Blood Omen: Nosgoth's Blood Script

The translation document

In Blood Omen Nosgoth's Blood Script was a written language that Kain could encounter a few times on his journey. It was based on Elder Futhark, an old real-world runic alphabet, and the document that decoded it was hidden in a secret room, within one of the early mausoleums. The Blood Script appeared on some Blood Omen maps, and in-game in two other places: outside the cave that led to the Lightning spell, and also on a group of gravestones near Kain's burial place.

The inscriptions on the gravestones were significant. They were the names of people who worked on, or were linked to the game's production: Crystal Dynamics or Silicon Knights employees.

The basic translation for the Blood Script document is illustrated below. Some letters are missing from the alphabet, and the symbols for J and Y are very similar. K, when written, is given the same symbol as C. There is no difference between lower and uppercase letters.

Blood Script translation

The Maps

The inscription below appeared on Maps of Nosgoth (included with original PC releases of Blood Omen and in Prima's Official Blood Omen Strategy Guide). An example of such a map can also be seen in Kain's Arcane Tomes, part of the Defiance bonus material. It is unclear what is meant by 'All Secrets Are Shown'. It does not appear to relate to the game's 100 secrets, so maybe it means that all locations are marked and named on the map, even the lesser-known ones. Nachtholm Cove and the Plains of Blood, for example, are only ever identified on these highly-detailed maps.

The map inscription says: All Secrets Are Shown

The map inscription The map inscription translated: All secrets are shown

The Moon Cave

After Kain defeated Bane and DeJoule at Dark Eden, the cave to the east of the tower was opened. If Kain went through the caves, and explored the area on the other side, he could find a Bat Beacon and a blocked gateway. The gateway was marked with a Blood Script sign (pictured below), which told Kain when to return. It would only open during a full moon, but it led to the powerful Lightning spell.

The moon cave inscription says: He will come when the moon is full and learn to call death from the sky.

The Moon Cave inscription The Moon Cave inscription translated: He will come when the moon is full and learn to call death from the sky

The Developer's Graveyard

The fourteen gravestones are translated to the right. The first ten people appeared in the game credits of Blood Omen, but the other four were also linked to Crystal Dynamics.

The graveyard of the people who worked on the game
  1. RIP MARK WALLACE JAN 1996
    Producer (Crystal Dynamics)
  2. RIP JOSHUA MARKS JULY 1996
    Producer (Crystal Dynamics)
  3. RIP LYLE HALL JULY 1994
    Producer (Crystal Dynamics)
  4. RIP RODNEY RAPP APR 1996
    Designer (Crystal Dynamics)
  5. RIP JOSH ROSE JUNE 1996
    Designer (Crystal Dynamics)
  6. RIP SCOTT COLLIE MAY 1996
    Senior Artist (Silicon Knights)
  7. RIP MIKE TWEEDLE JULY 1995
    Supplementary Art (Silicon Knights)
  8. RIP ROSS CUTLER AUG 1995
    Supplementary Art (Silicon Knights)
  9. RIP JASON EPPS MAY 1996
    Designer (Crystal Dynamics)
  10. RIP JACK MEIER JUNE 1996
    Designer (Crystal Dynamics)
  11. RIP TONY BARNES OCT 1996
    Credited on games developed by CD
  12. RIP MADELINE CANEPA JULY 1996
    One of CD's founders
  13. RIP RANDY KOMISAR JULY 1996
    One-time President and CEO of CD
  14. RIP BEN SZYMKOWIAK JAN 1996
    Credited on games developed by CD

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