The Diablo universe was abuzz with excitement at the release of Diablo 4, and as a die-hard fan, I’ve been absolutely thrilled by it all! After diving into the Diablo 4 beta for two incredible weekends, I can confidently say that both longtime fans and newcomers are craving more of this epic adventure!
What’s even more heartwarming is seeing folks who I never would have expected to play a Diablo game now loving Diablo 4. It’s like a magical transformation! The sheer enthusiasm on social media has been a true delight, and it’s no wonder Blizzard’s marketing campaign for this latest addition to the series has been absolutely insane.
Here’s the cherry on top: you don’t need to be a veteran of the previous games to dive into Diablo 4 and have a blast. But let me tell you, the deeper you dive into the lore of this dark and mysterious world, the more incredible your gaming journey becomes. Diablo has always had a fascinating story, and guess what? I’m about to unravel it all, starting from the very beginning!
The Epic Saga of Diablo Lore: In the Beginning
Picture this: in the vast, mysterious world of Diablo, there was once a being named Anu. Anu was the be-all and end-all of existence – pure, undiluted. After what must have felt like an eternity of soul-searching, Anu decided to cleanse himself of all evil, transforming into a radiant force of goodness and light.
The result: Anu was split into two, and these are good and evil.
Those evil forces had to find a new home, and they coalesced into another being known as Tathamet, the fearsome seven-headed dragon.
Anu and Tathamet clashed in an epic showdown for eons, light versus darkness, day battling night, until they exhausted their energies in one final, cataclysmic blow.
Simultaneously, the two deities were obliterated, creating the Diablo lore equivalent of the Big Bang.
From the ashes of this cosmic clash, new beings and worlds emerged.
What we now call the Worldstone is actually the Eye of Anu, the Heart of Creation itself, with Pandemonium forming around it.
The Crystal Arch, or Anu’s spine, became the foundation of the High Heavens, birthing beings of light and sound – Angels, to put it simply.
In the depths of Lower Pandemonium, a much darker force took root. Tathamet’s severed remnants gave birth to what we now know as Hell, and the seven heads of the dragon splintered into the Three Prime Evils and Four Lesser Evils. The infamous Black Abyss in Hell is where demons are forged.
The three Prime Evils are:
Diablo – Lord of Terror: This guy is often considered the most fearsome and unpredictable of the trio. With untamed ambition and a knack for manipulation, Diablo is the embodiment of chaos. As the youngest of the Three, he’s like that mischievous little brother always causing trouble.
Mephisto – Lord of Hatred: Mephisto, the elder statesman of the Three, is a more rational and strategic thinker. But don’t let that fool you – he’s also the most filled with hate, which makes sense since he’s the Lord of Hatred. Mephisto is the proud father of Lilith and Lucion.
Baal – Lord of Destruction: The primary antagonist in the Diablo 2 expansion bearing his name, Baal’s birth order has caused some debate in the lore. Though there was some confusion, it’s now generally accepted that he’s the middle sibling. Fun fact: in the community, you might hear talk of “Baal runs” because repeatedly beating Baal in Diablo 2 was the best way to level up characters and score loot.
The four Lesser Evils are:
- Andariel – the Maiden of Anguish
- Duriel – the Lord of Pain
- Belial – the Lord of Lies
- Azmodan –the Lord of Sin
Diablo Lore: The Eternal Conflict
When Demons aren’t plotting each other’s downfall, they’re locked in eternal combat with Angels. But there’s more to this Conflict than mere fisticuffs – it’s all about vying for control over the World Stone. This ancient relic, the Eye of Anu at the universe’s core, holds the power to shape reality and bring worlds and life into being.
While the Pandemonium Fortress was built to safeguard the World Stone, it passed between Angels and Demons countless times during the Eternal Conflict.
When Angels held it, they’d create worlds of pure light and perfect order, albeit lifeless and stagnant. Demons, on the other hand, turned it into realms of chaos and destruction, essentially evil playgrounds. These worlds were equally unsustainable.
Regardless of the eons that passed (hence the name “Eternal”), the war raged on. Worlds were born and obliterated in an unending struggle for mastery over the Heart of Creation.
Delving into the Enthralling World of Diablo: The Prime Evils and Lesser Evils
Now, demons are a whole different breed compared to those angelic beings. They’re all about chaos, power, and not playing nice, though they do have a loose hierarchy when they’re not busy duking it out among themselves.
Remember those seven heads of Tathamet?
Well, they’re now the big shots known as the Great Evils, each ruling their dark domain. Generally, these seven heavyweights control their demon armies and territories, but, of course, there are always those pesky demons who prefer to go rogue.
Diablo Lore: The High Heavens and the Mighty Angiris Council
Now, let’s flip the celestial coin and look at the angelic side of things. Angels are born from the Crystal Arch, fueled by Anu’s power, which is kind of like a cosmic battery.
There’s a limit to how many angels can exist at once, so when the High Heavens are maxed out on angels, a celestial shuffle happens.
When an angel dies, their energy returns to the Crystal Arch and a new angel is born, sort of like reincarnation, but with a twist. The new angel might retain some traits from its previous existence but is essentially a brand-new entity.
Among angels, there’s a hierarchy, and some of them are top dogs called Archangels. The creme de la creme of Archangels form the Angiris Council, representing different virtues of Anu:
- Imperius – Archangel of Valor: This tough guy currently leads the council.
- Malthael – Archangel of Wisdom: The eldest and wisest among angels, Malthael has quite a history.
- Tyrael – Archangel of Justice
- Auriel – Archangel of Hope
- Itherael – Archangel of Fate
Malthael, who played a pivotal role in Diablo 3, was the original council leader and the oldest being in existence. He was also the first angel to figure out the significance of the World Stone and was the one to notice when it mysteriously vanished later in the timeline. The angelic drama adds a celestial twist to the Diablo lore!
Unraveling the Epic Tale of Diablo Lore: Inarius, Lilith, and the Birth of Sanctuary
Get ready, folks, because we’re diving deep into the gripping story of Diablo, and it all starts with two incredibly important characters: Inarius and Lilith.
If you’re jumping into Diablo 4, these two names will be more familiar than your own shadow. But how did they create the enigmatic world of Sanctuary? Buckle up, because it’s quite the journey!
Inarius, a mighty angel and Tyrael’s right-hand adviser grew weary of the Eternal Conflict. He questioned the never-ending battle for the World Stone and the endless power struggles within the High Heavens.
Despite being a dutiful angel, he couldn’t shake the feeling that all this fighting was just a cosmic treadmill to nowhere. One day, after a brutal battle, Inarius found himself captured and imprisoned by demons.
During his captivity, Inarius spilled his thoughts about the futility of the Eternal Conflict to his captors, and, to his surprise, one particular demon named Lilith nodded in agreement.
Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto (also known as the Daughter of Hatred and Queen of the Succubi), was a rather fetching demon.
Inarius couldn’t help but fall head over heels for her. Love blossomed between these two unlikely beings, and together, they hatched a daring plan – to rebel against both angels and demons, snatch the World Stone, and put an end to the never-ending conflict.
With a motley crew of volunteers from both sides of the cosmic war, they managed the impossible: they stole the World Stone and concealed it within a pocket dimension. In this hidden realm, Inarius, Lilith, and their followers created the world of Sanctuary. Turns out, mixing elements of order and chaos can yield a surprisingly stable world, compared to the chaos that surrounded the World Stone.
Diablo Lore: Nephalem and The Purge
Now, life in Sanctuary was pretty peaceful without the constant war. So peaceful that Inarius, Lilith, and their gang found other ways to pass the time.
One activity that caught on? Good old-fashioned romance and reproduction.
Their offspring were known as the Nephalem, and the first of them was Linarian, the son of Inarius and Lilith, who would later adopt the name Rathma and become the first necromancer.
Linarian and the other initial Nephalem were known as The Ancients, and at one point, there were supposedly tens of thousands of them spread across Sanctuary, exploring and seeking to understand their new world.
What’s fascinating is that just as Sanctuary became the only stable world created with the World Stone, combining the essence of angels and demons also gave rise to a more powerful and robust generation – the Nephalem.
At first, everyone thought these super-powered offspring were a blessing. But, as is often the case, blessings can turn into burdens. Concerns arose about Nephalem’s immense power. Could they pose a threat to both angels and demons? Might they unwittingly expose the existence of Sanctuary, putting this paradise in peril?
Worries over Nephalem’s potential danger sparked fierce disagreements between Lilith and Inarius and their group of cosmic runaways. Inarius took a timeout to mull over the situation’s gravity.
Lilith, on the other hand, saw the Nephalem’s power as a way to end the Eternal Conflict once and for all, by using them to obliterate Heaven and Hell, leaving her as the ultimate ruler.
Sensing the impending doom of her offspring, she struck first, turning Sanctuary into a blood-soaked nightmare, ruthlessly slaughtering all angels and demons while Inarius was still contemplating his next move.
When Inarius returned to find that his beloved had seemingly gone mad and wiped out all their followers, he couldn’t bring himself to end her life. Instead, he used the World Stone to banish Lilith to the Void, a place beyond the known universe, never to return. Talk about an interdimensional time-out!
Inarius eventually concluded that the Nephalem were not to blame for the bloodshed, and they should be allowed to exist, albeit under his control.
He once again wielded the power of the World Stone to suppress the Nephalem’s abilities. As generations passed, the Nephalem’s powers dwindled, and we were left with the far less extraordinary humans we know today.
Unveiling the Vibrant Tapestry of Diablo Lore: The Cathedral of Light and The Triune
Hold onto your potions, because we’re about to unravel a spellbinding chapter in the Diablo saga. After an unspecified time, humans had a knack for finding trouble, even without memories of their ancestors’ extraordinary history and powers.
The mysterious disappearance of the World Stone from Pandemonium and the vanishing act of certain key figures didn’t escape the notice of both the High Heavens and the Burning Hells, especially the watchful eyes of the Prime Evils. With Sanctuary shrouded in secrecy, the cosmic sleuths had limited leads to follow.
Yet, some humans still possessed traces of magical abilities, not at the same level as their ancestors, but enough to dabble.
Enter the Vizjerei Clan, known for their skill in summoning spirits. Well, they tried summoning spirits but accidentally dialed up demons instead. Oops!
The Prime Evils, recognizing the potential of Sanctuary and the latent powers of the Nephalem in humanity’s descendants, devised a sneaky plan to corrupt humankind to serve their dark purposes.
Instead of barging into Sanctuary and creating chaos, thereby tipping off the High Heavens, they opted for subtlety – they concocted a religion to corrupt unsuspecting humans: The Triune, the cult of the Three.
The Triune was a crafty concoction, comprising three distinct sub-sects, each devoted to a seemingly innocent guiding spirit:
- Order of Dialon is all about the Spirit of Determination (definitely not Diablo)
- Order of Bala, faithful followers of the Spirit of Creation (totally not Baal)
- Order of Mefis, devoted to the Spirit of Love (absolutely not Meph…you get the drift)
As humans joined The Triune with noble intentions, they eventually got sucked into the cult’s dark teachings.
The leader of The Triune, known as ‘The Primus,’ was none other than Lucion, the son of Mephisto and Lilith’s brother. Lucion had a slightly different career path in mind – hatred, destruction, and general mayhem.
Inarius couldn’t ignore The Triune’s corruption and the growing awareness of Sanctuary among the denizens of Hell.
Unwilling to spill the beans about his secret paradise to the High Heavens and still protect the now power-depleted humans, he did a remarkable thing – he initiated a counter-religion, The Cathedral of Light.
Disguised as a mortal, Inarius took on the role of ‘The Prophet,’ leading this rival faith. For centuries, these two religions coexisted, competing for the hearts and minds of mortals, but without direct conflict to avoid tipping off the High Heavens.
Diablo Lore: The Sin War
Now, brace yourselves because we’re diving into the pivotal moment in Diablo’s history – The Sin War. If you’re into the lore, this is where you start.
Inarius, Lilith, and Rathma all take center stage in these stories, and they have a direct connection to Diablo 4’s unfolding tale.
The story kicks off innocently enough, following a farmer named Uldyssian ul-Diomed, who’s fed up with the controlling grip of the two established religions in Sanctuary.
He sees through The Cathedral of Light and The Triune, believing they exploit the masses for their gain.
Uldyssian’s refusal to choose sides lands him in hot water, framed for a murder he didn’t commit.
As the story unfolds, he crosses paths with a noblewoman named Lylia, who shares his beliefs and wants to help him lead a rebellion against the oppressive religions.
Little did he know that Lylia was Lilith in disguise, back from the Void.
She’d been manipulating the World Stone without Inarius’s knowledge, awakening the Nephalem powers within humans, starting with Uldyssian, a direct descendant of Rathma.
Lilith’s grand plan was to use Uldyssian and his followers to rebel against both Heaven and Hell, making her the supreme ruler of creation.
However, awakening the Nephalem power backfires on Lilith. Uldyssian gains enough strength to resist her influence and even harnesses the Ancients’ power without her help. In a climactic showdown, Uldyssian banishes Lilith back to the Void.
These actions don’t go unnoticed by the High Heavens. They’re now aware of Sanctuary, humanity, and the demons’ presence, setting off a full-scale Eternal Conflict in this unsuspecting world.
It’s only through Uldyssian’s ultimate sacrifice, giving his life to banish both angels and demons from Sanctuary and seal humanity’s powers, that peace is restored.
In this act, he also wipes the memories of those who were affected, erasing any recollection of the incredible powers they once wielded or Uldyssian himself.
After this epic battle, the Angiris Council and the Prime Evils find themselves facing the same dilemma that Inarius and Lilith did in the beginning.
They’re split on what to do with humanity, with Malthael abstaining from the vote. Tyrael, after much contemplation, decides that Uldyssian’s sacrifice is proof of humanity’s inherent goodness and casts the deciding vote to let them flourish.
In a peace agreement, the World Stone stays in Sanctuary, and both sides call a truce, allowing Sanctuary to survive as its domain and see how humanity progresses.
As part of this pact, Mephisto demands Inarius as a prisoner.
The Angiris Council reluctantly agrees, considering Inarius’s less-than-stellar history. Inarius is then imprisoned by Mephisto and subjected to 3,000 years of torment. Ouch!
Unraveling the Thrilling Tale of Diablo Lore: The Dark Exile
You might think that the truce between Heaven and Hell would usher in an era of peace and harmony, right?
Well, when it comes to demons, honor, and deals aren’t exactly their strong suits. So, it’s no surprise that the Prime Evils wasted no time plotting their return to Sanctuary to wreak havoc or, better yet, to manipulate humanity into joining their side against Heaven and scoring a win in the Eternal Conflict. Yes, we’re diving back into that eternal struggle once more.
But not all demons were on board with this scheme. The Lesser Evils weren’t too thrilled with the whole humanity obsession. They believed demons to be superior in every way and couldn’t quite grasp what all the fuss was about. They saw Sanctuary as an annoying detour in their grand quest to conquer the High Heavens.
So, what did the Lesser Evils do?
They banded together to stage a rebellion against the Prime Evils, turning their followers against them. And guess what? They won!
The Prime Evils were banished to Sanctuary, and Azmodan, the tactician, believed that their presence there would draw Heaven’s attention back to humans, leaving the Gate of Heaven unguarded.
While the Lesser Evils celebrated their “victory,” the Prime Evils secretly rejoiced. This had been their plan all along. By getting overthrown and sent to Sanctuary, they technically hadn’t violated the truce.
Once in Sanctuary, the Three Prime Evils unleashed chaos, taking on human hosts to corrupt humanity and spreading pain and suffering across the Eastern regions.
Their presence didn’t go unnoticed, though. Tyrael, realizing how fragile the truce was, took matters into his own hands without involving the Angiris Council.
He gathered members from the Mage Clans to form the Horadrim, a righteous order sworn to uphold justice and light.
Their specific mission? To combat the Prime Evils.
Among the notable members of the Horadrim were Zoltan Kulle, Tal Rasha, and Jered Cain – names that will become quite familiar if you dive into the games.
Tyrael had crafted special artifacts using shards of the World Stone to capture the Prime Evils. These artifacts, known as Soul Stones, were entrusted to the Horadrim to aid in their quest to imprison the three brothers and trap their essence within the stones.
Mephisto was the first to be captured, in the lands of Kehjistan. His Soul Stone was carefully guarded in Kurast by a religious order known as the Zakarum.
Next up was Baal, but the battle to capture him led to the destruction of his Soul Stone. With only a small shard remaining, which could hold him only temporarily, the selfless Tal Rasha volunteered to sacrifice his own body to serve as a vessel for Baal’s captivity. Using the remains of the stone, he would engage in an eternal struggle to contain Baal within himself. Tal Rasha was bound in unbreakable chains in a tomb within the Canyon of the Magi.
Diablo was the last to be located, fifteen years after the quest began. A final showdown unfolded in Khanduras between Diablo and the Horadrim, nearly wiping out the order.
Diablo was ultimately imprisoned in a Soul Stone, which was hidden within a cave found in a labyrinth near the River Talsande. To safeguard this, the Horadric order constructed a monastery to protect the labyrinth, just in case Diablo was ever discovered and set free.
Over time, villages and settlements sprang up around the monastery, leading to the birth of the town of Tristram.
The monastery itself became known as Tristram Cathedral. Diablo remained trapped there for two centuries as humans gradually forgot about the existence of the Prime Evils, and even the Horadrim themselves faded into obscurity.
SUGGESTED READING:
- Diablo Lore Part 1: The Story Before Diablo 1
- Diablo Lore Part 2: Unveiling the Epic Saga of Diablo 1
- Diablo Lore Part 3: The Saga Continues with Diablo 2
- Diablo Lore Part 4: A Controversial Revelation in Diablo 3
