Sarafan Stronghold

"And so I returned to the sanctuary of my enemy - the fortress of the Sarafan brotherhood, deemed impossible for any man to penetrate."

- Kain

The Sarafan Stronghold was a major building in Nosgoth, situated on the southern banks of the Great Southern Lake, it served as heaquarters of the Sarafan in Nosgoth's early history and would later be used as the central base for Moebius's mercenary army in the Pre-Blood Omen and Blood Omen eras. The fortress witnessed much significant Nosgothic history before being abandoned to Demons attack in the Post-Blood Omen era. The Stronghold was first glimpsed in cutscenes in Blood Omen and was a playable location in Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance.

The Scourge of the Circle
The Stronghold was the headquarters of the Sarafan crusades against the Vampires in Nosgoth's early history. The Stronghold was seen only briefly in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain as cutscenes in Chapter 1 and Chapter 6 depicted several of the Pillar Guardians observing the Sarafan killing fields through the viewing basin of the Circle's gathering-room and Vorador's subsequent Slaughter of the Circle and defeat of Malek in Nosgoth's early history. Only the gathering room and the corridor leading to it could be identified.

A more Cynical and Indecorous Age
Though initially unidentified, the Stronghold would feature briefly in the finale of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and Prologue to Soul Reaver 2 as Raziel pursued Kain backwards in time arriving in one of the Time-streaming chambers of the stronghold in the Pre-Blood Omen era, when Moebius's mercenary army occupied the stronghold. The Stronghold was featured in a much greater role in the rest of Soul Reaver 2, where it was a significant recurring playable location. Raziel began Chapter 1 in the similarly appearing gathering room and much of the level followed Raziel's exploration of the Stronghold and his rediscovery of his Sarafan heritage among the rooms of the stronghold. Raziel would pass through several significant chambers within the stronghold (including finding the Soul Reaver in William's chapel) and would often be confronted by the swordmen and pikemen of Moebius's order. Exiting the stronghold from a high balcony above the Lake, Raziel was unable to re-enter the Stronghold until he had gained the Light Reaver enhancement from the Light Forge. Returning to the Stronghold in Chapter 5 Raziel used the enhancement to infiltrate the stronghold docks, attempting to reach the Time-streaming chambers in the gathering room to return to Nosgoth's early history. After a significant meeting with Kain in William's chapel and the ignition of the Second paradox, Raziel was able to reach the Time-streaming chambers and persuade Moebius to send him into the past.

Derelict and Abandoned
As Raziel emerged from the Time-streaming chamber he discovered that Moebius had instead sent him to the Post-Blood Omen era, a century after the Collapse of the Pillars. In this era, the boundaries between dimensions had become weakened, allowing Demons to penetrate into the Material Realm and the stronghold was partially ruined and largely abandoned to Demon infestation; with the Demons and a few Demon hunters the only inhabitants. Many of the features seen in the Pre-Blood Omen era remained in this time although most were eroded, worn or missing completely and only one major addition was seen as a statue of Moebius holding aloft the severed head of Vorador had been added to the inner sanctum of Sanctuary commemorating the final kill of Moebius's mercenary army. The ruined stronghold was of little use to Raziel and once again he ventured of out the building to the Lake and beyond, though the ruined dock entrance allowed Raziel to re-enter the building freely in this era.

Their Loathsome Fortress
After gaining access to the Air Reaver and the Time-streaming chamber in the Swamp, Raziel was finally able to travel to Nosgoth's early history, at the height of the Sarafan Vampire purge. In this era, the Lake by the stronghold was frozen over, sealing the dock entrance shut and preventing Raziel from entering the Stronghold until he had gained the Fire Reaver. After witnessing the death of Janos Audron at the hands of the Sarafan warrior inquisitors, Raziel pursued them back to the stronghold in the final chapters of Soul Reaver 2, entering by using his newly acquired Fire enhancement to melt the ice around the dock entrance and hoping to recover the Reaver and the Heart of Darkness. With his assault coinciding with Vorador's legendary Slaughter of the Circle, Raziel was able to find the Reaver in a small antechamber, but confronted by Moebius and Malek; and with Moebius's Staff disabling the wraith blade, Raziel was left with no other choice but to use the Reaver, causing the two guardians to retreat. Bound to the Reaver, Raziel was made practically invincible as he moved through the major areas of the stronghold, facing battles with major Sarafan warrior inquisitors in each. Raziel would finally confront his former human self and uncover his destiny in the Chapter House, as well as Kain's triggering of the Third paradox. The stronghold itself appeared much simpler in this era, with few of the elaborate murals of later times and with Raziel channeled into facing the elite inquisitors and away from Vorador, he was unable to access areas around the gathering room.

Sanctuary of my Enemy
The Stronghold returned as a playable location once again in Legacy of Kain: Defiance as Kain returned to the fortress in Nosgoth's early history seeking answers from Moebius, some years after the conclusion of Soul Reaver 2. Kain would spend his first chapters in the stronghold and finding the Balance fragment and Flame fragments of the Balance Emblem in William's chapel and the gatehouse respectively, was able to confront Moebius first in his chamber and then in the upper tower, from which point he could use Bat Form to fly to the Pillars. The stronghold itself was expanded over what had been previously seen and many rooms were lavishly decorated (though still lacking major murals) or modified from their original design. Perhaps due to the combat-focus of Defiance, the stronghold is notably more populated by enemies than before, with a variety of Sarafan Archers, Sarafan crusaders, Sarafan zealots and Sarafan inquisitors confronting Kain on regular occasions.

History

 * Presumably built at some point during the course of the Sarafan crusades in Nosgoth's early history, the fortess would become the main headquarters of the Sarafan brotherhood and meeting place of the Circle of Nine during the same period, with the Circle able to command Sarafan troops on the battlefield via visions that appeared in a basin in the Circle's gathering room. At the height of the crusades of the Sarafan Brotherhood, the Sarafan planned an assault on Janos Audron's Retreat, believing that Janos' death would lead to the entire Vampire bloodline failing. Intending to kill the Ancient Vampire and remove both the Heart of Darkness and the Reaver blade several of the Sarafan warrior inquisitors were sent to Janos' Retreat to carry out the deed. This act brought terrible vengeance upon the Sarafan order as both the Wraith Raziel and the first Turned Vampire Vorador infiltrated the Sarafan Stronghold and began devastating attacks on the Stronghold. Vorador reached the Circle's Gathering Room and slaughtered six of the Pillar Guardians, as well as inflicting a humiliating defeat upon Conflict Guardian and protector of the Circle Malek. At the same time, Raziel's path through the Stronghold had enabled him to recover the Reaver and, made virtually invincible by the blade, Raziel was able to murder the remaining Warrior Inquisitors (including his former Human self). At the conclusion of his visit, Raziel would learn of his destiny to become the captive spirit within the Soul Reaver and a paradox aided by Kain would change history, temporarily postponing his fate.


 * Though losing most of their command structure due to the vengeance of Raziel and Vorador (and with their highest ranking warrior Malek disgraced), the Sarafan order was able to continue operations in the Sarafan Stronghold for some time afterward, with Moebius apparently leading the order. Some years after the legendary assault on the fortress, Kain would return to Infiltrate the Stronghold, attempting to find out from Moebius what had happened to Raziel. Recovering several fragments of the Balance Emblem, Kain was able confront Moebius, first in Moebius' Chamber and then again in the Tower and after being persuaded to investigate "west of the Pillars of Nosgoth", Kain left the Stronghold. Some time after this, the Sarafan crusades drew to a close and the usage of the Stronghold is unknown for several centuries.


 * Nearly five centuries later in the Pre-Blood Omen era, the fledgling Kain's murder of the William ignited another Vampire Purge, with Moebius leading a new generation of Vampire Hunters - Moebius's People's Army. Striving to "honor the memory" of the Sarafan Brotherhood, Moebius' hunters inhabited the fortress and like the Sarafan before them, the Stronghold became a major base for the faction as it sought to eliminate the vampire plague.


 * Twenty years later, as the murder of Ariel led to the Corruption of the Pillars of Nosgoth, the Wraith Raziel arrived at the Time Streaming Chamber in the Sarafan Stronghold (having travelled from the Chronoplast in the Soul Reaver era and snatched from the the time-stream by Moebius). Encouraged by Moebius to embrace his former Sarafan heritage (and to kill Kain), Raziel explored the Stronghold finding murals and imagery dedicated to the major events of the history of the vampire hunters; Finding murals depicting Janos' murder by the Sarafan, Vorador's massacre of the Circle, The Sarafan Warrior Inquisitors and Kain's murder of William the Just (complete with William's Reaver blade).SR2-SarafanStronghold.jpg journeying out into Nosgoth and finding traces of Ancient Vampire history (and convinced that Janos held the answers he required), Raziel returned to the Sarafan Stronghold to attempt to use the Time Streaming Chamber to travel back to Nosgoth's early history. As Raziel entered William's Chapel he was met by Kain, who explained the nature of history and destiny in Nosgoth. Using the Reaver blade to ignite a Paradox (creating the Third timeline), Raziel was able to spare Kain's life and change history.


 * By the Blood Omen era thirty years later, Moebius Mercenary Army had virtually eliminated the Vampires and with Vorador's execution at Stahlberg, Kain would be left the last Vampire in Nosgoth. Despite this victory for the order, it's days were numbered. Shortly after the death of Vorador, Kain would be presented with a fateful decision to decide the fate of Nosgoth; his refusal to sacrifice himself caused the Pillars of Nosgoth to Collapse and created a rift that breached through dimensions.
 * In the wake of this many Demons species were able to cross from the Demon Realm and mount attacks upon the Material Realm. The Vampire Hunters of Moebius' Army adapted to combat this new threat and became Demon hunters. By the time Raziel visited the Post-Blood Omen era, a century after the Pillars Collapse, the fortress had been abandoned for some time and was in a derelict state; with the Stronghold overrun by Demons the Demon Hunters had not made their base there.

Design and Layout
Though retaining many key features the design and layout of the Sarafan Stronghold and rooms within it vary between titles. Many differences from subtle to glaring are seen, particularly between the most significant rooms of Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance, with several rooms gaining new features or being slightly altered, scaling of rooms changing and rooms even changing position and orientation with relation to each other. Nevertheless, several discreet chambers are named identically and closely visually resemble previous incarnations and these are considered to recur between titles. Several minor 'entrance' chambers off of the major rooms can also considered to recur though the layout of these chambers often vary greatly.

Circle's Gathering Room
Features in Blood Omen and Soul Reaver 2. Room adjoining Moebius' Time-streaming chambers; where the circle meet and observe the Sarafan troop movements in Nosgoth's early history. During Vorador's legendary attack six of the Pillar Guardians were killed in this room and later eras feature murals depicting the fallen guardians and their killer.

Cloister (Courtyard)
Featured in Soul Reaver 2 and  Defiance. A large open air courtyard where Raziel murdered the Sarafan warrior inquisitors Melchiah and Zephon in Nosgoth's early history and also seen in the Pre and Post-Blood Omen eras in Soul Reaver 2. The Courtyard reappears in Nosgoth's early history in Defiance (taking place some years after Soul Reaver 2) where a second level balcony (that is missing from Soul Reaver 2 eras) has been added along with a statue of the Sarafan Warrior Inquisitor Malek that was central to the puzzles involving Malek's Sword and Malek's Shield.

Sanctuary (Sarafan Cathedral)
A large Cathedral-like area featured in Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance. Site of the murder of the Sarafan warrior inquisitors Dumah, Rahab and (in the raised 'inner sanctum') Turel by the Wraith Raziel in Nosgoth's early history (SR2). Location of the Balance fragment of the Balance Emblem and relic room containing Malek's Shield in Nosgoth's early history (Def). Chapels dedicated to the Sarafan murder of Janos Audron and Kain's murder of William (complete with William's Soul Reaver blade) had been added to the 'inner sanctum' by thePre-Blood Omen era and in William's Chapel Kain persuaded Raziel to spare him, igniting the Third paradox timeline (shortly after Raziel had unknowingly averted one by sparing Moebius). In the Post-Blood Omen era the inner sanctum would contain a statue of Moebius holding Vorador's head aloft commemorating the final victory of Moebius Mercenary Army. Raziel would also meet the supposed martyred spirit of Moebius just outside Sanctuary. (SR2)

William's Chapel ( and Inner Sanctum/Relic Hall)
A Chapel in the inner sanctum of the Sanctuary area dedicated to the martyr William the Just in the Pre-Blood Omen era.

Chapter House (Sarafan Memorial Chapel)
Octagonal room featured in Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance which bears a prominent 'Ouroboros' floor symbol in all appearances. The Chapter House was where, in Nosgoth's early history (Soul Reaver 2), the Wraith Raziel met and killed his former Human (Sarafan warrior inquisitor) self, leading to the Reaver's attempt to consume him and the subsequent ignition of the fourth timeline by Kain. The late Nosgoth's early history (Defiance) features a door unlocked by the Falcon Insignia. By the Pre-Blood Omen era (Soul Reaver 2) the walls of the Chapter House were decorated with images of the fallen Sarafan Warrior Inquisitors and a statue of the human Raziel.

Gathering Room Corridors
A set of two corridors comprising an 'L'-shape that linked the Circle's gathering-room with the rest of the stronghold through the Sanctuary Entrance and Font Antechambers. The corridors appeared briefly in cutscenes depiciting the Slaughter of the Circle in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and were a playable location Soul Reaver 2, maintaining much of the same layout and presentation. The first corridor of the two (which adjoins the gathering room) cannot be accessed in the early history era of Soul Reaver 2.

Sanctuary Entrance chamber
A small antechamber containing the main front entrance door to the Sanctuary area and a playable location in both Soul Reaver 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance. In Soul Reaver 2 the room was a small antechamber containing the doors leading to the Gathering Room Corridors and the Docks, whilst Defiance reinterpreted it as "Sanctuary Entrance" - a arrow-turreted 'Z' shaped corridor leading from the Cloister into the main front entrance to Sanctuary.

Chapter House Entrance chamber
A corridor leading from side of the inner sanctum area of Sanctuary into the Chapter House and playable in Soul Reaver 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance. The corridor is on a single level and is 'Z'-shaped in Soul Reaver 2 but was redesigned in Defiance as "Chapter House Entrance" - a double-level arrow turreted 'Z'-shaped corridor (with the corridor noticeably turning in the opposite directions to the Soul Reaver 2 incarnation of this room)

Cloister-Chapter House Antechamber
A small square antechamber between situated directly between the Chapter House and Cloister areas of the stronghold and connected to both. The room cannot be accessed in Nosgoth's early history and though present under Debug menus, does not load correctly.

Font Antechamber
A small square antechamber with a font at its center, situated off the side door of the gathering room corridor and leading into the Cloister area. The chamber was notably where Raziel discovered the Reaver in Nosgoth's early history.

The Dock
A Water-filled Dock area with walkways either side and dominated by the large light crystal opened stronghold entrance, which led out to the Great Southern Lake. The dock appeared to be for water-bound transport, although no ships or equipment were seen and the water themselves seem unconnected to other areas. The Dock was connected by a small 'Z' shaped corridor to the Sanctuary Entrance antechamber.

The Balcony
A high balcony off the side of the stronghold, overlooking the 'internal' Lake area and connected to the upper level of the Chapter House by a small 'Z' shaped corridor. The balcony was notably used by Raziel to leave the stronghold in the Pre-Blood Omen era but neither the balcony, corridor or internal lake were seen in other areas and were not present in Debug menus, (though the first part of the corridor was partially loaded along with the chapter house).

Street
A cobbled street area where Kain first entered the stronghold in Defiance. A small balcony led onto a second level bridge across the street leading to the Dungeon or Connector to Moebius's Chamber.

Dungeon
A large dungeon area for the holding and torture of human prisoners. The Dungeon contained several cells and torture equipment. The main door led out to the bridge over the Street area, a breakable wall led into the Wall Cavity and the top level doorway led to the Dungeon passage (and onto Sanctuary).

Wall Cavity
A partially Water-filled room behind a breakable wall in the dungeon. High wooden bridges led to the Main battlements

Main Battlements
An open two tiered courtyard overlooking the side of the stronghold. The battlements contained was encircled by upper level walkways which led from the upper Cloister to a statue of Malek holding his sword in a central chamber above the battlements. Lower doorways led through a grate into the Wall Cavity, through double-doors into the lower Cloister area. A significant doorway marked with Moebius's symbol was protected by a Blessed barrier and led into the Staircase and into the Cistern beneath the stronghold.

Small Battlements
A Smaller square courtyard battlement area off the Chapter House overlooking the side of the Stronghold. The small battlements had low second level walkways around two sides of the courtyard leading to a small round bastion area which offered views of the tower, chapter house roof and a nearby inaccessible wing of the stronghold, but was dominated by the large round Training fortification which could be entered through a second level grate.

Training
A circular chamber containing several Dummies and apparently used for training Sarafan troops (as well as Kain's own combat training). The training area contained a small upper level walkway which led around the top of the chamber leading through a grate out to the Small Battlements and a lower level doorway which led to the Small Drawbridge area.

Small Drawbridge
A partially water filled between the Training area and the Cloister, crossed by a drawbridge from a small gatehouse. The drawbridge could be lowered from a second level chamber inside the small gatehouse.

Staircase
A large partially ruined spiraling staircase leading down from Moebius's door in the Main Battlements into the cavernous areas beneath the stronghold. The bottom of the Staircase led into the Cistern cavern.

Cistern
A large water filled cavern at the bottom of the staircase, which led into Moebius's chamber.

Moebius' Chamber
A Cavern underneath the stronghold apparently used by Moebius to communicate with the Elder God through a block partially submerged in a small pool of water and marked with an infinity sigil. The chamber contained several symbolic references to the Elder god (including apparent sacrifices on Wheel of Fate style plinths). The chamber was where Kain initially found the Falcon Insignia and was entered from the Cistern, with the Falcon doorway leading up the Connector to the upper level bridge of the Street area.

Gatehouses and Bridge
A Set of two fortified gatehouses with a high bridge between them overlooking the external stronghold and water far beneath. The gatehouse area led from the Malek's Sword door in the Cloister and onto the lower tower area; passing through and lowering the drawbridges, Kain could gain the Decorative Sword in the second gatehouse and returning to the first, use it to open a passage to the Flame fragment of the Balance Emblem which allowed him to ascend to the upper tower. A large amount of Sarafan and related iconography could be observed in the masonry of the external stronghold including a dragon, presumably representative of the nearby flame fragment.

The Tower
A large round tower at one end of the stronghold, the tower could be observed from the Small Battlements area and could be reached from the second gatehouse in the Gatehouses/Bridge area. Once Kain had gained the Flame fragment of the Balance Emblem, he could use it to summon some makeshift stairs to reach the lavish upper tower, apparently once used as a 'council chamber' of sorts for the seven Sarafan warrior inquisitors, where he confronted Moebius from the second time. A balcony provided a vista looking towards the Pillars of Nosgoth. to be added

Appearances

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