Two variants of human revenants were encountered in game. A more decayed version consisted of a flayed corpse with exposed and decomposing tissues and skeletal remains - all of which had rotted into a brown shade with small tufts of hair and skin still visible. A second variant was less decayed and still bore skin, clothes and thinning hair from life - although its appearance was still somewhat decomposed, pale, lifeless and zombie-like. Both variants usually had green eyes indicating Hylden possession and could appear either unarmed or wielding bladed weapons. Notably the decayed version was seen more often as the game progressed, with few of the clothed version seen outside of the Cemetery.[Defiance]
The Revenant classes were not explicitly named in game, however the overarching "Revenant" distinction was mentioned in manuals, scripts and the official guide - with the guide explicitly defining the different classes and naming the "Human Revenant" class.[Defiance][Defiance/4][Defiance manual][Defiance strategy guide] Scripts refer to the class as "Revenants" in stage directions, but label the individual speakers as "Hylden".[Defiance] Game files label the clothed variant as "revenant_a" and the rotting variant as "revenant_c".[Defiance]
Revenants are named after the Revenants of European folklore - animated corpses which returned from death to haunt the living.[1]
A Hylden soul after the defeat of a Revenant
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As with other Revenant classes, when defeated the Human Revenants will leave behind a Hyldensoul.
Although Raziel is confined to the use of specific Burial sites to revive himself, Revenants are able to manifest and control corpses in several areas that do not contain these sites. Conversely they are often not seen in areas with burial sites.[Defiance]
Legacy of Kain: Defiance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide gives further backgrounds to the Revenants suggesting that most of the Revenants are "ancient corpses... buried from long forgotten battles". It also suggests that the Human Revenants are most common due to the "proliferation of human corpses over the era".[Defiance strategy guide]
Various Hylden concepts from Blood Omen 2 including a potential Revenant
Blood Omen 2 concepts posted by Blood Omen 2 developer Steve Ross appear to show five different Hylden castes planned for that title, where only two appeared in the final game. One caste depicts a skeletal figure emerging from a portal and could suggest an early design that eventually became the Defiance Revenant [2]
The background of the Human Revenants suggests that they would technically be classified as a form of Undead creature. Revenants however do not share the Black blood typically associated with the undead, instead having regular Red blood.[Defiance]
Revenant at Wikipedia
