Kain's empire was a vampire-ruled faction which rose to power in Nosgoth during the post-Blood Omen era. It was conceived by Kain, the vampire Guardian of the Pillar of Balance and last survivor of the Circle of Nine, in stark defiance of the human machinations he fell victim to in his youth. He ruled alongside his six lieutenants, who formed the Council. Over the centuries, the empire's boundaries expanded to encompass the majority of Nosgoth.