In the centuries before Kain's birth, the world of Nosgoth was protected by an oligarchy of sorcerers known as the Circle of Nine. These guardians were sworn to serve and protect the Pillars of Nosgoth, nine vertical pillars, each guardian represented the certain pillar it served. These ancient edifice towered over the earth as a manifestation of the mysterious power that preserved and gave life to the land. If at the unlikely death of one of the Circle members, the Pillar it served would then choose a worthy replacement, to which he/she would be trained to replace the Guardian who had died. Also, the Guardians of the Pillars were sustained by the Pillar it served, unless murdered, the Guardian wouldnt die.

Some 500 years before the events of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, the Circle of Nine noticed the increasing number of vampires in the land of Nosgoth. According to the Circle, vampires were an abomination of nature, their immortality blocked the flow of life, and their nature to feed off the blood of the living could no longer be tolerated. The Circle of Nine chose to create an order of holy knights who would purge the land of this unholy scourge. They were the Sarafan. The Sarafan conducted many crusades in their time, and slaughtered entire clans of vampires in their wake. Until...

An ancient Vampire known as Vorador enacted his revenge upon the Sarafan.

Vorador, enraged by the genocide of both his children and his very race, plundered the Sarafan stronghold, and assaulted the Circle of Nine members who cowered in its cold chambers. He targeted the Circle, for sponsoring the Sarafan, and for creating it, and managed to kill six of them. Before Vorador left, the Sarafan Paladin, Malek, came to the Circles aid. He was obviously too late to save the six who had died, he then attacked Vorador, but fell in battle. Vorador left the Stronghold, and lived a life of self imposed exile in Nosgoths eerie wilderness, Termagant forest, attempting to 'stay out of the affairs of man', until of course, it was necessary to feed. Malek, however, was condemned to inhabit his own armour as a wraith, for failing the Circle, whom Malek was sworn to protect at all costs. Malek, was now reborn as a wraith, he was also a Guardian of the Circle, and served the Pillar of Conflict. Malek maintained his obligation to Guard the Circle, with his now obliterated life.

After the murder of Six of the Circle of Nine, the Sarafan order ended.

Into this dying world, Kain was born. The son of an aristocratic Nosgoth family, he lived a privileged life of a nobleman of Coorhagen. Kain was unaware of his destiny - that he was born into the world of Nosgoth as Ariel's successor chosen to take her place as the Guardian of Balance.

Ignorant of his destiny, the ambitious but directionless Kain roamed the land, and during one fateful journey, he was ambushed and met his demise at the hands of brigands, and was impaled on his assassins sword.

Kain was offered a chance of vengeance while in the underworld. The Guardian of Death, the Necromancer Mortanius, resurrected Kain as a vampire, and set him upon the now gone insane, Circle of Nine. Kain was tormented by images of his assassins faces, and his very lust for revenge drove him to accept Mortanius offer, and emerged from his tomb, and quickly made haste to find his assassins and kill them.

After sating his blood thirst on his murderers blood, Kain sought a cure for his self imposed vampire curse. Guided by Mortanius, Kain sought the Pillars of Nosgoth, where he confronted the spirit of Ariel, the now dead Pillar of Balance. Still unaware of his intended destiny, Kain was unleashed upon the circle, killing each member to restore the pillar it served. Until all members were destroyed, the Pillars could never be restored, and no new members could be born.

Kain, on his journeys, confronted the Guardian of Conflict, Malek, and was forced to retreat. Kain's efforts to defeat the Sarafan Paladin who was prisoner to his own armour, led him to the Oracles of Nosgoth, in a search for wisdom. Kain met with the Oracle, and he led Kain to the only one person in history to defeat Malek, to Termagant Forest, to Vorador.

Kain was at first, frightened by Vorador, distinctively calling him an image of his own future if he let his curse ensnare him. Vorador was uninterested in the affairs of man, and told Kain to indulge his gift, offering him a goblet fall of human blood, while Vorador ranted on about his past. Some heroic accounts of how he defeated Malek of the Sarafan. Before Kain left, Vorador warned him not to interfere with Humans, and gave him a ring which would call Vorador to him, if he needed it. Kain left Vorador's mansion situated in Termagant forest, and made his way to Dark Eden, the source of the increase of Nosgoths twisted creatures populating the land. Poison soiled the earth, all of which was caused by the three members of the circle in Dark Eden, conspirating together to poison Nosgoth. Kain made his way into the towers of Dark Eden, and confronted three of the Circle of Nine, when his path was once again blocked when one Circle member transported himself away and summoned their guardian, Malek, to dispatch of Kain once and for all. Kain, summoned Vorador to his aid, and chased after the remaining two Circle members and slaughtered them. Upon his return, Kain discovered the remnants of Maleks armour, and his helmet laid on the ground for Kain.

 During his continuing journey, Kain entered Abernus Cathedral and discovered the Soul Reaver, an ancient blade which devoured the souls of its victims, and claimed it as his own, and also in the same cathedral, a time streaming device. Unaware of its purpose, Kain took the device and continued along his path where he reached the Kingdom of the Lion Thrown, Willendorf, ruled by King Ottmar. After completing a task, which resulted in the revival of King Ottmars daughter, Kain made King Ottmar, rally his army, the Army of Hope, against the invading legions from the land of the Nemesis, just North of Willendorf. Kain had not taken heed to Voradors warnings, and during the heat of battle where both of these forces clashed, and the tides of the battle turned to the Nemesis, Kain used his only means of escape - the time streaming device, which swept him nearly 50 years back into Nosgoths past.

The Final Sacrifice

 Kain returned to the Pillars, and stood aside as Mortanius attacked the third last remaining Pillar, who had attempted persuade Mortanius to stand with him, Mortanius refused, and claimed also that the Guardians of the Pillars failed. Kain told Mortanius that he was impressed by his bravery, Mortanius said to Kain that he had accepted his fate, and let Kain attacked him to restore his Pillar. As Kain's blade hit home, Mortanius' body twisted and distorted it's image, an evil force then took control of his body, and revealed himself to Kain as the greatest manipulator, the origins of the Circles dilemma. Kain found out that Mortanius had been possessed by this being, who calculated Ariels death and the repercussions to fit exactly to his plan. Kain then attacked the creature, destroyed him, and then his true destiny was revealed to him. Ariel showed Kain who the last Pillar was. Kain, the scourge of the Circle, Vampire, and Nosgoth nobleman was also, the Pillar of Balance. Ariel presented a final, climactic decision to Kain. Sacrifice himself, and restore the Pillars, heal the land, and throw over rule and final control to humans, ensure the extinction of vampires. Over the course of Kain's journey, he found himself embracing his gift, and his disgust over humanity grew. Or, Kain could refuse the sacrifice, and seal the world's corruption, destine the Pillars an eternity of decay.