Nosgoth

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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


Nosgoth is a fictional setting, incorporating elements of fantasy, steampunk and science-fiction. 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).

Principles
The metaphysics of Nosgoth can be divided into nine magical principles: Balance, Conflict, Death, Dimension, Energy, the Mind, Nature, States and Time. 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. Fire and Air are associated with Light, and Water and Earth with Darkness. These principles, along with Spirit, form the basis of Nosgoth's physics and magic system. 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.

Realms
At least three seperate 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. 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.

Time travel
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. The futures of Nosgoth's inhabitants are predestined, and the concept of fatalism is a reality rather than an idea. However, the Soul Reaver introduces loopholes to this rule, and - throughout the course of the games - Kain has succeeded in changing history three times. 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".

Geography


Beyond its obvious nature as a fictional land, it is (deliberately) never explained what Nosgoth actually is. Formally, it should always be referred to as the Land of Nosgoth. 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.

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.

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.

Landmarks


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.


 * The Air Forge: Explored in Soul Reaver 2. An ancient vampire shrine dedicated to the bearer of the Soul Reaver, designed to imbue the blade with the elemental power of Air. Located near Janos Audron's Retreat.
 * The Canyons: Explored in Blood Omen 2. Wild, desertified canyons outside the city of Meridian. Though largely desolate, they are inhabited by various outlaws, and the Seer.
 * The Cemetery: Recurring. A mass graveyard west of the village of Ziegsturhl, with mausoleums and temples dating back to ancient history.
 * Dark Eden: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. An unnatural garden of horrors - straddled with lava and dead terrain - created by corrupt members of the Circle of Nine. Its dome of energy threatens to consume and warp the land.
 * The Dark Forge: Explored in Soul Reaver 2. An ancient vampire shrine dedicated to the bearer of the Soul Reaver, designed to imbue the blade with the elemental power of Air. Located in the Swamp.
 * The Drowned Abbey: Explored in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. Formerly a sanctuary against the vampire menace, the Abbey was flooded and seized by the Rahabim clan, becoming their territory.
 * The Eternal Prison: Explored in Blood Omen 2. A mysterious and sinister jail where natural laws are distorted. The prison guardians within claim to carry out a great experiment, supposedly restoring balance to those who have transgressed the laws of the gods and man.
 * The Fire Forge: Explored in Soul Reaver 2. An ancient vampire shrine dedicated to the bearer of the Soul Reaver, designed to imbue the blade with the elemental power of Air. Located near Janos Audron's Retreat.
 * The House of the Dollmaker: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. The residence of Elzevir the Dollmaker, situated in the center of the Lake of Lost Souls.
 * The Human Citadel: Explored in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. The last known enclave of free humanity after Kain's campaigns, and the headquarters of the latest incarnation of Nosgoth's vampire hunters.
 * Janos Audron's Retreat: Explored in Soul Reaver 2. A tall edifice high in the mountains, beyond the canyons north of Uschtenheim. Its aeries were constructed by the ancient vampires, and serve as the refuge of the solitary Janos Audron.
 * The Land of the Nemesis: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A kingdom in the north-east of Nosgoth, ruled over by a monarchy. One of its kings, William the Just, once threatened to conquer the land with his massive legions.
 * The Light Forge: Explored in Soul Reaver 2. An ancient vampire shrine dedicated to the bearer of the Soul Reaver, designed to imbue the blade with the elemental power of Air. Located near the Great Southern Lake.
 * The Lighthouse: Explored in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. An inland lighthouse in a valley south of the Silenced Cathedral, guarded by the Turelim.
 * The Lost City: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. An obscure and ancient city, with architecture of unclear origin, accessed via the Lake of the Dead. Its ziggurats are dominated by werewolves and other creatures.
 * Malek's Bastion: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A fortress perched on an isolated mountaintop in Nosgoth's northern mountains. Harsh and devoid of life, it serves as home to Malek the Paladin, the former leader of the Sarafan.
 * Nachtholm Cove: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A small bay where the water-bound village of Nachtholm is positioned.
 * The Necropolis: Explored in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. The territory of the Melchahim, and formerly a mass graveyard for humans. Its charnel houses were invaded by these vampires to replenish their declining ranks.
 * Nupraptor's Retreat: Recurring. The skull-shaped fortress and hermitage of Nupraptor the Mentalist, overlooking Vasserbünde. The Retreat endures into Nosgoth's latest eras, but its façade is partially destroyed.
 * The Oracle's Cave: Recurring. Moebius's arctic, labyrinthine home in the wastes of northern Nosgoth. Beneath the caves lies a complex which leads to the Chronoplast, an enormous time-streaming device which can reveal the time-stream to observers.
 * The Pillars of Nosgoth: Recurring. The mythological hub of Nosgoth. Summoned before recorded history and protected by the Circle of Nine, the Pillars' health dictates the vitality of the land itself. Following their collapse, Nosgoth devolves into a wasteland.
 * The Plains of Blood: Seen in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A series of fields located between Avernus, the Land of the Nemesis and the Lake of Lost Souls.
 * The Provincial Mines: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A mine east of Willendorf, plumbed for its precious metals. An old fountain lies within, filled with the blood of the Willendorf monarchy's forefathers.
 * Raziel's clan territory: Explored in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. The territory of Raziel's clan, adjacent to the Necropolis and the Lake of the Dead.
 * The Ruined City: Explored in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. The mountain stronghold of the Dumahim, constructed west of the entrance to the Oracle's Cave. Attacked by vampire hunters, it lies dormant and desolate.
 * The Sarafan Stronghold: Recurring. The headquarters of the Sarafan brotherhood, and, later, of Moebius's mercenary army. Constructed next to the Great Southern Lake, it is the setpiece of several important events in Nosgoth's timeline.
 * The Silenced Cathedral: Explored in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. Constructed as a weapon by the vampire hunters - designed to blast a deadly hymn across the land - it was seized by the Zephonim before its purpose was fulfilled.
 * The Smokestack: Seen in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. A giant tower-shaped furnace, designed by Kain's vampires to perpetually belch smoke into the sky and shield their empire from the effects of the sun.
 * The Subterranean Ruins: Explored in Soul Reaver 2. A series of tunnels filled with crystals and ancient ruins. The Pillars of Nosgoth pass through here as they extend deep into the earth, through a chamber where the Elder God lurks.
 * The Swamp: Explored in Soul Reaver 2. A dense, primeval swamp near or within the Termogent Forest. Though near-uninhabitable, it houses the ancient Dark Forge.
 * The Termogent Forest: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A vast, waterlogged forest fed by the Lake of the Dead. Despite its harmful nature to vampires, it is home to Vorador's Mansion.
 * The Tomb of the Sarafan: Explored in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. The impenetrably-sealed burial place of the Sarafan warrior inquisitors, later ravaged and exposed by upheavals in the land.
 * The Underworld (Defiance): Explored in Legacy of Kain: Defiance. An extensive complex of caverns and ruins beneath the Cemetery, inhabited by the Elder God's amorphous mass.
 * The Underworld (SR1): Explored in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. Tunnels beneath the Lake of the Dead and the Abyss, inhabited by the Elder God. Lost souls and various ruins from above exist within its confines.
 * The Vampire Citadel: Explored in Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Lying within the Lake of Tears, the Citadel was once the stronghold of the ancient vampires and the Circle of Nine, but was shrouded away by magics.
 * Vorador's Mansion: Recurring. Effectively a private kingdom belonging to the vampires, presided over by their patriarch, Vorador.

Settlements


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. Many of Nosgoth's settlements use pseudo-Germanic naming conventions, particularly in northern and central regions.


 * Avernus: Recurring. Easily one of Nosgoth's largest cities, it surrounds a massive cathedral, which in turn houses secrets from ancient eras of history.
 * Coorhagen: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A once-wealthy, aristocratic town - described as the finest city in all of Nosgoth, rich in vanity and conceit - and the birthplace of Kain.
 * Freeport: Seen in Blood Omen 2. A relatively large city, and Nosgoth's only known coastal settlement, with the exception of Meridian.
 * Meridian: Explored in Blood Omen 2. Described as the capital of Nosgoth, it is the southernmost known city, lying on the coast of the Great Southern Sea. A massive industrial center, similar to Victorian London.
 * Nachtholm: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A village constructed on a cove, traversable by bridges. It was considered typifying of the Nosgoth populace's lifestyles.
 * Provance: Seen in Blood Omen 2. A town situated near the Great Southern Lake, on the opposite side from Ziegsturhl. It lies directly north of Meridian.
 * Stahlberg: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A city on the edge of the Land of the Nemesis, and home to the most prominent libraries and universities in Nosgoth.
 * Steinchencröe: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A walled, well-guarded town whose inhabitants were characterized for their displeasing aroma.
 * Uschtenheim: Recurring. One of the oldest villages in Nosgoth. Situated in a canyon in the northern mountains, it lies near the mountain retreat of Janos Audron.
 * Vasserbünde: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A town east of the Lake of Tears, lying below Nupraptor's Retreat, and to the south of Coorhagen.
 * Willendorf: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A prosperous kingdom, ruled over by a monarchy. It notably houses a large castle and a renowned library.
 * Ziegsturhl: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. The smallest known village in Nosgoth, lying in the woodland region east of the Cemetery.

Bodies of water


In the known regions of Nosgoth, lakes act as the main water source; most of the events of the series occur far inland. Only one sea is known to exist.


 * The Great Southern Lake: Explored in Soul Reaver 2. An enormous lake adjacent to the Sarafan Stronghold, fed by waterfalls. It lies near the Light Forge, and its lakebed contains other enigmatic ruins.
 * The Great Southern Sea: Explored in Blood Omen 2. Nosgoth's only known sea, bordering Freeport and Meridian. The Eternal Prison and Hylden City are situated offshore.
 * The Lake of Lost Souls: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. The northernmost lake known to exist in Nosgoth. The House of the Dollmaker lies on an isthmus at its center.
 * The Lake of Serenity: Explored in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. A lake which contains two islands, the largest of which is home to the main city of Willendorf.
 * The Lake of Tears: Recurring. The largest known lake in Nosgoth. Shrouded in magical mists, its waters hide the desolate remains of the Vampire Citadel.
 * The Lake of the Dead: Recurring. Feeds into the Termogent Forest, and houses a teleporter to the Lost City. Later, it becomes home to the whirling maelstrom of the Abyss, and serves as an execution ground.

History
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;
 * 2) Nosgoth's early history , spanning roughly 450 years;
 * 3) The history preceding Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, or pre-Blood Omen era , spanning roughly 50 years;
 * 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;
 * 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;
 * 6) and the events of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, or Soul Reaver era , spanning at least 1500 years.

The full span of known history in Nosgoth comprises a minimum of 5500 years. Since Nosgoth's history was altered three times throughout the Legacy of Kain games, four timelines have been observed in the series. These are:


 * The first timeline , derailed by the first paradox;
 * The second timeline , derailed by the second paradox;
 * The third timeline , derailed by the third paradox;
 * and the fourth timeline , which has not been derailed, and remains Nosgoth's current "living" timeline.

Most of Nosgoth's seminal events remain consistent between the four timelines, but certain aspects of its history have been heavily altered or expelled as the time-stream was derailed.

Eras
Prior to the Corruption of the Pillars in the Pre-Blood Omen era, Nosgoth was depicted as somewhat of a paradise with "abundant life and vitality". In Nosgoth's early history, the Ancient Vampire and Hylden had been involved in a devastating war for control of Nosgoth. This war would lead to the near-destruction of both species. With the raising of the Pillars of Nosgoth and the construction of the binding the Hylden were banished to the Demon Realm and as the vampires fell to the Blood Curse, a Human Rebellion would overthrow their control and the Pillars would come under Human guardianship - leading to the ancient history of the vampires being wiped out and forgotten as the Humans came to view the vampires as "a plague upon mankind". Eventually the friction between the humans and (a new generation of) vampires would lead to the instigation of the Sarafan against the vampire menace. The successful Sarafan would eliminate many vampires over the years, including the last of the ancients, Janos Audron, but eventually (possibly due in part to revenge attacks by Vorador and Raziel) the order would crumble. Though much of the history crucial to later conflicts has it's beginnings at this time, Nosgoth itself is depicted as in 'good health' until the Corruption of the Pillars in the Pre-Blood Omen era (though later evidence suggests that the loss of Vampire guardians may have had an unseen effect upon the stability of Nosgoth.)

Within the series, Nosgoth was first mentioned in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain as the 'land' where Blood Omen takes place, in this era, several maps (including one avaliable in-game) depicted Nogoth as a temperate region with a diverse environment including many forests, mountain ranges (Nogoth is surrounded by them in this depiction), rivers and lakes, and a range of settlements. Nosgoth was depicted as stretching from the Lake of Tears in the west to the Provincial Mines in the east and from Coorhagen/Dark Eden in the north to the Cemetery/Lake of Serenity to the south.

Whilst on the course of his quest in Blood Omen, Kain would be able to explore much of this area of Nosgoth, though many of the locations significant to later games were inaccessible (including the Great Southern Lake and the Lake of Tears; sites of the Sarafan Stronghold and Vampire Citadel respectively). It was also hinted that map was at least partially incomplete as there were mentions of several settlements (apparently much further to the east or north) that were infected by the plague or conquered by the Legions of the Nemesis (prior to their attack on Stahlberg).

During the course of Blood Omen, the health of Nosgoth itself was threatened by the Corruption of the Pillars of Nosgoth and at the climax of that game, Kain's refusal to sacrifice himself to restore them, sealed the Collapse of the Pillars and Nosgoth would slowly become a wasteland. For the next few centuries Nosgoth would be subjected to violent Demon incursions from the Demon Realm and Kain (in the fourth timeline) would build up his army and attempt a conquest of Nosgoth, becoming embroiled in a war with the fledgling Sarafan Order for control of Nosgoth. In this era, maps focused on the previously unseen south-western coast of Nosgoth along the Great Southern Sea, (likely because of the prolonged conflict between Kain's Army and the Sarafan Order concentrated in that area). By the time of Kain's revival, the Sarafan (and Hylden) influence had brought something of an Industrial Revolution to Nosgoth and at this time Nosgoth's capital was based at Meridian, on the coast of the Great Southern Sea (presumably before their collapse, the pillars would have held such an honor).

After the defeat of the Sarafan Order, Kain would raise his own vampire sons and conquer Nosgoth, giving birth to his empire. With the domestication of the Humans, many human settlements were presumably destroyed (leaving only the Human Citadel) and human slaves were put to work constructing the new empire (including building Kain's throne room, the Sanctuary of the Clans, built around the collapsed remains of the the pillars) But the effects of the Pillars collapse had begun to severly effect the health of Nosgoth and little of the green vegetation seen in previous era remained. The formerly calm Lake of the Dead had apparently 'collapsed in on itself', creating The Abyss, Kain's "execution ground for traitors and weaklings" and a major landmark of Kain's Nosgoth. Further to this, Kain's empire had begun to take actions to make the land hospitable for the dominant vampires and huge furnaces were built to "belch smoke into the sky, shielding the land from the poisonous effects of the sun". Jake Pawloski has created a map which has all the areas present and cut which applies to both during Raziel´s late years as a vampire and the Soul Reaver era. This map is one of the most accurate Soul Reaver maps available and is the only one which also shows the location of the lakes and land in comparison to the landmarks.

After Raziel's execution, Nosgoth decended further into a wasteland and by the time of Raziel's return five centuries later, the Vampire Clans of Nosgoth had devolved into various beasts and "scattered to the corners of Nosgoth" (though several clan territories would remain around the heart of Kain's Empire in western Nosgoth.) By this time, Nosgoth was "wracked with cataclysms" (apparently due to attempts by Nosgoth itself to "shrug off the pestilence of Kain’s parasitic empire.") with the Elder commenting that Nosgoth was "on the brink of collapse" and Kain admitting that "this place has outlasted it's usefulness". After travelling back in time and observing Nosgoth before the corruption, Raziel referred to this era as "the corpse of Nosgoth – a lifeless husk, bled dry by the corruption of Kain’s parasitic empire." Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance would explore Nosgoth at earlier periods in time (the early and later Nosgoth's early history and the Pre and Post-Blood Omen eras) and these would re-inforce the view that prior to the Corruption of the Pillars, Nosgoth was a land of vitality and after their collapse, a dying wasteland.

Races



 * The humans:


 * The vampires:
 * The ancient vampires:
 * The second generation of vampires:
 * The post-Blood Omen era vampires:
 * The Soul Reaver era vampires:


 * The Hylden:
 * The pre-banishment Hylden:
 * The post-banishment Hylden:


 * Animals:
 * Animated entities:
 * Archons:
 * Blobs:
 * Demons:
 * Mutants:
 * Revenants:
 * Shades:
 * Sluagh:
 * Specters:
 * Undead:
 * Wraiths:

Factions

 * The ancient, primitive cult:
 * The '''Cabal:
 * '''Cabal contacts:
 * The Circle of Nine:
 * The Dark Eden triad:
 * The demon hunters:
 * The feral humans:
 * The gypsies:
 * The '''Hash'ak'gik cult:
 * The cenobites:
 * Kain's assassins:
 * Kain's empire:
 * The Council:
 * The vampire worshipers:
 * Kain's vampire army:
 * The legions of the Nemesis:
 * The Lion Throne
 * The army of the Last Hope:
 * Moebius's mercenary army:
 * The Sarafan (Nosgoth's early history):
 * The Sarafan warrior inquisitors:
 * The Sarafan (post-Blood Omen era):
 * The glyphwrights:
 * The traitor vampires:
 * The '''Serioli:
 * The vampire hunters:

Appearances

 * Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
 * Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver comic
 * Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
 * Soul Reaver 2
 * Blood Omen 2
 * Legacy of Kain: Defiance comic
 * Legacy of Kain: Defiance

Non-canonical

 * Legacy of Kain: The Dark Prophecy (canceled)
 * Tomb Raider: Legend (depicted only)
 * Tomb Raider: Anniversary (depicted only)
 * Tomb Raider: Underworld (depicted only)
 * Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (Raziel and Kain Character Pack)