Vampire Revenants were a Revenant enemy variant encountered in Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Created by Hylden Souls entering the Material Realm through the Possession of an ancient vampire corpse, Vampire Revenants were primarily encountered in Raziel's chapters of Defiance in the Blood Omen era at Vorador's Mansion and the forges of the Vampire Citadel.
Profile[]
Vampire Revenants were the second most powerful of the Revenant classes encountered by Raziel in Defiance - being stronger than Human revenants, but weaker than Hylden revenants. They were created when a Hylden soul crossed over from the Demon Realm into the Material Realm and Possessed the corpse of a deceased ancient vampire. They could then rise from the grave to attack those above.[Defiance][Defiance strategy guide]
Vampire Revenants were first encountered in the chapter Find Vorador as Raziel explored Vorador's Mansion in the Blood Omen era. They were frequently encountered as the main enemies in the mansion and could subsequently be encountered in areas of the Vampire Citadel in later chapters.[Defiance][Defiance/8][Defiance strategy guide]
Like Human revenants, the Vampire Revenants resembled decayed corpses - but of winged Ancient vampires, with curved wing bones visible rising from the back of the shoulders and tridactyl claws visible on the hands and feet. The rest of the body consisted of a skull-like head with tufts of remaining hair and the trademark green glowing eyes indicating Hylden possession. The revenants wore scraps of clothing with large chest and shoulder pads visible along with a kilt-like garment worn beneath the waist which was decorated by several ancient symbols. forearms/wrists and lower legs were covered by wraps. Typically Vampire Revenants would wield bladed or mace-like weapons.[Defiance][Defiance strategy guide]
Abilities[]
- Grave Spit - When beyond melee range Vampire Revenants can attack using 'Grave Spit' — a low damage straight firing projectile of green 'Hylden energy' which is literally spat at Kain or Raziel.[Defiance][Defiance strategy guide]
- Telekinetic Immunity - Vampire Revenants were also able to temporarily protect themselves with a shield which made them immune to TK attacks. This consisted of a wavy green/blue barrier which reflected telekinetic attacks back at the user.[Defiance][Defiance strategy guide]
Notes[]
- The Revenant classes were not explicitly named in game, however the overarching "Revenant" distinction was mentioned in manuals, scripts and the official guide - with the guide explicitly defining the different classes and naming the "Vampire Revenant" class.[Defiance][Defiance/4][Defiance manual][Defiance strategy guide] Game files label the class as "revenant_v".[Defiance]
- The abilities of the Vampire Revenant are identified in Legacy of Kain: Defiance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide - which explicitly lists the "Grave Spit" and "Telekinetic Immunity" titles. Curiously it only lists Gave Spit along with the Human revenants, although the attack is used in game by the Vampire Revenants too.[Defiance strategy guide]
- Revenants are named after the Revenants of European folklore - animated corpses which returned from death to haunt the living.[1]
- As with other Revenant classes, when defeated the Human Revenants will leave behind a Hylden soul.[Defiance]
- Although Raziel is confined to the use of specific Burial sites to revive himself, Revenants are able to manifest and control corpses in several areas that do not contain these sites. Conversely they are often not seen in areas with burial sites.[Defiance]
- Legacy of Kain: Defiance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide gives further backgrounds to the Revenants suggesting that most of the Revenants are "ancient corpses... buried from long forgotten battles". It also suggests that the Vampire Revenants are rarer than their human counterparts "as Vampires though once common in Nosgoth are still short in number compared to the teeming masses of Human corpses littering the deep unforgiving soil".[Defiance strategy guide]
- Blood Omen 2 concepts posted by Blood Omen 2 developer Steve Ross appear to show five different Hylden castes planned for that title, where only two appeared in the final game. One caste depicts a skeletal figure emerging from a portal and could suggest an early design that eventually became the Defiance Revenant [2]
- The background of the Vampire Revenants suggests that they would technically be classified as a form of Undead creature. Revenants however do not share the Black blood typically associated with the undead, instead having regular Red blood.[Defiance]
Gallery[]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ Revenant at Wikipedia
- ↑ BO2Blood Omen 2 at Steve Ross portfolio (archived)