Vampire Citadel

The Vampire Citadel was the stronghold of the Ancient Vampires during the Wars against the Hylden. Long abandoned, it was visited by both Kain and Raziel during Defiance.

The Citadel was a tall fortress in the middle of a lake, (Likely the Lake of Tears ) shrouded (apparently magically) in mist. The fortress endured through Centuries of war (with the Hylden), before it was defiled and abandoned. As the ancient vampire race died out, their descendants instead used a range of other secluded locations to hide their existence.

When; in the Sarafan era ; Kain sought Raziel, he was given advice by Moebius that led him west of the pillar to the lake, where he was able to disperse the mist and use Bat Form to reach the Citadel. Inside the Citadel, he found many Feral Humans and was able to find depictions of the Champions Battle and it's two possible outcomes.

In a separate tower, containing several sealed forges, he was able to find the Lightning and Time fragments of the Balance Emblem. He also discovered Murals depicting the Human Revolt led against the Ancients by Mortanius and Moebius. In the heart of the Citadel he discovered a mural showing the wheel of fate, and the Ancient vampires despair as the curse removed them from the wheel, he also met the unseen 'Oracle of the Ancient Vampires ' who told him of Raziel's progress and offered Kain Passage to the future to pursue him.

Raziel meanwhile was in the Blood Omen era, and after escaping the Elder God and finding a way into the Material Realm , had several times found special teleporters which transported him, to each of the sealed forges in turn. Raziel was able to imbue the Reaver with various elements within these forges by absorbing the souls of various original vampire guardians. He also uncovered much Vampire history from murals within the forges; discovering that Vorador was originally forged the Reaver blade and was the first Turned Vampire; and discovering for himself the two champions prophecy and their foretold battle, finding eventually that the Ancient Vampires worshipped the Elder God and the wheel of fate.

Upon restoring Janos, Janos teleported Raziel to the main chambers of the Citadel, and gave him the Ouroboros key, which gave him access to the Spirit Forge passed the heart of the Citadel. Here he was able to hold off the Elder God and imbue the Reaver with Spirit using Ariel 's soul.Upon returning to Janos, The Hylden Lord took possession of Janos and defeated Raziel sending him back to the Elder God in the Spirit Forge. Shortly afterward Kain returned (apparently from the dead) and this enabled Raziel to cross once again to the Material Realm. Realising from the Murals in the Forge that Kain was a different figure in vampire prophecy (The Scion of Balance ) and that both champions represented him, Raziel sacraficed himself to allow Kain to be purified of his corruption and be properly armed to battle the Elder God. The final scene of Defiance is Kain overlooking the destroyed Pillars from the Vampire Citadel