Ariel

Ariel was a major character in the Legacy of Kain series, where in the Pre-Blood Omen era, she was the Human Guardian of the Pillar of Balance and Kain's predecessor. Ariel was murdered by the Dark Entity (possessing Mortanius to commit the deed) and the discovery of her corpse by her lover Mind Guardian Nupraptor, led Nupraptor to descend into madness causing the Corruption of the Pillars. After her death, Ariel's spirit was bound to the corrupted Pillars (supposedly until they could be 'restored') and she haunted the location for several centuries afterward.

As a spirit, Ariel acted as a guide to Kain throughout Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (setting Kain on his quest to restore the pillars and eventually revealing his true role and 'fateful decision') and to Raziel throughout Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. Ariel also appeared as a supporting character in Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance; where her restoration as part of the cleansing power of the Spirit Reaver was revealed. In all her appearances, Ariel has been voiced by Anna Gunn.

Pre-Blood Omen era
Ariel was born to serve the Pillars as Guardian of Balance at some point in the centuries following the Sarafan era and, along with the immortality gifted to her by her role; Ariel's "magic influenced the regulation of the other magic in Nosgoth" and her magical prowess was only "rivaled that of her beauty". At some point, Ariel became romantically involved with fellow guardian Nupraptor (Guardain of Mind) and the two embarked on a controversal relationship, of which other guardians may have disapproved*. The Cult of Hash'ak'gik seducing the Circle of Guardians behind the scenes, led to the Dark Entity being able to possess Death Guardian Mortanius and he was able to use the Necromancer's body to murder Ariel, stabbing her as she performed her duties. Nupraptor was first to discover Ariel's corpse and suspecting the involvement of a 'traitor' guardian, Nupraptor decended into a grief-fuelled madness, which led him to turning his phenomenal psychic powers against the pillars and the guardians themselves - setting off the Corruption of the Pillars.

Like previous Balance Guardians, Ariel's soul was her Pillar Token and as she died, it returned to the Pillar of Balance and Ariel's successor as Balance Guardian, Kain, was born. However, the corruption of the Pillars had to some degree 'frozen' the usual process, and Ariel was trapped at the Pillars (greatly disfigured as the flesh on half her face had been stripped off, exposing her skull) and unable to be spun back into the Wheel of Fate, until 'balance' was restored.

Blood Omen era (Blood Omen and Defiance)
Thirty years later, Mortanius led Ariel's successor, the young Vampire Kain, to the Pillars and Ariel (believing she would be freed if balance was restored) persuaded Kain to take up the quest to eliminate the corrupted Circle of Guardians (ambiguously offering him "release" when the quest was completed), directing him first to her lover Nupraptor. Throughout Blood Omen, when Kain returned to the Pillars, Ariel was on hand to offer advice and hints about guardians he would face, though she kept him ignorant of his true destiny.

Whilst Kain was away on his quest, Ariel was approached by the Wraith Raziel (for the first time from her perspective but not from his). Raziel had come to the Pillars seeking Ariel's guidance regarding the Vampire Vorador, but Ariel was clearly suspicious of Raziel, believing that he was the Hylden Champion. The two briefly debated Ariel's conselling of Kain, before Ariel told Raziel the location of Vorador's Mansion, deep in the Termogent Forest. Ariel hoped that Raziel and Vorador would "molder there together until the end comes".

By the time Kain's quest was completed, "Moebius's mob [had] done it's work" and Vorador had been killed, leaving Kain as the last Vampire in Nosgoth. As Kain finished the last guardian Mortanius and defeated the Dark Entity, he saw that there was still one pillar remaining to restore - the Balance Pillar. Ariel materialized and Kain finally realized that he was Ariel's successor as Balance Guardian and the final corrupted pillar guardian remaining; and only with his death would Nosgoth be restored. Ariel offered Kain his final climatic decision; to sacrifice himself to heal the land (but ensure the vampire's extinction), or to reject the sacrifice and rule the land in it's damnation; Kain chose to reject the sacrifice, shattering Ariel's hopes of her release, and damning the Pillars to collapse.

Post-Blood Omen era (Soul Reaver 2)
Ariel was still bound to the Pillars a century after their collapse, when she was approached again by Raziel (from his perspective this was before their meeting in the Blood Omen era). This time Ariel was despondent, lamenting her fate and bitterly angry at Kain for his decision to abandon the Pillars (consciously keeping her imprisoned). Raziel was unusually forced to defend Kain's actions as the two debated his guilt and the role of the dark forces behind the corruption, but taunting her about the possible "eternal" nature of her imprisonment pushed Ariel too far and she retreated to the Spectral Realm (apparently unaware that he could follow). Raziel impatiently followed, continuing to taunt the trapped and terrified spirit, with cruel accusations. Unable to gain any useful answers from her, Raziel wearily relented leaving Ariel behind at the Pillars and once again hinting at her the possibility that she was "merely at the threshold" in terms of her imprisonment.

Soul Reaver era
Ariel would remain bound and restless at the pillars for over a thousand years; bearing witness to the rise of Kain's Empire and the building of the Sanctuary of the Clans around the pillars. Ariel would still be imprisoned there as the empire devolved and the Vampire clans scattered. When Raziel returned from his execution in the Abyss as a Wraith, he sought out Kain at the Sanctuary of the Clans and there he found Kain apparently awaiting him, after a short battle Kain easily defeated Raziel (see Kain (SR1 first encounter)), striking him with the Reaver, shattering the blade and sending Raziel back to the Spectral Realm.

In the Spectral Realm (along with the Wraith Blade) Raziel found the spectre of Ariel (this was their first meeting from Raziel's perspective). Ariel explained her imprisonment to Raziel, holding Kain's "blind ambition" responsible for her eternal imprisonment. Realizing that they both "shared a common foe", Ariel offered to help Raziel; in a similar vein to her behaviour to Kain in Blood Omen, she would act as a guide providing hints to Raziel whenever he returned to the Pillars. Ariel's final hint to Raziel, directing to the Chronoplast, was (aptly enough considering the events of Soul Reaver 2) "Be wary, Raziel - those blind with rage are by destiny ensnared". When Raziel retreated through the Chronoplast into the past, Ariel was left in the 'wasteland' Nosgoth.

The Restoration of Ariel
At the climax of Defiance, in the Blood Omen era, Raziel activated the Spirit Forge, which called the souls of all the Balance Guardians for "the final baptism of the blade" - The Spirit Reaver enhancement. Ariel represented the former Balance Guardians to Raziel; finally appearing restored and with the "veil" of her own prejudices lifted. She explained that "to restore balance the sword must be rendered pure by Spirit" and when Raziel reached out and touched her hand, Ariel's soul, "united with the souls of [her] predecessors", was consumed by the Wraith Blade 'releasing' her and gaining Raziel the Spirit Reaver. As she faded Ariel gave Raziel her last piece of advice "You must unite what has been set asunder... only then will the Scion of Balance be armed for his true endeavor" - words which would later help Raziel see his own destiny.