Cast into the Lake of the Dead , Raziel was, like Kain before him, revived by a mysterious benefactor, and returned to Nosgoth as a wraith , to exact his revenge. Driven by this new master, the Elder God , Raziel systematically eradicated his former brethren in the wasteland of Kain's empire , obtained the Wraith Blade , and unearthed his own ironic past; originally a human born in Nosgoth's early history , he had become a leading commander in the vampire -hunting Sarafan brotherhood before his death and resurrection.
Lured through time and confronted by revelations, Raziel realized his terrible, inevitable future: he was destined to become the captive, ravenous spirit trapped within the Soul Reaver — later the Wraith Blade itself. Temporarily rescued from this fate by Kain, his lust for vengeance was gradually tempered, superseded by a higher quest for knowledge and freedom.
Finally exposing the Elder God's parasitic nature through several twists and turns, Raziel ultimately accepted his fate, and achieved respite from his cyclical destiny. Dually sacrificing himself to the Soul Reaver and dispersing the Wraith Blade — his future soul — into Kain, he simultaneously trapped himself within the sword, and freed himself from thousands of years of torment. This act cleansed Kain of the corruption of the Pillars , enabling him to see, battle, and oppose the Elder God at last.
Raziel was born a human in Nosgoth's early history, and went on to join the vampire-hunting order of the Sarafan. Upon his death in combat, Raziel's corpse was interred within a sarcophagus in the Tomb of the Sarafan alongside the others, where it would lay memorialized, sanctified, and undisturbed, for a millennium.
Kain would always "enter the state of change and emerge with a new gift" first, and the lieutenants would follow "some years after the master". None of his brethren questioned Kain's order: that Raziel "burn forever in the bowels of the Lake of the Dead". He plunged into the Lake's depths, his vampiric skin scorching with "white-hot fire" , his flesh agonizingly burning away. The pain was unspeakable, but, at length, his "torment receded" as he settled to the bottom.
This was the seat of the Underworld , and his surroundings shifted. The reverberations of an otherworldly voice greeted Raziel, pronouncing him "worthy". It was the Elder God, who had "spared [him] from total dissolution". Encouraging the newborn wraith to avenge himself against Kain and his former brethren, he pronounced Raziel his "Soul Reaver - [his] angel of death". As he acclimatised to his new existence as a denizen of the Spectral Realm , Raziel learned that his blood-thirst had been "replaced by a deeper need" ; he was now a devourer of souls , galvanized by his lust for revenge against the apostate vampires.
Progressing through the Underworld, Raziel learned of warp gates , gliding , and the Sluagh before uncovering a planar portal , by which he could return to the Material Realm. Since his execution, "centuries had apparently passed". Eager to learn how his own descendants had fared over time, Raziel traveled west, towards his clan territory. Returning to his former stronghold, Raziel found the place desolate and long-abandoned; apparently, his children had been the victims of genocide initiated by Kain, "wiped from this world like excrement from a boot".
Disgusted to learn that the Melchahim were recruiting fledglings from corpses, he fought the "flayed wracks of flesh" as he progressed. To his horror, it revealed its identity: Melchiah himself. After a battle, Raziel was able to outsmart his devolved sibling, and activated a grinder to seal his fate. Melchiah refused to divulge Kain's whereabouts as he was annihilated, but consuming his brother's soul enabled Raziel to phase through gates.
Though slightly remorseful at the "fratricide" he had just committed, he was applauded by the Elder God. The two argued, with Raziel decrying Kain's "unconscionable" behavior. His former master declared that "this place has outlasted its usefulness - as [had Raziel]" , and drew his ancient blade - the Soul Reaver.
Raziel attacked Kain, but with trepidation, recognizing that the sword was "older than any of us, and a thousand times more deadly". Soon, Kain gained the advantage, and attempted to strike Raziel down with the Reaver, but - inexplicably - instead of consuming his soul, the blade shattered into pieces. Amazingly, Kain was unconcerned by this, departing with "a glint of satisfaction" as Raziel slipped into the Spectral Realm.
Before him, Raziel discovered the Wraith Blade: the true, spectral form of the Soul Reaver, released from thousands of years of imprisonment. Moments later, he was approached by the specter of Ariel , still bound to the collapsed Pillars.
Raziel next targeted his brother Zephon, and used the Wraith Blade to unseal the entrance to the Silenced Cathedral. Within, he fought the arachnean Zephonim and their human Vampire worshippers , ascending to the tower's upper chambers. Zephon taunted the "prodigal son" , but Raziel was able to immolate and kill him before long. Completely unaware of the "forgotten history" which lay within, Raziel reflected that the Sarafan had been "merciless" , righteous crusaders, committing " unspeakable and indiscriminate acts of violence" - "murderers enshrined".
Entering, however, he discovered a terrible secret: defiled caskets bearing his brothers' names, and his own. He and the Council members had been these Sarafan commanders in life, resurrected as Kain's "favored sons" in death. The epiphany, confirmed to him by the Elder God, outraged Raziel. His entire existence, and "all [he] ever believed" , had been undermined; more than ever, he longed to destroy Kain.
Continuing on his quest, Raziel killed the Tomb Guardian , and obtained the ability to wield telekinetic force projectiles from a relic in his possession. Shattering the windows in his lair, Raziel exposed Rahab to sunlight , destroying him. He consumed his brother's soul, attaining the ability to swim. North of the Abyss, Raziel traveled to Ash Village where the Dumahim once reigned, but found it abandoned and strewn with corpses. At first, he suspected that Kain was culpable, but the Elder God revealed that vampire hunters had caused Dumah's death.
Revived, Dumah was thankful, but Raziel spurned this gratitude: he had "not forgotten whose hands bore [him] into the abyss". By luring Dumah to a nearby Furnace, Raziel scorched the fourth of his siblings to death, and received the Constrict ability by devouring his soul. Raziel fought with furious passion, defending the name of the Sarafan as "saviors" , but Kain knew better.
Unfazed by Raziel's attacks, he activated the Chronoplast's portal, and strode through, into Nosgoth's past. Raziel followed in close pursuit, but emerged from the ether in an unfamiliar chamber - met by Moebius. Raziel, snatched out of the time-stream by Moebius, found himself in the history preceding Blood Omen , within the Sarafan Stronghold he had operated from as an commander, centuries ago. Having heard Kain's tales about the Time Streamer, Raziel was instantly suspicious of the old sorcerer, and became doubly alarmed when Moebius's Staff unexpectedly disabled his Wraith Blade, its energy temporarily receding.
Nevertheless, Moebius offered to help Raziel, and they discussed his Sarafan past - Moebius claimed that they had been "close" when Raziel was human, and urged him to "re-embrace the essence of [his] humanity". He directed Raziel to Kain, who was waiting at the Pillars.
While exploring the Stronghold, Raziel discovered "evidence of [his] former nobility". Away from the influence of Moebius's Staff - which was capable of incapacitating vampires - the Wraith Blade soon returned, but Raziel wondered as to why it, an insubstantial weapon, would be affected by the Staff at all. In a chapel commemorating King William the Just , Raziel found the Soul Reaver of that earlier time period, "laid out like a holy relic" , but broken in the battle between William and a younger Kain two decades earlier.
As Raziel touched the Reaver, its future self - the Wraith Blade - manifested, and began to leech his soul energy. This re-fused the blade, but Raziel was now aware that the Wraith Blade was a "sentient parasite competing for control". Raziel turned to find Moebius, disarmed and watching the process, and threatened him with the conjoined blades. Leaving the physical Soul Reaver behind, Raziel journeyed out of the fortress, and witnessed the bounty and vitality of Nosgoth in this era. On his approach to the Pillars, he discovered the impaled corpses of several vampires , and surmised that - though vampirism was a plague - the crusades of Vampire hunters were nothing but "ruthless persecution".
When he arrived at the Pillars, Kain and Raziel debated the extent of Kain's guilt and culpability. As Kain discussed his birth and the corruption , Raziel was able to witness The Pillars themselves corrupting first-hand; Kain moved on to explaining that his fateful decision was 'rigged' - neither his refusal nor his sacrifice would properly solve anything.
Kain surprised Raziel by agreeing with him that The Pillars were "crucial and must be restored" and hinting at both Vampire ownership of The Pillars and a 'third way' out of his dilemma which apparently had something to do with Raziel ; intrigued by Kain's words, Raziel allowed him to teleport away.
Shortly afterward, Raziel discovered a large Sealed Door inscribed with an image of a blue-skinned winged creature alongside the symbol of The Reaver. Following the sealed passageway Raziel discovered a strange Subterranean Pillars Chamber along with several murals depicting an Ancient War that led to the creation of the Pillars The Elder God also resided here and he derided the ancient legends as "lies". Raziel progressed beyond the Pillars Chamber into The Swamp and soon found that his journey was being watched by the Vampire Vorador.
Finding ancient ruins in the swamp, Raziel was able to open the sealed Dark Forge ; where he found several Murals depicting the Ancient-Hylden War and was able to imbue the Wraith Blade with the elemental power of Darkness this also activated the first elemental Fonts. When Raziel exited the forge he found Vorador waiting for him and though the Vampire clearly acknowledged him as something of a "savior", he was also somewhat suspicious of him.
Vorador conceded that he believed Nosgoth was now beyond redemption and that Raziel was "simply too late" - all Raziel's answers lay with the long-dead Janos Audron. As Vorador teleported away, Raziel realised he had a method of reaching Janos with the Time Streaming Chamber in the Sarafan Stronghold and he resolved to re-enter the fortress.
Uncovering the ancient Light Forge hidden in the cliffs of the Great Southern Lake, Raziel was able to imbue the Light Reaver , whose projectiles could be used to activate Light Crystals and allow him to re-enter the Sarafan Stronghold.
As Raziel passed back through the Stronghold , he found Kain waiting for him in William's Chapel, This time Kain revealed more about the very nature of history and destiny; explaining that "history is irredeemable" unless two versions of the Soul Reaver "meet in space and time" - a situation which causes a paradox that allows alterations to history this is what happened when Kain killed William.
Kain gave Raziel the physical Soul Reaver blade hilt first causing the Wraith Blade to manifest, enabling the Paradox necessary to kill Kain. The Wraith Blade unexpectedly lunged at Kain and Kain confessed that this was the moment he was destined to die - but urging Raziel to prove his free will and spare him. Raziel fought the Wraith Blade and at the last second, he managed to divert the blade, sparing Kain and changing history from the Second to Third timelines , though once again leaving the Soul Reaver behind.
Once again, though, Moebius was without his staff and Raziel threatened the Time Streamer with the Light Reaver , making him activate the Time Streaming Chamber to take him backwards in time to Nosgoth's early history. Shortly afterwards he found and met the supposedly martyred spirit of Moebius himself, who confirmed that he had sent Raziel to the Post-Blood Omen era, a century after the collapse of The Pillars and stranded him there as a way to prove to Raziel the horrors unleashed by Kain's decision.
Raziel doubted the Time Streamer's motivations and that he "even [was] a Spirit" the 'spirit' would later be confirmed as one of Moebius' illusions.
Exploring this era, Raziel found it overrun with Demons and that humans had adapted to their presence, becoming Demon Hunters. Travelling to The Pillars, Raziel met the bound spirit of Ariel, trapped there for over a century and still bitterly lamenting her fate; angry at her successor Kain for his decision to abandon The Pillars and keep her imprisoned.
Debating the extent of Kain's guilt with Ariel, Raziel found himself defending Kain's actions to her, before he grew weary of tormenting the captive Spirit and left. In the Subterranean Pillars Chamber, Raziel also discovered The Elder God who chastised him for his failure to kill Kain, Raziel however was beginning to question the motivations of The Elder God, seeing how he thrived "as Nosgoth descend[ed] into madness and misery".
Accusing the Elder of being a greater parasite than the vampires he despised, Raziel rejected his authority and began his defiance of the Elder. Pressing North in the Mountains, Raziel passed through Uschtenheim and soon after discovered the ruined retreat of Janos Audron ; where he was met by the time travelling Kain who was "biding [his] time". Kain and Raziel discussed Moebius's motivations and the apparent conspiracy confronting them, before Kain teleported away.
Finding himself in Nosgoth's early history, Raziel returned to Janos' Aerie and found the retreat "intact and unblemished" - with the Sarafan amassing their forces below in Uschtenheim. Desperate to reach the Ancient Vampire before the Sarafan found him, Raziel entered the Aeire , and discovered it was clearly built for winged beings, but using the Reaver Bolts and a set of Blood Basins and Bloodstone bridges , Raziel was able to ascend to Janos' balcony at the very top of the building.
Finally meeting with Janos, Raziel discovered that the ancient Vampire had been waiting for him - apparently as some sort of Vampire Champion. He tried to give Raziel the Reaver Blade not yet the Soul Reaver , but before he could do so, the Sarafan commanders burst into the chamber led to Janos by Raziel's 'blazing' through the retreat.
Armed with Moebius' Staff , they had Janos at their mercy. Janos attempted to save Raziel from the Sarafan, teleporting him away to the Sealed Fire Forge ; Raziel hurriedly imbued the Fire Reaver and was able to unseal the door to return to Janos' chambers.
Returning just in time to witness Janos' murder, Wraith Raziel watched in horror as the Human Sarafan commander Raziel his former self committed the deed; ripping out Janos' heart and ordering Dumah to recover The Reaver, before the commanders retreated to the Sarafan Stronghold.
Following Janos's last words, Wraith Raziel resolved to recover The Reaver Blade apparently forged "for [him] alone" and the Heart of Darkness realising the ultimate purpose of the relic; in restoring Janos Audron to 'unlife'. Strangely assailed by Demons from the far future who now taunted Raziel about his destiny , Raziel passed through the Subterranean Pillars Chamber once again, where the Elder God addressed him with "ominous finality". Re-entering the Sarafan Stronghold at the same time as Vorador's attack on the Circle there , Raziel found the Reaver Blade conveniently laid across his path and though suspicious of the blade, the entrance of Malek and Moebius along with Moebius' Staff which disabled the Wraith Blade left Raziel with no other choice of weapon.
With Moebius and Malek's retreat, Raziel found he was unable to put down The Reaver; though its powers had also "made [him] invincible". As the Human Raziel died, the Wraith Blade manifested and the conjoined blades turned on Raziel, impaling him on The Reaver, prompting Raziel to realize that The Reaver had not been forged as a Soul consuming weapon - the Soul devouring entity trapped in the blade "was and always had been" Raziel; and that imprisonment in The Reaver was his destiny.
However at that moment, Kain appeared; using some precise timing he was able to ignite a Soul Reaver Paradox and change history; creating the fourth timeline and temporarily sparing Raziel from his fate. Too weak to maintain his physical manifestation , Raziel dropped into the Spectral Realm missing Kain's warnings about raising Janos and here he found the Wraith Blade - his "own Soul twinned and bound eternally to [him]" - proof that his destiny had merely been postponed.
Weakened to the point of exhaustion, Raziel had returned all the way to the Elder God in the Underworld, but he still maintained his defiance; refusing to submit to its will. When The Elder accused Raziel of cowardice by staying there rather than go and meet The Reaver blade , Raziel resolved to "face his destiny" and temporarily feigned submission to The Elder , assisting in the elimination of some Sluagh.
When the opportunity presented itself however, Raziel escaped the Elder's Lair into the Spectral Realm, but found that his 'escape' was merely a relaxing of his restraints as The Elder removed the Planar Portals providing Raziel access to the Material Realm. Exploring The Cemetery, Raziel found that he could take Possession of corpses to re-enter the Material Realm tearing their flesh away to reveal his wraith form and returning, he discovered that once again his long stay in the Underworld had cost him five centuries and he was now in the Blood Omen era; at the time of the crusades of Moebius' Mercenary Army and the fledgeling Kain's quest.
Unable to leave The Cemetery without the elemental powers of Light and Darkness , Raziel found that the Reaver Fonts he had previously used were gone with the Elder God responsible ; he would have to find new, more permanent enhancements for the Wraith Blade. Exploring The Cemetery further, Raziel found some ancients ruins and was able to transport himself to the sealed Dark Forge in the Vampire Citadel where he was able to imbue the Dark Reaver.
Passing through Kain's Mausoleum, Raziel found some other ancient ruins and was able to warp himself to the sealed Light Forge in the Vampire Citadel. Imbuing the Light Reaver , Raziel was able to leave The Cemetery on the path to The Pillars, hoping that the Spirit of Ariel would be able to provide some of the answers he sought.
The murals of the forge also gave him the first clues about his imprisonment in The Reaver; showing that Vorador was the creator of the blade and more significantly the first 'turned' vampire. Meeting Ariel at The Pillars at the earliest point in her history that Raziel had met her Raziel found her to be less than helpful in this era ; she refused to help Raziel, seeming to view him as a member of the Hylden race and serving the conspiracy that corrupted the Pillars.
Along the way, Raziel discovered the warp to the Air Forge and by absorbing the Souls of the original ancient Original Guardian of the Mind and Dimension Guardians see Vampire Mind Guardian boss and Vampire Dimension Guardian boss into the Wraith Blade, he was able to imbue the Air Reaver ; but the murals of the forge proivded a significant discovery - that the Vampire Champion that Raziel had believed he was, had an adversary - a Hylden Champion , and the two were destined to battle to the death.
Arriving at Vorador's Mansion, Raziel found the estate abandoned aside from a few Revenants , but he was able to activate a secret warp to the Water Forge , where the Wraith Blade absorbed the Souls of the original Ancient Death and States Guardians see States and Death Guardians , imbuing the Water Reaver the murals of the forge allowed Raziel to clearly see the Hylden Champion and recognize some of its features as his own.
Using the powers of the Water and Fire Reavers , Raziel unlocked a strange crypt in the graveyard behind the mansion and here he found Vorador, apparently awaiting the arrival of Moebius' Mercenary Army. Vorador displayed the same suspicion of Raziel that he had in their last meeting, he confirmed that he "crafted The Reaver blade" but told Raziel that it was Janos and the other Ancients who enchanted it; Vorador did not know its purpose.
Revealing that he had retrieved the body of Janos Audron, Vorador suggested that Raziel should "redeem [him]self" by restoring Janos using the Heart of Darkness and that perhaps he alone could complete the task , telling him that the last known location of the heart was the city of Avernus.
Before Raziel proceeded, Vorador told him that Avernus was in flames and warned him of the ancient 'Unspoken' evil that dwelt there. Finding his way through to Avernus Cathedral, Raziel soon discovered the warp to the Earth Forge hidden in the Cathedral and once at the Earth Forge he was able to absorb the Souls of the original Ancient Time and Energy Guardians see Energy and Time Guardians into the Wraith Blade, imbuing the Earth Reaver ; from the murals in the forge Raziel was also able to work out that the Ancient vampires had worshipped the Elder God and it was his abandonment after the Hylden Curse which made the ancients immortal that had led them to suicide in attempts to return to the Wheel of Fate.
Returning to the Cathedral , Raziel was able to use the Earth Reaver to summon Earth Platforms enabling him to find a Dark Scripture hidden in the upper levels and returning the scripture to the main altar, Raziel opened a portal to the Avernus Catacombs. In the catacombs Raziel discovered murals depicting the Hylden side of the ancient war ; how the Ancients had persecuted the Hylden for their "refus[al] to submit to the Wheel of Fate" and one particular image showed the Hylden Champion as they saw him - the image unmistakably depicted Wraith Raziel and The Elder God confirmed to Raziel that he was indeed the Hylden Champion implying the Kain therefore must be the Vampire Champion.
Pressing further into the Catacombs , Raziel discovered the source of the murals - the Cult of Hash'ak'gik represented by Mortanius and several Cenobites , performing 'dark rites' to their god "Hash'ak'gik". As the ritual finished, Raziel ventured too close to the pit and was telekinetically attacked by "Hash'ak'gik", dragging him into the pit.
As they talked Raziel realized that "Hash'ak'gik" was in fact his last remaining Vampire brother Turel, somehow taken back in time form the Soul Reaver era, and Possessed by several Hylden to command their disciples.
When Turel attacked Raziel, Raziel defended himself see Turel Defiance boss and eventually killed his brother, consuming his Soul and finally gaining Enhanced TK he also unknowingly absorbed a measure of the Hylden Possession and they were able to 'fuel Raziel's anger'. Confronting Mortanius himself possessed by the Hylden Lord , Raziel learned from him that he had used the Heart of Darkness to raise Kain as a Vampire creating the Scion of Balance - who he believed was the Vampire Champion and had hidden the heart inside him ; as well as learning from the Hylden Lord that the Hylden would "soon have a stronger vessel".
Mortanius teleported away to his final confrontation with the fledgling Kain. As Raziel arrived back in the Cathedral he ran into the elder Kain; who had been looking for him - expressly to prevent the resurrection of Janos Audron. As the two argued about his fate, Kain told Raziel more of his free-will due to his remaking in The Abyss , but angry at being directed by Kain, especially given their apparent roles and Kain's possession of the vacant Reaver blade , Raziel goaded Kain into a battle.
In this vicious grudge match, Raziel's Soul began to be taken into the Reaver and in desperation he used his bare claws to rip the Heart of Darkness from Kain's chest before blasting him through a portal to Kain's apparent death see Raziel Defiance boss and Kain Defiance boss.
Making his way back to Vorador's Mansion, Raziel now found the estate overrun with Moebius' Mercenaries and a conversation with Moebius presumably time travelling beyond his Blood Omen death confirmed that "it didn't matter to us which [champion] either of you thought you were" as long as Kain died. Moebius left to see to Vorador's execution and his own death seen in Blood Omen. Raziel returned to Janos' Crypt and was able to use Heart of Darkness and the Wraith Blade to resurrect Janos Audron ; Janos recalled Raziel from their last meeting identifying him as the Vampire Champion once more; but this time Raziel would not be hurried into action, he revealed to Janos that five centuries had passed since his 'death' and demanded answers as to why the Vampires would forge a weapon to imprison their saviour.
Janos believed that Raziel had been misled, but Raziel's summoning of the Wraith Blade shocked Janos and caused him to fundamentally reassess the complexity of the ancient prophecies, leading to him teleporting himself and Raziel to the council chamber of the Vampire Citadel. At Raziel's insistence, Janos clarified some of the events of Ancient Vampire history to Raziel, before persuading him that he would find the answers he sought in the Spirit Forge. Using his previously gained gifts, Raziel was able 'fight off' the Elder God and activate the forge; which called the Souls of all the previous Balance Guardians represented by a restored Ariel for "the final baptism of the blade".
Absorbing the Souls of Ariel and her predecessors , the Wraith Blade became imbued with the 'cleansing' elemental power of Spirit and as she faded, Ariel advised Raziel that he must "unite what has been set asunder Only then will the Scion of Balance be armed for his true endeavor".
But with Kain dead, Raziel was more confused than ever and he returned to Janos in the council chamber of the Vampire Citadel. Finding Janos staring intently at The Pillars Vista, Raziel realized that they had reached the time of the fledgling Kain's decision from Blood Omen where he doomed the Pillars to Collapse.
With the 'explosive' Collapse of the Pillars , both Raziel and Janos were knocked clean across the room by the blast and when Raziel regained his footing, he found that the Hylden Lord was now in Possession of Janos. The Hylden Lord reveled in his manipulation of Raziel; revealing that by resurrecting Janos, he had provided the "more durable vessel" that the Hylden required for their further plans seen in Blood Omen 2 ; and that in resurrecting Janos he had already been forced to murder the Vampires savior, the Scion of Balance Kain , to retrieve the Heart of Darkness.
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