The Light Forge (chapter)

Template:Qlisten Chapter 4: The Light Forge is the fourth "level", or chapter, of Soul Reaver 2. It follows Raziel as he investigates the Light Forge and imbues the Light Reaver.

Plot

SR2-LightForge-Cutscenes-EntranceMurals-08 — Raziel discovers the murals in the Light Forge

Upon entering the Light forge, Raziel observed murals depicting the raising of the Pillars by the winged race in the era Before Nosgoth's recorded history and recognized that this served to banish their adversaries. Progressing further into the forge, Raziel was able to reach the main chamber of the forge - a large open chamber bathed in Sunlight and decorated with several distinctive crystals and a number of large statues, including one in a center of the chamber in a bowing position with a distinctive 'star' symbol atop its head.

The main objective of the forge was to recover the star-shaped Light Forge key and return it to the main chamber, where it could be used it to activate the forge. This was achieved in several stages, with it necessary for Raziel to recover a number of Reflector items from Greater thralls and use them in conjunction with larger movable and rotatable Reflectors to manipulate the course of light through the forge and open different passages, ultimately allowing him to reach the Light forge key at the far end of the forge in the Material Realm and recover it by blinding the protecting Sentry eye. Returning to the main chamber with the forge key, Raziel was able to place it in the main statue, causing it to rise up and activate the forge altar hidden beneath it. Imbuing the Wraith Blade with the elemental Light therein created the Light Reaver and activating all Light-affiliated Reaver fonts.^[1]

SR2-LightForge-Cutscenes-LightForgeKey-Pickup-07 — Raziel recovers the Light forge key

As Raziel left the forge he discovered that Reaver bolts from the Light Reaver could activate special Light crystals, and he was ultimately able to use this ability to re-enter the Sarafan Stronghold and its Time-streaming chambers ^[1]

Walkthrough

The Light Forge (Soul Reaver 2)

Using the Dark Reaver, Raziel was able to open the sealed door in the cliffs of the Great Southern Lake and enter the Light Forge. Following the corridor east Raziel was confronted by a group of thralls and after defeating or avoiding them, Raziel was able to follow the corridor as it turned north into the entrance chamber triggering an explanation of the murals in the chamber. Jumping to the central pillar, Raziel could use the Dark Reaver on the Dark symbol to manifest a Shadow bridge allowing him to reach the ledge opposite and the next room, its entrance barred by a gate. Shifting into the Spectral Realm to phase through the barrier allowed Raziel to enter the chamber beyond, where three Sluagh confronted him before he was able to reach the planar portal in the center of the room and shift back into the Material Realm to activate the checkpoint. Opening the large door in the north, Raziel could enter the main forge altar chamber.^[1]

SR2-LightForge-Light20-Material — The Light forge entrance chamber

Two Darkness sealed doors were present in the west and east of the main chamber, but with the Dark Reaver temporarily lost it was necessary for Raziel to instead Shift into the Spectral Realm again and phase through the north gate. Attacking or avoiding the Sluagh present, Raziel could follow the central trail northward through an open room with large pillars and into a long narrow corridor, where a Greater sluagh attacked half-way along. Defeating or evading the creature and reaching the end of the corridor, Raziel could climb up a staircase emerging in a small chamber where two Sluagh attacked, before he could make use of the planar portal and return to the material realm. As Raziel shifted, he triggered the arrival of a Swordsmen thrall which was swiftly obliterated by the Sentry eye on the wall of the chamber - any attempt to recover the Light Forge key positioned beneath the eye would result in Raziel's Material body being similarly obliterated, forcing him to the Spectral Realm. Instead, remaining in the Material Realm, it was necessary to return down the corridor back to the open pillar room, dispatching or evading the three Sorcerer thralls that appeared on the way.^[1]

Back in the pillars room, Raziel could find a large reflector dish embedded in a trench in the southwest corner, guarded by two Swordsmen thralls which arose as Raziel approached. Dispatching the thralls, Raziel was able to move the reflector as a regular block and push it north to the end of the trench where it focused the natural Sunlight into a beam which shone on the western sun door, causing it to open. Following the revealed passage to the north led Raziel to a small room decorated with murals of the Pillars of Nosgoth. As soon as Raziel crossed the threshold of the chamber, a gate lowered behind him and a Greater thrall arose along with a swordsmen thrall ally. Concentrating his attack on the Greater thrall Raziel was able to defeat it, causing the swordsmen to retreat and enabling him to recover the Reflector shield dropped by the Greater thrall. Returning to the Pillars room, Raziel could place the Reflector in the holder in the southeast causing a light-beam to shine on a larger reflector dish in a corridor to the east of the pillars room. As he approached the dish, two Sorcerer thralls rose from the ground and after defeating them Raziel could rotate the large reflector dish until it shone on the sun door to the north.^[1]

SR2-LightForge-Light1-Initial-Material — The main altar chamber

Progressing through the sun door, Raziel was able to follow a long wide corridor eastwards, with two groups of thralls attacking (some from side alcoves) as he reached further along. Engaging or evading them, Raziel was able to reach the gate at the end of the corridor and shift into the Spectral Realm to phase through, reaching another open courtyard chamber with column formations and a Dark Reaver font (unattainable in Spectral). A Greater Sluagh and two regular Sluagh populated this chamber and once defeated, Raziel could climb the southern column by using an extended spectral ledge on the north side of the column. From the top of the southern column, Raziel could glide across to the northern column, and from there jump to a small ledge extending from the arch in the east. Climbing to the top of the arch formation, Raziel could then jump and glide across to the high western platform, and climb up to the corridor behind. Following this corridor west, Raziel was confronted by five Sluagh as he progressed, before finding a planar portal on a raised platform as the passage turned south. Shifting back into the Material Realm and returning down the corridor, Raziel was confronted by six thralls before he was able to drop back into the font room.^[1]

Defeating two sorcerer thralls and a swordsmen thrall in the font courtyard, Raziel was able to approach the Dark Reaver font in the Material Realm, but this triggered a Shade to manifest requiring Raziel to defeat it before he could imbue the Dark Reaver. Returning to the entrance gate in the south, Raziel could then use the dark Reaver to open it allowing him to return at any time (necessary if Raziel fell or entered Spectral until the end of the puzzle). Turning back to the western platform, with the thralls dispatched Raziel could approach the mural and pull a block from its center allowing him to climb back up to the high corridor heading west. Two further thralls ambushed Raziel as he made his way back down the corridor to the raised platform, where he was able to use the Dark Reaver on the Shadow activation plate, summoning a shadow bridge which crossed the top of the pillars room. As he continued across the bridge a sorcerer thrall rose at the other end and began firing bolts at Raziel, avoiding them and dispatching the thrall Raziel was able to enter the chambers beyond. As Raziel turned south and entered another small chamber decorated with murals of the pillars, a gate sealed behind him and a Greater thrall confronted him along with two swordsmen allies. Again concentrating on and defeating the Greater thrall caused his subordinates to retreat, allowing Raziel to recover the Reflector shield dropped by the Greater thrall. Following the now open gate to the south, Raziel could jump down to the corridor beneath where he could place the Reflector in a holder in the south, and open the dark sealed door to the east which led into the main altar chamber.^[1]

SR2-LightForge-Light7-Material — The large pillars room

Heading back northwards along the side corridor and jumping the small chasm, Raziel could reach the end of the corridor, where it returned to the pillars room in the southwest corner. Pushing the Reflector block south along the trench back to its original position focused a light beam through the side corridor and into the main chamber, illuminating one of the large crystals. Crossing to the eastern opening, Raziel could dispatch the two sorcerer thrall before turning the rotatable reflector to the south, sending the beam of light along another side corridor. Following this corridor south, Raziel could jump another small chasm before using the Dark Reaver to lower a darkness marked pillar, allowing the light beam to pass through. Finally, Raziel was able to use the Dark Reaver to open the dark sealed door at the end, allowing the beam to enter the main chamber from the opposite door, illuminating the second large crystal and opening the gate at the north of the main altar chamber. Returning north through the opened gate, Raziel could proceed back through the large pillars room along the trail northward to the long northern corridor. As he progressed through the corridor, no less than ten thrall enemies (including sorcerers, swordsmen and 'unshielded' Greater thralls) would confront Raziel. Defeating or evading the thralls, Raziel could reach the room at the end of the corridor, where two more 'unshielded' Greater thralls ambushed Raziel. After defeating them, Raziel could fire a Dark Reaver bolt into the Sentry eye, causing it to roll back and become temporarily blinded, allowing Raziel to quickly retrieve the Light Forge key on the pedestal beneath.^[1]

SR2-LightForge-Light3-Material — The back dark font room

Once Raziel gained the Light forge key, the thrall enemies would no longer attack him and he was free to return down the corridor unabated. Returning through the large pillars room and entering into the main altar chamber Raziel was able to drop down to the altar itself in front of the large statue and place the Light forge key in the star shaped opening in the statue, causing it to rise up and activate the forge. Approaching the altar Raziel could use the elemental Light within to imbue a new Wraith Blade enhancement:^[1]

File:MP-ActivityMap-Light.png The Light Reaver: "When the Reaver is imbued with Light, it casts a torch-like glow around Raziel, allowing him to see in dark areas. This light extends to whatever Raziel targets with a Light Reaver bolt. The Light Reaver can also trigger Light crystals, which often unlock doors and trigger puzzle elements."^[1]

Progressing south towards the exit of the forge and through the large doors at the south of the main chamber, Raziel was confronted by two swordsmen thralls in the chamber beyond as he passed the checkpoint, and would be met with a Shade as he reached the gate at the far end. Defeating the Shade and recovering its power, Raziel was able to use the Light Reaver to open the gate and enter the entrance mural chamber once again, where a large light symbol doorway blocked the forge exit. Firing a Light Reaver bolt at the Light crystal positioned above the doorway opened the door, allowing Raziel to return along the entrance corridor and use the Reaver to open the sealed door to exit the forge and return to the Great Southern Lake.^[1]

SR2-LightForge-Light1-Final-Material — The completed forge altar with raised statue

The Great Southern Lake

Swimming across to the small outcrop of land in the northeast, Raziel was able to climb out of the water and open the underwater doorway by turning the wheel here, as well as activate the checkpoint marker. Jumping back underwater and swimming northwest through the opened doorway, Raziel could return to the 'outer' lake area and swim across to the trail heading northwest, where he could activate the Save altar before returning to the outer lake and using a Light Reaver bolt to activate the Light crystal above the Sarafan Stronghold entrance.^[1]

Conclusions

Raziel has definitively learned of the raising of the Pillars by the ancient blue winged race in the time Before Nosgoth's recorded history and has realized that this acted to "banish or diminish their enemies somehow" This had previously been hinted in murals in the Subterranean Pillars Chamber in Decision at the Pillars.
Raziel has forged the Wraith Blade with elemental Light, creating the Light Reaver and activating all Light-attuned Reaver fonts - these will remain activated in the Era following Blood Omen and even remain active when Raziel goes back to Nosgoth's early history.
Raziel has demonstrated the use of Light crystals and has realized that he now has the means to re-enter the Sarafan Stronghold and breach the Time-streaming chambers in the Circle's gathering-room.

Notes

SR2-LightForge-LightSymbol — One of the Light symbols from the Light forge

Soul Reaver 2 is not formally divided into chapters or levels in-game. The chapter names and definitions used at the Legacy of Kain Wiki originate from the supplementary Prima Guide, Prima's Official Strategy Guide - Soul Reaver 2
The dialogue transcripts used in this article are, wherever possible, adapted directly from the Dark Chronicle summary transcripts available in game. Scenes not included in the Dark Chronicle feature are instead adapted from Tenaya's transcript of Soul Reaver 2 at Nosgothic Realm - itself derived from the Dark Chronicle and an official game script provided by Crystal Dynamics' Kyle Mannerberg.^[2]
Though initially discovered in A Reaver in Time, Chapter 4 marks the formal introduction of the Light forge as a playable location - the area cannot be entered before Raziel gains the Dark Reaver, or revisited after this time as the forge seals itself shut and the 'inner' Lake area is not present in the other time periods visited. Similarly, ruins relating to the cut Spirit Forge location can be seen at the bottom of the 'inner' lake area as Raziel passes through in the history preceding Blood Omen,^[3] but because of the missing 'inner' lake area in the later eras, these also cannot be revisited in other time-periods. The Light forge itself does not recur in later titles, though a different Light Forge is encountered within the Vampire Citadel in Legacy of Kain: Defiance.
Several significant murals are seen in the Light forge and some relate to significant events and concepts in the history of Nosgoth and the forge itself:
- Repeated imagery throughout the forge depicts the Light symbol, relating to the elemental alignment of the forge. Reaver symbols are also prominent throughout, relating to the weapon it enhances.
- The two murals in the entrance room depict the raising of the Pillars by the Ancient vampires and the banishment of the Hylden to the Demon Realm in the age Before Nosgoth's recorded history. The event had previously been hinted at in the murals in Subterranean Pillars Chamber in Decision at the Pillars. Similarly a repeated mural, seen in the areas where Raziel battles Greater thralls to recover Reflectors, also depicts a different version of the Raising of the pillars - both this and the entrance mural depicting the raising feature five ancient vampires taking part, with the central figure notably visually distinct and it is possible these differing murals represent the ten guardians called at the time of the Binding. The murals depicting these events are all surrounded by a border containing several arcane symbols and depiction of what appears to be the banishment - at the top of the border nine distinct symbols are seen, perhaps representing alternate symbols for the Pillars.
  
  Alternate raising mural with possible alternate pillar symbols
- Several star murals and markings depict elements of the forge puzzle, providing additional clues and aiding navigation through the forge. Star-shaped icons representing the similarly star-shaped Light Forge key are seen above the archway and along the trail leading to the room where it is found. Similarly the archway over the door leading to the main forge chamber is decorated with an icon representing the raised statue with light symbols for hands. Both visual elements are combined in the large 'solution mural' double-doors at the entrance of the main chamber, which depicts the raised statue beneath a more rounded sun-like depiction of the forge key.
- Several murals also appear to depict forms of Solar worship, presumably related to the real-world Ancient Egyptian architectural inspiration for the forge, but also to the principle of Light, with which the forge was aligned - notably this is an element which negatively effected vampires after the infliction of the Blood curse.
- The 'solution mural' door is notably activated and opened through the use of tridactyl Claws and a three-clawed 'palm-print' symbol - the same mechanism is later used to open important doorways within Janos Audron's Retreat in Vampire Interview. The same door also features a subtle mural design in the top line, depicting two dragons either side of a jar - this design was also present in areas of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and Legacy of Kain: Defiance, used as a representation of the Vampires.^[4]
- The Light element itself is arguably a development of the elemental Sunlight seen in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, which could ordinarily be used to dispatch fledgling and Rahabim vampires and was most notably associated with the Sunlight Glyph gained from the optional Sunlight Glyph Altar area from a puzzle involving the manipulation of a light beam. An associated Sunlight Forge location and Sunlight Reaver enhancement were both removed from the title.^[5]^[6] Successors to the Soul Reaver 2 Light forge and Light Reaver would be seen in Legacy of Kain: Defiance, where a more permanent Light Reaver enhancement would be gained from a different Light Forge in Find the Path to the Pillars.
  
  The large 'solution mural'
Like the earlier Dark forge the Light Forge features unique weapon variant designs that are found exclusively within that forge, in this case two exclusive weapons are found - one a trident weapon, the other a halberd.
When clearing the side corridors to bounce light into the main chamber, the camera angles of the cutscenes change depending upon the order the obstacles are cleared and activated. The cutscene as Raziel enters the back 'dark font room' also changes depending upon circumstances, with the cutscene - which is usually encountered only in the Spectral Realm - also able to be triggered in the Material Realm through Debug menus and other means.