Legacy of Kain | Zephon - A Character Study

[@Azathoth4444]

Zephon, your visage becomes you. It's an appropriate reflection of your soul.

[@DarthBigBen]

“And you are not his handsome Raziel anymore, his precious firstborn son turned betrayer.”

[@Paludion]

@@DarthBigBen "You have missed so many changes little Raziel !"

[@strictlyfantasy]

Gotta love the shade they throw at each other.

[@n1ghtzbroham986]

7 7778

[@AJ-vz9oi]

@@strictlyfantasy Agreed

[@Che8721]

After the cinematic of Zephon burning to death, I had an abrupt Dominos advertisement pop up with a bubbling pizza leaving the oven. Lol

[@sw3ettouch]

shout out to the human in Zephons lair, balls of steel!!

[@wareforcoin5780]

Just imagine all the killing he had to do to get there. That's the story I want to hear, man.

[@vanomzero]

@@wareforcoin5780 there is A great novelization of the game on fanfiction.net check that out

[@remisan7214]

Blind Faith in the lok world always leads to betrayal

[@justwannabehappy6735]

@@remisan7214 what ?

[@censoredbybigbrother1175]

@@wareforcoin5780 Just to get cut in half by what looks like a butthole of a mutated vampire hiding in his own prolapse. Nosgoth be the most nasty place, yo.

[@mastadon1154]

Elder God: Consuming Zephon's Soul allows you to climb walls *Goes to nearest wall* Tries to climb fails Raziel: I feel like I was lied to

[@ghostofwar5430]

Exactly what i tried when i played it for first time long ago

[@joshuagraham2843]

because the elder god is a liar

[@Garviel-Loken]

The Elder God forgot the word 'specific'. Consuming Zephon's soul allows you to climb specific walls!

[@mastadon1154]

@@gmork5051 yeah gotta love it back in the day where they didn't exactly explain everything lol. Remember it being like that for a few games lol

[@maggs131]

@@gmork5051 youngsters today dont know the struggle we had to endure with ps1 graphics lol

[@guilhermeaugusto512]

The Silenced Cathedral was the creepiest area of the game. Even today I still remember of the crawling sounds of the Zephonim!

[@we-must-live]

i still cant believe, more than two DECADES after this series had met it's end, we still have talented artists like you creating content for this masterpiece. keep up the good fight!

[@Kougeru]

It ended in 2003. Not two decades yet

[@we-must-live]

@@Kougeru okokokok i'll be back in 2 years and THEN we will settle this!

[@jedimojojojo1603]

@@we-must-live lol

[@cangirayicel7639]

@@we-must-live time has come

[@we-must-live]

@@cangirayicel7639 i have trained my whole life for this moment

[@llVIU]

10:50 bold of you to call his butthole, a "door"

[@strictlyfantasy]

The thought did cross my mind when editing XD

[@larrymcmacarroon9529]

@@strictlyfantasy when you trace the path of his poo, it would flow out the sphincter door and go either into the teleporter (a great way of flushing it away to Dumah's place!) or it would have fallen all the way down the main shaft of the cathedral and down through that (steaming!!!) floor vent at ground level---far from Zephon's nose.)

[@tokyoblur24]

@@larrymcmacarroon9529 LMAOOO 😂

[@MrGrimlocksmash]

Potato potata

[@michagruzewski5592]

So are you trying to say Zephon severed a man in half via quenching his butthole.

[@brokehandstudiosgaming7161]

I think I remember the devs talk about Zephon's eggs. How they wanted the eggs to spawn his vampire offsprings but the limitation of the system prevented that. They also wanted hunters in the room as well trying to kill both Raz and Zep.

[@strictlyfantasy]

That's cool. That would have made their fight quite dynamic. Thanks for the info.

[@crimsondynamo615]

A three way battle would definitely make for a more trickier boss fight

[@UnseelieFaelass]

Sooo....Zephon also broke past the infertility problem technically? I knew the use of breeding programs sounded kinda weird. After all vamps are supposed to be sterile in this series because of the Hylden.

[@brokehandstudiosgaming7161]

@@UnseelieFaelass Well these aren't really true vampires so its possible he could break through it maybe? Idk and again its not canon just what the game devs wanted.

[@UnseelieFaelass]

They still used the breeding programs in the lore. So I dunno man.

[@AphitethLordOfLight]

An rts where we get to play as the lieutenants commanding their soldiers fighting it out for Kains favor would make for an interesting game.

[@alexinfinite7142]

So much potential

[@raybloodypurchase1941]

Yes another good idea for a series! You just know that the developers will not take any risk. Can be titled Legacy of Kain: Empires of Nozgoth

[@ZealSeraph]

Zephon is probably my favorite of Kain's sons, along with Rahab. I find both their evolution really interesting, and the implied rivalry/bad blood between Raziel and Zephon makes me wonder just how many conflicts there must've been between them during the 1000 years they both served Kain, maybe even before they were vampires.

[@Gnamut]

Not just with Zephon. The relationship between the vampire brethrens was far from ideal, considering their personalities: Melchiah was a faint-hearted weakling, Zephon a backstabbing coward, and, as far as we know about the others, Dumah was a warmongering brute and Turel a fanatic zealot of Kain's cause. Not sure about Rahab's personality, though, aside from the fact that he seemed to be way too self-centered to care about politics or inner fights. As for Raziel himself, I'm sure that being Kain's favourite fed his own pride and arrogance for years, a character feature he already had when he was a human. So yeah, that's a perfect recipee for endless conflict.

[@jameswatsonatheistgamer]

@@Gnamut Pretty much they all embody the traits of their former human counterparts.

[@KatherinaBathory]

Well. I have always seen Rahab as the most well-balanced of them all. He seemed to understand what was going on and not really have a tendency for the petty fights their syblings usual fell into. But yes... All in all they are all flawed. Almost as if each of them represented a capital sin of humanity.

[@vanyadolly]

@@Gnamut Raziel does start off as incredibly vain and prideful in SR, and becomes more humble and self-reflecting through the games.

[@Gnamut]

@@vanyadolly Of course, and so does Kain at the beginning of his own odyssey. They both begin as prideful egocentric individuals which main only goal is revenge and repayment, saving the world ultimately coming as a side effect. Is through the many experiences and dissappointments they live through their respective journeys that they adquire a more humble perspective on things, finally acknowledging what's really at stake and what needs to be done. They're both formidable complex characters

[@Warrior-Of-Virtue]

I love how Kain's emblem is a bastardized version of the Sarafan's. It was like one last drop of piss on their memory. Also, I wonder if the reason that Raziel's brothers and their clans mutated so drastically in such a relatively short amount of time might be because the strain of the wars against one another and against the vampire hunters might have triggered a type of forced evolution?

[@Gnamut]

That's a very plausible reason. But, as Strictly Fantasy points on his video, the corruption of the Pillars Kain still carried on within his blood might've also had a lot to do with it. Just compare the appearance of Kain's lieutenants during the years of Nosgoth's collapse with that of those ancient vampires such as Janos Audron or Vorador. While definitely not human, none of them look nearly as devious and ghoulish as Zephon, Melchiah, Rahab, Dumah and Turel. In the end it might've been just a mix of all those reasons altogether, of course.

[@jameswatsonatheistgamer]

I would also do it to wind my enemy up.

[@norfemignissius4936]

To be precise... it took about 1500 years for Raziel to grow his wings, Kain always evolving first before this (3 fingers claw, facial changes, their feet...). Then 500 years for the others to reach their malformed mutation. So by no means was it a "short" ammount of time XD. Though yes unrestrained fighting between the clans and experiments may have helped with such changes.

[@Gnamut]

@@norfemignissius4936 experimentation indeed, more specifically in the case of Melchiah and Rahab I think. While the former was known for his obsession to preserve his decaying body, the latter was probably moved by a deeper need. I remember Raziel's quote when he first saw him: "You have adapted well to your environment, for one so maladjusted". To me those words aren't casual though. The weakness on Kain's blood began with Rahab, and while he didn't grow as weak as Zephon or Melchiah, he was still several steps behind his first-born brethren in terms of resilience and power. That probably made him the most aware one of vampire's weaknesses of them all, and probably the most obsessed with overcoming them.

[@Warrior-Of-Virtue]

@@norfemignissius4936"Relatively" short. in their first one thousand years, the biggest change Raziel and his brothers had undergone, besides his wings, was growing talons and hooves. Besides that, they could almost pass for human. So to go from that to the malformed abominations we saw in SR in half the time is insane.

[@jacobherrington1524]

Duuude. I remember playing the shit out of this game as a kid.

[@vampirebirdkeet]

Over and over. Then as an adult. Over and over.😂

[@BelartWright]

Great work as always! I always liked Zephon's line: "Step forward, Morsel." It's both terrifying and epic at the same time. At the end of it all, he saw Raziel as nothing but food.

[@gjtrue]

Please keep doing LoK vids. So much lore and potential from this series. 😇

[@Grogeous_Maximus]

LoK would make for such a great pen and paper RPG. Awesome freaking lore

[@zachariahtuttle3543]

I second this

[@eltoncelestial2482]

Seriously. This universe is going to waste. Not sure if Crystal Dynamics still own the rights but they need to reboot this series somehow

[@carlosaponte2349]

@@eltoncelestial2482 Yes they do, but also they do not. Mainly it's up to Square-Enix who owns the studio to make the decission of remaking or doing anything about the IP.

[@FingerinUrDaughter]

much of what he said was just regurgitated nonsense that shows he didnt even play the games.

[@danielclark-hughes692]

I'm so glad people are still showing LoK some love. It deserves a remake or remaster.

[@CodrinNovacescu]

Tony Jay was so great, as the Elder God as well as Zephon. 🧡

[@tonts5329]

Great analysis of this character. Looking forward to Rahab or Dumah next.

[@thedisciple1231]

It'll probably be Rahab. I think he's going from the youngest to the oldest of Kain's lieutenants, excluding Raziel, who has already been analysed due to being the protagonist.

[@tonts5329]

@@thedisciple1231 Rahab is a good choice, from what I recall he was much like Melchiah in that he trusts in Kain and Kain's plans. He also seems to know what the Saraphan were really like, or he dismisses that part of his past as unimportant now. Rahab also seems to have embraced his vampiric nature, though he was indifferent to his more monstrous acquatic form. Given he chose to adapt to and overcome the vampiric weakness to water, seems to say a lot about his perseverence.

[@TexasHollowEarth]

@@tonts5329 - The most atmospheric & immersive section of the game for me personally was Rahab's area. Love the music in the series, too 👍.

[@thedisciple1231]

@@tonts5329 I agree. Personally I’d like to see Rahab analysed next. He seems to be the least sentimental or most pragmatic of the 6, which makes sense, given he’s right in the middle of the power structure. Melchiah laments his current form as his vampirism is so weak that it can’t sustain isn’t own flesh, whilst up on the other end of the spectrum, Raziel couldn’t bear to see his new wraith form due to the heights he had reached as a vampire. Rahab is prone to neither of these extremes, which I think contributes to his relative lack of concern about the evolution of himself and his brethren.

[@backwash69777]

Rahab: Raziel Raziel: Rahab, you have adapted well to your environment. For once you are maladjusted. Rahab: Do not mock me, Raziel. You of all of us should respect the power bestowed by a limitation overcome. Kain said you would come. Raziel: You speak with the murderer. Rahab: You will do well to mind your blasphemous tongue! Raziel: What more did he tell you? Rahab: That you would destroy me. Raziel: I will, indeed. But tell me, before I tear your soul from it's moorings, what were we before Kain spawned us? Rahab: Human Raziel: Seraphan, Rahab. The antithesis of all we ever were. Rahab: We were lost. Kain saved us. Raziel: Saved us!? From what? Rahab: From ourselves. Rahab knew of what they were by Kain's telling, how the Seraphan waged the war that nearly wiped out their race, "We were lost. Kain saved us. 'Saved us? From what?' "From ourselves." I can't think of anything else, I feel more needs to be said about their interaction and can't at this moment put words to it.

[@fartacus720p7]

My favorite SR1 character aesthetic wise.Thanks for keeping the series alive.

[@alexandersears8538]

Zephon's eggs do not hatch anything during the battle, but they are not infertile. They are pulsating and throbbing and the purple cloud released when an egg is destroyed is meant to indicate a blood mist. The fact that they die or explode into a blood-mist after a certain time-period of being separated from him/his-eggsack indicate to me that they are not infertile, but living. Egg laying is how Zephon creates new progeny himself, seeing as he seems physically unable to sire them in the traditional sense anymore. If he were unable to make new spawn himself, stuck in one place, his entire clan would have went extinct a long time ago. And before anyone asks, yes, when food was scarce, Zephon was most likely eating his own offspring. I put forward the eggs served two purposes: 1. Reproduction. 2. Blood/Food Storage. The eggs not spawning anything during the battle is probably due to limitations of the PS1 at the time. Or those eggs were premature or food-storage eggs he pooped out when wincing and reeling back in pain after Razael destroys one of his appendages.

[@volcanickjoe08]

Strictly Fantasy guy is a hero!! Doing research and posting awesome Legacy of Kain lore in spite of the game series being so neglected by the brand owners.

[@walterlopez5054]

Considering the current state of the video game industry, would you really want a new LOK now?

[@TheRatzor]

I'm surprised that Zephon soul didn't give Raziel spiderman web-slinging abilities lol I'm sure Raziel could climb any walls he wanted as it is with those claws lol

[@nataliefoxmartin9764]

Those Zephon underlings scared the CRAP out of me when I was a kid. I can still hear their scary noises when they lunged at you.

[@bxmully]

Me too. I thought the sluah were the scariest out of anything else. Their screams were chilling to an 8 year old me.

[@TheRealBDouble]

That along with the sinister music of the Silenced Cathedral made it super creepy

[@jackal1387]

I played Soul Reaver as a kid and still, Zephon and Rahab seemed the strangest creatures in the game. What you are doing; finding and organising lore in a forgotten piece of art, is of priceless value. Please. For all our sakes. Keep up the great work.

[@Tengu125]

4:04 What does "twisted breeding programs" entail exactly? The vampires are sterile, but I suppose they could "prep" humans by breeding for specific traits and make alterations before turning them?

[@Splatterpunk_OldNewYork]

Those 28 bit graphics were beautiful. Like some kind of Papercraft monsters.

[@tokyoblur24]

“Step forward, morsel.” *goosebumps* Still gives me the chills 😨😅 Thank you for these analyses from what I call an interactive work of art.

[@FallenxMalo]

I think Raziel had a way better relationship with Melchiah. Maybe not good enough to stop them killing each other when the opportunity is there but still better than what Raziel thinks and feels about Zephon. It's a darn shame we have so little information what happened in the time between the creation of the six children of Kain and Raziel's execution.

[@soulreaver1983]

That would have been very interesting indeed! 😎

[@venomouscantaloupe7152]

well raziel seemed to show some level of pity for melchiah and might have seen killing him as merciful at that point

[@soulreaver1983]

@@venomouscantaloupe7152 I also thought that too!

[@soldierbreed]

Would love to see a LOK game set in that period

[@joneveritt4950]

As I recall, Melciah was the only one of his brethren he referred to as brother. That could maybe imply Raziel was closer to him than the others.

[@shanemczane6725]

Really, when you look at how puberty hit his brothers, Kain did Raziel a favor by making him a revenant.

[@wisemansagetheunknown171]

What I kinda want to see is what would Raziel's clan looked like if it would have survived even after his vampiric death.

[@SifaDukye]

That would be the Sentinels from Nosgoth! They hid away for so long the lack of blood made them devolve :c

[@samaepl]

Razielim were playable class in Nosgoth multiplayer game. Go search for Sentinel or Razielim Nosgoth in google. There were several skins for them including both devolved and evolved ones :)

[@wisemansagetheunknown171]

@@samaepl yeah I know of them but I mean like their evolved form had been around and had the same amount of time as the others by the time Raziel had came back as his reaver form. To come back to see how much they had changed.

[@samaepl]

@@wisemansagetheunknown171 I see. Well considering Zephon turned arachnid, Melchiah slug, Rahab sharky, Turel quadripedal canine like, Dumah humanoid lizard(though I think he would've devolved further if not impaled by human hunters)- My guess Razielim would turn into batlike creatures. In Darksiders I video game, the very first boss is a giant Bat called Tiamath, so maybe they would look familiar to it :)

[@wisemansagetheunknown171]

@@samaepl now that I think about it. Kain was to evolve as well dawning his own wings as depicted in "Defiance" and I know Raziel and his brothers where kain's lieutenants. But did Kain have his own variant of fledglings? And if so, I wonder what they'd look like.

[@Zoki4444]

I loved his voice. Hard to believe it was Tony Jay, the same guy who voices the Elder God.

[@theilluminatedone9214]

God, imagine the smell inside Zephon's lair....

[@PerceptionVsReality333]

Probably like rotting flesh.

[@SageofSorrow]

2:28 i swear the war/relationship between the brothers and their clans was imo among the best plotlines in the entirety of the franchise. And it’s also among the least explored. You could make a whole animated series ala Castlevania which touches on the numerous stories and squabbles of the brothers and their clans.

[@deceiver444]

Some of the very best LoK lore content I've seen on KZbin. Thanx for the fantastic work.

[@Poodleinacan]

Hot take: the sphincter door the Zephon's lair is his rear end and his lair is his outside-in body.

[@turimvontodt4669]

So he hid in his own ass? Quite the crevice to hide in.

[@hurricanelily_ja]

@@turimvontodt4669 it's the last place one can hide in

[@crimsondynamo615]

@@turimvontodt4669 Raziel: “speak up Zephon! Your voice sounds all muffled from your head being so far up your ass!”

[@tailedgates9]

Perfect, considering how arrogant he is. XD

[@GimmehLewt]

This comment wins!

[@johntrains1317]

Thank you for coming out with new videos about this game. It's my favorite game series of all time and I appreciate you.

[@thatguyapplesauce1060]

How fun, the chance to get even with Judge Frollo

[@Unknown_User174]

Would’ve done the same thing in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance.🙂 Although I’m pretty sure in the remastered trilogy collection, Corey Burton will voice the Elder God, And Alastair Duncan should return to voice Mortanius. So I don’t know who will voice William the Just and Zephon in both Sarafan and Vampire Incestoid form. And Tony Jay will be a memorial Easter Egg so the fans will remember him in all five games since he passed away in 2006.

[@seekerofnothingness]

It's interesting that Raziel unlike with Melchiah insults Zephon after Raziels resurrection which hints at the idea that Raziel hates Zephons personallity and likely views him as a coward (I wrote this commend before watching the whole video)

[@Amarant127]

Yeah, he even has some regret after killing Melchiah but it seems that Zephon and him hate each other.

[@jonplaud]

8:11 I remember playing this with my father around and when he saw this he exclaimed, "Looks like a butthole" 😂

[@jesternario]

Of interest to me are the red sections of the wall in the lair. Unlike the Zephonim in the Cathedral, who partially cocoon their victims, and then drain their blood when convenient, it seems Zephon places victims in a large vat that liquifies the body whole.

[@januszmanczak161]

Maybe as a concept those were supposed to be eggs, but I started to think, that perhaps, unable to drink blood in classic "bite to the neck" manner, Zephon had actually to swallow whole bits of humans, and in a way digest blood from them, all the rest used by his body to expand, while everything of no use accumulated in those sacks, rotting, creating a flammable gas (methan), and he had to literally poop. Usually his loyal kin came about to clean the chamber after "disposal of crime material", but in a fight, perhaps stress of battle worked ill on his body making him release those prematurely...

[@JabamiLain]

I like that theory. I'm gonna believe in it.

[@tuckernutter]

I named my insane cultist Aasimar after Zephon, just couldnt find a better name tbh

[@MikeyBro5728]

I just want to say, I have watch all you videos on this and they are magnificent! This serves as the perfect LoK content, that makes my day, in the absence of anymore entries in the series. Thank you!

[@lunaflower4507]

I love this series LOK is my favourite series of all time thank you for these vids

[@kylepeters8690]

So I recently I got the legacy of kain games aside from bloodomen. And just beat Zephon but I found something interesting during the boss battle. If you go to the immaterial plane, you have to fight vampire wraiths. There are no vampire wraiths anywhere else in the silenced cathedral. In turn this left me with a dark implication that Zephon is consuming his own vampiric children. We know the clan is large, we know it has worshipers to likely bolster those numbers further but finding humans to consume must be difficult, but Zehpon says that his size is only rivaled by his apatite and he is without doubt the largest of the bosses, he also has no issue referring to Raziel as a morsel. I don't know if others have talked about this and it's common knowledge or what but it's something I found interesting and makes Zephon even creepier.

[@JabamiLain]

It could also be the vampires who were unable to be born naturally from his eggs. But it's an interesting theory none the less.

[@kylepeters8690]

they presumably wouldn't have a soul if that were the case since they would be unfertilized and or unable to grow at all. but it is an interesting idea. I also realized that wraiths can be found in kains throne room and rahabs chamber as well, but I don't think either of those break my theory as kai probably has executed lesser vampires there and many probably died when the abby flooded. but it's zephon's chamber having them that I still find the odd one out/

[@JabamiLain]

@@kylepeters8690 come to think of it, there were some hunters who were close to kill Zephon. Maybe those wraiths are victims of the attack who went back to his master's lair in order to try and protect Zephon from Raziel. That, or they simply went in search of their "father/mother's" protection/embrace after they were hurt by their deaths (like other comment I read, I think Zephon acquired the habit of devouring his victims and then either digest their blood and flesh, or, if he didn't need to eat, put them in his utterus or whatever, in order to turn them into his new spawns inside his eggs, which means, like in every hive, the children look for their "mother's" guidance in every circunstance).

[@kylepeters8690]

I hadn't considered the vampire hunters, we do find a few dead vampires in the cathedral and it can be assumed that attacks are rather frequent as it and necropolis are the only place you can find vampire hunters attacking the source and they seem to have made it much further than in the necropolis. Even if wraiths take time to manifest we know that at least one made it to zephon's chamber so he could have killed a few on the way to him and the wraiths just lingered near their king. the eating his victims makes sense and adds an extra does of horror to zephon, though I don't see the shoving them into his utterus idea. Unless he does it in some sense of twisted pleasure or torture to his victims. to my understanding most egg laying animals lay eggs even if they are not fertile, insects included so the eggs would make more sense just as something he picked up with the rest of his devolution rather than something he needs to induce, especially given he lays them while in pain, he doesn't seem to lay them on command. If the eggs did hatch into vampires like was apparently intended than the idea of him doing that would make more sense.

[@brianporter593]

I like how Raziel tried to run out of the room as soon as he saw Zephon. That's a "NOPE!" move if I ever saw one! LOL!

[@Cognitohazzard]

I wonder what Raziel would've become, if Kain didn't throw him into the abyss. Maybe his wings can give a clue to that.

[@RazielTheUnborn]

Raziel likely would have been a mix of the Hylden and Vampire in terms of visage.

[@Cognitohazzard]

@@RazielTheUnborn surely somewhat bat-like, judging from the wings.

[@mastadon1154]

Thinking something similar to Janos design myself, maybe not with the feather like wings though.

[@jigokuNeko]

The artist think made a what if drawing

[@TheRatzor]

A giant blood-sucking pterodactyl bat hawk vampire

[@Leto2ndAtreides]

The "powers" Raziel got... "You can stick to walls after eating the soul of this monster... But only in the physical realm..." *rolls eyes*

[@kisnyirati]

Amazing job, I love these videos. They are expanding the already known and loved lore and they give me the urge to play these awesome games again. Keep up the good work, you got a new subscriber.

[@panzermammut6159]

I really look forward to these characters analysis videos, keep up the great work, these make going back and playing the games again a lot more stimulating and gives even more texture to a already very rich story

[@johnsummers2943]

Zephon and his brrod look terrifying in the remaster.

[@nodood]

PLEASE tell me your going to cover the whole brood, youngest to eldest, Melchiah through Raziel!!

[@Nunny_Urdam_Bidnez]

Thanks for doing these episodes. I had forgotten how much I love this series until I stumbled upon your channel.

[@artemisarrow179]

I always thought Zephon was such a cool and underappreciated boss

[@daccount1994]

This dude deserves a patreon page

[@FabricioWorks]

I just received the notification, I love this series of videos you are doing, really amazing! My sincere thanks, again, for the mention. Searching insectoid references was the key to sculpt that bust, but that was one of my first attempts so I need to remake him next to the other brothers.

[@CrowT]

Man. These videos are just fantastic. The diving into all the lore and back stories like that. These games were so awesome. Also love the pics and art. Great videos🤘

[@lightningthief2980]

Come to think of it, how come the progenitor of the clan is like the one with the least abilities of them?? Like he should have been like a full spiderman powerset in a vampiric style,agility...speed... unmatched climbing abilities.... they took the most mobile character in the series and made him a static spider that throws eggs.

[@larrymcmacarroon9529]

For all that and more just hop through the time portal to 500 years before! We all get skin-grafted to the couch eventually. He got as permament as the building in his devolve? Forever there to thwart humanity's hope.

[@Yoxiv]

It does seem like some kind of corruption came with vampirization in the Legacy of Kain series. Kain had dark hair when he was human, but it changed to the silvery-white he's known for the moment Mortanius revived him as a vampire. Should also be noted that Zephon's body does not disintegrate after his soul is consumed, whereas all other vampires, both the lieutenants and their respective clan offspring would burn away once their souls had been consumed or fully crossed over into the spectral realm. Of course, this might have just been a minor oversight, as the developers probably liked the scene of Raziel turning away from his vanquished brother and didn't feel the need to bother with removing Zephon's corpse.

[@strictlyfantasy]

I think it was also because Zephon was a part of his environment. Maybe there were technical limitations to removing his body for the PS1 because of this. Although I did read that there was another chamber (possibly behind Zephon's body) in the Alpha version of Soul Reaver that was deleted from the final build of the game.

[@Yoxiv]

@@strictlyfantasy Maybe. Though you think they could have just had some of his body burn away and maybe leave the egg sac bit to block whatever the cut room was. Wonder if that was tied to the interconnected paths the clan lairs were meant to have. As I understand, you were meant to be able to take passages from places like Melchiah's back to the pillars, or at least cut through to another region.

[@Grorl]

Yay! A new vid, freaking love these!

[@cipher2508]

NEXT UP: RAHAB XD We NEED to see all these remade T_T Man, I have high respect for your works

[@chthulu27]

I love these in-depth character studies. This is one of my favorite gaming franchises of all time and I really enjoy learning more about the lore and background.

[@MadamFoogie]

Nice analysis! I learned a lot. Especially about the infertile eggs exploding during that boss battle. I had no idea they did that! I guess I just have a natural inclination to burn eggs. XD

[@Devious-Minds]

This is my childhood game. Tyy

[@earthobserver1007]

What you know about bigfoot and giant squids and patches?

[@Devious-Minds]

@@earthobserver1007 eh?

[@DivShadow]

Everyone of these LoK videos you've posted have been well worth watching! Thank you for doing this.

[@MistaFiOth]

Man, I just realized that this is a new video. Amazing series. I salute you.

[@vardanyanhayk03]

I love seeing LOK content, thank you for covering our favorite game with new videos, all your hard work is very appreciated Strictly Fantasy!

[@somemong989]

The vampire worshipping humans are there because the human undercity originally had a vampire worshipping cult complete with a priestess boss who gave you the power to possess vampires

[@GrimKeeper9011]

Thank you for doing these videos. LOK has always been my favorite series. I'm so excited to see these in depth looks and learn things I didn't know. Your editing makes them wonderful to watch as well.

[@TexasHollowEarth]

Great, detailed bios, bro 👍. Looking very forward to Rahab, Dumah, & Turel (from SR2).

[@stunitech]

The whole idea of Soul Reavers plot, that there is this long term mutation of vampires into distinct clans and forms was really good. The plot has always stuck in my head as one of the most original even 25 years later. Looking forward to playing the remasters after finishing The Great Circle over xmas..

[@BioVore13]

Amazing video. I can't wait to see Dumah and Turel

[@troyreid7708]

Man, I really miss playing Nosgoth on PC. Just seeing those clips of the deceivers bring back memories man. I knew there was a previous game but wasn't too sure what it was so I'm glad I've found this channel

[@MrOrcshaman]

I never really thought of this before, but the opening cinematic of soul Reaver 1, Kain's reaction to Raziels wings, it's in that moment kain realized this was the moment he waited centuries for, knowing the next step on the path he must take, since his knowledge of time meant raziel needed his wings to take on the form he has.

[@chunkmcbeefnob717]

There's almost a look of dread with the surprise there. Like he knows this is the moment he's been waiting for but it's also one that is going to be painful.

[@TocaDoTanuki]

This series is really making me happy. This is my favorite game ever, and I miss it so much (I try to play once a year but its life sometimes gets me). You are doing a great work! I am Brazilian and it took me a long loong time to finally understand this game because I didn't understand English when I first played, but even not knowing shit, I still fell in love so much So please keep it up with this good work because as I played this game, now my little cousin is and I believe he will need some help to understand the story as I did in his age

[@sinister8924]

love these videos.....i literally grew up playing this game :)

[@cdcdrr]

I find it hard to believe he has less trouble with his transformation than Melchiah. He's completely immobile, fused to a hollow tower with nothing to keep him entertained besides sycophants and slaves, unable to see even an inch of Nosgoth outside his chamber. On top of that, he's both switched gender and become sterile, becoming a brood mare for his clan unable to fulfill its purpose. A normal being would have already gone stark raving mad in his position. The fact he not only accepts but revels in it speaks to how unsettlingly inhuman Zephon is.

[@Craxin01]

Man, I hate to see this series in such a state of disrepair. Glad to see SOMEONE appreciate it. Can't wait for Rahab's character study.

[@EternalRoman]

There was no information regarding the character's apparent animosity between them before of Raziel's casting to the Lake of the Dead. As for Zephon's change it is clear that it was linked to Kain's biological changes on the creatures he fed upon his time as a fledgling Vampire and in Blood Omen 2 seen with all the creatures that seemed to be the ones that with their blood affected the evolution of Zephon and his brethren. This is clear too because Raziel evolves into having Hylden characteristics and this only could had happened when Kain drank blood of Hylden in Blood Omen 2 as well as from the Oracle Witch, which I theorize might have been a Human Hylden Hybrid, maybe the same woman seen in Vorador's painting in Blood Omen 1. There is also the banter between each of Raziel's siblings in the confrontations, and this banter is more as Raziel being ignorant to what has happened and why and the siblings seemingly knowing what happened because Kain might have told them. Zephon calls Raziel "Traitor" not because of what seemingly all thought it was, which was the Wings sprouting, cause that was dumb, Raziel couldn't have evolved the wings consciously. This means that clearly it meant that Raziel was the Hylden messiah, and as such as Vampires were the rightful rulers of the Pillars and the Hylden the actual antagonists (not counting the Elder god because he is still hidden from them and to Raziel he is an ally) then Raziel was the enemy. As Kain was hidden studying the possible ways to alter the past and future in the Time Streaming Chamber, Raziel's brethren were to in a way end the world the only way they knew how, each on their respective lands. Raziel's clan extermination by Dumah was a necessity because they couldn't let the tainted vampire blood of Raziel sprout the Hylden blood line. Rahab also alluded that Kain had "Saved them from themselves" and as such every time one of them died it was a release. As for Zephon's attitude, his insectoid evolution clearly just made him pragmatic, like he clearly stated in his statement "Will, Instinct, Reflex action. The insect mind finds little difference" in such things, only hunger. There was clearly no malice, only desire to feed as an insect would. When you round up all of Raziel's brothers including Turell in LOK D, it was clear that this was the point. The world of the Vampires was to be eliminated because Kain himself wanted it to be erased and after Raziel was cast into the Lake, kain set his actions into motion with the help of the rest by erasing all. Raziel himself though didn't talk of Zephon's death he hated that all he had to do was kill his Brothers...ALL OF THEM, no matter how much of an A-holes they were. He was blinded by revenge and egged on by the false Elder god, manipulated because he was a pawn for the Eg and also of the Hylden themselves whom were also manipulating many things from the Demon Realm.

[@OdinSmilesRavensLaugh72051]

This LoK binge is epic Thank you for these @Strictly Fantasy

[@raziel5045]

I am replaying the original games before the remaster comes out... first Soul Reaver, and after I beat a Boss i come and watch your videos (They are great).

[@ASMRFan500]

Very detailed description of Zephon now I need a character study of Rahab also Subscribed :)

[@kurosbelmont2355]

My hands down all time favorite series. I keep waiting and wishing for a HD collection.

[@ivanhunter6492]

*Elder god* Consuming Zephon's soul has given you to ability to climb walls *Tries and fails* Raziel: LIAR!

[@DaedricPrinceOedon]

More please. I need all of them. Including raziels clan. We know so little of them

[@FromAshToLife]

This is gold. These games are near and dear to my heart. Great memories and your making me relive great moments in my life when i gamed with my brother. Thank you for your hard work and lore on these amazing games. Please more! 😃😃

[@jaasi2012]

These character studies are badass, man! Keep up the great content!

[@paulsmith5684]

Hopefully in a future game this will be all explained.

[@Bloodydemise]

I'm obsessed with these character studies 😍

[@drewdahlen9660]

keep em coming!!these games need a revival.eagerly awaiting your next video.love the lore of these games!

[@TheOnlyWAYtoStayHere]

Thanks for this rare piece of content

[@marcustuggles8761]

I really enjoy your videos of these characters of the iconic franchise. Will it be possible for you to add closed caption for this video? Your previous ones has them and it makes much easier for me to understand. Again thanks for these awesome in depth videos

[@marcustuggles8761]

Thank you very much! 🙌🏿👏🏿

[@ddooodddoo]

Really enjoying these back stories for legacy of kain never knew there was so much to the lore

[@sublingnitro]

This is awesome! I love seeing this series and it’s lore get attention.

[@stevengooding286]

Awesome video! Can’t wait for the rest of Kain’s lieutenants!

[@bxmully]

Legacy of kain content?! Subbed before even watching

[@stormtrooperelite1453]

the particulars that shaped the paths of the (d)evolution of each clan is most fascinating. It's as though each of them were destined to turn into what they did

[@foxtweeg]

Great stuff! Looking forward to your analysis for Turel and Dumah

[@futurelawski]

Yay I've been waiting for this.

[@StarshipJais]

+1, great work and a fantastic playlist to listen through.

[@jamiepoole6258]

I very much enjoyed this series. Please continue