The Diablo 4 universe primarily revolves around the world of Sanctuary. A land with a long and storied history, Sanctuary is home to many peoples and geographical places of interest, serving as the primary setting where angels and demons engage in their never-ending war.
This article will explain how Sanctuary was brought into being, an overview of its history, and the major features that mark the world's landmasses.
History of Sanctuary
The origins of Sanctuary stem from the time of the Great Conflict. In an endless war between the powers of High Heaven and the Burning Hells, angels and demons fought to determine who would rule the entirety of creation itself. After aeons of bloodshed, an archangel named Inarius eventually grew weary of the endless struggle and began to desire a peaceful resolution. Upon being captured and imprisoned by Mephisto, one of the Prime Evils, Inarius then came into contact with Lilith.
The daughter of Mephisto, Lilith shared Inarius' weariness for war and aided the angel in escaping his bonds. Inarius and Lilith became lovers, stealing the Worldstone from the Pandemonium Fortress and using its immense power to fashion a utopian land of their own, which became known as Sanctuary. Hidden from the eyes of Heaven and Hell by the artifact's power, Inarius shaped Mount Arreat around the object, to protect it from those who would wish harm upon his new world.
However, unknown to Lilith, Inarius had begun siphoning the power of the Worldstone to increase his own capabilities. The creators of Sanctuary would go on to sire the race that became known as the Nephalem, with their creation and persecution being a major point of contention between the couple.
Lilith would eventually be banished into the Void, but not before she altered the Worldstone to allow her children's full powers to manifest. A Nephalem called Uldyssian led his people against Inarius in a conflict known as the Sin War, eventually defeating the angel and laying claim to the Worldstone.
Now known to the realms of Heaven and Hell, Sanctuary was allowed to continue its existence, with the condition that the Nephalem's powers were once again stripped away. This led to the invasion of Sanctuary by the Prime Evil, Baal, who was able to reach the heart of Mount Arreat and combine his soul with the Worldstone. Fortunately, the archangel Tyreal arrived just in time to cast his sword; El'druin into the stone, destroying it.
Sanctuary was drastically altered by this cataclysmic event. The lands of Mount Arreat and the surrounding region of the Northern Steppes became devastated, the area becoming known as the Dreadlands. The once lush environment of Sanctuary became steadily more corrupted, and the very nature of the world began to change. The lands became blighted, and human civilization became sporadic, with only a few large populations remaining.
Geography of Sanctuary
The world of Sanctuary is much like the one we would recognise on Earth. It has seasons and a lunar cycle, with the land being divided into various distinct geographical regions. Split into two continents via the Twin Seas, many a traveller has been lost to the temperamental nature of the world's oceans. The Great Sea lies to the West with the Sea of Light to the East. Both landmasses lie south of the Frozen Sea.
The Westernmost continent is divided into the Western Kingdoms (comprised of Khanduras, Entsteig and Westmarch), the Dreadlands, the Skovos Isles, and Aranoch). This continent is much more splintered than its Eastern counterpart, with no large empire controlling a significant proportion. Originally home to the Barbarians, these countries experienced the primary fallout of Mount Arreat's destruction.
The Dreadlands were most heavily affected, becoming a barren wasteland, where little life could continue to survive. Ash and dust clog the air, and the former peoples of the Northern Steppes are scattered and divided. Ravaged by growing demonic corruption and outbreaks of plague, the lands are now home to the Demon Hunters, an order of humans hell-bent on destroying the growing demonic presence in Sanctuary.
Diablo 4 focuses on the Eastern continent of Estuar. These lands were formerly ruled by the empire of Kehjistan, which was once the primary bastion against the evils that plagued Sanctuary and compromised almost a third of Estuar's landmass. Over time, however, the empire fell to ruin, and now is but a shell of its former self, the majority of its lands forgotten. Residing in the Borderlands, the Kehjistani populace now perpetually lives in fear of further hardships.
The Fractured Peaks is where Diablo 4's campaign begins. A snowy, mountainous region, it is populated by largely small rural settlements, although the capital of Kyovoshad is large enough to support a strong military force, that helps to defend the lands against demonic invaders.
The other regions of Diablo 4 are:
- Hawezar: A cursed swampland filled with foul witches, man-eating plants, and infectious mould. Dark magic abounds, and few dare to venture deep into this diseased country.
- The Dry Steppes: A rocky wilderness, comprised of deep gorges, canyons, and salt flats, where life scratches out a meagre existence among bare rocks.
- Scosglen: Modeled after the Scottish Highlands, this is a region of gloomy fog and sodden moorlands. Large waterfalls, forests, and ancient stone monoliths populate the harsh terrain.
- Kehjistan: A region split between lush tropical rainforests to the South, and dry, arid deserts to the North. Various ruins from the Kejhistani Empire dot the landscape.