Raziel

"Redeemer and destroyer. Pawn and messiah. Welcome, time-spanned soul. Welcome... to your destiny."

- Moebius

Raziel is the protagonist of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and Soul Reaver 2, and one of the two lead characters in Legacy of Kain: Defiance, alongside Kain. Once a vampire - Kain's lieutenant, "prodigal son" and second-in-command - Raziel surpassed Kain, a transgression which seemingly prompted his execution. 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 became 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, and 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 Temporarily rescued from this fate by Kain, his lust for vengeance was gradually tempered, superseded by a higher quest for knowledge and freedom.

Later exposing the Elder God's parasitic nature through several twists and turns, Raziel ultimately accepted his fate. 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 finally 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.

My Eternal Damnation
"I am Raziel, first-born of His lieutenants. I stood with Kain and my brethren at the dawn of the empire. I have served Him a millennium. Over time, we became less human and more... divine. Kain would enter the state of change and emerge with a new gift. Some years after the master, our evolution would follow. Until I had the honor of surpassing my lord. For my transgression, I earned a new kind of reward... agony."

- Raziel

Raziel was born a human in Nosgoth's early history, and went on to join the vampire-hunting Sarafan brotherhood. As one of the faction's most elite warrior-priests, he rose to the rank of Sarafan warrior inquisitor, and later head inquisitor, with seniority over fellow commanders Dumah, Melchiah, Rahab and Zephon. Turel served as his second-in-command, and together, the six comrades operated as the "pride of the order". Upon his death in combat, Raziel's corpse was interred within a sarcophagus in the Tomb of the Sarafan, where it would lay, memorialized, sanctified and undisturbed, for a millennium.

In the post-Blood Omen era, five centuries after the collapse of the Pillars, Kain - the vampire Guardian of the Pillar of Balance - sought to recruit a cadre for his conquest of Nosgoth. Having discovered a method of raising fledgling vampires, he raided these "sacred crypts", breathing portions of his soul energy into the inquisitors, and thus drawing their own souls back into their bodies. Raziel was raised first, inheriting the greatest portion of his gift. "Too long dead" to remember his Sarafan roots, Raziel served as Kain's "right hand" for a thousand years, raising a vampire clan of his own and partaking in the rise of Kain's empire.

As time passed, and the vampires physically evolved, they became more "divine". 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". Raziel, though, committed the ultimate blasphemy by pupating beyond Kain, surpassing him by fledging bat-like wings. At the Sanctuary of the Clans, he revealed these to the Council, and Kain - in what seemed an act of callous jealousy - shockingly tore the bones from his back for this transgression, before the assembled lieutenants.

Nosgoth's early history (Soul Reaver 2)
Raziel was born as a human at some point in Nosgoth's early history. He would go on to join the Sarafan brotherhood, eventually reaching the highly respected rank of Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Sarafan warrior inquisitor, one of the order's elite. Raziel was one of the most skilled warriors of the Sarafan and this led to his seniority over fellow Inquisitors Melchiah, Zephon, Rahab, Dumah and Turel. Following the trail blazed by a 'Demon' (actually a future Wraith version of Raziel himself), Raziel infiltrated Janos Audron's Retreat|Janos Audron's aerie along with his comrades (Human Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Sarafan Inquisitors Turel, Dumah, Zephon and Melchiah) and personally took part in Janos Audron|Janos' murder, tearing out the Heart of Darkness from Janos' chest, whilst Turel restrained Janos with Moebius's Staff. Ordering Dumah to recover The Reaver|the Reaver blade, Raziel and the rest of the Sarafan brotherhood|Sarafan retreated to Sarafan Stronghold|their stronghold as Janos' aerie collapsed around them.

Janos' murder had dire consequences for Raziel and his 'brothers', as the 'demon' (future Wraith Raziel) from Janos' Aerie]followed the Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Inquisitors back to the Sarafan Stronghold to avenge Janos' death and reclaim The Heart of Darkness, attacking Sarafan Stronghold|the Stronghold at the same time as Vorador's legendary attack on Circle of Nine|the circle (at the Sarafan Stronghold|same location and with the same motivation). In the chaos, the 'demon' recovered The Reaver|the Reaver blade and used it to dispatch several of the higher rankingSarafan warrior inquisitors|Sarafan Inquisitors (see Melchiah and Zephon, Rahab and Dumah|Rahab and Dumah and Turel (SR2 boss)|Turel (SR2 boss)) and was diverted into the Sarafan Stronghold#Chapter House (Sarafan Memorial Chapel/ Ouroboros Room) of the Sarafan Stronghold to face the sterner test of (Human) Sarafan brotherhood|Sarafan Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Inquisitor Raziel. The Human Raziel would taunt the 'demon' Wraith Raziel about Janos|Janos' fate, eventually causing Raziel to lose his temper and lunge at the Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Inquisitor. After a hard fought battle, the virtually invulnerable 'demon' Wraith Raziel triumphed over his former Human self, impaling him on The Reaver and causing his Blood|lifeblood to be drained into the blade (see also Raziel (SR2 boss)). After his death, Raziel was entombed with the other 'martyr' Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Sarafan Inquisitors for a millennium in the Tomb of the Sarafan.

Post-Blood Omen 2 era
When Kain discovered a method of creating vampires for himself, he raised the six Sarafan brotherhood|Sarafan martyrs to serve as his vampire sons; breathing part of his Soul into them to 'snare their souls' and reanimate their corpses (but keeping them ignorant of their previous human lives); Raziel was the first of the six vampire lieutenants to be raised and Kain's "precious first born son"*. Presumably following Kain's method, each of his new lieutenants raised their own Vampire (Soul Reaver era)|vampires, giving birth to the vampire clans (with Raziel raising the Razielim) providing Kain with an army with which to conquer Nosgoth. In Kain's empire|Kain's New Empire, Raziel was one of the leading members of the council which ruled Nosgoth, with Raziel serving as Kain's "right hand"*.

Raziel served Kain and the council for roughly a thousand years and over the centuries, he gained many new :Category:Abilities (Soul Reaver)|gifts along with his 'evolution'; in this process, 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"*. Raziel was the first to surpass Kain, entering the 'state of change' before him and when Raziel emerged, he was summoned to a council meeting (one account suggests that a wraith agent of The Elder God visited Raziel at this stage to deliver a prophecy of his oncoming struggle - Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver comic|Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Comic).

At the Council meeting Raziel revealed his new gift, Flight|a pair of bat-like wings, to the council. Kain, in an apparent act of jealousy (though in reality recognizing the signs of vampire prophecy and seeing a chance to alter his fate), ripped the bones out of Raziel's wings and ordered his execution in the Lake of the Dead for his transgression. None of Raziel's 'brothers' questioned the order and Turel and Dumah actively participated in Raziel's execution, dragging Raziel to The Abyss and throwing him in. With the water of The Abyss burning vampires like acid, Raziel suffered a painful torment over many centuries and many parts of his body (including his jawbone) were dissolved away completely.

Soul Reaver era


Raziel plunged deep to the bottom of The Abyss, suffering "unspeakable pain" and "relentless agony", after centuries his torment receded "bringing [him] back from the precipice of madness", surprised that he had apparently survived the descent through The Abyss, Raziel looked over what he had become; having lost much of his muscle, organs, skin and his lower jaw, what remained had been 'bleached' a dark blue. Raziel used his cape to cover his facial disfigurement and found himself in a strange set of The Elder's Lair|ruins in the Spectral Realm, where he was greeted by a deep ominous voice - that of the Elder God.

The Elder God|The Elder explained that Raziel did not survive The Abyss - he had merely spared Raziel total dissolution, using Raziel's Soul to reaninmate the corpse Raziel lived in. The Elder also explained his Wheel of Fate to Raziel and how the Vampires Blood curse|curse of immortality trapped the "essence of life" (their Souls) and prevented them from being spun in Wheel of Fate|the wheel, stagnating the process and meaning Souls "could not complete their destinies". Encouraging Raziel to avenge himself against Kain and his former brethren, Raziel became The Elder God|the Elder's "Soul Reaver - [his] angel of death" and as he progressed through The Elder's Lair, he was trained about his new existence and discovered that he had become a Soul-Soul devouring|Consuming Wraith and a native of the Spectral Realm; requiring special Planar portals|Planar Portals, provided by The Elder God, to manifest in the Material Realm.

Upon returning to the Material Realm, Raziel discovered that several centuries (believed to be about 500 years*) had passed since his execution and in the interim the vampire clans had scattered and devolved, and Nosgoth, had become little more than a wasteland, "teeter[ing] on the brink of collapse" (and as pointed out by the Elder God, condemned to decay by Kain's fateful decision). Eager to learn how his own clan, Razielim|The Razielim, had fared, Raziel returned to his own former stronghold, but found the Raziel's clan territory|Razielim City desolate and long abandoned, apparently the victims of a genocide initiated by Kain. Passing through his territory, Raziel was able to enter The Necropolis, territory of his youngest brother Melchiah. After fighting off the zombie-like Melchiahim, Raziel was able to confront the hideously bloated mass of the (d)evolved Melchiah and killing him was able to Soul devouring|consume his soul, gaining the Phasing through gates|Phase Through Gates ability. (see Melchiah (SR1 boss)|Melchiah (boss)).

Using the Phasing through gates|Phase Through Gates ability, Raziel was able to enter the Sanctuary of the Clans and there he found Kain, who was apparently waiting for him. The two argued and fought before Kain "drew The Soul Reaver in anger" and attempted to strike Raziel down; but inexplicably, instead of consuming Raziel's Soul, the ancient blade shattered. (see Kain (SR1 boss, Pillars)|Kain (SR1 first encounter)). Knocked back to the Spectral Realm by the drain of his encounter with Kain, Raziel found and claimed the Wraith Blade (in truth a Soul devouring wraith once imprisoned in the Soul Reaver|Soul Reaver blade and future incarnation of Raziel himself), which bound itself to Raziel becoming his symbiotic weapon. In the Spectral Realm, Raziel also met the spirit of Ariel, still bound to the Collapse of the Pillars|collapsed pillars, and her situation provided Raziel with further motivation against Kain and Kain's empire|his Empire; throughout the rest of his journey in Soul Reaver 1|Soul Reaver, Ariel would act as a guide to Raziel, much as she had millennia earlier for Kain.

Raziel next targeted his brother Zephon and was able to use the Wraith Blade to unseal the entrance to the Silenced Cathedral. Inside Raziel fought the spider-like Zephonim as well as their human Vampire worshipers|followers and acending to the upper chambers of the Cathedral, Raziel found and killed the mantis-like (d)evolved Zephon. (see Zephon (SR1 boss)|Zephon (boss) ). With Zephon defeated, Raziel Soul devouring|consumed his Soul gaining the ability to Scaling walls|Scale Walls and using this ability he was able to progress beyond the Sanctuary of the Clans, where he found that Nosgoths cataclysms had exposed the ancient Tomb of the Sarafan. Entering the Tomb, Raziel discovered a terrible secret - that he and his brothers had been Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Sarafan Inquisitors in life; opposed to everything he believed as a Vampire. Outraged by Kain's blasphemy, Raziel continued on his quest, killing the Revived vampires|Revived Turelim Tomb guardian|Tomb Guardian and gaining the Telekinetic force projectile|Telekinetic Force Projectile ability.

With the aid of the Telekinetic force projectile|Telekinetic Force Projectile, Raziel was able to enter the Drowned Abbey, which proved to be very hazardous with the abundance of water (which still dissolved his physical form) as well as the amphibious Rahabim Vampires. Eventually Raziel was able to confront and kill the fish-like (d)evolved Rahab by exposing him to sunlight and Soul devouring|consuming his Soul he gained the ability to Swimming|Swim; allowing his Material Realm|Material manifestation to survive immersion in water and take advantage of its bouyancy. (see Rahab (SR1 boss)|Rahab (boss)). Swimming passed The Abyss allowed Raziel to travel north to the Ruined City|Dumahim City, but he found it abandoned and covered in corpses (at first Raziel suspected another vampire genocide butThe Elder God|the Elder corrected him, telling him that the human vampire hunters were responsible). Finding Dumah apparently dead in his throne room, impaled by three large stakes, Raziel removed the stakes allowing Dumah's Soul to re-inhabit his corpse as a Revived vampires|Revived Vampire. Raziel lured the seeming invincible Dumah to a furnace where he burned him to death, Soul devouring|consuming his Soul and gaining the Constricting|Constrict ability. (see Dumah (SR1 boss)|Dumah (boss)).



On the advice of Ariel and The Elder God, Raziel pursued Kain into the Oracle's Cave, leaving only Turel behind. As Raziel discovered Moebius' chamber, he was able to use Constricting|constrict to uncover The Chronoplast. Passing through the Chronoplast, Raziel saw several Chronoplast visions|visions of a possible future, before Raziel found and confronted Kain in the main chronoplast chamber. As the two fought once again, Kain teased Raziel about the nature of free-will and destiny before he finally activated The Chronoplast and retreated through one of the portals; luring Raziel after him. (see Kain (SR1 boss, Chronoplast)|Kain (SR1 second encounter)). The Elder God briefly warned Raziel that by crossing the threshold, he would be "beyond [his] influence" but Raziel continued on regardless.

Time Travel (Soul Reaver 2)
"I wonder Elder God"

- old one did you truly resurrect me or were you simply there when I awakened from my torment in the abyss? I suspect you found me merely convenient- dropped into your lair by Kain, indestructible for some reason, a durable and gullible tool for you to manipulate.

Pre-Blood Omen era
When Raziel emerged from the time portal, he discovered he had been moved from The Chronoplast and was now in a Time-streaming chambers|Time Streaming Chamber in the Sarafan Stronghold in the Pre-Blood Omen era, where he was greeted by Moebius, who admitted he had "snatched [Raziel] out of the time stream". Having heard Kain's tales about Moebius, Raziel was instantly suspicious of the timestreamer and even more so when Moebius's Staff|Moebius' Staff disabled the Wraith Blade. Nevertheless, Moebius offered to help Raziel and directed him to Kain's whereabouts at The Pillars and encouraging him to kill Kain and "embrace the essence of [his] humanity and the nobility of [his] Sarafan brotherhood|Sarafan heritage."



As Raziel explored the Sarafan Stronghold he discovered "evidence of [his] former nobility" as a Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Sarafan Inquisitor, finding several murals depicting the Sarafan brotherhood|Sarafan murder of Janos Audron, The martydom of the Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Sarafan Inquisitors and Vorador's assault on the Circle of Nine|Circle of Guardians; as well as a chapel devoted to William the Just and memorializing Kain's murder of William as the catalyst of the crusades of Moebius' Mercenary Army|Moebius's mercenary army. In William's Chapel Raziel found "the Soul Reaver itself laid out like a holy relic... And broken, apparently in the battle between William and Kain". As Raziel touched The Reaver, the Wraith Blade manifested and began to 'leech' Raziel's Soul to restore the broken Reaver; taking him to the "brink of oblivion" with the Reaver restored, the Wraith Blade relented, but Raziel was now aware that the Wraith Blade was a "sentient parasite competing for control" (of little consolation was the ability to summon the Wraith Blade at will). Finding Moebius watching the process (without Moebius's Staff|his staff), Raziel turned on him with the Paradoxes|conjoined blades threatening him with destruction; only Moebius' revelation that he served the Elder God persuaded Raziel to spare him. Raziel left the Soul Reaver behind and journeyed out of the fortress. Witnessing the beautiful paradise that Nosgoth once was, Raziel's resolve to kill Kain deepened.

Leaving Sarafan Stronghold|the Stronghold, Raziel traveled to The Pillars to confront Kain; on his way, Raziel discovered the impaled corpses of several of Nosgoth's early vampires, and realized that the crusades of Moebius' Mercenary Army|Moebius' mercenaries 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 of the Pillars|corruption, Raziel was able to witness The Pillars themselves The Corruption of the Pillars|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 doors|Sealed Door inscribed with an image of a Ancient vampires|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 Vampire-Hylden war|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 Subterranean Pillars Chamber|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 doors|sealed Dark Forge (SR2)|Dark Forge; where he found several Murals depicting the Vampire-Hylden war|Ancient-Hylden War and was able to imbue the Wraith Blade with the elemental power of Dark Reaver (SR2)|Dark Reaver|Darkness (this also activated the firstReaver fonts|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 Teleportation|teleported away Raziel realised he had a method of reaching Janos with the Time-streaming chambers|Time Streaming Chamber in the Sarafan Stronghold and he resolved to re-enter the fortress. Uncovering the ancient Light Forge (SR2)|Light Forge hidden in the cliffs of the Great Southern Lake, Raziel was able to imbue the Light Reaver (SR2)|Light Reaver, whose Reaver bolts|projectiles could be used to activate Light crystals|Light Crystals and allow him to re-enter the Sarafan Stronghold.

As Raziel passed back throughSarafan Stronghold|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 Paradoxes|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 Paradoxes|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 timeline|Second to Third timeline|Third timelines), though once again leaving the Soul Reaver behind. When Raziel reached the Time-streaming chambers|Time Streaming Chamber he found Moebius there, greatly alarmed by Raziel's refusal to kill Kain. Once again though Moebius was without Moebius's Staff|his staff and Raziel threatened the timestreamer with the Light Reaver (SR2)|Light Reaver, making him activate the Time-streaming chambers|Time Streaming Chamber to take him backwards in time to Nosgoth's early history.

Post-Blood Omen era
When Raziel emerged from the Time-streaming chambers|Time Streaming Chamber, he found himself in a ruined Sarafan Stronghold assailed by Demons. 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|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 timestreamer'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|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 God|the Elder of being a greater parasite than the vampires he despised, Raziel rejected his authority and began his defiance of The Elder God|the Elder. Pressing North in the Mountains, Raziel passed through Uschtenheim and soon after discovered the ruined Janos Audron's Retreat|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 KainTeleported away. Nearby, Raziel found theSealed doors|Sealed Air Forge and (after finally learning that the Ancients were "Nosgoth's first Vampires") he was able to imbue the Wraith Blade with elemental Air Reaver (SR2)|Air. Using the Air Reaver (SR2)|Air Reaver, Raziel was able to 'blow-open' the Cracked Doors|Cracked Door to an abandoned Time-streaming chambers|Time Streaming Chamber in The Swamp and activating the mechanism, Raziel travelled through time once more.

Nosgoth's early history
Finding himself in Nosgoth's early history, Raziel returned to Janos Audron's Retreat|Janos' Aerie and found the retreat "intact and unblemished" - with Sarafan brotherhood|the Sarafan massing their forces below in Uschtenheim. Desperate to reach the Ancients|Ancient Vampire before Sarafan brotherhood|the Sarafan found him, Raziel entered the Janos Audron's Retreat|Aeire, and discovered it was clearly built for winged beings, but using the :Category:Soul Reaver 2 wraith-blades|elemental powers of the Wraith Blade and a set of Blood Basins (SR2)|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 theAncients|ancient Vampire had been waiting for him - apparently as some sort of Vampire champion|Vampire Champion - He tried to give Raziel the The Reaver|Reaver Blade (not yet the Soul Reaver), but before he could do so, the Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Sarafan Inquisitors burst into the chamber (led to Janos by Raziel's 'blazing' through the Janos Audron's Retreat|retreat) and armed with Moebius's Staff|Moebius' Staff they had Janos at their mercy. Janos attempted to save Raziel from Sarafan brotherhood|the Sarafan, Teleporting him away to the Sealed doors|Sealed Fire Forge (SR2)|Fire Forge; Raziel hurriedly imbued the Fire Reaver (SR2)|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 warrior inquisitors|Sarafan Inquisitor Raziel (his former self) committed the deed; ripping out Janos Heart of Darkness|heart and ordering Dumah to recover The Reaver, before the Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Inquisitors 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 Post-Blood Omen era|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 of Nine|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's Staff|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".

Fighting his way through Sarafan Stronghold|the Stronghold, Raziel was confronted by his former human Sarafan warrior inquisitors|Sarafan Inquisitor (and Vampire (Soul Reaver era)|vampire) brethren and Raziel was finally able to "appreciate the delicious irony of Kain’s blasphemous, private joke" as he killed them in turn; killing Melchiah and Zephon in the Courtyard (see Melchiah and Zephon), Rahab and Dumah in 'Sanctuary' (see Rahab and Dumah) and Turel in the Sanctuary choir (see Turel (SR2 boss)) before confronting his former human self in the Chapter House and dispatching him as well (see Raziel (SR2 boss)). 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 Soul devouring|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 and using some precise timing he was able to ignite a Soul Reaver Paradoxes|Paradox and change history; creating the fourth timeline and temporarily sparing Raziel from his fate. Too weak to maintain his Material Realm|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.

Time Travel (Defiance)
"Better to Face one's destiny than cower from it"

- Raziel

Blood Omen era
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 God|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 God|the Elder, assissting 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 asThe Elder God|the Elder removed the Planar portals|Planar Portals providing Raziel access to the Material Realm. Exploring The Cemetery, Raziel found that he could take Possession (Defiance)|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' Moebius' Mercenary Army|Mercenary Army and the Vampire|fledgeling Kain's quest.

Unable to leave The Cemetery without the elemental powers of Light Reaver (Defiance)|Light and Dark Reaver (Defiance)|Dark Reaver|Darkness, Raziel found that the Reaver fonts|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 toWarp gates|transport himself to the sealed Dark Forge (Defiance)|Dark Forge in the Vampire Citadel where he was able to imbue the Dark Reaver (Defiance)|Dark Reaver. Passing through Kain's Mausoleum, Raziel found some other ancient ruins and was able toWarp gates|warp himself to the sealed Light Forge (Defiance)|Light Forge in the Vampire Citadel. Imbuing the Light Reaver (Defiance)|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.

Near The Pillars|the pillars, Raziel found the Warp gates|warp to theFire Forge (Defiance)|Fire Forge and with the Wraith Blade Soul devouring|absorbing the Souls of the original Ancients|ancient Nature Guardian (Vampire)|Nature and Conflict Guardian (Vampire)|Conflict Pillar Guardians|Guardians (see Conflict Guardian (boss)|Vampire Conflict Guardian (boss) and Nature Guardian (boss)|Vampire Nature Guardian (boss)), Raziel imbued the Fire Reaver (Defiance)|Fire Reaver. 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 Blood Omen era|this era; she refused to help Raziel, seeming to view him as a member of the Hylden race and serving the conspiracy that The Corruption of the Pillars|corrupted The Pillars. Ariel did however, provide Raziel with directions to Vorador's Mansion in the Termogent Forest. Along the way, Raziel discovered the Warp gates|warp to the Air Forge (Defiance)|Air Forge and bySoul devouring|absorbing the Souls of the original Ancients|ancient Mind Guardian (Vampire)|Mind and Dimension Guardian (Vampire)|Dimension Pillar Guardians|Guardians (see Mind Guardian (boss)|Vampire Mind Guardian (boss) and Dimension Guardian (boss)|Vampire Dimension Guardian (boss)) into the Wraith Blade, he was able to imbue the Air Reaver (Defiance)|Air Reaver; but the murals of the forge proivded a significant discovery - that the Vampire champion|Vampire Champion that Raziel had believed he was, had an adversary - a Hylden champion|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 gates|warp to the Water Forge (Defiance)|Water Forge, where the Wraith Blade Soul devouring|absorbed the Souls of the original Ancients|Ancient Death Guardian (original)|Death and States Guardian (original)|States Pillar Guardians|Guardians (see States and Death Guardians (boss)|Vampire States and Death Guardians (boss)), imbuing the Water Reaver (Defiance)|Water Reaver (the murals of the forge allowed Raziel to clearly see theHylden champion|Hylden Champion and recognize some of its features as his own). Using the powers of the Water Reaver (Defiance)|Water and Fire Reaver (Defiance)|Fire Reavers, Raziel unlocked a strange Janos' Crypt|crypt in the graveyard behind Vorador's Mansion|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 Avernus|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 gates|warp to theEarth Forge (Defiance)|Earth Forge hidden in Avernus Cathedral|the Cathedral and once at theEarth Forge (Defiance)|Earth Forge he was able to Soul devouring|absorb the Souls of the original Ancients|Ancient Time Guardian (Vampire)|Time an Energy Guardian (Vampire)|Energy Pillar Guardians|Guardians (see Energy and Time Guardians (boss)|Vampire Energy and Time Guardians (boss)) into the Wraith Blade, imbuing the Earth Reaver (Defiance)|Earth Reaver; from the murals in the forge Raziel was also able to work out that the Ancients|Ancient Vampires had worshiped the Elder God and it was his abandonment after the Hylden Blood curse|Curse (which made the ancients Immortality|immortal) that had led them to suicide in attempts to return to the Wheel of Fate. Returning to Avernus Cathedral|the Cathedral, Raziel was able to use the Earth Reaver (Defiance)|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 Vampire-Hylden war|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|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|Hylden Champion (implying the Kain therefore must be the Vampire champion|Vampire Champion).

Pressing further intoAvernus Catacombs|the Catacombs, Raziel discovered the source of the murals - the Hash'ak'gik cult|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 Turel's Pit|the pit and was Enhanced TK|telekinetically attacked by "Hash'ak'gik", dragging him into Turel's Pit|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 Possession (Defiance)|Possessed by several Hylden to command their disciples. When Turel attacked Raziel, Raziel defended himself (see Turel (Defiance boss)) and eventually killed his brother, Soul devouring|consuming his Soul and finally gaining Enhanced TK (he also unknowingly absorbed a measure of the Hylden Possession (Defiance)|Possession and they were able to 'fuel Raziel's anger'). Confronting Mortanius (himself Possession (Defiance)|possessed by the Hylden Lord), Raziel learnt 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|Vampire Champion) and had hidden theHeart of Darkness|heart inside Kain|him; as well as learning from the Hylden Lord that the Hylden would "soon have a stronger vessel". Mortanius Teleportation|teleported away to his final confrontation with the fledgling Kain.



As Raziel arrived back in Avernus Cathedral|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 intoThe Reaver| the Reaver and in desperation he used his bare claws to rip the Heart of Darkness from Kain's chest before Enhanced TK|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 over-run with Moebius' Mercenary Army|Moebius' Mercenaries and a conversation with Moebius (presumably time travelling beyond his Blood Omen|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|Blood Omen). Raziel returned to Janos' Crypt and was able to use Heart of Darkness (and the Wraith Blade) to resurrect Janos Audron|Janos Audron; Janos recalled Raziel from their last meeting identifying him as the Vampire champion|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 Vampire champion|saviour. Janos believed that Raziel had been mislead, but Raziel's summoning of the Wraith Blade shocked Janos and caused him to fundamentally re-assess the complexity of the Ancients|ancient prophecies, leading to him Teleportation|teleporting himself and Raziel to the council chamber of the Vampire Citadel.

At Raziel's insistance, Janos clarified some of the events of Ancients|Ancient Vampire history to Raziel, before persuading him that he would find the answers he sought in the Spirit Forge (Defiance)|Spirit Forge. Opening the way using Janos' Golden Ouroboros|Golden Ouroboros Key, Raziel found the Spirit Forge (Defiance)|Spirit Forge protected by the Elder God, who like Moebius before him, confirmed that it was Kain's role as Scion of Balance that was significant. Using his previously gained :Category:Defiance wraith-blades|elemental Reavers, Raziel was able 'fight off' the Elder God and activate the forge; which called the Souls of all the previous Balance Guardian|BalancePillar Guardians|Guardians (represented by a restored Ariel) for "the final baptism of the blade". Soul devouring|Absorbing the Souls of Ariel and her Balance Guardian|predecessors, the Wraith Blade became imbued with the 'cleansing' elemental power of Spirit Reaver (Defiance)|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 reailzed that they had reached the time of the fledgling Kain's decision (from Blood Omen|Blood Omen) where he doomed The Pillars to Collapse of the Pillars|Collapse. With the 'explosive' Collapse of the Pillars|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 (Defiance)|Possession of Janos. The Hylden revelled 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|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. Desperate to prevent the Hylden's further plans, Raziel battled the Hylden Lord Possession (Defiance)|Possessing Janos (see Hylden Lord (boss)) but was unable to bring himself to kill Janos. Taking advantage of Raziel's weakness the Hylden Lord counter-attacked, dissolving Raziel's Material Realm|Material and Spectral Realm|Spectral manifestations (sending him back to the Elder God in the Spirit Forge (Defiance)|Spirit Forge) and flew away with Janos' body - starting "Blood Omen 2|a new epoch". Trapped once again in the Underworld, The Elder God taunted Raziel that, however endowed, the Wraith Blade could not touch him; before calling (and resurrecting) Moebius to him in the Spirit Forge (Defiance)|Spirit Forge.

But Kain was not dead and presumably feeling the 'calling' of theSpirit Forge (Defiance)|Spirit Forge, he returned there and quickly dispatched the revived Moebius. With Moebius' Spirit appearing before Raziel in the Spectral Realm, Raziel repeated Kain's actions, relishing as the Spirit Reaver (Defiance)|Spirit Reaver cleansed Moebius' sight allowing him for the first time to see The Elder God|the true horror he had worshiped and taking particular pleasure as he Soul devouring|consumed the timestreamer's Soul, returning him to the Wheel of Fate. The Elder God dismissed Raziel's actions as "irrelevant", but Raziel began to see the truth - he was both the Vampire champion|Vampire and the Hylden champion|Hylden Champions (with Kain's role as Scion of Balance completely seperate) and that the 'unseen' force that had manipulated "All the conflict and strife throughout history" was the Elder God himself. Realizing what he had to do, Raziel Possession (Defiance)|Possessed Moebius' corpse to return to the Material Realm, prompting Kain to 'instinctively' run him through with The Reaver. As Raziel fully manifested Kain attempted to free him but Raziel had made his choice and he resisted, finally re-affirming his loyalty to Kain as he sacrificed himself; arming Kain, once again, with the Soul Reaver. As Raziel faded, he dispersed the Spirit Reaver (Defiance)|Spirit Reaver Wraith Blade (his own future self) into Kain, cleansing him of The Corruption of the Pillars|the corruption that had plagued him since birth, healing all of his physical injuries and allowing him for the first time to see "the true enemy" - The Elder God. Using the Soul Reaver, Kain was able to 'defeat' the Elder God and after the battle, Kain comtemplated Raziel's last gift to him - "hope".

Imprisonment
Raziel's sacrifice would not be the end for Raziel's Soul, he would continue to inhabitThe Reaver| the Reaver blade; giving it a reputation for Soul devouring|consuming the souls of its victims so that the blade itself became known as 'The Soul Reaver'. Imprisoned within the blade Raziel would become increasingly deranged as the centuries passed; the Soul Reaver itself would be held for large periods of its history by the Vampire Kain - first by the Elder post-Defiance|Defiance Kain, then by the younger fledgling Vampire Kain (with temporary concessions to William the Just and The Sarafan Lord). After many centuries 'Soul Reaver' Raziel would be freed from his "corporeal prison", when Kain attempted to strike down Raziel's younger wraith incarnation with the blade; unable to Soul devouring|consume his own Soul, a Paradoxes|paradox was created which shattered the physical Soul Reaver|Soul Reaver blade.

Restored to his "true form - a Wraith Blade|Wraith Blade", with his "energy unbound" (but still trapped as 'the spirit' of the Soul Reaver), the 'Wraith Blade' Raziel bound itself to his younger wraith self, becoming his symbiotic weapon and even the Wraith Raziel would come to recognise that the blade was a "sentient parasite" that was "wilful, ravenous and deranged" as it attempted to influence many aspects of his journey. The Wraith Blade would be held by Raziel throughout his journey even as Raziel uncovered its true identity. After imbuing the Wraith Blade with many elements, Wraith Raziel took the Wraith Blade with him back to the Spirit Forge (Defiance)|Spirit Forge in the Blood Omen era, Where the Spirit Reaver (Defiance)|Spirit Reaver enpowered 'Wraith Blade' Raziel was finally freed; dispersed into Kain to heal him ofThe Corruption of the Pillars|the Corruption.

I Alone Could End This
"Do you so enjoy death--"

- Kain

"And now you will see -- the true enemy --"

- Raziel

Personality
Raziel is a very upstanding and moral character, with a strong inherent sense of noblesse oblige; however, the conditions and situations he finds himself in (almost never of his own making) rarely lend themselves to unambiguous ethical judgments and he often ends up doing the wrong thing for the right reason. As a mortal man, he engaged in the systematic extermination of countless Vampires in his fanatical quest to rid the world of his perception of evil. As a Vampire he helped Kain establish his empire, under the controversial belief that Vampires deserved (as a higher form of life, and thusly "knowing better") to rule the world.

He became The Soul Reaver, the state he found himself in after being "betrayed" by Kain and his brethren, then "saved" by the Elder God, by being thrown into the Abyss, a swirling vortex of water. (Its depth is such that it could almost be described as endless although its exact depth is not known for sure.) he stalked Kain and massacred his former brethren, prevaricating that he was not only exacting vengeance, but just settling the balance of existence. He often finds himself the willing or unwilling pawn of those around him, for good or evil. His systemic redemption is found in his final act, one of self-sacrifice. This puts him in harmonic opposition to the character of Kain (though he sacrifices himself not only to escape his curse of infinite death/rebirth cycle or to help defeat "the true enemy", but also for Kain - to whom he pledges allegiance), whose behavior is characterised by viciousness, manipulation and the belief that every person and thing is utterly expendable, but whose actions generally turn out to be right, because he defies those around him, most of whom turn out to be directly or indirectly in league with evil.

Kain proudly admits his actions are motivated by lust for power and revenge (but he truly was predestined to become a tyrant, only in a quest for survival and because of Nupraptor's curse, at his birth), while Raziel unrelently claims his sole motivation is a desire to save the world and that he is solely guided by morals. Raziel unrelently switches from one master (often a manipulator) to another (Moebius and the Sarafan, Kain, the Elder God, Ariel, Janos Audron, Kain - again, Raziel is either being lied to or being told half-truths or what they think the truth is.), while Kain only follows orders when they suit him and never trusts anyone (not even his only love Umah, the female Vampire who cared for him during his comatose sleep in Blood Omen 2).

Appearances

 * Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver comic
 * Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
 * Soul Reaver 2
 * Blood Omen 2 (mentioned only)
 * Legacy of Kain: Defiance comic
 * Legacy of Kain: Defiance

Non-canonical

 * Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (Raziel and Kain Character Pack)