| “ | Well, well, well! Having a nice look around the chateau are we, my pretty? | ” |
– Raum to Jen | ||
Count Raum was the aristocratic leader of the Chaotic realm of Aetha. Cruel with a sado-masochistic streak, he enjoyed all manner of indulgences and destroyed those who stood in his way. He was also a scientist, intrigued by new and unfamiliar devices (such as Jen's vambrace).
History[]
Count Raum is an aristocrat as well as a gifted scientist, living in the luxurious and extended château, constructed along the steep mountains along with his wife, Countess Empusa and his only child, a daughter named Elizabeth in the realm of Aetha. At an unknown point, he and Empusa became the rulers of at least one province of the realm. His personality suits Chaos - ruthless, cunning and vicious, keen to indulge his every dark whim. He shares the idea of being powerful with his wife, although they appear to keep it somewhat hidden from Elizabeth; nevertheless, the pair is also abusive towards their daughter, absorbed by their own needs and intentions.
It is unknown if Raum used the Blood Machine prior to the events of Primal, but it is during the story that such a device becomes known. With Aetha further strengthened by Abaddon, Raum and Empusa capture the poor inhabitants of Aetha, known as the Helot, and sacrifice them by placing them inside the machine. Afterwards, Raum and Empusa drink the blood drained from a victim and boost their vitality. The Blood Machine is hidden deep within the dungeons, beyond a maze concealing its entrance. Raum's paranoia means he suspects his own social class, the aristocracy, of uncovering it.
That was not unfounded; some elites learnt of this dangerous device and rumors began to spread. Raum immediately executed them - these victims can be seen in the torture chamber as "talking heads"; they are still able to talk and offer information. Other heads can be found in areas of the château and provide significant clues. One victim came to be known as the Phantom Duke, a whirlwind-shaped spirit that floated around his tombstone at the graveyard. He apparently acted more benevolently on behalf of the Helot and attempted to spare their lives, only to lose his own.
Empusa and Raum in the town square
Raum and Empusa are first seen once Jen and Scree have made their way towards the Town Square. Noticing a Helot man in chains waiting as the next sacrifice, Jen and Scree are forced to hide. The Wraith pair is eager to take a sacrifice back with them, but they are displeased with the one chosen and immediately kill him out of spite, demanding that the remaining Helot select someone worthy for next time. Captain Valeera, stood with them, is ordered to return to the village at that time to collect the replacement.
Raum is next seen within his château before guards that have captured Jen. After passing through a long-forgotten entrance and into the mansion, she carelessly runs ahead of Scree and falls into a Wraith hands. Calling the hybrid "pretty" and offering to show her the "more private parts of [his] home", Raum then has her taken to his laboratory and placed within an iron maiden. Jen's vambrace are removed and locked within a glass cabinet opposite; the key is held on his person.
Raum and Jen (disguised as Duchess Natalia) dance at the ball
Once rescued and deciding the only way to obtain the key to said cabinet and recovering her vambrace is to dress as a Wraith aristocrat, Jen takes part in a ball and Scree observes from afar. Raum spots Jen in disguise (although it is uncertain if he is fooled) and approaches her, asking for a dance. He appears to be unfaithful to Empusa, flirting with Jen and mentioning how impressed he is with her dancing and beauty. Jen is evasive about her identity and he proposes that she is "Duchess Natalia from the Eastern Province", which she awkwardly confirms. She manages to steal the key from him after touching his hip and seductively remarks that he is a "prize bull" like herself - following a rumor stated that the Duchess was the "size of a prize bull". Raum requests that they share a "rather more intimate dance" later and Jen quickly excuses herself, leaving the party. At that moment, Empusa returns to her husband's side and asks who the woman was, with Raum hurriedly dismissing her as a "tiresome guest". The couple then shares a dance.
Jen confronts Raum and Empusa in the ballroom
The Count is last seen with Empusa in the ballroom, drinking the Helot blood from their chalices, unaware that Jen's hybrid blood has been mixed with the contents. This causes the boosted vitality they would have received to be tainted and therefore not work. At that moment, Jen confronts the pair and Raum wonders why he didn't follow instinct and rid himself of her in the first place; she responds that he then would miss "drooling over that prize bull, Natalia" and jokes about them now sharing the dance he promised earlier. Raum insists he wasn't being serious and immediately recognised her, which Jen doesn't believe.
Empusa tells him to let her finish Jen off, describing the latter as a "rancid deformity". Jen hopes the Countess would be first and quickly dispatches the Wraith, leaving a shocked and confused Raum to figure out what went wrong with the blood drinking ritual. He becomes enraged and attacks out of vengeance, but is defeated just as easily. Laying on the floor and near death, the Count receives a revelation regarding Jen making her own "deposit" into the Blood Machine. Now knowing the cause of his dark experiment, he damns her and dies. Scree states that the Helot can now come out of hiding and calls up to Elizabeth, who observed the fight, but she turns and walks away. Jen and Scree then leave the realm. It is unknown what happens to the Count and Countess' bodies afterwards.
With Raum and Empusa's deaths, they leave behind an orphaned daughter. It is likely that Elizabeth will become the new Countess of the château, unless the aristocracy begins a power struggle to take control of at least that province of Aetha.
Primal
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