Fifteen years after its release, the Kamael update remains one of the most significant and debated expansions in Lineage II history. For many players, it marked the beginning of a new era, while others viewed it as the point where the game started moving away from its original identity.
Beyond introducing a new playable race, the update expanded the world’s lore, revealed long-hidden secrets about the Giants, and introduced one of the most ambitious storylines ever created for the game.
Why the Kamael Were Created
In the early years of Lineage II, NCSoft rushed development in an effort to release the game before competing MMORPGs could dominate the market. As a result, many original ideas were left unfinished.
By the time the Kamael update was being developed, the game had begun losing popularity in several regions. The developers needed a major feature capable of attracting attention and revitalizing interest in the game.
Several concepts were considered for a new race, including Giants and Vampires. Although neither concept was implemented directly, elements of both eventually found their way into the Kamael. Early concept art clearly shows vampire-inspired traits, while their lore became deeply connected to the ancient Giants.
The Rise of the Giants
As time passed, the Giants became increasingly dissatisfied with the gods.
They witnessed the mistakes of the divine beings and began questioning whether the gods truly deserved to rule the world. Possessing extraordinary intelligence and advanced technology, the Giants developed a form of magical science that allowed them to manipulate life itself.
Across the continent, they established vast research facilities, including the Cruma Tower and numerous laboratories, where they experimented with creating powerful new lifeforms.
Their goal was simple: build an army capable of rivaling the gods.
Experiments With Life
The Giants first studied a strange disease spreading through the jungles of Kardif. Victims infected by spores from jungle spirits would periodically transform into savage beast-like creatures.
Using these mutations as a foundation, the Giants created several races of beast-men.
The Werebeasts
The earliest creations possessed enhanced combat abilities but suffered from short lifespans, mental instability, and poor self-control.
The Ol Mahum
To overcome these flaws, the Giants developed the Ol Mahum, granting them greater intelligence and improved reproductive capabilities.
The Delu Lizardmen and Other Beast Races
Additional experiments produced stronger and more capable races. However, as these creations multiplied, many began to resent being treated as tools by their creators.
Eventually, large-scale rebellions erupted against the Giants.
Although the uprisings were ultimately crushed, the Giants realized that their experiments had failed. They needed a different solution.
The Birth of the Kamael
A breakthrough finally arrived through the work of the scientist Mimir.
He created what was known as Mimir’s Spring Water, a substance capable of not only creating life but also unlocking potential hidden within existing lifeforms.
Using this discovery, the Giants created a new race.
Emperor Kaiser named them Kamael, meaning "Those Who Take Revenge."
Unlike previous creations, the Kamael were specifically designed to become the ultimate weapon in the Giants' war against the gods.
The First Generation: The Spicula
The earliest Kamael were known as the Spicula.
These beings were engineered as perfect warriors. They would never age, never weaken, and never deviate from their intended purpose. However, they were also incapable of love, family, or personal ambition.
Several legendary Spicula became central figures in Kamael history:
Harkilgamed
Katenar
Kekropus
Rodenpicula
Each was created for a specific purpose and wielded extraordinary power.
Weapons Designed to Kill Gods
To challenge divine beings directly, the Giants forged weapons unlike anything the world had ever seen.
Among them were:
Enuma Elish, the legendary sword capable of harming gods.
Leopold, a devastating superweapon wielded by Katenar.
Prana, the Shield of Light carried by Rodenpicula.
These artifacts became symbols of the Giants’ rebellion against the heavens.
The War Between Gods and Giants
As the Giants grew stronger, the goddess Einhasad became increasingly suspicious of their activities.
She demanded that Argos reveal the location of the hidden Giant civilization. When he refused, she punished him severely, tearing him apart and imprisoning him rather than allowing him to die.
The conflict eventually erupted into full-scale war.
The first major battles took place around the Golden Hills, where the Kamael proved their worth on the battlefield.
Rodenpicula used the Shield of Light to repel angelic forces, while Harkilgamed wielded Enuma Elish against the daughters of Einhasad.
The war escalated until even the gods themselves became involved directly.
The Fall of the Giants
Enraged by the resistance, Einhasad decided to destroy the entire Giant civilization.
Green Kaine intervened, preventing total annihilation, but a compromise was reached.
Einhasad took Green Kaine’s legendary weapon, the Hammer of Despair, and hurled it at the Giant capital of Grand Perion.
The impact devastated the civilization.
Many Giants perished instantly. Others fled eastward, desperately attempting to survive.
The once-great empire collapsed.
The Hidden Island of Souls
Knowing that the gods would continue hunting the Kamael, the Giant scientist Nornil enacted a final plan.
She sealed the surviving Kamael within a hidden dimension and transferred her consciousness into the Mother Nornil system, an advanced artificial intelligence capable of monitoring the island indefinitely.
The hidden laboratory later became known as the Isle of Souls.
For the Kamael trapped inside, time seemed to stand still.
For the outside world, however, centuries passed.
The End of the Age of Gods
The surviving Giants eventually sought refuge in what later became the Giants Cave.
Over time, they lost much of their intelligence and devolved into the creatures adventurers encounter throughout Lineage II.
Meanwhile, both Einhasad and Green Kaine gradually withdrew from direct involvement in mortal affairs.
The Age of Gods came to an end.
The Return of the Kamael
Thousands of years later, mysterious visitors managed to penetrate the seal protecting the Isle of Souls.
Eventually, Green Kaine and Eva agreed to release the Kamael under specific conditions. Their reasoning was straightforward: the growing threat of Shilen and her followers required powerful new allies.
The Kamael's true strength remained partially sealed to avoid drawing excessive attention from Einhasad, but worthy individuals would eventually be allowed to unlock greater power.
When the seal was finally removed, the Isle of Souls became known to the rest of the world, and the Kamael entered history once again.
Legacy of the Kamael Update
The Kamael expansion introduced far more than a new race. It expanded the mythology of Lineage II, revealed the history of the Giants, explained the origins of many creatures throughout the world, and established one of the game's most important story arcs.
Whether viewed as a revolutionary addition or the beginning of major changes to the game's design philosophy, the Kamael update remains one of the most influential chapters in Lineage II history.
