Loretta Lecarde is a character and major antagonist in Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. She is the twin sister of Stella Lecarde and the daughter of Eric Lecarde, a protagonist from Castlevania: Bloodlines. Loretta and Stella were both captured by the vampire Brauner, who turned them into vampires and took them in as their adoptive father.
Loretta appears as a boss during the game, often alongside her sister. In one of the game's alternate modes, both Loretta and Stella become playable characters, with the story of how they fell into Brauner's clutches being explored in greater detail.
This dropdown contains the synopsis of Loretta Lecarde’s story. Read at your own risk as you may be spoiled otherwise!
Loretta Lecarde was one of Eric Lecarde's twin daughters, and she inherited her father's mastery of magic. Alongside her sister, Stella, she was turned into a vampire by Brauner after their father went missing while investigating Dracula's Castle. In their search for him, the sisters entered the castle, where they found Eric wounded and were subsequently vampirized by Brauner, setting the stage for the events of Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin.
Loretta's first appearance in the game occurs in the City of Haze after Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin defeat the Dullahan. She interrupts their conversation about the castle, looking down on them and revealing that the City of Haze is just one of the many paintings created by her "father" to empower the castle. Her dismissive attitude towards Charlotte annoys her, and when Jonathan tries to attack, the Vampire Killer refuses to strike. Loretta explains that she was ordered by Brauner not to fight the intruders before leaving.
Loretta appears again in the Sandy Grave alongside Brauner and Stella, where Brauner reveals his plans. A tense confrontation ensues when Loretta and Stella defend their "father" from Jonathan's disrespect, but Brauner intervenes and sends the sisters away.
After Jonathan defeats Stella in the Tower of Death, Loretta arrives to save her and warns Jonathan one last time before leaving with Stella. In the process, Stella drops a trinket containing a picture of "Wind" alongside herself and Loretta. This prompts Jonathan and Charlotte to ask Wind about it, and they learn that Wind is actually Eric Lecarde, and the sisters were his daughters who had been vampirized by Brauner. They are also told that the only way to purify them is by using the Sanctuary spell.
Loretta and Stella act as the boss encounter in the Master's Keep dining room. If Jonathan and Charlotte defeat them, Brauner spirits them away before the castle collapses, and Eric's ghost expresses regret over his daughters before vanishing, leading to a game over. However, if the sisters are purified using Sanctuary, they return to human form. After regaining her senses, Loretta is distressed over the loss of her father, but not as much as Stella. She believes her sister has taken on too much responsibility and agrees to help her more. To thank Jonathan and Charlotte, the Lecarde twins offer to perform a ritual to unlock the full power of the Vampire Killer. If Jonathan accepts, he must fight the Whip's Memory alone, and upon its defeat, the Vampire Killer will become a much stronger weapon.
In Sisters Mode, where the Lecarde twins are playable characters, Loretta can rapidly fire magic missiles toward the spot the player touches on the touchscreen.
Personality
Calm and Composed Nature: Unlike her more impulsive and emotional twin, Stella, Loretta is more composed and calm. She often acts as a restraint to her sister's more erratic behavior and is more focused on following Brauner's orders without deviation.
Ice Magic and Delusional Views: Loretta specializes in ice-based magical attacks, using her abilities to control the battlefield with precision. While she shares her sister's disdain for humanity, Loretta's view is shaped by her delusional state, viewing humans as inferior but still more reserved and controlled in her actions compared to Stella.
Appearance
Looks: Loretta is a young woman with an elegant yet somber appearance, often seen wearing a green Gothic outfit that complements her pale complexion. She shares a striking feature with her older twin sister, Stella—heterochromia. In her vampiress form, Loretta's left eye turns a deep red, while in her human form, both of her eyes are green. This change in eye color mirrors the transformation her sister undergoes, though the shift in Loretta’s eyes is limited to just one. Her overall demeanor, like her attire, exudes a sense of poise and restraint.
Regular Clothes: As a human, Loretta dresses in a distinct green Gothic outfit, marking her youthful yet somber style. Her clothing, while elegant, carries a darker aesthetic, fitting her transformation into a vampiress. The outfit reflects her composed nature, which contrasts with her more volatile sister, Stella.
Special Clothes: In her vampiress form, Loretta maintains a similar gothic look, though her features shift to highlight her supernatural transformation. Her eyes, now heterochromatic, are her most notable change. The red hue of her left eye gives her a more chilling, otherworldly appearance. Despite her vampiric nature, her attire remains consistent with her more composed and restrained personality.
Loretta shoots out an ice spell for a continuous attack, normally being able to fire it out in a rapid-fire motion.
Glyph Summons
She can summon ice creatures from glyphs to attack enemies with.
Other
Standard Tactics: Loretta will fly around using either her ice spell or creating a glyph to summon ice-based enemies out of to attack her opponent with.
↑Akumajou Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku "I had come to destroy evil. A spectacled vampire hunter confirmed this as his duty. In front of him is a [grotesque creature] whose dreadful power can be felt. The creature appears human but the instant he looked at it, all of his body’s cells cried out in terror. “The timing is bad, church person.” Whilst listening to the words said by the [grotesque creature], the young hunter kept on reminding himself. -----I am …… I ought to be a vampire hunter."
↑Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls Chapter 9 Vessel for the Lord
↑Akumajo Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku "Ever since the Middle Ages, every 100 years, this legendary castle would rise together with its master Count Dracula ----- And whenever it happens, it is said that a clan of vampire hunters will seal it.
Several hundred years have passed with battles with the [dark lord] Dracula. When suddenly, an end to it all has been foretold.
1999----- Thanks to the power of a clan in Japan, Dracula’s castle was sealed inside a [solar eclipse] to disappear forever. However, in this world, there is no such thing as forever. [They] had understood that Dracula’s regeneration cycle ought to have ended. Indeed, people have prepared for this but will it still exist?
The castle is the symbol of the chaos within humans and as long as people exist, it will not be completely sealed.
↑Castlevania: Lament of Innocence Bestiary No. 064
↑Castlevania Judgment True Story Mode, Aeon: Aeon vs. Alucard
↑Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness Master Oldrey Cutscene
↑WN: Last question. Why does Dracula keep putting meat inside the walls of his castle?
KI: You should ask, why do they eat it! I've thought about this stuff. I've actually thought about the candles. The candles are people's souls that were taken by Death or by the vampires. In Japan there are candles that represent life. So, when you release the souls from the candles by whipping them, they give you a "thank you" present. Thank-you hearts, or thank-you holy water. The meat, I have no idea.
↑Akumajo Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku "““……Is there no way……Curtis can be saved.” “What have you misunderstood? I am Death. Human death only comprises a part of chaos. They can come back again as zombies or skeletons, but without a soul, dead bodies cannot be revived. And ----- there is no reason to perform that.”
↑Akumajo Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku "Those scythes constructed by magic did not turn towards Olrox or Michelle, every scythe then gathered near the youth’s body. Then, those numerous blades made from magic overlapped with each other and with a powerful atrocious magic constructed a Death scythe in Death’s arm. “This false castle……You shall fall into chaos as a thing that denies the existence of the [lord]……[death] shall pass judgment on your sins!” Sensing the overwhelming existence of [death], Olrox again realized that the youth in front of him is [Death]------laughed out loud. “interesting…… So, death really exists! Thus I’ll use all my power…… to shatter that thing called [death].”
↑Castlevania: Lament of Innocence Game Manual Page 10
↑Castlevania Judgment Aeon's Hyper Attack on Death
↑Akumajo Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku Novel “I had said it before. I do not intend to bind the world with chaos.” “…… If so, why did you take power away from the crack in the eclipse’s seal? If you just intend to imitate like a monkey, isn’t your own power enough?” Those were the emotionless words of Death. In response, Olrox laughed his bold answer. “As I’ve said, I would equally gain control over the human world and the source of Dracula’s power, chaos. I do not intend to obey someone else’s mind aside from my own. That includes you who were born out of chaos.” “……” “You should be glad though to know yourself. Just by stealing power, my shameful monotonous time is over…… Even before Alucard appeared, just because I showed up and declared war on him.” Olrox’s voice was mixed with a tinge of thin delight. He respectfully bowed to Death who completely killed his emotions. “I would end the reincarnation cycle of this demon castle. I who understood and was spun out of the stains of chaos, swear to rob that power with my hands. Now, yield.” With Death’s reply, an explosive murderous intent rose. Two bronze colored scythes much larger than usual appeared; it advanced to the space in between the two men with an intention to cut off Olrox’s head. Kill the distance----- Kill the sound----- Just, faster, soon, die. It can be seen that the blades have certainly caught Olrox’s neck, but----- that is only an after image and the vampire is already at Death’s back. “……die.” That was said by the enemy who called on his servants. From the surrounding space, a group of purple bats rose, passed by Olrox’s arm with the speed of a bullet, attacking Death.
However, Death did not show any gesture of avoiding them. He simply faced Olrox and sprayed out numerous scythes. The bats and scythes cancelled each other out and the entire dance hall sparkled with blood."
↑Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Bestiary No. 44
↑Akumajo Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku "From the time they stepped into the mountains, Curtis and Michelle felt malicious intent in the air.
Even though it is still far away, their bodies seemed to squeal [run away]. There was definitely no room for doubt. It is certain that the [castle] exists at the back of the mountains. The church’s greatest vampire hunter, Julius Belmont must be contacted. However, the conversation jumped into the matter of the disappearance of several village children."
↑Akumajo Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku "A drawbridge suspended from the main gate is seemingly welcoming Michelle’s arrival. And her body was telling her [do not go] as her leg muscles were petrified like stone."
↑Akumajo Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku "“Uh……aa……Mi……chelle……” That really is no doubt an obsession. The youth had more than 28 holes penetrating his limbs and body. His heart is already starting to fail and he is desperately trying to say something amidst the darkness. “Only…… protect…… you……-----“ When he said those words he must say, the man’s soul already left his body-----becoming one of the floating spirits that wander the halls of the castle. However----- Fate did not allow it. For those people who are involved with the demon castle, even the loneliness of death seemed half hearted----- The man’s soul is pierced by a small scythe that flew in from somewhere. That scythe did not exist physically. It was a diabolic blade created by some magic and possessed a strong soul."
