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"Here at last, in the flesh, I beheld my former brothers-in-arms – the warrior-priests of the Sarafan order, their lives devoted solely to the annihilation of the "vampire plague".
And while I confess I felt a twinge of longing, a pang of grief for what I had believed was my lost virtue, I regarded them now with none of the reverence I formerly felt.
For I had seen the human face of the vampires - and now I beheld the monstrousness of these men."
Raziel[src]

The Sarafan Brotherhood, also known as the Sarafan Priesthood, the Sarafan Order, the Sarafan Warrior-Priests, the Angels of Light, or more frequently simply the Sarafan, were a legendary Vampire hunting faction operating in Nosgoth's early history. The Sarafan Brotherhood were the first known vampire purges in Nosgoth's history and the original order to bear the name "Sarafan" (inspiring the name of the later Sarafan). The Vampire hunting crusades of the Sarafan Brotherhood lasted over some decades and decimated vampire populations, including the last of the Ancient vampires, Janos Audron. They were led by commander Malek.

Profile[]

Early history[]

"It was during these dark times infested with the plague of the undead, that the Circle brought the Sarafan to existence. Trained to be devoutly loyal to the Circle, and the perfect exterminators of the undead scourge, they were led to many victories by the righteous paladin, Malek. They cleansed the vampires with fire, and released their souls to more blessed realms. There is no wrath as terrible as that of the righteous"
―Ancient chronicle in Moebius's museum[src]
BO1-DD-TheFailureOfTheCircle-002

The Sarafan killing fields

The Sarafan brotherhood was formed at an undetermined point in Nosgoth's early history, triggered by a rise in the number of vampires. This threat to human populations caught the attention of the Circle of Nine, who established the vampire-hunting "Order of the Sarafan" and sponsored their fanatical crusades to eliminate the vampire menace.[1][2] The Sarafan were led by 'protector of the circle' and Conflict Guardian Malek and over many years Malek proved to be a capable leader and guardian;[3][4][5] leading the brotherhood to many victories, decimating entire vampire bloodlines and causing suffering to many vampires,[6][7] including Vorador.[8][9]

SR2-SarafanAmbushJanos

The Sarafan commanders ambush Janos

The order would enter something of a 'golden age'[10][11] as Raziel and his comrades (Turel,Dumah,Rahab, Zephon and Melchiah) joined the Sarafan and in the following years, they were promoted to the ranks of elite Sarafan commanders with Raziel as their leader, apparently second only to Malek himself. At the height of the Sarafan crusades, the Sarafan commanders began plotting to murder the last of the Ancient vampires Janos Audron,[7] seeing him as the "origin of the vampire plague"[12](likely derived from his role as father of the turned vampires). Following a blue 'demon'(actually a future Wraith Raziel), the commanders were able to infiltrate the lair of infamous Janos Audron, armed with Moebius's vampire disabling staff.[13] After a confrontation with Janos,[14] the Sarafan warriors used the staff to subdue the ancient vampire as (human) Raziel murdered Janos by gouging out his heart.[15] Recovering the heart and the ancient Reaver blade,[16] the triumphant Sarafan returned to their stronghold, where they christened the heart as "The Heart of Darkness", believing it had the power to restore vampire 'unlife'.[17][18]

BO1-DD-TheFailureOfTheCircle-014

Vorador's attack on the Circle

In the aftermath of their greatest victory, the Sarafan would suffer their greatest defeat, as the murder of Janos provoked the ire of two of Nosgoth's most powerful inhabitants; The Wraith Raziel and the Vampire Vorador, both mentored to some degree by Janos himself. As the Sarafan retreated to the stronghold, they were already being pursued by Wraith Raziel, who used his Wraith Blade enhancements to enter the Stronghold. Shortly after, Raziel found the Reaver laid across his path in one of the stronghold's chambers.[19] As he hesitantly investigated the blade, he was confronted by Malek and Time Guardian Moebius, and with Moebius's Staff disabling Raziel's wraith blade Raziel was forced to use the Reaver as his only choice of weapon.[20][21]

SR2-DC-Vengeance-011

Wraith Raziel dispatches commanders Melchiah and Zephon

Meanwhile in a different part of the Stronghold, Vorador had begun his own revenge attack, targeting the circle for their sponsorship of the crusades.[22] As they cried for the aid of Malek, six members of the Circle of Nine were slaughtered by Vorador. But with Moebius keeping Malek occupied until the Wraith Raziel picked up the Reaver,[23][24] Malek was delayed and arrived too late to save the guardians. As the paladin arrived he was ambushed by Vorador and defeated in combat, but the old vampire left Malek alive to suffer for his failure to protect the circle. At the same time, Raziel had been diverted a different path through the stronghold and was now bound to the Reaver,[25] making him invincible

SR2-DC-FullCircle-016

Wraith Raziel kills Sarafan inquisitor Raziel, his former human self

.[26] As he progressed through the stronghold he was channeled into combat against the most formidable Sarafan warriors, the Sarafan commanders.Relishing as he faced those who had served him as his brothers in both his human and vampire lives,[27][28][29] Raziel killed each of the Sarafan commanders in turn, before being confronted with the human inquisitor Raziel, one of the most formidable warriors in the order.[30][31] After a long and vicious duel, the Wraith Raziel killed his former human self, thus making circle of his life complete;[32] but he was unable to recover the Heart of Darkness, which remained hidden.

BO1-DD-TheFailureOfTheCircle-092

Malek's punishment for his failure

The attacks on the stronghold, at very heart of Sarafan power, proved costly for the order. With the deaths of the commanders Melchiah, Zephon, Rahab, Dumah, Turel and Raziel, the Sarafan were deprived of several influential members of their leadership (with many of this group buried as martyred saints in the Tomb of the Sarafan[33][34]) and along with this the deaths of the majority of the circle the 'sponsorship' that maintained the Sarafan may have been cut. Perhaps most costly for the order though, was the fate of Malek himself, who was punished for his failure to protect the circle by surviving Death Guardian Mortanius, with his soul imprisoned in a suit of armor, depriving him of the "pleasures of the flesh", leaving him disgraced and humiliated.[35][36] Arguably, the Sarafan would never fully recover from the attacks on the stronghold and the event began a decline which presumably eventually led to the downfall of the order.

Later history[]

"And so I returned to the sanctuary of my enemy - the fortress of the Sarafan brotherhood, deemed impossible for any man to penetrate...impossible for any man"
Kain[src]
Sarafans (Defiance)

Various Sarafan troops in Defiance

Some time after Vorador's attack Kain returned to the Sarafan Stronghold,[37] seeking the whereabouts of (Wraith) Raziel from Moebius.[38][39] At this time the order had progressed much beyond that seen previously, with Moebius apparently taking over the leadership from the disgraced Malek.[40] The armor and organisation of the order had changed much in the interim and differing rankings were seen, with the warriors themselves arguably less proficient in combat than their predecessors[Defiance].

The Sarafan held many artifacts, some of vampiric origins, like fragments of the Balance [41] and Flame fragments [42] of the Balance Emblem, left in convenient places so Kain could find them.[41] The Sarafan (or Moebius) had also learnt to enchant doors with Blessed barriers [43] which only the Reaver upgraded with the Balance fragment could destroy, allowing Kain to pass through. As Kain confronted Moebius and journeyed to the Vampire Citadel he would face many Sarafan as his main enemies[Defiance].[44]

Defiance-Screenshot-SarafanStronghold-MalekStatue

A statue and mural of Sarafan Leader Malek in Defiance

The Sarafan at this time were still the "ruling class in Nosgoth", but the order appeared to have begun to decline, with the warriors "overconfident and self assured" and fanatical in their beliefs that bloodshed was "inherently good and just". This led to "corruption, opulence and the slow degradation of their personal and public morals" and the Sarafan hoarding riches while the ordinary peasants of Nosgoth suffered under their brutal regime;[45] perhaps hinting that, with the loss of popular support, the end of the order was near.

Legacy[]

"Centuries of persecution have taught me well. Five hundred years ago, our race was nearly exterminated by the fanatical crusades of the Sarafan. And now the same sick drama unfolds again. In merely a decade, Moebius’s cutthroat citizen army has nearly accomplished what the Sarafan could not. Vampires meddling in the affairs of men...Look where it has brought us."
Vorador[src]
SR2-Texture-Stronghold-InquisitorDumah

Mural of the martyred Sarafan commander Dumah

Initially the crusades of the Sarafan had most direct effect on the Vampires of Nosgoth, with them causing a great deal of suffering and wiping out entire tribes of vampires. The extent of the interaction between the Sarafan warriors and the declining Ancient vampire race is unknown, though they were at least responsible for the elimination of the last of that race, Janos Audron,[46] and arguably came close to bringing the turned vampires to extinction as well. As a consequence of the Sarafan witch-hunts many vampires, including Vorador, retreated from the everyday world[47][48] and the "affairs of men", hiding in various extreme outposts and viewing them as dangerous "cattle".[49][50]

The Sarafan brotherhood would go on to become legendary in Nosgoth's Human history and a defining chapter in the early years of Nosgoth's recorded history, with tales and depictions of their exploits commonplace even centuries after the end of the order and the order held as inspiration for at least two later vampire hunting orders. In the history preceding Blood Omen of the Second timeline, Vampire hunters occupied the Sarafan Stronghold and they lionized the Sarafan crusades,[51] depicting the martyred Sarafan commanders,[52][53] their murder of Janos[54] and the martyred Guardians killed in Vorador's Slaughter of the Circle[55] (though this lionization had arguably begun whilst the Sarafan crusades were still active with the construction of a statue of Malek in the Sarafan Stronghold[56])

VoradorMalekStainedGlass

The stained glass window of Malek's battle with Vorador

The history of the Sarafan continued to be well-known through the events of Blood Omen (even in the First timeline, without the presence of Moebius's army), with at least two chronicles detailing the history of the order[1][2] and stained glass depiction of Vorador and Malek's present in Avernus Cathedral.[57] The survivors of the Sarafan era (most notably Moebius [58] and Vorador[49]) frequently made reference to the events of the Sarafan crusades, often at the expense of the last surviving warrior priest and defender of the circle Malek, who would not ultimately meet his end until he was again met in combat by Vorador whilst defending the circle.[59][60][61] Though their crusades were long finished by this era, Sarafan (or similarly attired) warriors were faced in combat by Kain as Malek summoned "long dead warriors" to combat Kain in his bastion;[62] similar armor was later seen in Moebius's museum,[63] with Moebius himself summoning similar warriors during his boss battle.[64] Even peasants of the era were aware of the legendary actions of the Sarafan.[65][66]

TombOfSarafan

Raziel discovers the Tomb of the Sarafan

In the Era following Blood Omen, The tales of the Sarafan brotherhood would become inspiration for the Hylden leader, posing as a regular human, in reviving the name of the Sarafan and create a new order, intent on once again destroying the vampire race (though this order would once apparently be destroyed by Kain)[67][Blood Omen 2].

Knowledge of the Sarafan crusades continued into the events of Soul Reaver, viewed rather differently by the Vampires of Kain's empire as merciless indiscriminate murderers and Raziel would recount this version of their history (calling the era of their crusades, "the time of Vorador")[68] as he entered the long-buried Tomb of the Sarafan and uncovered his own history as a martyred Sarafan commander;[33][34] a fact which would serve to motivate his initial quest against Kain.[69][70][71][72]

Profile[]

Icon Blood OmenBlood Omen: Legacy of Kain[]

BO1-DD-TheVampireVorador-154

Vorador's legendary battle with Malek (BO1)

The Sarafan were first introduced in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain as part of the background story to the game(and were briefly seen in the opening video[73]). Blood Omen established Vorador's attack on the circle[74][75] and Malek's subsequent punishment[35][36] in Nosgoth's early history as crucial to the motivations of both characters[8][76][77] and this event was frequently referenced; depicted twice in cutscenes[75][Blood Omen], mentioned by both Vorador[49] and the Oracle,[58] and even depicted lionized in stained glass in Avernus Cathedral[57][Blood Omen]. Kain would also recall another event of this era, mentioning the story of legendary Vampire Janos Audron and his murder (later explicitly revealed to be the hands of the Sarafan), recounting the story when he recovered his first Heart of Darkness artifact in his mausoleum[18] and again as he approached Uschtenheim.[78] Kain could also discover accounts on the formation of the Sarafan in two 'ancient chronicles' in Moebius' museum[1] and Vorador's Mansion.[2] Several human villagers, notably in Uschtenheim[66] and Vasserbünde,[65] would also recount legends of vampires killed by the Sarafan (presumably referencing Janos in the case of the former). Though the crusades of the Sarafan were long over by the events of Blood Omen and with Malek explicitly the last of the Sarafan,[58] Kain was able to encounter probable Sarafan warriors of some form in combat; with the generators in Malek's Bastion fusing long-dead warriors to suits of armor to create Malek's warriors[62] and Moebius summoning similar warriors in his boss battle[64](an empty suit of Sarafan armor was also seen in Moebius's museum[63]).

Icon Soul ReaverLegacy of Kain: Soul Reaver[]

SR1-Sarafan Tomb-Malek-Melchiah

Melchiah's "defiled" and Malek's unused positions in the Tomb of the Sarafan (SR1)

The Sarafan crusades were once again part of the background story to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver as Raziel found the long-sealed Tomb of the Sarafan, uncovered by Nosgoth's cataclysms in the events of Soul Reaver. At first, Raziel regarded the Sarafan coldlly, recalling legends of the Sarafan decimating the vampires and seeing them as "murderers enshrined".[68] Inside the tomb however, he was shocked to find the "defiled" tombs of martyred Sarafan commanders, bearing the names of himself and his brothers[Soul Reaver].[33] Realizing that he and his brothers had been Sarafan warriors in life, Raziel was horrified by Kain's blasphemy,[33][34] and this would continue to motivate him through the rest of Soul Reaver; he would reveal their common heritage to an unconcerned Rahab[79] and at the final confrontation at the Chronoplast, Kain and Raziel openly debated the morality of the Sarafan crusades and Raziel's new-found reverence in them before Kain retreated into the past.[69]

Icon Soul Reaver 2 Soul Reaver 2[]

SR2-Texture-Stronghold-JanosAudron

Mural of the Sarafan's murder of Janos Audron (SR2)

The Sarafan featured in a much greater role in Soul Reaver 2, as Raziel journeyed into Nosgoth's past. Initially Raziel arrived in the Sarafan Stronghold in the history preceding Blood Omen, where Vampire hunters inhabited the structure and was met by Moebius, who revealed their former association in the Sarafan priesthood when Raziel was human,[80] and encouraged him to "re-embrace the essence of [his] humanity".[81] As he investigated the stronghold Raziel would find "evidence of [his] former nobility",[82] including murals depicting Vorador's slaughter of the circle,[55] the murder of Janos Audron[54] and the fallen Sarafan commanders themselves,[52] and with these depictions Raziel was further motivated against Kain.[53] As Raziel explored Nosgoth and uncovered some of its ancient history however, he began to question his assumptions about the Sarafan. Meeting Vorador at the exit of the Dark Forge he would learn more about the Sarafan; hearing how "centuries of persecution" had caused Vorador to withdraw into hiding,[83] and how Janos and the Reaver blade (stolen by the Sarafan after Janos's murder) were both crucial to Raziel's own prophetic destiny.[84] Raziel would return to the Sarafan Stronghold, attempting to use its Time-streaming chambers to return to the Nosgoth's early history, but he would instead be misdirected by Moebius to the Era following Blood Omen, where he would find the crumbling ruins of Uschtenheim [85] and Janos Audron's Retreat.[86]

Enemies 36

Sarafan Warriors (SR2)

By the time Raziel managed to reach the appropriate era,[87] his opinions on the Sarafan crusades had changed and having seen the "human face of the vampires" he found their fanatical crusades "chilling", betraying "the cold-blooded righteousness of the true believer"[88] and viewed the Sarafan themselves as "monstrous".[89] The formidable Sarafan Warriors would provide the main enemies for the final time period of Soul Reaver 2, and they were appropriately among the most-powerful human enemy classes[Soul Reaver 2]. In the final climactic scenes of Soul Reaver 2, Raziel was able to revisit the important events of Sarafan history and discover the truth behind the artistic depictions he had seen before, finding that it was the Sarafan commanders that had attacked Janos Audron's Retreat,[13] murdered Janos,[15] and stolen the Heart of Darkness and the Reaver;[16] with the human Raziel leading the group and personally responsible for the act.[13][15] This revelation caused Raziel to reject his former humanity and pursue the retreating commanders to their stronghold, attempting to recover the Reaver and the Heart of Darkness,[90] with his attack unwittingly coinciding with Vorador's legendary assault.[22] After recovering the Reaver (and delaying commander Malek)[23][24] Raziel was confronted by the remaining Sarafan commanders (including his former human self).[27][28][29][30][31] With Raziel made invincible by the Reaver, he was easily able to dispatch them[26][32] and took particular pleasure as he discovered that he was their murderer and finally understood "Kain’s blasphemous, private joke" and his own role in the downfall of the order.[28]

Icon Blood Omen 2Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2[]

Blood Omen 2 featured a similar vampire hunting order, also known as "The Sarafan" in the Era following Blood Omen[Blood Omen 2], however it was apparent that this was not the same faction as featured previously and it was later confirmed that the new order was a creation of the Sarafan Lord, who had been inspired by the legendary crusades of the original Sarafan priesthood and had used the name to unite the humans against the vampires.[67]

Icon DefianceLegacy of Kain: Defiance/Defiance comic[]

Sarafan Crusader

Kain battles a Sarafan crusader in (Defiance)

The 'original' Sarafan returned to a prominent role in Legacy of Kain: Defiance as Kain returned to Nosgoth's early history attempting to track down Raziel. With Kain initially infiltrating the Sarafan Stronghold[Defiance][Defiance comic][37] some years after the events at the conclusion of Soul Reaver 2,[91] various Sarafan troops were once again faced in combat as enemies. Defiance revealed that the Sarafan crusades had continued for some years after the Slaughter of the Circle,[91] under the leadership of Moebius[38][39][40] (presumably due to the disgrace of Malek and loss of the Sarafan commanders). Within the stronghold Kain confronted Moebius and was able to recover two fragments of the Balance Emblem,[41][42] but in contrast to Raziel Kain clearly viewed the stronghold and its contents with some distaste.[56] The Sarafan troops and organisation of this time had clearly evolved and changed in the years since Vorador's attack[91][Defiance], but as Kain's first enemies the Sarafan troops were arguably weaker in combat than previous Sarafan enemies[Defiance], and it was mentioned in guides that by this time the order had become overrun with "corruption, opulence and the slow degradation of their personal and public morals",[45] perhaps hinting at the inevitable downfall and end of the order and its crusades.

Nosgoth (icon)Apocrypha[]

The Sarafan and their successor Vampire hunters were mentioned in the background materials to multiplayer spin-off Nosgoth as stories passed down by subjugated humans in the events of Soul Reaver that eventually inspired their rebellion against the vampires and the war for Nosgoth. The Sarafan were apparently held in particular reverence with Sarafan banners from the Tomb of the Sarafan visible in some human locations and a statue of Malek positioned in the Sommerdamm map area.[NOS][92]

Membership and Forces[]

Leadership[]

The Sarafan were led for much of their history by commander Malek,[1][3][76][93] with the other members of the commander group, seeming to from a 'council' of sorts; with the individual commanders apparently ranked in the same order as their later vampire lives (Raziel, Turel, Dumah, Rahab, Zephon and Melchiah) [29] and with Raziel displaying seniority over the rest of the commander group and apparently Malek's right-hand man.[11][16] Legacy of Kain: Defiance indicated that after the fall of the commanders and the disgrace of Malek, the crusades continued under Moebius's leadership.[40]

Name Image Rank Description Appearances
Malek
Sarafan commanders

SR2-Screenshot-Enemy-Malek

Leader
Malek was the Guardian of the Pillar of Conflict - the Paladin - and the leader of the Sarafan, whom he led "to many victories". He retained this position until the slaughter of the Circle, after which Moebius apparently replaced him.
Icon Blood OmenIcon Soul Reaver 2
Raziel
Sarafan commanders

SR2-Screenshot-Enemy-Raziel

Authority ("head inquisitor")
Raziel was the head inquisitor, senior to Turel and the other future Council members. His position relative to Malek was not fully clear. Since Malek was consistently described as the Sarafan leader, Raziel was likely his subordinate.
(SR1C)Icon Soul ReaverIcon Soul Reaver 2
(DEFC)Icon Defiance
Turel
Sarafan commanders

SR2-Screenshot-Enemy-Turel

Authority (Raziel's "2nd-in-command")
Turel was Raziel's second-in-command in the warrior commander hierarchy - the same position he would eventually adopt as a vampire and member of the Council.
(SR1C)Icon Soul ReaverIcon Soul Reaver 2
(DEFC)Icon Defiance
Dumah
Sarafan commanders

SR2-Screenshot-Enemy-Dumah

Authority ("commander")
Dumah was a commander, subordinate to Turel, but of unclear rank in relation to Melchiah, Rahab and Zephon. In the future, as a vampire, he was the third member of the Council (senior to Melchiah, Rahab and Zephon).
(SR1C)Icon Soul Reaver
Icon Soul Reaver 2(DEFC)
Melchiah
Sarafan commanders

SR2-Screenshot-Enemy-Melchiah

Authority ("commander")
Melchiah was a commander, subordinate to Turel, but of unclear rank in relation to Dumah, Rahab and Zephon. In his future incarnation as a vampire, he would become the sixth member of the Council (the weakest).
Icon Soul ReaverIcon Soul Reaver 2
(DEFC)
Rahab
Sarafan commanders

SR2-Screenshot-Enemy-Rahab

Authority ("commander")
Rahab was a commander, subordinate to Turel, but of unclear rank in relation to Dumah, Melchiah and Zephon. In the future, as a vampire, he was the fourth member of the Council (junior to Dumah, senior to Melchiah and Zephon).
Icon Soul ReaverIcon Soul Reaver 2
(DEFC)
Zephon
Sarafan commanders

SR2-Screenshot-Enemy-Zephon

Authority ("commander")
Zephon was a commander, subordinate to Turel, but of unclear rank in relation to Dumah, Melchiah and Rahab. In his future incarnation as a vampire, he would become the fifth member of the Council (superior only to Melchiah).
(SR1C)Icon Soul Reaver
Icon Soul Reaver 2(DEFC)
Moebius

Defiance-Fankit-Character-Moebius

Co-creator ("sponsor")
Leader
Moebius, as a member of the Circle of Nine, was originally one of the sponsors and benefactors of the Sarafan. Later, after the downfall of the commanders, it appeared that he had personally taken command of the brotherhood.
Icon Blood OmenIcon Soul Reaver
Icon Soul Reaver 2Icon Defiance
Mortanius

Defiance-Fankit-Character-Mortanius

Co-creator ("sponsor")
Mortanius was never described as a member of the Sarafan, but was verifiably among the active Pillar Guardians when the Circle of Nine sponsored the brotherhood's creation.
Icon Blood OmenIcon Defiance

Troops[]

The troops of the Sarafan varied depending upon the time period (or game). In the earlier history of Soul Reaver 2, the Sarafan utilised a mixture of Pikemen,[94] Swordsmen [95] and fireball-throwing Sorceresses [96] to cover all ranges;[97] with the pikemen and swordsmen also seen in the Defiance comic[Defiance comic]. The later Sarafan troops of Defiance had a variety of different roles (indicated by different colors) including Crusaders,[98] Templars,[99] Zealots,[100] ranged-attacking Archers[101] and spell-casting Inquisitors[102] (distinct from the earlier commanders) effectively also serving to cover all ranges.[44] The wraith and 'summoned' Sarafan warriors (serving Malek[62] and Moebius[64] respectively) encountered by Kain in Blood Omen more closely resembled Malek and variants were armed with axes, daggers or a katana[Blood Omen].

Behind the scenes[]

The Sarafan are a monastic sect of warrior-priests, made legendary by their holy war against the vampire menace, in Nosgoth's early history. The Sarafan are formidable enemies, renowned both for their ruthlessness and a fanatical devotion to their crusade. Sarafan warriors are sometimes aided in combat by spell-casting sorceresses, who will attempt to flee if cornered.
―The Soul Reaver 2 manual[Soul Reaver manual]
The Sarafan are a monastic sect of warrior-priests, made legendary by their holy war against the vampire menace in Nosgoth's early history. The Sarafan are formidable enemies, renowned both for their ruthlessness and a fanatical devotion to their crusade. Sarafan warriors are sometimes aided in combat by spell-casting sorceresses, who will attempt to flee if cornered.
―The Eidos Interactive website[Square Enix website]
A monastic sect of warrior-priests, the Sarafan waged a holy war against the vampire menace in Nosgoth's early history. They are formidable enemies, renowned both for their ruthlessness and a fanatical devotion to their crusade. The Sarafan are often accompanied by sorcerers who aid them in combat.
―The Eidos Interactive website[Square Enix website]
The Sarafan are the current ruling class in Nosgoth. Their organization is very much similar in form and design to the Templars or the Knights of Malta. Subsequently like Paladins or other forms of warrior priests, the Sarafan gain and hone their strength in battle with strong steadfast beliefs, faith and religious fervor. Far from benevolent, they have grown overconfident and self-assured that the cause they so willingly shed blood for is inherently good and just. This singular fact has led to corruption, opulence and the slow degradation of their personal and public morals. The Sarafan hoard riches inside their "religious" strongholds and flaunt their wealth by adorning their armor and weapons with jewels and gold. While just outside their golden walls, the workers and peasants are left to struggle against poverty that is so strongly furthered by the Sarafan's heavy handed and brutally enforced taxation. Possibly the only benefit Nosgoth actually receives from this militant order of corrupt knights stems from their virulent and commonly practiced designs for the eradication of the Vampires.
Legacy of Kain: Defiance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide[Defiance strategy guide]

Notes[]

  • Strong 4
    Real-world inspirations for the Sarafan brotherhood include the Roman Military, Crusades, Knights Templar, Spanish Inquisition and the Knights of Malta;[45][91][103] the visual upgrade from Roman- to Crusader-style uniform was used to suggest the passage of time after Soul Reaver 2.[91] The symbol of the Sarafan appears to have been inspired by the 'Spirit of Light' sculpture atop the Niagara Mohawk Building in Syracuse, New York,[104] and may be related to the Sarafan's alternate title the "Angels of the Light".[2]
  • The Sarafan commander group seems to be treated with particular reverence and respect, perhaps suggesting they were highly influential in the leadership of the order. The equal status of the commanders as martyred saints in the Tomb of the Sarafan[Soul Reaver] and the seven thrones in the Sarafan Stronghold's upper tower[Defiance] may imply that the Sarafan was run at least in part as a council of the commanders. Though not ultimately clear, it is likely that the members of the circle (explicitly sponsors of the crusades) may also have had significant input in the leadership of the order.
SR2-Model-Object-Strdsfn
  • Though Janos's murder was introduced in Blood Omen, it was not explicitly confirmed to have been at the hands of the Sarafan until Soul Reaver 2.[54] In Blood Omen, Janos's murder is mentioned,[18][78] but the culprits are not identified and only NPC conversations (which don't explicitly mention Janos) hint that the vampire in Uschtenheim was killed by the Sarafan.[66] Soul Reaver 2 would provide further details of the era, confirming the Sarafan as responsible for Janos's death and this event as directly provoking Vorador's subsequent Slaughter of the Circle[Soul Reaver 2].
  • Conversations with NPC's in Blood Omen may imply that Nupraptor's Retreat (or at least a property in Vasserbünde) was formerly home to a vampire killed by the Sarafan in Nosgoth's early history.[65] Identical dialogue is later used by a villager in Uschtenheim (presumably in reference to Janos Audron)[66] and it is unclear if this was an intended minor plot point or simply inappropriately placed in-game dialogue.
  • Daniel Cabuco's online portfolio lists several unused Sarafan variants including "Sararfan Female Warrior" and "Sarafan Priest".[105]
  • In the Legacy of Kain: Defiance comic, implied to be set immediately before Legacy of Kain: Defiance, Kain encounters Sarafan warrior pikemen and Sarafan warrior swordsmen (wielding weapons of a slightly simpler design lacking the Sarafan symbol)[Defiance comic], though these enemies do not appear in Defiance.
  • Dual

    Sarafan-style armor wraith (Dark Prophecy)

    Material for Legacy of Kain: The Dark Prophecy implies that the plot would have featured Malek's Bastion as a location and the return of the Sarafan armor wraiths previously seen as Malek's warriors in Blood Omen. Imagery of various Sarafan-stylized suits of armor was also discovered in David Demaret's online portfolio, with each successive suit resembling the Hylden anatomy more closely.[106][107]
  • Prima's Guide to Legacy of Kain:Soul Reaver notably alternates the spelling of the order as between "Serafan" and "Sarafan" (in reference to the Tomb of the Sarafan); this is the only known deviation in the spelling of this order's name and in all other appearances it is spelt "Sarafan"[108]
    • In Russian community, the Brotherhood is always referred to as Serafan (i.e. derived from "seraphim"), due to Sarafan being associated with female folk clothing unfit for warrior priests.

Gallery[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Icon Blood Omen Kain: "Hidden amidst the many obscure artifacts in that museum, I discovered an ancient chronicle. This passage caught my eye://“It was during these dark times infested with the plague of the undead, that the Circle brought the Sarafan to existence. Trained to be devoutly loyal to the Circle, and the perfect exterminators of the undead scourge, they were led to many victories by the righteous paladin, Malek. They cleansed the vampires with fire, and released their souls to more blessed realms. There is no wrath as terrible as that of the righteous.”//I had read enough. At once disgusted and intrigued, I placed the book back down in that museum." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Icon Blood Omen Kain VO: "Amongst Vorador’s possessions, I found an ancient chronicle...Long ago, vampires grew in such number as to capture the attention of the Circle. The Order of the Sarafan, or the “Angels of Light” as they were called, was instated to counter the menace. Thus, the “Vampire Purge” began."//(~Examining a series of macabre paintings on the wall:~) Kain VO: "The tapestries wove a tale of chaos ignited, an orgy of fire and pain. Undead beings, with rotted skins caked with sulfur and ash, beckoned at me through a burning abyss. Their tortured stares were a testemonial to the price of weakness. Their fate would not find me. Yet blood calls to blood." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  3. 3.0 3.1 What's the Story?: "Many millenia ago, in Nosgoth, a great purge took place. Malek, leading the fanatical Sarafan in a holy war against the vampires, ruthlessly hunted down and exterminated the creatures, leaving them impaled on huge stakes. He was helped in this by the Circle of Nine, the legendary demigods who are the guardians of the nine sacred pillars." Prima Games. Prima's Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Official Game Secrets (1996).Page 8.ISBN 0-7615-0363-3
  4. What's the Story?: "In return for Malek's promise to guard and protect them, the Circle gave him their assistance in his purge. But an ancient and powerful vampire named Vorador grew enraged at the slaughter of his people and at the alliance the circle had struck. While Malek was distracted by war, Vorador suceeded in killing three of the champions , destroying the balance of the circle, and then escaping." Prima Games. Prima's Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Official Game Secrets (1996).Page 8.ISBN 0-7615-0363-3
  5. Icon Dark Chronicle SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain - The Players - Malek (by Silicon Knights)(preserved at Dark Chronicle)
  6. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Janos: "And this is the terrible irony – with their vampire purge, the members of the Circle have assaulted the very architects of the Pillars they are sworn to protect. They have embarked on a treacherous path. With every vampire they kill, the humans are slitting their own throats." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2 Janos: "They know I’m up here, beyond their reach, and it terrifies them. You can see how they flaunt their kills to torment me... or perhaps simply to lure me out. They have this foolish notion that destroying me will somehow topple our entire bloodline. Thankfully, we’re not that fragile."//Raziel: "I have seen them mustering their forces in the village, below."//Janos: "Yes. I don’t know what they’re plotting... but I fear our time may be bitterly short." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Icon Dark Chronicle SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain - The Players - Vorador (by Silicon Knights) (preserved at Dark Chronicle) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "VoradorMotives" defined multiple times with different content
  9. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel: "Mankind seems to have brought you only torment and grief. You must hate them."//Janos: "They fear what they don’t understand; and they despise what they fear. But no - I do not hate them."//Raziel: "Vorador does."//Janos: "He has suffered much. He cannot forgive them."//Raziel: "Should they be forgiven?"//Janos: "They don’t understand what they’re doing. They are simply unenlightened... and vulnerable to manipulation." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  10. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Sarafan Warriors: "The Sarafan are a monastic set of warrior-priests, made legendary by their holy war against the vampire menace, in Nosgoth's early history. The Sarafan are formidable enemies renowned both for their ruthlessness and a fanatical devotion to their crusade. Sarafan warriors are sometimes aided in combat by spell-casting sorceresses, who will attempt to flee if cornered." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 manual. pg35 (Eidos Interactive). (2001) Download./Sarafan Warriors at the Official Soul Reaver 2 site (preserved at Dark Chronicle)
  11. 11.0 11.1 Bestiary: Sarafan Warriors: "The Sarafan were a monastic sect of warrior-priests, made legendary by their holy war against the vampire menace. These highly trained combatants were the ultimate human warriors. Before becoming a Vampire, Raziel himself was a preeminent member of the Sarafan order." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2(2001).Page 20.ISBN 0-7615-3237-4
  12. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Janos: "As our race dwindled, the humans prospered. I have watched, over the centuries, as our history faded into myth, and finally receded altogether. The humans have forgotten us entirely, and claimed the Pillars for themselves - wholly ignorant of their true purpose. To them, I am merely a devil; the origin of their vampire ‘plague’." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~At once, from the hallway beyond the double door comes the unmistakable sound of armored soldiers rapidly approaching. With a sudden sick recognition, Raziel realizes that by blazing a path for himself through the Retreat, he has unwittingly exposed Janos to the Sarafan.~)Janos: "I fear you have been followed..."(~With this, the door crashes open, and a squad of Sarafan warriors burst into the room. Their leader is armed with a cruel-looking weapon, and they are bearing Moebius’ staff.~) Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  14. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "My surroundings whirled sickeningly, and I found myself transported safely away from the ambush, to an adjacent chamber. Janos had delivered me from the Sarafan, selflessly forfeiting his own safety to preserve my life. And now I feared that my newfound mentor would be slaughtered by the very crusaders I had so recently revered. The irony pierced me, and with dawning horror I realized that I had been duped by Moebius from the beginning... For the Sarafan had simply followed the path I gullibly blazed through this sanctuary, and had arrived bearing Moebius’s staff. Thus armed, they had Janos at their mercy. Through the door, I could hear them battling, less than a dozen paces away – but it may as well have been a thousand miles, for this barrier was sealed by elemental forces I did not possess. It seemed Janos had conveyed me into the heart of the Fire shrine. I thought perhaps if I could galvanize the forge and imbue the Reaver in time, I might have a slim chance of saving Janos from his grisly fate." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~The Sarafan are clustered around Janos’ prostrate body, having rendered him helpless with the aid of Moebius’ staff. They've pinned the ancient vampire on his back. As Janos struggles against his captors, the head inquisitor commands his fellow Sarafan –~)Sarafan Raziel: "Hold him!"//(~Savoring the moment, the inquisitor raises his cruel-looking blade – then bringing it down violently, he tears Janos’ chest open.~)Janos: (~screams in agony~) (~Raziel reaches the threshold of the chamber too late. He watches in horror as the inquisitor reaches into Janos' open chest cavity and rips out his living heart with his hand, raising it triumphantly for the other Sarafan to see – ~)//Turel: "Look at his black heart, how it still beats!" (~Raziel prepares to leap into the fray, and then is frozen – as the head inquisitor turns, raising the heart, Raziel gets a good look at his face. And realizes that he has just watched himself – his former, Sarafan self – murder Janos.The two incarnations of Raziel lock eyes on each other – blue Raziel gaping in horror at recognizing his former self, and Sarafan Raziel strangely haunted by something in this demonic figure, but not knowing what.~) Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~As Janos begins to die, a tremor shakes the Retreat. The chamber rocks with the impact, and begins to collapse under the strain.–~)Dumah: "The fiend intends to bury us alive!"~Then, trying to snap their leader out of his trance –~"Raziel, we must get out of here!"//(~Sarafan-Raziel cannot tear his eyes from this demonic apparition. With his gaze still locked on this Raziel, he commands his fellow Sarafan –~)Sarafan Raziel: "Remember the sword!" (~Dumah grabs up the Reaver. With Moebius' staff still in Turel's possession and Janos' heart still in Raziel's, the Sarafan rush out of the chamber just as the entire Retreat threatens to collapse around them.~) Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  17. Icon Defiance Vorador: "'Many times...but our enemies hid the Heart too well. It was taken as a trophy to Avernus Cathedral centuries ago, where they christened it 'the Heart of Darkness.' Believing that it embodies the essence of our dark gift, they hid the Heart away, lest it fall into the wrong hands. Our hands.Redeem yourself - you may be our last hope. Perhaps you alone can find the Heart, if it is meant to be found. If Janos can be resurrected, he will have all the answers you require." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Icon Blood Omen Kain: "The Heart of Darkness - 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." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  19. Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~Raziel has pursued the Sarafan to their Stronghold, resolved to avenge Janos Audron's murder, recover his heart, and reclaim the stolen Reaver. Charging through the Stronghold's corridors, Raziel finds himself at a dead end, in an antechamber off of the cloister. The Reaver is here, laid out across a basin in the center of the room. Raziel stops short.–~)Raziel VO: "Suddenly and inexplicably, I discovered the Reaver, suspiciously laid across my path. Again, I sensed nothing of that ‘temporal distortion,’ the peculiar sense of displacement I had felt when I encountered the Reaver in William’s chapel. Cornered here with the blade, I suffered the same nameless dread that I had experienced when Janos first presented the Reaver to me. I felt at once repelled by the blade, and yet overwhelmingly compelled to seize it." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  20. Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~Suddenly Moebius and the Sarafan Malek appear in the doorway behind Raziel, cutting off his exit. He’s been trapped. Wheeling on them, Raziel summons the wraith-blade – but Moebius has arrived bearing his staff, and as the orb flares, the wraith-blade flickers and dies. Moebius intends to stall Raziel long enough to drain his reaver energy (thus forcing him to take up the Reaver that’s been laid out for him here, despite his misgivings). Moebius's demeanor has changed dramatically since their last encounter. Gone are all signs of the sniveling, pandering magician – this Moebius is cold, focused, and completely in control.~)Moebius: "So, Raziel – here we are, finally. You have no choice but to confront me now – and I am not so foolish as I’ve let you believe. We have business to conclude."//Raziel: "You knew I would lead the Sarafan to Janos, you vile bastard! You’ve been orchestrating my every move!" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  21. Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~Raziel takes a threatening step forward, and Moebius motions to Malek –~)Moebius: "I think not, Raziel. Malek, do not let this creature leave. He poses a danger to the Circle."//(~Malek steps in front of Moebius, brandishing his pike –~)Raziel: "Poor, deluded Raziel... did you somehow imagine you had the guile to change history on me? I’m the Time-Streamer – I knew your every intention before you did, you imbecile." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  22. 22.0 22.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~Suddenly, the sounds of a far-off disturbance echo through the chamber. Screams, terrified cries for Malek, and the unmistakable laughter of the vampire Vorador as he mocks the Guardians reverberate through the stone corridors – this is the same moment in history where Vorador infiltrated the Stronghold to take his revenge on the Circle (also for Janos’ murder).~)Vorador:(in the distance) "Call your dogs – they can feast on your corpses!"//Malek: "Lord Moebius, there is trouble within. The Circle is under attack –"//Moebius: (completely cold; focused)"Hold fast, Malek. This one is the real danger to us." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  23. 23.0 23.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel: "What are you trying to concoct here, Moebius?"//Moebius: "You toxic creature – did you imagine I’d simply allow you to run loose, corrupting everything you encounter?"//Raziel: "I admit that I’ve underestimated you to this point, Moebius – but it’s a mistake I won’t repeat."//(~With his wraith-blade completely drained by the presence of Moebius’ staff, Raziel has no choice but to take up the Reaver. He grabs the hilt and advances on Moebius and Malek. This is the moment Moebius was waiting for –~)Moebius: "Wrong again, Raziel."(~Moebius and Malek back out of the open doorway.~)"Now, Malek! Bolt the door!" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  24. 24.0 24.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~Raziel rushes forward, but the portcullis slams down just as he reaches the door. Turning back toward the chamber, he contemplates the Reaver now clutched in his grasp, and realizes that he has no choice but to press forward into the cloister.~)Raziel: "Using his staff to disable my wraith-blade, Moebius effectively disarmed me, leaving me with only one choice of weapon. And yet I confess, it was not the lack of options, but blind rage that made me take up the Reaver – in my fury, it felt as though my hand had acted of its own will. And now that same hand clutched the hilt with unyielding strength – and I felt a constrained tingling, a remote but palpable sense of longing as the disabled wraith-blade tried vainly to embrace its physical twin." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  25. Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~Raziel comments that he cannot put down the Reaver (it won’t let him)~)Raziel VO: "Now that I had taken it up, the Reaver and I were inescapably joined. The harder I tried to release the blade, the more tightly my hand gripped the hilt, as if possessed of its own will."//(~Raziel comments that he cannot drop to spectral while carrying the Reaver, and he can’t summon the wraith-blade, because it’s been disabled by Moebius’s staff~)Raziel: "The Reaver exerted some mysterious power over me...It sustained my energy, enabling me to prolong my physical manifestation indefinitely. In fact, bonded to the blade as I was, I could no longer shift into the spirit realm at will. Nor was I able to summon the Reaver’s twin, for my wraith blade had been disabled in the confrontation with Moebius." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  26. 26.0 26.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "As Melchiah and Zephon fell before my blade, I felt the Reaver’s blood-thirst as keenly as I ever had when I was still a vampire. I could sense the boundary between us dissolving – the Reaver was consumed with my rage, and I was intoxicated by its bloodlust. The blade had a vitalizing effect on me – my physical energy no longer decayed over time, and the wounds inflicted by my foes healed almost instantly. The Reaver had made me invincible." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  27. 27.0 27.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~As Raziel enters the cloister, he is confronted by the first two of Janos’ murderers, who have apparently been dispatched to confront him here.~)Zephon: "Come to take your revenge, demon?"//Melchiah: "Back to hell with you!"(~Raziel looks upon his former brethren with disgust, relishing his advantage over them.~)//Raziel VO: "I recognized these two as my former brethren... in life, as Sarafan; and in unlife, as Kain’s vampire ‘sons.’ Melchiah and Zephon, the weakest of Kain’s brood... These bastards had no idea what future lay in store for them – how they would become the very thing they so despised. The Reaver hummed with ravenous anticipation – Janos had called it a ‘vampiric’ blade, endowed with the power to drain its victims of their lifeblood. I was eager to see what the Reaver would do to these two..." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~Raziel proceeds to the nave of the Stronghold’s main Sanctuary, where he discovers Rahab and Dumah waiting for him.~)Dumah: "Have you come to reclaim the monster’s black heart?"//Rahab: "You’ll have to get through us, first." (~Raziel readies the Reaver eagerly, savoring his newly-discovered role in their ultimate destinies.~)//Raziel VO: "My former brethren Dumah and Rahab confronted me next – this all seemed so elegantly choreographed. Exhilarated by the Reaver, I was drunk with revelations... I could finally appreciate the delicious irony of Kain’s blasphemous, private joke – and I reveled as I colluded with him across the centuries. For it was I who put these bastards in their tomb – thus providing the corpses for Kain to raise as his vampire sons a millennium from now." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript.
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~Upon defeating Rahab and Dumah, Raziel proceeds to the choir of the Sanctuary. Here, finally, Raziel is confronted by Turel, alone – his former second-in-command, both as a Sarafan and vampire. Turel advances on Raziel with self-righteous contempt –~)Turel: "Get back to the pit you crawled from, demon!"//Raziel: "And here at last was my brother Turel, who along with Dumah would bear me into the abyss without questioning Kain’s command. So dutiful and righteous, even as a vampire... I guess some habits die hard. The vampire Turel had eluded my vengeance; the Sarafan Turel would not." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript.
  30. 30.0 30.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2 (~After confronting and killing each of his former Sarafan brethren in turn, Raziel finally comes face-to-face with his former Sarafan inquisitor self, who has apparently been waiting for him alone in the Chapter House of the Stronghold. This is a dead-end, a trap calculated by Moebius. As he crosses the threshold, the portcullis slams down behind him, and there is no way out. This is an intense psychological event for Raziel, who knows that he’s facing all the negative, “shadow” aspects of his own personality. Sarafan Raziel addresses him with self-righteous disdain, blissfully ignorant of this demonic creature's true identity. He is hateful, arrogant, and bigoted.~)Sarafan Raziel: "So, vampire – here we are. You’ve destroyed my brethren – and now you’ve come for me? You’ll find I am not such easy prey."//(~Raziel is somewhat taken aback and intimidated. He sincerely doesn’t want to become his own murderer (though he realizes it’s probably inevitable).~)Raziel: "I don’t want to kill you, but I will if I must. Return the heart to me, and we can end this now." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript.
  31. 31.0 31.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2Sarafan Raziel: "So you’ve come to avenge that filthy parasite, and reclaim his foul heart? You’re a righteous fiend, aren’t you?"//Raziel: "Apparently I am."//Sarafan Raziel: "No, vampire. This is where it ends, but you won’t be leaving this room. Now let’s finish this – I’ll make it mercifully quick."//Raziel: "As you did for Janos?"//Sarafan Raziel: "No, that beast had eluded us for far too long. It would have been a shame to end him too quickly. It’s ironic, really – the ‘great Janos Audron’ turned out to be no challenge at all... thanks to you. Did you hear his cowardly screams when I tore that black heart out of his carcass?"(~Raziel can no longer contain his rage – raising the Reaver, he lunges at the Sarafan inquisitor.~) Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript.
  32. 32.0 32.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2(~The Sarafan inquisitor is defeated, and as he staggers, Raziel runs him through with the Reaver. Transfixed on the blade, Sarafan Raziel chokes and gasps as his lifeblood is drained from his body. Face to face in this deadly embrace, Raziel curses his former self with the solemnity of an oath –~)Raziel: "I renounce you."//(~The Sarafan inquisitor collapses to the floor, and the Reaver blade slides free of his body.~)Raziel: "And so it ends. My history comes full circle." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript.
  33. 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 Icon Soul Reaver Raziel: "As I pulled the stone free, a sigh of sepulchral air escaped the inner chamber. I was not prepared for what lay beyond this threshold... These crypts... defiled caskets of Sarafan saints... bearing my brothers’ names... And my own... The irony of Kain’s blasphemous act rushed in on me with the crushing force of revelation... Were my hands not as bloody as these? Worse, I had spilled the blood of my brothers -these very comrades whose tombs lay ravaged before me." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  34. 34.0 34.1 34.2 Icon Soul Reaver Elder God: "Yes, Raziel - you were Sarafan... born of the same force that all but destroyed your race. Before the dawn of the Empire, you were chosen. Kain - Nosgoth’s solitary, self-declared monarch - plundered this tomb and raised you from these crypts. Breathing his vampiric gift into your defiled corpses, he resurrected you as his favored sons." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  35. 35.0 35.1 Icon Blood Omen (~Malek finds himself bound and stripped naked in the center of a dark chamber, lit only by candle flame. Arcane runes and symbols of power are drawn into the floor. Scars adorne his body. On the ground before him is an empty suit of armor, propped up on a stand, giving it the impression that it has some form inside it.~)Mortanius: "For failing the Circle, Malek of the Sarafan, you are hereby damned!" (~Malek’s spirit is stripped from his body and fused into his armor.~)Mortanius: "The pleasures of the flesh are no longer yours. You have but one purpose, damned one. You will serve us for eternity." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  36. 36.0 36.1 What's the Story?: "Malek's punishment for not protecting the circle was terrible. He was stripped of his life, and his soul was welded to his armor. He became the Pillar of conflict, guardian of the circle for all eternity." Prima Games. Prima's Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Official Game Secrets (1996).Page 8.ISBN 0-7615-0363-3
  37. 37.0 37.1 Icon Defiance Kain: "'And so I returned to the sanctuary of my enemy - the fortress of the Sarafan brotherhood, deemed impossible for any man to penetrate...impossible for any man." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript.
  38. 38.0 38.1 Icon Defiance Kain: "'Deep within these walls, my prey awaited: Moebius the Time Streamer, deceiver and eternal gamester, using living beings as his pawns." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript.
  39. 39.0 39.1 Icon Defiance Kain: "It was time for Moebius to answer a few questions. I hoped, for his sake, to find him in a forthcoming mood." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript.
  40. 40.0 40.1 40.2 Icon Defiance Sarafan Guard 1: "In the end, we rooted out an entire nest of the fiends."//Sarafan Guard 2: "But we had swept that area already."//Sarafan Guard 1: "Not well enough. But no matter - we purged every last one of that brood with fire. May their souls now rest."//Sarafan Guard 2: "Lord Moebius will be pleased." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript.
  41. 41.0 41.1 41.2 Icon Defiance Kain: "This emblem was unmistakably of Vampire origin, and designed to enhance the Reaver's power. But this coincidence seemed too convenient; Moebius clearly meant for me to find it." // ~As he claims the emblem, he hears doors open and armored footsteps rapidly approaching. A number of Sarafan clamor into the chapel to surround him, shouting threats and orders.~ Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript.
  42. 42.0 42.1 Icon Defiance ~Kain acquires another Reaver-enhancing artifact.~ // Kain: "Curious. This artifact, joined with the relic I discovered earlier, appeared to be but one fragment of a larger emblem. This shard was endowed with elemental Fire, enhancing both the Reaver and my telekinetic powers." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript.
  43. Icon Defiance (~Kain approaches a magical barrier.~) Kain: "This passage undoubtedly led to the Time Streamer. My prey was nearly in my grasp. But the door had been sealed by a blessed barrier. As I approached, the Reaver resonated in response. Perhaps its dark sorcery could dispel these holy barriers"//(~Kain takes a swipe at the barrier with his sword, only to be repelled.~) Kain: "As I suspected, the Reaver was not yet powerful enough to shatter these barriers. But there was something to this…" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript.
  44. 44.0 44.1 Sarafan: Strategy: "The main strategy when fighting a group of Sarafan is setting your priority. Take out the spell casters first to remove their ability to enhance their allies. Then focus on the Archers in the back. Although they are weak compared to their brethren their volley of arrows can be a harsh distraction. After they are eliminated go for the Zealots who have a nasty habit of charging in on you. Although the Templars are more powerful they are more skilled warriors that can block and are often best left to be dealt with once you have removed a lot of the other threats. These enemies often attack in large groups and when they do be sure to use your Reaver spells."//Fatalized: Kain//Thrown: Lift, Acquire, Force, Last Combo//TK Throw: Yes//TK Slow: No//Possessable: Yes//Burnable: Yes//Encountered by: Kain//Plane: Material" Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Page 95. (2003)
  45. 45.0 45.1 45.2 Sarafan: "The Sarafan are the current ruling class in Nosgoth. Their organization is very much similar in form and design to the Templars or the Knights of Malta. Subsequently like Paladins or other forms of warrior priests, the Sarafan gain and hone their strength in battle with strong stead-fast beliefs, faith and religious fervor. Far from benevolent, they have grown overconfident and self-assured that the cause they so willingly shed blood for is inherently good and just. This singular fact has led to corruption, opulence and the slow degradation of their personal and public morals. The Sarafan hoard riches inside their “religious” strongholds and flaunt their wealth by adorning their armor and weapons with jewels and gold. While just outside their golden walls, the workers and peasants are left to struggle against poverty that is so strongly furthered by the Sarafan’s heavy handed and brutally enforced taxation. Possibly the only benefit Nosgoth actually receives from this militant order of corrupt knights stems from their virulent and commonly practiced designs for the eradication of the Vampires." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Page 95. (2003)
  46. Janos: "Little is known of the infamous Janos Audron, beyond the folklore and legends surrounding his name. Reputed to have been the most ancient and powerful vampire to have ever existed, the elusive Janos Audron was the hated enemy of the Sarafan warrior-priests and inevitably became the prime target of their vampire purge. According to legend, Janos preyed relentlessly on the helpless villages of Uschtenheim, until the Sarafan hunted him down and killed him, ripping his still-beating heart from his body. This relic became known as the Heart of Darkness, and was rumored to possess the power to resurrect vampires." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2(2001).Page 20.ISBN 0-7615-3237-4/Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Page 9. (2003)
  47. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Vampires: In the historical eras that Raziel visits, he discovers that Nosgoth's early vampires were persecuted and eventually hunted to extinction. Out of self-preservation, the vampires have retreated from the world, and Raziel therefore encounters few of their kind. Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 manual. pg35 (Eidos Interactive). (2001) Download.
  48. Vampires: "Nosgoth's vampires are a dying breed, mercilessly persecuted by the Sarafan and the Vampire Hunters. Raziel encounters only a handful of vampires during his travels, and though they're curious about him, they don't consider him a threat." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2(2001). Page 20. ISBN 0-7615-3237-4
  49. 49.0 49.1 49.2 Icon Blood Omen Kain: "Gift? Pah! Vorador thought my curse a blessing. That we were gods and that mortals offered their blood as sacrifice so that we could enjoy our supernatural powers. And somewhere deep inside my new self I knew he was right. That mortal dreams were prayers. Prayers to us - begging for our power. I pondered this as the decadent old fool prattled on about his past; a boorish account of how he defeated Malek of the Sarafan and took his vengeance upon the Circle of Nine for supporting the Sarafan’s holy war to exterminate us..." // Vorador: "After slaughtering six of the sheep I defeated their pathetic little shepherd - Malek. Since then our kind has not bothered with the cattle, except to feed. And I suggest you do the same. Meddling with the affairs of man can do us no good. Sarafan witchhunts are much too tedious to concern ourselves with. Am I understood Kain?" Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  50. Vorador: "The most ancient and powerful (/One of the most important) of Nosgoth’s surviving vampires, Vorador has seen his kind oppressed and persecuted throughout history, and has come to regard humans as little more than brutish cattle. During the time of the Sarafan crusade, Vorador infiltrated their stronghold and took his revenge on the Circle for their sponsorship of the vampire purge. After slaughtering six of the Guardians, Vorador retreated from the world in disillusionment and renounced the affairs of mankind. Nearly five centuries later, however, Kain’s’ ill-fated assassination of William the Just re-ignited the human’s genocidal hatred of vampires. This reckless act ultimately led to the annihilation of the vampires, and Vorador was eventually captured and executed by Moebius and his mercenary army of vampire hunters." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2(2001).Page 20.ISBN 0-7615-3237-4/Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Page 9. (2003)
  51. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel: "Are we within the Stronghold of the Sarafan priesthood?"//Moebius: "Yes, but the glorious days of the Sarafan have long since passed, I’m afraid. This is a more... cynical and indecorous age. My mercenary army now inhabits this stronghold – we strive to honor the memory of the Sarafan with our own humble crusade." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  52. 52.0 52.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "Strange, how my history came full circle... This chapel, I realized, was a memorial to my former Sarafan brethren and myself... all of us martyred here, and then so cruelly profaned by Kain when he imposed his ‘gift’ on our noble corpses." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  53. 53.0 53.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "For the first time, I beheld the image of my Sarafan self, memorialized here among my fallen comrades. It tortured me to see how noble and pure I had been – and what a vile phantasm I had become. And a profound sense of injury – of loss and betrayal – welled up in me, so overwhelming I could barely contain it. All I wanted at this moment was to find Kain, and destroy him." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  54. 54.0 54.1 54.2 Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "So this was the legendary Janos Audron – reputed to have been the most ancient and diabolical vampire to have ever existed. According to folklore, he lived high in the cliffs of Nosgoth’s northern mountains, and preyed mercilessly on the defenseless villagers below. His reign of terror ended when the Sarafan finally hunted him down and tore his throbbing heart from his still-living body. This relic came to be known as the ‘Heart of Darkness’, and was supposedly imbued with the power to restore vampiric ‘unlife’. The Sarafan therefore guarded it carefully, lest the Heart fall into the hands of their enemies. But I wondered – could Janos Audron truly have been as monstrous as depicted here? Or was this merely artistic license by the Sarafan, who sought to lionize themselves by demonizing their darkest enemy?" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  55. 55.0 55.1 Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel: "Is this the vampire Vorador?"//Moebius: "Yes, the scourge of the Circle. The most depraved and decadent example of his whole degenerate race. He slaughtered six of my fellow Guardians as they cowered, defenseless, in this room."//Raziel: "And you somehow survived this massacre?"//Moebius: "I, and two others. The Circle was devastated; only we three were spared." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  56. 56.0 56.1 Icon Defiance (~Kain comes across two other statues of Malek, one holding a shield, the other a sword.~) Kain: "Malek’s missing sheild. I hated to restore his dignity, but I would need to return this to his monument before I could progress. "//Kain: "Malek’s sword belonged in his right hand. However distasteful this errand was, I would return it to its proper place." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Defiance. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (November 11, 2003) Transcript.
  57. 57.0 57.1 Icon Blood Omen (~As Kain walks under a huge stained-glass ceiling depicting the battle between Vorador and Malek:~)Kain VO: "Above me stood a memory, etched in stained glass." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  58. 58.0 58.1 58.2 Icon Blood Omen Oracle: "Malek - defender of the Nine and last of the Sarafan sorcerer-priests. His vanity led to the slaughter of the Circle at the hands of the vampire Vorador. For his failing, his spirit was fused to a hellish set of magical armor. He has allowed no member of the Circle to fall since." // Kain: "What of this Vorador?" // Oracle: "Follow the glow of the Ignis Fatuus to the Termogent Forest." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  59. Icon Blood Omen Anarcrothe: "Don’t be ridiculous! Malek! To our aid!" // Kain: "Damn you, Alchemist! I had not come this far only to have my quarry escape!" // Malek: "Vengeance! Vengeance for my eternity of suffering!" // Vorador: "Whelp! As if you knew what eternity was! Grovel before your true master." // Malek: "Never! I'll hack you from crotch to gizzard and feed what’s left of you to your brides..." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  60. Icon Blood Omen Kain: "As Vorador clashed against Malek, I gave pursuit to the fleeing wizards DeJoule and Bane... I danced their dance. When the time came, they would dance upon my sword!" Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  61. Icon Blood Omen Kain: "I found Malek’s helmet amongst the scattered remnants of his armor, whole and intact. Vorador had finally laid his old adversary to rest." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  62. 62.0 62.1 62.2 Icon Blood Omen Malek: "My warriors are but shadows of my skill, child."//(~Kain discovers the first minion generation room:~) Kain VO: "The towering metal structure gave birth to these wraiths. I could hazard only a guess at its function: fusing the souls of long dead warriors to their armor, so that they may do battle once again. Life without blood. What a travesty!" Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  63. 63.0 63.1 Icon Blood Omen Kain: "Odd. This armor resembled that of the Ward and his minions. Yet, the steel seemed newly fashioned and untarnished by time." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  64. 64.0 64.1 64.2 Icon Blood Omen Moebius: "Let us call upon the puppets from the past!" Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  65. 65.0 65.1 65.2 Icon Blood Omen Vasserbünde Villager: "There used to be a vampire living there, before the Sarafan hunted and killed him. They say he screamed four score days and nights before he died! He vowed vengeance, he did!" Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  66. 66.0 66.1 66.2 66.3 Icon Blood Omen Uschtenheim Villager: "There used to be a vampire living there, before the Sarafan hunted and killed him. They say he screamed four score days and nights before he died! He vowed vengeance, he did!" Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  67. 67.0 67.1 Icon Blood Omen 2 Janos Audron: "They were, Kain. But several centuries ago, one of the Hylden was able to return to our world. He then used his magic to draw other Hylden through, but had not yet the power to begin a full invasion. He required an army, here, and humans to drain of energy. He learned of a legendary order whose purpose was to purge the world of vampires long ago. He revived this order, and the Sarafan were born again." // Kain: "The Sarafan Lord. It was he that broke through. But how?" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript.
  68. 68.0 68.1 Icon Soul Reaver Raziel: "The ancient tomb of the Sarafan, once impenetrably sealed... Now, ravaged by Nosgoth’s upheavals, its mysteries lay exposed.//In the time of Vorador, centuries before Kain was made, the Sarafan warrior priests waged a merciless war against the vampire tribes of Nosgoth. Emboldened by righteousness, they committed unspeakable and indiscriminate acts of violence - massacring fledglings and ancients alike, they decimated entire bloodlines in mere decades. Now their husks lay here - murderers enshrined." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  69. 69.0 69.1 Icon Soul Reaver Raziel: "I have been to the Tomb of Sarafan, Kain. Your dirty secret is exposed. How could you transform a Sarafan priest into a vampire?"//Kain: "How could I not? One must keep his friends close, Raziel - and his enemies even closer. Can you grasp the absurd beauty of the paradox? We are the same - Sarafan and vampire. With our holy wars... our obsession with Nosgoth’s domination... Who better to serve me than those whose passion transcends all notions of good and evil?"//Raziel: "I will not applaud your clever blasphemy. The Sarafan were saviors, defending Nosgoth from the corruption that we represent. My eyes are opened, Kain - I find no nobility in the unlife you rudely forced on my unwilling corpse."//Kain: "You may have uncovered your past, but you know nothing of it. You think the Sarafan were noble, altruistic? Don’t be simple. Their agenda was the same as ours." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  70. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel: "I found the Tomb of Sarafan, Kain. How could you profane a priest by turning him into a vampire?" // ~Furious, Raziel launches himself at Kain - who easily stops Raziel in mid-air with one hand, and holds him by the throat, at arm's length.~ // Kain: "How could I not? One must keep his friends close, Raziel - and his enemies even closer." // ~Kain effortlessly hurls Raziel to the lower floor of the chamber, and then drops down himself, approaching Raziel's sprawled figure.~ // Kain: "Who better to serve me than those whose passion transcends all notions of good and evil?" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript.
  71. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel: "The Sarafan were saviors, defending Nosgoth from the corruption that we represent. My eyes are opened, Kain - I find no nobility in the unlife you rudely forced on my unwilling corpse!" Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript.
  72. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Kain: "You may have uncovered your past, but you know nothing of it. You think the Sarafan were noble, altruistic?" // ~Kain breaks Raziel's grip and propels him away with a blast of telekinetic energy. Raziel flies backward and slams into a buttress with bone-shattering force. Kain laughs and moves toward the final dial.~ // Kain: "Don't be simple. Their agenda was the same as ours." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (October 31, 2001) Transcript.
  73. Icon Blood Omen (~Lit in the unholy glow of a distant sunset and burning pyres, a man (a vampire) is being hoisted into the air, impaled on a high wooden stake by two armoured warriors. As we pull away, we see other vampire corpses impaled, littering the countryside.~) Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  74. Icon Blood Omen (~The camera continues to pull out, and we see the above scene contained within a pool of water, nested in the middle of a large, circular table with arcane symbols carved into it. Around the table are a cluster of wizards, both male and female, young and old. The room is dimly lit, but we can make out what they are wearing. They appear to be watching the events in the magic pool quite intently. Suddenly a door swings open, flooding the room with blinding light. A jagged sword rips through the closest wizard, and the vampire Vorador appears from behind the falling corpse.~) Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  75. 75.0 75.1 Icon Blood OmenWizard: (amidst bloodcurdling screams)"Malek!"//(~Vorador fires an energy bolt at another wizard, killing her.~)Wizard: "Malek!"//(~He then turns to the wizard screaming for aid and throws a flay spell.~)Wizard:(screams)//(~Her flesh is blasted from her bloody bones. Vorador laughs darkly as he corners the last remaining wizard in the chamber. The wizard tries to cast a spell, but is panicking.~)Final Wizard: (whimpering)"Malek!"//(~There is the sound of an approaching man in armour, rushing along the stone tiled floors.~)Vorador: (laughing)"Call your dogs! They can feast on your corpses!"//(~He fires a blood gout spell – the projectile hits the victim, forcing a stream of blood to be jettisoned from the body into Vorador’s open mouth. He then dodges sideways. Malek rushes in through the doorway, poleax drawn, to behold a silent chamber that is vacant except for the carnage. Vorador materializes behind him, and strikes a blow to the back of his head.~) Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  76. 76.0 76.1 Meet the Denizens of Nosgoth: Malek "Malek was once a fanatical Sarafa warrior-priest who led the vampire purges many, many years ago. He is now a member of the Circle of Nine and the guardian of the Pillar of Conflict. Due to his failure during the purges to protect the Circle-several of whom were killed by the vampire Vorador-he was condemned to protect the Circle for all eternity. And yet he has lost the trust of the remaining guardians, and his only wish is to find a way to recover his lost humanity.//In life Malek built a reputation as a cold-blooded killer, feared and despised by enemy generals and loathed by the vampires he and his Sarafan brethren hunted with ruthless efficiency. As a guardian, Malek's rune-covered armor is battered and dented, his helmet's plume soaked in the blood of his enemies, and his ferocity and hatred remain undiminished." Prima Games. Prima's Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Official Game Secrets (1996).Page 9-10.ISBN 0-7615-0363-3
  77. Meet the Denizens of Nosgoth: Vorador "Vorador is a proud and ancient vampire. His advancing years have done little to temper his arrogance. He has feasted on the humans of Nosgoth, reading his victims' thoughts as he drained their blood. This has given him an excellent insight into the history of the lands, as the once-youthful and vibrant world descended into sour corruption.//As Vorador watched his people being slaughtered during the vampire purges, he decided to take revenge on the Circle of Nine, who were assisting Malek and the Sarafan. He succeeded in killing six of the guardians and disrupting the Circle and the balance of the world - too late to save his fellow vampires but satisfying to his bitter heart nonetheless. His revenge complete, he locked himself in a distant castle and turned his back on the world." Prima Games. Prima's Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Official Game Secrets (1996).Page 10.ISBN 0-7615-0363-3
  78. 78.0 78.1 Icon Blood Omen Kain VO: "In my travels, I learned much about the legend of Janos Audron. Here, in this quaint pastoral village of Uschtenheim, that dark enemy was born. Janos preyed upon its peasants until he was finally hunted down and executed." Silicon Knights / Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. (Crystal Dynamics). PlayStation. (November 15, 1996) Transcript.
  79. Icon Soul Reaver Raziel: "But tell me, before I tear your soul from its moorings, do you know what we were before Kain spawned us?"//Rahab: "Human."//Raziel: "Sarafan, Rahab. The antithesis of all we ever believed."//Rahab: "Does it matter? We were lost. He saved us."//Raziel: "Saved us? From what?"//Rahab: "From ourselves." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  80. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel: "How is it that you know my name? We have never met."//Moebius: "On the contrary, Raziel - I know you very well... And it grieves me to see how cruelly Kain has used you.I knew you when you were one of the Sarafan brotherhood, Raziel. We were even close."//Raziel: "Oh, please."//Moebius: "Fortunately, you need not love me now to be my ally..." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  81. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Moebius: "You may never again be human, Raziel... But you can re-embrace the essence of your humanity, and the nobility of your Sarafan heritage. Go to him, Raziel, and end this." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  82. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "Throughout the Stronghold I discovered evidence of my former nobility, and my life as a Sarafan priest. This was the heritage so foully stolen from me when Kain raided my sacred crypt and defiled me." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  83. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel: "I would expect better than meek capitulation from you."//Vorador: "Five hundred years ago, our race was nearly exterminated by the fanatical crusades of the Sarafan. And now the same sick drama unfolds again. In merely a decade, Moebius’s cutthroat citizen army has nearly accomplished what the Sarafan could not.Vampires meddling in the affairs of men...Look where it has brought us." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  84. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Vorador: "But you see, even if you are who you appear to be, it no longer matters...You’re simply too late. Janos Audron – the Reaver Guardian, the last of the Ancients, and my maker – was murdered by the Sarafan nearly five centuries ago. He alone would have the answers you seek, but his secrets died with him. I don’t know how you’ve come even this far without his guidance – or without the Reaver, stolen these five hundred years ago by the Sarafan. I am afraid, my friend, that you – and all of us – are out of luck." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  85. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "Here I discovered the quaint hamlet of Uschtenheim, now long-abandoned and collapsing into ruin...Legend claimed that Janos Audron terrorized its villagers until the Sarafan hunters ferreted him out and destroyed him. If there was any truth to the old tales, the lair of the infamous vampire could not be far away..." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  86. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "This edifice was clearly not crafted by human architects. As the figure beneath the balcony silently attested, these were the aeries of winged beings. Undoubtedly, I stood before the mountain refuge of the legendary Janos Audron – but the entire sanctuary lay in ruin, collapsed under the force of some ancient cataclysm. As I suspected, the Time-Streamer’s deception ensured that I was centuries too late to unearth anything of consequence here." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  87. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "Beyond all hope, and against all probability, it seemed that the device had unerringly delivered me to the era I sought. For these were Sarafan banners – and these vampires, apparently the victims of their crusade. The coincidence seemed too convenient to naively ascribe to Fate – but whether my opportune arrival had been orchestrated by Moebius, or some other influence, I didn’t know. If Janos Audron still lived, I would find him – but I was wary of further deception, and resolved to tread carefully." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  88. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "For all the butchery of Moebius’s crusade, this massacre was somehow more chilling... The killing fields of the Sarafan betrayed a kind of orderly ruthlessness – the cold-blooded righteousness of the true believer." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  89. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "Here at last, in the flesh, I beheld my former brothers-in-arms – the warrior-priests of the Sarafan order, their lives devoted solely to the annihilation of the ‘vampire plague.’ And while I confess I felt a twinge of longing, a pang of grief for what I had believed was my lost virtue, I regarded them now with none of the reverence I formerly felt. For I had seen the human face of the vampires - and now I beheld the monstrousness of these men." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  90. Icon Soul Reaver 2 Raziel VO: "As I backed away from Janos’s body, I was overwhelmed by a sense of self-loathing so deep, I could barely contain it. In that instant, I rejected all that I ever was, and embraced the role Janos had safeguarded for me so patiently throughout the centuries. I knew then what I had to do – the task for which I was uniquely prepared...I would pursue the Sarafan dogs to their loathsome fortress, and avenge Janos Audron’s murder. Moebius would pay dearly for his treachery, and my Sarafan brethren would reap the horrors they had sown. I would retake the stolen Reaver, which was rightfully mine. And finally, when all these debts had been paid, I would reclaim Janos Audron’s heart from their filthy, unworthy hands. If the heart was truly imbued with the power to restore vampiric unlife, its highest purpose was clear to me... I would restore the heart to Janos, and thus undo the vile crime committed by my abominable former self." Crystal Dynamics. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation. (August 16, 1999) Transcript.
  91. 91.0 91.1 91.2 91.3 91.4 "Sarafan Crusader Notes" on Daniel Cabuco's online portfolio (Archived Notes at 'Legacy of Kain Wiki: Sources')
  92. Nosgoth (icon)'Hunters – Sworn to Exterminate the Vampire Scourge' at the Nosgoth official blog (by George Kelion) (preserved at Tales of Nosgoth/Nosgothic Realm)
  93. "Raziel finds the Reaver and is compelled to seize it when Moebius and Malek (Sarafan commander and Guardian of Conflict) appear. Moebius reveals he was indeed manipulating Raziel all along, as he orders Malek to bar the door." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2(2001).Page 93.ISBN 0-7615-3237-4
  94. Bestiary: Pikemen Sarafan Warriors: "Sarafan Pikemen wield vicious tridents, and they know how to exploit the strengths of their chosen weapon. These Sarafan favor a long-range jab attack, but they also lash out with a sweeping strike that hits Raziel even if he tries to sidestep.//Strengths Their quick powerful attacks are difficult to dodge. They have robust health.//Weaknesses They're vulnerable to lunge attacks." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2(2001).Page 20.ISBN 0-7615-3237-4
  95. Bestiary: Swordsmen Sarafan Warriors: "These Sarafan wield long, delicate blades. They specialize in short- and medium-range attacks, but aren't as quick as pikemen.//Strengths They're good blockers and strong at close combat.//Weaknesses They're easy to sidestep and their attacks don't hit from long range." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2(2001).Page 20.ISBN 0-7615-3237-4
  96. Bestiary: Sorceresses: "Sorceresses often accompany two or more Sarafan Warriors, and provide long-range projectile support while the pikemen and swordsmen attack. Sorceresses flee if approached, and have no short-range attack capability//Strengths They're almost impossible to hit while fleeing if you use autoface, and their fireballs are extremely fast.//Weaknesses They can't take much damage, often dying after just two weapon hits or a single force bolt." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2(2001).Page 20.ISBN 0-7615-3237-4
  97. Know the Foe: Sarafan Warriors: "These Warriors from Nosgoth's past are potent adversaries. Raziel was once a preeminent member of the order, along with his eventual vampire brothers. Sarafan Warriors come in two varieties: swordsmen and trident-wielding pikemen. In battle, they behave like Vampire and Demon Hunters, though they are quicker and stronger. Sorceresses are also often nearby when there are Sarafan Warriors present. They function as helpers." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2(2001).Page 76.ISBN 0-7615-3237-4
  98. Sarafan Crusader: Description: "The lowest-ranking Sarafan warriors fight with a two-handed polearm. They are rank-and-file warriors who serve faithfully and aspire to one day rise to the rank of Templar or Inquisitor." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Page 95. (2003)
  99. Sarafan Templar: Description: " Templars are accomplished soldiers who wield a powerful two-handed claymore. The weapon gives them the ability to strike powerfully from a distance and defend against an incoming attack.//Special Attacks: None" Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Page 95. (2003)
  100. Sarafan Zealot: Description: " The Sarafan Zealots are highly skilled, ambidextrous warriors who fight with a weapon in each hand. They can drive themselves into a righteous fury in battle, and are nearly unstoppable in this state.//Special Attacks: None" Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Page 95. (2003)
  101. Sarafan Archer: Description: "The Sarafan Archer fight from the rear ranks of a group of Sarafan warriors. They use burning arrows, causing great pain to Kain from a distance.//Special Attacks: Long-range arrow attacks." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Page 95. (2003)
  102. Sarafan Inquisitor: Description: "The Sarafan Inquisitors support their brethren in battle with a variety of spells, including://•Heal: The caster can heal serious wounds on a single ally at will.//•Amplify Damage: This powers up the attacks of all allies affected by the spell, and shows up as a red lightning bolt on their weapons.//•Berserk Shield: An ally protected by the Berserk Shield will attack furiously and feel no pain when hit, although he continues to take damage.// The Inquisitors are also able to call forth a mortar-like burst of holy projectiles to attack opponents at a distance. In addition, they have the ability to initiate a radial blast attack to throw back opponents who venture too close to them in combat." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Page 95. (2003)
  103. "Grand Inquisitor Notes" on Daniel Cabuco's online portfolio
  104. Eidos Interactive I found a REAL Sarafan temple! at the Eidos Forums (by Ber)
  105. "Sarafan" (directory) on Daniel Cabuco's online portfolio
  106. David Demaret's portfolio
  107. LoK: Dark Prophecy - Hylden-infused Sarafan armour renders at Nosgothic Realm (by Divine Shadow)
  108. Tomb of the Serafan: Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver(1999).Page 66.ISBN 7615-1796-0

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