And, at the End of Days, Wisdom shall be lost
as Justice falls upon the world of men.
Valor shall turn to Wrath
and all Hope will be swallowed by Despair.
Death, at last, shall spread its wings over all
as Fate lies shattered forever.
so this is how i look at it, most of it happened already.
Wisdom shall be lost. Malthael left.
Justice falls. Tyrael = falling star.
Valor turns to wrath. Imperius became wrathful towards Nephalem. (hmmmmmm????)
Hope swallowed by Despair. Auriel = captured by Rakanoth = Lord of Despair
Death spreads wings. Malthael (possibly corrupted? but was he? remember that wrathful guy????) Angel of death.
Fate lies shattered. Itherael... they're coming for him, why? who knows. Imperius seems to be the culprit to me. perhaps he's the reason why Malthael became Death. hence why his endevours seem just. Fate is blind to nephalem.
figure, maybe you'll sacrifice yourself in the end? nephalem alike.
Maybe imperius wants the black soulstone? maybe he knew where it was going to go. maybe he recruited Malthael, maybe that's why hes "corrupt." it seems the idea here is that all angels will fall... Maltheal left, tyrael shed his wings, imperius became wrathful, it appears hope will be all that remains. i'm thinking your goal is to save Itherael..
we won't know til it comes out, and i'm certainly one person that can't wait...
I was thinking that Malthael is actually just a minion of the Blood God whom is mentioned in the books and was rumored to be the big bad of Diablo 3 like 11 years ago.
Edit
As someone pointed out, how could Maltheal find the Black Soulstone, especially so fast? I believe that Tathamet was the one that told him. Not that Tathamet knew the location before Tyreal and the Horadrim decided on it but that Tathamet can sense the power from it like someone knows where their arm is. That power, the Lords of Hell, are a part of Tathamet so the ability to find where it is does not seem unbelievable. And so I think Tathamet knew that it was going to be placed in Sactuary, probably general location due to the travel to the location was going to be long, so he had Maltheal follow the Stone to where we see in the Cinematic and then we get what we saw.
Thanks you for reading my speculation. If you have any opinions or maybe want to add further, please do so. I look forward to the Reaper of Souls and learning more about what is to come in the Future of Sanctuary.
One other thing I would like to point out, he is still Wisdom, so I would still say he is smarter than every other angel, he knew where they would hide it, and followed Tyrael.
Well, with the new info posted about the expansion, it is said that he no longer carries his chalice. While the chalice didn't help him too much with his wisdom, it was still symbolic of him. I feel ditching that showed that he gave up being Wisdom. But the only book I have read is the Book of Cain, so who is this Blood God you speak of?
And, at the End of Days, Wisdom shall be lost
as Justice falls upon the world of men.
Valor shall turn to Wrath
and all Hope will be swallowed by Despair.
Death, at last, shall spread its wings over all
as Fate lies shattered forever.
so this is how i look at it, most of it happened already.
Wisdom shall be lost. Malthael left.
Justice falls. Tyrael = falling star.
Valor turns to wrath. Imperius became wrathful towards Nephalem. (hmmmmmm????)
Hope swallowed by Despair. Auriel = captured by Rakanoth = Lord of Despair
Death spreads wings. Malthael (possibly corrupted? but was he? remember that wrathful guy????) Angel of death.
Fate lies shattered. Itherael... they're coming for him, why? who knows. Imperius seems to be the culprit to me. perhaps he's the reason why Malthael became Death. hence why his endevours seem just. Fate is blind to nephalem.
figure, maybe you'll sacrifice yourself in the end? nephalem alike.
Maybe imperius wants the black soulstone? maybe he knew where it was going to go. maybe he recruited Malthael, maybe that's why hes "corrupt." it seems the idea here is that all angels will fall... Maltheal left, tyrael shed his wings, imperius became wrathful, it appears hope will be all that remains. i'm thinking your goal is to save Itherael..
we won't know til it comes out, and i'm certainly one person that can't wait...
I think that Imperius has not succumbed to Wrath. I feel that what we saw in Vanilla was his pride, taking hold. He was too proud as an angel and as Valor to get help from, what he believed, a lesser race. I think his attitude is different torwards the Nephalem now. And Fate being shattered would need some HUGE event that was not forseen by Itherael. The Nephalem was huge, but I think he can still see the future of the Angels. But I agree, can't wait for the game to release. Will pre-order that CE and hope for a Midnight Release in my area.
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We already saw hope "swallowed" by despair. Everything else that we know in that prophecy appears chronologically in the exact order: Maltheal was lost long ago, then Tyreal falls, sometime after Rakanoth captures Auriel. Maltheal's reappearance as Death is the next step. There's one more step after for Fate, which coincidentally lines up with the 2nd planned expansion. So this means Valor --> Wrath already had to happen. How you want to interpret that happening is up to you; but there's no indication that pride for accepting help is what motivated Imperius, and mere hatred for half-demons trapsing around the heavens (Wrath) could well have motivated his actions. Humans aren't merely a "lesser" race from many angels perspective, they are a tainted one.
Fate is unable to read the actions of the Nephalim, not the *fate* of the Nephalim in particular. According to the book of Fate, heaven was already doomed once Hope (Auriel) was lost. But the unpredictable actions of the Nephalim could change that fate according to Ithereal, and they seemed to with Diablo being cast out. Thus the Nephalim's role in the future of Heaven cannot be known by the book of Fate; and with the destruction of the worldstone, more powerful Nephalim are running around now, some which may be antagonists. Adria is still unaccounted for, while Zoltun Kulle being "unkillable" is possibly still alive as well. And after main game -> Demons and first expansion -> Angel antagonists, some Nephalim harvesting their powers could make a good capstone and contrast for the 2nd (likely final) expansion.
Not that Ithereal necessarily *revealed* everything he knew from the book anyway, he may well have some foresight about the coming calamity that he just hasn't shown off yet.
And, at the End of Days, Wisdom shall be lost
as Justice falls upon the world of men.
Valor shall turn to Wrath
and all Hope will be swallowed by Despair.
Death, at last, shall spread its wings over all
as Fate lies shattered forever.
I feel the prophecy has actually not been fulfilled yet. I will argue that Valor has not turned to Wrath, but instead was consumed by Pride when he ignored help and denounced Tyreal. And Fate, is currently not shattered. Sure he can't see the future of the Nephalem, and I doubt he could see Maltheal falling, but what is the one thing that could cause Fate to be shattered forever? The rise of Tathamet.
Who wrote the Prophecy? Itheral?
The other thing I want to add is that I think it was always highly presumptuous for Tyreal to call himself 'Wisdom'
I think that Maltheal IS STILL WISDOM and at the End of this expansion (RoS) he 'will be lost' and then the prophecy will really begin!
I also think that 'FATE lies shattered forever' will actually refer to Nephalems having free will...
And, at the End of Days, Wisdom shall be lost
as Justice falls upon the world of men.
Valor shall turn to Wrath
and all Hope will be swallowed by Despair.
Death, at last, shall spread its wings over all
as Fate lies shattered forever.
I feel the prophecy has actually not been fulfilled yet. I will argue that Valor has not turned to Wrath, but instead was consumed by Pride when he ignored help and denounced Tyreal. And Fate, is currently not shattered. Sure he can't see the future of the Nephalem, and I doubt he could see Maltheal falling, but what is the one thing that could cause Fate to be shattered forever? The rise of Tathamet.
Who wrote the Prophecy? Itheral?
The other thing I want to add is that I think it was always highly presumptuous for Tyreal to call himself 'Wisdom'
I think that Maltheal IS STILL WISDOM and at the End of this expansion (RoS) he 'will be lost' and then the prophecy will really begin!
I also think that 'FATE lies shattered forever' will actually refer to Nephalems having free will...
I think that Malthael is really death. I think it was in Athene's interview that Josh acolyte(can't remember is name) said that Malthael was death.
I think that Malthael is seeking the same power Kule was seeking from the black soulstone. He might want to infuse the power of the soulstone (after trapping as many soul as he can) to make himself a god of death. I think that "fate lies shattered forever" refers to the black soul stone being shattered and thus putting an end to the possibility of trapping the demons soul anymore.
I think that "fate lies shattered forever" refers to the black soul stone being shattered and thus putting an end to the possibility of trapping the demons soul anymore.
Every other part of the prophecy refers to an angel, and there is a known angel of fate. We even met him. He (or something he is closely tied to, like the book of fate) is what will be "shattered" (possibly figurative.)
The other thing I want to add is that I think it was always highly presumptuous for Tyreal to call himself 'Wisdom'
I think that Maltheal IS STILL WISDOM and at the End of this expansion (RoS) he 'will be lost' and then the prophecy will really begin!
I also think that 'FATE lies shattered forever' will actually refer to Nephalems having free will...
I don't think it was Itherael that wrote the prophecy. He is not known for interacting with mortals. Also, and this is pure speculation, I don't think he could even see Tyrael falling. Cause he can not see the fate of the Nephalem, he could not see Tyrael choosing to become a mortal nor any of his interactions with them. So who is the person that made the prophecy? I don't know. I may reread, again, the Book of Cain and see if it is mentioned in there, but I think this needs to be addressed.
And onto Tyrael. I think him proclaiming that he was Wisdom was more of something to say he is done being Justice. As Justice is a very fine line, especially because one person's justice is different from anothers, it is probably the hardest one to follow. However, it was Tyraels wisdom that helped the Nephalem seal the Prime Evils in the first place and it was even his Wisdom that saved us back in Lord of Destruction and helped us save the day in D3. Cause if the Worldstone was not destroyed, regardless of whether it was still corrupted or not, the Nephalem would not be as powerful as they are now, making it harder to even kill Super-Diablo. (P.S. I like the term Super-Diablo for his incarnation from the power of all Lords of Hell. There is probably no greater term besides this to describe him.)
I think that Malthael is really death. I think it was in Athene's interview that Josh acolyte(can't remember is name) said that Malthael was death.
I think that Malthael is seeking the same power Kule was seeking from the black soulstone. He might want to infuse the power of the soulstone (after trapping as many soul as he can) to make himself a god of death. I think that "fate lies shattered forever" refers to the black soul stone being shattered and thus putting an end to the possibility of trapping the demons soul anymore.
Malthael not being Death was just speculation. As of now, I actually still side with it. Granted, somethings with the original theory are already proven wrong. But I could easily change those suspisions into others that would still fit in with the new information given. And with him trying to use the Soulstone to become Death. I don't really see how that would fit. I mean, it would be a cool theory to speculate on. But becoming a god, and especially one that could kill anything, seems more selfish than searching for more power to destroy and nephalem and restore balance. The major thing is, he supposedly has Righteous Intent. Now whether that is based on what he believes or something that, at some angles, can be seen as Righteous, who knows?
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The Prophecy of the End Days is something that seers/prophets/whatever have been receiving pieces of 'throughout history.' After the events of Lord of Destruction, Deckard dedicated his life to tracking the pieces down, "on a mad search for the secrets to defeating the Lords of the Burning Hells."
"The Prophecy of the End Days is contained within the Horadric tomes I inherited from my ancestor Jered Cain.
It is a warning to those who could interpret it regarding Hell's ultimate invasion of our world, written by many different people throughout history in many different lands."
There are two additional lines found in the opening cinematic, "And at the End of Days, the first sign shall appear in the heavens." "The armies of light and shadow shall clash across the fields of eternity." And one possible line said in the Behind the Scenes DVD: "At the End of Days, angels and demons will fight on the land of Man."
Many of the organizations of Sanctuary are based upon a foreseen 'final battle' between Man and Hell and other prophecies or visions of the future.
Zann Esu Witches (aka Sorceress): "For centuries they have studied in secret, perfecting their art and biding their time until the Emergence of Evil. Then, they will face their greatest challenge, either proving the purity of their magic or fading from existence.
The Zann Esu oracles have decreed that the time of the Emergence is at hand. The destruction of the Prime Evils is to be the great test of their clan. Recently, Sorceresses have appeared mysteriously throughout Sanctuary to do battle with the minions of Evil wherever they are found."
Amazons: "Their oracles long ago predicted the Dark Exile, and they have been preparing to combat it ever since. Amazons regard the destruction of the Three Prime Evils as their destiny, ushering in a new era when mortal men and women can at long last take their rightful place in the universe, no longer merely playthings for the beings of the Outer Realms."
Templar Order: Their sacred tomes are said to contain prophecies, and it is discovered they also contained plans for angelic weapons fit to human hands, leading Tyrael to deduce the Templar order was created to stop the angels from destroying the world. The Templar initiation "blinds us to our sinful pasts so that we might clearly see the future and prepare for the final battle." Kormac defends the brutal initiation with, "Don't you understand? The Templar order is trying to protect humanity from extinction."
Druids: "At the Túr Dúlra, the greatest of the Druid Colleges, stands the magnificent oak Glór-an-Fháidha. This tree is the most revered source of the Druids guidance and teachings. Under its branches, for centuries, the Druids of Scosglen have been honing not only their powerful arsenal of natural magic, but also the martial skills they have retained from their Barbarian forefathers. They have done this because they believe themselves to be the world's last line of defense when the time of the great conflict comes, a time they believe is at hand. Lashing out in fury at the recent insurgence of denizens of the Burning Hells, and at the Leathdhiabhala, demonic corruptions of the very creatures they have vowed to defend, the Druids have, at last, emerged from their forests, marching toward their final stand against the minions of Chaos. "
Barbarians: "In the ancient tome of the Druids, the Scéal Fada, it is written that Bul-Kathos, the great and ancient king of the Barbarian tribes, had a mysterious but trusted confidant, who was only referred to as Fiacla-Géar. This man is sometimes described as Bul-Kathos's close friend, and at other times, he is referred to as his brother. Whatever the source of their relationship, their bond was strong, and together they shared the secrets of the ancients: of the mysteries below the peaks of Mt. Arreat, of the venerated task put to their people to protect those mysteries, and of the prophecies regarding the dark times ahead."
Last Testament of Ord Rekar: "I believed the Prophecies of the Final Day to be mere superstitions—and that even if they had any credence at all, as our ancestors believed, the events they spoke of would never come to fruition in our time.
I was a fool.
The gods have not revealed their divine plan to me, nor have they blessed me with their countenance. But I am certain of one terrible fact—At long last, the prophecies have begun to fulfill themselves."
Necromancers: Disciples of Rathma, sworn to uphold the Balance. Unknown if they work off prophecies, or just act reactively to angelic/demonic interference. "According to the mysterious but immensely knowledgeable Trag'Oul, Good must always outshine Evil, but never should Evil be completely eradicated, lest Good eventually turn on itself." (Malthael's plan is to destroy all evil, which as aforementioned is a big no-no according to the Balance, so we should see more of the Priests of Rathma soon.
Assassins: Their Order's code is based upon Lam Esen's tome, the Black Book, which contains prophecies and secrets of the Old Religion of Skatsim. "The Black Book contains some vague prophecies regarding this undertaking. I'm not so sure it will turn out well for you." "Well, the good news is that events are unfolding just as Lam Esen foretold. The bad news is that the story ends in our utter ruin!"
Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye (aka Rogues): They posses an artifact called the Sightless Eye, a mirror which serves as a window to perceive the future.
The Prime Evils are also fully aware of at least one prophecy concerning their own actions.Mephisto recites some of that prophecy during the Act IV cinematic.
I am going to be blatantly honest .. a prophecy is like a horoscope.
People are going to interpret the events that have happened as the prophecy being fulfilled. It is subjective validation.. especially since a lot of the lines are a stretch to have been fulfilled.
'wisdom shall be lost' = 'Maltheal isn't around and no-one knows where he is'... really .. 'lost' could mean anything but everyone was 'choosing' to think it means 'absent' (at the time of D3 release), and now after RoS announcement people are choosing to think it means that he was 'lost' to darkness and became Death.
If Maltheal has been the angel of Wisdom for eternity then he better not have some dumb motive to do what he is doing... surely he would have heard about 'the prophesy' too.. surely he should be smarter than everyone...
I am going to go with the idea that I think the prophecy is a crock of shit.. (created by Beliel haha.. just kidding, Beliel sucks at lying)
There is never an End of Days.. time is infinite and the prophecy sounds like it comes from collective simple minds who think time must have a Start and End point.
I am going to go with the idea that I think the prophecy is a crock of shit.. (created by Beliel haha.. just kidding, Beliel sucks at lying)
There is never an End of Days.. time is infinite and the prophecy sounds like it comes from collective simple minds who think time must have a Start and End point.
... That is quite possibly one of the most ignorant things I have seen said about the story, a close runner up to 'lol how can there be a diablo 3 expansion, we killed teh prime eval. Lol like we gonna go to westmark...' Yes, one of the major plot lines of Diablo III is just a 'crock of shit' and is such a bunch of bollocks that they not only referenced it in their commercials and the in-game cinematics, but they even used it to tease the expansion. They even made a tearjerker scene with Leah and Tyrael where Tyrael's sacrifice convinces her to keep working on the Prophecy, a sacrifice he made because he knew humanity was the only hope for the world against the coming darkness, but it's completely worthless and made by a wannabe 'Beliel,' right?
Oh, but I forgot. The prophecies are just 'horoscopes.' Blizzard certainly would never come up with a prophecy that would tell what happens in the story for a Diablo game. Totally not like the ones Metzen wrote up for Diablo II and its teaser trailer, and several major lore groups certainly wouldn't believe in prophecies to the extent of training themselves just to overcome the foreseen threats when the time comes.
"And a child will cradle Terror in his breast as the heart of man falls under the shadow. A Wanderer will pass through the ancient lands trailing chaos in his wake. The Three Brothers will be reunited as the mortal world trembles before their might. And so it was foretold that the Three, once reunited, would be shattered again— And the last of them would set his sights on the holy mount. The warnings held that Their defeat would be illusory—that the final gambit had yet to be played..."
I am going to be blatantly honest .. a prophecy is like a horoscope.
People are going to interpret the events that have happened as the prophecy being fulfilled. It is subjective validation.. especially since a lot of the lines are a stretch to have been fulfilled.
'wisdom shall be lost' = 'Maltheal isn't around and no-one knows where he is'... really .. 'lost' could mean anything but everyone was 'choosing' to think it means 'absent' (at the time of D3 release), and now after RoS announcement people are choosing to think it means that he was 'lost' to darkness and became Death.
If Maltheal has been the angel of Wisdom for eternity then he better not have some dumb motive to do what he is doing... surely he would have heard about 'the prophesy' too.. surely he should be smarter than everyone...
I am going to go with the idea that I think the prophecy is a crock of shit.. (created by Beliel haha.. just kidding, Beliel sucks at lying)
There is never an End of Days.. time is infinite and the prophecy sounds like it comes from collective simple minds who think time must have a Start and End point.
Yeah, it is like a horoscope. I mean, almost every word as multiple means. But I feel we will get no where on furthing a solid theory until the Book of Tyreal is released. So once I move into my new place and get all my shit figured out, that book if being preordered.
However, going all paradoxy on time, I think you're wrong. Time it self is deemed as infinite. But one's time is seen as a finite number. Something that has to end. And that might be what the title, End of Days, is refering to. That it is the End of Days for the Nephalem. Potentially Angels. But definitely for the Nephalem. But once again, going all horoscopes on this.
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I am going to go with the idea that I think the prophecy is a crock of shit.. (created by Beliel haha.. just kidding, Beliel sucks at lying)
There is never an End of Days.. time is infinite and the prophecy sounds like it comes from collective simple minds who think time must have a Start and End point.
... That is quite possibly one of the most ignorant things I have seen said about the story, a close runner up to 'lol how can there be a diablo 3 expansion, we killed teh prime eval. Lol like we gonna go to westmark...' Yes, one of the major plot lines of Diablo III is just a 'crock of shit' and is such a bunch of bollocks that they not only referenced it in their commercials and the in-game cinematics, but they even used it to tease the expansion. They even made a tearjerker scene with Leah and Tyrael where Tyrael's sacrifice convinces her to keep working on the Prophecy, a sacrifice he made because he knew humanity was the only hope for the world against the coming darkness, but it's completely worthless and made by a wannabe 'Beliel,' right?
Oh, but I forgot. The prophecies are just 'horoscopes.' Blizzard certainly would never come up with a prophecy that would tell what happens in the story for a Diablo game. Totally not like the ones Metzen wrote up for Diablo II and its teaser trailer, and several major lore groups certainly wouldn't believe in prophecies to the extent of training themselves just to overcome the foreseen threats when the time comes.
...yeah the Beliel comment was sarcastic.
That aside, why can't the prophecy be wrong?
Because it is the main story line... maybe there is a twist...
An ambiguous prophecy describing the End of Days (which is also open to interpretation) has to be true?
Even if I interpret the 'End of Days' to mean the end of the Eternal Conflict.. If the Eternal Conflict Ends.. that does not make the prophecy true just because I have subjectively validated such an ambiguous term..
Also.. if Maltheal aim in RoS is to kill all Nephalem I don't understand.
If he wanted to do that then wouldn't he have voted against letting Sanctuary exist when the Angris council decided?
Also.. if Maltheal aim in RoS is to kill all Nephalem I don't understand.
If he wanted to do that then wouldn't he have voted against letting Sanctuary exist when the Angris council decided?
It's because he did not know what to do during the voting hence he was said to have went mad. He reappears now maybe because he finally has an answer.
Also.. if Maltheal aim in RoS is to kill all Nephalem I don't understand.
If he wanted to do that then wouldn't he have voted against letting Sanctuary exist when the Angris council decided?
It's because he did not know what to do during the voting hence he was said to have went mad. He reappears now maybe because he finally has an answer.
I was kinda thinking along the same lines. Malthael didn't vote because he was not sure what was the right choice. There was just not enough facts present to him to make up his mind. However, I think he saw how corruptable we were and that the Primes were trying to use us as weapons that he decided to kill us. Makes sense to me. But that's just me.
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I don't always burn. But when I do, I use hellfire.
Also.. if Maltheal aim in RoS is to kill all Nephalem I don't understand.
If he wanted to do that then wouldn't he have voted against letting Sanctuary exist when the Angris council decided?
It's because he did not know what to do during the voting hence he was said to have went mad. He reappears now maybe because he finally has an answer.
Also.. if Maltheal aim in RoS is to kill all Nephalem I don't understand.
If he wanted to do that then wouldn't he have voted against letting Sanctuary exist when the Angris council decided?
It's because he did not know what to do during the voting hence he was said to have went mad. He reappears now maybe because he finally has an answer.
I love your line of thought.
Malthael abstained the vote because Sanctuary and the Nephalem were an anomaly that went beyond his wisdom. He was the aspect of wisdom, and if he voted wrongly it would have tarnished his credibility as wisdom itself. He wanted to be sure so he sought for knowledge that would help him make the right choice; knowledge that drove him seemingly mad. Now, after all this time searching, he has his answer.
It is unclear if the answer is to annihilate the Nephalem, the demons that influence the Nephalem, both the demons and the Nephalem, Sanctuary itself, or something much more. Death, the end of all things, is a means to an answer, though not the only possible means, but a means nonetheless, that can satisfy the problem; the Eternal Conflict.
Also.. if Maltheal aim in RoS is to kill all Nephalem I don't understand.
If he wanted to do that then wouldn't he have voted against letting Sanctuary exist when the Angris council decided?
It's because he did not know what to do during the voting hence he was said to have went mad. He reappears now maybe because he finally has an answer.
I was kinda thinking along the same lines. Malthael didn't vote because he was not sure what was the right choice. There was just not enough facts present to him to make up his mind. However, I think he saw how corruptable we were and that the Primes were trying to use us as weapons that he decided to kill us. Makes sense to me. But that's just me.
Sounds like Wisdom suffered from 'Analysis Paralysis'. If he did not have enough facts to make a decision then wouldn't the best thing be to convince the council to all hold off in voting until they learned more about the Nephalem?
Also.. if Maltheal aim in RoS is to kill all Nephalem I don't understand.
If he wanted to do that then wouldn't he have voted against letting Sanctuary exist when the Angris council decided?
It's because he did not know what to do during the voting hence he was said to have went mad. He reappears now maybe because he finally has an answer.
I love your line of thought.
Malthael abstained the vote because Sanctuary and the Nephalem were an anomaly that went beyond his wisdom. He was the aspect of wisdom, and if he voted wrongly it would have tarnished his credibility as wisdom itself. He wanted to be sure so he sought for knowledge that would help him make the right choice; knowledge that drove him seemingly mad. Now, after all this time searching, he has his answer.
It is unclear if the answer is to annihilate the Nephalem, the demons that influence the Nephalem, both the demons and the Nephalem, Sanctuary itself, or something much more. Death, the end of all things, is a means to an answer, though not the only possible means, but a means nonetheless, that can satisfy the problem; the Eternal Conflict.
Genocide of any seems far from a justifiable action that would allow El'Duran to pass through Maltheal.
I guess it comes back to the question of does the ends justify the means...
as Justice falls upon the world of men.
Valor shall turn to Wrath
and all Hope will be swallowed by Despair.
Death, at last, shall spread its wings over all
as Fate lies shattered forever.
so this is how i look at it, most of it happened already.
Wisdom shall be lost. Malthael left.
Justice falls. Tyrael = falling star.
Valor turns to wrath. Imperius became wrathful towards Nephalem. (hmmmmmm????)
Hope swallowed by Despair. Auriel = captured by Rakanoth = Lord of Despair
Death spreads wings. Malthael (possibly corrupted? but was he? remember that wrathful guy????) Angel of death.
Fate lies shattered. Itherael... they're coming for him, why? who knows. Imperius seems to be the culprit to me. perhaps he's the reason why Malthael became Death. hence why his endevours seem just. Fate is blind to nephalem.
figure, maybe you'll sacrifice yourself in the end? nephalem alike.
Maybe imperius wants the black soulstone? maybe he knew where it was going to go. maybe he recruited Malthael, maybe that's why hes "corrupt." it seems the idea here is that all angels will fall... Maltheal left, tyrael shed his wings, imperius became wrathful, it appears hope will be all that remains. i'm thinking your goal is to save Itherael..
we won't know til it comes out, and i'm certainly one person that can't wait...
I think that Imperius has not succumbed to Wrath. I feel that what we saw in Vanilla was his pride, taking hold. He was too proud as an angel and as Valor to get help from, what he believed, a lesser race. I think his attitude is different torwards the Nephalem now. And Fate being shattered would need some HUGE event that was not forseen by Itherael. The Nephalem was huge, but I think he can still see the future of the Angels. But I agree, can't wait for the game to release. Will pre-order that CE and hope for a Midnight Release in my area.
Fate is unable to read the actions of the Nephalim, not the *fate* of the Nephalim in particular. According to the book of Fate, heaven was already doomed once Hope (Auriel) was lost. But the unpredictable actions of the Nephalim could change that fate according to Ithereal, and they seemed to with Diablo being cast out. Thus the Nephalim's role in the future of Heaven cannot be known by the book of Fate; and with the destruction of the worldstone, more powerful Nephalim are running around now, some which may be antagonists. Adria is still unaccounted for, while Zoltun Kulle being "unkillable" is possibly still alive as well. And after main game -> Demons and first expansion -> Angel antagonists, some Nephalim harvesting their powers could make a good capstone and contrast for the 2nd (likely final) expansion.
Not that Ithereal necessarily *revealed* everything he knew from the book anyway, he may well have some foresight about the coming calamity that he just hasn't shown off yet.
Who wrote the Prophecy? Itheral?
The other thing I want to add is that I think it was always highly presumptuous for Tyreal to call himself 'Wisdom'
I think that Maltheal IS STILL WISDOM and at the End of this expansion (RoS) he 'will be lost' and then the prophecy will really begin!
I also think that 'FATE lies shattered forever' will actually refer to Nephalems having free will...
I think that Malthael is really death. I think it was in Athene's interview that Josh acolyte(can't remember is name) said that Malthael was death.
I think that Malthael is seeking the same power Kule was seeking from the black soulstone. He might want to infuse the power of the soulstone (after trapping as many soul as he can) to make himself a god of death. I think that "fate lies shattered forever" refers to the black soul stone being shattered and thus putting an end to the possibility of trapping the demons soul anymore.
Every other part of the prophecy refers to an angel, and there is a known angel of fate. We even met him. He (or something he is closely tied to, like the book of fate) is what will be "shattered" (possibly figurative.)
And onto Tyrael. I think him proclaiming that he was Wisdom was more of something to say he is done being Justice. As Justice is a very fine line, especially because one person's justice is different from anothers, it is probably the hardest one to follow. However, it was Tyraels wisdom that helped the Nephalem seal the Prime Evils in the first place and it was even his Wisdom that saved us back in Lord of Destruction and helped us save the day in D3. Cause if the Worldstone was not destroyed, regardless of whether it was still corrupted or not, the Nephalem would not be as powerful as they are now, making it harder to even kill Super-Diablo. (P.S. I like the term Super-Diablo for his incarnation from the power of all Lords of Hell. There is probably no greater term besides this to describe him.)
Malthael not being Death was just speculation. As of now, I actually still side with it. Granted, somethings with the original theory are already proven wrong. But I could easily change those suspisions into others that would still fit in with the new information given. And with him trying to use the Soulstone to become Death. I don't really see how that would fit. I mean, it would be a cool theory to speculate on. But becoming a god, and especially one that could kill anything, seems more selfish than searching for more power to destroy and nephalem and restore balance. The major thing is, he supposedly has Righteous Intent. Now whether that is based on what he believes or something that, at some angles, can be seen as Righteous, who knows?
"The Prophecy of the End Days is contained within the Horadric tomes I inherited from my ancestor Jered Cain.
It is a warning to those who could interpret it regarding Hell's ultimate invasion of our world, written by many different people throughout history in many different lands."
There are two additional lines found in the opening cinematic, "And at the End of Days, the first sign shall appear in the heavens." "The armies of light and shadow shall clash across the fields of eternity."
And one possible line said in the Behind the Scenes DVD: "At the End of Days, angels and demons will fight on the land of Man."
In the Book of Cain, he writes a letter to Leah sometime after they have encountered the Stranger in-game, saying that he knows his time will soon be up, she will be the last of the Horadrim once he passes, and concludes by telling her to keep an eye on the prophecy, as it is the key to Sanctuary's salvation.
Many of the organizations of Sanctuary are based upon a foreseen 'final battle' between Man and Hell and other prophecies or visions of the future.
Zann Esu Witches (aka Sorceress): "For centuries they have studied in secret, perfecting their art and biding their time until the Emergence of Evil. Then, they will face their greatest challenge, either proving the purity of their magic or fading from existence.
The Zann Esu oracles have decreed that the time of the Emergence is at hand. The destruction of the Prime Evils is to be the great test of their clan. Recently, Sorceresses have appeared mysteriously throughout Sanctuary to do battle with the minions of Evil wherever they are found."
Amazons: "Their oracles long ago predicted the Dark Exile, and they have been preparing to combat it ever since. Amazons regard the destruction of the Three Prime Evils as their destiny, ushering in a new era when mortal men and women can at long last take their rightful place in the universe, no longer merely playthings for the beings of the Outer Realms."
Templar Order: Their sacred tomes are said to contain prophecies, and it is discovered they also contained plans for angelic weapons fit to human hands, leading Tyrael to deduce the Templar order was created to stop the angels from destroying the world. The Templar initiation "blinds us to our sinful pasts so that we might clearly see the future and prepare for the final battle." Kormac defends the brutal initiation with, "Don't you understand? The Templar order is trying to protect humanity from extinction."
Druids: "At the Túr Dúlra, the greatest of the Druid Colleges, stands the magnificent oak Glór-an-Fháidha. This tree is the most revered source of the Druids guidance and teachings. Under its branches, for centuries, the Druids of Scosglen have been honing not only their powerful arsenal of natural magic, but also the martial skills they have retained from their Barbarian forefathers. They have done this because they believe themselves to be the world's last line of defense when the time of the great conflict comes, a time they believe is at hand. Lashing out in fury at the recent insurgence of denizens of the Burning Hells, and at the Leathdhiabhala, demonic corruptions of the very creatures they have vowed to defend, the Druids have, at last, emerged from their forests, marching toward their final stand against the minions of Chaos. "
Barbarians: "In the ancient tome of the Druids, the Scéal Fada, it is written that Bul-Kathos, the great and ancient king of the Barbarian tribes, had a mysterious but trusted confidant, who was only referred to as Fiacla-Géar. This man is sometimes described as Bul-Kathos's close friend, and at other times, he is referred to as his brother. Whatever the source of their relationship, their bond was strong, and together they shared the secrets of the ancients: of the mysteries below the peaks of Mt. Arreat, of the venerated task put to their people to protect those mysteries, and of the prophecies regarding the dark times ahead."
Last Testament of Ord Rekar: "I believed the Prophecies of the Final Day to be mere superstitions—and that even if they had any credence at all, as our ancestors believed, the events they spoke of would never come to fruition in our time.
I was a fool.
The gods have not revealed their divine plan to me, nor have they blessed me with their countenance. But I am certain of one terrible fact—At long last, the prophecies have begun to fulfill themselves."
Necromancers: Disciples of Rathma, sworn to uphold the Balance. Unknown if they work off prophecies, or just act reactively to angelic/demonic interference. "According to the mysterious but immensely knowledgeable Trag'Oul, Good must always outshine Evil, but never should Evil be completely eradicated, lest Good eventually turn on itself." (Malthael's plan is to destroy all evil, which as aforementioned is a big no-no according to the Balance, so we should see more of the Priests of Rathma soon.
Assassins: Their Order's code is based upon Lam Esen's tome, the Black Book, which contains prophecies and secrets of the Old Religion of Skatsim. "The Black Book contains some vague prophecies regarding this undertaking. I'm not so sure it will turn out well for you." "Well, the good news is that events are unfolding just as Lam Esen foretold. The bad news is that the story ends in our utter ruin!"
Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye (aka Rogues): They posses an artifact called the Sightless Eye, a mirror which serves as a window to perceive the future.
The Prime Evils are also fully aware of at least one prophecy concerning their own actions. Mephisto recites some of that prophecy during the Act IV cinematic.
People are going to interpret the events that have happened as the prophecy being fulfilled. It is subjective validation.. especially since a lot of the lines are a stretch to have been fulfilled.
'wisdom shall be lost' = 'Maltheal isn't around and no-one knows where he is'... really .. 'lost' could mean anything but everyone was 'choosing' to think it means 'absent' (at the time of D3 release), and now after RoS announcement people are choosing to think it means that he was 'lost' to darkness and became Death.
If Maltheal has been the angel of Wisdom for eternity then he better not have some dumb motive to do what he is doing... surely he would have heard about 'the prophesy' too.. surely he should be smarter than everyone...
I am going to go with the idea that I think the prophecy is a crock of shit.. (created by Beliel haha.. just kidding, Beliel sucks at lying)
There is never an End of Days.. time is infinite and the prophecy sounds like it comes from collective simple minds who think time must have a Start and End point.
... That is quite possibly one of the most ignorant things I have seen said about the story, a close runner up to 'lol how can there be a diablo 3 expansion, we killed teh prime eval. Lol like we gonna go to westmark...' Yes, one of the major plot lines of Diablo III is just a 'crock of shit' and is such a bunch of bollocks that they not only referenced it in their commercials and the in-game cinematics, but they even used it to tease the expansion. They even made a tearjerker scene with Leah and Tyrael where Tyrael's sacrifice convinces her to keep working on the Prophecy, a sacrifice he made because he knew humanity was the only hope for the world against the coming darkness, but it's completely worthless and made by a wannabe 'Beliel,' right?
Oh, but I forgot. The prophecies are just 'horoscopes.' Blizzard certainly would never come up with a prophecy that would tell what happens in the story for a Diablo game. Totally not like the ones Metzen wrote up for Diablo II and its teaser trailer, and several major lore groups certainly wouldn't believe in prophecies to the extent of training themselves just to overcome the foreseen threats when the time comes.
"And a child will cradle Terror in his breast as the heart of man falls under the shadow.
A Wanderer will pass through the ancient lands trailing chaos in his wake.
The Three Brothers will be reunited as the mortal world trembles before their might.
And so it was foretold that the Three, once reunited, would be shattered again—
And the last of them would set his sights on the holy mount. The warnings held that
Their defeat would be illusory—that the final gambit had yet to be played..."
However, going all paradoxy on time, I think you're wrong. Time it self is deemed as infinite. But one's time is seen as a finite number. Something that has to end. And that might be what the title, End of Days, is refering to. That it is the End of Days for the Nephalem. Potentially Angels. But definitely for the Nephalem. But once again, going all horoscopes on this.
...yeah the Beliel comment was sarcastic.
That aside, why can't the prophecy be wrong?
Because it is the main story line... maybe there is a twist...
An ambiguous prophecy describing the End of Days (which is also open to interpretation) has to be true?
Even if I interpret the 'End of Days' to mean the end of the Eternal Conflict.. If the Eternal Conflict Ends.. that does not make the prophecy true just because I have subjectively validated such an ambiguous term..
If he wanted to do that then wouldn't he have voted against letting Sanctuary exist when the Angris council decided?
It's because he did not know what to do during the voting hence he was said to have went mad. He reappears now maybe because he finally has an answer.
I love your line of thought.
Malthael abstained the vote because Sanctuary and the Nephalem were an anomaly that went beyond his wisdom. He was the aspect of wisdom, and if he voted wrongly it would have tarnished his credibility as wisdom itself. He wanted to be sure so he sought for knowledge that would help him make the right choice; knowledge that drove him seemingly mad. Now, after all this time searching, he has his answer.
It is unclear if the answer is to annihilate the Nephalem, the demons that influence the Nephalem, both the demons and the Nephalem, Sanctuary itself, or something much more. Death, the end of all things, is a means to an answer, though not the only possible means, but a means nonetheless, that can satisfy the problem; the Eternal Conflict.
All in the Forger's wake is left bereft and fallow-Excerpt from the Litany of Residuum;
As Translated by He Who Brings Order
Sounds like Wisdom suffered from 'Analysis Paralysis'. If he did not have enough facts to make a decision then wouldn't the best thing be to convince the council to all hold off in voting until they learned more about the Nephalem?
Genocide of any seems far from a justifiable action that would allow El'Duran to pass through Maltheal.
I guess it comes back to the question of does the ends justify the means...
If he thought the Nephalem could defeat the prime evils then why would he think that he can beat the Nephalem?