nokori3byo
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- Joined
- Dec 27, 2006
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I mentioned this on another thread, but I thought I'd bring it up again simply because it could be a new (albeit obscure) easter egg.
As many players have no doubt noticed, there is a tall, promintent statue of what appears to be a monk in Ravenholm's graveyard:
Naturally, in keeping with the level's motif of disembodiment and general air of ghastliness, the statue has no head. What struck as significant was the bird being held in the statue's hands. In hagiographic imagery, a depicition of a saint holding a bird all but confirms it is a representation of St. Francis of Assisi.
My question is: why would the game's designers place an image of a specific saint in their game if there weren't some significance to it?
What little research I did on the subject didn't turn up any obvious links between St. Francis and Ravenholm--though, interestingly, he was said to have suffered stigmata (miraculously appearing wounds resembling the ones sustained by Christ during the crucifixion). Compare with Father Grigori who sports a cross-shaped scar on his right hand. It's a stretch I know... St. Francis is also often depicted holding a skull, which would have been more germane to Ravenholm's setting.
I looked all around for the head--unsucessfully. Its absense was a bit surprising, considering that (ahem) a certain type of gamer would probably get quite a kick out of pwning zombies with the head of the founder of the Franciscan Order.
As many players have no doubt noticed, there is a tall, promintent statue of what appears to be a monk in Ravenholm's graveyard:
Naturally, in keeping with the level's motif of disembodiment and general air of ghastliness, the statue has no head. What struck as significant was the bird being held in the statue's hands. In hagiographic imagery, a depicition of a saint holding a bird all but confirms it is a representation of St. Francis of Assisi.
My question is: why would the game's designers place an image of a specific saint in their game if there weren't some significance to it?
What little research I did on the subject didn't turn up any obvious links between St. Francis and Ravenholm--though, interestingly, he was said to have suffered stigmata (miraculously appearing wounds resembling the ones sustained by Christ during the crucifixion). Compare with Father Grigori who sports a cross-shaped scar on his right hand. It's a stretch I know... St. Francis is also often depicted holding a skull, which would have been more germane to Ravenholm's setting.
I looked all around for the head--unsucessfully. Its absense was a bit surprising, considering that (ahem) a certain type of gamer would probably get quite a kick out of pwning zombies with the head of the founder of the Franciscan Order.
