DiabloFans

Awseome. Very well done.

I always found it funny how much the story resembles our earth's ancient history in one way or another.

Nice video. Very useful for people who'd rather listen then read.

Hearing the D1 soundtrack makes me want to play it so badly D:.

Quote from Daemaro

Loved the video, sad it's over.

Just hit play again. That's what I do!

Nice. Really enjoyed it.

Good thing I never read the books though- sounds like depressing material.

I really enjoyed the video! :-) Moremoremore! =)

REally cool! cant wait for the next part

Quote from Sixen

Need to catch up on the lore covering the World of Sanctuary in time for Diablo III? Want to see some badass fanart (including from our own Umpa)? Let us join Force as he takes a look at Diablo's history (pre-D1), in part one of this three part lore series, covering the conflict between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells, and Sanctuary's role in between.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ghu8RzsWvs

Awesome recap. Well done Force. Thx for posting Sixen.

great idea! Great job, I've never read any of the books but this made me interested. Perhaps I'll go pick up a copy

Very cool video and very cool artwork. Not to mention the splendid lore in there. But that's cool Sixen, you just showcase Umpa

Quote from Siddartha

I enjoyed this post a lot, however, when mankind is indeed given a chance to chose sides by their own, it should also be said that Mephisto's blood is by now in the Worldstone and that Sanctuary belongs to Hell, the Worldstone actively prevents Angels or Demons coming into Sanctuary but since the pact after Uldyssian's sacrifice.

Mephisto's blood is not in the Worldstone, or even necessarily related to it. The pact involving his blood was made on the ground of the destroyed Cathedral of Light, probably somewhere around where Kurast lies today. The pact regarding the Worldstone is never explained in the books. Understand that the video is supposed to be devoid of as much speculation as possible.

Quote from Siddartha

The Prime Evils are able to come into Sanctuary, as they are banished by Azmodan and Belial who seek control over Hell, basically Mephisto dies killing one quarter of Hell's minions and respawns into Sanctuary because of his blood being in the Worldstone, alongside his brothers (what happens in Hell at the moment should be quite interesting).

Not true. The old D1 lore states that the Three kill one third of Hell's minions before being banishes, but it's so obscure and old that it's hardly certain to be relevant in the lore developed for D3. No reference is made to the Three being killed during their banishment, and the blood link is conjecture on your part.

Quote from Siddartha

Also Tyrael being a renegade among the angels is trying to help mankind fight the demons on Earth but without the consent of The Angiris Council, who looks upon Nephilim as a great sin

Possibly. It remains to be seen just how much of a renegade Tyrael was during the events of D2. And as for the Angiris seeing the nephalem as a sin, that's basically just Imperius of the five.

only ever played the games and this video was great in bringing some interesting stuff into the light for those like me. Great work! That bit about the worldstone suppressing the power of the nephalim (sp?) leads to some interesting possibilities in the story of D3 with the twisted stone being destroyed. (it was still twisted right?) One question, how are the characters in the games able to use such powerful magic, or is their magic still weakened by the twisted worldstone?

All of the effects of the Worldstone, including its suppression of the Nephalem's power, are gone now that the stone is destroyed. However, that probably doesn't mean that all humans will suddenly have the power of the Nephalem, or otherwise there would be no reason for only five heroes, seeing as humanity would be able to more than defend itself.

Just as it took a long time to suppress humanity's powers, it will probably take a long time to bring them back. My brother and I are such fanboys that we have all the books in our bookshelf. I'll agree that knack isn't the best with his vocabulary, but he's a great story writer. Some of the others had not as interesting plots, but pretty good writing(thinking of mel odom and robert marks.) I'd bet most of the books would only be interesting to diablo fans though.

One thing I think would interest the people is if you went into Trag'oul and the necromancers. I remember not being too fond of playing a necro back when we first bought D2, but it made it more fun to play them after I read the books. Without Uldysseus's bro, the original necro nephalim, and trag'oul sanctuary would have already been lost in the war when all the angels discovered the humans.

edit: forgot to mention there's plenty of cool necros in the other books that made me like them more.

Quote from Raptorbonz42

One question, how are the characters in the games able to use such powerful magic, or is their magic still weakened by the twisted worldstone?

If you're talking about D1 and D2, it's not made clear, but it's entirely possible that the heroes of the games, and many other's beside them in the lore, are individuals who've for some reasons managed to harness these latent powers they possess to varying degrees. It would certainly explain the superhuman feats the heroes are able to pull off.

Quote from Jackzor

However, that probably doesn't mean that all humans will suddenly have the power of the Nephalem, or otherwise there would be no reason for only five heroes, seeing as humanity would be able to more than defend itself.

The supressing effect is not something that works like a permanent downward force. This is exemplified by the nephalem during the Sin War: Rathma and Bul-Kathos were never affected by it, only the successive generations born and each new generation more so. Now that the effect is gone, it seems reasonable to assume that it will be a slow process of humanity growing into their potential. First of all, that's kind of the gist of the ending in tVP: humanity got too powerful too fast, and it made the edyrem's powers uncontrollable.

Secondly, it's a boring world if everyone becomes a supersoldier instantly. The gift also has to be awoken within each individual, at least of the time of the Worldstone. That will probably be true for still for some time.

gravy baby.

Wow, awesome. But as I played D2 a long time ago as a kid I really do not know much about Diablo in terms of lore.

It was mentioned in the beginning that there has been a battle between angels and demons since the beginning of time yet we don't know why, so technically we don't know who is REALLY the good guys or even the right side, for all we know it is the demons and hell who has been wronged in some way. Nor do we know what the winning side (if in deed there ever will be one) plans to do after the victory. Other than throw a party over the enemies corpses. Will they take over the opposing world? Enslavement? etc?

Also I remember that Lilith was fought in D2 (I think) but from the video, clearly she seems like a good character, she even seems more beneficial to humanity than her lover (forgot the angels name, Anerius?)

Also, it says that each side tried to coerce humanity into joining their own side yet each seemed to oppress humanity in their own way, demons through brutality and angels through harsh order and such (if I heard the video correctly), so why would humanity want to join either side? Neither sound like a good choice, the whole time your looking helping out the angels but are they really in our best interests? (Also relating to my first question).

Also not really a question but I thought it's interesting that I think nephalim might have came from a hebrew word nophal (or nephal) which means to fall or fell, and in this sense would mean The Fallen, not sure if blizzard knew that, though they probably did

This. Is. Awesome! Definitely a good, detailed recap!

Quote from NoxioussGaz

Wow, awesome. But as I played D2 a long time ago as a kid I really do not know much about Diablo in terms of lore.

It was mentioned in the beginning that there has been a battle between angels and demons since the beginning of time yet we don't know why, so technically we don't know who is REALLY the good guys or even the right side, for all we know it is the demons and hell who has been wronged in some way. Nor do we know what the winning side (if in deed there ever will be one) plans to do after the victory. Other than throw a party over the enemies corpses. Will they take over the opposing world? Enslavement? etc?

Also I remember that Lilith was fought in D2 (I think) but from the video, clearly she seems like a good character, she even seems more beneficial to humanity than her lover (forgot the angels name, Anerius?)

Also, it says that each side tried to coerce humanity into joining their own side yet each seemed to oppress humanity in their own way, demons through brutality and angels through harsh order and such (if I heard the video correctly), so why would humanity want to join either side? Neither sound like a good choice, the whole time your looking helping out the angels but are they really in our best interests? (Also relating to my first question).

Also not really a question but I thought it's interesting that I think nephalim might have came from a hebrew word nophal (or nephal) which means to fall or fell, and in this sense would mean The Fallen, not sure if blizzard knew that, though they probably did

They take the term from the bible. specifically the old testament. The nephalem were the children of the mixing of Angels and humans. They were giants that plagued the earth and caused great destruction. In the book of Enoch there is a detailed description of them. Also the book hints at the nephalem being the primary reason for God flooding the earth.

According to the book of Enoch, the angels who fornicated with earthly women were known as "The Watchers". They guarded and watched over the earth for God. Once they decided to go against God, they were cast out of heaven. In punishment, God bound them in chains underneath the earth until Armageddon. At that point they will be sent to the inescapable death that will also befall Lucifer.

This was enjoyable. Any plans on doing a brief summary of each of the Sin War novels?

Loved the art with Mephisto, Diablo and Baal.

Well 'pre-D1' is the Sin War novels. The other parts (I assume) are going to be D1 and D2.