Vorador

Vorador was known as one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in Nosgoth`s history and was the first human to be passed the dark gift of vampirism. His sire was the legendary Janos Audron. He is also credited with forging the Soul Reaver blade before it was infused by the anicents with vampiric energy.

Pre-Blood Omen era
Vorador had the distinct honour of being the first human in Nosgoth to whom the Dark Gift of vampirism was passed. While he was still human, Vorador crafted a mighty sword at the behest of the vampires, the blood-devouring Reaver. This sword later, after the infusion of Raziel's soul-devouring spirit, became the Soul Reaver.

Another of Vorador's infamous exploits came 500 years before the first game took place. In response to the murder of Janos Audron at the hands of the Sarafan, Vorador stormed the Sarafan Stronghold where he found, and slaughtered, six members of the Circle of Nine. Before his departure, he defeated Malek, leading to the Sarafan's inhuman punishment.

Blood Omen era
In Blood Omen, Vorador was the oldest and most powerful vampire in Nosgoth. His features had become inhuman over the long centuries of his unlife, and he was at least capable of changing form, and teleportation. He was arrogant and proud¹, with a penchant for torturing humans. Prima's Official Blood Omen Strategy Guide mentioned that Vorador had 'an excellent insight' into Nosgoth's history, gained by 'reading his victims' thoughts as he drained their blood'. The Players section of the Silicon Knights Blood Omen FAQ adds: 'He has feasted upon the teeming human cattle of Nosgoth and learned everything there is to know about the world, reading his victims thoughts as he preyed upon their blood'. He had also lived long enough to personally see Nosgoth's transition from 'young and vibrant to sour and corrupt'.

Kain needed to destroy Malek, so he sought Vorador on the advice of the Oracle of Nosgoth. Five centuries earlier, Vorador had achieved a great victory over the Circle of Nine, killing six of their number and defeating their Paladin portector, Malek. His assault on the Circle had been an act of revenge, fuelled by grief and loathing; the Nine had instigated and supported the Sarafan's 'Vampire Purge'. The vampires were being annihilated, and Vorador had suffered the loss of many he held dear. After his attack, Vorador distanced himself from the world of the living. He withdrew into his huge mansion, hidden deep within the swamps of the Termogent Forest. The Vampire Purge drew to a close in the wake of his massacre.

Kain found Vorador's Mansion populated by his brides and other offspring - Vorador's home appeared to be a haven for their kind. Meeting Vorador for the first time, Kain regarded him as a "decadent old fool" and he had little respect for him. Vorador believed that the curse of vampirism was also a blessing. It elevated them above the humans. This idea struck a chord with Kain. The fledgling vampire was slowly becoming more comfortable with the existence Mortanius had bestowed upon him. However, he also felt that Vorador had let his curse consume him - something that Kain was still trying to avoid. Vorador warmed to Kain, and offered him the best advice he could: to stay out of human affairs. As Kain nodded in slight agreement, the older vampire presented him with his signet ring. It would allow Kain to summon Vorador's assistance if he was needed.

At Dark Eden, Kain encountered Bane, DeJoule and Anarcrothe. Anarcrothe summoned Malek before he disappeared, and Kain countered by calling upon Vorador. Kain pursued Bane and DeJoule, leaving Vorador to deal with the Paladin. After an exchange of insults and blows, Vorador changed into his Wolf form and leapt at Malek. By the time Kain returned, Malek had been defeated, and his armour was lying without animation on the ground.

Kain continued his journey, falling unwittingly into the trap Moebius had laid for him. Against Vorador's earlier counsel, Kain seized the opportunity to kill William the Just when it arose. This act stopped the boy king of the past becoming the Nemesis, altering the present that Kain knew, but not quite as he expected. He returned to find Moebius' citizen army destroying the vampires. Kain was too late to prevent the final triumphant kill of Moebius' mob: Vorador was beheaded in front of a crowd of human spectators. With Vorador's death, Kain was the last vampire in Nosgoth.

Blood Omen 2 era
Vorador featured in Blood Omen 2. Through some means - as yet undisclosed by Crystal Dynamics - he still lived (or more likely, lived again), four hundred years after the events of Blood Omen.

In Blood Omen 2 Vorador was the leader of the Cabal; a group of vampires trying to resist the rule of the Sarafan Lord. The Sarafan had controlled Nosgoth since Kain's defeat by the Lord two centuries earlier. Vorador was a patriarchal figure for the vampires of that era, the maker of many, if not all. Kain's destroyed army had been formed from Vorador's progeny, and Vorador had aided Kain's failed attempt to conquer Nosgoth. His motives for that were never fully revealed, but it's been suggested by fans that he owed his life to Kain - Kain probably found himself needing Vorador's experience and ability to sire vampires, so he found a way to resurrect him, the only reliable ally Kain had. Whatever, Vorador's involvement seemed unusually pro-active compared to his disenchanted Blood Omen and Soul Reaver 2 incarnations.

Vorador was very chastened in this fourth game; he had abandoned his sado-hedonistic lifestyle and Mansion in the Termogent Forest, and instead resided in Sanctuary (a hidden location within Meridian). Umah, a lieutenant of the Cabal, was one of Vorador's favourites. He appeared to care for her in a fatherly sense; she was his vampire daughter rather than his bride.

Kain and Vorador neither particularly liked nor trusted one another, however Vorador ensured that Kain was protected while he lay comatose, recovering from his battle with the Sarafan Lord. Once Kain awoke, they loosely allied to destroy the Sarafan Lord - Vorador wanted to free the vampires from persecution, Kain wanted to rule Nosgoth. Vorador drew on his accumulated knowledge of Nosgoth to guide Kain throughout Meridian using the Whisper. At one point, he also sent Kain to the Seer, a mysterious Hylden woman³ who owed him a favour, for unknown reasons.

Vorador seemed to regard Kain as a more amoral creature than himself. He was aware than Kain was only aiding the Cabal to further his own agenda of revenge and gaining power. Kain did not have Vorador's strong loyalty to his own kind. Vorador had long been concerned for the fate of other vampires, showing them compassion as he displayed brutality towards humans. When he realized that Umah was dead, his first instinct was that Kain had been powerless to save her. When he learned the truth, he declared that Kain was a monster, although Kain claimed Vorador would have dealt with traitors in exactly the same way. Vorador arrived at the Hylden City with Janos Audron, but he did not take part in the fight against the Sarafan Lord. Presumably this was because he was injured by the Lord, but Kain did not see him again to argue the point.

At present, there is no evidence of what happened to Vorador following the events of Blood Omen 2, however many fans suspect that Kain destroyed Vorador and the Cabal in the early stages of building his Soul Reaver-era empire. Soul Reaver's vampires were all descended from Kain, and Vorador was nowhere to be seen.

Although he was dead by the events of Soul Reaver, they took place before the time-alterations of Defiance, leaving his current fate unknown.

Soul Reaver 2 era
Following Kain through the Chronoplast, Raziel had a chance to explore Nosgoth, thirty years before Vorador's execution was due to take place. He saw murals in the Sarafan Stronghold that demonized Vorador, illustrating his attack on the Circle. Moebius hatefully referred to Vorador as "the scourge of the Circle" and "the most depraved and decadent example of his whole degenerate race".

Early in Soul Reaver 2, Raziel felt that he was being watched. Vulture-like birds observed his route, but they dissipated into green smoke if he moved too close to them. Eventually Raziel reached the Termogent Forest swamp, and spied Vorador on a balcony, still alive in that era. The mysterious birds were his agents, and although the old vampire vanished, he was waiting to converse with Raziel once he exited the Dark Forge. Vorador was curious about Raziel, and appeared to recognize him in some way, although they had never met. Vorador questioned Raziel, but he also gave some information away. He revealed that his maker had been none other than Janos Audron, and that Raziel's fate was somehow linked to that legendary vampire. But Vorador was fatalistic by this time. Moebius' citizen army already existed and he had written off Nosgoth as being beyond salvation.

Later in Soul Reaver 2, Raziel travelled back in time and met Janos Audron. Vorador was mentioned in their conversation: Janos said Vorador hated the humans because he had suffered much at their hands, and could not forgive them. Janos was murdered shortly after, and Raziel returned to the Sarafan Stronghold to avenge him. While he was detained by Malek and Moebius, he heard Vorador's distinctive laughter and 'Call your dogs!' taunt coming from another part of the building. This was Vorador's famous attack on the Circle, and his motives for it were clarified by the timing; surely too perfect to be mere coincidence.² Vorador had indeed lost many vampires he cared about to the Sarafan, but Janos' death was the final straw. His assault was direct retribution for the taking of Janos' life, and he made the Circle pay dearly for it.

Defiance era
In Defiance, Raziel visited the Fire Forge in the Vampire Citadel. From the murals there, he learned that Vorador was the first human to receive the Ancient Vampires' curse: their 'dark gift'. He was also the maker of the physical Reaver. Raziel knew that in this time - the Blood Omen era - Vorador still lived. He hoped to speak with the old vampire, and, with Vorador's knowledge, find some way to avoid being trapped in the sword.

Raziel explored Vorador's Mansion after being directed there by Ariel. He found Vorador in a sealed crypt within the estate. Vorador was sitting on a stone throne of sorts, armed with a sword, but apparently just waiting for the end to come. He knew that he was the last surviving vampire, except for the fledgling Kain, and he didn't have much time left. Moebius' mob would soon find him.

He recognized Raziel from their Soul Reaver 2 meeting, thirty years earlier. When Raziel asked why Vorador would create a weapon to imprison his saviour, Vorador said Raziel had chosen his path, presumably meaning Raziel had already made his choice as to whether or not he was the Vampires' saviour after all. This indicated that Vorador suspected something about Raziel's dual destiny, his potential to be both champions. He did not know enough about the Reaver's sorcery to help Raziel - and even if he did, he would not be inclined to assist him. Vorador forged the Reaver sword solely because Janos asked him to, and he only learned scraps of prophecy from his sire. As Raziel continued to ask questions, Vorador suggested that he should ask Janos himself. He led Raziel into an antechamber where Janos' body was kept.

Janos' body had been treated with reverence by Vorador. It seemed he had retrieved it personally from the ruins of Janos' aerie, and it was laid upon a bier, surrounded by candles. The scene suggested that Vorador retained great respect and affection for his sire, despite their polar personalities that had likely made them prone to disagreements. Vorador admitted he had searched unsuccessfully for the Heart of Darkness many times, but perhaps Raziel could find it, if it was meant to be found. He gave Raziel the Library Seal, which would open the way to Avernus Cathedral where the Heart had been taken. Vorador vanished from the crypt with a warning about the dangers at the cathedral. When Raziel reached the library, the old vampire was there. He re-iterated that warning, and informed Raziel that Avernus was in flames - Raziel would have to act quickly.

Raziel travelled to Avernus Cathedral and found the Heart of Darkness. By the time he returned, Vorador's estate had been breached by Moebius' vampire hunters. The Time Streamer told Raziel that Vorador had been captured, but "not without a considerable price in blood". Apparently Vorador had fought to the end, despite the rather apathetic reception he had given Raziel. Moebius vanished from the mansion to oversee his execution. It likely went ahead without interruption, exactly as it did in Blood Omen.

Dark Gifts

 * Wolf form - (???)
 * Teleport - (???)
 * Familiars - (???)
 * Vampirism - (The 'Ancient method')