Anarcrothe the Alchemist

In Blood Omen, Anarcrothe was the Guardian of the Pillar of States. This implies that his skill was in manipulating the state of matter, changing it from one form into another. He experimented with his powers by dabbling in the arcane and mysterious art of alchemy, messing around with chemicals, machinery and more, despite his limited understanding of what he was actually doing. One of his more ambitious alchemical trials had failed long before, leaving the left side of his face scarred and ruined from the accident. He hid his disfigurement - 'an unsightly writhing tangle' of skin and bone - beneath the hood of his imperial purple robes.¹

After Kain met with Vorador, Ariel directed him to Dark Eden. He found the area populated with mutants. Humans, plants and native animals had been twisted into vicious parodies of nature. Three of the Guardians - deranged from Nupraptor's mental assault on them thirty years earlier - had worked together to create this: Anarcrothe, Bane and DeJoule. Anarcrothe's quasi-scientific experiments had been mixed with the powers of Nature and Energy wielded by the other two.

When Kain confronted the triad inside Dark Eden's tower, Anarcrothe decided not to fight. He summoned Malek to destroy the vampire, and then he vanished leaving the others behind. Kain killed Bane and DeJoule. Vorador, called upon by Kain, destroyed Malek.

Kain continued on his quest. He returned to the Pillars after beheading Moebius. There he found Anarcrothe arguing with Mortanius. Staying out of sight, Kain listened to their exchange of words, and learned that Mortanius was the individual behind his murder as well as his resurrection. Anarcrothe was angry that Mortanius had betrayed the Circle by sending Kain after them. The Alchemist viewed his powers as his alone, and believed his life was more important than the health of the Pillars and the land. He threatened Mortanius, demanding a renewal of loyalty to his fellow Guardians. But Mortanius remained steadfast. Absorbing Anarcrothe's attack with ease, he turned his own magic on the Alchemist, killing him as Kain looked on with interest. The Necromancer impaled Anarcrothe through the chest with a lightning-like attack, slammed him against a Pillar and then summoned ghosts to break the Alchemist's back.

FURTHER OBSERVATIONS

The correct spelling of the Alchemist's name is open to debate. Anacrothe is a popular variation used by LoK fansites - also appearing in some official sources - but this site has opted to remain consistent with the Players section of the Silicon Knights Blood Omen FAQ. Also Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance allow us to view Anarcrothe's stand with us ultimatum in a different light.

Fans have long commented that Anarcrothe's use of the word 'us' was strange, seeing as the only remaining Guardians at that point were himself, Mortanius and Kain (overlooking Moebius' resurrection by the Elder God, revealed in Defiance). A little while after Soul Reaver 2 was released, the official explanation was that Anarcrothe meant "the Circle as an entity - but there's a deeper meaning, too, which hasn't been revealed".² Now Defiance has shown that some of the Circle were serving the Hylden - and that Mortanius was trying to rebel against them by creating Kain to be the Vampire champion and Scion of Balance - Anarcrothe's 'us' could mean him and the Hylden. Although this is plausible, we have no proof that Anarcrothe was allied with them at all, so it remains inconclusive.