Vorador

"In the bowels of that black forest, I found something worse than Hell. A vision of what I was becoming."

- Kain

Vorador is a major supporting character throughout the Legacy of Kain series, appearing in every title aside from Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. A long-lived, decadent and abrasive vampire, he acted as a loose, de-facto mentor to Kain following his transformation, and was considered the paragon of all his kindred by the Blood Omen era. Fiercely loyal to his people, Vorador viewed humanity with contempt, and his exploits against the Sarafan brotherhood and the Circle of Nine became legendary over several centuries.

Kain's gradual acceptance of the blood curse, and his eventual journey to restore the Pillars of Nosgoth to the vampire race, stemmed from Vorador's influence. With the alterations to history induced after a historical paradox, Vorador was hunted down and executed by Moebius's mercenary army, but his legacy endured. He assisted Raziel during his quest for answers across several eras, and was ultimately resurrected with the introduction of a later temporal paradox, siring a new lineage of vampires and attempting to retake Nosgoth alongside Kain.

Beyond Redemption
"After slaughtering six of the sheep I defeated their pathetic little shepherd - Malek. Since then our kind has not bothered with the cattle, except to feed. And I suggest you do the same."

- Vorador



Vorador was born in a "more primitive period" of Nosgoth's history, in ancient times, and suffered deeply as a younger vampire at the hands of the Sarafan brotherhood, who had slaughtered his family, friends, lovers and children over the course of their infamous purges. Outraged by the genocide of his people at their hands, Vorador invaded the Sarafan Stronghold during Nosgoth's early history and took his revenge on the Circle of Nine for supporting the Sarafan crusades. There, he slaughtered six of the Pillar Guardians and defeated Malek, their defender.

Since that time, Vorador vowed to never again concern himself with the affairs of the human race, except to feed - he would declare that "meddling in the affairs of man can do [the vampires] no good." Decadent and hedonistic, he held court with his brides in his labyrinthine mansion, a "private kingdom" in the depths of the Termogent Forest. In the Blood Omen era, having been directed to seek counsel from the reclusive warrior by the Oracle of Nosgoth, Kain navigated the halls of this grandiose castle and met Vorador in its dining hall. Kain was unimpressed by the "decadent old fool", and considered Vorador's "boorish account of how he defeated Malek" blasé.

Vorador was vocal in attesting that vampirism was a gift and a blessing, not a curse - an ideal Kain would eventually come to adopt as his own. As the two supped from goblets of blood, he chastised Kain as "young and foolish", and instructed him to avoid Sarafan witch-hunts. Despite noting Kain's arrogance, Vorador admitted that the younger vampire was an amusement to him, and offered Kain his signet ring, enabling the fledgling to summon him if he required assistance. Kain, however, was still revulsed by his fellow vampire, viewing Vorador "with clear knowledge of what sort of monster [he] would become if [he] let my curse consume [him]".

Thinning the Herd
"Gift? Pah! Vorador thought my curse a blessing. That we were gods and that mortals offered their blood as sacrifice so that we could enjoy our supernatural powers. And somewhere deep inside my new self I knew he was right. That mortal dreams were prayers. Prayers to us - begging for our power."

- Kain



Later, while assaulting the stronghold of Dark Eden at the roof of the world, Kain confronted his prey - the Guardians Bane, DeJoule and Anarcrothe: Anarcrothe summoned Malek to defend him before fleeing, and Kain used the ring to call on Vorador in response. Exchanging insults, the two ancient enemies challenged one another and clashed vehemently as Kain pursued Bane and DeJoule. When Kain returned after slaying the wizards, he learned the outcome of the battle; though the old vampire was nowhere to be seen, Malek's armor lay strewn in pieces across the chamber's floor, indicating that Vorador had "finally laid his old adversary to rest". Kain ignored Vorador's advice and, as the Oracle had suggested, meddled in the conflict in the north between the Army of the Last Hope and the Land of the Nemesis.

Cornered during the Battle of the Last Stand, Kain traveled back in time to murder William the Just and prevent the Legions of the Nemesis from rising to power. He succeeded in altering history, removing the Legions from history and creating a new timeline. Unfortunately, the Oracle - Moebius the Time Streamer - capitalized on William's death at Kain's hands to revive the ideals of the Sarafan brotherhood, turning Nosgoth's populace against the vampires once again. In this new present, Vorador and his kindred were again hunted down and slain by Moebius's mercenary army in retribution for Kain's act in the past. Vorador, Nosgoth's last surviving vampire besides Kain, was executed and guillotined at a garrison south of Stahlberg, his severed head brutally held aloft before a crowd of human spectators.

Despite his ignoble demise, Kain - in addition to revising his viewpoint on vampirism - had come to consider Vorador a father figure. Disgusted at the machinations of his corrupt fellow human Guardians, Kain realized the truth in Vorador's sentiment and cherished it as an epiphany, concluding that "we are gods - dark gods - and it is our duty to thin the herd." Condemning the Pillars of Nosgoth and opting to rule the world in its damnation, Kain donned Vorador's signet ring as an earring, symbolizing the elder vampire's influence over his fatal decision and the creation of his empire.

The Dark Gods
"Whelp! As if you knew what eternity was! Grovel before your true master."

- Vorador, taunting Malek



Two thousand years onward, in the Soul Reaver era, Vorador's reputation as a legendary figure still endured in Nosgoth. Raziel was at least passingly aware of his exploits in bygone days, and even referred to Nosgoth's early history as the "time of Vorador" as he commented on the purges while infiltrating the long-abandoned Tomb of the Sarafan. In a Chapel near the Drowned Abbey, he could also encounter a stained glass window depicting Vorador, and after pursuing Kain into the pre-Blood Omen era, he had the opportunity to discuss mural effigies in the Sarafan Stronghold with Moebius, painted on the walls of the very chamber in which Vorador had slaughtered six of the Guardians centuries before. The images demonized Vorador, and Moebius spoke his name with contempt. He referred to Vorador as "the scourge of the Circle", and denounced him "the most depraved and decadent example of his whole degenerate race".

Having emerged from the Stronghold, Raziel had "the constant and palpable sensation of being watched". After discoursing with Kain at the Pillars of Nosgoth, he frequently encountered strange crows which curiously dispersed into green mist when approached. In the Swamp, Vorador briefly exposed his identity as Raziel's observer; the crows were apparently his agents, covertly tracking Raziel's progress. After Raziel obtained the Dark Reaver, the two conversed directly. Perturbed by Moebius's renewed crusade, Vorador was darkly cynical, and was distrustful of Raziel, believing him "more demon than vampire". He probed to determine whether Raziel had caused the recent corruption of the Pillars, but relented upon discovering that Raziel was unaware of his own destiny.

Before disappearing, Vorador explained that his sire, the ancient vampire Janos Audron, might have provided the answers Raziel sought, but, noting that Janos was dead, apathetically claimed "you – and all of us – are out of luck". In the post-Blood Omen era, now in another new, third timeline, Raziel encountered a statue erected in honor of Moebius in the main hall of the Sarafan Stronghold. The tableau - bearing the words "Requiescat in pace" - depicted Moebius brandishing what appeared to be the actual head of Vorador, bloodied and discolored from a century of decay. When Raziel finally met with Janos Audron in Nosgoth's early history, the two discussed Vorador's prejudices against humanity: though he himself bore little to no ill will towards mortals, Janos could empathize, remarking that Vorador's hatred stemmed from the fact that he had "suffered much" at their hands. He "[could not] forgive them".

A Forthright Being
"Call your dogs! They can feast on your corpses!"

- Vorador



Soon afterward, when Raziel assaulted the Sarafan Stronghold to avenge Janos's death at the hands of the Sarafan warrior inquisitors, Vorador also decided to exact revenge for the murder of his sire. The vampire purges as a whole played their part, but it was the killing of Janos, Raziel realized, that had been the real impetus for the retaliatory slaughter of the Circle. While Raziel was delayed by Moebius and Malek, Vorador's sardonic laughter and battle cries could be heard in the distance as he simultaneously annihilated the Circle of Nine in their gathering-room, slaying six Guardians as depicted in the murals some five centuries later. With Raziel safely trapped, Moebius permitted Malek to (belatedly) rush to their aid, and the legendary fight between the two commenced.

Along with that of Nosgoth as a whole, Vorador's history was rewritten by a third historical paradox, when Kain defied fate by temporarily saving Raziel from being devoured by the Soul Reaver. In the Blood Omen era of the new, fourth timeline which this event spawned, Raziel discovered - via murals in the Vampire Citadel - that Vorador had been the first human in Nosgoth to receive the blood curse from the ancient vampires, and that he had been responsible for forging the Reaver for the original Circle of Nine. Deducing that Vorador therefore held the key to escaping his destiny, Raziel penetrated the defenses of his mansion, where the mirthless vampire explained that he knew nothing of the Reaver's true purpose. Moebius's renewed purges had continued since their last meeting; Vorador seemed tired of watching "the last pathetic battle of the vampire race" play out, and was suspicious of Raziel, apparently having discerned his destiny: Raziel was both the vampire and Hylden champions, and his free will ensured he could choose which side to follow.

Vorador, having failed to locate the Heart of Darkness over the centuries, instructed Raziel to revive his sire and "redeem [himself]", assuring him that Janos held all the answers. He directed Raziel to search for the Heart in Avernus Cathedral, but spoke of his wariness of the Unspoken within; he warned Raziel to "resist its influence". After reclaiming the Heart, Raziel returned only to find the estate collapsing, swarmed by Moebius's mercenary army. Moebius himself taunted Raziel on the imminent execution of Vorador, but confessed that the old vampire - despite his earlier expressions of apathy - had fought passionately, exacting "a considerable price in blood" before his capture. "Let it sustain him until his head is off", Moebius chided, throwing Vorador's sword at Raziel's feet. He then departed to partake in Vorador's execution, where the vampire's death would be witnessed by the fledgling Kain, and subsequently avenged.

Return from the Grave
"So...our wretched little savior returns... come to join the last pathetic battle of the vampire race? But on which side, I wonder..."

- Vorador



At some point during the fourth timeline's Blood Omen era or post-Blood Omen era, Vorador was resurrected by an unknown party.

In the post-Blood Omen era, the revived Vorador regrouped with the young Kain, and agreed to assist in the recreation of the decimated vampire race. Kain was unable to create vampires himself, having not yet discovered a method of doing so, and thus Vorador personally sired the first vampires of the post-Blood Omen era. As the patriarch of this new generation, he allied with Kain in the creation of a vampire army. Over "decades" of war, they clashed with the Sarafan order, which had recently been revived by the Hylden Lord. During this time period, he or his direct descendants sired Faustus, Magnus, Marcus, Sebastian, and the future members of the Cabal.

After claiming the cities of Ziegsturhl, Provance and Freeport, the vampires were betrayed by Sebastian, who orchestrated an ambush which crippled their forces. In the battle of Meridian, they were utterly defeated by the Sarafan, and Kain was left for dead. Vorador reclaimed and hid Kain's unresponsive body, and over the next two hundred years, he led the Cabal, an underground, vampire-loyal resistance movement in Meridian determined to eliminate the Sarafan order. He no longer had "the strength" to create more vampires; it was not a trivial process in his eyes. Assisted by Umah, his favored vampire child and spy, he conspired to kill the Hylden Lord. Only when the Sarafan were eliminated could the vampire race hope to survive.

As the leader of the Cabal, Vorador concealed his identity "for secrecy's sake". He attracted several of his descendants to his cause, even attaining the support of the human Bishop of Meridian, and attempted to convince other, more ambivalent individuals such as Marcus, but was unable to prevent several of his kin from reneging to the Sarafan order's banner. Four centuries after the collapse of the Pillars, he and his followers were headquartered in Sanctuary, which consisted of the basement of the Blue Lady Curios shop. They were "divided, and dying", with no prospect of prolonged survival under the "iron rule" of the Sarafan regime. Though distrustful of his power and ambitions, they were left with no choice but to revive Kain from his comatose state.

The Reformed Sado-Hedonist
"Vorador! The reformed sado-hedonist of Termogent Forest – I had met him once before in his new role of patriarch. I still knew not to trust him."

- Kain

Upon awakening from his comatose state and resolving to meet the "mysterious leader", Kain could encounter wanted posters depicting his old compatriot throughout the Lower City, but did not voice his surprise until he met Vorador in person. Vorador welcomed Kain to Sanctuary, albeit with wariness and reluctance - Kain responded with "false courtesy" and attempted to rouse him into creating new Vampires. For unclear reasons, the two no longer trusted one another. Vorador's personality was substantially removed from his original incarnation in the first timeline: he was "the reformed sado-hedonist of Termogent Forest", no longer brash, arrogant and decadent, but chastened, senescent and patriarchal. Upon learning that Umah had been captured by the Sarafan, he immediately directed Kain to rescue her from the Sarafan Keep, and frequently provided him directions and guidance via the Whisper. Though the two were in agreement that the Sarafan Lord needed to be slain, Kain did not take kindly to Vorador's "weary admonitions of safety and care".

Once Umah was rescued, she informed the Vampires of the Nexus Stone. Vorador was already aware of the Stone's capacity to resist the power of the Soul Reaver, and permitted Kain to retain it once he retrieved it from the Industrial Quarter upon killing Sebastian. He had Kain visit the Seer, a Hylden older even than himself, revealing that she owed him a favor.

Facing Extinction
"Do you so wish to return to the grave, old friend? You are in no position to challenge me."

- Kain

Later, while discussing their unsuccessful attempts to contact Kain, Vorador and Umah were stunned to see Kain return with none other than Janos Audron, alive once again. Astonished to see his long-dead sire revived, Vorador chose to remain at Sanctuary with Janos and the Cabal while Kain and Umah were sent to deactivate the ward barrier in the Hylden City.

Kain succeeded, and Janos teleported himself into the heart of the City alongside Vorador. Anxious for news on Umah's whereabouts, Vorador pressed Kain, accurately fearing the worst, but was appalled and shocked to learn that Kain himself had killed Umah for betraying him and stealing the Nexus Stone. He and Kain argued fervently, Vorador denouncing Kain a "monster" whom he was wrong ever to trust, Kain claiming that Vorador would have enacted the same punishment in his position.

Directly after they agreed to combat the Sarafan Lord before resolving their dispute, the Hylden himself emerged and fired a Reaver Bolt which cleaved through Vorador's chest, knocking him - motionless - to the ground. Janos impelled Kain to pursue the Sarafan Lord while he tended to Vorador. Vorador's ultimate fate after the Sarafan Lord's defeat remains unknown, and has yet to be revealed.

"We will settle this in good time. Tonight, the Sarafan Lord dies. Tomorrow, we shall see…"

- Kain

Development


In all of his appearances, Vorador has been voiced by Paul Lukather. He is one of only three characters, alongside Kain and Moebius, who has either appeared in person, or been mentioned and depicted, in all five Legacy of Kain games to date. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver is the only game he makes no physical appearance in, but he is portrayed in a stained glass window.

The character of Vorador was conceived by Silicon Knights' Denis Dyack and Ken McCulloch. After thinking of him during Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain's production, they "knew that there had to be a great deal of history behind this guy", but "did not have a chance to talk about this history much in Blood Omen". Following its release, Dyack expressed in an interview that Vorador had emerged as one of the most popular characters in the game judging from e-mails. He stated that "if we decide to do more in the Blood Omen series then it is a safe bet to say that he will be in it. Thus, we would definitely consider a prequel", and that "it would definitely be fun to fully explore [his] character".

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain was originally supposed to feature an interactive chess match sequence between Kain and Vorador, held in Vorador's Mansion just before their first meeting together. Vorador, the challenger, would verbally taunt Kain, who could either use Control Mind to secure a checkmate, or lose/forfeit the game and fight the chess pieces (enemies) to progress instead. Series tester Chris Bruno had the opportunity to play through it, but it did not survive to the retail version: "a serious bug was discovered just prior to shipping, and in order to not delay the release, it was removed at the last minute".

The weapon Vorador wields in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is not the Soul Reaver, but his personal Hybrid Sword (so-named because the developers created it by merging the Soul Reaver's blade with the cut Bone Sword's hilt).

When Crystal Dynamics obtained control of the Legacy of Kain intellectual property, they elected not to pursue a Vorador-centered prequel. Nonetheless, they acknowledged that Vorador was a "fan-favorite" character, and he made a return to the series in Soul Reaver 2. A variety of outlandish redesigns were apparently proposed, but in the final product he remains visually similar to his Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain incarnation. The murals portraying him in the Circle's gathering-room were drawn by series artist Daniel Cabuco.

Despite his death in the Blood Omen era, Vorador inexplicably made extensive appearances in Blood Omen 2 (created and designed by a separate team within Crystal Dynamics), which was set in the post-Blood Omen era, centuries after his execution. Notoriously, his apparent resurrection between these eras has not been addressed in the Legacy of Kain games. The team responsible for Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and Soul Reaver 2 intended to address Vorador's resurrection in Legacy of Kain: Defiance, but the relevant chapter was cut due to production time constraints. According to Daniel Cabuco, Raziel was to encounter Umah (also cut) in Vorador's Mansion, who would orchestrate his revival:

"She wears Vorador's symbol because she's meant to be part of his clan, soon to be transformed into a vampire. I think when Raziel visits Vorador after he is beheaded, your job is to go to the statute [sic] holding his head, retrieve it, and bring it to his body. Much the same as the way Janos was resurrected, Raz would help raise Vorador. Umah was the mission giver and as a reward would be turned into a vampire. We had to do a lot of reconciliation with BO2... and had to cut it for time. (also, the fact that Raz would rez both Vorador AND Janos seemed.. redundant)"

- Daniel Cabuco

Another scenario cut from the game entailed the Elder Kain meeting Vorador, and a larger gameplay role for Vorador and his Signet Ring (which the Elder Kain still possessed in Legacy of Kain: Defiance). It was intended to rationalize the Cabal's distrust of the younger Kain in Blood Omen 2: "Kain did have a mission in Vorador's mansion but I think it was to meet living Vorador. We wanted to have Kain be able to summon him afterwards with the ring. Vorador seeing how powerful Kain had become would be distrustful.. And would pass that to his clan (ie Umah)".

Appearance



 * Vorador's appearance was altered somewhat in his appearance in Blood Omen 2; he no longer retains the "spikes" on his chin.

Personality
The arcane tomes included with Legacy of Kain: Defiance reveal some particularly character-defining dialogue for Vorador - written for Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain - which was not used in the game:

"Did you honestly believe that you were the only vampire in Nosgoth? You are just a minor pawn, whose powers pale in comparison to mine. Oh yes, I am also a vampire. Your greatest flaw, my good fellow, is that you have a soul. You have a conscience that hinders your lust to survive. I do not have that problem. I kill for fun."

- Vorador (unused dialogue)

Etymology

 * As revealed in bonus material for Legacy of Kain: Defiance, the character's name was changed to Infernum during Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain's development cycle, but was ultimately reverted back to Vorador.


 * Devorador means Devourer in portuguese and spanish.

Appearances

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