Soul Reaver
Battle: Epic
Race: Immortal Human
Origin: Shundahre, Mortal Plane
Appearance:
Soul Reaver stands over 1.8 metres tall, is broad-shouldered and has a very muscular build.
He looks to be in his late twenties or early thirties, though in truth, he is immortal. Due to the temporal vagaries created by Warp Travel, his actual age is impossible to determine, but it is likely to be well over ten thousand years.
Soul Reaver is pale-skinned with a firm jaw, strong features, and an intense, brooding gaze. His eyes are brown, with flecks of red visible in his iris – in times where his power grows, his iris begin to smoulder a brighter and more fierce crimson. Soul Reaver’s hair is jet black and falls down to just below his shoulders. Soul Reaver usually hides his emotions beneath a stoic and grim expression, but for those who look closely, the wisdom, suffering and loneliness of his endless millennia of selfless existence will sometimes, fleetingly, cross his features.
Soul Reaver typically wears a suit of plain but effective Black Steel armour that covers his torso, shoulders and upper legs. A black cape flaps from his back. His forearms and hands are protected in a pair of intricately crafted Black Steel gauntlets – these are adorned with a twisted red glyph, and end in short, curved, claw-like talons. Soul Reaver wears a thick pair of almost knee-high, steel-capped leather boots. He wears a belt around his waist with a small brown leather bag attached to it – this unassuming looking bag is in fact a magical Infinity Pouch. On a leather thong around his neck, Soul Reaver wears an anti-magical amulet consisting of a small, spherical red gem set inside a twisted black metal fitting.
On his back, Soul Reaver carries a scabbard for holding his crimson sword, Blooddrinker. When not in his hands, the hilt of the massive two-handed blade protrudes from the space between Soul Reaver’s armour and the top of his cape. The sword itself is large and broad, being almost as long as Soul Reaver is tall. It is crafted completely from an otherworldly red metal, which looks like blood-soaked steel. A metal skull adorns the centre of the wide, jagged hilt, and another serves as a pommel. The blade itself is straight and double-sided, with a series of runes inscribed along its length, and a wavy design near the hilt. The sword seems to radiate an aura of dread – not surprising, considering the Daemon Lord trapped within.
Personality:
Soul Reaver values honour and duty. His duty, as he sees it, is to help the oppressed and downtrodden wherever and whenever he can, and to do anything else would be dishonourable. He considers such concepts the only true constants in his endless existence, and so he clings to them tenaciously.
Soul Reaver dislikes the use of certain items, such as magical potions, as he considers them dishonourable. He also feels uncomfortable using – or being around – advanced technologies, thinking they are cold and soulless. He is rarely willing to make use of them when other means are available, and his knowledge of such devices is somewhat limited.
That said, Soul Reaver is also extremely pragmatic when it comes to achieving his idealist ends – he will use whatever means prove necessary to achieve what he considers an honourable goal, and once he has deemed someone his enemy, he shows them no mercy. He considers committing a dishonourable act to achieve a more honourable goal preferable to failing to achieve the goal.
Soul Reaver normally appears calm and stoic, and will approach most situations with a cool head and a well-considered plan. That said, he can channel his emotions – such as rage – to full effect when doing so might prove useful. He feels distain towards those that would harm the weak and innocent. To those who earn his friendship, he will show loyalty and stand bravely by them in the field of battle... unless if doing so would be to the detriment of something he would consider a ‘greater good’.
Nonetheless, Soul Reaver’s apparent calm is the result only of great effort. He consciously attempts to suppress his emotions, as his millennia of existence have brought him nothing but pain and suffering. He blames himself for every failure and every loss – and thanks to his immortality, nothing that has happened ever fades from his memory. He has lost everything and everyone he has ever cared for, and so he tries to avoid getting too close or attached to others... for he knows that losing them is simply a matter of time. Even so, emotions such as love, loss, loneliness and sorrow still claw at him in the depths of his heart, as much as he would seek to bury them forever beneath a mask of cold determination. Mortal minds, Soul Reaver believes, were never meant for immortal bodies.
Abilities:
Soul Energy
Soul Reaver derives energy from his soul, as well as the souls he has absorbed. A constant trickle of this energy is the source of his immortality, regeneration and most abilities. However, the amount of power Soul Reaver derives from this is unstable, and can fluctuate heavily depending on Soul Reaver’s circumstances. Despite years of training Soul Reaver still does not have full conscious control over this. With immense concentration he may be able to temporarily raise the levels of power he obtains (to the extent of effecting actual non-magical energy attacks), but this is rarely of use in an actual battle, as using magic is usually faster, easier, and more effective. However, inflamed passions or dire need will often strengthen Soul Reaver’s powers with no conscious effort on his part, and allow his abilities to increase dramatically for a time. The upper limit to the amount of energy Soul Reaver may have at his disposal – or if there even is one – is not known.
Soul Control
Soul Reaver has a great deal of control over his own soul and the souls of others. He can ‘see’ the souls of others, individually and unmistakably marking them all like a fingerprint – this does not allow him to read thoughts or intentions however, it only allows him to identify the individual, and see the ‘intensity’ of their spiritual energy. Once he has seen an individual’s soul, Soul Reaver can often sense their location even if they are not within his line of sight. Spells or abilities that attempt to harm or manipulate the soul are unlikely to work on Soul Reaver. And, should Soul Reaver kill an opponent, he has the ability to absorb their soul. If he does this, the soul is not destroyed, but instead enters a type of dormant state, a dreamless ‘sleep’. These sleeping souls are then used by Soul Reaver as potential additional sources of Soul Energy. However, Soul Reaver cannot easily manipulate souls within other living beings against their will.
Daemon Control
An offshoot of his Soul Control ability, Soul Reaver can exert control over the Daemons that inhabit the Plane of Inferno – this is partially due to the fact that these Daemons are formed of very similar energy as the souls of living beings. Because of this, Soul Reaver can bind these Daemons to his will without the need for magic or dangerous bargains. However, the strength and number of Daemons present may diminish Soul Reaver's ability to control them. Furthermore, although he can control the Daemons from Inferno, he may not be able to control demonic beings stemming from other Planes of existence.
Immortality
Soul Reaver is immortal, and his body constantly regenerates to maintain itself at its current state. Over the millennia, he has suffered innumerable wounds, even lost whole limbs, but his natural regenerative abilities mean that he does not even have a single scar to show for it. The speed of his regeneration depends on a number of factors – the amount of Soul Energy he is receiving being the largest factor. However, other stresses on his powers (extensive physical activity, spellcasting etc) may divert energy away from his regenerative powers. At his normal energy level, most moderate injuries and cuts would be healed within an hour at the most. Heavy injuries, such as lost limbs, may take a two or three days to recover from. Soul Reaver is almost immune to diseases and poisons thanks to his regenerative abilities, although exceptionally virulent types may indeed harm him for a time. As Soul Reaver has never actually been killed, it is hard to say what would actually be sufficient to kill him, and doubtlessly his energy level will play a large role in this, but attacks such as decapitation or stopping his heart would be possible candidates at his normal energy levels.
Warp Travel
Over the millennia, Soul Reaver has developed the instinctual abilities needed to travel through the Warp, and he can erect and maintain Warp Shields to protect himself during this transition. He can open Warp Gates into and out of the Warp either using his magical powers or using his sword, Blooddrinker.
Physical Powers
Soul Reaver is faster, stronger, and more agile than humans normally are. His energy levels heavily factor into the level of his abilities, but under normal circumstances, he is about twice as fast as a human and can lift boulders twice his size with a modicum of effort.
Knowledge
Soul Reaver has had millennia of both study and life experience, and one of the offshoots of his immortality is that his memory is almost photographic. He thus possesses a vast amount of knowledge encompassing many different fields and many different Planes.
Combat Skill
Soul Reaver has had millennia of combat experience, and he is an exceptionally skilled warrior with any weapon. He favours medieval melee weaponry such as swords, axes, maces, and his bare fists. His combat style combines speed, grace, and raw power, and he is skilful both in offence and defence. Soul Reaver strongly dislikes ‘modern’ weaponry, particularly mechanical projectile weapons such as guns, although he could certainly use them if the need ever arose. His abilities with his sword is such that he can parry arrows out of mid-flight and cleave a mortal soldier in half from head to groin with a single, lightning-fast blow. As usual, his abilities can improve further if his energy levels rise.
Magic
Soul Reaver has learned to use magic with immense proficiency. He can store vast quantities of magical energy in his body, and can use them to cast any spells from any of the Mortal Plane’s different disciplines of magic (this encompasses the types of magic used by Druids, Mages, Enchanters, Warlocks, Necromancers, Dark Sorcerers and even Daemons). His skill is such that his use of armour and weapons does not impede his spellcasting, can use raw magic directly in casting his spells, can often bypass the long rituals required for certain magics, and can craft new spells on the spot. He can emulate Divine Magic (the type typically used by Clerics) as well, though doing this tends to be taxing and inefficient… though sometimes necessary when healing magics are called for. However, although Soul Reaver’s magic reserves are vast and typically refill quickly, they are not infinite, and casting particularly potent spells will mentally exhaust him. If his powers rise, his spellcasting abilities can increase as well.
Equipment Banishment
Soul Reaver can summon or banish his equipment at will. When ‘banishing’ equipment, it disappears in a blaze of red light as it converts into energy. Soul Reaver can summon his banished equipment back to himself at any time, causing it to re-materialize out of thin air. However, Blooddrinker (Soul Reaver’s sword) cannot be banished in this way – its enchantments are so powerful that they interfere with this ability.
Obsidian Island
Soul Reaver has created a small Plane entirely for himself. It consists of an obsidian island floating within an otherwise formless void. In this place, the laws of reality are completely under his control, so he can change its form however he wishes. Time there tends to flow more slowly there than in most other Planes. While Soul Reaver may create whatever he wishes within this Plane, such items cannot be taken out of the Plane – they will turn to nothingness the moment he leaves. He does use the Obsidian Island to house a number of his larger treasures though, including a vast library of tomes from all over the Multiverse.
Equipment:
Blooddrinker
Soul Reaver’s unmistakable sword, Blooddrinker is a huge blade of crimson metal. The sword is actually a Daemon Lord trapped within a Vortex Blade. Blooddrinker, once the mightiest of the Daemon Lords of Inferno, somehow developed the ability to open Warp Gates and travel to other worlds, and attempted to conquer the world of Dynaria in the Mortal Plane. It was only at immense cost and with the combined effort of all the different Orders of Magic that he was defeated, and trapped within a Vortex Blade. While some honourable men have attempted to hide or bury the sword to keep it from causing harm, it always resurfaces, as if calling to mortals with a dark siren song. However, the sword’s trail of destruction and evil deeds eventually caught the attention of Soul Reaver, who sought it out and then claimed it as his own, hoping his power over Daemons would allow him to control the weapon and keep it from inflicting further misery.
Blooddrinker wishes nothing more than to cause destruction, pain and suffering. Anyone wielding it will be manipulated by the blade to achieve these ends… and eventually, when Blooddrinker tires of its ‘master’, it tends to lead them to a grisly doom. Soul Reaver’s Daemon Control ability however allows him to control the sword and bend it to his will… most of the time. There is no denying that Blooddrinker is difficult even for Soul Reaver to manage, and it is sometimes uncertain just how much power Soul Reaver has over it.
The sword is a blade of exceptional quality. Although it appears two-handed, it seems very light to the wielder, and Soul Reaver easily wields it in one hand. The edge of the sword is able to be able to sharpen itself to whatever level it pleases, but even under normal circumstances it is sharp enough to cut clean through solid steel with almost no resistance. In battle, the sword can help guide the wielder to better strike – or parry – his foes as though through a sixth sense. This ability could make even an ordinary peasant into an exceptional swordsman, although the treacherous nature of the blade can make it dangerous to rely on. Soul Reaver sometimes allows the blade to ‘possess’ him to a degree. In this state, his fighting abilities and power are further augmented with the ferocious, raging powers of the Daemon Lord, but controlling his own actions and suppressing the will of the blade becomes ever more difficult the greater the extent of this possession.
Blooddrinker feeds off energy, as well as pain, suffering, and destruction, and so the wounds it inflicts weaken and drain their target – often feeling like an ugly numbness spreading from the wound. As a result of its energy-absorbing abilities, Blooddrinker’s touch can be used to drain away spells and enchantments – it has even been known to drain lesser magical weapons dry in time. Blooddrinker can speak to its wielder, and it possesses vast knowledge… although is often uncooperative and will gladly withhold pertinent information for its own amusement. However, it does possess the ability to see through any kind of illusion, no matter how potent, and this can prove extremely valuable at times. The blade is also nigh-indestructible, and nothing has ever even managed to so much as scratch it… and this is just as well, as the destruction of the blade would likely free the Daemon Lord trapped within.
It should be noted that Blooddrinker always seeks to escape its prison, and there is a very real danger that if Blooddrinker should feed enough, he might eventually be able to shatter his prison from within…
Darkstar
Another of Soul Reaver’s favoured weapons, which he occasionally uses in lieu of Blooddrinker, Darkstar is a powerfully enchanted Morningstar. It consists of a spiked ball, attached to a chain, which in turn is attached to a handle. It is made of powerfully enchanted black metal, and is almost indestructible. It can strike awesome blows that smash through armour with ease, and for such a clumsy weapon, seems strangely light and easy to wield. When swung through the air, it begins to generate an aura of smoky, black magic around it. As the aura increases in intensity, Darkstar’s blows grow more powerful. Alternatively, the wielder can unleash some of this energy as one or more magical projectiles, which scream through the air at great speed and strike with bone-crushing kinetic force.
Soul Reaver usually keeps Darkstar banished when not in use.
Black Steel Armour
Soul Reaver’s body armour is enchanted, though not to the extent that some of his other equipment is. Much harder than ordinary steel, conventional weapons tend to be little use against it. Very powerful attacks or magical weapons may be able to punch through the Black Steel however, although even then armour will at least lessen the force of the blow.
If the armour is damaged, Soul Reaver can mend it easily enough using his magical powers provided he is given a moment’s respite.
Black Steel Gauntlets
Soul Reaver’s Gauntlets are considerably more powerfully enchanted than his body armour, and as a result, they are extremely resilient. Soul Reaver often uses his gauntlets to parry attacks, and even the most powerful magical weapons rarely do more than scratch them.
In addition, the gauntlets are infused with a powerful attack spell. The spell is prepared by touching the glyph on the back of the gauntlet, which will cause it to glow a dull red. At this point, the gauntlets project a field of invisible energy in a sphere in a radius of about one meter around Soul Reaver. Anything hostile entering this field while it is active will find its movements grinding to a halt in moments, as though time itself were slowed – only with the most immense physical and mental effort will they be able to move even in the slightest. However, the real power of the spell is unleashed once Soul Reaver speaks the trigger word for it. At that point, anything caught in the magical field is blasted with an immense surge of devastating magical energy strong enough to rip the flesh from the victim’s bones. However, the energy within the gauntlets is only sufficient to maintain the defensive field briefly and to trigger the spell once… after it has been triggered, it will be a day or two before the gauntlets regenerate the energy needed to cast it again.
Anti-Magic Amulet
Soul Reaver’s amulet contains a crude but potent counterspell. Activating it is as simple as grasping the amulet between his fingers and willing it to activate. Upon activation, the amulet unleashes a burst of anti-magic that blasts outward to a radius of about two meters around Soul Reaver. Any spells not bound within a physical item are easily obliterated by this. However, the Anti-Magic Amulet is very much a brute-force method for dispelling other magic, and thus does not differentiate between helpful and harmful spells in effect in the area. Once it has been used, the Anti-Magic amulet typically needs several hours before it regenerates enough magic for it to be used again.
Infinity Pouch
Soul Reaver carries an Infinity Pouch. This small leather bag contains a pocket dimension that can hold an almost limitless number of items. Soul Reaver keeps all manner of treasure, potions and trinkets within this pouch, yet it weighs almost nothing. Retrieving an item is as simple as reaching into the pouch and thinking of the item he would like to retrieve. Useful though it may be, it is impossible to fit large items through the opening of the pouch in one piece, and living things placed within it are unlikely to come back out alive.
Background I (prior to meeting the other Companions):
Soul Reaver’s past is a long and tragic one. Soul Reaver was born on Shundahre to his true name of Rhavin Ironheart. At that time Shundahre was a beautiful world, ruled by feudal kings, magic, strength, and the passion of the human heart. The young Rhavin grew into a fine, strong man. His skill with his blade was noteworthy, and he became a mercenary and bodyguard for hire. Yet even this early in his life, Rhavin was unwilling to sacrifice his principles for personal gain, and he worked only for causes he was certain were true, honourable and just. Thus, even though he was not of noble birth, he gained respect for his integrity throughout the small kingdom in which he lived.
Rhavin eventually met, romanced, and married a woman named Shaana. She was a true beauty, with long raven hair and brown eyes, a pure heart, and a spirit of steel. Their love for each other was deep and passionate.
Shaana gave birth to a son, which the joyful parents named Darius. As he grew, Rhavin taught him the ways of combat, duelling with wooden swords and, on his thirteenth birthday, giving him his first real sword.
Yet Rhavin’s fortunes were to change when he was employed by a Daemon Hunter by the name of Stavarus Revenard…
Stavarus and Rhavin formed a successful partnership, Rhavin providing Stavarus with the additional steel he welcomed on his hunts. Together, they hunted down and slew numerous invading lesser Daemons. However, Stavarus eventually made a fatal mistake – overestimating his own powers and attempting to hunt down a Shadowlord. This decision was terrible folly, as only the greatest of heroes could stand against such a creature and hope to defeat it.
Though he found the Shadowlord, the creature defeated Stavarus with ease, forcing Rhavin to watch as he eviscerated the Daemon Hunter in the slowest and most agonizing way possible. Then, the Daemon turned on Rhavin himself, torturing him slowly, breaking his body piece by piece. Rhavin struggled against his captor with a truly ferocious iron will, and when his body was destroyed to the point where it could no longer provide him with strength, he turned his determination inwards, his unfaltering will looking for some way out.
At that moment, Rhavin’s mind made contact with his soul, releasing a rush of energy that surged through his body with such intensity that he even now remembers almost nothing of the moment. Only a feeling of incredible power, and a flash of light that must have burned the very heavens. In one blaze of energy, Rhavin had obliterated the Shadowlord, who lay in a smoking, charred heap at the edge of the massive crater that Rhavin found himself floating over.
From that day onwards, Rhavin found that he had opened some sort of floodgate – the infinite energies inherent in his immortal soul now burned through him. His body healed at an amazing rate, and he no longer aged. He could see the souls of others, burning fiercely in their bodies, as individual and distinct as a fingerprint. In times of duress or battle, the power trickling from his soul would increase steadily, giving him the fortitude he needed to succeed against any odds. And even though he had not learned to use his powers yet, he was certain that he was more than just an ordinary man now.
He returned to his wife confused and somewhat shaken. His comfortable world seemed so small, shallow, and imperfect now to his eyes. His wife supported him in his time of confusion, and Rhavin took to wandering aimlessly through the lands near his house, unsure of what his newfound identity would mean for him.
Then, during one such wandering, Rhavin found a family being waylaid by bandits. His own troubles forgotten, he single-handedly drove off the entire band of thieves, to the thanks and admiration of their would-be victims. Rhavin found himself thinking of the noble knights he had seen and admired, but his lowly birth had prevented him from joining… perhaps this was his calling – to fight for all that was good and true?
Rhavin began to seek adventure, to right injustices and perform deeds of honour and glory. His heroics grew ever greater, from defeating lowly brigands to the toppling of evil kings. He supported his family with money from the donations, gifts, and rewards that his tireless efforts resulted in. Yet as his deeds grew ever greater, he travelled further and further afield, and his absences from home grew ever longer. For an immortal such as he now was, time no longer held the meaning it once did.
And then, after a campaign of several years, he returned to find his cottage empty. Wife and son were no longer there. He desperately asked his kinsmen what had transpired, and was told that Shaana, in his absence, had taken ill and died. What had become of his son, Darius, was perhaps even more terrible… not long after Shaana’s death, he had struck out on his own. He had formed a band of greedy revolutionaries and murdered the noble lord of the land. Darius had taken his seat of power and now ruled Rhavin’s home as a cruel tyrant.
Rhavin was devastated, and went to see his son to dissuade him from this course of action. Yet his pleas were in vain – his son mocked him, asking him what right HE had to lecture him? After all, Rhavin had abandoned him and his mother… he was no father at all! Darius drew his sword, and lunged at his father…
Rhavin knew his son was right. He had failed Shaana, and he had failed Darius. But he could not let Darius become a blight upon his innocent kinsmen. Sadly, Rhavin made a choice. Choosing to forsake his mortal life and step upon the path of the immortal, he ran his son through with his sword. Disbelieving, angry, and filled with hatred, Darius slid from the blade and died.
From that day onwards, Rhavin felt he had lost all ties to what it meant to truly be mortal. He forsook the name Rhavin Ironheart. When he discovered his ability to absorb the souls of the fallen to augment his access to spiritual energy, he took a new name: Soul Reaver. This was to be the name of the immortal that he now truly was.
Over the years, Soul Reaver learned how to travel the Warp, and over time learned to navigate it successfully. His powers grew in training and in study – he became a master warrior, and a powerful sorcerer.
Yet he discovered during his journeys the curse that comes with immortality. Over time, the Shundahre he once knew constantly changed, and he returned less and less often, preferring to travel to other worlds. On one of the worlds he visited, he fell in love with another woman, Isabelle. Yet he knew the mistakes he had made in the past, and though their love was strong, Soul Reaver never committed himself to her, as his responsibilities often forced him to leave. As Isabelle grew older, her love for him lessened into simply a friendship, and she married another man, a mortal man. Isabelle too had realized that Soul Reaver’s immortality made love impossible. Death was what would allow her to be with her mortal husband forever, to be blissfully reunited when one partner joined the other in death… while Soul Reaver’s immortality would keep him from her long after she had passed from the memories of all who lived.
Soul Reaver knew she was right. In a mortal universe, not even love lasts forever.
Soul Reaver learned another harsh lesson when he travelled with the first other immortal Warp Traveller he had met – a sorcerer from some distant, long forgotten world. When this companion of his was killed in an ill-fated adventure, Soul Reaver could not help but see the relief and peace upon his face…
Soul Reaver came to the conclusion that dedicating one’s immortal life to fleeting and transient things – mortal things – would lead only to an endless cycle of heartache and loss as he would lose everything he loves. And so, Soul Reaver sought to bury all emotion, to bury his humanity, and to uphold and strive for the only principles that he felt were truly as eternal as he: honour, and justice. He would fight for these until the day he too would meet his end.
Years passed as Soul Reaver sought to uphold his vows to himself. Then, once, on returning to Shundahre, he found his home destroyed – it was now no more than a charred rock floating in space. A war had devastated it in his absence, and he had failed his people once again. Sadly, Soul Reaver saw another part of his past slip away into the mists of time…
Thousands of years passed, with Soul Reaver training his skills and his magics. He became fascinated with the terrible Daemonic Plane, Inferno, which was such a great threat to so many other worlds. Knowing he could no conquer this entire dimension, Soul Reaver instead learned to control the Daemons that dwelled there – not by sorcery, but by exerting his control over souls… thus manipulating both their own souls and the objects that they most craved. As much as they hated him, the Daemons found themselves compelled to obey Soul Reaver.
Meanwhile, as Soul Reaver travelled elsewhere the world of Dynaria became the target of Inferno. Somehow, the greatest of all the Daemon Lords, Blooddrinker, managed to gain entry to this world and assaulted it to tear it from the Mortal Plane and into Inferno. Mortal armies rose against him, nations uniting against the common threat, and yet they all fell to the titanic Daemon’s endless thirst of slaughter. All seemed lost as Blooddrinker tore apart the lands of Dynaria, laying waste to everything in his path. In a last desperate bid at victory, all the different Orders of Magic-Users on Dynaria set aside their ages-old hatreds and rivalries, and sent a single apprentice as their champion to challenge Blooddrinker in single combat. The Daemon laughed at the proposal… but then the Magic-Users in their distant sanctuary combined their powers and cast the mightiest Avatar spell their world had ever seen upon their chosen champion.
Becoming a glowing giant of power, the apprentice now could stand against even Blooddrinker’s incredible rage. A battle of epic proportions ensued, lasting day and night and obliterating everything in its vicinity. Yet Blooddrinker’s fury was unquenchable, and despite his valour, the Avatar was weakening. Every blow upon the Avatar was felt as a brutal backlash divided amongst the mighty Magic-Users maintaining the enchantment, and one after another they died, their very life-force smashed from their bodies.
As his shield was thrown from his grasp, feeling the growing weariness in his enchanted body, the Avatar knew he could never defeat Blooddrinker in fair combat. And so, making the ultimate sacrifice, the Avatar – the young apprentice – threw himself forward in a final, desperate attack. Blooddrinker’s immense sword thrust fatally through is body, the backlash slaying the remaining Magic-Users… but not before the Avatar had plunged his own sword through Blooddrinker’s heart. In disbelief, the Daemon looked upon the sword… a Vortex Blade. Its enchantment activated, and with his terrible injury, Blooddrinker was unable to resist. His soul was sucked into a spiritual vortex inside the blade, and became trapped within the steel.
The sword was found, twisted into a vile travesty of its former shining glory, and was buried along with the body of the courageous apprentice. Yet the Daemon would not be denied, and its call was heard… grave robbers stole the sword, and it travelled from one hand to another. Many wielded the blade, but few could do so without eventually falling to its temptations. The sword would betray those who used it, sowing only suffering and misery, leaving a trail of death in its wake.
And then, Soul Reaver came to Dynaria, and with his knowledge of Daemons and the ability to control them, he hunted the sword down and made it his. He felt that the weapon was far too dangerous in the hands of those lacking his gift to control the Daemons, and that in his hands it might, at least, be used to further the principles he holds so dear…
Many years passed as Soul Reaver travelled throughout the universe, saving as many worlds as he could from darkness, but failing others… and those failures always haunted him. One example of his failure was the world of Relenia. There, a race of cruel, powerful sorcerers known as the Inja’ Del held the massive, strong race of the OGHRUN in sadistic slavery. Soul Reaver sought to help the OGHRUN, and with his aid, they constructed a Vortex Gem that suppressed the Inja’ Del’s sorcerous powers and allowed the OGHRUN to hunt their oppressors to extinction. Soul Reaver left, believing his task done… only to find, many years later, that the OGHRUN themselves had become the oppressors. Seeing all sorcery as evil, they were now the slavers, forcing all magic-users into captivity and servitude, forcing them to compete in bloody gladiator battles… even if they were their own kin. With the Vortex Gem still in place nullifying their powers, the magic-users were helpless to fight back. Soul Reaver sadly abandoned the race to their plight, realizing that he had failed them too…
Background II (upon meeting the other Companions):
Another great turning point in Soul Reaver’s life came during a duel against other immortals, where he met a young woman by the name of Asaki Masako, who at first sought his death in battle. Yet despite her violence towards him, he fought her with only honour and courage, and spared her life on her defeat. In his actions Asaki saw a guiding light, and realized that her own life had, to this point, lacked direction and purpose. As she begged Soul Reaver to guide her on her path, he saw in her the steely resolve and insurmountable will that had long ago allowed him to achieve his immortality. Placing a silver coin upon her forehead, he created a bond with her, and from that day onwards, she became his pupil, and sought to uphold his teachings as she made her own way through the universe.
Soon later, Soul Reaver met with the warrior Clutchfiend, and together with him and other fellow immortals, they completed many great quests. He joined forces with Jihon and the other companions to guard the Middle Umbra from the threat of the Ancient Vampire Lords, defeating the Upper Umbra’s treacherous High Council and then campaigned against the forces of Chaos. Upon Aldrean, the planet the Chaos Lords sought as a staging area, Soul Reaver encountered Asaki again, saving her just in time from several Chaos Marines who had been intent on violently converting her to their cause.
Together, the companions defeated the Chaos Lords. Soul Reaver then said his goodbyes as Asaki once more struck out on her own, intending to join the Space Marines. The parting was difficult for him… he was beginning to realise that despite himself, he was growing to love his pupil.
Intent on settling his raging thoughts, he travelled to Dynaria, where he arrived just in time to protect a force of Outriders from being defeated by a group of Chaos Warriors led by a Dark Sorcerer. Yet his meeting with the Sorcerer seemed to have been fated… for upon his defeat, Soul Reaver became privy to a terrible vision, showing him and all his friends trapped in a terrible web of fate, manipulated by a horrifying puppeteer.
Fearing for Asaki’s safety, Soul Reaver rushed to warn her, only to find himself suddenly and violently seized by some unknown entity. For a long time he found himself trapped and tortured by this unseen force, and only managed to escape by severing one of his hands. Although painful, he knew it would grow back in time.
Soul Reaver’s escape landed him in the midst of a massive struggle against a force of evil men known as the Hell’s Winds. Knowing that he could do nothing about his visions as of yet, other than hope fate would lead him to the puppeteer he had seen, he joined in the battle.
His quest eventually led his path to intersect with his old companions again, including a now-resurrected Clutchfiend and Asaki, and with them he helped defeat the schemes of the evil illusionist Naraka. Together, they wrenched the Upper Umbra from his control, and returned it to its new, rightful owners: Fei Serumen and Tamrissa Roshan.
The victory however was short-lived, for Soul Reaver was asked by his long-time companion Kawanua to perform a terrible deed – to slay him in order to save his companions from certain destruction. Unable to deny an honourable, selfless request, he complied… only to find his companion’s soul cruelly snatched away from its rightful place in the afterlife by the Daemons of Inferno! Once more, Soul Reaver felt he had failed…
His next journey followed soon afterwards, with his being summoned by none other than Heartbane, one of the Daemon Princes of Inferno! Unsure of what to expect, he and his companions went to see the creatures, who offered him a deal – he would have to defeat a common enemy of theirs, the vile puppeteer who he had seen in his visions, in return for valuable information… and for releasing Kawanua’s soul from his horrific torments. Soul Reaver was unable to refuse.
Heartbane revealed to him something incredible: Stavarus Revenard was alive! His soul had in fact never arrived at Inferno, having been snatched away by the puppeteer in Soul Reaver’s visions. Now, somehow, he walked the Mortal Plane again.
A massive hunt for Stavarus began, and his journeys took him back to Relenia, where he and his companions were captured and forced into gladiatorial battles by the OGRUHN. The companions managed to escape, and a resulting revolution caused the destruction of the Vortex Gem, and saw the Magic-Users overthrow their oppressors. Though the future was uncertain, Soul Reaver hoped that perhaps this time, he had made amends for his past failure…
The search for Stavarus continued, but Soul Reaver was shocked to discover that his old companion had become bitter, fanatical, and cruel. His reunion with Stavarus was less than happy, as Stavarus saw nothing but evil in Soul Reaver’s new ways and his companions.
After having one of his companions and Stavarus exorcise a Daemon that Heartbane had treacherously smuggled into Soul Reaver’s body to spy on him and his companions in the hopes of harvesting their souls, Soul Reaver made the mistake of revealing his deal with the Daemons to Stavarus. The Daemon Hunter, furious, accused Soul Reaver of abandoning his wife and son… an accusation whose basis in fact cut Soul Reaver very deep emotionally. Storming off, he was eventually comforted by Asaki. For the first time, he told one of his current companions about his tragic past, and the curse of his immortality. He even dared to confess his love to Asaki, though he also had to confess his fear of that love… a love he wished he could repress.
Their quest continued, now aimed at eliminating the puppeteer, who became known to the companions as the Warp Lord. Soul Reaver discovered the source of Stavarus’ hatred for the Warp Lord – he himself, as a sadistic final torture by the Warp Lord after his escape from him domain, had been transformed into a Daemon. His loathing for himself was now surpassed only by his hatred for the Warp Lord. After many gruelling battles, Soul Reaver eventually confronted the Warp Lord. Soul Reaver then became privy to a terrible revelation, that the Warp Lord may well have manipulated Soul Reaver’s life right up to the present moment. Although all seemed lost, Stavarus’ experiences finally gave him the courage to stand against what he had thought was a hopeless situation, and with his help, the companions were triumphant.
Escaping the Warp Lord’s domain, Soul Reaver was then forced to farewell Stavarus, who felt it was his duty to make amends for past wrongs by travelling on his own and doing good in the Multiverse.
Worse, however, was his unexpected, forced parting from Asaki. Asaki’s past had caught up with her in the form of the Soreans, led to her location by her uncle, Taki. The Soreans intended to punish her for past crimes. Although the stalwart defence of her character by the companions saved her from the gruesome death penalty sought by Taki, the Soreans insisted she nonetheless perform a penance for her crimes by aiding the Soreans in their quest to uphold the law throughout the universe.
Soul Reaver, his hand forced by the Soreans appeal to justice, was forced to accept. Again, his immortal ideals had come into conflict with his mortal emotions… his love for Asaki. He said an emotional goodbye, and as he watched her leave for the stars, he could not help but feel that perhaps his ideals, the principles he had always lived by, were somehow just cruel lies after all…
