Diablo 4 Story roundup: What you need to know before VoH

Diablo 4 story
What took place to set up the events of Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred's story? (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred is an expansion, a follow-up to the base game’s story. It’s very much the next chapter of the story that began a few years ago, taking place almost immediately after the events of D4’s final act. What fans know right now is that Neyrelle holds the Soulstone of Mephisto and is rowing her way towards Nahantu. There are people who may simply not remember what took place and have no desire to replay to find out.

If you want a rough outline of the Diablo 4 story as it leads players up to the defeat of Lilith, and begins to tell the Vessel of Hatred story, we’re here to help. However, this will contain no major spoilers for Vessel of Hatred.


What took place in the Diablo 4 main story?

All hail, Mother Lilith - bring peace to Sanctuary! (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
All hail, Mother Lilith - bring peace to Sanctuary! (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Fifty years after D3, Diablo 4 takes place, with a shattered Sanctuary. Survivors of the last great war are trying to move on with their lives in this story, but there’s never an end to the suffering of the common man. A new player has taken the stage, claiming that they wish to break the chains of the common folk: Lilith, daughter of Mephisto.

Many are caught up in her ideals, forming a cult around Lilith herself. The other major force, the Cathedral of Light’s own Inarius - an Angel cast down from the High Heavens - seeks to obliterate her, and the forces of Hell once and for all. That way, he can be considered worthy again.

It’s not a surprise that these two (Lilith and Inarius) find themselves at odds, even though they created Sanctuary for those who wished to find safety from the Eternal Conflict (the battle between Heaven and Hell). However, everything kicks off in the Diablo 4 story when the “Wanderer” (the player’s character) gets drugged and fed the blood of Lilith.

Lilith found the Key to Hell that Rathma was hiding (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
Lilith found the Key to Hell that Rathma was hiding (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

Through one of the remaining Horardrim, Lorath gives the player the details on Lilith’s return, and much of the plot, to boot. Much of the story also revolves around access to Hell - with each party having their reasons for wanting it. Rathma’s spirit revealed he had a Key to Hell but refused to give it to Inarius, and it would ultimately wind up in Lilith’s hands.

At this point in the Diablo 4 story, players learn that Lorath’s former apprentice, Elias, was responsible for bringing Lilith to Sanctuary and that he cannot be killed. They sought his Sightless Eye artifact to uncover Lilith’s plot - which was to bring the Lesser Evils to bear, to fight the Prime Evils, by empowering humanity.

She was also after the essence of her father, to consume it while he was in a weakened state. Elias himself was so powerful, thanks to the Tree of Whispers - it gave him forbidden knowledge, though he avoided his part of the bargain - giving up his head to the tree. It was up to the player to find a way to kill him once and for all, thus allowing the Tree of Whispers to claim the spirit of Elias. This was done by destroying his finger - where his life force was stored, as a sort of Phylactery.

In exchange, the party learned a gate to Hell lies beneath Caldeum and has already been opened. Meanwhile, Inarius and his forces head to Hell to siege it and defeat evil, to fulfill prophecy - but the Angel is slain by Lilith.

The tense moments between using the Soulstone were really well done (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)
The tense moments between using the Soulstone were really well done (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

A major choice comes, though. While pursuing Lilith, Mephisto, in the form of a bloody wolf, urged the Wanderer and Neyrelle to pursue Lilith instead of him. The plan was to trap Mephisto in the Soulstone, and he wanted to avoid that.

Neyrelle didn’t give up and ensnared Mephisto. After that, Lilith would fall to the Wanderer, who warned the player that, thanks to her death, the Prime Evils would ultimately win the war. Once the main story has ended, Neyrelle is left with the Soulstone, and Lorath gets confronted by the Church - but the player helps him defeat the attacking force.

It’s thought that Lorath is still alive, despite the miserable physical state he was in at the end of the Diablo 4 story. As Vessel of Hatred sets up, Neyrelle is on the way to Nahantu, troubled by the whispers of Mephisto, from deep within the Soulstone. There’s no telling where this will lead.


Check out our other Diablo 4 guides and features:

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Edited by Adarsh J Kumar
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