Diablo 4 is the latest installment in the popular action role-playing game series developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The game takes place 50 years after the events of Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls, where the Nephalem, the descendants of angels and demons, defeated the Prime Evil Malthael. However, the peace and balance of Sanctuary, the world where humans live, is threatened by a new evil that rises from the shadows: Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto and the mother of humanity.
The Return of Lilith
The game begins with a prologue that introduces the main antagonist and sets the tone for the rest of the story. A group of cultists, led by a mysterious man named Rathma, perform a dark ritual to summon Lilith from her prison in the Void. Lilith is a powerful demoness who, along with her lover Inarius, created Sanctuary as a refuge from the eternal war between Heaven and Hell. They also gave birth to the first Nephalem, stronger than angels and demons. However, Lilith became obsessed with her children's power and tried to kill Inarius and use the Nephalem to overthrow both Heaven and Hell. Inarius managed to stop her and banished her to the Void, where she remained for thousands of years.
Lilith's return is heralded by a blood-red moon and a surge of dark energy that spreads across Sanctuary. She declares herself as the Mother of Sanctuary and promises to free humanity from the tyranny of Heaven and Hell. She also reveals that she has a plan to awaken the dormant power of the Nephalem within humans and use them as her army to conquer all creation.
A Cold and Iron Faith
The game's first act follows the player character, who is one of the five playable classes: Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue, or Sorcerer. The player character is a wanderer who arrives in Kehjistan, a desert region that is home to many ancient secrets and mysteries. There, they encounter a group of refugees who are fleeing from a fanatical religious order called the Order of Light.
The Order of Light is a cult that worships Inarius as a god and believes that he will return to save humanity from Lilith. They are led by Archbishop Lazarus, who claims to have visions from Inarius himself. The Order of Light is ruthless and violent and persecutes anyone who does not follow their doctrine or who shows signs of being a Nephalem.
The player character decides to help the refugees and joins forces with Neyrelle, a former Order member who rebelled against Lazarus. They uncover the truth behind Lazarus' visions and his connection to Lilith. They also learn more about Inarius' history and his role in creating Sanctuary.
The Knife Twists Again
The game's second act takes place in Scosglen, a forested region plagued by corruption and chaos. There, the player character meets Deckard Cain's niece Leah (Jennifer Hale), who survived Malthael's attack on Tristram and has been searching for clues about her uncle's fate. Leah has discovered that Deckard Cain was not killed by Malthael but was captured by Lilith's cultists and taken to an unknown location.
Leah asks for the player character's help to find Deckard Cain and rescue him from Lilith's clutches. Along the way, they encounter various threats and allies, such as werewolves, druids, witches, bandits, and bounty hunters. They also learn more about Lilith's plan to awaken the Nephalem power within humans and how she is using Deckard Cain's knowledge to achieve it.
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The Making of Monsters
The game's third act takes place in Xiansai, an island region known for its magic and culture. There, the player character meets Zoltun Kulle (Steven Blum), an ancient Horadrim mage whom Leah resurrected in Diablo 3. Zoltun Kulle claims to have information about Lilith's whereabouts and offers to share it with the player character in exchange for their cooperation.
Zoltun Kulle reveals that Lilith has been using an ancient Worldstone artifact to manipulate reality and create her version of Sanctuary. The Worldstone is a powerful relic that Inarius used to shape Sanctuary and hide it from Heaven and Hell. Tyrael also used it to weaken Nephalem's power within humans. However, Baal destroyed it in Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction, causing its fragments to scatter across Sanctuary.
Zoltun Kulle explains that Lilith has been collecting these fragments and using them to create her own Worldstone, which she calls the Throne of Hatred. She has also been using it to create her own Nephalem, who are loyal to her and have enhanced abilities. Zoltun Kulle proposes to help the player character stop Lilith and destroy the Throne of Hatred, but he also has his own agenda and ulterior motives.
A Gathering Storm
The game's fourth act takes place in the Dry Steppes, a barren region ravaged by war and famine. There, the player character meets Tyrael (Jonathan Adams), the former Archangel of Justice who became a mortal in Diablo 3. Tyrael has been leading the Horadrim, a group of mages who are dedicated to protecting Sanctuary from evil. Tyrael has been trying to stop Lilith's cultists from spreading her influence and corrupting humans.
Tyrael warns the player character that Lilith is preparing to launch her final assault on Sanctuary and that they must stop her before it is too late. He also reveals that Lilith is not the only threat they face, as other forces are plotting against them. He mentions that Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred and Lilith's father, has escaped from his prison in Hell and is seeking revenge on his daughter and all of creation. He also mentions that Rathma, the mysterious man who summoned Lilith, is the first Nephalem and Lilith's son and has a hidden agenda that could endanger everyone.
Tyrael asks for the player character's help to gather allies and resources to face Lilith and her army. He also asks them to find a way to trap Lilith in a Soulstone, a device that can contain the essence of demons and angels. He says that killing Lilith would only strengthen her, as she would be reborn in the Void and return with more power.
From the Wound Spilled
The game's ending occurs in Pandemonium, the realm between Heaven and Hell, where the eternal war rages on. There, the player character confronts Lilith at the Throne of Hatred, where she has gathered her Nephalem army and is ready to unleash her wrath on Sanctuary. The player character is joined by Neyrelle, Leah, Zoltun Kulle, Tyrael, and other allies who have survived the journey.
The final battle is epic and brutal, as Lilith unleashes her full power and summons various enemies and bosses from previous Diablo games. The player character manages to fight their way through Lilith's defenses and reach the Throne of Hatred, where they face Lilith herself in a one-on-one duel.
However, before they can trap Lilith in a Soulstone, they are interrupted by Inarius, who appears out of nowhere and attacks Lilith. Inarius reveals that he has escaped from his prison in Hell, where Mephisto tortured him for millennia. He says that he wants to kill Lilith himself and claim the glory of saving Sanctuary, hoping that this will redeem him in the eyes of Heaven.
Lilith and Inarius engage in a fierce fight while the player character watches in shock. Lilith gains the upper hand and kills Inarius with a fatal blow. However, this gives enough time for Neyrelle to reach Mephisto's prison cell and free him from his bonds. Neyrelle reveals that she has been working with Mephisto and plans to use him to stop Lilith.
Neyrelle uses the Soulstone meant for Lilith to trap Mephisto's essence instead. She says that Mephisto is a greater threat than Lilith and that she wants to use his power for good. She then takes the Soulstone with Mephisto inside and flees from Pandemonium.
The player character is left alone with Lilith, who is enraged by Neyrelle's betrayal and Mephisto's escape. She vows to kill Neyrelle, Mephisto, and anyone who stands in her way. She then attacks the player character with renewed fury.
The player character manages to defeat Lilith in a final showdown, but they are unable to kill or trap her. Instead, they manage to weaken her enough to force her to retreat back to the Void. The player character then escapes from Pandemonium with their remaining allies.
The game ends with a cliffhanger, as Lilith swears revenge from the Void, Neyrelle travels with Mephisto's Soulstone to an unknown destination, Mephisto plots his next move from within the Soulstone, Rathma watches everything from afar with a mysterious smile, and Sanctuary faces an uncertain future.
