Who is Lilith? What’s a Nephalem? What is going on in the Diablo 4 lore? Let’s take a moment to catch up on the various.
Fifty years is a long time in the grand scheme of things. And yet, this is the time gap elapsed in between the end of Diablo III: Reaper of Souls and the impending Diablo 4 lore story. If you're out of the lore loop on what's going on in the world of Sanctuary then look no further. We're here to give you the lowdown on the names, places, and demons to know before stepping in front of Mommy Lilith.
Also, we hope you like blood. I'm kidding. Who doesn't like blood?
thank you mommy
Diablo 4 lore: How we got here
"Diablo will return. I have done what I can to ensure it. He always finds a way. In your heart of hearts, you know this."
The best place to start in regards to Diablo 4 lore is with the previous release. At last we were in Sanctuary, the Prime Evil had been defeated at the cost of the life of Deckard Cain's niece, Leah. In Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, we see the rogue archangel Malthael wage war on Sanctuary. His mission was to use the Black Soulstone to remove all demonic essence from the mortal word.
One problem: Humans are born from Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto. As such, all of humanity possess a demonic essence. However, this wasn't a problem to Malthael and just saw it as a "to make an omelette you've got to break some eggs" sort of deal. And yet, as it always seems to go the heroes of Sanctuary banded together to defeat Malthael.
One small problem: All the souls Malthael had been munching on throughout the expansion left his body en masse, including that of Diablo's spirit.
I'm sure it's fine though.
Blood Mommy, aristh
"My father is content to fight the same battles and the same foes while everything turns to ashes. Though his victories might last a day, or a year, or a hundred years, the war will never be won so long as he and his brothers lead. There is an end to it, but fools like my father are too blind to see it."
The lore of Diablo 4 kicks off 50 years after Reaper of Souls with a pretty massive realization: All the constant death, destruction, and campaigns of war have ruined the land. Now stuck in a literal dark age, the world of Sanctuary is a snowy, grey, and upsetting landscape. At least until Lilith's campaign of hate begins to spread across the demon-tinged humans.
As we saw in the Diablo 4 story trailer, Lilith is resurrected via the folly of man. But who was she in the Diablo lore before this point? Though the daughter of the Prime Evil Mephisto, Lilith always sought to rebel against her father. No longer seeing strength in the union of demons between her dad, Baal, and Diablo, Lilith wished to strike out on her own.
This leads her to kidnapping an angel named Inarius, and their eventual campaign of falling in love and wishing to create a new world--a world of Nephalem. If you're wondering where we know all this information, look no further than the Writings of Lilith found in codexs strewn across Diablo 3.
The writings of Lilith
My father is content to fight the same battles and the same foes while everything turns to ashes. Though his victories might last a day, or a year, or a hundred years, the war will never be won so long as he and his brothers lead. There is an end to it, but fools like my father are too blind to see it.
I took a prisoner in the battle, an angel whose light was dimming. I brought him to my lair for my amusement. But he surprised me. My touch seemed to breathe life into him. He raved like a madman about how he wished to escape the war. Perhaps I have found someone I can use.
The angel I captured, Inarius, is in love with me. I can feel the intensity of his desire. I told him that we must liberate the Worldstone, and then we can be together. We will create something never imagined by those mired in the Eternal Conflict. A new world.
Inarius and I stole the Worldstone, and now we have a group of renegades to follow us. I have created a new world where we can live in peace. A place of infinite possibilities. Inarius believes that escape is enough. In time, I will show him that even victory is possible. But first, I will give him children.
Into the void with thee
Terrified of the power that the Nephalem represented, renegade angels and demons converged on Lilith's newfound army of progeny. However, Lilith's grab for power and an army of her own led the demon queen down a path of madness. Eventually, she was slain by her former lover and sent to the dark vacuum of the void. Inarius attempted to undo the damage done by the rise of the Nephalem by changing the power of the Worldstone so that each new generation of Lilith's children would grow weaker in time.
Eventually, this begat humanity. And thus began the Cult of the First Mother, waiting for the return of Lilith and a time when hatred could sweep unfettered across the land.
Welcome to Diablo 4.
If we're being honest, this only scratches the surface of lore that sets up Diablo 4. If you want the nitty-gritty details then look for published fiction such as the Book of Cain and other releases. While none of it is necessary to get started in Diablo 4, the lore never hurts.
Except when it does hurt and you find that you like it a bit too much. Reflect on that when Diablo 4 early access launches later today.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for esports news and Diablo 4 information.