The Dumahim

The Dumahim
Inhabitants article
"Symbols-SR1-Clan-Dumah" (credit: Daniel Cabuco).
Introduced in	File:Wiki-Icon-SR1.png Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (1999)
Appearance(s)	File:Wiki-Icon-SR1.png Soul Reaver

The Dumahim are a clan of vampires first encountered in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and revisited at an earlier stage of evolutionary development in cancelled title Nosgoth. They are the descendants of the lieutenant Dumah.

The primary territory of the Dumahim was originally the Ruined City, though this area was largely abandoned and the nomadic Dumahim are instead encountered in many additional locations including the Raziel's Clan Territory, the Sanctuary of the Clans and the Tomb of the Sarafan.

As with all the clans seen in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, the Dumahim are split into two distinct active types: the older, stronger and more evolved adult Dumahim, and the younger, weaker and less evolved fledgling Dumahim. No members of the clan are encountered in their inactive pupating state. For their return in Nosgoth a less devolved 'Reaver' variant class was among the initially available classes.

Profile

The Dumahim vampires were progeny of Dumah, who personally raised his clan during the events of Soul Reaver, over the century following the Raising of the lieutenants at the Tomb of the Sarafan.^{[Soul Reaver/9][Soul Reaver manual (US)][Soul Reaver manual (UK)]} Alongside the Melchahim, Rahabim, Razielim, Turelim and Zephonim, it was one of the "six legions of vampires" involved in "the destruction of the major human Kingdoms"; pillaging Nosgoth, they had thoroughly domesticated humans within a hundred years, despite the efforts of the Vampire hunters.^{[Soul Reaver manual (US)][Soul Reaver manual (UK)]} Dumah's clan dominated an area in territory north-east of the Lake of the Dead and west of the Oracle's Cave. In the millennium after the raising of the lieutenants and establishment of Kain's empire, the "lesser vampires" provided "amusement and spice to an increasingly uninspired court"; and presumably the Dumahim clan were involved in these internal struggles. The Council would help and foil plots between the clans, betting upon the outcome as the factions warred.^{[Soul Reaver manual (US)][Soul Reaver manual (UK)]}

At some point the Dumahim clan territory was attacked by human forces and overwhelmed. The ranks of the Dumahim were decimated by the hunters and Dumah himself was impaled to his throne.^{[Soul Reaver/12][Soul Reaver/13]} The city was abandoned by the clan who became nomadic scavengers.^{[Soul Reaver/12][Soul Reaver manual (US)][Soul Reaver manual (UK)][Soul Reaver strategy guide (Prima)]}

Raziel's first Material Realm enemies - the Fledgling Dumahim

After Raziel returned as a wraith centuries later, he would encounter the devolved Dumahim as enemies. The first vampires engaged by Raziel and the most widespread clan in Nosgoth by the time of the story’s setting, the clan had been scattered due to their patriarch having been slain by vampire hunters. They were also the first clues of the change of times for Raziel and he saw them as "foul, scuttling beasts [that] could not be kin of our high blood."^{[Soul Reaver][Soul Reaver/1][Soul Reaver strategy guide (Prima)]}

Dumahim appear to still dress in a form of armor and adults have one limb larger than the other indicative of a half-remembered ritual of weapon wielding. One of the most notable features of the clan is an elongated tongue often used in combat by fledgelings as an extension to their melee range, making them reach further in hand to hand combat. The clan, lacking ranged attacks, could still score some painful surprises with this maneuver and also utilized the tongue when feeding. Rarely do the adults showcase this talent, even though they seem capable.^{[Soul Reaver]}

In close combat, all Dumahim tended to be easier foes: they were relatively quick and could cause sudden damage but were also predictable and avoidable. They weren't too strong or powerful but represented a situation better dealt with sooner rather than later as they could often surround their prey and even engage in ambush-like activities, although they were easily stunned and stayed stunned for a longer time than most other clans. When not in battle they could be watched as they go about their business throughout the land of Nosgoth, and no other clan really challenges them.^{[Soul Reaver][Soul Reaver manual (UK)][Soul Reaver strategy guide (Prima)]}

Apocrypha

In the mid-events of Soul Reaver of Nosgoth - set some time after Raziel's execution and Kain's abandonment of his empire - the Dumahim vampires were one of the clans that took part in a vampire civil war as Kain's empire fragmented and later the 'Reaver' class Dumahim would participate in the subsequent War for Nosgoth against the resurgent human threat, where they were often seen as the most reliable and versatile of the clans.^[NOS]

Traits

Like their fellow vampires, the Dumahim clan carried the blood curse, Blood-thirst, immortality and sterility inflicted on their ancient vampire ancestors by the Hylden, during the Vampire-Hylden war, and developed the yellow or amber irises and tridactyl claws and feet characteristic of their race.^{[Defiance/4][Defiance/6]} They were created from reanimated human corpses, restored to unlife with the infusion of souls, and "gain[ed] their advantage from the powers of the underworld".^{[Soul Reaver manual (US)][Soul Reaver manual (UK)]}

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As a result of Nupraptor's corruption - which was passed on to all of Kain's descendants - the Dumahim clan devolved and pupated as the centuries passed, "becoming less human and more... divine".^{[Soul Reaver/1]}

With Dumah the third lieutenant raised he inherited a strong portion of Kain's soul and his descendants were initially among the most powerful vampires in Nosgoth. However after the attack on the Dumahim city and Dumah's staking, the clan were much reduced in stature and were only recognized as "the most common vampires in Nosgoth"^{[Soul Reaver manual (US)][Soul Reaver manual (UK)]}

With age they clearly gain height or size, they are the only vampires that are unmistakably growing with their early evolution. (Of course, at the age of the lieutenants, they all were much larger.) They visually seem to support some kind of armor, but it is never cleared that if it is their hardened hide, some sported defensive appendage, or perhaps a mix of both (perhaps carefully intertwined), but the latter seems plausible, since with age they gain weight/mass (as observed by the stomping effects of Dumah). 

Membership and forces

A Fledgling Dumahim

An Adult Dumahim

Dumahim clan patriarch and Council member Dumah

A Nosgoth 'Reaver' class Dumahim prior to devolution

Evolved Dumahim 'Reaver' design

Clan patriarch and leader Dumah was initially observed in the opening videos of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, where he aided Turel in casting Raziel into the Abyss at Kain's command.^{[Soul Reaver/1]} Sometime after this the Dumahim territory at the Ruined City was attacked by Human Vampire hunters and Dumah himself slain and left impaled on three large wooden stakes - with the loss of their leader the surviving Dumahim became nomadic scavengers.^{[Soul Reaver/12][Soul Reaver/13][Soul Reaver manual (US)][Soul Reaver manual (UK)][Soul Reaver strategy guide (Prima)]} After Raziel returned as a wraith, he would travel to the vacant city after defeating his lesser brothers and revive Dumah, before consuming his soul and gaining the Constricting ability.^{[Soul Reaver/12][Soul Reaver/13]}

Besides Dumah, two major variants of Dumahim vampire were seen in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver - Fledglings and Adults. A few Dumahim vampires could also be discovered in a revived state.^{[Soul Reaver][Soul Reaver manual (US)][Soul Reaver manual (UK)][Soul Reaver strategy guide (Prima)]} For Nosgoth, set much earlier in history, a different less devolved variant of Dumahim called the 'Reavers' were seen, though an Evolved Dumahim skin was available which evoked their devolved forms from Soul Reaver^[NOS]

Fledgling Dumahim

Fledgling Dumahim were the younger, less evolved members of Dumah's clan, and the lesser Dumahim enemies in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver in contrast to Adult Dumahim. As with other clans, Dumahim fledglings were devastated by the touch of Sunlight and even the weak rays of Nosgoth’s daylight in the Soul Reaver era, which is filtered by dense smoke. The fledgling Dumahim are smaller, have lighter coloration, and use their tongue in combat and feeding.

Adult Dumahim

Adult Dumahim were the older, more evolved members of Dumah's clan, and a greater threat compared to the fledgling Dumahim. As adults, these Dumahim could walk through areas of Nosgoth’s smoke filtered daylight without danger of being burned by the weak sunlight. The eyes of the adults glowed with a red color, They have darker armor coloration, bigger size, and are the most common enemy in the game.

Reavers

'Reavers' were the playable class of Dumahim for Nosgoth in the mid-Soul Reavre era war for Nosgoth centuries before their encounters in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. They were effective soldiers of the Vampire armies of the time and were a dangerous threat to the Humans. An 'Evolved Dumahim' skin bridged the gap between the Nosgoth and Soul Reaver classes.

Pupation

Unfortunately their bloodline’s pupating methods have not been witnessed, nor is there any hint from official sources, or any information in cut material.

Territory

Only a handful can be encountered in their home territory, the profanely open Ruined City. They are mostly concentrated near and in The Sanctuary of the Clans, and have flooded the Razielim territories. Their city, nicknamed Ash Village, is rather deserted, housing mostly a few impaled vampires, and the body of Dumah himself, with a huge furnace. The open air areas are covered in either snow, or ash, or presumably both. Strangely, some are found elsewhere stranded in some sealed passage ways, like the tunnel system between the Tomb of the Sarafan and the Anchored Ship, even more peculiar is exactly behind the Valkyrie-bird window in a room with no upward exit and no continuation. They have even infested the Fire Glyph Shrine. One can even be found in the City, in a floodable caged chamber, awaiting to be resurrected again as a Revived Vampire. 

Development

Manuals for Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver gave further details about the Dumahim clan: Template:Quotebox-Opaque

Template:Quotebox-Opaque

Character

Artist Daniel Cabuco noted that in Kain's empire prior to their devolution, the Dumahim were noted to have taken roles described as: Template:Quotebox-Opaque and it was further elaborated that: Template:Quotebox-Opaque

Design

• One of the early Dumahin designs
• The second smaller Dumahim design
• The second smaller Dumahim design
• The placeholder vampire using the Dumahim tongue

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Several early designs are known to exist for vampire clans in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. Two of these models have been identified as early Dumahim designs, although nearly all aspects of its appearance were eventually reworked, making them unrecognizable as such. One design features a "pear-shaped pale vampire with a round mouth full of spikey teeth" which was officially identified as an early Dumahim by Chris Bruno, the other - a small armored beetle-like design bearing the trademark tongue - was identified by Daniel Cabuco. Another early design - appearing as much more human-like with stretched arms and a spiked nose - is seen in early screen shots using the Dumahim tongue attack, however these designs are generally thought to be placeholders or test models - although the general design bears many of the features on the pear shaped design potentially suggesting the early 'pear-shaped' Dumahim may have been a development of the placeholder design.

Initial designs for Nosgoth represented fledglings of the period, but more evolved adult skins were available for higher level players. For their redesign and adult appearance Daniel Cabuco noted: Template:Quotebox-Opaque and further elaborated: Template:Quotebox-Opaque

 

Notes

• The US and UK manuals describe the Dumahim as "the most common vampires in Nosgoth" who "wander the land in search of humans" to "devour" or "feed on".^{[Soul Reaver manual (US)][Soul Reaver manual (UK)]} To explain this situation, the UK manual notes that "Dumah is rumoured to have be slain by the vampire hunters".^{[Soul Reaver manual (UK)]} In betas versions of the game, Dumahim was even present in the Sunlight Glyph Altar section, but in the final game, this zone is habited by the Turelim.
• Prerelease Soul Reaver imagery and demos contain vampire enemy models that didn't make it into the retail version of the game. Two of these models have been identified at different times as early Dumahim designs, although nearly all aspects of its appearance were eventually reworked, making them unrecognizable as such.
• Dumahim, and the Zephonim were the only two bloodlines whose vampires absolutely needed to close the distance between them and their prey by walking on land. None of them had ranged attacks, though Dumahim had their elongated tongues. 
• The Elder God comments that the Dumahim were 'decimated' by the human vampire hunters. It is unclear if this strictly refers to the classical meaning - that one tenth of the population had been removed - or the modern expression that would indicate the destruction of a large ambiguous proportion of them. The amount of corpses compared to living Dumahim at the time of Raziel's return may favour the former option, perhaps indicating that most of them were out of the city when the attack happened, or were allowed to survive the destruction; alternatively there may have been large scale population changes in the intervening years.

Gallery

Promotional Reaver image

See also

• File:Wiki-Icon-DC.png The Dumahim at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn).
• Dumah
• Adult Dumahim
• Fledgling Dumahim
• Ruined City
• Nosgoth (cancelled game)
• Reavers – Harsh Masters of Human Cattle at the Nosgoth official blog (by George Kelion)
• Reaver at Nosgoth wiki
• Reaver at Tales of Nosgoth