Corvus Speaks Out on Heretic II

Waiting to jump back into the world of Heretic? Previews editor, Elliott Chin had a rare opportunity to talk with Heretic and Heretic II's hero Corvus. Chin caught up with Corvus in the middle of his training for an upcoming appearance in Activision's Heretic II.

Find out what gamers can expect to see when Corvus comes back to battle.

Elliott Chin: So what went down between you and D'Sparil, and how did you ever find your way back home?Corvus: D'Sparil... I curse his very existence. I hope that he is rotting in the deepest pits of hell, being tormented for eternity for what he did to Parthoris.

It was inevitable that he would be defeated. If not by me, then one of the others would have succeeded. The iron glove of oppression that he ruled Parthoris with was cracked and decayed by its very nature. It was destined to shatter.

I chased him across Parthoris until finally I had him cornered in his domed city under the ocean. He had nowhere else to hide from my fury. The battle we fought lasted for nearly an eternity, but in the end I alone was left standing. It was he, though, that had the last word.

Summoning all his remaining power, D'Sparil laid a curse upon my head that condemned me to wander the Outer Worlds, for eternity.

It was not until years later (I do not know exactly how many have passed, for time moves differently in the Outer Worlds) that a way out of the curse presented itself. The magic in the Tome of Power that I carry with me found a means of returning home.

Elliott Chin: Why should we believe that you, a scrawny little elf, could cure the plague, and not some burly, ax-wielding mountain of a dwarf?Corvus: The last creature to call me a scrawny elf was D'Sparil, and you know what I did to him... (and what in the name of the gods is a dwarf?). I am a Sidhe Elf. That alone should strike fear into the hearts of any that draw my scorn.

To be blatantly honest, if it were up to me I wouldn't be trying to cure the plague, but what choice do I have? My people will die unless I find a cure. I didn't ask to be the one to save the world; it is my destiny, and I cannot fight destiny.

If you doubt my abilities, then let me put your doubts to rest. During my travels, I have learned much about magic. When I fought D'Sparil, my magic was rooted in weaponry, but the Tome of Power has taught me so much more. I have learned to harvest and control the mystical energies that flow around me. This allows me to focus the power of the world and manipulate it into different forms. Already, I am able to conjure a small conflagration that I can direct at an enemy with deadly accuracy.

My martial skills have also been honed to near perfection during my terrible journey. I have crafted my staff into a bladed pole arm that I use to ward off any would-be attackers. I can demonstrate this if you like; perhaps you would be so kind as to stand still so I can show you this one particular technique....

Elliott Chin: What is the most frightening or powerful enemy you'll face in your new adventures in Parthoris?Corvus: I can only imagine. I don't really know what to expect now that the plague has mutated so much of what I found familiar in my homeland. My people seem to be the most drastically affected, and I dread having to kill them. The plague madness is so bad, though, that I fear I will have little choice.

I know that I will have to travel far to find the cure, and the wilderness is filled with predators (something that Parthoris has no shortage of). In good times, the predators are hard pressed to find adequate food, but in these harsh times, they will be much more frenzied in their quest for survival. The swamps that surround Silverspring are filled with both harpies and gorgons. A single harpy is a dangerous foe because of its nimble aerial attacks, but they rarely travel alone. The gorgons are no less fearsome, since they have powerful legs that they use to jump at their prey. They too always travel in packs.

If I have to venture out into the eastern portion of Parthoris, I will deal with the likes of the Ssithra, the Caurthorians, and the Ogles among others. I fear what the plague has done to these races after seeing its effects on my people.

Elliott Chin: Will you be able to take us on a tour of Parthosis' more impressive locales when you let us tag along on your quest to cure the plague?Corvus: Parthoris was a beautiful land, when last I saw it. Even the darkest corners of the Darkmire Swamp and the barren wastes of the Katlit'k Canyon have their own beauty, but don't let their beauty lure you into complacency, should you ever visit either of these places. They are very dangerous environs.

Perhaps you are better suited for life in the cities of Parthoris. Silverspring (my home) is a quiet coastal city filled with the gentle cries of seagulls. It is said that before D'sparil came, it was a very peaceful place to live.

Or maybe you would prefer to visit Andoria, home to the amphibious Ssithra. I must admit I will never truly get used to having to swim up to higher landings. You see, Ssithra have very large webbed feet and stairs are too difficult for them to use, so they don't build them. Instead, they have large pipes of water that are magically sealed. They can get in and out of the water through a window, but the water never pours out of the shaft.

The mountains to the east are tall and forbidding peaks that rise well into the clouds. If you come to visit my land, I wouldn't recommend traveling through these peaks known only as the World's End Mountains.

Parthoris is a rich and full land, I expect you will enjoy it while you are there. Everyone that I have taken there has come back, time and again.