The Blood of Dawnwalker: Coen's visions explained and what they could mean for a sequel

The Blood of Dawnwalker is a game that prompts as many questions as it does provide answers.

Even when you roll credits, you’ll be left in the dark about certain aspects of its lore and story - and that’s because a sequel is already in development, so it needs to leave you wanting more.

Coen’s visions are one key aspect of Rebel Wolves’ debut RPG that isn’t really explained; they begin in The Blood of Dawnwalker’s prologue and continue right to the end of the story.

While we don’t have a complete picture of precisely what they mean, The Blood of Dawnwalker provides more answers than you’ve perhaps clocked onto.

Everything Coen sees in his red-hued visions stems from Anachora

Anachora is a key part of The Blood of Dawnwalker’s lore. This hell-like realm is where vrakhiri souls become trapped after they’re finally killed.

However, the realm is clearly capable of having a presence in the real world, as both Xanthe and Brencis draw on its power throughout the story. It’s also revealed that Coen and Anca’s witchcraft abilities draw from Anachora too.

Bandai Namco

If you complete Anca’s questline, she makes reference to experiencing visions herself, apologising to Coen for exposing him to them, having granted him his first witchcraft runes. Of course, Coen likely would’ve had the visions anyway, given he’s part vrakhir.

It’s perhaps reasonable to assume then that Anachora has strong ties to all supernatural beings within The Blood of Dawnwalker’s lore and is perhaps the single origin of such species.

Anachora seems to be ruled by an individual which may be who Coen sees

By the time you complete The Blood of Dawnwalker, you’ll probably end up with Coen’s visions ingrained in your brain.

There’s one particular being that is shown quite a lot; I’m talking about the screaming wraith-like creature with vrakhiri teeth protruding from their face.

There are a couple of hints throughout the game that Anachora is ruled rather than simply existing.

If you complete Anca’s questline, it’ll culminate in you having to fight Isbrand in Anachora, Brencis’ sire.

“Don’t you see it wants to be reached,” he says to Coen. “You’re a fool.”

The “it” here is significant, seemingly personifying Anachora, which certainly makes you wonder if whoever rules this realm will prove to be the series’ main big bad. Lacra also refers to an “it”.

Don’t forget that in that modern-day teaser at the end of The Blood of Dawnwalker, the foe hunting Coen stems from Anachora or at least has ties to it, evidenced by the vines we see in the scene.

READ MORE: 6 unresolved plots The Blood of Dawnwalker's sequel will address

Why are Coen’s visions worse than those experienced by others?

It certainly does feel throughout The Blood of Dawnwalker that Coen experiences more frequent visions than those around him of a supernatural nature.

While there’s no established reason yet for this, it could be due to the fact that he’s both a dawnwalker and utilises witchcraft.

He’s therefore double-dipping when it comes to Anachora’s power and perhaps that’s drawn the attention of the mysterious “it” that rules the realm.

Whoever rules Anachora is no friend of the vrakhir. It’s described as more of a devil than a god-like figure, waiting for the day it can feed on a vrakhir’s power after they’re slain.

Leonica is another character who utilises witchcraft; you can encounter her in Anca’s questline. She makes reference to a devil, so it all points towards some kind of big bad. The question is whether that big bad is the wraith Coen continually sees.

Bandai Namco

What’s hard to explain is why Coen experiences visions before he’s turned, implying an interest in him before he, well, becomes interesting.

By that point, Coen would have drunk some of Brencis’ blood at a prior Blood Mass. Perhaps whatever resides in Anachora knew Coen had the potential to be a dawnwalker?

Let’s not forget that the game’s developers have said that they’re heavily interested in eldritch horror.

You do see this influence in some of the game’s supernatural enemies, but it’s been teased that it’ll play a larger role in future sequels - and I feel this will be tied to Anchora and its many secrets.

As much as we’d love some concrete answers, there’s definitely enough here to keep us mulling over theories and possibilities.

The bottom line is that if Anchora and whatever it contains is something the vrakhiri dread and fear, we should prepare for what’s to come in the franchise in future sequels.