Vampires (Legacy of Kain)
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The Vampires are an immortal race who have populated Nosgoth throughout the events of the Legacy of Kain series in which they are found. Strongly similar to the traditional portrayal of the Vampire, there are a number of defining characteristics which render their race unique. Vampires "evolved" from a race known as the Ancients, after their rival race, the Hylden, forced the curse of immortality and bloodlust upon them.
Unlike traditional vampires, the species in Legacy of Kain has numerous means of progeneneration. While never explicitly seen to turn humans into vampires by the 'traditional' means of biting them, it is quite possible that they are capable of doing so. Normally, they appear to implant their 'gift' into their children, as described in the backstory of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. A third means of vampiric imbuement involves use of a relic known as the Heart of Darkness and necromantic rituals.
Notable vampires throughout the series include Kain, Vorador, Umah, Raziel and the Vampire Lieutenants. Janos Audron is often mistaken for an ordinary Vampire, but is actually the last surviving Ancient Vampire. Vampires have many known weaknesses, such as sunlight, fire, water (which has an acidic effect) and impalement.
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[edit] The Descendants of Vorador (The Audron Bloodline)
The vampiric descendants of the vampire Vorador come in numerous varieties. For the most part, they do not 'evolve' in a similar manner as the descendants of Kain, instead harnessing their inner strengths and manifesting these powers as 'Dark Gifts'. Every Vampire possesses their own unique Dark Gift, and other Vampires can effectively steal these Gifts by killing others and drinking their blood, as performed by Kain throughout Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain.
[edit] History
The descendants of Vorador constitute both the race of vampires descended from Janos Audron, Vorador and the Ancients, and the race created by Vorador himself following his supposed resurrection some time after the events of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. Long before the events of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, following the revolt of the human Pillar Guardians, the vampires were massacred by the rising Order of the Sarafan, a sect of crusaders who strongly opposed vampirism. In the times during Blood Omen, a large portion of the vampire race dwelled within the Termogent Forest regions. The fate of the vampire race was uncertain during the original Blood Omen timeline, but was sealed after Kain travelled backwards in time and destroyed William the Just, a boy-king destined to become the tyrannical Nemesis who would ravage Nosgoth. With the beloved William dead at a vampire's hand, a second genocidal crusade was mustered by the Time Streamer, Moebius, and all of the Vampires in Nosgoth were hunted down and slain (including Vorador), apart from Kain himself.
After Vorador's apparent resurrection during the unchronicled events after Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, Vorador uncharacteristically joined Kain in his conquest of Nosgoth. While Kain continued to adapt to his relatively new state of existence, Vorador had the strength to create other vampires, and thus was instrumental in Kain's plans. Together, they raised a second vampire horde, more or less identical in traits and nature to the original descendants. This second race survived for centuries, despite being fervently hunted by the renewed Sarafan Order and its advanced technological Glyph Magic. They continued to exist up until the downfall of the Sarafan Lord, after which it is assumed that Kain, in his continued attempts to dominate Nosgoth, disposed of them in some way or another before attempting to raise his own vampire lineage.
[edit] Dark Gifts
Mist Form: This Dark Gift was possessed by Kain throughout the series. As a fledgling vampire, he relied on magic to use it, though later learned to use it regardless of his environment. This Gift enabled him to camoflauge himself by fading into a cloud of mist in shrouded areas, allowing him to sneak up on foes and pass through iron-wrought gates. In addition, as he grew older, Kain began to use the ability to dodge his enemies' attacks during combat.
Fury: Also originally possessed by Kain, this Dark Gift allowed the vampire to harness his own rage in the midst of combat and unleash it in a staggering strike, capable of knocking enemies to the ground instantly. The Gift required Kain to be at a certain level of anger and concentration, normally achieved only after blocking numerous attacks.
Wolf Form: This Dark Gift was possessed by Vorador, though he only visibly used it once throughout the entire series. Kain also learned the dark gift with a similar, though inferior, effect. The Gift allowed Vorador to transform himself into a werewolf, capable of lacerating enemies with razor-sharp claws and moving at immense speeds. The Gift was most powerful during the full moon.
Bat Form: Kain and presumbly other Vampires had the ability to transform into a swarm of bats allowing them to travel great distances.
Telekinesis: Powerful Vampires such as Kain developed strong Telekinetic abilities.
Swiftness: The Vampire Umah possessed this Dark Gift. This Gift enabled her to move at a supernatural rate, far more quickly than other vampires, and also enabled her to perform unbelievably high leaps. In addition, it increased her speed in combat to a dramatic rate, almost preventing her from being attacked whatsoever.
Jump: The Jump Dark Gift belonged to the vampire Faustus. This Gift gave Faustus the ability to leap far higher and longer than any other vampire, capable of jumping many long metres in any direction, even vertically. While it did not give him the ability to fly, it did allow him to easily escape enemies, and also enabled him to attack enemies with a powerful airborne kick.
Charm: This Dark Gift was possessed by Marcus. It enabled him to control humans using only the power of his mind, subjugating their willpower and forcing them to do his bidding. While Marcus originally believed that he could use it to enslave any living thing, he eventually learned that his powers were limited to humans alone.
Berserk: The vampire Sebastian possessed this Dark Gift. It allowed him to harness his anger in a physical form, granting him the ability to move at a staggering speed. Capable of running along walls and through mid-air, it also granted him unsurpassed combat ability, capable of striking foes numerous times at once.
Immolation: Magnus, the greatest of Kain's original lieutenants, possessed this Dark Gift. It allowed him to transform his rage and madness into the ability to scorch his foes using only the power of his mind. Magnus was not only able to use it to obliterate his enemies, but was also able to use the Gift to destroy reinforced physical objects such as pillars and statues.
Aside from there unique Dark Gifts, all vampires of the Legacy of Kain series (mostly from Kain and Voradors era) also possess; limited telekinesis, inhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, relexes, physical resistance and a limited gliding ability. Some dark gifts tend to enhance one or more of these regular abilities.
[edit] The Descendants of Kain
On the other hand, the vampiric descendants of the vampire Kain are less diverse than their predecessors. As Kain was not a descendant of Vorador, instead raised using Janos Audron's Heart of Darkness in a necromantic ritual rather than traditional means, he began an entirely new heritage of vampirism upon founding his empire. Due to the corruption in Kain's soul, the vampires descended from him literally 'evolve' over long periods of time into monstrously grotesque forms, true personifications of the Dark Gifts they are granted from birth. There are six known clans of vampires, each of whom take on traits highly similar to that of their father Lieutenant, rather than developing new traits of their own.
[edit] Dark Gifts
Flight: This Dark Gift was possessed by Raziel. With it, he developed a pair of bat-like wings capable of instigating flight. Presumably, his clan (the Razielim) evolved similarly, but they are never depicted in-game so it is impossible to tell. It can be assumed that the gift would have led to further evolution, but Raziel's wings were destroyed by Kain directly before his damnation.
Pass Through Barriers: Melchiah, the youngest of Kain's lieutenants, possessed this Dark Gift. Besides allowing him to enter the Spectral Realm (a feat otherwise possessed only by spirits, wraiths and most undead creatures), it permitted him to phase through solid gates and barriers such as iron railings.
Wall Crawling: Zephon possessed this Dark Gift. While still a humanoid, it allowed him to scale and climb walls with rough or cracked textures using his powerful claws. Zephon evolved over time into an immobile arachnoid, and was therefore unable to use his gift any further, but his children of the Zephonim clan were capable of using it, but their version of this ability was not limited to any particular wall surface.
Swimming: The Vampire Lieutenant Rahab possessed this gift. As he evolved, it allowed him to overcome his natural vampiric weakness to water up to the point at which he became totally immune to its harmful effects. His children, the Rahabim, inherited the gift and Rahab himself mutated into an amphibious leviathan-like creature.
Constrict: Dumah, Kain's third-eldest son, possessed this Dark Gift. Using it, he was able to form a trail of constricting energy, capable of binding or harming enemies and also used to operate certain dials and switches. Dumah evolved into an armoured titan over the centuries, though retained his swiftness of movement with the power of this gift.
Telekinesis: Turel, the second-born of Kain's lieutenants, possessed this gift. It gave him the power to manipulate switches and lift objects from a distance, and also to harm enemies by conveying them through the air using the power of his mind. Turel's children of the Turelim clan inherited this gift.
[edit] See also
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