the Whisper; on top of this, they were all capable of mastering a personalized dark gift, and could absorb each other's veins to gain new gifts.[Blood Omen 2/1]
    • The Soul Reaver era vampires: After Kain raised his lieutenants in the Tomb of the Sarafan, the lieutenants, in turn, raised vampire clans of their own from human corpses - the Dumahim, the Melchahim, the Rahabim, the Razielim, the Turelim and the Zephonim.[11][Soul Reaver manual (US)] Kain's descendants were very different from other vampires in many respects; because Kain was raised by necromancy, his children had a unique heritage, and they could not be "turned" by the traditional blood gift.[11][13] Their growth spurt process was negatively influenced by Kain's spiritual corruption; they would pupate, evolving much faster than their ancestors had, and would devolve into "grotesque" monsters as the aeons passed.[Soul Reaver manual (US)][24] Each clan's strength was determined by the amount of Kain's soul its patriarch had received, and individual vampires seemed more homogeneous - they tended to uniformly adopt the traits, abilities and physical makeup of their clan leader instead of developing unique powers.[Soul Reaver][11]
  • The Hylden: An elder race distinguished by their aptitude for technology and prosaism, with distinctively protrusive, crested bone structures, short wing-like appendages, irregular musculature, and pale skin ranging from alabaster white to light brown or green.[Soul Reaver 2][Defiance][Blood Omen 2] They rejected the Wheel of Fate, and were oppressed by its advocates, the ancient vampires, to whom they were similar in power but "different in method and intention".[Blood Omen 2/9][Defiance/10] Initially fair of form, the Hylden were banished to the Demon Realm by the vampires at the conclusion of a war between both races, and its chaotic magics distorted their bodies into a "warped parody" of their "former beauty".[Defiance/4][Blood Omen 2/11][Soul Reaver 2/2][Defiance/12][Blood Omen 2/9] Over the aeons, they developed glyph magic and other scientific instrumentation to keep the corrupting influence of their prison at bay, scratching to gain a foothold back into the Material Realm.[Defiance/12][30] The Hylden were able to view the time-stream through undisclosed means, and were thus able to engineer (and capitalize on) the historical paradoxes perpetrated by Kain and Raziel, to an extent.[Soul Reaver 2/Epilogue][24]

Apart from major sapient races, Nosgoth is also inhabited by a wide variety of creatures, most of which are supernatural to some extent. With a few exceptions, these can be both loosely and stringently grouped into wider creature categories or families:

  • Animals: The typical fauna of the Material Realm, such as bats, crows, dogs, fish, horses and wolves. Though rarely encountered by Kain and Raziel, they were a constant presence in the land's ecology.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen]
  • Animated entities: Naturally inanimate objects which have been given a form of life or animation by either magic or technology. These include dolls, statues and other constructs.[Defiance][Blood Omen]
  • Archons: Mindless, shark-like agents of the Elder God, tasked with eternally hunting the Spectral Realm to feed their master with lost souls. When weakened, they could be devoured in turn.[Defiance]
  • Blobs: Amorphous, gelatinous beings, with no blood, but with a limited form of sentience. They usually inhabit the land's more desolate caves or sewers, preying upon intruders.[Blood Omen][31]
  • Demons: Monsters native to the Demon Realm, capable of shifting into the Material or Spectral Realms. Generally subservient to the Hylden, the demons are a highly-diverse species, manifesting in many forms.[Soul Reaver 2][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen][24]
  • Mutants: Aberrant, unnatural monstrosities created by the Dark Eden triad. Usually formed as fusions of two creatures (such as half-insect and half-mammals), they possessed green blood.[Blood Omen][31]
  • Revenants: Long-deceased corpses which have been possessed by Hylden souls; their eyes universally flare with green fire. Though subject to physical limitations, they serve as adequate vessels for their Hylden hosts.[Defiance]
  • Shades: Immaterial beings of shadow, capable of manifesting in the Material and Spectral Realms. They are formed from the fragments of restless, half-devoured souls, and have the power to steal elemental energy.[Soul Reaver 2][Defiance][3]
  • Sluagh: The feral scavengers of the Underworld. Considered jackal- and vermin-like, Sluagh exist only in the Spectral Realm, but are not aligned to the Elder. The souls they devour can never find their rest.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance]
  • Specters: Sentient souls who linger in the Spectral Realm, normally restricted to haunting a limited area. Some specters could harm other Spectral creatures, and manifest in the Material Realm as apparitions.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen]
  • Undead: In a broad sense, deceased creatures (other than vampires and revenants) who are animated and continue to inhabit the Material Realm. They are typically identifiable by their distinct black blood.[Soul Reaver 2][Blood Omen]
  • Wraiths: Entities (other than Archons, Sluagh and specters) native to the Spectral Realm. If they manifested in the Material Realm through whichever means, they could be identified by their blue blood.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen]

Beyond these groupings, other creatures and beings which did not obviously fall into any known race or classification also existed in Nosgoth.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen] Perhaps the most notable of these was the Elder God, a gigantic "squid"-like, deified entity which dwelled deep in the earth, and existed in both the Material and Spectral Realms.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance]

Factions[]

Conflict in Nosgoth's history, on a very basic level, is fought - both overtly and covertly - between four sides in a far-reaching power-struggle: the agents and representatives of the humans, vampires, Hylden and Elder God.[Defiance] Divisions and events, though, entail that these races sometimes split into sub-groups, each with their own agenda. Throughout history, there have been a plurality of these factions and sub-factions; the major known ones are listed below.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen]

Culturally, Nosgoth is multifaceted, and morality is not usually one-sided; for instance, "there are many religious beliefs, depending on who you are and what time period you are in", and "everyone always has their motives for what they're doing - everybody believes they're doing the right thing within their belief system".[5][32]

KainSymbol

Kain's symbol as drawn by Daniel Cabuco, used by factions under Kain's command.

Defiance-Texture-Underworld-ElderGodSymbol

The Elder's God's symbol, seen in the Underworld.

4520377822

Dave Reyes' concept art of a Soul Reaver-era vampire hunter.

KH BeforeVampF

Kory Heinzen's concept art of a female second-generation vampire.

Behind the scenes[]

Nosgoth was originally conceived by Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack and Ken McCulloch; McCulloch in particular was cited as the creator of "detailed mythologies in the world of Nosgoth".[35] The setting was originally intended to serve as the game world for an initial concept named The Pillars of Nosgoth, which was sent to Crystal Dynamics and accepted for production with the help of Lyle Hall.[Defiance][32][35][35][36] The Pillars of Nosgoth was internally referred to as Dyack's "vampire project", evincing that vampires were intended to serve as a central element of the games' mythology from the outset.[36] Early influences in Nosgoth's development included The Wheel of Time and Necroscope - the Pillars of Nosgoth specifically were inspired by cover art from The Pillars of the Earth.[35][35]

During the development of Soul Reaver 2, series director Amy Hennig commented with enthusiasm on the potential of a Legacy of Kain/Nosgoth "expanded universe" media franchise (a concept which has never been realized), comparing it to Star Trek or Star Wars:[32]

BO-Concept-Art-Nosgoth

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain image of a "banner" on the Nosgoth paper map.

"The plan is that in the future we can continue to explore different aspects of Nosgoth's history, with different characters. This is such a rich universe with so much mythology and backstory, and so many interesting players. The analogy we use internally is that we want to establish something like they did with Star Trek or Star Wars - where you have a consistent universe and 'mythology' which can be explored from many different perspectives."
―Amy Hennig[32]

A large paper map of Nosgoth was distributed with the Microsoft Windows port of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (a less-detailed version had earlier been available in the PlayStation version of the game).[Blood Omen] For Crystal Dynamics' Soul Reaver 2, this map was adapted and re-drawn.[Soul Reaver 2] Seeking "to create some fairly new locations that fit better with [their] needs", the developers of Blood Omen 2 "elected to move down the map of Nosgoth into some unexplored areas in the southern regions"; a map of this south-western region of the land can be briefly seen in the Blood Omen 2 introductory cinematic.[Blood Omen 2][37] An official Nosgoth timeline, based on the backstory of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, was distributed with issue #36 of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, and a truncated version of this document was included with the PlayStation 2 release of Soul Reaver 2.[Soul Reaver 2][11]

Most of Nosgoth's eras borrow thematic cues from the real world. The Blood Omen era corresponds to medieval Europe, whereas the dystopian Soul Reaver era was intended to exude "a decaying 19th-century industrial aesthetic", and the Victorian-style post-Blood Omen era presents "an industrial revolution [...] but one that followed different lines than one based on fossil fuels".[14][38][39] Despite the inclusion of some industrial and science-fiction elements in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and Blood Omen 2, Nosgoth is not necessarily considered a truly rational universe: it couples instrumentation with a prevalence of magic and fantastical elements, from its very earliest historical eras to its very latest.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver][Defiance][Blood Omen 2][Blood Omen]

Notes[]

  • No demonym for Nosgoth has ever been given or acknowledged in the games; the only official indication of one was presented by Silicon Knights, who cited their preferred gentilic as "Nosgothian" in The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain.[40] The same variation was later repeatedly used by an interviewer who was indirectly quoting from Crystal Dynamics' Andrew Bennett.[41] Among the fan community, however, the demonym "Nosgothic" is more frequently used.[42][43]
  • The etymology of the name "Nosgoth", has never been publicly explained within the series' universe or without, if it even has any. Given the influences behind the games, it may consist of a portmanteau of "Gnosticism" and "Goth", or perhaps "Nosferatu" and "Goth".[32][44]
  • Nosgoth has a recognized epoch (in other words, a "reference date" or calendar era such as the real-world Anno Domini or Common Era), but it cannot be properly integrated into the known timeline from the limited information available. In Blood Omen 2, a building in Meridian's Lower City is accompanied by a sign reading "Hill House est. 1246". This is the only time a numbered year or epoch has ever been presented in the series, and it is unknown where the year 1246 should be positioned in relation to the games, or how it corresponds to time as a whole.[Blood Omen 2/3]

Gallery[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. GS Legacy of Kain: Defiance Designer Diary #1 at GameSpot, page 1 (by Richard Lemarchand)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Icon Dark Chronicle Soul Reaver 2: Background Story at Dark Chronicle (by Ardeth Silvereni)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Eidos Interactive Answers to questions from the Defiance team at the Eidos Forums (by Chris@Crystal)
  4. Icon Dark Chronicle Moebius' Museum at Dark Chronicle (by Ardeth Silvereni)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Eidos Interactive Extra question for Chris at the Eidos Forums (by Hanpolo), post #19 (by Chris@Crystal)
  6. Icon DCabDesign Question on Nosgoth at DCabDesign (by Strands of Night), post #3 (by Daniel Cabuco)
  7. Icon IGN Blood Omen 2 Interview at IGN (by Sam Newman)
  8. Icon Dark Chronicle Soul Reaver 2 (The Swamp) (archived at Dark Chronicle)
  9. Icon Dark Chronicle Soul Reaver 2 (Raziel) (archived at Dark Chronicle)
  10. 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 Icon Dark Chronicle Soul Reaver 2: Historical Timeline at Dark Chronicle (by Ardeth Silvereni)
  11. 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 11.19 11.20 11.21 11.22 11.23 11.24 11.25 11.26 11.27 11.28 11.29 11.30 11.31 11.32 11.33 Icon Nosgothic Realm GLoK Interviews with Amy Hennig at Nosgothic Realm (by Raziel Fan), post #5 (by RazielFan)
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Icon Dark Chronicle The Players at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle)
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 Eidos Interactive Warp's answers from Amy at the Eidos Forums (by blincoln)
  14. 14.0 14.1 Icon IGN Interview With a Vampire: Blood Omen 2 at IGN (by Douglass C. Perry)
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Icon Dark Chronicle Miscellaneous Questions & Answers at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle)
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 Icon Dark Chronicle Soul Reaver: Background Story at Dark Chronicle (by Ardeth Silvereni)
  17. GS Blood Omen 2 Q&A at GameSpot (by Sam Newman)
  18. Icon The Lost Worlds My Visit to Crystal Dynamics at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 Icon The Lost Worlds Question and Answer with Amy Hennig at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)
  20. 20.0 20.1 Icon The Lost Worlds FAQ at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)
  21. 21.0 21.1 Icon The Lost Worlds The Resurrection of Vorador at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)
  22. Icon Dark Chronicle Bloodomen 2 (Story) (archived at Dark Chronicle)
  23. 23.0 23.1 Icon Dark Chronicle Blood Omen 2: Background Story at Dark Chronicle (by Ardeth Silvereni)
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 Icon The Lost Worlds Question and Answer with Jen, Richard, and Kyle at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)
  25. Icon Dark Chronicle Defiance: Background Story at Dark Chronicle (by Ardeth Silvereni)
  26. Icon Nosgothic Realm GLoK Interviews with Amy Hennig at Nosgothic Realm (by Raziel Fan)
  27. Zephon at deviantART (by SpectralJin)
  28. Icon DCabDesign Vampire's attire in Nosgoth at DCabDesign (by majinkura), post #17 (by Daniel Cabuco)
  29. GS Blood Omen 2 Designer Diary #1 at GameSpot, page 2 (by Steve Ross)
  30. 30.0 30.1 Icon DCabDesign Blood Omen 2 at DCabDesign (by Divine Shadow), post #2 (by Daniel Cabuco)
  31. 31.0 31.1 Icon Dark Chronicle Strategies to Aquiring Each Spell at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle)
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 Icon Nosgothic Realm GLoK Interviews with Amy Hennig at Nosgothic Realm (by Raziel Fan), post #4 (by RazielFan)
  33. The Pillars at the Soul Reaver 2 official site
  34. Eidos Interactive Questions reguarding BO1. at the Eidos Forums (by TheElderGodofNosgoth), post #16 (by Anubis_Orr)
  35. 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 Icon Nosgothic Realm Recreated PSXnation.com Interview with Denis Dyack at Nosgothic Realm Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "PSN" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "PSN" defined multiple times with different content
  36. 36.0 36.1 Playing Catch-Up: GEX's Lyle Hall at Gamasutra (by Alistair Wallis)
  37. GS Blood Omen 2 Designer Diary #1 at GameSpot (by Steve Ross)
  38. Behind the Classics: Amy Hennig Talks Soul Reaver Secrets at the PlayStation Blog (by Sid Shuman and Amy Hennig)
  39. GS Blood Omen 2 Designer Diary #1 at GameSpot, page 3 (by Bret Robbins and Mike Ellis)
  40. Icon Dark Chronicle How Did They Do That? at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle)
  41. GS Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 Feature Preview at GameSpot, page 2 (by Miguel Lopez)
  42. Icon Nosgothic Realm Nosgothic Realm
  43. Icon Dark Chronicle Blood Omen: Nosgothic Businesses at Dark Chronicle (by Ardeth Silvereni)
  44. Icon DCabDesign Vampire's attire in Nosgoth at DCabDesign (by majinkura), post #4 (by Daniel Cabuco)
  45. Crystal Dynamics. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 3. (August 18, 2010)

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