Synopsis
[edit]
Setting
[edit]
Set in the Diablo series' world of Sanctuary, Diablo IV takes place 50 years after the
events of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls.[32][31][33] Cultists have summoned the main antagonist
and daughter of Mephisto, Lilith (Caroline Faber).[34] After the events of previous games,
the forces of demons and angels have been depleted, allowing an opening for her to
establish power in Sanctuary.[35][36]
Thousands of years before the game's events, Lilith and the angel Inarius (Gabe
Kunda) created the realm of Sanctuary to provide refuge for those who wished to
escape the eternal conflict between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells. This
demon-angel relationship led to the birth of the Nephalem, a race that the protagonist
falls under; neither Angel nor Demon, but a distinct combination of both. Those in
Sanctuary believed that this power would bring attention to their shelter and, as a result,
the inhabitants spoke of destroying them. Lilith, not wanting her children to be killed,
destroyed any that opposed her, causing Inarius to banish her to the void.[37][38][39]
Plot
[edit]
The player character, known as "the Wanderer", is drugged by villagers corrupted by
Lilith and fed petals of her blood, creating a connection to her. After escaping, the
Wanderer meets Lorath Nahr (Ralph Ineson), one of the last Horadrim (returning
from Diablo III: Reaper of Souls) and explains the prophecy of Lilith's return. Inarius
believes he alone can fulfill the prophecy by killing Lilith, which will allow him to return to
Heaven. Aided by a young woman named Neyrelle (Judy Alice Lee), the Wanderer
enters the sanctum of Rathma, the first Nephalem and founder of the Necromancers.
Inside, Rathma's spirit (Scott Whyte) reveals he had a key to Hell. When Inarius
demands the key from him, Rathma refuses, and Inarius kills him; Lilith later finds the
key. The Wanderer then journeys to Scosglen to meet another Horadrim named Donan
(James Goode), who had defeated a demon called Astaroth (David Lodge) with the aid
of two Druids years before. Lilith corrupts the two Druids to find Astaroth's prison and
frees him, in exchange for safe passage through Hell. Astaroth possesses Donan's son
Yorin (Thierry Mabonga), who dies when the demon is defeated. Donan recovers the
Soulstone used to trap Astaroth, and prepares to alter it in order to trap Lilith.
Rejoining Lorath in the Dry Steppes, the Wanderer pursues Lorath's former apprentice
Elias (Anthony Howell), who summoned Lilith to Sanctuary. Though Elias cannot be
killed, the Wanderer and Lorath retrieve an artifact called the Sightless Eye to discover
Lilith's plan: To summon the Lesser Evils to empower humanity against the Prime Evils.
She also intends to consume the essence of her father Mephisto (Steve Blum) while he
is weak, and use his power to conquer Hell. Elias uses a witch named Taissa (Cherise
Boothe) as a vessel to summon Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish, who is defeated by
the Wanderer. Seeking to break Elias' immortality, the Wanderer and the Horadrim
journey to the swamps of Hawezar. Elias had claimed knowledge from an enchanted
"Tree of Whispers", but failed to pay the price – his own head – for that knowledge.
Learning that Elias has contained his life essence in his own severed finger, the
Wanderer destroys it, before finally defeating Elias; the spirits of the Tree then claim
Elias' head.
From the Tree, Lorath learns of a gateway to Hell beneath the city of Caldeum, opened
using Rathma's key. In Caldeum, the Wanderer defeats another reformed Lesser Evil,
Duriel, the Lord of Pain. Inarius goes ahead into Hell to confront Lilith, who kills him.
Donan is mortally wounded, and Lorath remains behind, leaving the Wanderer and
Neyrelle to pursue Lilith to Mephisto's Cathedral of Hatred. Mephisto himself, having
appeared as a bloodied wolf throughout the Wanderer's journey, urges them to focus on
Lilith, but Neyrelle chooses to use the Soulstone to contain Mephisto instead, believing
him to be the greater threat. The Wanderer then faces Lilith and defeats her. As she
dies, Lilith warns that without her, there could be no victory over the Prime Evils.
With both creators of Sanctuary dead, the party returns home. Neyrelle ventures off on
her own with the Soulstone, knowing the Prime Evils are coming, and hoping to find a
way to defeat them for good.
