Diablo Wiki - User contributions [en]

Malthael

2012-05-27T22:04:35Z

ParishLokan:

[[Malthael]] is one of the five ruling members of the [[Angiris Council]] that governs the [[High Heavens]] and the [[Heavenly Host]]. He is the Archangel of Wisdom. Little is known regarding this mysterious angel and what future role he may play in shaping the world of Sanctuary, Heaven, or the Burning Hells.

==Background==
As the Archangel of Wisdom, Malthael served as the voice of reason for the Angiris Council and was first among equals, guiding the council with a benevolent hand. Contemplative and soft spoken, the truth of reality and the nature of the universe often occupied his mind. However, when Inarius and cohorts veiled/stole the Worldstone (the heart of creation), the philosophical base of Malthael's values began to crumble. Over the eons, his character has become darker and more grim.<ref>Blizzcon 2011 - Diablo III Lore Panel. Comments by Chris Metzen.</ref>

===Stance regarding Sanctuary===
Archangel Malthael is a close friend of Archangel [[Imperius]]. However, when Imperius called for a vote to decide Sanctuary's fate, Malthael chose to abstain. Imperius was satisfied nonetheless, because a tie would mean Santuary's destruction.<ref>[http://www.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/diablo_the_sin_war_trilogy_vol._3_the_veiled_prophet_-_excerpt Diablo: The Sin War Trilogy, The Veiled Prophet] - page 326.</ref>

How he truly perceives Sanctuary and the Nephalem is unknown.

==Artifacts==
Each of the archangels seem to possess relics which are related to the idea/concept that they embody.

In concept art, Malthael is depicted wielding a pair of sickles. The properties/powers of these weapons are as yet unknown.

[[File:Malthael-BC2011.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Concept art for Malthael as seen during Blizzcon 2011.]]

==References==
<references/>

{{Character navbox|Imp}}

[[Category:Characters]]
[[category:Angels]]
[[category:Angiris Council]]

Rakanoth

2012-05-27T03:37:41Z

ParishLokan:

<div style="clear:both;"></div>
{{Monsterbox
|game= Diablo III
|portrait= DiabloIII.jpg
|portrait-width= 230px

|bosstype= boss
|classif= Demons
|family= Bosses
|role= Boss
|life= Unknown
|mana= Unknown
|armor= Unknown
|resist= Unknown
|armament= Arm Blades
|dps= Unknown
|dmg_low= Unknown
|dmg_high= Unknown
|range= [[Melee]]
|speed= Unknown
|movement= Unknown
|modifier= Unknown
|spells= Unknown
|found= The Library of Fate
}}''Rakanoth'' is a new character to Diablo, and his title is the ''Lord of Despair''. His design was originally used by the Blizzard North development team for [[Azmodan]], but was changed at some unknown point in time by the current Diablo III development team.

Little is known of Rakanoth. He was once a lieutenant of Andariel, granted the title of Lord of Despair. He presided over the Realm of Despair, serving as a warden and keeper of prisoners. After Andariel's death, Rakanoth's actions are undocumented, but would eventually shift his allegiance to Diablo when he assaulted the High Heavens. During Diablo's assault, Rakanoth was summoned to imprison Auriel, the Archangel of Hope.

Not much is known about Rakanoth outside of he is a servant of [[Azmodan]], and later Diablo, and is encountered in [[Act IV]]. He serves alongside [[Cydaea]], the ''Maiden of Lust'', and [[Ghom]], the ''Lord of Gluttony''.

[[File:Portrait_boss_Rakanoth.png‎|left|frame|Rakanoth, Lord of Anguish.]]



{{stub}}

{{Template:Monster navbox|boss}}
[[category:monsters]]

Rakanoth

2012-05-27T03:33:55Z

ParishLokan:

<div style="clear:both;"></div>
{{Monsterbox
|game= Diablo III
|portrait= DiabloIII.jpg
|portrait-width= 230px

|bosstype= boss
|classif= Demons
|family= Bosses
|role= Boss
|life= Unknown
|mana= Unknown
|armor= Unknown
|resist= Unknown
|armament= Arm Blades
|dps= Unknown
|dmg_low= Unknown
|dmg_high= Unknown
|range= [[Melee]]
|speed= Unknown
|movement= Unknown
|modifier= Unknown
|spells= Unknown
|found= The Library of Fate
}}''Rakanoth'' is a new character to Diablo, and his title is the ''Lord of Despair''. His design was originally used by the Blizzard North development team for [[Azmodan]], but was changed at some unknown point in time by the current Diablo III development team.

Not much is known about Rakanoth outside of he is a servant of [[Azmodan]], and will be encountered in [[Act IV]]. He serves alongside [[Cydaea]], the ''Maiden of Lust'', and [[Ghom]], the ''Lord of Gluttony''.

[[File:Portrait_boss_Rakanoth.png‎|left|frame|Rakanoth, Lord of Anguish.]]



{{stub}}

{{Template:Monster navbox|boss}}
[[category:monsters]]

Baal

2012-05-27T03:15:38Z

ParishLokan:

:''This is a [[character]] portrayal of Baal. Were you looking for '''{{iw|Baal Baal}}''' the [[Diablo II]] monster?''

'''Baal''' is one of the three brothers who make up the [[Prime Evil]]s, along with [[Mephisto]] and [[Diablo]]. He is a major figure in the world mythology, and features in several of the [[Diablo Novels]], and is the main antagonist in the expansion to [[Diablo II]], [[Diablo II: Lord of Destruction|Lord of Destruction]].

__TOC__
==Personality==
{{Charbox
|portrait= Baal1.png
|name= Baal
|chartype= normal
|title= Lord of Destruction
|gender= Male
|race= Demon
|status= Defeated/Unknown
|affiliation= [[Burning Hells]]
|friends= [[Diablo]] (brother)<br>[[Mephisto]] (brother)
|foes= [[High Heavens]], [[Character|Player Characters]]
|location= Unknown
}}
[[File:Baal_Sigil.jpg|160px|left|thumb|The sigil of Baal.]]
Baal is the Lord of Destruction, and is inherently evil. In his existence before being imprisoned in the body of [[Tal Rasha]], he was described to be brutish, but seems to indeed have taken on some of the powerful [[Horadrim|Horadric]] mage's intelligence after the imprisonment. On encounters with both [[Marius]] and the [[Barbarians]], he acts rather playful and sly with a dry sense of humour.

It's been debated whether or not Baal is left handed, as he uses his left hand to do a variety of things, including killing Marius, using it in his conversation with the [[Barbarian]]s.

Baal has a few behaviourisms that sets him apart from his two brothers, [[Mephisto]] and [[Diablo]]. He could have just killed Marius when he found him, taking the [[Soulstone]] but instead fooled him with the guise of [[Tyrael]] and listened to his tale. While this might have been a move to make sure Marius had not hidden the stone elsewhere (forever hiding its location if he was killed), it could be that Baal likes to play with his prey before destroying them.

His appearance looks like he has taken the facial skin of Tal Rasha and attached it to his demonic head.

==Background==
Baal has been around for much longer than the world of [[Sanctuary]]. Together with his brother [[Prime Evils]] and servant demons of the [[Burning Hells]], they have battled with the [[High Heavens]] for aeons.

When Sanctuary was created, the brothers realized that the world held potential for vast power and the possibility of once and for all defeat the High Heavens, and turned their attention towards it.

The treacherous [[Lesser Evils]] rebelled, and overthrew the brothers, trapping them on Sanctuary. Thus began the [[Sin War]].

===Baal's Imprisonment===
[[File:Tal_Rasha_imprisoned.jpg|thumb|left|220px|[[Tal Rasha]] screaming in pain]]
[[Tal Rasha]] led the campaign for hunting down and capturing the [[Prime Evil]]s, including Baal during the [[Sin War]] together with [[Jered Cain]]. When the [[Prime Evils]] were exiled from [[Burning Hells|Hell]] into the Mortal Realm by the [[Lesser Evils]] a group of mages brought together by the [[Archangel]] [[Tyrael]] organised themselves in order to defeat them and bind them to [[Soulstone]]s which were provided by Tyrael. They called themselves the [[Horadrim]].

After finding and capturing [[Mephisto]] in [[Kehjistan]]'s jungles, burying him under what later became [[Kurast]], the Horadrim chased Baal across the ocean to the Western continent, in to the [[Aranoch]] desert. Tal Rasha presumed Baal was heading north toward [[Scosglen]], but mysteriously the demon changed its path and took refuge within the desert city of [[Lut Gholein]].

Tal Rasha ordered his team to hold the attack and to patiently await for Baal to continue his escape. Three days later, Baal fled Lut Gholein heading to the north, as Tal Rasha had predicted.

[[File:Baal3.png|thumb|right|250px|Baal playing with the [[Barbarian]]s.]]
A few miles into the desert, the adventurers caught up with Baal and attacked him. The demon unleashed the fury of his powers upon the men. The earth exploded under them and swallowed many men. Fire erupted from the broken earth burning everything and everyone on its path.

In a desperate attempt, Baal hurled a spell at Tal Rasha unsuccessfully. Unharmed, but at a price, Tal Rasha rose from the earth to find the Soulstone given to him by Tyrael had shattered into small shards. The men pressed their attack and defeated Baal. Tal Rasha walked toward Baal's battered body and slashed his throat jamming the largest Soulstone shard into his open wound. Baal's spirit was sucked into the shard, trapping the demon.

[[Archangel]] Tyrael appeared before the men and led them toward seven ancient tombs deep in the desert. There the men were instructed to build a binding stone etched with runes of containment. They magically crafted unbreakable chains to secure the binding stone to the chamber's walls. Tal Rasha ordered to be chained and bound to the stone. To everyone's astonishment, Tyrael jammed the shattered Soulstone into Tal Rasha's chest, allowing Baal's spirit to flood into his body as host, thus completing the prison, dooming Tal Rasha to struggle for eternity against Baal.

The other six tombs became resting places for other powerful Horadrim mages, and acts to some degrees as decoys in the [[Canyon of the Magi]].

The Horadrim pushed on to attack and capture [[Diablo]], imprisoning him in what would be [[Khanduras]], creating a Horadric Monastary on top of the demon's prison.

===The Wanderer===
[[File:Wanderer.jpg|thumb|left|The Wanderer fighting Tyrael in order to free Baal.]]
Centuries later, Diablo freed himself and travelled in the guise of the [[Wanderer]] to the Aranoch desert with [[Marius]] to free his older brother. As the two reached the [[Tomb of Tal Rasha]], Tyrael caught up with the pair and attacked the Wanderer to prevent him from freeing his brother.

Baal lured Marius with a facade image, asking for help. Marius could only see a poor man bounded by chains, impaled by an object on the chest. Tyrael's gaze turned around toward Marius, and he called out to him not to pull the shard out. Marius grabbed the shattered Soulstone shard and pulled it free from Tal Rasha's body.

:''[[Drognan]] and [[Fara]] of [[Lut Gholein]] claimed Baal after this now had unrestricted access to [[Tal Rasha]]'s knowledge and powers.''

Tyrael left the Wanderer to tell Marius he just ensured the doom of [[Sanctuary]] and told him to go to the [[Temple of Light]], in the eastern city of [[Kurast]]. He should enter the gate to Hell and take the stone to the [[Hellforge]] to destroy it. He unfortunately did not do so, and later ended up in an insane asylum.

===Marius===
After some time, Baal found [[Marius]], and once more lured him. He took the guise of Tyrael and Marius gave away the soulstone shard to Baal, who revealed his true identity and killed Marius with [[Festering Appendages]]. He then set the asylum on fire as he left it.

===Mount Arreat===
[[File:Baal4.png|thumb|right|Baal assaulting [[Sescheron]].]]
[[File:Baal2.png|thumb|right|220px|Baal's ugly face.]]
[[Image:Mon-baal1.jpg|thumb|left|Baal in the Worldstone Chamber]]

Baal then began the assault on [[Mount Arreat]] in order to corrupt the [[Worldstone]] hidden within.

The regular demons and poorly disciplined Earthly mutations the [[Prime Evils]] had used in their initial invasion was not a bunch Baal had much trust in when battling the mighty [[Barbarian]] tribes, so he gathered some of his most powerful minions from the depths of his domain.

He began by attacking the capital of [[Sescheron]], and left a trail of destruction all the way up to [[Harrogath]], which in the last minute was saved by powerful magic added by the Barbarian Elders.

Town Elder [[Nihlathak]] betrayed the village and gave the [[Relic of the Ancients]] to Baal to let him enter the [[Worldstone Keep]] unchallenged by the Barbarian [[Ancient]]s.

A group of adventurers caught up with the Prime Evil and defeated him, but not in time to stop Baal from corrupting the Worldstone. Despite the victory, the Worldstone, was beyond saving and Tyrael had to destroy it. The resulting explosion wrecked the Barbarian lands and left a [[Arreat Crater|massive crater]] where the ancient mountain once stood.

Exactly what has happened to Baal, and where he would be if he's still alive in some shape is unknown.

==Brothers==
Baal has two brothers:
* [[Mephisto]]
* [[Diablo]]

==In Diablo I==
Baal was not seen in [[Diablo I]], but he was mentioned in the world lore, both in the game itself and in the [[Diablo I Manual|lore-filled manual]].

==In Diablo II==
[[File:Baal_animation.gif|thumb|right|88px|Baal in [[Diablo II: Lord of Destruction]].]]
Baal featured prominently in [[Diablo II]], appearing in the [[cinematics]] and plot, though he was not found as a defeatable monster in that game.

Baal was the [[Act Boss]] of {{iw|Act_V Act V}}, added in the Diablo II expansion, [[Diablo_II:_Lord_of_Destruction|Lord of Destruction]]. The story of that game is all about Baal's efforts to reach and corrupt the [[Worldstone]]. Though Baal is eventually defeated by the players' heroes, his efforts to corrupt the Worldstone were successful, forcing [[Tyrael]] to destroy the worldstone to prevent its power being used by the forces of hell. (So says Tyrael, at least. Many players are suspicious of his actions and think he might have had his own, unrevealed agenda. The plot of [[Diablo III]] should shed more light on this issue.)

===Diablo II Stats and information===
* [http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Baal Baal], the boss of Act Five.
* [http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Uber_Baal Uber Baal], a more powerful version of the demon added as part of the [http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Pandemonium_Event Pandemonium Event], a special realm-only quest added in v1.11.

===Diablo II Event===
More of what happened during the release is revealed in the [[Mephisto's Jungle]] cut-scene [[cinematic]]. Marius' and Tyrael's dialogue says it all:
* '''[[Tyrael dialogue]]s'''

==Media==
<gallery>
File:Mon-baal1.jpg|Baal in [[Diablo II]]
File:Baal_bw.jpg|Black/white portrait
File:Wanderer.jpg|Battle in Tal Rasha's Chamber
File:Baal_animation.gif|Baal in-game [[Diablo II: Lord of Destruction|D2X]]
File:Baal1.png|Close-up on face.
File:Baal2.png|Baal's an ugly demon.
File:Baal3.png|Full view of Baal's head.
File:Baal4.png|View of Baal's body.
File:Baal_Sigil.jpg|Sigil of Baal.
File:Baal_monster.jpg|Baal's own breed of demons.
File:Baal-BC2011.jpg |Artwork for Baal as shown at Blizzcon 2011.
</gallery>

==References==
* [[Nor Tiraj's Journal]]
* [[Tyrael dialogue]]s
* [[Mephisto's Jungle]] - Diablo II Act III [[Cinematic]]
* [[Lut_Gholein:_The_Binding_of_Destruction|Lut Gholein: The Binding of Destruction]]
* [[Diablo II Manual]]
* [[Diablo II: Lord of Destruction Manual]]

{{Template:Monster navbox|boss}}

{{Template:Character navbox|imp}}

[[category:monsters]]
[[category:Prime Evils]]
[[Category:Great Evils]]

Belial

2012-05-27T03:13:44Z

ParishLokan: /* Belial in Diablo 3 */

[[Image:Portrait Belial.png|thumb|150px|right|Belial, Lord of Lies.]]
'''Belial''', one of the [[Lesser Evil]]s, is confirmed to appear in [[Diablo III]], in [[Act II]].[http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/101/1017305p3.html]

__TOC__
==Belial in Diablo 3==
The Belial had once been a protege of Mephisto, honing his powers of deception under the Lord of Hatred's guidance. Eventually, he would turn on his mentor and manipulated Azmodan into leading a revolt against the Prime Evils, though this may have likely been indirectly encouraged by Mephisto himself. With the armies of Azmodan and Belial unified, the Prime Evils were cast out of Hell, though at the expense of a full third of Hell's demons. Azmodan and Belial were left to vie for power over the Burning Hells, a conflict Belial ultimately lost. Years later, much like the Prime Evils, Belial would turn his attention to Sanctuary and corrupting its populace. His influence over the mortal realm mirrors Mephisto's own of twenty years prior, as his power over Caldeum, capital of Kehjistan, becomes absolute.

[[Act II]] will be "a little bit more of an intrigue and deception-focused story, because Belial is in there."

==The Lord of Lies==
All greater and lesser evils of the [[Burning Hells]] have their own specific title or aspect, and Belial's is the Lord of Lies. Along with [[Azmodan]], Belial helped in a rebellion against the [[Prime Evils]] to seize control of Hell. From the [[Diablo I Manual]]:

::In their ignorance, the Lesser Evils began to believe that the Three were afraid to continue the war with Heaven. Frustrated by the cessation of the war, Azmodan and Belial saw the situation as their chance to overthrow the Prime Evils and take control of Hell for themselves. The two demon lords made a pact with their minor brethren, assuring them that the wretched plague of humanity would not deter the ultimate victory of the sons of Hell. Azmodan and Belial devised a plan to end the stalemate, achieve victory in the Sin War and ultimately ride the bloody crest of the Great Conflict straight into the very arms of Armageddon. Thus, a great revolution was set into motion as all of Hell went to war against the Three Brothers...

::The Brothers fought with all of the savagery of the Underworld, and to their credit, annihilated a third of Hell’s treacherous legions. In the end, however, they were overcome by the Horned Death led by the traitors Azmodan and Belial. The Prime Evils, weakened and bodiless, were banished to the mortal realm where Azmodan hoped that they would remain trapped forever. Azmodan believed that with the Three set loose upon humanity, the Angels would be forced to turn their focus upon on the mortal plane - thus leaving the Gates of Heaven abandoned and defenseless. Those few demons who still pledged allegiance to the Three Brothers fled the wrath of Azmodan and Belial, escaping to the realm of Man to seek out their lost Masters.

::As the warfires died out upon the battlefields of Hell, Azmodan and Belial began to argue over which of them held the higher authority. The pact that they had made quickly fell to ashes as the two demon lords took up arms against each other. The legions of Hell that remained were polarized behind either warlord, launching themselves into a bloody civil war that has lasted to this day...

While it's important to note that the information in the Diablo I manual is "open to interpretation" (or [[retcon]] as it is often referred to), it is also relevant to the plot of Diablo III.
[[Jay Wilson]] made this comment in a fansite interview[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/jay-wilson-diablo3.cc-interview-full-transcript/]:

<blue> If the player thinks they outsmarted the forces of Hell and evil and they basically won, well, they are in for a big shock. Because what they are going to discover in Diablo 3 is that things have gone pretty exactly the way Hell wanted them to go all along.</blue>

This could refer to plots laid out by Azmodan and Belial, or to the [[Worldstone]], or to both and more. It remains to be seen precisely what role the lesser evils will play in Diablo III.

==Reference==
* [http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/101/1017305p3.html IGN interviews Jay Wilson]
* [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/jay-wilson-diablo3.cc-interview-full-transcript/ Diablo3.cc Interview with Jay Wilson]

[[File:Belial-BC2011.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Belial, Lord of Lies. Concept art shown at Blizzcon 2011]]

<gallery>
Image:Belial-BC2011.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Belial.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Belial3.jpg|Concept art.
</gallery>

{{Template:Monster navbox|demon}}
{{Template:Character navbox|Imp}}

[[Category:Lesser Evils]]
[[Category:Great Evils]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Demons]]
[[Category:Bosses]]

Azmodan

2012-05-27T02:57:30Z

ParishLokan: /* History */

'''Azmodan''', or the '''Lord of Sin''' is one of the four [[Lesser Evils]]. Azmodan is a major enemy in Diablo III, appearing in at least one of the cinematics (the [[Black Soulstone cinematic]]), as well as in the game. No in-game view of Azmodan has been seen yet, but he's known to be the ultimate boss of [[Act Three]], where he serves as the leader of the armies invading Sanctuary through the [[Arreat Crater]].

==History==

[[Image:Portrait Azmodan.png|left|thumb|Azmodan's Diablo III profile image.]]

Azmodan, the Lord of Sin, is one of the seven Prime Evils. He's classified as one of the four Lesser Evils, along with [[Belial]], [[Andariel]], and [[Duriel]]. During the Eternal Conflict Azmodan won many battles against the High Heavens, and gained renown as the most capable battlefield commander of all the Lords of Hell; his ability to surpass Baal was only due to the latter's volatile nature and brashness in war.

As the Prime Evils turned their attention to the mortal world of Sanctuary, the Lesser Evils grew restless. Eventually, Belial, the Lord of Lies, manipulated Azmodan into leading a revolt against the Prime Evils. Azmodan is best known for events during the Sin Wars, when his alliance with Belial gave their combined demonic armies enough strength to defeat and banish the three Prime Evils into the mortal realm. (There is some speculation that the Prime Evils engineered their own exile and subsequent capture by the Soul Stones as an elaborate plot to ultimately gain more power.)

Azmodan and Belial's triumph was brief, for they fell back into war with each other as soon as they no longer had to cooperate against the Prime Evils. Azmodan's tactical acumen and overwhelming force allowed him to dominate the Civil War and defeat his rivals, including Belial.

From the early information we have about the [[plot]] of Diablo III, it seems that Azmodan has become ascendant in the Burning Hells, and is acting as the leader of the realm in leading a massive demonic army to invade [[Sanctuary]]; one of the key plot events of Diablo III.

===The Lord of Sin===

[[File:Azmodan-cinematic1.jpg|thumb|300px|Azmodan in the D3 cinematic.]]
Azmodan as a physical being is an incarnate of all seven of the deadly sins: wrath, greed, sloth, price, lust, envy, and gluttony. He also controls powerful demons who personify each of those sins, two of whom will be seen in the initial version of Diablo III.

One of these has long been known, Gluttony Incarnate, the [[Thousand Pounder]]. A second was revealed during a [[BlizzCon 2011]] panel as [[Cydaea]], the Maiden of Lust. (Formerly known as the [[Mistress of Pain]].

There's no word on the other five incarnate sins, but it's presumed they will appear in the Diablo III expansions. (Which might hint at future developments; would Azmodan's lieutenants still be formidable enemies if Azmodan himself has been utterly destroyed?)

===Belial and Azmodan in the Diablo I Manual===

Azmodan is featured alongside Belial in the [[Diablo I Manual]] when the civil war between the lesser and prime evils is explained:

::In their ignorance, the Lesser Evils began to believe that the Three were afraid to continue the war with Heaven. Frustrated by the cessation of the war, Azmodan and Belial saw the situation as their chance to overthrow the Prime Evils and take control of Hell for themselves. The two demon lords made a pact with their minor brethren, assuring them that the wretched plague of humanity would not deter the ultimate victory of the sons of Hell. Azmodan and Belial devised a plan to end the stalemate, achieve victory in the Sin War and ultimately ride the bloody crest of the Great Conflict straight into the very arms of Armageddon. Thus, a great revolution was set into motion as all of Hell went to war against the Three Brothers...

[[File:Azmodan-BC2011.jpg|thumb|300px|Concept art for Azmodan.]]
::The Brothers fought with all of the savagery of the Underworld, and to their credit, annihilated a third of Hell’s treacherous legions. In the end, however, they were overcome by the Horned Death led by the traitors Azmodan and Belial. The Prime Evils, weakened and bodiless, were banished to the mortal realm where Azmodan hoped that they would remain trapped forever. Azmodan believed that with the Three set loose upon humanity, the Angels would be forced to turn their focus upon on the mortal plane - thus leaving the Gates of Heaven abandoned and defenseless. Those few demons who still pledged allegiance to the Three Brothers fled the wrath of Azmodan and Belial, escaping to the realm of Man to seek out their lost Masters.

::As the warfires died out upon the battlefields of Hell, Azmodan and Belial began to argue over which of them held the higher authority. The pact that they had made quickly fell to ashes as the two demon lords took up arms against each other. The legions of Hell that remained were polarized behind either warlord, launching themselves into a bloody civil war that has lasted to this day...

<gallery>
File:Azmodan-cinematic1.jpg|As seen in the Black Soulstone cinematic.
File:Azmodan by norsechowder-blizzcon2011.jpg|BlizzCon 2011 poster artwork.
Image:Azmodan-BC2011.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Azmodan2.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Azmodan3.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Azmodan4.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Azmodan5.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Azmodan6.jpg|Concept art.
File:Azmodan-pumpkin.jpg|Jack 'o lantern version, from 2011 contest.
File:Portrait boss azmodan.png|Boss portrait.
Image:Azmodan_ingame.jpg|In-game render of Azmodan.
</gallery>

{{Template:Monster navbox|demon}}

[[Category:Lesser Evils]]
[[Category:Great Evils]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Demons]]

Azmodan

2012-05-27T02:56:40Z

ParishLokan:

'''Azmodan''', or the '''Lord of Sin''' is one of the four [[Lesser Evils]]. Azmodan is a major enemy in Diablo III, appearing in at least one of the cinematics (the [[Black Soulstone cinematic]]), as well as in the game. No in-game view of Azmodan has been seen yet, but he's known to be the ultimate boss of [[Act Three]], where he serves as the leader of the armies invading Sanctuary through the [[Arreat Crater]].

==History==

[[Image:Portrait Azmodan.png|left|thumb|Azmodan's Diablo III profile image.]]

Azmodan, the Lord of Sin, is one of the seven Prime Evils. He's classified as one of the four Lesser Evils, along with [[Belial]], [[Andariel]], and [[Duriel]]. During the Eternal Conflict Azmodan won many battles against the High Heavens, and gained renown as the most capable battlefield commander of all the Lords of Hell; his ability to surpass Baal was only due to the latter's volatile nature and brashness in war. As the Prime Evils turned their attention to the mortal world of Sanctuary, the Lesser Evils grew restless. Eventually, Belial, the Lord of Lies, manipulated Azmodan into leading a revolt against the Prime Evils. Azmodan is best known for events during the Sin Wars, when his alliance with Belial gave their combined demonic armies enough strength to defeat and banish the three Prime Evils into the mortal realm. (There is some speculation that the Prime Evils engineered their own exile and subsequent capture by the Soul Stones as an elaborate plot to ultimately gain more power.)

Azmodan and Belial's triumph was brief, for they fell back into war with each other as soon as they no longer had to cooperate against the Prime Evils. Azmodan's tactical acumen and overwhelming force allowed him to dominate the Civil War and defeat his rivals, including Belial.

From the early information we have about the [[plot]] of Diablo III, it seems that Azmodan has become ascendant in the Burning Hells, and is acting as the leader of the realm in leading a massive demonic army to invade [[Sanctuary]]; one of the key plot events of Diablo III.

===The Lord of Sin===

[[File:Azmodan-cinematic1.jpg|thumb|300px|Azmodan in the D3 cinematic.]]
Azmodan as a physical being is an incarnate of all seven of the deadly sins: wrath, greed, sloth, price, lust, envy, and gluttony. He also controls powerful demons who personify each of those sins, two of whom will be seen in the initial version of Diablo III.

One of these has long been known, Gluttony Incarnate, the [[Thousand Pounder]]. A second was revealed during a [[BlizzCon 2011]] panel as [[Cydaea]], the Maiden of Lust. (Formerly known as the [[Mistress of Pain]].

There's no word on the other five incarnate sins, but it's presumed they will appear in the Diablo III expansions. (Which might hint at future developments; would Azmodan's lieutenants still be formidable enemies if Azmodan himself has been utterly destroyed?)

===Belial and Azmodan in the Diablo I Manual===

Azmodan is featured alongside Belial in the [[Diablo I Manual]] when the civil war between the lesser and prime evils is explained:

::In their ignorance, the Lesser Evils began to believe that the Three were afraid to continue the war with Heaven. Frustrated by the cessation of the war, Azmodan and Belial saw the situation as their chance to overthrow the Prime Evils and take control of Hell for themselves. The two demon lords made a pact with their minor brethren, assuring them that the wretched plague of humanity would not deter the ultimate victory of the sons of Hell. Azmodan and Belial devised a plan to end the stalemate, achieve victory in the Sin War and ultimately ride the bloody crest of the Great Conflict straight into the very arms of Armageddon. Thus, a great revolution was set into motion as all of Hell went to war against the Three Brothers...

[[File:Azmodan-BC2011.jpg|thumb|300px|Concept art for Azmodan.]]
::The Brothers fought with all of the savagery of the Underworld, and to their credit, annihilated a third of Hell’s treacherous legions. In the end, however, they were overcome by the Horned Death led by the traitors Azmodan and Belial. The Prime Evils, weakened and bodiless, were banished to the mortal realm where Azmodan hoped that they would remain trapped forever. Azmodan believed that with the Three set loose upon humanity, the Angels would be forced to turn their focus upon on the mortal plane - thus leaving the Gates of Heaven abandoned and defenseless. Those few demons who still pledged allegiance to the Three Brothers fled the wrath of Azmodan and Belial, escaping to the realm of Man to seek out their lost Masters.

::As the warfires died out upon the battlefields of Hell, Azmodan and Belial began to argue over which of them held the higher authority. The pact that they had made quickly fell to ashes as the two demon lords took up arms against each other. The legions of Hell that remained were polarized behind either warlord, launching themselves into a bloody civil war that has lasted to this day...

<gallery>
File:Azmodan-cinematic1.jpg|As seen in the Black Soulstone cinematic.
File:Azmodan by norsechowder-blizzcon2011.jpg|BlizzCon 2011 poster artwork.
Image:Azmodan-BC2011.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Azmodan2.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Azmodan3.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Azmodan4.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Azmodan5.jpg|Concept art.
Image:Azmodan6.jpg|Concept art.
File:Azmodan-pumpkin.jpg|Jack 'o lantern version, from 2011 contest.
File:Portrait boss azmodan.png|Boss portrait.
Image:Azmodan_ingame.jpg|In-game render of Azmodan.
</gallery>

{{Template:Monster navbox|demon}}

[[Category:Lesser Evils]]
[[Category:Great Evils]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Demons]]

Zoltun Kulle

2012-05-27T01:53:48Z

ParishLokan:

[[Image:Portrait Zoltan Complete.png|right|thumb|150px|Zoltun Kulle]]
'''Zoltun Kulle''' was one of the original, founding members of the [[Horadrim]] who took a precipitous turn towards evil. A mage of immense power, at one time he was the most dangerous man in the world of Sanctuary. To confront this threat, the forces of Sanctuary teamed together and worked in vain to destroy Zolton Kulle, as he had already discovered the secret to immortality. As a working solution to this, his head was severed and buried in the desert while his body was imprisoned in an alternate dimension.<ref>Blizzcon 2011 - Diablo III Lore Panel. Comments by Kevin Martens.</ref>

{{stub}}

==Background==
Much of the background of Zoltun Kulle remains largely a mystery. The scholar, [[Abd al-Hazir]], however, possessed one of the texts written by this Horadric mage: ''[[Demonicus de Zoltun Kulle]]''. Abd al-Hazir used this text as a corroborating cross reference to the [[Vizjerei]] tomes he frequently consulted. However, the information in Vizjerei texts were highly suspect, as Abd al-Hazir describes:

:"As my readers are well aware, early Vizjerei writings are often little more than self-serving propaganda aimed at whitewashing heinous deeds committed by the mage clan."

How Abd al-Hazir came by this records is unknown.

==Brother of the Horadrim==

Zoltun Kulle was among the founding members of the Horadrim, alongside six other mages. Records passed down from [[Jered Cain]] to his descendant, [[Deckard Cain]], implied Zoltun Kulle was an accomplished member of the [[Ennead]] clain, implying implicit skill in transmutation, alteration and alchemy. While Kulle originally proved to be a noble and insightful addition to the Horadric brotherhood, the hunt for the three [[Prime Evils]] left him hollow and twisted. He endeavored to craft a soulstone empowered to contain the souls of angels and demons. While its creation may have originally been an attempt at repairing his broken spirit, an aspect of madness and hunger for power manifested itself. At some point in the throes of madness, Kulle was convinced that this singular [[Black Soulstone]] would prove critical in saving mankind from an unseen threat.

The remainder of the Horadrim learned of Zoltun Kulle's experiments. Under Jered Cain, the brotherhood hunted down their former comrade-in-arms. Although Kulle was acknowledged as being one of the most powerful beings in the world, the combined efforts of the Horadrim finally defeated him. The Black Soulstone, though left incomplete by Kulle, was never found.

Much to the chagrin of the Horadrim, Kulle's experiments had left him effectively immortal. They dismembered his body, isolating his head and draining his blood. Even so, Kulle's spirit remained restless and refused to leave the mortal plain.

==Rise of the Nephalem==
Centuries after Zoltun Kulle's defeat, the Prime Evils were released from their bondage and once more wreaked havoc on the world of Sanctuary. Diablo, Mephisto and Baal, empowered by the Soulstones that once bound them, rallied the armies of Hell and attempted to conquer humanity. However, a brave band of warriors retraced the steps of the Horadrim and defeated the Prime Evils one by one. In the end, only Baal, the Lord of Destruction, remained. He was successful at corrupting the World Stone, the monolithic artifact that hid the world from Heaven and Hell, as well as limited the power of humanity. After Baal's defeat, the archangel Tyrael obliterated the Worldstone. As a result, Baal's spirit was cast into the Black Abyss, and Sanctuary was unveiled to Heaven and Hell. Most importantly, its power restrictions over humanity were lifted, paving the way for the power of the [[Nephalem]] to resurface in humanity.

Twenty years later, the remaining lords of Hell, Belial and Azmodan, began their plans to conquer Sanctuary. A party of Nephalem emerged to counter the armies of Hell. In time, the adventurers crossed paths with Adria, a witch and former resident of Tristram. She discovered the Black Soulstone of Zoltun Kulle and posited it would be pivotal in turning the tide against Hell. The Black Soulstone would be capable of imprisoning all the lords of Hell, saving the world from their corruption forever. However, the Black Soulstone had been left incomplete, necessitating the revival of Zoltun Kulle himself.

==Archives of Zoltun Kulle==
The [[Archives of Zoltun Kulle]] was an area that was teased during [[Blizzcon 2011]]. Portions of it were playable in the [[Blizzcon 2009]] floor demo and were the crumbling underground dungeons within the desert surrounding [[Caldeum]].

The subterranean complex is a place of great power, with the relics of an age long past still humming with magical energy. Ancient wards and defenses were placed to guard the imprisoned head of Zoltun Kulle from the ill-intentioned seeking to restore or disturb the once great, Horadric mage.

The Archives of Zoltun Kulle will feature into the main quest of Diablo III in some way, but the pretext for the heroes' exploration of these ruins is still a mystery.

[[File:ArchivesOfZK1-BC2011.jpg|center|thumb|600px|The Archives of Zoltun Kulle, lair of the twisted Horadric mage.]]

==Media==
<gallery>
File:ArchivesOfZK1-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 1.
File:ArchivesOfZK2-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 2.
File:ArchivesOfZK3-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 3.
File:ArchivesOfZK4-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 4.
File:ArchivesOfZK5-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 5.
File:Portrait boss zoltun.png |Portrait of Zoltun Kulle.
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

{{Character navbox|Imp}}

{{Lore navbox|manual}}

[[category:Characters]]

Black Soulstone

2012-05-27T00:25:54Z

ParishLokan:

[[File:Black-soulstone-painting.jpg|left|thumb|250px|The Black Soulstone painting.]]
The Black Soulstone was spotted in April 2011, hanging in the Diablo III wing of the Blizzard Irvine art museum. [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/the-black-soulstone/]

The painting's caption reads:

::Black Soulstone Concept
::Bernie Kang
::2010

Nothing more is known about this work, and where it fits into Diablo III's [[story]] or [[lore]] is unknown. Blizzard has offered no comment on the object/painting.

==Leading Theories==

In the absence of any official word, fan speculation has run rampant.[http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=802017] While there is no leading consensus, many fans feel the Black Soulstone is a shard of the [[Worldstone]], which [[Tyrael]] shattered after [[Baal]]'s death, in events that took place at the end of Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, twenty years before the story picks up in Diablo III.

Why the "soulstone" is black, where it's located, and what it's been doing for the past twenty years is entirely unknown.

One theory holds that [[Tyrael]] was imprisoned in a shard of the Worldstone, perhaps this black one, and that's why he has not been seen since. There's no known lore to support Angels being trapped in soulstones (as Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal were), but it a soulstone can contain the essence of a demon while its trespassing on the mortal realm, why not an Archangel?

Other fans have suggested that this is just another soulstone created by the High Heavens (Tyrael or some other archangel) to contain another rampaging demon let loose upon Sanctuary.

Nothing is likely to be confirmed about this relic until the game is released and we can see how it's handled in the actual [[storyline]].

==Diablo III==
The Black Soulstone was crafted by the ex-Horadric mage, Zoltun Kulle. Originally a member of the Ennead mage clan, he was an accomplished alchemist with profound powers of transmutation and alteration. Among the founding members of the Horadrim, he accompanied his brothers across Sanctuary as the fledgling order pursued the Prime Evils Diablo, Mephisto and Baal. Charged with carrying and overseeing the use of Soulstones crafted by the archangel Tyrael, Kulle was essential in the binding of the three.

After spending years pursuing the Prime Evils, the trauma and prolonged exposure to demonic influences left Zoltun Kulle hollow and mad. He retired from the Horadrim and took up arcane research. He eventually crafted the Black Soulstone, an artifact capable of containing the essence of both angels and demons. However, his endeavors were interrupted by his former colleagues the Horadrim. While their intervention preventing Kulle from finishing the Black Soulstone, it was never found by his former brothers.

It wouldn't be until years later, when Zoltun Kulle was resurrected by a band of Nephalem, that the Black Soulstone was completed and used to imprison the spirits of the Greater Evils of Hell.

[[File:Bliz-irvine-museum-april2011.jpg|center|thumb|650px|The Black Soulstone (lower right) hangs in the Diablo III wing of the Blizzard Irvine art museum. April, 2011.]]

{{Lore navbox|history}}

[[category:story]]
[[category:lore]]

Zoltun Kulle

2012-05-27T00:16:06Z

ParishLokan:

[[Image:Portrait Zoltan Complete.png|right|thumb|150px|Zoltun Kulle]]
'''Zoltun Kulle''' was one of the original, founding members of the [[Horadrim]] who took a precipitous turn towards evil. A mage of immense power, at one time he was the most dangerous man in the world of Sanctuary. To confront this threat, the forces of Sanctuary teamed together and worked in vain to destroy Zolton Kulle, as he had already discovered the secret to immortality. As a working solution to this, his head was severed and buried in the desert while his body was imprisoned in an alternate dimension.<ref>Blizzcon 2011 - Diablo III Lore Panel. Comments by Kevin Martens.</ref>

{{stub}}

==Background==
Much of the background of Zoltun Kulle remains largely a mystery. The scholar, [[Abd al-Hazir]], however, possessed one of the texts written by this Horadric mage: ''[[Demonicus de Zoltun Kulle]]''. Abd al-Hazir used this text as a corroborating cross reference to the [[Vizjerei]] tomes he frequently consulted. However, the information in Vizjerei texts were highly suspect, as Abd al-Hazir describes:

:"As my readers are well aware, early Vizjerei writings are often little more than self-serving propaganda aimed at whitewashing heinous deeds committed by the mage clan."

How Abd al-Hazir came by this records is unknown.

==Brother of the Horadrim==

Zoltun Kulle was among the founding members of the Horadrim, alongside six other mages. Records passed down from [[Jered Cain]] to his descendant, [[Deckard Cain]], implied Zoltun Kulle was an accomplished member of the [[Ennead]] clain, implying implicit skill in transmutation, alteration and alchemy. While Kulle originally proved to be a noble and insightful addition to the Horadric brotherhood, the hunt for the three [[Prime Evils]] left him hollow and twisted. He endeavored to craft a soulstone empowered to contain the souls of angels and demons. While its creation may have originally been an attempt at repairing his broken spirit, an aspect of madness and hunger for power manifested itself. At some point in the throes of madness, Kulle was convinced that this singular [[Black Soulstone]] would prove critical in saving mankind from an unseen threat.

The remainder of the Horadrim learned of Zoltun Kulle's experiments. Under Jered Cain, the brotherhood hunted down their former comrade-in-arms. Although Kulle was acknowledged as being one of the most powerful beings in the world, the combined efforts of the Horadrim finally defeated him. The Black Soulstone, though left incomplete by Kulle, was never found.

Much to the chagrin of the Horadrim, Kulle's experiments had left him effectively immortal. They dismembered his body, isolating his head and draining his blood. Even so, Kulle's spirit remained restless and refused to leave the mortal plain.

==Archives of Zoltun Kulle==
The [[Archives of Zoltun Kulle]] was an area that was teased during [[Blizzcon 2011]]. Portions of it were playable in the [[Blizzcon 2009]] floor demo and were the crumbling underground dungeons within the desert surrounding [[Caldeum]].

The subterranean complex is a place of great power, with the relics of an age long past still humming with magical energy. Ancient wards and defenses were placed to guard the imprisoned head of Zoltun Kulle from the ill-intentioned seeking to restore or disturb the once great, Horadric mage.

The Archives of Zoltun Kulle will feature into the main quest of Diablo III in some way, but the pretext for the heroes' exploration of these ruins is still a mystery.

[[File:ArchivesOfZK1-BC2011.jpg|center|thumb|600px|The Archives of Zoltun Kulle, lair of the twisted Horadric mage.]]

==Media==
<gallery>
File:ArchivesOfZK1-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 1.
File:ArchivesOfZK2-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 2.
File:ArchivesOfZK3-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 3.
File:ArchivesOfZK4-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 4.
File:ArchivesOfZK5-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 5.
File:Portrait boss zoltun.png |Portrait of Zoltun Kulle.
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

{{Character navbox|Imp}}

{{Lore navbox|manual}}

[[category:Characters]]

Zoltun Kulle

2012-05-27T00:12:28Z

ParishLokan: /* Background */

[[Image:Portrait Zoltan Complete.png|right|thumb|150px|Zoltun Kulle]]
'''Zoltun Kulle''' was one of the original, founding members of the [[Horadrim]] who took a precipitous turn towards evil. A mage of immense power, at one time he was the most dangerous man in the world of Sanctuary. To confront this threat, the forces of Sanctuary teamed together and worked in vain to destroy Zolton Kulle, as he had already discovered the secret to immortality. As a working solution to this, his head was severed and buried in the desert while his body was imprisoned in an alternate dimension.<ref>Blizzcon 2011 - Diablo III Lore Panel. Comments by Kevin Martens.</ref>

{{stub}}

==Background==
Much of the background of Zoltun Kulle remains largely a mystery. The scholar, [[Abd al-Hazir]], however, possessed one of the texts written by this Horadric mage: ''[[Demonicus de Zoltun Kulle]]''. Abd al-Hazir used this text as a corroborating cross reference to the [[Vizjerei]] tomes he frequently consulted. However, the information in Vizjerei texts were highly suspect, as Abd al-Hazir describes:

:"As my readers are well aware, early Vizjerei writings are often little more than self-serving propaganda aimed at whitewashing heinous deeds committed by the mage clan."

How Abd al-Hazir came by this records is unknown.

==Brother of the Horadrim==

Zoltun Kulle was among the founding members of the Horadrim, alongside six other mages. Records passed down from Jered Cain to his descendant, Deckard Cain, implied Zoltun Kulle was an accomplished member of the Ennead clain, implying implicit skill in transmutation, alteration and alchemy. While Kulle originally proved to be a noble and insightful addition to the Horadric brotherhood, the hunt for the three Prime Evils left him hollow and twisted. He endeavored to craft a soulstone empowered to contain the souls of angels and demons. While its creation may have originally been an attempt at repairing his broken spirit, an aspect of madness and hunger for power manifested itself. At some point in the throes of madness, Kulle was convinced that this Black Soulstone would prove critical in saving mankind from an unseen threat.

The remainder of the Horadrim learned of Zoltun Kulle's experiments. Under Jered Cain, the brotherhood hunted down their former comrade-in-arms. Although Kulle was acknowledged as being one of the most powerful beings in the world, the combined efforts of the Horadrim finally defeated him. The Black Soulstone, though left incomplete by Kulle, was never found by the Horadrim.

Much to the chagrin of the Horadrim, Kulle's experiments had left him effectively immortal. They dismembered his body, isolating his head and draining his blood. Even so, Kulle's spirit remained restless and refused to leave the mortal plain.

==Archives of Zoltun Kulle==
The [[Archives of Zoltun Kulle]] was an area that was teased during [[Blizzcon 2011]]. Portions of it were playable in the [[Blizzcon 2009]] floor demo and were the crumbling underground dungeons within the desert surrounding [[Caldeum]].

The subterranean complex is a place of great power, with the relics of an age long past still humming with magical energy. Ancient wards and defenses were placed to guard the imprisoned head of Zoltun Kulle from the ill-intentioned seeking to restore or disturb the once great, Horadric mage.

The Archives of Zoltun Kulle will feature into the main quest of Diablo III in some way, but the pretext for the heroes' exploration of these ruins is still a mystery.

[[File:ArchivesOfZK1-BC2011.jpg|center|thumb|600px|The Archives of Zoltun Kulle, lair of the twisted Horadric mage.]]

==Media==
<gallery>
File:ArchivesOfZK1-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 1.
File:ArchivesOfZK2-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 2.
File:ArchivesOfZK3-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 3.
File:ArchivesOfZK4-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 4.
File:ArchivesOfZK5-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 5.
File:Portrait boss zoltun.png |Portrait of Zoltun Kulle.
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

{{Character navbox|Imp}}

{{Lore navbox|manual}}

[[category:Characters]]

Zoltun Kulle

2012-05-27T00:11:38Z

ParishLokan:

[[Image:Portrait Zoltan Complete.png|right|thumb|150px|Zoltun Kulle]]
'''Zoltun Kulle''' was one of the original, founding members of the [[Horadrim]] who took a precipitous turn towards evil. A mage of immense power, at one time he was the most dangerous man in the world of Sanctuary. To confront this threat, the forces of Sanctuary teamed together and worked in vain to destroy Zolton Kulle, as he had already discovered the secret to immortality. As a working solution to this, his head was severed and buried in the desert while his body was imprisoned in an alternate dimension.<ref>Blizzcon 2011 - Diablo III Lore Panel. Comments by Kevin Martens.</ref>

{{stub}}

==Background==
Much of the background of Zoltun Kulle remains largely a mystery. The scholar, [[Abd al-Hazir]], however, possessed one of the texts written by this Horadric mage: ''[[Demonicus de Zoltun Kulle]]''. Abd al-Hazir used this text as a corroborating cross reference to the [[Vizjerei]] tomes he frequently consulted. However, the information in Vizjerei texts were highly suspect, as Abd al-Hazir describes:

:"As my readers are well aware, early Vizjerei writings are often little more than self-serving propaganda aimed at whitewashing heinous deeds committed by the mage clan."

Zoltun Kulle was among the founding members of the Horadrim, alongside six other mages. Records passed down from Jered Cain to his descendant, Deckard Cain, implied Zoltun Kulle was an accomplished member of the Ennead clain, implying implicit skill in transmutation, alteration and alchemy. While Kulle originally proved to be a noble and insightful addition to the Horadric brotherhood, the hunt for the three Prime Evils left him hollow and twisted. He endeavored to craft a soulstone empowered to contain the souls of angels and demons. While its creation may have originally been an attempt at repairing his broken spirit, an aspect of madness and hunger for power manifested itself. At some point in the throes of madness, Kulle was convinced that this Black Soulstone would prove critical in saving mankind from an unseen threat.

The remainder of the Horadrim learned of Zoltun Kulle's experiments. Under Jered Cain, the brotherhood hunted down their former comrade-in-arms. Although Kulle was acknowledged as being one of the most powerful beings in the world, the combined efforts of the Horadrim finally defeated him. The Black Soulstone, though left incomplete by Kulle, was never found by the Horadrim.

Much to the chagrin of the Horadrim, Kulle's experiments had left him effectively immortal. They dismembered his body, isolating his head and draining his blood. Even so, Kulle's spirit remained restless and refused to leave the mortal plain.

==Archives of Zoltun Kulle==
The [[Archives of Zoltun Kulle]] was an area that was teased during [[Blizzcon 2011]]. Portions of it were playable in the [[Blizzcon 2009]] floor demo and were the crumbling underground dungeons within the desert surrounding [[Caldeum]].

The subterranean complex is a place of great power, with the relics of an age long past still humming with magical energy. Ancient wards and defenses were placed to guard the imprisoned head of Zoltun Kulle from the ill-intentioned seeking to restore or disturb the once great, Horadric mage.

The Archives of Zoltun Kulle will feature into the main quest of Diablo III in some way, but the pretext for the heroes' exploration of these ruins is still a mystery.

[[File:ArchivesOfZK1-BC2011.jpg|center|thumb|600px|The Archives of Zoltun Kulle, lair of the twisted Horadric mage.]]

==Media==
<gallery>
File:ArchivesOfZK1-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 1.
File:ArchivesOfZK2-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 2.
File:ArchivesOfZK3-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 3.
File:ArchivesOfZK4-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 4.
File:ArchivesOfZK5-BC2011.jpg |Archives of Zoltun Kulle, concept 5.
File:Portrait boss zoltun.png |Portrait of Zoltun Kulle.
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

{{Character navbox|Imp}}

{{Lore navbox|manual}}

[[category:Characters]]

Horadrim

2012-05-26T23:31:28Z

ParishLokan: /* Background */

'''The Horadrim''' was a brotherhood of mages formed by the [[Archangel]] [[Tyrael]] to combat the Three [[Prime Evils]]: [[Diablo]], [[Mephisto]] and [[Baal]] on the mortal realm. A century after their apparent victory and success in imprisoning the Prime Evils, the brotherhood faded into history and legend.

==Background==
Around 1004, the Horadrim was formed from the major [[mage clan]]s in the East by [[Tyrael]] to defeat [[the Three]] who were wreaking havoc in the mortal realm. The Horadrim received three [[Soulstone]]s from Tyrael, which would serve as devices for the imprisonment of the Prime Evils.

Though their ranks would increase with time, the founding members of the Horadrim were seven in number. They represented each of the extant mage clans, pulling upon individuals from the Vizjerei, Ammuit, Taan and Ennead clans among others. Among the original founders were Jered Cain, Zoltun Kulle, Nor Tiraj and their leader, Tal Rasha.

===Hunting the Three===
[[Image:Horadrim_Sigil.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The sigil of the Horadrim.]]
Together, the disparate mage clans that formed the Horadrim proved to be a formidable force. The brotherhood easily captured [[Mephisto]], the Lord of Hatred, in [[Kehjistan]] and imprisoned him beneath the [[Temple of Light]] in [[Kurast]].

[[Diablo]] and [[Baal]] escaped Kehjistan, and ventured West across the sea to [[Aranoch]]. Led by [[Tal Rasha]], the Horadrim pursed [[Baal]] to the city of [[Lut Gholein]], where the Lord of Destruction took refuge for three days. Baal eventually emerged from Lut Gholein, and headed north into the Aranoch desert toward [[Scosglen]]. The Horadrim quickly descended upon him and a great battle ensued. Baal was overwhelmed by the determined magi, but in a last-ditch effort to destroy Tal Rasha, he succeeded in shattering the soulstone that was meant to serve as his prison.

While the Horadrim managed to subdue the Lord of Destruction, the shattered pieces of the soulstone were not able to contain the demon. They realized that a mortal vessel was needed in conjunction to bind Baal; the Ennead mage Zoltun Kulle hypothesized that a mortal heart could serve as a surrogate soulstone. It was [[Tal Rasha]] who selflessly volunteered to serve as that vessel and wrestle with the demon for all eternity.

Despite capturing Baal, Diablo managed to escape. For the next nine years, [[Jered Cain]] and the remaining Horadrim followed Diablo's wake of terror. In 1019, the Horadrim caught up to Diablo and a great battle unfolded that claimed the lives of many members of the brotherhood. Nevertheless, they were triumphant and the Lord of Terror was finally captured and imprisoned within the last of the soulstones. The Horadrim carried the cursed soulstone to the land of [[Khanduras]], where they buried it within a secluded cave near the river Talsande. Above the cave, they built a monastery from which they continued to guard the soulstone. Around this monastery was founded the town of [[Tristram]].

===Fate of the Horadrim===
With the threat seemingly gone, and no great quest to drive them, the Horadrim's numbers dwindled. The order eventually faded into history. The last known descendant of the Horadric brotherhood is [[Deckard Cain]], the great grandson of Jered Cain, a mere scholar with no experience in magic or battle. He would pass his teachings on to his adopted daughter Leah and others... if only they would sit a while and listen.

[[File:Horadrim-BC2011.jpg |center|thumb|600px|Artwork shown during the Diablo III Lore panel at [[Blizzcon 2011]]. During the segment that this was shown, [[Leonard Boyarsky]] described the [[Dark Exile]] and the role the [[Horadrim]] played in hunting down the [[Prime Evils]] and their minions. The image seems to depict a Horadric mage leading chained demons. The demon to the right appears to have been blasted by magical energy (perhaps for not keeping withdrawn like his companion).]]

==Hierarchy within the Order==
[[Image:The_Horadrim.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Horadrim.]]
*'''[[Initiate]]''' was one of the highest ranks a Horadrim mage could have. Known initiates included [[Tal Rasha]] and [[Jered Cain]].

*'''[[Acolyte]]''' seems to have been a lower rank than Initiate, though what characteristics or privileges distinguished this rank from Initiate are largely unknown.

==Traditions==
The Horadrim used to mummify their highest mages, and infuse them with spells that would allow them to protect their tombs, even after death,[http://www.diablowiki.net/Deckard_Cain_dialogue] possibly using magic from the [[Priests of Rathma]].

When Diablo travelled through [[Lut Gholein]], he managed to corrupt one such mage, who terrorized the city. This was only possible since the ancient guardian spells had begun to unravel.

==Known Members==
* [[Tal Rasha]] - [[Initiate]] and leader of the Horadrim. He sacrificed himself for the imprisonment of [[Baal]].
* [[Jered Cain]] - [[Initiate]] of the Horadrim. He led the group of Horadrim monks who successfully captured [[Diablo]].
* [[Nor Tiraj]] - [[Acolyte]] whose journal describes the capture of Diablo, which occurred around year 1019 in the [http://us.blizzard.com/diablo3/world/timeline.xml Diablo timeline].
* [http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Radament%27s_Lair Radament the Fallen] - A mummified member of the Horadrim who was stirred into unrest by the passage of [[Diablo]] through [[Lut Gholein]].
* [[Zoltun Kulle]] - One of the founding members of the Horadrim. He later turned to the path of evil.

:[[Deckard Cain]], while merely a descendant of Jered Cain, believes himself to be the last of the Horadrim.

==Trivia==
The Norwegian black metal band '''Ancient''' composed a song called "The Ancient Horadrim" that seems to borrow heavily from the lore of the [[Diablo Universe]] for its lyrics. The song was released with their fifth album, ''Proxima Centauri''.

==Media==
<gallery>
File:Horadrim_Sigil.jpg |Sigil of the Horadrim.
File:Horadrim-BC2011.jpg |Pursuit of the Prime Evils.
File:The_Horadrim.jpg |The Horadrim.
</gallery>

==References==
* [[Diablo I Manual]]
* [[Diablo II Manual]]
* [[Deckard Cain dialogue]]s
* [[The Nature of the Soulstones]] by [[Jered Cain]]

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[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Horadrim]]