The world of Diablo is quite extensive, and the lore around it amounts to a great deal. It's not (yet) on the scale of Tolkien's works, but few game series have had the opportunity to have not one but eight books set in it's fictional universe, and Blizzard's cinematics are not only renowned for their high quality, but also for the memorable moments they create and the powerful visions of their worlds they reveal. All evidence seems to suggest that this tradition has been carried over to Starcraft II in full force, and we can only assume the same will be true for Diablo III.
But in the old days, before the massive cinematics and in-game cut-scenes of Warcraft III, how did Blizzard tell their stories? Well I'm sure you all remember the tomes scattered about the dungeons of Diablo I. A simple yet very effective way of conveying details of the story to the player. We shall have a look at the various tomes of Diablo I, what they told of the story, but most importantly, if their information provided is still accurate. Because Diablo, whether you like it or not, has gone through a lot of changes from the release of the first game to the last chapter of the Sin War novels, The Veiled Prophet. Retconning does happen, and things can change.
First things first: What tomes?
For those of you who never played Diablo I (and the few who did but have a bad memory), during the game the player would come across several books (similar to the Moldy Tome in Diablo II). These books would, upon reading them, provide snippets of information about the game and the war between Heaven and Hell. Four of them were started a quest and included nothing really interesting, but nine books were there purely to tell a story to the player.
These nine tomes could then be divided into three separate categories:
- Three were written by the Horadrim, and told of the capture of the Prime Evils.
- Three were written by Arch Bishop Lazarus and praised Diablo.
- Three were of an unknown author with considerable knowledge of Hell.
The Horadric Tomes
The Great Conflict
The Wages of Sin are WarTake heed and bear witness to the truths that lie herein, for they are the last legacy of the Horadrim. There is a war that rages on even now, beyond the fields that we know - between the Utopian Kingdoms of the High Heavens and the Chaotic Pits of the Burning Hells. This war is known as the Great Conflict, and it has raged and burned longer than any of the stars in the sky. Neither side ever gains sway for long as the forces of Light and Darkness constantly vie for control over all creation.
There is a slight change here. The Sin War technically refers to the initial conflict that befell Sanctuary (the entirety of those events is laid out in the Sin War novels). Other than that, the passage is still canon.Take heed and bear witness to the truths that lie herein, for they are the last legacy of the Horadrim. When the eternal conflict between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells falls upon mortal soil, it is called the Sin War. Angels and Demons walk amongst humanity in disguise, fighting in secret, away from the prying eyes of mortals. Some daring, powerful mortals have even allied themselves with either side, and helped to dictate the course of the Sin War.
Tale of the Horadrim
This text is mysterious. While the text in itself remains canonical, it is clearly revealed in the first paragraph that the Horadrim were unaware of why the Three were in fact on Sanctuary to begin with. In another book further down, The Binding of the Three, it is clarified that the Three were overthrown by the Lesser Evils.Take heed and bear witness to the truths that lie herein, for they are the last legacy of the Horadrim. Nearly three hundred years ago, it came to be known that the three Prime Evils of the Burning Hells had mysteriously come to our world. The Three Brothers ravaged the lands of the East for decades, while humanity was left trembling in their wake. Our order - the Horadrim - was founded by a group of secretive Magi to hunt down and capture the three Evils once and for all.
The original Horadrim captured two of the Three within powerful artifacts known as Soulstones and buried them deep beneath the desolate Eastern sands. The third Evil escaped capture and fled to the West with many of the Horadrim in pursuit. The third Evil - known as Diablo, the Lord of Terror - was eventually captured, his essence set in a Soulstone and buried within this Labyrinth.
Be warned that the Soulstone must be kept from discovery by those not of the Faith. If Diablo were to be released, he would seek a body that would be easily controlled as he would be very weak - perhaps that of an old man or a child.
However in Diablo II when Deckard Cain gives the quest Sisters to the Slaugher to the player, he reveals that:
"Ancient Horadric texts record that Andariel and the other Lesser Evils once overthrew the three Prime Evils -- Diablo, Mephisto and Baal -- banishing them from Hell to our world."
At first glance, it would seem as if this is crystal clear: the book in Diablo I must have been written by a Horadrim mage, and that is how Deckard Cain knows of it. But what one must remember is that Cain is only just barely a Horadrim; the order fell apart before he was born, and the only reason he carries the title is because his ancestor was a Horadrim, and since the order no longer exists, there's no one to stop him from using the title. Clearly Cain managed to retrieve the book "The Binding of the Three" from Tristram, but it is not clear whether he actually knows who wrote it, or just assumed it was a Horadrim mage becasue he found it in their old fortress.
Lazarus' Tomes
The Realms Beyond
All praises to Diablo - Lord of Terror and survivor of the Dark Exile. When he awakened from his long slumber, my Lord and master spoke to me of secrets that few mortals know. He told me the kingdoms of the High Heavens and the pits of the Burning Hells engage in an eternal war. He revealed the powers that have brought this discord to the realms of man. My master has named the battle for this world and all who exist here the Sin War.
Tale of the Three
This quote is questionable. It is the only quote that actually names one of the Three as leader. Various quotes in the Sin War novels allude to the fact that Diablo is the strongest and foremost of them, but no single quote can prove it. For example, Astrogha, a servant of Diablo, refers to his master as the greatest. Lazarus, being a corrupted servant of Diablo, would obviously give his master the same reverance as Astrogha. More so probably, given Diablo's dominance over his mind. So while the quote shouldn't be taken literally, it is another small proof supporting the fact that Diablo does in fact seem to be the leader of the Three (for more thoughts on this, refer to The Cosmology of Diablo: Angels and Demons).Glory and approbation to Diablo, Lord of Terror and leader of the Three. My lord spoke to me of his two brothers, Mephisto and Baal, who were banished to this world long ago. My lord wishes to bide his time and harness his awesome power so that he may free his captive brothers from their tombs beneath the sands of the east. Once my lord releases his brothers, The Sin War will once again know the fury of the three.
The Black King
This is the only passage during which the title "Destroyer of Souls" is used for Diablo. Since it is capitalized it is clearly a title, but it has never been mentioned after this. Perhaps it is just the ravings of Lazarus, or perhaps there is some unknown connection that Diablo has to souls in general that we are unaware of.Hail and sacrifice to Diablo, Lord of Terror and Destroyer of Souls. When I awoke my master from his sleep, he attempted to posses a mortal's form. Diablo attempted to claim the body of King Leoric, but my master was too weak from his imprisonment. My lord required a simple and innocent anchor to this world, and so found the boy Albrecht perfect for the task. While the good King Leoric was left maddened by Diablo's unsuccessful possession, I kidnapped his son Albrecht and brought him before my master. I now await Diablo's call and pray that I will be rewarded when he at last emerges as the lord of this world.
Demonic Tomes
I have chosen to label these tomes as demonic tomes, mostly because of the information they contain about the inner workings of Hell. It is unlikely anyone but a demon or perhaps a very powerful sorcerer could possess this information.
The Dark Exile
This is definitely canonical, though whether it is true or not is another matter. Izual holds a speech in Diablo II that casts some doubt as to whether it was truly a revolution or simply a very elaborate plan by the Prime Evils:So it came to be that there was a great revolution within the Burning Hells known as The Dark Exile. The Lesser Evils overthrew the Three Prime Evils and banished their spirit forms to the mortal realm. The demons Belial (the Lord of Lies) and Azmodan (the Lord of Sin) fought to claim rulership of Hell during the absence of the Three Brothers. All of Hell polarized between the factions of Belial and Azmodan while the forces of the High Heavens continually battered upon the very Gates of Hell.
"You see, it was I who told Diablo and his Brothers about the Soulstones and how to corrupt them. It was I who helped the Prime Evils mastermind their own exile to your world."
Still, the mere fact that a revolution did take place, whether real or faked, is not something just any mortal is capable of knowing. And it wouldn't have been a very good scheme if anyone knew the rebellion was a sham.
The Sin War
True, though the amount of angels is probably limited to mainly Tyrael and perhaps some lesser angels under his command. At least, no angel but Tyrael has ever been named to have helped the Horadrim.Many Demons travelled to the mortal realm in search of the Three Brothers. These Demons were followed to the mortal plane by Angels who hunted them throughout the vast cities of the East. The Angels allied themselves with a secretive order of mortal Magi named the Horadrim, who quickly became adept at hunting Demons. They also made many dark enemies in the underworlds.
The Binding of the Three
This clearly highlights that a Horadrim mage did not write this book. A Horadrim would not call his order cursed, and he would not refer to the Horadrim as "mortal". It suggests that a demon, or some other immortal being, has written this.So it came to be that the Three Prime Evils were banished in spirit form to the mortal realm and after sewing chaos across the East for decades, they were hunted down by the cursed Order of the mortal Horadrim. The Horadrim used artifacts called Soulstones to contain the essence of Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred and his brother Baal, the Lord of Destruction. The youngest brother - Diablo, the Lord of Terror - escaped to the west. Eventually the Horadrim captured Diablo within a Soulstone as well, and buried him under an ancient, forgotten Cathedral. There, the Lord of Terror sleeps and awaits the time of his rebirth. Know ye that he will seek a body of youth and power to possess - one that is innocent and easily controlled. He will then arise to free his Brothers and once more fan the flames of the Sin War...
What is also interesting about this book is that it is the only quote that mentions Diablo as the youngest brother. There are plenty of passages that mention Mephisto as the eldest, but only this one named Diablo as the youngest. It has consequently never been disproved either, so it seems entirely reasonable to assume that this holds true.
Final Words
And this was supposed to be a short post... Regardless of that, most of this article, as well as some details about the quest tomes and where all tomes appear, can now be found in the wiki at Tomes (Diablo I).
And for those still waiting for the next cosmology installment, it is coming.
Take the first sentence "bear witness to the truths herein", it seems to suggest that he's spilling as much as he can.
Of course, it could just be Blizzard writing it like this for the benefit of someone coming along these books their first time through. No need to spoil what's in the other books.
However, the fact remains that The Binding of the Three is written distinctly different from the Horadrim tomes. It could still have been part of a horadric library I suppose.
Amazing what's hidden here and there isn't it?
You should find a way to upload the sound files. The voice that reads the tombs makes them even better.
If I remember correctly a quest involving Izual was originally supposed to be in Diablo 1, but it was cut. Maybe the tombs would have been explained more in quests that didn't make it into the final game.
Well, I wouldn't call it absurb precisely. I will expect lots more than this in D3, that's for sure.
Well the Black King is most certainly written by Lazarus, and whatever knowledge is presented there has obviously been given to him by Diablo himself.
Izual is a candidate for the last three to be sure, but we know much too little of what he's actually done for the Three to be able to draw any conclusions. All the information we have on him comes from the Fallen Angel quest in Diablo II, and that's not a whole lot, besides the fact that there's more to the revolution than one might think.
You have to wonder since the Horadrim was founded under the guidance of the High Heavens, that they might have had some idea as to why they were exiled. What I wonder sometimes is if they had any idea how they were exiled. And I don't mean the process in which the Lesser Evils overthrew them, but how they were actually banished to the mortal realm. I guess we just have to assume that with demonic magic you could do just about anything relative to the more conventional magics existing on Sanctuary.
Well it's all mentioned too in the game manual and other tomes.
And yes, I'm glad you're acknowledging here that Cain is a Horadrim by name only. It's one reason I always got so irritated at Diablo lore conspiracy theorists overestimating his importance. He doesn't have all these special powers. He's just an old guy that was born with the title Horadrim and has studied most of his life all that he can find about the order. You're just supposed to assume it's unfortunate that he is the closest thing to a living Horadric archive. But maybe it's not all that bad. Because the Horadrim ultimately failed. Clearly there was meant to be an order or an individual that could have more of an effect than the Horadrim ever did. I think it was High Heavens influence on the order's creation that led the Horadrim to failure. They were conceited and quickly lost sight of their goals and turned to politicking and power struggles.
I thin it's important also to consider that the same voice narrating the tomes (besides the one your character reads) are all supposedly Lazarus. There are open tomes about on the Horadrim and they are read by Lazarus' voice. Could he have been altering tomes? Eh, probably not. But it's a fun idea to throw around.
In many fictional works, beings of great power, or even average characters can have many titles depending on who is referring to that character. I think especially in a cult, such as the one Lazarus was building around Diablo, you'd see lots of alternate names for him because they begin to revere and fear the thing they worship so much, that they are afraid to use its true name. Thus, they create a string of other names.
I actually liked the idea better in D1 that the Lesser Evils had actually done this. It seems to support my theory that demons are constantly struggling for more power over other demons. We can definitely see this behavior on a smaller scale with the Fallen. They will do all kinds of things to gain power even if there is no basis for such an attempt. For example, when the Fallen stole Ogden's sign because they believed it to be an artifact of power. Some people thin it's really a mundane quest in D1 but I found it to be very insightful.
What I'd like to believe about the Great Exile is that both accounts are true. In other words, the Lesser Evils really did overthrow them but not because they mustered just enough power to do so. It was because the Prime Evils allowed it to happen. But they had to make it convincing enough to fool mortals and the High Heavens. The Prime Evils knew all along that they could easily destroy the Lesser Evils but kept them around to use as pawns. And even after the Great Exile, they were clever enough to convince the Lesser Evils that all three Prime Evils would be united again and be returning to Hell. Out of fear of what the Prime Evils might do to them, Lesser Evils such as Andariel and Duriel accepted the Prime Evil's offer to gain redemption by occupying those key strategic areas in D2 (the Rogue Citadel and Tal Rasha's tomb). By the time Izual reveals to you that it all was an elaborate scheme, well by then it didn't make a difference anyway. It was Izual's final gesture to rub it in your face that all you were doing was for nothing. But we showed him! Wiiii!!
It would seem I'm making a huge error here. I was under the impression that the Horadrim was founded by under the guidance of the High Heavens. I'm almost certain there's some reference to back this up somewhere. I'll have to search for it again. I mean, I know that Tyrael gave the Soulstones to the Horadrim. That's certainly not under dispute. But I guess I thought that Tyrael has something to do with even all the mage clans uniting. There is little information about the individual mage clans themselves, but what we can tell is that they are all very protective of their identities and beliefs. It seemed logical to me that nothing could possibly unite them all except a direct intervention from the High Heavens.
That's Lazarus. I know by the time you actually fight Lazarus in the game he sounds nothing like the narrator of those books. But I'm sure some others will back me up that it is indeed Lazarus' voice. I think I concluded that also though because of when one of the tomes speaks of the abduction of Albrecht. Doesn't it? Eh, it's been a couple months since I've even played the game.
And what's even MORE interesting to me is the demons of chaos hold such concepts of age, seniority, or even time. I even wondered before if their titles, Hatred, Destruction, and Terror denoted their seniority in order of which was most conducive to chaos. But then I might have felt that Destruction would have made Baal the eldest brother. Of course, hatred and terror are less corporeal things and are perhaps more pervasive and timeless than mere destruction.
The Sin War (Diablo Techno).mp3
The voice actor is Paul Eiding, by the way, also the voice of Aldaris, Pepin, Lazarus, Mephisto, and the Warrior. Prolific fellow.
I would dispute that. We only hear Lazarus once, and he doesn't sound like that at all.
Not only the Fallen, but higher demons like Astrogha, Lilith and Kabraxis.
I think you're very much correct in this. Azmodan and Belial are certainly engaged in a conflict. This does not tell us whether they both know what purpose their war is for, if they believe they are the masterminds or if they willingly serve the Three, but you must have a real war if you want to fool the Heavens. The Great Conflict may be across planes, but they still scout each other, and the High Heavens would be able to tell if there was in fact no war.
Well imagine being a Horadrim. If Tyrael appeared (perhaps with some lesser angels) and told you he was sent from the High Heavens, gave you some stones and helped you found an order to hunt down the most vicious demons ever, how would you tell whether it was the entire angelic host or just a rogue council member helping you?
Which I believe Tyrael could very well satisfy in his own right.
I don't think so. All of the books are in the original post (except for the quest books), and the last three do not seem to be written by Lazarus. They're not at all in the same style. And the voice reading the books certainly isn't the same as Lasarus. Same actor doesn't really mean anything, they are quite distinct.
Well they would have to wouldn't they? Total chaos wouldn't make for a very effective army against Heaven now would it? just as perfect order at all times would be detriemental to the effort of the angels.
Yeah I was just waiting for the "clearly, Tassadar has failed us" when I read those tomes ingame
Im pretty sure that if your order was given the task of hunting down and capturing the prime evils you would think your order was cursed.
Still, it could very well be that an outsider looking at the Horadrim, and what they did, would call them cursed because of the job they were tasked with.
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