In Darkness We Gather

In Darkness We Gather
Walkthrough article
The Chapter 3 loading screen.
Game(s)	Blood Omen 2 (2002)

Chapter 3:The Lower City: In Darkness We Gather was the third level of Blood Omen 2. It followed Kain's journey through the Lower City, from him leaving the Smuggler's Den in Chapter 2 until he reached Sanctuary and met the Cabal .

Profile

After leaving the Smuggler's Den, Kain was met by Umah who, under her own orders to investigate the Industrial Quarter, sent Kain through the Lower City, meeting various Cabal contacts to find the location of Sanctuary. Investigating the streets of the Lower City, Kain followed Umah's advice and went to meet the Tapster at the Red Raven Pub, who was able to reveal a message for Kain; that the Newsstand Vendor, could provide further information. She was also able to allow Kain to bypass gatekeeper Duncan (by claiming he worked for Ducket's Traders).

Meeting with the vendor, Kain was able to find that Sanctuary was located in the basement underneath the Blue Lady Curios shop in the eastern part of the district, the vendor was also able to provide Kain with the password "Evernight" which allowed him to pass a second gatekeeper. Passing through the Ducket's Traders warehouse, Kain made his way through the sewers and back out to the streets where he found the Sarafan heavily guarding the 'City Power Werks' (apparently due to earlier the Cabal/Cabal contact sabotage).

Shortly afterward, Kain passed by the City Reformatory and met and briefly pursued Sebastian (although Kain was unaware of his identity). Returning to the sewers, Kain was able to deactivate a section of the Ward Gates on the streets above and open his way to the Blue Lady Curios shop, where he found Sanctuary, and it's leader, revealed to be Vorador . The meeting however was interrupted by an Injured Cabal Vampire, who told Vorador that Umah had been captured whilst investigating something significant in the Industrial Quarter and had been taken to the Sarafan Keep . Anxious to rescue Umah, Vorador sent Kain to the Bishop of Meridian in the Upper City, who knew a secret entrance to the Sarafan Keep^{[Blood Omen 2]}.

Notes

• In this level, Kain can find 9 red and 1 blue Lore coffers (for a total of 32 'Lore Orbs') and 1 Weapon Power Chest. The Sarafan Glyph guards are also first seen in this level. Kain also encounters his first Glyph Batteries. Kain also comes across two 'Glyph Towers', which appear to produce Glyph magic (they are labelled "Danger Magic"). Chained humans are also seen; NPC's in this level arePeasants, though a single rare Barmaid class NPC (it is labelled "bmad" in debug messages) is seen once in the level^{[Blood Omen 2]}.
• Chapter 3 features some of the most vocal NPC's with many stories; Kain can hear about the unseen minor characters Cadmus, Durden, Ivan, Sergio, Joseph and Marjorie and can meet the minor characters Annie, Duncan and Serg. He also meets two Cabal contacts - The Tapster and the newsstand Vendor. Chapter 3 also marks the only time a minor member of the Cabal speaks; when the Injured Cabal Vampire announces Umah's capture^{[Blood Omen 2]}.

• Umah's dialogue with Kain at the beginning of the chapter, "soon we will work together again" could hint that Umah has previously worked with Kain; she could also be referring to the Cabal, hinting at Vorador's involvement.

• Kain can witness two gangs of Thugs fighting in in a back alley in this chapter^{[Blood Omen 2]}.

• The Lower City features several curious buildings; -The City Reformatory is a high walled building decked by Sarafan banners, from which screaming can be heard; mid level, there is a shop labelled "npoekt" (in Meridian Script) which contains a red Lore coffers and a NPC dressed in unique attire (this shop can also be seen in concept art for Blood Omen 2); and towards the end of the level a 'hotel' bears the sign "Hill House est 1246" - this is the only date ever shown in the Legacy of Kain series and it is uncertain how it relates to any of the events that have been presented^{[Blood Omen 2]}.

• There are two references to the revelation at the end of the level (that Vorador is the Cabal's leader); first there is a "Wanted" Poster in a back-alley shortly after the Red Raven Pub, which shows a picture which has Vorador's silhouette^{[Blood Omen 2]}; secondly the final 'square' that Kain passes through contains a guillotine^{[Blood Omen 2]} (a reference to his death in Blood Omen^{[Blood Omen]})

• This level marks the last appearance of Kain's One Shoulder costume, seen previously in promotional material and Chapters 1 and 2 . Kain changes into his 'Golden Pads' attire for A Question of Faith (chapter)^{[Blood Omen 2]}.

See also

• The Era following Blood Omen
• Vorador's resurrection
• The Lower City
• Deleted/Alternate Dialogue - Lower City
• Chapter 3: The Lower City - "In Darkness We Gather" Script at Nosgothic Realm
• Chapter 3: The Lower City - "In Darkness We Gather" Script at Dark Chronicle
• Conversations in Nosgoth - Chapter Three at Dark Chronicle