Pillars of Nosgoth (Soul Reaver 2)

The Pillars of Nosgoth were one of the main locations visited by Raziel in Soul Reaver 2. Consisting of the Pillars clearing and nearby passageways, the location was featured as a main area on maps and was encountered as a playable location in all of the eras visited in Soul Reaver 2.

Role
As with other titles in the series, the Pillars of Nosgoth were the main geographical and mythological hub of the land of Nosgoth and the Pillars area was represented by the main Pillars clearing which contained the the nine Pillars, the pillars dais and nearby battlement entrance; as well as the surrounding grassy passageways including an unusual Shrine nearby.

The Pillars were first mentioned in Soul Reaver 2 early on in Chapter 1: A Reaver in Time as Moebius alerted Raziel to the fact that Kain awaited him at the pillars in the Pre-Blood Omen era, displaying a brief vision in the viewing basin of the Circle's gathering-room of the Sarafan Stronghold. After leaving the Stronghold and Great Southern Lake, Raziel would travel to the pillars himself, passing a mysterious Shrine before arriving at the Pillars clearing in Chapter 2: Decision at the Pillars to confront Kain. However instead of the expected battle, Kain explained the events surrounding the Corruption of the Pillars as he and Raziel witnessed them and was able to persuade Raziel that he had a way out of his dilemma hidden in Raziel's presence there. After Kain teleported away, Raziel was able to progress beyond the Pillars and find a passage in the Spectral Realm which led away to the Subterranean Ruins - where Raziel would discover the Subterranean Pillars Chamber and the Elder God residing there.

After imbuing the Dark Reaver at the Dark forge in the Swamp and meeting the Vampire Vorador, Raziel returned through the Subterranean Ruins to the Pillars area and passed back through heading to the Light forge in the banks of the Southern Lake.

Raziel would return to the Pillars area again some time later as he investigated the Nosgoth of the Post-Blood Omen era in Chapter 5: A Fateful Meeting. Like much of the rest of Nosgoth in this period, the area was under attack from various Demons infiltrating the Material and Spectral Realms. Defeating the Demons and various Demon hunters, Raziel would face the first Gas demons nearby the Shrine before progressing to the Pillars clearing where he met with the specter of Ariel and debated Kain's culpability for the Collapse of the Pillars; eventually ending up defending Kain's action to her. When Raziel attempted to leave via the passage to the Subterranean Ruins, he was confronted by his first encounter with a Fire demon before he was able to progress down to the ruins and another meeting with the Elder in the Subterranean Pillars chamber.

When Raziel arrived in Nosgoth's early history in Chapter 7: On to the Past his goal was to reach Janos Audron's Retreat, however he could optionally head the opposite way, in which case he would encounter the victims of the Sarafan Vampire purge at the Pillars clearing and comment on their crusade, before being confronted with the first Sarafan warriors outside the Pillars battlement, instead of the usual encounters in the Swamp. Heading onto Janos's retreat and the meeting the Ancient vampire himself, Raziel discovered that his former human self and the other Sarafan warrior inquisitors were responsible for the death of Janos and the theft of the Reaver and the Heart of Darkness. Pursuing the Sarafan back to their stronghold in Chapter 9: Blade of Vengeance, Raziel passed through the Pillars area for the final time. On this occasion under assault by various Time-displaced Demons, Raziel would be confronted by a final epic battle with three Black demons at the Pillars clearing, before heading back to the Lake and Sarafan Stronghold.

Design and Layout
The second trail from the Shrine led around the rock formation, rising and bending to emerge in an open area at the top of the waterfall. Crossing the river atop the water fall led to a small area with a checkpoint and a Dark font. Upstream the river entered a large open roofed cavern containing a larger waterfall (the source of the water in the Shrine area) and a wooden staircase leading up to a ledge containing an Air font. In most eras a wooden bridge crossed the room to an opening in the rock which leading into a trail heading towards the Pillars of Nosgoth.

Connections
From the Stone-arch passage ("Pillars1") From the Shrine area ("Pillars1"/"Pillars2") From the Pillars clearing ("Pillars4")
 * The southern passage leads south to the Lake exit passage ("Lake4") and the main 'outer' lake area ("Lake2") for the Great Southern Lake, Sarafan Stronghold and Light Forge (SR2).
 * The northern passage leads over a bridge and along a stream to the lower Shrine area ("Pillars1")
 * The southeastern trail leads along the stream, over the lower bridge and through the arch formation to the outer Lake trail ("Lake4")
 * The northern waterfall and western trails in the lower shrine both lead to the upper shrine area ("Pillars2")
 * The western trail and southern waterfall in the upper shrine both lead to the lower shrine area ("Pillars1")
 * The northern cavern leads to the upper bridge and a trail heads east to the pillars entrance ("Pillars3") and onwards to the Pillars of Nosgoth ("Pillars4")
 * The high northern ledge (stairway in Spectral) leads through a twisting narrow Passage ("Pillars5") and a wider terraced route ("Pillars6") down to the entrance to the Subterranean Ruins ("Pillars7")
 * The southern battlement entrance leads south through a twisting passage ("Pillars3") and down through the upper bridge to the upper Shrine area ("Pillars2")

Appearances
Soul Reaver 2