MissFortier
08-04-2011, 01:53 PM
Prologue
The vanquisher of Diablo finds himself taking refuge in a tavern from the blizzard. Perhaps stirred by the other drunk men, or perhaps simply unable to contain the Lord of Terror within himself any longer, the tormented champion suddenly erupts into chaos. Demons and skeletons spawn and slay all within the tavern, bar one: Marius, a human bystander whom the Wanderer urges him to follow for unknown reasons.
Deckard Cain
Act I - The Rogue Encampment
The champion becomes The Dark Wanderer, and begins to journey onwards towards the Rogue Monastery. Once there, he drives the Sisters of the Sightless Eye out of their monastery, and tasks Andariel with the guarding of the pass from anyone who might follow.
As did heroes arrive in Tristram to find adventure, glory, or riches, more arrive in the Rogue Encampment for similar reasons. A band of adventurers form and seek the Monastery and the evils that lie within. On their way, they rescue Deckard Cain from an overrun Tristram. Cain guides them on their way to the Monastery, where they defeat Andariel and find clear passage to Lut Gholein.
Act II - Lut Gholein
With Marius, The Wanderer travels East to Lut Gholein to search for the Tomb of Tal Rasha. He finds the tomb with Tal Rasha imprisoned in the final chamber. Tyrael however, who apparently discovered The Wanderer's escape from Tristram, is there waiting for him. Tyrael and a now empowered Wanderer lock into combat. Baal however, trapped in Tal Rasha's body, notices that Marius is also present. Though Baal has deformed his host greatly in the years of imprisonment, the Prime Evil is powerful enough to trick Marius into seeing him as nothing but a chained human. He lures Marius into pulling the soulstone from Tal Rasha's chest. This destroys Baal's prison, and together with his brother they overwhelm Tyrael and trap him in the tomb by summoning Duriel to prevent the Archangel from following. Tyrael, with no chance of pursuing, tasks Marius with taking Baal's Soulstone and traveling to the Eastern kingdom of Kurast. There, the Archangel commands, Marius must enter the portal into Hell and destroy the Soulstone at the Hellforge.
The band of heroes who had slain Andariel at the Monastery now seek the Tomb of Tal Rasha, where Baal, the Lord of Destruction, is said to be kept imprisoned. With the help of Cain, the Horadric Cube, and Lut Gholein's inhabitants, the adventurers ultimately find their way to the Arcane Sanctuary. There in that twisted reality they find The Summoner and the entrance to the Canyon of the Magi, the entrance to Tal Rasha's Tomb. The party finds the true tomb and defeats Duriel, who kept Tyrael at bay.
Now forced to pursue The Dark Wanderer and Baal, the heroes sail East to Kurast, city of the Zakarum.
Act III - Kurast
The Dark Wanderer, whose growing corruption by Diablo's spirit continues to perverse his form, and Baal proceed to free their eldest brother Mephisto in Kurast. The still imprisoned Prime Evil was once given to the care of the Zakarum church. Mephisto however, corrupted the entire faith from within his soulstone, and all but their highest leader, Khalim, the Que-Haegan, fell to his influence. The High Council, which had previously led the order of the Paladins, became the arm of Mephisto in Sanctuary. Thus the two evils have little trouble reaching their brother once they reach Kurast. Once again united, The Dark Wanderer takes a new form as the Lord of Terror, Diablo, and the Three open up a portal to Hell. Diablo is tasked with reclaiming Hell for their use, presumably from the warring Azmodan and Belial. Diablo steps through to the portal and into Hell.
Oblivious to the Three, Marius has witnessed their meeting and his companion's transformation. Although charged by Tyrael to venture into Hell, he does not find the courage to do as the Archangel instructed. Instead, he retreats and finds bastion in a mental asylum.
Baal likely follows Diablo shortly afterwards, for when the player reaches the lowest level of Mephisto's Durance, Baal is not there. The Three must be aware of the heroes pursuing them by now, for Mephisto has stayed behind to stop them. He is, however, defeated by the venturing band of heroes. His Soulstone remains intact, and it is taken through to the portal to Hell.
Act IV - The Pandemonium Fortress
Diablo unleashes powerful magic in the Chaos Sanctuary
In Hell, the heroes find themselves operating out of the Pandemonium Fortress, which is the foremost bastion of Heaven in their war against Hell. From here, the heroes are instructed to carry out three important missions:
Seek Izual, the fallen angel, and slay him for his betrayal.
Seek the Hellforge and shatter Mephisto's Soulstone.
Seek Diablo in his sanctuary and vanquish him from the mortal realm.
Izual was at one point one of Tyrael's lieutenants, and he led an unsuccessful assault on the Hellforge. Why is unknown, but in the attack he was captured and imprisoned in a demon's body, similar to that of a megademon, and he is both shunned by Heaven and Hell after this. Tyrael gives this quest, and asks that Izual be put out of his misery. Originally then he appears to be a miserable character, but upon his death, Izual claims that he helped the Prime Evils "mastermind their own exile" into Sanctuary, and that he also told them of how to corrupt the soulstones. In truth then, Izual appears to have played a crucial part in the plot, as without him it is unlikely the Dark Exile would ever have taken place.
After having slain Izual and shattering Mephisto's Soulstone, the heroes move towards Diablo. The Lord of Terror fortifies himself in the Chaos Sanctuary. Its architecture is towering and gothic, but its purpose is unknown. The band of heroes defeat Diablo and his soulstone is smashed at Hellforge.
Epilogue
Diablo now defeated, Baal seeks out Marius and finds him in the asylum. Disguised as Tyrael, Baal requests Marius cede the Soulstone to him. He does, only to realize his grievous mistake moments later. Baal kills Marius. The failure of Marius does not bode well for Sanctuary.
Sources:
Diablo II, the second game released in 2000
http://www.diablowiki.com/Lore_Summary
The vanquisher of Diablo finds himself taking refuge in a tavern from the blizzard. Perhaps stirred by the other drunk men, or perhaps simply unable to contain the Lord of Terror within himself any longer, the tormented champion suddenly erupts into chaos. Demons and skeletons spawn and slay all within the tavern, bar one: Marius, a human bystander whom the Wanderer urges him to follow for unknown reasons.
Deckard Cain
Act I - The Rogue Encampment
The champion becomes The Dark Wanderer, and begins to journey onwards towards the Rogue Monastery. Once there, he drives the Sisters of the Sightless Eye out of their monastery, and tasks Andariel with the guarding of the pass from anyone who might follow.
As did heroes arrive in Tristram to find adventure, glory, or riches, more arrive in the Rogue Encampment for similar reasons. A band of adventurers form and seek the Monastery and the evils that lie within. On their way, they rescue Deckard Cain from an overrun Tristram. Cain guides them on their way to the Monastery, where they defeat Andariel and find clear passage to Lut Gholein.
Act II - Lut Gholein
With Marius, The Wanderer travels East to Lut Gholein to search for the Tomb of Tal Rasha. He finds the tomb with Tal Rasha imprisoned in the final chamber. Tyrael however, who apparently discovered The Wanderer's escape from Tristram, is there waiting for him. Tyrael and a now empowered Wanderer lock into combat. Baal however, trapped in Tal Rasha's body, notices that Marius is also present. Though Baal has deformed his host greatly in the years of imprisonment, the Prime Evil is powerful enough to trick Marius into seeing him as nothing but a chained human. He lures Marius into pulling the soulstone from Tal Rasha's chest. This destroys Baal's prison, and together with his brother they overwhelm Tyrael and trap him in the tomb by summoning Duriel to prevent the Archangel from following. Tyrael, with no chance of pursuing, tasks Marius with taking Baal's Soulstone and traveling to the Eastern kingdom of Kurast. There, the Archangel commands, Marius must enter the portal into Hell and destroy the Soulstone at the Hellforge.
The band of heroes who had slain Andariel at the Monastery now seek the Tomb of Tal Rasha, where Baal, the Lord of Destruction, is said to be kept imprisoned. With the help of Cain, the Horadric Cube, and Lut Gholein's inhabitants, the adventurers ultimately find their way to the Arcane Sanctuary. There in that twisted reality they find The Summoner and the entrance to the Canyon of the Magi, the entrance to Tal Rasha's Tomb. The party finds the true tomb and defeats Duriel, who kept Tyrael at bay.
Now forced to pursue The Dark Wanderer and Baal, the heroes sail East to Kurast, city of the Zakarum.
Act III - Kurast
The Dark Wanderer, whose growing corruption by Diablo's spirit continues to perverse his form, and Baal proceed to free their eldest brother Mephisto in Kurast. The still imprisoned Prime Evil was once given to the care of the Zakarum church. Mephisto however, corrupted the entire faith from within his soulstone, and all but their highest leader, Khalim, the Que-Haegan, fell to his influence. The High Council, which had previously led the order of the Paladins, became the arm of Mephisto in Sanctuary. Thus the two evils have little trouble reaching their brother once they reach Kurast. Once again united, The Dark Wanderer takes a new form as the Lord of Terror, Diablo, and the Three open up a portal to Hell. Diablo is tasked with reclaiming Hell for their use, presumably from the warring Azmodan and Belial. Diablo steps through to the portal and into Hell.
Oblivious to the Three, Marius has witnessed their meeting and his companion's transformation. Although charged by Tyrael to venture into Hell, he does not find the courage to do as the Archangel instructed. Instead, he retreats and finds bastion in a mental asylum.
Baal likely follows Diablo shortly afterwards, for when the player reaches the lowest level of Mephisto's Durance, Baal is not there. The Three must be aware of the heroes pursuing them by now, for Mephisto has stayed behind to stop them. He is, however, defeated by the venturing band of heroes. His Soulstone remains intact, and it is taken through to the portal to Hell.
Act IV - The Pandemonium Fortress
Diablo unleashes powerful magic in the Chaos Sanctuary
In Hell, the heroes find themselves operating out of the Pandemonium Fortress, which is the foremost bastion of Heaven in their war against Hell. From here, the heroes are instructed to carry out three important missions:
Seek Izual, the fallen angel, and slay him for his betrayal.
Seek the Hellforge and shatter Mephisto's Soulstone.
Seek Diablo in his sanctuary and vanquish him from the mortal realm.
Izual was at one point one of Tyrael's lieutenants, and he led an unsuccessful assault on the Hellforge. Why is unknown, but in the attack he was captured and imprisoned in a demon's body, similar to that of a megademon, and he is both shunned by Heaven and Hell after this. Tyrael gives this quest, and asks that Izual be put out of his misery. Originally then he appears to be a miserable character, but upon his death, Izual claims that he helped the Prime Evils "mastermind their own exile" into Sanctuary, and that he also told them of how to corrupt the soulstones. In truth then, Izual appears to have played a crucial part in the plot, as without him it is unlikely the Dark Exile would ever have taken place.
After having slain Izual and shattering Mephisto's Soulstone, the heroes move towards Diablo. The Lord of Terror fortifies himself in the Chaos Sanctuary. Its architecture is towering and gothic, but its purpose is unknown. The band of heroes defeat Diablo and his soulstone is smashed at Hellforge.
Epilogue
Diablo now defeated, Baal seeks out Marius and finds him in the asylum. Disguised as Tyrael, Baal requests Marius cede the Soulstone to him. He does, only to realize his grievous mistake moments later. Baal kills Marius. The failure of Marius does not bode well for Sanctuary.
Sources:
Diablo II, the second game released in 2000
http://www.diablowiki.com/Lore_Summary