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Pipers also known as Zombie Pipers were a class of enemies introduced and appearing solely inBlood Omen: Legacy of Kain. They were sorcerers capable of raising Undead Zombies to attack - notably this was achieved by playing a tune on a pipe.

Profile[]

Pipers were an enemy classification appearing in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain where the characters were encountered by Kain on his quest to restore the Pillars of Nosgoth. Their Black blood implied that they were some form of Undead, however they wore bright and colorful garb and had a spiked head.[Blood Omen][Blood Omen strategy guide][1]

They were first encountered in the chapter Nupraptor as Kain explored Nupraptor's Retreat where he could find a single piper - and could thereafter be encountered rarely in the environment in areas such as Coorhagen, the Lost City and the caves nearby Willendorf.[Blood Omen][Blood Omen/3][Blood Omen/4][Blood Omen/9][Blood Omen strategy guide][1]

Pipers were summoners, so like other summoning classes they would not actively pursue Kain or attack Kain directly. Instead, they summoned zombies to attack on their behalf. To summon these, the piper would dance a small jig while piping and this would call the zombies to attack. Their tendency to summon assistance made them dangerous enemies but thankfully, the pipers themselves were not too tough and could be defeated fairly easily once within range. The death of a piper would not kill the associated zombies.[Blood Omen][Blood Omen strategy guide][1]

Classes[]

Two different Piper classes were seen in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and these could be distinguished by the colors of their outfits:

char0069 (Zombie Piper)[]

Zombie Pipers were the most commonly encountered piper enemy and represented the 'regular' version of the class. They were found around Coorhagen and Nupraptor's Retreat. They dressed in green dungarees with white spots and wore red shoes, a purple jacket and a yellow collar or ruff.[Blood Omen][Blood Omen/3][Blood Omen/4][Blood Omen strategy guide][1]

Despite bearing an apparent attack animation the pipers would not physically attack themselves and would instead play their pipes to call summon Zombies to attack for them. When their defenses were bypassed they were revealed as ultimately to have comparatively low endurance with 10 health points.[Blood Omen][Blood Omen strategy guide][1]


Like other undead enemies they bore Black blood.

char0127 (Red Zombie Piper)[]

Red Zombie Pipers were the more advanced of the piper classes and were essentially a pallette swapped and more dangerous version of the regular zombie pipers. They were found in the Lost City and caves southeast of Willendorf.[Blood Omen][Blood Omen/9][Blood Omen strategy guide][1]

They dressed in blue dungarees with yellow spots and wore red shoes, a red jacket and a green collar or ruff. Like their predecessors they would attack by playing their pipes to summon zombies rather than attacking themselves. They were however more dangerous and resilient than their lesser counterparts, summoning more powerful black zombies that were able to endure and dish out more punishment - as well as having higher endurance themselves, with 30 health points. [Blood Omen][Blood Omen strategy guide][1]

Like their predecessors they bore Black blood.[Blood Omen][Blood Omen strategy guide][1]

Notes[]

  • Pipers are listed in the official strategy guide as "zombie pipers" or occasionally as "zombie summoners" for their ability to call zombies.[Blood Omen][Blood Omen strategy guide][2] Internal classifications refer to them as "pipers" or "death pipers".[Blood Omen]
  • There is little explanation of the pipers or zombies in background sources, however the class is clearly inspired by the German folk tale The Pied Piper of Hamelin - in which a travelling musician playing a pipe and dressed in multicolored clothing offered to rid the town of Hamelin of its rat infestation. When accepted he played the pipe and lured the rats to the river where they were drowned. However upon being refused the promised payment the piper played a tune that lured the children of the town away never to be seen again.[3] In modern retellings the piper is often seen as a supernatural being or necromancer with summoning abilities - and some have suggested this is related to folk tales of pipers foretelling or announcing death.[4]
    • Zombies are a modern horror staple generally represented by the dead rising to feed on the living. However in the original folkore they were mindless undead in thrall of a powerful necromancer who controlled their every movement in a similar manner to that seen with the pipers.[5]

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