Elzevir was a minor sorcerer and "collector of souls", who used the disguise of a toymaker to enable him to steal souls. Elzevir would create a crude effigy of a targeted individual, and attaching an item of personal importance to the effigy that enabled him to focus his sorcery and draw their soul into the effigy.*
Shortly before Kain began his quest, Elzevir targeted the Princess of Willendorf as his next victim and thus he took part in the King's celebrations for the birthday of the the Princess, entering a dollmaking contest with a royal favour as a prize. The doll that Elzevir created easily won the contest, but all that Elzevir would accept in return was a lock of the Princess's hair. Returning to his Mansion, Elzevir attached the lock of hair to his own doll and used his magic to draw the the Princess'sSoul into it; turning her into a "lifeless puppet"*. Realizing who was responsible, King Ottmar sent out the Army of Last Hope to scour the land to find the dollmaker and retreated to mouring for his daughter.
The "Dollmaker" is a magician of little note and unknown origin. His sphere of power, if you will, is the soul of mankind. He is a collector of souls, and in particular he covets King Ottmar's daughter. His mode of magiv involves making an effigy of his target person, and then attaching a personal item to it - in the case of the king's daughter, it is a lock of hair. This enabled him to target his enchantments on her, and draw her soul into the effigy. With the effigies he is able to exert power of the person in whose likeness it is carved... Over the years, the Dollmaker has collected many and varied souls for his own twisted reasons.
Elzevir is labelled as "Dollmaker" in some internal classifications.
Elzevir's origins or age are not discussed in game. Even the Silicon Knights Character Page says he is "of little note and unknown origin"*.
Elzevir's is described as a "Dollmaker" and his Mansion certainly supports the notion that Elzevir was a toymaker of sorts (albeit one that can animate toys); this joined with his apparent childlike possessiveness and 'affection' for the young Princess'Soul, and the fact the doll containing the Princess Soul was found in Elzevir's bedroom may lead players to some uncomfortable conclusions about Elzevir. Even Kain appears somewhat disturbed and unwilling to think about what Elzevir's intentions were any further.[1]
Elzevir appeared to recognize Kain as a vampire, judging by his words to Kain when he arrived.[2]
The Dolls created by Elzevir, resemble the misconception of Voodoo dolls; where personal artifacts attached to a basic doll enabled a sorcerer to manipulate or cause injury to a person whose effigy they had created.
Amy Hennig has confirmed that despite the timeline changes, the stories of Elzevir, Ottmar and the Princess have not been "lost in the time shuffle", they are simply inconsequential to the further stories of Raziel and Kain. Hence it is likely that Kain's murder of Elzevir still occurred in the second paradox timeline, but with a different motivation (Kain is initially offered half of Ottmar's kingdom to pursue Elzevir). [*}
Elzevir the Dollmaker Page at Dark Chronicle (By Ardeth Silvereni).
