I had put my values and dignity ahead of my own life. So Von List made someone else pay for my stubbornness. Should I refuse to help Die Wahrheit, or drag my feet in any way, the love of my life would be slowly tortured to death. Of course, I complied. How could I do otherwise? But I also made a silent promise to myself. I would learn of Die Wahrheit's secrets. If we found anything of real value, I would turn it against them. Somehow, I would destroy Von List and his Nazi thugs from within.Gabriel Krafft
Professor Gabriel Krafft is a character featured in the Dark Aether Saga of Zombies mode. Krafft was first mentioned in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War via Outbreak intel. He appears later in Call of Duty: Vanguard as a demonologist, as well as a studier of the occult.
He was also briefly mentioned in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III in Operation Deadbolt. Krafft returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 where he is a support character in the Zombies map Citadelle des Morts.
History
Childhood
A very important turning point during Gabriel Kafft's childhood appeared when he visited the World's Fair in Ghent, Belgium when he was ten years old. There, he witnessed a public reading of Francis Barrett's "The Magus" by Alistair Rhodes, where he became enthralled in the book's contents about the paranormal and psychology and questioned Rhodes relentlessly about it. Inspired by his answers, it was at this time that Krafft decided he wanted to pursue demonology and the study of it as his favorite subject for the rest of his life.
University of Leipzig and Die Wahrheit
Gabriel Krafft was a professor of demonology at the University of Leipzig during World War II, where he worked alongside his assistant Franz. In 1939, he met SS-Oberführer Wolfram Von List, leader of Die Wahrheit who informed him that he was to draft a resignation letter and prepare for an overseas trip as an advisor. Krafft initially refused, stating he "had no desire to help Reichsführer Himmler twist history to fit the Nazi narrative." In response, Von List then shot and killed Franz, asking Krafft if he had his attention now. He was then arrested and sent to an SS military prison alongside countless other archaeologists, museum curators, historians, and more. There, they were all tasked by Von List to search for various mythological objects and places to prove the existence of the fabled Aryan master-race. Out of all those Von List had captured, Krafft was the only one who still refused to serve the Nazi regime, declaring he would rather die. This only amused Von List, who had Krafft's spouse dragged out of their home and interrogated. Von List gave Krafft an ultimatum: serve Die Wahrheit, or the love of his life would be tortured to death - slowly. Naturally, Krafft begrudgingly agreed to help. However, in secret, he vowed to himself that he would find any method he could to thwart the work of Von List and his Nazi thugs.
During his work with Die Wahrheit, Krafft took part of archaeological digging expeditions in 1944 across the globe where he managed to uncover several, mysterious runes. During these expeditions, Krafft kept a journal documenting his discoveries of said runes. One of these runes was a rune associated with the Elder God Kortifex the Deathless. Krafft correctly assumed these runes held some sort of shared meaning. Another rune was found in Egypt, with a rune with similar markings being found in Mexico. This rune belonged to Bellekar the Warlock. Die Wahrheit soon after discovered five artifacts, each linked to an Elder God.
Army of the Dead
When Von List became symbiotically linked to Kortifex thanks to the use of his artifact, the SS-Oberführer gained the ability to raise and command an army of the dead. Beginning by resurrecting the corpses of those who died at the Battle of Stalingrad, Von List intended to use his zombie army to march across Europe and ensure an Axis victory. Horrified, Krafft would magically seal himself in his room at Stalingrad using the Tome of Rituals. After having sealed himself away, he lockpicked a trunk containing the various artifacts retrieved by Die Wahrheit and laid his hands upon the Mask of Bellekar which instantly sent him into shock, nearly killing him. After coming to, he awoke to find the voice of Bellekar in his head. The two got along, but Krafft soon touched the Mask again to return Bellekar to her Mask as he was an "unsuitable host" for her.
After meeting Bellekar, Krafft and the entity would devise a plan to stop Von List and grant Bellekar and the other Elder Gods suitable hosts. Krafft would send a distress call to Allied Special Forces to deploy and investigate. There, the Allies would be trapped by Kortifex in a containment spell, forcing them to fight the undead. While there, Krafft spoke to the Allied operatives as they fought the terrifying armies of Von List, explaining to them his motives and history with Die Wahrheit. He provides them with the remaining artifacts, allowing them to form a connection with Inviktor the Destroyer, Norticus the Conqueror, and Saraxis the Shadow, alongside Bellekar.
Eventually, Krafft invites the operatives to meet him near his sealed room, where Bellekar points out a Dark Aether portal within Von List's office. The operatives enter the portal, leading them into the Void, where they find a page from the Tome of Rituals, sealed by magic orbs. Unable to break the seal, the operatives hold out until Krafft re-establishes contact with them and pleads them to escape. The Dark Aether gods propose a plan to recover a weapon from the Dark Aether that would allow them to break the seal, but before they can proceed, Krafft informs them of the existence of a new portal, which Bellekar identifies as a signal from their new ally, Vercanna the Last.
Recovering the Missing Page
While Krafft remained in Stalingrad, the Allied operatives used Vercanna's portal and arrive at Egypt, where Die Wahreiht first uncovered the Scepter of Kortifex. Deducing that the missing Tome page may contain secrets on Kortifex's artifact, Krafft requested the operatives to find a way to recover it, in hopes of severing the bond between Kortifex and Von List. The operatives found the Decimator Shield, a weapon capable of destroying the seal in the Void, but they first had to prove their worth to Vercanna. After completing her task, they were able to acquire the Shield, which they then used in the Void to destroy the magic orbs and break the seal. The operatives successfully recovered the page and return. Through deciphering the page, Krafft and Bellekar concluded that the operatives must travel to Shi No Numa to retrieve an artifact that's key to defeating Kortifex.
Recovering the Mirror
At Shi No Numa, the operatives were told to acquire an artifact that is linked to Saraxis, though she had no memories of what it looks like. By summoning an echo of Saraxis's memories, they learned that the artifact is a mirror, broken into two pieces. After gathering the pieces and assembling it, Krafft and the operatives learned that Saraxis was originally Kortifex's consort, and her memories were erased after she gave birth to his child against his will. Upon defeating Saraxis's echo and restoring her memories, they found out that Kortifex's true goal is to approach the Construct, a living entity in the Dark Aether capable of granting great powers to those it deems worthy.
Final Confrontation
The operatives returned to Egypt and used the Mirror to sever Kortifex's bond with Von List, though they realized that it was his plan to be separated in order to travel to the Dark Aether and summon the Construct, and become its Archon. Having no further use for Von List, Kortifex teleported him to Krafft's room in Stalingrad. Krafft held Von List at gunpoint, but the latter convinced him to stand down and work together to foil Kortifex's plan. The operatives were told to complete a series of trials, in order to be able to approach the Construct and challenge Kortifex. After completion of the trials, Krafft demanded Von List to give up Sasha's location to him. To his shock, Von List revealed that Sasha had already been killed long ago, and the letters Krafft received were forged. Krafft quickly fired his gun and killed Von List, to the Dark Aether entities' dismay. However, they quickly moved on, realizing the larger goal ahead.
The operatives returned to the Dark Aether, where Kortifex had now acquired the powers of the Archon. Ultimately, he was defeated, and his corpse fell into the endless pits of the Dark Aether. Krafft remained trapped in his room in Stalingrad for the next 3 days, together with Von List's corpse, until he searched it for the missing Tome page, which he then used to escape the room.
After the War
Many years after the events in Egypt, Krafft visited an orphanage, wishing to adopt a child, as it was his dream to have one with Sasha. He noticed a sickly, amnesiac boy named Edward, whom he nicknamed "Eddie", and decided to adopt him. As Krafft continued to live with Eddie, he noticed that the boy would often have nightmares, rambling about "his turn" which did not make sense to Krafft. In 1957, Krafft received an offer to move to the United States to join a CIA program, dubbed "MK Ultra", where his expertise on the occult was requested. Krafft and Eddie both moved stateside, where the latter would eventually grow up and also become a high-ranking CIA executive.
On May 12th, 1985, Requiem Head of Energy Research Oskar Strauss was reviewing old files in Requiem's archive and learned about Krafft. He compared Krafft to himself, stating that the two have faced similar choices in their lives.
Abduction & Death
Some time in 1989-90, Krafft was contacted by Richtofen, who had some time before been studying Krafft's work on demonology and the occult, by having sent a letter to him, asking Krafft to help him locate the Sentinel Artifact, as Richtofen believed that it could be instrumental in his mission to bring back his late wife and son - Mary and Samuel - and to be able to see them again. Krafft, seeing through Richtofen's misguided grief, rejected his offer, explaining that his grief and depression had spiraled into an unhealthy obsession for the Sentinel Artifact, and any pursuits would strip him of any joy. Having additionally stated that he would find ways to prevent Richtofen from finding the Artifact, Richtofen became enraged, and began formulating ways to try and find Krafft and get him to explain where he could find the Artifact.
In early 1991, Krafft was abducted by Sergei Ravenov at the orders of the French Syndicate's boss, Francois "Franco" Moreau who was hired by Richtofen to find the location of the Sentinel Artifact believed to be located in the Principality of Avalon. In spite of being tortured, Krafft refused to speak to Ravenov or Franco, as he maintained his wish to prevent Richtofen from getting his hands on the Artifact. Krafft was kept imprisoned in a dungeon beneath an ancient castle in Avalon.
On February 25th, 1991, a zombie outbreak occurred in the vicinity of the castle. Krafft remained safe in his dungeon cell, until he was visited by the Requiem team, who wished to learn from him about the Artifact. Krafft guided the team toward finding the Obscurus Altilium, an amulet that could assist their quest. After the Requiem team defeated the Guardian that protects the amulet, Krafft's cell was breached by zombies, and he was unable to defend himself. The Requiem team returned too late to save him. As Krafft was profusely bleeding out from his wound, he told the team to go to an excavation site nearby to proceed with their quest. In his dying breath, Krafft also revealed to them that Richtofen was his son, and begged them to not kill him.
Legacy
From the war. I found documentation about a man who faced a similar conundrum. Professor Krafft. A Demonologist. Studier of the occult. A man forced to work for a great evil. Krafft's choice was not unlike my own. His life's work versus potential calamity. His choice speaks for itself, since we are here now to read the story of what he endured and accomplished. I hope I choose as wisely as he did.Oskar Strauss remembering Krafft.
At some point, Krafft encountered Aether nests, heavily infected areas covered by cysts and toxic gas. He documented these nests in records, which were used as references in 2021 by members of Operation Deadbolt, who encountered similar nests created by a Dark Aether incursion in Zaravan, Urzikstan.
Gallery
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Trivia
Call of Duty: Vanguard
- Krafft mentions in a radio on Shi No Numa that Alistair Rhodes was his personal hero.
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