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Necromancers have been present at some of the greatest conflicts in the history of Sanctuary. Ever vigilant, these keepers of the Balance roam the world seeking out any corruption from the Burning Hells or rare interference from the High Heavens. Today we take a look at some of the most famous members of the Priests of Rathma.

Necromancer art from the upcoming DLC

Mendeln

The original Necromancer, Mendeln, was trained by none other than Rathma and Trag’Oul, the patrons of the Priests of Rathma. As one of the first reawakened Nephalem, he was incredibly powerful. His ability to resist the control of Inarius was something that even Rathma was impressed by. Mendeln was one of the few people of Sanctuary to retain the knowledge of the events of the Sin War, and after the war, he retreated to jungles of Kehjistan to begin founding the Necromancers.

Kara Nightshadow

Kara was integral to stopping the resurrection of Bartuc, the Warlord of Blood. When Bartuc’s armor was stolen from a tomb warded in part by the Necromancers, it was Kara that investigated. She was unwillingly drawn into the conflict that culminated in a siege outside of Lut Gholein just before the arrival of Diablo in his search for the Tomb of Tal Rasha. Kara was able to negate the power of Bartuc’s armor (with the help of Horazon’s spirit) and finally erase Bartuc’s taint from Sanctuary.

Art of Xul, one of the most famous Necromancers

Xul

Perhaps the most famous Necromancer, Xul fought against the three Prime Evils during their resurgence and plot to corrupt the Worldstone. Xul was part of a group of adventurers that chased Diablo and his brothers from the wilds of Khanduras to the jungles of Kurast to the snowy reaches of Harrogath - and even into the depths of Hell. After defeating The Three and the destruction of the World Stone, Xul returned to the jungles of Kehjistan and mentored an apprentice, Mehtan.

Karybdus

Within the Priests of Rathma, there were few as widely renowned as Karybdus. Few could match the level of mastery he held over the Priests’ spells, and he was exceptionally gifted in the art of manipulating souls. Karybdus truly was a master of life and death, being over 100 years old and not showing the slightest hint of his age. Throughout his many battles, his soul had become damaged, causing him to become unstable. He thought that the Necromancers had fought for the Light against Hell for too long and that evil needed to be released into the world for his own twisted version of the Balance. His plot to release the greater demon Astrogha was foiled by another Necromancer, Zayl, and Karybdus was imprisoned within the artifact known as the Moon of the Spider alongside Astrogha.

Screenshot of Zayl

Zayl

Zayl is a gifted Necromancer and a member of the new Horadrim. His first major battle came at the city of Ureh, where he helped stop the demonically-corrupted Kingdom from fully merging with Sanctuary and opening a permanent portal to Hell. He would later be involved in a battle against Karybdus, stopping him from unleashing Astrogha upon the world and saving Westmarch in the process. In recent history, Zayl aided Tyrael and other members of the new Horadrim in stealing the Black Soulstone from the High Heavens. It was Zayl’s powerful magics that helped the Horadrim transport the Black Soulstone without falling to its corruptive influence.

Now that the Eternal Conflict has spilled over into Sanctuary, new heroes are answering the call of battle and forging new legends. The stories of new Necromancers ascending to the status of Nephalem spread across the lands. Who are these new wanders and how will they ensure the Balance of our world?

Neinball (@NeinballGamer) is a content creator for Diablo Fans and a horadrim in training. Whether he's relaxing on Zegema Beach, fighting servants of the Corpse-God in the 41st millennium, or quelling Rebellions in the Outer Rim, his passion always brings him back to slaying Demons in Sanctuary.