Lumen Sages

Lore & Background

Five hundred years before the incident causing Bayonetta's memory loss, the Lumen Sages and Umbra Witches coexisted as guardians of balance. They held specific artifacts called the 'Eyes of the World,' which allowed them to monitor the flow of time. The Sages possessed the 'Right Eye of Light.' However, this era ended when a massive witch hunt led by the angels of Paradiso rendered the Umbra Witches near extinction. Following this clan war, both factions vanished from Vigrid under unknown circumstances. Bayonetta later discovers that these eyes were actually artifacts created by Aesir (also known as The Overseer), the God of the human realm, who bestowed them on both groups to grant humanity free will out of pity.

In Their Own Story

The narrative reveals that the Lumen Sages and Umbra Witches were not enemies in their original state but partners maintaining cosmic order. The turning point occurred during a clan war between the two groups, followed immediately by an angel-led witch hunt. This conflict decimated the Umbra Witches, leaving Bayonetta and Jeanne as the only known survivors of that clan. The Lumen Sages disappeared alongside them. When Bayonetta investigates her past, she learns that Aesir created both factions and split a single realm into Paradiso, Chaos, and Inferno during an event called the First Armageddon. The Sages' disappearance remains a mystery in the timeline until these historical truths are uncovered through Bayonetta's flashbacks.

Reader's Guide

The Lumen Sages are defined strictly by their role as light-followers who once shared the 'Eyes of the World' with the Umbra Witches. Their primary function was to oversee the just passage of time alongside their dark counterparts. They are described as having vanished from Vigrid under unknown circumstances after a massive witch hunt led by angels.

Did You Know?

• The Lumen Sages shared two distinct treasures with the Umbra Witches called the 'Eyes of the World'.
• Both the Lumen Sages and Umbra Witches mysteriously disappeared from Vigrid under unknown circumstances.
• Aesir (also known as The Overseer) created both factions to grant humans free will.
• The Lumen Sages followed light, while their counterparts, the Umbra Witches, followed darkness.
• Bayonetta learns that Aesir split a single realm into Paradiso, Chaos, and Inferno during an event called First Armageddon.

Origins and Development

The Lumen Sages were established within the lore of Bayonetta, developed by PlatinumGames starting in January 2007 under director Hideki Kamiya. The concept draws from Scandinavian mythology as noted by Kamiya, though he stated the project was completely original. The faction serves as a narrative counterpoint to the Umbra Witches, created to facilitate the game's core theme of 'sexiness' and fashionable characters designed over a year by Kamiya and artist Mari Shimazaki. The lore explains their historical relationship with the Witches and their eventual disappearance from Vigrid.

Gameplay Mechanics and Systems

The source does not attribute specific gameplay mechanics, weapons, or systems directly to the Lumen Sages as playable characters or enemies in this text. While Bayonetta fights angels of Heaven (Paradiso) and summons demons from Inferno using her hair, the text focuses on her combat abilities like 'Witch Time' and 'Torture Attacks' rather than Sage-specific mechanics.

Narrative Setting and Lore

Set in Vigrid, a fictional European city, the story involves the Lumen Sages as part of a historical backstory. They held the 'Right Eye of Light' alongside the Umbra Witches who held the 'Left Eye of Darkness.' The text states they vanished from Vigrid under unknown circumstances after a massive witch hunt led by angels. Bayonetta discovers that these factions were created by Aesir, the God of the human realm, to bestow free will upon humanity.

Reception and Cultural Impact

The game Bayonetta received acclaim for its combat and presentation, with the story being one of the criticized elements, but no specific commentary on the Lumen Sages' portrayal is included in this text.