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The Heart of Darkness was an object in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. Hearts of Darkness resurrected Kain or restored his health. They were representations of the Heart of Darkness relic – the heart of the ancient Vampire Janos Audron.

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"Reputed to have been ripped from the chest of the greatest vampire to have ever existed, Janos Audron, the Heart of Darkness restores vampiric unlife. Life is precious, Janos discovered – as it was torn throbbing and bleeding from his own body."
―Kain — Listen (file info)[src]

The Heart of Darkness could be used in two ways. If Kain readied it and used it before he was killed, it would add blood to his blood vial. If he died with one (either readied or simply in his inventory), it would pull him back from the brink of oblivion, but it would only give him a little blood.[Blood Omen strategy guide][Blood Omen manual (Windows)][1]

Hidden in Dark Eden was the Heart of Darkness spirit forge, where Kain could sacrifice blood for Hearts of Darkness.[2] The spirit forge could also be entered through a secret back door from Janos Audron's house in Uschtenheim, if Kain triggered three switches in the Cemetery.[3]

Behind the scenes[]

The retail version of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain omitted any explanation for the duplicate Hearts of Darkness throughout Nosgoth, but other sources offer several rationales.

A cut, alternate description, extracted from the game data, explained that the many Hearts belonged to Janos Audron's victims:

"I knew of the legend of Janos Audron – a vampire who exists as but a whisper in shadow and night. The hearts of his victims lay scattered through the realm, as a testimony to his hunger. These hearts of darkness restore vampiric unlife."
―Kain — Listen (file info)[src]

In the Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain alpha, extended narration from Kain described the Heart as a singular object which could be reused with magic energy:

"Reputed to have been ripped from the chest of the greatest vampire to have ever existed, Janos Audron, the Heart of Darkness restores vampiric unlife. It can be used over and over again, but always consumes magical energy from the one who uses it. Life is precious, Janos discovered – as it was torn throbbing and bleeding from his own body."
―Kain — Listen (file info)[src]

Shortly after the release of Legacy of Kain: Defiance, director Amy Hennig clarified that the Heart of Darkness objects in Blood Omen are representations of the Heart of Darkness relic which appeared in Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance:

How could the young Kain collect Hearts of Darkness in Blood Omen if he had it inside of his chest all along?

The Heart of Darkness cards are representations of the relic, not the real thing. Janos didn't have 99 hearts anyway =).

―Ben Lincoln[4]

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