Librarius Ex Horadrim

Ex Libris Horadrim links here.

Librarius Ex Horadrim (and likely also Ex Libris Horadrim) is a series of books created by Horadrim mages to explain the world of Sanctuary and its history. It touches a lot upon the Great Conflict, the Sin War and the Prime Evils.

Two Known Books

There are two known books in the series:

• Librarius Ex Horadrim - Book One: Of Heaven and Hell
• Librarius Ex Horadrim - Book Two: The Return of Terror

The source is the Diablo I Manual and the in-world author is not known, but it's assumed to be one of the many Horadrim mages or scholars that were still alive after Diablo and his brothers were imprisoned.

The second book is more mysterious, as the author knows more than any living Horadrim scholar could (Deckard Cain is believed to be the only one), but it might just be put down to writing a game manual.

Long Road's End

“What fires burn within my heart and force me to contend
With the perils that await me at this tragic journey’s end?

I have walked the roads that lead to Hell, I have challenged all but Fate.
I have fought and bled and carried on just to reach this final gate.
And now the task before me looms, this dire deed undone;
I shall make my stand against the Three until the battle's won.

What fear or wound could ever still this last defiant cry,
As I stand against the Shadow 'neath the endless burning sky?”

– C. Vincent Metzen

[Ex Libris Horadrim]

Real World Speculation

This is a poem found on page 78 in the manual for Diablo II. It's written by Chris Metzen to add some flavour in the manual, and is listed as part of [Ex Libris Horadrim], which likely just is a mistake for Librarius Ex Horadrim, the books mentioned in the first manual. Whether it's an excerpt from another book, or just a leaf accompanying Horadrim books is unknown.

Since it's a poem and it's "signed" by C. Vincent Metzen, it's not impossible that there is a character named Metzen who has lived in the world of Sanctuary at some point, considering it's still also marked as part of an in-world book series called Ex Libris Horadrim.

Regardless of if that is true or not, however, it does not mean this "Metzen" character wrote anything else in the Librarius Ex Horadrim.

References

• Diablo I Manual
• Diablo II Manual