Zobek

Zobek is a member of the Brotherhood of Light in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow who aids Gabriel on his quest. He encourages Gabriel to use God Mask to bring back his dead wife Marie. Zobek serves as the narrator of the game.

Background
Zobek's profile from the official website:

''If the recorded chronicles of the Brotherhood are to be believed, Zobek is one of their longest serving warriors. The list of heroic deeds attributed to him is as impressive as his vast knowledge of the art of war or indeed the mighty fighting skills he can deploy, despite his age.''

''His weapon of choice is a simple long sword which he handles with skill and alacrity. Strangely, he likes to use an old-fashioned uniform of the Brotherhood of Light that, according to him, was inherited from one of his ancestors; one of the founding members of the Brotherhood of Light.''

History
Zobek was one of the three founders of the Brotherhood of Light. When the three founders of the Brotherhood of Light ascended to Heaven and left their dark sides behind them, Zobek became the Lord of the Dead. The Lords of Shadow, as these beings became known, formed an uneasy truce between themselves. Zobek however became resentful of this fact and wanted to gain power over the others. He probed the depths of Hell for knowledge on how to acquire such power. There he unknowingly came under the influence of Satan, who provided him with knowledge of the dark arts and power, and implanted the idea he would use to manipulate Gabriel into his mind. Zobek cast the spell which separated the Earth from the Heavens, knowing his counterpart in Heaven would be forced to contact the order on Earth.

He manipulated Gabriel so that he would be motivated to complete the God Mask. After putting him under the influence of his Devil Mask, he had Gabriel murder his own wife. He then posed as his ally, and spurred him into finding the God Mask to resurrect Marie. Later, he again influenced Gabriel into unknowingly killing Claudia, so that in the end he could use the Black Knight's gauntlet to control him in the end.

After Gabriel gains the final piece of the mask from the Necromancer, Zobek reveals himself as the true Lord of the Necromancers and the remaining Lord of Shadows to Gabriel. He tells him of his role in the events that have transpires, and apparently kills him. While revelling in his victory, Satan communicated with Zobek and reminds him of the part he had played in his journey though Hell, revealing Zobek to be nothing more than his pawn. Without further need for him, Satan sets Zobek ablaze.

Years later, in modern time, Zobek, alive and well, finds Gabriel hiding out in a church as the vampire known as "Dracula". Zobek tries to coax Gabriel into helping him stopping Satan's return, lest he take revenge on both of them. The two begin to fight and Dracula falls from his tower into a street full of people. Out in the street, Zobek reveals he knows what Dracula yearns for: an end to his current existence as neither dead nor living. He offers to free his old friend of his immortality in return for his help, and Dracula vanishes.

Trivia

 * Zobek is comparable to Death. Zobek is called the Lord of the Dead, a title which could also be used for Death. However, unlike Death, Zobek serves only himself, and is an enemy of this continuity's Dracula. The Lord of the Dead is even said to be "Death himself". The reapers are also said to be corporeal manifestations of Death itself.


 * An allusion to this is Death's portrayal in Curse of Darkness. In that game, he took on the role of a priest named Zead, and offered the player hints as to how to proceed, while simultaneously clashing with Hector's allies. Zobek plays this exact role in Lords of Shadow, manipulating Gabriel to secretly do his bidding at the behest of the Devil Mask.