The Legions of the Nemesis

The Legions of the Nemesis
The Legions of the Nemesis

The Legions of the Nemesis featured in Blood Omen. They were the brutal army of the tyrant king: the Nemesis.

According to the 'Character Biographies' page of the Silicon Knights Blood Omen FAQ: 'An ancient seer once prophesied the march of an enormous army', one that would bring: 'rape and torture, death and destruction on cataclysmic levels', in its unstoppable wake. This seer knew the army - which would be named 'the Legion of the Nemesis' by Nosgoth's people - would have its origins in the north. Unfortunately for everyone, the dire prophesy proved to be accurate.[1]

The Nemesis had originally been known as William the Just - a kind, gentle and fair monarch. However, as Kain was growing up in Nosgoth, William was conspiring with Moebius the Time Streamer, and through Moebius' 'insidious designs', William became a butcher, intent on dominating Nosgoth entirely. He built an army to achieve his ambitions, and led them in 'beheading, disembowelling, [and] impaling peasants and warriors alike in their very own villages' (Kain saw this firsthand in Stahlberg). By the time Kain reached the age of thirty, and became a vampire, the Legions of the Nemesis were unbeatable.[1,2,3]

In Blood Omen, Kain approached the Oracle of Nosgoth to learn how to defeat Malek. The Oracle - actually Moebius - didn't answer the question directly. Instead, he mentioned King Ottmar, "the only hope to defeat the Legions of the Nemesis." Later, after Kain had killed Azimuth, Ariel directed him to "rally the forces of Willendorf" to save Nosgoth from The Nemesis.[3,4]

As the Oracle had said: Ottmar was "paralyzed by his princess' malaise". Kain had to rescue the soul of the Princess of Willendorf from Elzevir the Dollmaker to rouse the king into action.[5,6]

In the Battle of the Last Stand, the Legions of the Nemesis fought against the Army of the Last Hope. Ottmar was slain and his army defeated. With this victory, there was nothing to stop the Nemesis conquering all of Nosgoth. However, history was changed by Kain, preventing this. By going back in time and killing the young King William, the Legions of the Nemesis were never truly created. William died before he became the tyrant Nosgoth had feared.[7,8,9,10]

Further Observations

The seer who foretold the coming of the Legions of the Nemesis may have been the Seer from Blood Omen 2. There is no evidence to be sure one way or the other, but it's plausible.

References

  1. The 'Character Biographies' page of the Silicon Knights Blood Omen FAQ
  2. [SR2] Kain to Raziel: "Thirty years hence, I am presented with a dilemma - let's call it a two-sided coin.
    If the coin falls one way, I sacrifice myself and thus restore the Pillars."
  3. [BO1] Ariel: "The Legions of the Nemesis are on the march from the north, crushing all in their path. 'Twas not too long ago that the Nemesis was known as William the Just, a caring and gentle benefactor of the land. But, as his army grew in strength and he himself grew in power, the veil of tyranny fell and one kingdom was not enough. So many cities, so many dead. Willendorf will be sure to follow. The Nemesis must be stopped or all shall be lost..."
    Kain: "How can one stop an army?"
    Ariel: "You must rally the forces of Willendorf; they are the last Hope of Nosgoth."
  4. [BO1] The Oracle of Nosgoth to Kain: "King Ottmar - the only hope to defeat the Legions of the Nemesis.
    King Ottmar paralyzed by his princess' malaise."
  5. [BO1] Kain: "I entered the Court with the Dollmaker's head in one hand, and the doll containing the girl's soul in the other. I placed them both before the King and watched his eyes catch fire. With the doll in their possession, the Court's sorcerers could restore his daughter's soul."
  6. [BO1] Kain: "'Tis not your kingdom I desire, but your army, Ottmar. I require troops to vanquish the Horde that descends upon us from the North."
    Ottmar: "Very well. Courtiers, fetch me my armor and mace. There is war to be waged!"
  7. [BO1] Kain: "The tide turned with Ottmar's death. I watched as the remaining survivors of the Armies of Hope fled to the safety of the forest. The battle had decided its victor; the fate of Nosgoth now lay in the Nemesis' hands."
  8. [BO1] Kain: "Ah, so it seemed I was in the land of William the Just, fifty years before the battle I had just escaped would take place."
  9. [BO1] Kain: "As his guards rushed to save him, William the Just's blood was already renewing my strength, replacing the life his sword had stolen from my veins."
  10. [BO1] Kain: "'Twould seem the folly fell upon my own shoulders. With their sainted King William dead by my hand, the people of the land were consumed by a hunger all their own - for vampire blood."

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