The Fire Forge [SR1]

In Soul Reaver, the narrow Fire Forge room was concealed beneath the Drowned Abbey. It was located off an underwater corridor, reachable from the Rahabim pupating grounds. Its entrance was blocked by an ornate stained glass window, which Raziel could smash with a Telekinetic Force Projectile.

The forge was designed to enhance the Soul Reaver, and it was attuned to the Soul Reaver's energy. When Raziel bathed the wraith-blade in the 'primordial' flames of the forge, he primed it to become the 'Fire Reaver', enabling it to be imbued with elemental Fire at any future time. The Fire Forge also contained a 'Health Recharge', an energized location where Raziel could fully restore his health coil.¹ This allowed him to easily regain the wraith-blade, ready to receive its upgrade, if he wasn't already carrying it.

When imbued with fire, the wraith-blade was more powerful; its projectiles could incinerate enemies, rather than merely stunning them. The elemental effect was only temporary though, and if Raziel entered water or the Spectral Realm, the elemental affinity would be lost. However, Raziel could re-imbue the blade by placing it in any fires (usually campfires) he found.

FURTHER OBSERVATIONS

Raziel did not automatically have the 'Fire Reaver' enhancement in Soul Reaver 2. He had to regain it from another, more complex forge. Also, there is no obvious indication of who built this Soul Reaver forge. It seemed to be entirely independent of those that appeared in the later games.