DiabloFans

The game you played is called Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos and it's expansion Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne.

The game World of Wacraft that you see in stores is not the same game that you used to play.

This is the first thread of it's kind. In here I will detail how to create all monster pages for Diablo II and the tools necessary to do it. Hopefully it will all be of help to you in creating all the monster pages.

The Megademon article acts as the template for all future mosnter files.

Included in this post is Monsters.zip. This archive contains:

Doctor Tester (made by SVR at the Phrozenkeep): A program used to extact .gif files directly from mpq files.

AutoSummint.exe: A program that automatically scans Arreat Summit and pastes the information into a the correct template format to use for creating the articles. (Requires .NET Framework 2.0)

Levels.txt: This details where a monster can spawn and in what form.

MonStats.txt: This file contains general monster values neecssary to know.

More on them later

1. General description
This text describes the monster. In the case of the Megademon article, the text is copied straight from Mount Arreat. While that may not be necessary, the text is as official a description as we're ever going to get, and is very well written.

2. Additional Information
Includes tips and points worth noting. This can be extended as you see fit depending on the monster. Examples of mosnters that could need more info than what Arreat Summit provides would be, but is not limited to:

Oblivion Knights
Burning Souls
Claw Vipers
Fetish

3. Location
This detailes where a specific breed of a monster can spawn in the game.

First, you have to open the file MonStats.txt in Excel. When finding the location of a monster, we only need two columns.

Id: What the game files calls a monster
Namestr: What the monster appears as in game.

If you search for a monster, say VenomLord (no spaces), you will get a hit on row 364, and the Id columsn will tell you that the game refers to Venom Lords as Megademon3, Pit Lord as Megademon2 and Balrog as Megademon1.

Remember those strings, and open Levels.txt. Search for any megademon (1, 2 or 3), and you will get hits in several places This is how they spawn.

The column heads describe what kind of monster it spawns as:

monX: The monster spawns as a monster in Normal
nmonX: The monster spawns as a monster in Nightmare/Hell.
umonX: The monster spawns as a Champion/Unique in any difficulty

The column rows describe which map the monster spawns in. The areas are sorted in order of appearance.

For example, Megademon1 only gives one hit, and that column umon6 in row Act 4 - Mesa1 (Which is the first area in Hell, meaning Outer Steppes.) This means it only spawns as a Champion or Unique in the Outer Steppes.


4. Super unique monsters
This is simple. Look up on Arreat Summit where SuperUnique versions of a monster spawn, and enter their names, as well as their monster types.

5. Monster Stats
It is excrutiatingly difficult and tiresome to manually copy all the info from the Arreat Summit and put it into out wii. So, that's why we have the nifty program called AutoSummit.exe (I didn't make it, kudos to my brother :thumbsup:).

Start the program and type in the Arreat url for the monster. For the Megademon, that url is:

act4-megademon

nothing else. For other monsters, change the act digit and the name of the monster.

The program will create a text document that includes all info except the name and image of the mosnters. Simpyl put it into the article, wrap template tags around it, enter the name and image names and it's all done.

6. Extracting .gifs
Fire up Docter Tester and open the file d2data.mpq. In the file MonStats.txt, all monsters have a value in the column "Code". This value, "DM" for megademons, is what we're seearching for, and we're trying to locate the line data\global\monster\DM\COF\...
There are several .cof files, each on showing different animations (attack, run, death, etc.). By clicking the button "Run F", the program will play the animations.

Select the standing still file, and outfit the monster to the right panels called Layer and Class. Here you select weapons, armor, body parts etc.

Last, select the color fo the monster. In the file MonStats.txt, there is a column for each monster called Translvl. Balrog has 0, Pit Lord has 1, Venom Lord 2.

In Doctor Tester, click on the button shift in the lower right corner, locate the palshift file with the same code as the monster, which is DM for megademons. Then, add three to the value, so 0 becomes 3, 1 becomes 4 and 2 becomes 5. This means a Pit Lord has the color
data\global\monsters\DM\COF\palshift.dat, and a value of 4.

When saving the pictures, select save as, keep the picture dimensions, keep it transparent, select Full Scale Animations, and enter a delay of 12.

That's it! :thumbsup:

If anything is unclear, ask, and I shall clarify

Yeah, it's pretty crappy image quality, but that's what happens when to take pictures with a crappy camera

I put them next to Moon of the Spider for reference sake as well. Hope this helps.

http://www.diablofans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10533

The ranks dirctly related to your post count. It increases next time at 100 for you, at which point you will become a Sexton

Quote from name="Elfen Lied" »

We should encourage its use, maybe if we say things like I would give you a rep point for that, if I could due to its mechanics, damn spreadthe love rule. Or something to that effect

Definately, but before we do that, at least I want to know how it works.

"Hey members of diablo3, we want you to use this feature. I don't really know why and I can't answer any of your questions, but do it."

Bonus points for HoMM3! What's you favorite team from that game?

And welcome by the way

Ok, so it's addicting. Well, we shouldn't eat suger then either, because sugar also generates an addicting effect. Ban Coke and candy!

What BBC shows is far from the truth of the general public. It is one individual amongst many. This kid wouldn't be "normal" had he never played World of Warcraft, the reason he gets stuck so much is because something in his life isn't as satisfactory as for most other people. Perhaps his dad died when he was young, perhaps he hates his mother, perhaps he gets bullied, whatever. The reason anyone plays WoW excessively is because they feel it's rewarding, and anyone playing it too much cannot get that rewarding feeling outside of the game to the same extent as people who manage to keep their playing down. That's one reason I think, the other being that sometimes you start to feel an obligation to hepl your guild, even though it isn't very fun at all times. Which in essence "forces" you play in order not to get kicked from the guild.

This was interesting. A good project to continue with to be sure. Thumbs up

Quote from name="Elfen Lied" »

I think it's 5 times. Knock 'em down 5 times and they are truly out for the count.

Supposedly the chance of them rising again is somewhere around 70%. Don't quote me on it though, I only read it from another persons guess

Quote from "Sylvos" »

Phorzen's theory has merit but I can't just understand the core concept of this. I mean, ok, the dead can be raised by whatever unholly spells that is and walk the world again, and we kill them again with physical weapons and/or elemetnal spells. Can those unholly spells with an axe? Or maybe we can freeze those spells? If not, we're actually killing what is assumed to be alive and that we damage its body parts to kill it. But if it's alive then how come it's dead? hehehehe Man I'm confused. The only thing that actually makes sense in a battle against the undead is when we have a Nerco, who actually breaks those spells rather than slice the creature. You know what I mean?

They're not alive again. The magic only serves to animate dead materia, but without making them live again. Look at it like a construct of magic holding up strings that cause the corpse to move. If we beat at the construct many times enough, then eventually the strings snap, and the corpse falls down again.
The magical spell is anchored in the creature, so slicing of the threads of magic has the same effect as beating on the matter itself. In both cases is the magical spell animating the dead is affected.

Quote from "Atrumentis" »

How do I post a new poll? is it possible? I have no clue how.

You can post polls freely in all forums except in the Polls forum and the News forum. All threads need to be accepted by a moderator before being put up there.
There's been some confusion on this matter lately regarding polls. But do post it, and if we deem it ok, it will appear in the Polls section. From now that is.

Quote from "Atrumentis" »

While I'm at it, it'd be good if someone made an introduction/faq post for newcomers that introduces Diablo3.com and gives instructions on all the functions. I can't find one if there is one.

Yes, that's a good idea. There's a FAQ at the top of the page next to the Image Gallery, but that's pretty much a general vBulletin FAQ. We'll improve on it if necessary.

Quote from "Atrumentis" »

Like, how do people get 'referrals'?

When a person registers an account, they can enter if they've been referred to the site by an already registered member. If that's the case, they enter said account name, and that person gets a referral.

Quote from "Atrumentis" »

And, is it possible to view other people's reputations?

Yes, but only us mods

Seriously though, if you hover over the green icon, you can see a general description of a persons reputation. But the only two people with a noticable rep are Silver and Elfen (go figure :D)

Quote from "Thasador" »

You need to stop talking like that. SLAYERS is pretty much the foundation legion that rose SICK to power....that's right, led by you...Dont feel like this, get your comp up and start recruiting. I have already instructed a few Assassins on bnet to help out the other legions and they are fully aware of your predictament.

Much like Great Greece and Rome, SLAYERS rose to supremacy. Greece and Rome fell apart by crumbling from the inside, and the fatal blows dealt by outside forces. The question I ask myself is, have we crumbled yet? I keep going back to when the others left, was that it? Is that going to be remembered as the blow that crippled SLAYERS and soon followed by the rest of its demise?

I've tried to motivate them, to get some activity. And they are trying, they have their own problems and such that disables them from fully focusing in SLAYERS, and I understand that. But SLAYERS is in need in massive reformation and there are not enough people to do it. I may just be overthinking this, but it's something that is staring me in the face and I can't look away. Time will tell whether SLAYERS will rise greater and more powerful than ever before and retake its throne as the centerpiece of SICK, but things are looking dark for my legion, and I am beginning to doubt my ability to finish what I set out to do after everyone left.

SLAYERS was and still is a proud force. As you said Thas, it was key in making SICK what it is. But I see SLAYERS as a warrior. A warrior who is to his knees hacking and slashing desperately to not be drowned in a sea of darkness. Eventually the warrior will reach a point where he can no longer fight, and will merely roam around remembering and trying to be once again the once powerful commanding self he once was. I won't let that happen. There is only so much I am willing to let SLAYERS fall before I sink my blade in the heart of the one thing I poured so much love, pride, and effort.

Now you guys know what's up concerning SLAYERS. Those of you who have been here long enough should have an idea of how big this is for me, and how it's something I take super seriously. It seems lately I am feeling very emo-ish and defeatist, but I try my very hardest not to let any of it out. To quote Eminem in a song of his:

I'm supposed to be the soldier who never blows his composure
Even though I hold the weight of the whole world on my shoulders
I am never supposed to show it, my crew ain't supposed to know it
I'd never drag them in battles that I can't handle unless I absolutely have to
I'm supposed to set an example
I need to be the leader, my crew looks for me to guide 'em
If some shit ever just pop off, I'm supposed to be beside 'em

And to be quite honestly, I've been doing a crappy ass job. I'm not fit to lead. My pride has gotten in the way too much, I've lost respect with many, and I feel as if SICK no longer needs me. I've been away from gaming for a full month and if anything SICK is getting better! I've only been in the way by causing strife with SENTINELS over unhealed wounds, and doing something good here and there. I'm ignored when trying to get into conversations, I'm disrespected left and right by people who, as ranked in SICK, have no business speaking to me in such manners, I've turned friends into enemies, and I am in no way making a difference anymore. People I thought to be friends have trashed me and tried to destroy what I stand for. One example from someone, and I won't say who:

"You are living in a fairy tale"

My opinions mean crap to this particular person, and I understand that. Others think I behave childish, am hot-headed, have a huge ego, etc.

In all, I feel like I am no longer needed. I was a fix for those times people have lost or began losing hope, and for forum activity. Forum activity is back, there is news on Diablo however miniscule, I no longer serve a purpose in this community.

There are times when I am soaring high in the sky, and I feel great because I'm making a difference. And then there are times when I am so low in the pits of hell that it pains me. And there are times like yesterday when I was soaring high because things in my personal life are finally looking up. My face is getting better after having Proactive for a week, I really like this one girl and she likes me and things are going really good with her, and my comp is close to being in my hands.

Yet yesterday I was bombarded with how my views are stupid and childish, and how having hope is meaningless and how I'll end up a virgin at 30 years old because I actually value virginity and feel sex should be with someone you love very much, or because I have hope, and am optimistic. And then another person rants about how I should fix things according to his way, and if I don't nothing will ever be fixed between us, even though he's the one that did all the damage. Two people I once considered friends, trashing me and telling me how things really are and how wrong I am. And yes, I don't consider either of you as friends.

Morale. That's all it comes to. I've lost it, I have had it lost for a while now. I give hope to men, and keep none for myself. Time and time again that quote I relate with alot. And I don't know what exactly happened this morning to cause me to snap and feel all this stuff, but here it is. Do with it what you will. Flame me, criticize me. Understand me, help me. Do what you will. Now will be the time where I find out who is friend, and who is not.

Well wrap your mind around this then. Evil is a matter of perspective. Evil doesn't consider itself evil, evil considers the "good" guys to be evil. It is a matter of perspective and positioning. If you believe that "Heaven" has the best intentions for Sanctuary, then they are good and hell is evil. If however, you feel that aligning yourself with hell has the most benefit to you personally, guess what Demons Good Angels Bad. Evil is all a matter of perspective and morality in any world you refer to.

I personally would think that canabilism counts as a pretty evil thing to do to another person. I am sure cannibals disagree with my view point.

Same in D2. Most characters live their lives unconcerned with such higher goings on and merely wish to survive. Is your hero necessarily good? Not really. Seriously. Diablo went into Hell. He was back in his world, did you really need to go kill him? No, by that point you were driven mad by the greed of more experience and better items.

I do think part of the theme of D3 will involve more NPCs taking a side in the game then in previous games. You will have those characters who for good or bad chose a side. Most won't, as most will be merely seeking to survive. But there will be those tempted by the promise of power from hell and those who believe, in a zealot fashion or not, that Heaven is Sanctuary's best hope.

One more point to add to my discertation. I thought that hell's primary interest in Sanctuary was to use it as a giant power battery so to speak, not to necessarily dominate it?

Venex thought a moment, seeing if Thufir would speak. He did not. The man did not seem in mortal danger any more. When he had ascended, Venex had given the man a potion to restore him. One of the known side-effects was drowsiness. Thufir was probably asleep. He would awaken again shortly, however. Venex moved him to the bed and laid him down.

"I suppose you might stay here. I guess there's no place better, unless you're looking for a crowd. I myself prefer the quiet and so," he gestured around the room, "I shall stay here tonight as well."

He remembered that Zubin had found his own spot for sleep. He would not wake the man. He'd had a tough day, and needed rest. He would find Zubin in the morning though, and acquaint him with Thufir. It seemed he already knew Phasys. He smiled inwardly, remembering their hug. Zubin would prove to be a good friend.

"Come," he said, gesturing to the other room. "Thufir will awaken shortly, and I'm sure we can find something to talk about in the mean time. He told me before falling asleep that was a sitting room just downstairs with a fireplace. Perhaps you know of some good tales?" He smiled. "I myself know many."

As they left the room, he turned back for a second and whispered, not wanting to wake Thufir, "Stay and watch him Johnny. If there's any trouble, come and get me." The skeleton saluted and went to stand by the window.

The two men walked downstairs and found the sitting room. Venex managed to light a fire in the fireplace before sitting in one of the three comfortable wooden chairs in the room. Phasys sat in another. For a while, there was silence. Then, suddenly, the image of the fallen with the skull on it's head came back and Venex found himself laughing again. The other man, not knowing what was so funny, laughed too. Eventually it died down. "So," said the Necromancer, his cheeks still flushed from the fit, "do you know any good tales, or what?"

Thanks for the welcome,

I'd also like to mention that, gaming companies try to be honest with their fans. It's far more wise for them to tell their fans upfront that they won't be making a sequel then to constantly leave them hanging.
If they leave you hanging though, then you can expect that something is in the works. Simply because they would have officially sealed/closed the series otherwise. Instead we hear the constant: "We're looking to return to the Diablo World, but right now we are busy working on other projects."

And another good show of proffesionalism is not to make any promise. Look at StarCraft Ghost. If I had been a fan, the last thing I want is unfulfilled hype. By no means will Blizzard make such a grave mistake twice. This alone in my opinion guarantees the making of a D3. Since creating hype and putting it on indefinite hold should never be done twice, and certainly not by Blizzard.
So blizzard is playing it safe by not uttering a word more than 'Top Secret'.
And the only reason they aren't saying any more is because they only officially announce new projects at large conventions and because unforseable mishaps may interrupt development.

It's almost been a decade since diablo 2 came out, If they can't formally and permanently close off the series by now, then they have definite plans to return to it in the very near future. If they came out with an all together different MMO then they wouldn't waste a second to tell us that they won't revisite Diablo.

Just imagine this: All the major press is told to attend a conference at which Blizzard will have something important to say. Everyone will obviously suspect the unveillance of D3. All the fans comes with their Diablo atire replete with hype and boiling with envy!
The lights dim down, every one keeps quiets. and then something completely unforetold is shown. WTF?! Riots ensue...
This is why: if they don't make it absolutely clear that they won't return to D3, then one is best to assume they will.

Also think about advertisement and game marketing. If they made a totally brand new game they'd have to spend so much money to get the word out. But if they make D3, word of mouth alone would be sufficient.

I'm not voting. I don't own any of the systems so I can only base my opinion on what I've heard and observed. And here are the opinions of an observer who tries to stay objective and neutral in this ridiculous console war:

The Wii would get my vote for innovation and trying to reach a new audience. As a console it scores high, but it isn't really for me. It lacks the power, and there are few good exclusives out there. Sugar sweet graphics, which the Wii does best, don't always do it for me either. I still love it though.
As a company, Nintendo is the only one of the three I find respectable. I don't take that into account when judging the consoles, simply because it's a battle between consoles, not companies, but I would certainly consider which company to support when decididing on which one of the consoles to buy.

Then there is the XBox 360. It has been around the longest and has arguably the best and widest array of exclusives. While not as powerful as the PS3, it's still powerful enough for almsot anyone. No next-gen disc player in the original console is a little weak and may soon prove a problem. What it loses in power and disc size to the PS3 it does make up for in exclusives and online functionality, I say.
The fact that the architecture of the XBox 360 is close to that of a PC also makes it easier to convert games for PC. That may perhaps not make you buy an XBox, but it's still a good thing.

PS3. The juggernaught. Raw power. Blu-ray. At first I was sceptical about it. 600+€ (use the google and... ~$900. Yes, electronics are more expensive in Europe than in the US because of some ridiculously high taxes) felt insanely expensive and there wasn't really anything about it I cared much about. But with the new version, with a dropped price that seems far more realistic, my optimism rose. If you give a damn about blu-ray (which I don't), getting a player AND the most powerful current-gen gaming console at the new price is pretty much a steal. More powerful hardware than the XBox360 (sorry Wii, you're playing in a completely different league), which allows for somewhat better graphics.

Conclusion: The Wii takes a step away from the others, going for innovation, group activity and a new audience, rather than going for the same old powerstruggle. With that and a very reasonable price it plays in a division of its own, and does it well. Not to mention its very original games. The ones battling are actually the XBox and the PlayStation, the Wii is too different.
The XBox 360 could possibly be my personal best choise at the moment, mostly because it has almost all the games I'm interested in among the three.
The PS3 has been in for a slow start, and not without a reason. Right now it has pretty much no exclusives I'm interested in, but they will come with time, I'm sure. It may be the most expensive of the three, but the price is reasonable considering the price of blu-ray players. That being said I think the PS3 shows better preperation for the future and more promise. It is likely that it will take the victory if Microsoft don't come up with anything to turn it around soon.

I'm still gonna stick with my PC for a while longer though.

*scratches head* "Would u like fries with that order?"

hope u the best of luck in dealin with watver it is troubling you
-SILVER-

I wish at times people would let their guard down more when it came to their beliefs, and stopped talking for awhile and just started listening. I don't know how it is in Greece, but it's very hard around here to find people willing to listen, they all just want to talk. And their minds are concluded.

thats the same everywhere i'm afraid. u have to search to find people that are willing to listen or "lead" the conversation in a way where they have to listen too. What i usually do is letting them talk first. It doesnt really matter who talks first in a debate. Its more important who talks last

Quote from "FingolfinGR" »

what i'm doing here is to either see peoples opinions or how they see it (especially interested to listen to people that do live in the US since you really listen to completely different stories than we do about whatever happens in the Middle-East). I do have an opinion in my head ofc and an idea about "morals, ethics, politics, righteousness" etc and i'm dont think its gonna change unless i listen to something really good (i havent seen anything yet, though). But i'm really here to listen too

Even within the U.S., we all listen to completely different versions of stories. This may be commonplace is most countries, but we definitely veer toward a preferred news source, one that is more in sync with our political ideologies. But the trick is to expose oneself to all sorts of sources. So you're in a better position to judge for yourself.

The particular news source I like to read is a really good one I think. It's actually the least bias newspaper I've ever read and so it's helped me get kind of cozy in the middle where moderates like to sit. That doesn't mean I won't occasionally shift to the left or right occasionally, I just think it's dangerous to be a hardcore leftist or rightist. People are too dependent on the belief systems they were raised on and refuse to take chances more often and question their beliefs. I used to be more of a liberal in my younger days with this "anything goes" attitude. But now I'm definitely more of a moderate and the only thing I tend to fall back on now is not what is more conservative or more liberal, but simply what is common sense. Sometimes both sides score points when it comes to making sense.

I wish at times people would let their guard down more when it came to their beliefs, and stopped talking for awhile and just started listening. I don't know how it is in Greece, but it's very hard around here to find people willing to listen, they all just want to talk. And their minds are concluded.

Quote from "Carloseus" »

yea, its stupidity that is behind marketing.

I would say there is great wisdom behind the marketing, and great stupidity behind the watchers and listeners.

forgive me its been a while so my memory might not be serving me as it should.

Diablo Lore (taken from Diablo 1 manual)

BOOK I: OF HEAVEN AND HELL

THE GREAT CONFLICT

Since the beginning, the forces of Light and Darkness have engaged in an eternal war : The Great Conflict, whose victor will rise from the apocalyptic ashes to hold sway over all creation. To this end, the Angels of the High Heavens adhere to strict militaristic disciplines Seraphim warriors strike at the enemies of Light with swords imbued with righteous wrath and justice. The Angels believe that only absolute discipline can properly restore order to the myriad realms, while the demonic denizens of the Burning Hells hold that absolute chaos is the true nature of all things.

The battles of the Great Conflict rage across both time and space, often infringing upon the very fabric of reality itself. From the Crystal Arch at the very heart of the High Heavens to the arcane hellforge of the Underworld, the warriors of these eternal realms journey to wherever their timeless conflict carries them. The legendary deeds of the heroes of the realms beyond elicit both veneration and insight.

The greatest of these heroes was Izual, ieutenant to the Arch-Angel Tyrael and bearer of the Angelic Runeblade Azurewrath. He once led a fierce attack upon the Hellforge as the creation of the dark demonblade Shadowfang was nearing completion. His quest was to destroy both wielder and weapon - a charge that he was destined never to complete. Izual was overcome by the legions of chaos and, tragically, was lost to the Darkness. His fate stands as testament to the fact that Angels and Demons alike shall fearlessly enter into any domain -so long as their hated enemies dwell within.

Although the Great Conflict burned hotter and longer than any of the stars in the sky, neither side could gain dominion over the other for long. Both factions sought some way to turn the tides of the war to their favour. With the ascension of Man and his mortal realm, the Great Conflict ground to a mysterious halt. Both armies paused in a breathless stalemate, waiting to see to whose side Man would eventually turn.

Mortals had the unique ability to choose between Darkness and Light, and it was held that this would be the deciding factor in the outcome of the Great Conflict. Thus, the agents of the nether-realms descended to the mortal realm to vie for the favour of Man...

THE SIN WAR

The coming of the Great Conflict to the mortal realm is known as the Sin War. Angels and Demons, disguising themselves while travelling amongst men, attempted to secretly lure mortals to their respective causes. Over time, the forces of Darkness discovered that mortals responded much more to brute force than to subtle coercion, and so began to terrorize Man into submission. The Angels fought to defend humanity against this demonic oppression, but all too often their austere methods and severe punishments succeeded only in alienating those whom they sought to protect.

The violent battles of the Sin War occurred often, but they were seldom witnessed by the prying eyes of Man. Only a few "enlightened" souls were aware of the supernatural beings that walked amongst the huddled masses of humanity. Powerful mortals arose and accepted the challenge of the Sin War, allying themselves with both sides in the Great Conflict. The legendary deeds of these great mortal warriors served to earn both the respect and hatred of the netherworlds. Although lesser demons kneeled before those possessing power and strength, they also cursed the very existence of mortal man. Many of these fiends believed that the deadlock brought about by the emergence of Man was a perverse offense to their "higher" role in the great scheme of things.

This jealousy of Man led to harsh, atrocious acts of violence by the demons against the mortal realm. Some men learned of this deep hatred and used it against the denizens of the Underworld. One such mortal, Horazon the Summoner, delighted in summoning demons and then breaking them to his will. Horazon, along with his brother Bartuc, were members of the Eastern mage clan known as the Vizjerei. This mystic clan studied the ways of demons and had catalogued their lore for generations. Empowered by this knowledge, Horazon was able to take the work of the Vizjerei and pervert it for his demented purposes. The denizens of Hell sought revenge against this bold mortal,but Horazon managed to keep himself well protected within his arcane sanctuary.

Bartuc, the brother of Horazon, was eventually lured to the side of Darkness. He was granted exceptional strength and longevity, and fought alongside the legions of Hell against the cursed Vizjerei, and eventually his own brother during the Sin War. Although Bartuc was renowned amongst the warriors of many realms, his dominance in battle came with a terrible price. An insatiable lust for mortal blood pervaded his every thought and deed. Bartuc soon became as fond of bathing in the blood of his enemies as he did of shedding it, and in time he came to be known only as the Warlord of Blood.

THE DARK EXILE

"Seven is the number of the powers of Hell,
and Seven is the number of the Great Evils."

Duriel, the Lord of Pain

Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish

Belial, the Lord of Lies

Azmodan, the Lord of Sin

These are the true names of the lesser of the Great Evils. For ages uncounted each have ruled over their own domains within the Burning Hells,
Seeking absolute dominion over their infernal brethren. As the Lesser Four continuously vied for the control of those forces that dwelled within their realms, the Greater Three held absolute power over the whole of Hell. The Lesser Four used dark and evil measures in their quest for power, and herein begins the legend of the Exile.

Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred

Baal, the Lord of Destruction

Diablo, the Lord of Terror

These are the Prime Evils of Hell that wielded their power as a dark, sovereign triumvirate. The Three Brothers ruled over the Lesser Four by brutal force and malicious cunning. Being the eldest and strongest of the Evils, the Three Brothers were responsible for countless victories against the armies of the Light. Although they never held sway over the High Heavens for long, the Three were justly feared by enemies and subjects alike.

With the ascension of Man and the subsequent standstill of the Great Conflict, the Three Brothers began to devote their energies to the perversion of mortal souls. The Three realized that Man was the key to victory in the war against Heaven, and thus altered their rigid agendum that they had propagated since the Beginning. This change caused many of the Lesser Evils to question the authority of the Three, and so brought about a great rift between the Prime Evils and their servitors.

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...

THE BINDING OF THE THREE

In the ancient days, before the rise of the Western Empires, the dark and terrible entities known as the Three Evils were exiled to the world of Man.
These eternal entities wandered throughout the waking world and fed upon the lusts of men, leaving chaos and attrition in their wake. The Evils turned father against son and prompted many great nation into brutal and petty wars. Their Exile from Hell left them with an insatiable hunger to bring suffering and pain to all who would not kneel before them, and so the Three Brothers ravaged the lands of the Far East for countless centuries.

Eventually, a secretive order of mortal magi was gathered together by the enigmatic Arch-Angel Tyrael. These sorcerers were to hunt the Three Evils and put an end to their vicious rampage. The order, known as the Horadrim, consisted of wizards from the diverse and numerous mage-clans of the East. Employing disparate magical practices and disciplines, this unlikely Brotherhood succeeded in capturing two of the Brothers within powerful artifacts called Soulstones. Mephisto and Baal, trapped within the swirling, spiritual constraints of the Soulstones, were then buried beneath the dunes of the desolate Eastern Sands.

The powers of Hatred and wanton Destruction seemed to diminish in the East as a nervous peace began to settle over the land. Yet, for many decades the Horadrim continued their grim search for the third Brother, Diablo. They knew that if the Lord of Terror was left untamed there could never be any lasting peace within the realm of humanity.

The Horadrim followed in the wake of terror and anarchy that spread throughout the Western lands. After a great battle which claimed the lives of many brave souls, the Lord of Terror was captured and imprisoned within the last of the Soulstones by a group of Horadrim monks led by the Initiate Jered Cain. These monks carried the cursed stone to the land of Khanduras and buried it within a secluded cave near the river Talsande. Above this cave the Horadrim constructed a great Monastery from which they could continue to safeguard the Soulstone. As ages passed, the Horadrim constructed a network of catacombs beneath the Monastery to house the earthly remains of the martyrs of their Order.

Generation passed in Khanduras, and the numbers of the Horadrim slowly dwindled. With no quests left to undertake, and too few sons to sustain their guardianship, the once powerful Order faded into obscurity. Eventually, the great Monastery that they had built fell to ruins as well. Although villages grew and thrived around the shell of the old Monastery, no one knew of the dark, secret passageways that stretched into the cold earth beneath it. None could have dreamed of the burning red gem that pulsed within the labyrinth's heart...





THE LANDS OF KHANDURAS

Years after the last of the Horadrim had died, a great and prosperous society grew in the lands of the West. As time wore on, many Eastern pilgrims
settled in the lands surrounding Khanduras and soon establish small, self contained kingdoms. A few of these kingdoms bickered with Khanduras over holdings of property or routes of trade. These squabbles did little to upset the lasting peace of the West,and the great Northern kingdom of Westmarch proved to be a strong ally of Khanduras as the two lands steadily engaged in ventures of barter and commerce.

During this time, a bold, new religion of the Light known as Zakarum began to spread throughout the kingdom of Westmarch and into many of its northern principalities. Zakarum, founded in the Far East, implored followers to enter into the Light and forsake the darkness that lurked within their souls. The people of Westmarch adopted the statues of Zakarum as their sacred mission in the world. Westmarch began to turn towards its neighbors, expecting them to embrace this "New Beginning" as well. Tensions rose between the kingdoms of Westmarch and Khanduras as the priests of Zakarum began to preach their foreign dogma whether they were welcomed or not.

It was then that the great northern lord Leoric came unto the lands of Khanduras and, in the name of Zakarum, declared himself King, Leoric was a deeply religious man and had brought many Knights and Priests with him that comprised his Order of the Light.Leoric and his trusted advisor, the Arch Bishop Lazarus, made their way to the city of Tristram. Leoric appropriated the ancient, decrepit Monastery on the outskirts of the town for his seat of power and renovated it to match its time-lost glory. Although the free people of
Khanduras were not pleased with being placed under the sudden rule of a foreign King, Leoric served them with justice and might. Eventually, the people of Khanduras grew to respect the kind Leoric,sensing that he sough only to guide and protect them against the oppression of Darkness.

THE AWAKENING

Not long after Leoric took possession of Khanduras, a power long asleep awakened within the dark recesses beneath the Monastery. Sensing that freedom was within his grasp, Diablo entered the nightmares of the Arch Bishop and lured him into the dark, subterranean labyrinth. In his terror, Lazarus raced throughout the abandoned hallways until he at last came to the chamber of the burning Soulstone. No longer in command of his body or spirit, he raised the stone above his head and uttered words long forgotten in the realms of mortals. His will destroyed, Lazarus shattered the Soulstone upon the ground. Diablo once again came into the world of Man. Although he was released from his imprisonment within the Soulstone, the Lord of Terror was still greatly weakened from his long sleep and required an anchor to the world. Once he had found a mortal form to wear, he could begin to reclaim his vastly depleted power. The great demon weighed the souls residing in the town above, and chose to take the strongest of them - that of King Leoric.

For many months King Leoric secretly fought the evil presence that twisted his thoughts and emotions. Sensing that he had been possessed by some unknown evil. Leoric hid his dark secret from his Priests, hoping that somehow his own devout righteousness would be enough to exorcise that corruption growing inside him - he was sorely mistaken. Diablo stripped away the core of Leoric's being, burning away all honor and virtue from his soul. Lazarus too, had fallen under the sway of the Demon, keeping close to Leoric at all times. Lazarus worked to conceal the plans of his new Master from the Order of Light, hoping that the demon's power would grow, well concealed amongst the servants of Zakarum.

The priests of Zakarum and the citizenry of Khanduras recognized the disturbing change within their liege. His once proud and rugged form became distorted and deformed. King Leoric became increasingly deranged and ordered immediate executions of any who dared to question his methods or authority. Leoric began to send his Knights to other villages to bully their own people into submission. The people of Khanduras who had once grown to see great honor in their ruler began to call Leoric the Black King.

Driven to the brink of madness by the Lord of Terror, King Leoric slowly alienated his closest friends and advisors, Lachdanan, Captain of the Knight of the Order of Light and honored Champion of Zakarum, tried to discern the nature of his King's deteriorating spirit. Yet at every turn the Arch-Bishop Lazarus would waylay Lachdanan and admonish him from questioning the actions of the King. As tensions grew between the two, Lazarus charged Lachdanan with treason against the Kingdom. To the Priests and Knights of Leoric's court, the prospect of Lachdanan committing treason was ridiculous. Lachdanan's motives were honorable and just, and soon many began question thereason of their once beloved King.

Leoric's madness was growing more obvious with each passing day. Sensing that the advisors of the court were becoming increasingly suspicious of foul treachery, Lazarus desperately sought to contain the eroding situation. The Arch-Bishop masterfully convinced the delusional Leoric that the kingdom of Westmarch was plotting against him, secretly planning to dethrone him and annex Khanduras into its own lands. Leoric flew into a rage and summoned his advisors to his side. Manipulated by the Arch-Bishop, the paranoid King declared a state of war between the kingdoms of Khanduras and Westmarch.

Leoric ignored the warnings and admonishments of his advisors and the royal army of Khanduras was ordered to the North to engage in a war that they did not believe in. Lachdanan was appointed by Lazarus to lead the armies of Khanduras into Westmarch. Although Lachdanan argued against the necessity of the coming conflict, he was honor-bound to uphold the will of his King. Many of
the high-priests and officials were forced to travel to the North as emissaries on errands of diplomatic urgency, as well. The desperate ploy of
Lazarus had succeeded in sending many of the King's more 'troublesome' advisors to their certain deaths...

THE DARKENING OF TRISTRAM

The absence of prying advisors and inquisitive Priests left Diablo free to assume total control over the King's battered soul. As the Lord of Terror attempted to strengthen his hold upon the maddened King, he found that the lingering spirit of Leoric fought with him still. Although the control over
Leoric that Diablo held was formidable, the Demon knew that in his weakened state he could never take complete possession of his soul as long as a glimmer of his will remained. The demonlord sought a fresh and innocent host upon which to build his Terror.

The demon relinquished his control over Leoric, but the King's soul was left corrupted and his mind crazed. Diablo began to search throughout Khanduras for the perfect vessel to act as his focus, and found such a soul easily within his reach. Enjoined by his dark master, Lazarus kidnapped Albrecht - the only son of Leoric - and dragged the terrified youth down into the blackness of the labyrinth. Flooding the boy's defenseless mind with the essence of pure Terror, Diablo easily took possession of the young Albrecht.

Pain and fire raced through the child's soul. Hideous laughter filled his head and clouded his thoughts. Paralyzed with fear, Albrecht felt the presence of Diablo within his mind as it seemed to push him down, deeper and deeper into darkness and oblivion. Diablo gazed upon his surroundings through the eyes of the young prince. A lustful hunger still tortured the demon after his frustrating bout for control over Leoric, but the nightmares of the boy provided ample substance to sate him. Reaching deep into Albrecht's subconscious, Diablo ripped the greatest fears of the child from their hiding places and gave them breath.

Albrecht watched, as if out of a dream, twisted and disfigured forms appeared all around him. Unholy, writhing visages of terror danced about him chanting choruses of obscenities. All of the 'monsters' that he had ever imagined or believed that he had seen in his life became flesh and were given life before him. Large bodies comprised of living rock erupted from the walls and bowed to their dark master. The ancient, skeletal corpses of the Horadrim arose from archaic crypts and lumbered off into the red washed corridors beyond. As the cacophony of madness and nightmares hammered its final blow against Albrecht's scattered and scrambled maniacally into the lengthening passageways of his waking Nightmare.

The ancient catacombs of the Horadrim had become a twisted labyrinth of raw, focused Terror. Empowered by Diablo's possession of young Albrecht, the creatures of the boy's own imagination had gained corporeal form. So strong was the terror that grew inside of Albrecht, that the borders of the Mortal realm began to warp and tear. The Burning Hell began to seep into the world of Man and take root within the labyrinth. Beings and occurrences displaced by time and space, and long lost to the history of Man were pulled s creaming into the ever-expanding domain.

The body of Albrecht, fully possessed by Diablo, began to distort and change. The small boy grew and his eyes blazed as tendril-like spines ripped through his flesh. Great, arched horns erupted from albrecht's skull as Diablo altered the form of a child to match that of his demonic body. Deep within the recesses of the labyrinth, a growing power was being harnessed. When the moment was right, Diablo would venture once more into the mortal world and free his captive Brothers Mephisto and Baal. The Prime Evils would be reunited, and together they would reclaim their rightful place in Hell.

THE FALL OF THE BLACK KING

The war against the zealous armies of Westmarch ended with a horrible slaughter. With the army of Khanduras ripped to shreds by the superior
numbers and defensive positions of Westmarch, Lachdanan quickly gathered together those who were not captured or killed and ordered a retreat back to the safety of Khanduras. They returned to find the town of Tristram in shambles.

King Leoric, deep within the throes of madness, went into a rage when he learned that his son was missing. After scouring the village with the few guards that remained within at the monastery, Leoric had decided that the townsfolk had abducted his son and hidden him somewhere. Although the townsfolk denied any knowledge of Prince Albrecht's whereabouts, Leoric insisted that they had crafted a conspiracy against him, and that they would pay the price forsuch treachery.

The mysterious disappearance of the Arch-Bishop Lazarus left no one in Tristram with whom the King would take council. Overcome by grief and dementia,
Leoric had many of the townsfolk executed for the crime of high treason.

As Lachdanan and his fellow survivors returned to confront their King, Leoric sent his few remaining guards against them. Believing that Lachdanan was somehow part of the townsfolk's conspiracy. Leoric decreed that he and his party
were to die. Lachdanan, finally realizing that Leoric was beyond salvation, ordered his men to defend themselves. The ensuing battle carried them down into the very halls of the darkened Monastery, bringing a final desecration to the once holy sanctum of the Horadrim. Lachdanan won a bittersweet victory as his men were forced to kill all of Leoric's deceived protectors. They cornered the ravenous King within his own sanctuary and begged him to explain the atrocities he had committed. Leoric only spat at them and cursed them for traitors against both his crown and the Light.

Lachdanan walked slowly towards his King and sorrowfully drew his sword. Full of grief and rage, all honor having been cast to the winds, Lachdanan ran his blade through Leoric's shrivelled, blackened heart. The once noble King screamed an unearthly death-cry, and as his madness finally overtook him, he brought down a curse upon those who had so betrayed him. Calling upon the forces of Darkness that he had spent his entire life combating, Leoric condemned Lachdanan and the others to eternal damnation. In that last, fleeting moment within the heart of the Monastery, all that was ever virtuous or honorable about the stewards of Khanduras was shattered forever.

THE REIGN OF DIABLO

The Black King lay dead, slain at the hands of his own Priests and Knights. The young Prince Albrecht was still missing, and the proud defenders of Khanduras were no more. The people of Tristram looked about their lifeless town and were greatly dismayed. Awash in feelings of both relief and Remorse, they soon realize that their troubles had merely begun. Strange, eerie lights appeared in the darkened windows of the Monastery. Misshapen, leathery-skinned creatures were seen venturing forth from the shadows of the church. Horrible, wounded cries seemed to linger on the wind, emanating from deep underground. It became apparent that something quite unnatural had infested the once holy sight...

Travelers on the roads surrounding Tristram were accosted by cloaked riders that seemed to now constantly roam the deserted countryside. Many villagers fled Tristram, making their way to other towns or kingdoms, fearing some unnamed evil that seemed to wait in the shadows all around them. Those few chose to remain seldom ventured out at night, and never tread foot upon the grounds of the cursed Monastery. Whispered rumors of poor, innocent people being abducted in the night by wicked, nightmarish creatures filled the halls of the local inn. With no King, no law, and no army left to defend them, many of the townsfolk began to fear an attack from the things that now dwelt beneath their town.

The Arch-Bishop Lazarus, frayed and dishevelled, returned from his absence and assured the townsfolk that he too had been ravaged by the growing evil of the Monastery. With their desperate need for reassurance clouding their good judgement, Lazarus whipped the townspeople into a frenzied mob. Reminding them that Prince Albrecht was still unaccounted for; he persuaded many of the men to follow him into the depths of the Monastery to search for the boy. They gathered torches and soon the night air glowed with the flickering light of hope. They armed themselves with shovels, picks and scythes and so prepared, they boldly followed the treacherous Arch-Bishop straight into the fiery maw of Hell itself...

The few who survived the horrible fate that awaited them returned to Tristram and recounted what they could of the ordeal. Their wounds were terrible, and even the skills of the healer could not save some of them. As the stories of demons and devils spread, a stifling, primal Terror began to consume the hearts of all the town's inhabitants. It was a Terror that none of them had ever known...

Deep beneath the foundations of the ruined Monastery, Diablo gorged himself upon the fears of the mortals above him. He slowly sank back into the welcoming shadows and began to harness his depleted power.

He smiled to himself in the sheltering darkness, for he knew that the time of his final victory was fast approaching...

Chronology of Events of the games

Diablo 1

-Diablo is revived by using the body of the young prince Albrecht, unbenownst to the villages of tristram, after the unsuccessful attempt to use the king. Lazarus concocts a story that the prince was kidnapped.
-Many heroes seeking fame and fortune come to tristram to fight the evils beneath the Cathedral, a search part if formed to find the lost prince, virtually all members of the party are killed by the demon know as the butcher save 2 Farhnam, and Lazarus.
-a nameless warrior comes to tristram, he is stronger and more determined than most, and is able to brave the dangers of the labyrinth.
-while searching the deeper recesses of the labyrinth he comes across the famed warlord of blood, otherwise known as the brother of the great mage Horazon
-he comes across the once great Knight Lachdanan, and subsequently frees him from his torment.
-journing further into the labyrinth he happens across the abode of the arch bishop Lazarus, who is performing some sort of ritual on a young child (The child is later revealed to not be the prince)who the warrior is unable to save.
-finally the warrior faces of with the Lord of Terror, Diablo himself
-after defeating Diablo thinking himself strong enough to contain the essence of Diablo, now held within the crimson soulstone the warrior has removed from the head of the beast, causing Diablos body to revert back to that of the young prince who subsequently dies, the warrior then proceeds to shove the soulstone into his forehead.
-after which he spends sometime in the village of Tristram, but soon takes his leave, towards the east.

Diablo II/LOD

now the chronology of the movies and the D2 games are a litte weird, the seem weave in and out of each other making it somewhat hard to place the exact timeline of event, but basically you are following marius, but the exact time delay between the two of you seems to vary or at least it appears that way.

marius in the asylum is after you killed diablo and mephisto, as he says "i had heard later he had been defeated and the soulstones destroyed at the Hell forge, all except one...", and he is at the rogue citadel before you were in act 1, same goes for his being at lut gohlein and Kurast, he was there before you, when you are in kurast and Hell marius is either in the asylum or hiding before he ends up there, still possessing Baal's stone.

this is extremely rough/hazy (like i said it has been a while) but it is something like this

-marius at the rogue citadel
-Marius at lut gohlein
-You at act 1
-you at act 2
-you at act 3 (and find a being called the Dark Wanderer aka Diablo)
-Marius at Kurast
-The Three summon the Gate to Hell
-Diablo assumes his true form
-marius goes into hiding then enters the asylum, or goes there without hiding
-you kill Mephisto
-you at act 4
-you kill Diablo
-you destroy the two soulstones you have collected, returning the essenses of Mephisto and Diablo to the abyss. One prime evil and soulstone eludes you
-alternatively marius who is still in hiding enters the asylum
-Marius still holding Baals soulstone learns of diablos death
-marius recounts the events of his travels and your adventures to who he thinks is the arch Angel Tyrael but is really Baal Lord of Destruction
-Marius dies
-You enter act 5
-you kill Baal
-Tyrael destroys the world stone

-marius came from one act to the other a lot quicker than you can as it appears that monsters appear in the path of the wanderer, to stop you and any body else from following.
-Marius is much older in the asylum than how he appears in the first movie, the exact time delay between these two event is unknown, but it definitely seems like a long time