[REPOST] Warp's answers from Amy

[blincoln]

[ Reposted from the old SR2 forum, original post by Warpsavant ]

I got these answers from Amy and she said some other cool stuff, and she said I could share the answers with everyone at the forum, so I can post it here so you can all see. I included the intro too, as I thought it was really good.

Another side note -- I do read all the LoK message boards and forums as regularly as possible, so people should understand that we do see and consider all of their feedback, even if we don't participate openly on the boards. They should know that the forums are a "direct line" to us, and we consider everyone's questions, concerns, frustrations, etc. as we develop the SR games.

I see on some boards (particularly the GameFAQs board) some longtime fans noting perceived inconsistencies in the LoK fiction, and questioning our research and familiarity with BO:LoK's story.
I don't know if you've encountered this, but I'd want to assure those people that I do in fact know the LoK history/mythology inside and out, having worked on it since mid-'95. I also have a lot of unique information that none of the fans are privy to -- including a year of collaboration with SK on BO:LoK, and all the original BO:LoK design documents that were created over that game's 3.5-year development (including a lot of cut or altered material).
So many things were left vague and open to interpretation in BO:LoK, that generally these "inconsistencies" are simply a matter of my interpretation of the material not matching a fan's interpretation. And of course there are those elements which are inconsistent or illogical within the BO:LoK story itself (or between the various LoK sources, including the FAQ and the strategy guide), which I've done my best to re-frame or clarify within the sequels.

And a final note -- we do in fact make mistakes sometimes. Or more often there are times when an artist might misinterpret or misrepresent something, and we have no time to go back and fix it, because it's considered a minor ("C") bug and there are more important things to address before the game is released. With all our care and desire for depth and consistency, in the end this is a business and we're constantly under pressure from the publisher. As a result, certain things that we -- as artists -- think are important still get left on the cutting room floor, or go unfixed, because there's simply no time.

Okay, after that long-winded introduction, on to the questions --

Bo/Sr2

Q: What was Voradoor before Janos made him a vampire?

A: Vorador was a human being. In the eras depicted in BO:LoK, Vorador was already an ancient, highly-evolved vampire (which is why his appearance is so "inhuman"). So the human Vorador was born in a much earlier, more "primitive" period within Nosgoth's history.

Q: How did Janos make Voradoor-like Kain made Raziel and his sons, or like Mortanius made Kain? Was the way Kain made and the way Kain created his brethren the same? How'd Voradoor make his children?

A: Without going into too much detail, there are various ways a vampire can be born/created. The ancient/original Vampires (like Janos) had one method, by which Vorador was raised, and by which Vorador would also raise his vampire offspring. This would be a more "traditional" method, where the vampiric curse is passed from one vampire to a human. Mortanius raised Kain by necromancy -- this gives Kain a unique vampiric heritage. Because of this unique heritage, Kain's method of creating his vampire "sons" is also unique -- rather than using the traditional "blood" gift to create a vampire, Kain must donate a portion of his spirit. By breathing a portion of his soul into a corpse, that creature's soul is drawn back into the body and the creature is resurrected as a vampire. This is how Kain raised his six lieutenants in the Tomb of Sarafan.

Q: The blue ancients, reproduce like humans, until they get the Blood Curse,then they are infertile for whatever reason, thus they die out. This is why they are extinct right? Except for Janos and maybe Raz.

A: That's partially right. Before the blood curse, the ancient Vampires could reproduce; following the curse, they became immortal but could no longer reproduce offspring. They could only pass on their vampiric gift/curse to human "offspring" (as Janos did to Vorador). But this isn't necessarily why they were extinct.

Q: Why was the Circle defenseless? Their magic fails in the cut scene, Moebius even says they are defensless in Sr2. Is it becasue Malek was not there, or their magic failed? What were they doing in there? And where was Mortanius all this time? Off getting possessed?

A: This has not yet been revealed. At the time (as represented in BO:LoK's FMA), certain members of the Circle were watching and guiding the movements of the Sarafan via the "viewing basin" in the chamber. Mortanius' whereabouts have not been revealed.

Q: Did Voradoor follow raziel to the Stronghold, or the Sarafan, or is just a giant coincedence that V shows up, when the Circles magic fails, and Moebius and Raziel are distractng Malek?

A: This is intentionally unexplained. It's not exactly a giant coincidence, when you consider the event which precipitated both Raziel's and Vorador's infiltration of the Stronghold...

Q: What exactly is the meaning of the Lost City? I know its just a place for secrets, but who made it? The fact that this city appears to be UNDER the
Lake of the Dead, and the Lake of the Dead is where the Abyss is, always made me think there was some connection. I know this oe may be a gameplay issue, but thats why I asked like who made the place? Like who lived there?

A: This has not been revealed. There is a connection, though.