monoVertex
I'm back!
- Reaction score
- 460
I often like to collect things and one of them are Blizzard CGI Cinematics . So I tried to get them all in the highest quality available and arranged them nicely. And I thought that it would be nice to provide some lore explanations along with videos to the community. So here goes the Diablo part!
Introduction
[youtube]JV8glb7bM4k[/youtube]
Teaser
[youtube]DaEwbUYajuo[/youtube]
Teaser
[youtube]tL65wHmcLpw[/youtube]
Introduction
[youtube]JV8glb7bM4k[/youtube]
The Horadrim was formed from the three major mage clans in the East by the Archangel Tyrael who tasked the Magi with defeating the Three who were devastating the mortal realm. Tyrael gave the Horadrim three Soulstones which would be able to contain the demons once they had been defeated.
Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred, was defeated and captured in Kehjistan, imprisoned beneath the Temple of Light in Kurast where the Zakarum monks were tasked with protecting the Soulstone.
Diablo and Baal escaped further west to Aranoch where Baal hid inside the city of Lut Gholein for three days. He then headed North into the desert a few miles before the Horadrim attacked him again. During the fight, one of Baal's attacks shattered the sacred Soulstone that was supposed to imprison him. The great mage Tal Rasha managed to subdue the Lord of Destruction, but the shattered stone could not contain the demon, so Tal Rasha sought to bind Baal within himself. Nor Tiraj, an Acolyte of the Horadrim, as well as the rest of the survivors imprisoned their leader within a tomb beneath the desert sands where his soul would wrestle with the demon for all eternity.
Jered Cain and the remaining Horadrim tracked Diablo further west to Khanduras, following the wake of terror that the demon spread as he went. After an epic battle, Diablo was imprisoned within the remaining Soulstone, and this was placed at the bottom of a large labyrinth within a cathedral in the town of Tristram.
Though his imprisonment was meant to be eternal, the power of the Soulstone weakened over centuries, eventually allowing Diablo to awaken from his forced slumber. He telepathically turns a nearby human, the Archbishop Lazarus, into his loyal puppet. In order for Diablo to actually leave the Soulstone, it needs to be housed in a mortal vessel. He possesses Lazarus, and then tries to gain control of King Leoric, the local ruler, but Diablo, in his weakened state, is unable to overpower Leoric. Since Diablo is too weak to possess the king, he abandons the idea. This leaves the monarch's mind numb and his soul corrupted. He then gets Lazarus to kidnap King Leoric's son, Prince Albrecht, so that Diablo can possess and warp him, thereby attaining material form and strength. At the moment of the boy's possession, his terror is so great that the boundaries between the realms are broken and parts of Hell seep into the mortal world and take root in the subterranean labyrinth beneath Tristram. Diablo may have a body now, but he is far from his full power, so he bides his time and summons countless hordes of demons and infests the whole underground complex, claiming the new region of Hell as his own personal lair.
Soon afterwards the maddened Leoric is slain by his own lieutenants. Demons appear in the countryside as the Lord of Terror regains his strength in the heart of the labyrinth and prepares for the time when he would once again emerge to seek his brothers - Baal and Mephisto - and free them as well. It seemed to be a matter of time until the Prime Evils gained dominion over the entire mortal realm.
Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred, was defeated and captured in Kehjistan, imprisoned beneath the Temple of Light in Kurast where the Zakarum monks were tasked with protecting the Soulstone.
Diablo and Baal escaped further west to Aranoch where Baal hid inside the city of Lut Gholein for three days. He then headed North into the desert a few miles before the Horadrim attacked him again. During the fight, one of Baal's attacks shattered the sacred Soulstone that was supposed to imprison him. The great mage Tal Rasha managed to subdue the Lord of Destruction, but the shattered stone could not contain the demon, so Tal Rasha sought to bind Baal within himself. Nor Tiraj, an Acolyte of the Horadrim, as well as the rest of the survivors imprisoned their leader within a tomb beneath the desert sands where his soul would wrestle with the demon for all eternity.
Jered Cain and the remaining Horadrim tracked Diablo further west to Khanduras, following the wake of terror that the demon spread as he went. After an epic battle, Diablo was imprisoned within the remaining Soulstone, and this was placed at the bottom of a large labyrinth within a cathedral in the town of Tristram.
Though his imprisonment was meant to be eternal, the power of the Soulstone weakened over centuries, eventually allowing Diablo to awaken from his forced slumber. He telepathically turns a nearby human, the Archbishop Lazarus, into his loyal puppet. In order for Diablo to actually leave the Soulstone, it needs to be housed in a mortal vessel. He possesses Lazarus, and then tries to gain control of King Leoric, the local ruler, but Diablo, in his weakened state, is unable to overpower Leoric. Since Diablo is too weak to possess the king, he abandons the idea. This leaves the monarch's mind numb and his soul corrupted. He then gets Lazarus to kidnap King Leoric's son, Prince Albrecht, so that Diablo can possess and warp him, thereby attaining material form and strength. At the moment of the boy's possession, his terror is so great that the boundaries between the realms are broken and parts of Hell seep into the mortal world and take root in the subterranean labyrinth beneath Tristram. Diablo may have a body now, but he is far from his full power, so he bides his time and summons countless hordes of demons and infests the whole underground complex, claiming the new region of Hell as his own personal lair.
Soon afterwards the maddened Leoric is slain by his own lieutenants. Demons appear in the countryside as the Lord of Terror regains his strength in the heart of the labyrinth and prepares for the time when he would once again emerge to seek his brothers - Baal and Mephisto - and free them as well. It seemed to be a matter of time until the Prime Evils gained dominion over the entire mortal realm.
The Butcher
[youtube]jCZUiR0Dhpw[/youtube]
[youtube]jCZUiR0Dhpw[/youtube]
*Hidden Cinematic: Was removed from the final version of the game*
"And then we heard this...this horrid voice that I can only describe as the sound of a saw ripping through bone.
I can't even recollect what he was saying. I was so terrified I don't think I could understand it, but he kept repeating it, over and over.
He was this bloated thing...and ...and there was blood, and bodies -- everywhere I turned, some new horror confronted me. And suddenly he was on us; we couldn't shake him. Jeremy fell first, and then I ran. I admit it: I ran, left my fellows to die. I couldn't face that thing; it was all just too horrible. He hit me with a glancing blow as I fled, but even that was enough to take my arm almost clean off. I had to have a healer finish the job...." -An adventurer, about the demon known as The Butcher.
The Butcher is a Unique Overlord with a large cleaver in Diablo, and is the chief subject of the Butcher quest. He resides in a room strewn full of mutilated corpses, the remains of Tristram's townsfolk whom the Archbishop Lazarus intentionally led to their doom.
"And then we heard this...this horrid voice that I can only describe as the sound of a saw ripping through bone.
I can't even recollect what he was saying. I was so terrified I don't think I could understand it, but he kept repeating it, over and over.
He was this bloated thing...and ...and there was blood, and bodies -- everywhere I turned, some new horror confronted me. And suddenly he was on us; we couldn't shake him. Jeremy fell first, and then I ran. I admit it: I ran, left my fellows to die. I couldn't face that thing; it was all just too horrible. He hit me with a glancing blow as I fled, but even that was enough to take my arm almost clean off. I had to have a healer finish the job...." -An adventurer, about the demon known as The Butcher.
The Butcher is a Unique Overlord with a large cleaver in Diablo, and is the chief subject of the Butcher quest. He resides in a room strewn full of mutilated corpses, the remains of Tristram's townsfolk whom the Archbishop Lazarus intentionally led to their doom.
Archbishop Lazarus
[youtube]v996pLobGnY[/youtube]
[youtube]v996pLobGnY[/youtube]
The Archbishop Lazarus was an ambassador from the Zakarum Church and an advisor to King Leoric who was corrupted by the Prime Evils. According to the manual to Diablo II - in the form of a letter from the Patriarch of Zakarum - Lazarus was the Custodian of Mephisto's Soulstone in Kurast sometime prior to his arrival in Khanduras. When Leoric set up court in the abandoned Monastery, Lazarus was lured into the monastery's depths by Diablo, where he proceeded to shatter the soulstone that imprisoned the Prime Evil. After Diablo failed to fully possess Leoric himself, Lazarus brought the King's son, Albrecht, into the labyrinth to serve as the mortal host for the Lord of Terror. After Leoric's death, Lazarus emerged from the Monastery's depths and rallied the villagers into a mob to find Albrecht - but the treacherous Archbishop led them right into the lair of the Butcher.
After this disastrous incursion, Lazarus vanished deep into the Monastery, where he remained, guarded by demonic minions. He is later defeated by the hero in Diablo.
After this disastrous incursion, Lazarus vanished deep into the Monastery, where he remained, guarded by demonic minions. He is later defeated by the hero in Diablo.
Map of the Stars
[youtube]gCqOo1k8eo4[/youtube]
[youtube]gCqOo1k8eo4[/youtube]
*Hidden Cinematic: Was removed from the final version of the game*
"Map of the Stars" is a removed quest and was originally a key component to Diablo. It is the only removed quest that Blizzard has even confirmed. Blizzard says that the map was removed, because it changed the entire game, and ruined part of the game emphasis and environment. The map was supposed to be used by your Character. The map depicted a time when all of the Stars and planets would come into alignment and it is suggested that the player had to stop something from happening within a time frame, or else Diablo would use the alignment to boost his powers (as seen in the cinematic).
"Map of the Stars" is a removed quest and was originally a key component to Diablo. It is the only removed quest that Blizzard has even confirmed. Blizzard says that the map was removed, because it changed the entire game, and ruined part of the game emphasis and environment. The map was supposed to be used by your Character. The map depicted a time when all of the Stars and planets would come into alignment and it is suggested that the player had to stop something from happening within a time frame, or else Diablo would use the alignment to boost his powers (as seen in the cinematic).
Rogue Ending
[youtube]LyY7aqxyMmQ[/youtube]
[youtube]LyY7aqxyMmQ[/youtube]
*Hidden Cinematic: Was removed from the final version of the game*
At the end of the game, the player character removes the soulstone from Diablo's head. To the players surprise Diablo begins to melt away revealing Prince Albrecht's body underneath. The hero then pierces his or her head with the soulstone, attempting to contain the Lord of Terror.
The Rogue ending is not canon and it is believed that the Rogue from Diablo became the Bloodraven demon in Diablo II, encountered in Act I.
At the end of the game, the player character removes the soulstone from Diablo's head. To the players surprise Diablo begins to melt away revealing Prince Albrecht's body underneath. The hero then pierces his or her head with the soulstone, attempting to contain the Lord of Terror.
The Rogue ending is not canon and it is believed that the Rogue from Diablo became the Bloodraven demon in Diablo II, encountered in Act I.
Sorcerer Ending
[youtube]oleA8RFa1R8[/youtube]
[youtube]oleA8RFa1R8[/youtube]
*Hidden Cinematic: Was removed from the final version of the game*
At the end of the game, the player character removes the soulstone from Diablo's head. To the players surprise Diablo begins to melt away revealing Prince Albrecht's body underneath. The hero then pierces his or her head with the soulstone, attempting to contain the Lord of Terror.
The Sorcerer ending is not canon and it is known that the Sorcerer from Diablo became The Summoner monster in Diablo II, encountered in Act II.
At the end of the game, the player character removes the soulstone from Diablo's head. To the players surprise Diablo begins to melt away revealing Prince Albrecht's body underneath. The hero then pierces his or her head with the soulstone, attempting to contain the Lord of Terror.
The Sorcerer ending is not canon and it is known that the Sorcerer from Diablo became The Summoner monster in Diablo II, encountered in Act II.
Warrior Ending
[youtube]-hLMzrWcQzo[/youtube]
[youtube]-hLMzrWcQzo[/youtube]
At the end of the game, the player character removes the soulstone from Diablo's head. To the players surprise Diablo begins to melt away revealing Prince Albrecht's body underneath. The hero then pierces his or her head with the soulstone, attempting to contain the Lord of Terror.
The Warrior ending is canon. After assimilating Diablo's essence through the soulstone, the Warrior from Diablo becomes the Dark Wanderer in Diablo II.
The Warrior ending is canon. After assimilating Diablo's essence through the soulstone, the Warrior from Diablo becomes the Dark Wanderer in Diablo II.
Epilogue
[youtube]ys0Mw3BPGnI[/youtube]
[youtube]ys0Mw3BPGnI[/youtube]
As Diablo I draws to a conclusion, the hero defeats Diablo, and takes Diablo's Soulstone within his own body, intending to contain Diablo there forever- which had potentially unforeseen consequences. According to Deckard Cain's Journal it takes about 2 days for the spirit of Diablo to corrupt and posses him. At which point, he became fully possessed and left Tristram. Immediately after his departure, hordes of demons either killed or possessed the remaining denizens with the exception of Deckard Cain whom was only captured. It is implied that the Dark Wanderer is directly responsible for that carnage, although it may have just been a side-effect of his presence.
In this Cinematic, the Dark Wanderer is shown, visibly weakened by the burden he carries and a narrator explains his fate:
"The Soulstone burns with Hellfire as an eerie red glow blurs your vision. Fresh blood flows into your eyes, and you begin to hear the tormented whispers of the Damned. You have done what you knew must be done. The essence of Diablo is contained for now.
You pray that you have become strong enough to contain the Demon and keep him at bay. Although you have been fortified by your quest, you can still feel him, clawing his way up from the dark recesses of your soul.
Fighting to retain control, your thoughts turn toward the ancient, mystic lands of the Far East. Perhaps there, beyond the desolate wastes of Aranoch, you will find an answer.
Or, perhaps... salvation!"
In this Cinematic, the Dark Wanderer is shown, visibly weakened by the burden he carries and a narrator explains his fate:
"The Soulstone burns with Hellfire as an eerie red glow blurs your vision. Fresh blood flows into your eyes, and you begin to hear the tormented whispers of the Damned. You have done what you knew must be done. The essence of Diablo is contained for now.
You pray that you have become strong enough to contain the Demon and keep him at bay. Although you have been fortified by your quest, you can still feel him, clawing his way up from the dark recesses of your soul.
Fighting to retain control, your thoughts turn toward the ancient, mystic lands of the Far East. Perhaps there, beyond the desolate wastes of Aranoch, you will find an answer.
Or, perhaps... salvation!"
Teaser
[youtube]DaEwbUYajuo[/youtube]
"Many moons have passed since I left the town of Tristram behind me. Since then I've tried to forget the terrors I beheld beneath the cold earth, and the twisted nightmares that have haunted my every waking moment. There's something dark within me now; I can feel it, driving me towards the East, assuring me that my salvation lies within the ruins of ancient kingdoms. Though I know the way, I know not what perils will arise to hinder my journey, and as I pass through the first gate, I know that the better part of my soul will remain behind... forever."
The story of Diablo II takes place soon after the end of the original Diablo. At the end of Diablo, Diablo, Lord of Terror was defeated by a mortal hero. The hero who slew Diablo drives the soulstone of Diablo into his own head in an attempt to contain Diablo in his own body. After this event, the hero is rapidly corrupted by Diablo and loses control of Diablo's soul slowly. The hero becomes the Dark Wanderer that appears in game and is shown in this trailer travelling, with the East as destination.
The story of Diablo II takes place soon after the end of the original Diablo. At the end of Diablo, Diablo, Lord of Terror was defeated by a mortal hero. The hero who slew Diablo drives the soulstone of Diablo into his own head in an attempt to contain Diablo in his own body. After this event, the hero is rapidly corrupted by Diablo and loses control of Diablo's soul slowly. The hero becomes the Dark Wanderer that appears in game and is shown in this trailer travelling, with the East as destination.
Act I - Sister's Lament
[youtube]mJDc4dSsgP4[/youtube]
[youtube]mJDc4dSsgP4[/youtube]
This is the opening cinematic of Diablo II. Marius, the narrator of the story, witnesses the fallen hero (known only as the Dark Wanderer) totally lose control, unleashing the demons of Hell upon a tavern. Marius is the only survivor (it is implied that rather than just being blind luck, the demons were ignoring him), and he feels compelled to follow the Wanderer for reasons he himself does not understand.
Who is Marius?
Marius lived in the Rogue Monastery until Diablo's hellspawn overwhelmed the citadel. He fled, finding refuge in a small hostel along with other outcasts and fighting nightmares of the attack. But Diablo, in the guise of the Dark Wanderer, stopped at the same hostel, and the place was quickly destroyed by the demons that his presence called up. Being the only survivor, Marius was compelled to follow the Dark Wanderer, and chronicled the journey from the forests of Westmarch to the gates of the Burning Hells.
Who is Marius?
Marius lived in the Rogue Monastery until Diablo's hellspawn overwhelmed the citadel. He fled, finding refuge in a small hostel along with other outcasts and fighting nightmares of the attack. But Diablo, in the guise of the Dark Wanderer, stopped at the same hostel, and the place was quickly destroyed by the demons that his presence called up. Being the only survivor, Marius was compelled to follow the Dark Wanderer, and chronicled the journey from the forests of Westmarch to the gates of the Burning Hells.
Act II - Desert Journey
[youtube]CemB-lHy1SA[/youtube]
[youtube]CemB-lHy1SA[/youtube]
Marius did not know that he was travelling with the Dark Lord of Terror himself, through the deserts of Aranoch. The night they reached the outskirts Lut Gholein and made camp, the Wanderer inspired in him a dream of Baal's capture and imprisonment in his Soulstone.
During the attempt to contain him inside a Soulstone, the stone was shattered and the largest remaining shard was not enough to contain the demon. Tal Rasha, a powerful mage of the Horadrim, volunteered to take on the role of an extended Soulstone and be sealed in a tomb to wrestle with Baal's spirit for all eternity.
During the attempt to contain him inside a Soulstone, the stone was shattered and the largest remaining shard was not enough to contain the demon. Tal Rasha, a powerful mage of the Horadrim, volunteered to take on the role of an extended Soulstone and be sealed in a tomb to wrestle with Baal's spirit for all eternity.
Act III - Mephisto's Jungle
[youtube]qltC22kwWEU[/youtube]
[youtube]qltC22kwWEU[/youtube]
Against his better judgment, Marius followed the Dark Wanderer into Tal Rasha's tomb. He sensed the changes in the Wanderer as Diablo's spirit gained control. Reaching Tal Rasha's Chamber, Diablo rushed forward to release Baal but was intercepted by the Archangel Tyrael. As the demon and angel fought, Baal used his power of illusion to plead with Marius to release him. Marius pulled Baal's Soulstone that contained the demon's essence from Tal Rasha's ribcage, releasing Baal from his prison. Tyrael charged Marius with going to the Burning Hells and destroying Baal's soulstone at the Hellforge; he ran out of the tomb as Baal joined the battle against Tyrael.
Act IV - Enter Hell
[youtube]BozRwm1q3Oo[/youtube]
[youtube]BozRwm1q3Oo[/youtube]
Following Tyrael's instructions, Marius travelled to Kurast and finds the Three Prime Evils gathered in the depths of the Temple of Zakarum, together summoning the very portal that he intended to go through. The Wanderer completed his transformation into Diablo's physical manifestation, and passed through the gate into Hell.
Marius could not bring himself to enter the portal into hell; completely horrified and utterly confused at the horrors that he had seen, and tortured by the malefic power of the soulstone, he ended up in an insane asylum.
Marius could not bring himself to enter the portal into hell; completely horrified and utterly confused at the horrors that he had seen, and tortured by the malefic power of the soulstone, he ended up in an insane asylum.
Epilogue - Terror's End
[youtube]cBV_pamfnUQ[/youtube]
[youtube]cBV_pamfnUQ[/youtube]
Marius ends the narration by relating the rumor he heard about Diablo's defeat and the destruction of Diablo's and Mephisto's soulstones, resulting in their banishment to the Black Abyss. The cloaked figure then takes Baal soulstone from Marius and reveals himself as Baal, to the horror of Marius, who believed he was talking to Tyrael. Baal kills Marius and walks out of the asylum, now with his soulstone in possession.
Lord of Destruction: Introduction
[youtube]_iUCu9cscZ0[/youtube]
[youtube]_iUCu9cscZ0[/youtube]
Shortly after regaining control of his soulstone, Baal came to assail Mount Arreat, in order to corrupt the Worldstone. The Worldstone was created by Inarius at the same time as when Sanctuary was first created. Its exact nature and properties are unknown to most, and not many know its full potential. Yet it is known that Inarius created the Worldstone to keep Sanctuary hidden from both the High Heavens and the legions of hell. Later, he also imbued it with the power to weaken the Nephalem (inhabitors of the Sanctuary).
Believing that common rabble and poorly disciplined Earthly mutations would never do, Baal instead gathered some of his most powerful minions from the depths of his demesne. He first unleashed his minions on the capital of Sescheron, and his trail of Destruction spread all the way to Harrogath.
The cinematics depicts the beginning of Baal's assault over Mount Arreat.
Believing that common rabble and poorly disciplined Earthly mutations would never do, Baal instead gathered some of his most powerful minions from the depths of his demesne. He first unleashed his minions on the capital of Sescheron, and his trail of Destruction spread all the way to Harrogath.
The cinematics depicts the beginning of Baal's assault over Mount Arreat.
Lord of Destruction: Destruction's End
[youtube]M8U4YVA8Pds[/youtube]
[youtube]M8U4YVA8Pds[/youtube]
After the Hero kills Baal at Worldstone's Keep, Tyrael discovers that they arrived too late and the Worldstone has been already corrupted by Baal's malefic powers. To prevent worse events from happening, Tyrael destroys the Worldstone. It is not yet known what consequences this action brought upon the Sanctuary.
Teaser
[youtube]tL65wHmcLpw[/youtube]
Diablo III is a dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game, with elements of the hack and slash and "dungeon roaming" genres, currently in development as the third installment of Blizzard's Diablo franchise. It was announced on June 28, 2008, at Blizzard's World Wide Invitational in Paris, France.The game takes place in Sanctuary, the dark fantasy world of the Diablo series. This world was saved twenty years prior by a handful of unnamed heroes in Diablo II. Warriors that survived the onslaught of the armies of the Burning Hells have gone mad from their ordeals and it is up to a new generation of heroes to face the forces of evil threatening the world of Sanctuary. Players will have the opportunity to explore familiar settings such as Tristram.
The only confirmed NPC is Deckard Cain, who has appeared in both of the previous games. Cain's journal on the official site brings the player up to speed on the events of the first two games. Diablo's world map is composed primarily of two main continents with several small islands in the Northwest region.
The only confirmed NPC is Deckard Cain, who has appeared in both of the previous games. Cain's journal on the official site brings the player up to speed on the events of the first two games. Diablo's world map is composed primarily of two main continents with several small islands in the Northwest region.
Sources:
Diablo Wiki | Blizzard: Diablo 3 | Wikipedia: Diablo III
Notes:
-I did not include the Hellfire cinematic, as it is not a Blizzard cinematic;
-Warcraft section coming soon.
Diablo Wiki | Blizzard: Diablo 3 | Wikipedia: Diablo III
Notes:
-I did not include the Hellfire cinematic, as it is not a Blizzard cinematic;
-Warcraft section coming soon.