Sarafan sorceresses

Sarafan warrior sorceresses
Enemies article
Sarafan warrior sorceresses in Soul Reaver 2.
Introduced in	Soul Reaver 2 (2001)
Appearance(s)	Soul Reaver 2

Sarafan Warrior Sorceresses, also known as Sarafan Priestesses or simply Sorceresses, were a Sarafan enemy class featured in Soul Reaver 2, they were 'spell casters' who attacked with ranged projectiles. They were encountered after Raziel returned to Nosgoth's early history.

Profile

Sarafan Warrior Sorceresses were spell-casting troops of the Sarafan encountered by Raziel in Nosgoth's early history at the climax of Soul Reaver 2. They wore a charcoal tunic, with golden and purple features, as well as small white armor sections. Sorceresses were entirely female and distinctively they all had shaven heads. They were generally seen supporting other Sarafan troops, attacking with fast moving 'fireballs' from a distance^{[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver 2 manual]}.

Sorceresses were the ranged-attacking troops of the Sarafan faction. In combat they would remain at a distance and shoot magical fireballs at Raziel from long-range to assist their allies. They had no close combat attacks and if an enemy came too close they would flee and cry for their Sarafan brothers to guard them; in this state they were too fast to strike whilst in autoface and Raziel had to chase them and attempt to strike them on the move, or use a Force Projectile or Reaver Bolt. Sorceresses were incredibly weak and could be killed by a single Force Bolt or two weapon strikes^{[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver 2 strategy guide (Prima)]}.

Sorceresses were encountered only in Nosgoth's early history, shortly after Raziel emerged from the Time streaming chamber in the swamp. They were first seen along with other Sarafan troops in the mountains area nearby Uschtenheim and Janos Audron's Retreat, they would later be fought nearby the Pillars and Shrine area and at the Sarafan Stronghold^{[Soul Reaver 2]}.

Notes

• The Sarafan Warrior Sorceresses are absent from Defiance, their 'spell casting' role filled by the curiously all male Sarafan commander class featured in that game^[Defiance]. The Defiance Sarafan scenes take place some time after the Soul Reaver 2 ones and it is quite possible ranks have 'evolved' and changed in the interim.

• The Sarafan sorceresses notably wear the same 'sash' beneath the waist (with identical symbols) as commander Melchiah; even including Melchiah's clan symbol^{[Soul Reaver 2]}.

• In Daniel Cabuco's Portfolio, he refers to the Sarafan Warrior Sorceresses as "Sarafan Priestess".

• The shaven headed appearance of these women is unusual but not unique; Dimension Guardian Azimuth also shared a similar look^{[Blood Omen]}.

• Sarafan warrior sorceresses were comparable to the long-range fighters of the other 'hunter' factions in Soul Reaver 2, (the Vampire hunter cannoneers of Vampire hunters in the history preceding Blood Omen, and the Demon hunter cannoneers of the Demon hunters in the Era following Blood Omen). The Sorceresses were noticeably quicker and with faster-moving projectiles than their counterparts, though they were weaker and they lacked any close-quarters attacks. Perhaps indicative of the era they inhabit, Sorceresses were the only one of these troops to use magical projectiles; the later 'cannoneers' use more conventional firearms^{[Soul Reaver 2]}.

Gallery

Sorceress/Priestess concept art

Sarafan Sorceress in game

Sarafan Sorceress Fireball