Necromancer: I must leave Tristram behind… for a greater evil lurks within Caldeum. The Lord of Lies is hiding there… somewhere within the great city.
OBJECTIVES
- Go to the Caldeum Bazaar through the northern part of the Hidden Camp
We Priests of Rathma tend to avoid cities, for the masses seldom take kindly to our presence. At least we have this camp outside of the walls where few will notice us. I do not believe it will take long to find Maghda — she is nothing if not obvious.
Leah: Here we are: Caldeum, Jewel of the East. Uncle Deckard loved this place…
Tyrael: He wouldn’t now that it is under the spell of Belial, Lord of Lies. I can smell his stench on the air.
Necromancer: It would be best to split our forces. You two search for Belial. I shall hunt Maghda.
Note: Leave the Hidden Camp through the north gate to the Caldeum Bazaar.
OBJECTIVES UPDATE
- Talk to Asheara in the Caldeum Bazaar below the Hidden Camp
Necromancer: Are you guarding the refugees over there?
Asheara: I am not a guard. I am Asheara, commander of the Iron Wolves. We saved these refugees from Maghda’s coven — that even now wreaks havoc throughout the Borderlands.
Necromancer: Where did you last see her?
Asheara: She’s heading toward Alcarnus, but has blocked the road behind her. However, there is another way: through the Khasim Outpost.
- Go through the Sundered Canyon outisde the eastern gate of the Caldeum Bazaar
Maghda has been causing trouble here for some time. Refugees fill the streets, desperate for aid, and the idle rich of Caldeum cannot be bothered to help them. They may be forced to think again before we reach the end of this.
Iron Wolves Swordsman: This gate leads to Alcarnus. You will need to follow the long road over the Canyon Bridge and through the Khasim Outpost. We haven’t heard anything from the Iron Wolves in the desert. If you make it to the Khasim Outpost, seek out Captain Davyd.
Templar: Maghda will pay for her wickedness.
Enchantress: Take heed, traveler. Cultists guard these desert roads, and they will slay any who pass.
Necromancer: I mean to stop them.
Enchantress: Then you must not go alone. I shall accompany you.
Enchantress: There are illusions out there — mirages, to some — but I can see them for what they are: the Coven’s foul magic. They will lead you to your death.
Necromancer: I understand. But my death does not lie here…
Templar: She looks… different than anyone we have seen. Her skin is as soft and smooth as polished ivory, and her eyes… they… oh.
Enchantress: Why are you two whispering over there?
Templar: N-no reason!
Wounded Villager: Stay back! They’re in the rocks!
Enchantress: Be careful… They are very near to us.
Necromancer: Where?
OBJECTIVES UPDATE
- Kill the ambushing cultists
Templar: I’ve missed killing these cultist scum. Come on, then!
OBJECTIVES UPDATE
- Talk to the Enchantress in the Sundered Canyon
Necromancer: You knew that would happen.
Enchantress: I am an enchantress; the way of magic and illusion are familiar to me. My name is Eirena.
Necromancer: Why have you come here?
Enchantress: Well… I am also looking for someone. But, here, let me clear the way for you.
OBJECTIVES UPDATE
- Kill the lacuni attacking the Iron Wolves
Iron Wolf Guard: Captain! From behind!
Captain: Protect the people! Iron Wolves!
OBJECTIVES UPDATE
- Talk to Iron Wolf Jarulf at the Sundered Canyon to the east of the Caldeum Bazaar
An enchantress has decided to guide me through these deserts. There is something strange about her, though I cannot quite place it…
Iron Wolf Jarulf: If not for you, the lacuni would have eaten well this day…
Necromancer: Are there more of them ahead?
Iron Wolf Jarulf: Even worse. Cultists are casting spells in two of their desert lairs to obscure the Black Canyon Bridge.
OBJECTIVES UPDATE
Disrupt the rituals in the Hidden Conclave and the Secret Altar in the Howling Plateau.
- Disrupt the Hidden Conclave ritual
- Disrupt the Secret Altar ritual
Eirena is surprisingly adept at recognizing the Coven’s magic, and she doesn’t seem overly bothered by my use of the dark arts. This partnership could prove useful for both of us.
Enchantress: Let us head north to the Howling Plateau. The cultists’ magic seems to be emanating from there.
Note: Follow the road into the Howling Plateau. The Enchantress will detect an illusion on the road.
Enchantress: There is another illusion here. The cultists tried to hide their footsteps, but their spells are weak and easily countered. If we follow these prints, we can find their lairs and halt the rituals. I will seek out any other traces of their magic.
Enchantress: This is one of the cultists’ lairs. They are casting part of the illusion inside.
Enchantress: This should remove part of the illusion.
Note: You might find Cain’s Lost Satchel here, which drops a book.
THE SEVEN LORDS OF HELL |
It is with some reluctance that I write on the seven Lords of Hell, for they are the greatest of the demons, and even whispering their names seems to poison the air around me. They are divided into the Lesser Evils (Belial, Azmodan, Duriel, and Andariel) and the Prime Evils (Mephisto, Baal, and Diablo). – Deckard Cain |
Alcarnus Refugee: I’d lost all hope…
Prisoner: Thank you!
Prisoner: Akarat bless you!
Note: After exiting back into the Howling Plateau, go straight west.
Enchantress: Look! More hidden footprints…
Enchantress: This is one of the cultists’ lairs. They are casting part of the illusion inside.
Pain Monger: Flesh!
Deranged Cultist: The ritual is being disrupted!
Enchantress: There, that ought to dispel the Coven’s magic. Let us go to the bridge.
Caldeum Commoner: They… they tortured my poor husband!
Enchantress: We will avenge him!
Prisoner: I owe you my life! Bless you!
OBJECTIVES UPDATE
- Go to the Black Canyon Bridge
Enchantress: Tell me, what shall you do when Maghda is dead?
Necromancer: Kill the demon lord she serves.
Enchantress: How curious… You must be the one I was meant to find here.
LOCATION: BLACK CANYON BRIDGE
Enchantress: I think it is time for you to know my true tale.
OBJECTIVES UPDATE
- Talk to the Enchantress
Enchantress: I am not from Caldeum. I learned these spells fifteen hundred years ago. My sisters and I pledged our service to a man of great power. We called him The Prophet.
He trained us and placed us in a magical slumber to awaken in this era. I am to prevent the Lords of Hell from invading.
Necromancer: The Prophet? I have not heard of this figure. But your aid is welcome.
TOWNSFOLK DIALOGUES: HIDDEN CAMP
WHAT SERVICES DO YOU OFFER? | ||
Covetous Shen | You may notice that jewels you find enhance your already considerable abilities. I can combine similar gems to make a more powerful one. At the moment, I can only offer you a few basic pieces of jewelry. Now, if you bring me supplies, I will eventually be able to offer you exciting and exotic new designs. But it doesnt’ have to be just business with us, heh. Come by and talk anytime, my friend. |
A MYSTERIOUS RUMOR | ||
Covetous Shen | I heard a rumor that there is a strange and mysterious jewelcrafting device hidden in the aqueducts of the Dahlgur Oasis. I have a mind to go search for it myself. Don’t worry, I won’t go alone. I’m sure I’ll find someone to show me around. |
THE DESERT HEAT | ||
Covetous Shen | Ugh, it’s even hotter than I remembered it. I’m afraid I’m growing weak. I need a drink, and a bath, and something to keep the sun off. Or maybe just a nice, cool jewel to put on my forehead. That will fix everything. |
EIRENA’S JOURNEY | ||
Necromancer | How long were you looking for me? | |
Eirena | Well, it was not very easy to find you! I had to search for days. When I woke up alone, I did not know what had happened. I wrote about it a little. You may read more if you wish. | |
EIRENA’S JOURNAL | ||
I felt no fear when they sealed the tomb before me, only a sense of peace as my mind drifted away into the darkness. It seems I opened my eyes only seconds later and beheld the chamber in ruins, half-buried in sand. I have left everything behind… Only hope guides me now. |
THE ENCHANTRESS | ||
Myriam | An enchanting young woman who is much more than her youth suggests will come to your aid today. She can be of great help to you, so try to be polite, will you? | |
Necromancer | What will she help against? | |
Myriam | Oh, it’s that coven again. They’re going to try and ambush you. |
BLACKSMITH | ||
Myriam | I was just talking to Haedrig. He is still denying his grief. He really needs to open up. If he would just let me confort him it would do him a world of good. |
WONDER | ||
Kala | I have never been outside the city my entire life. I have never even been outside the palace. When they threw us out here, I thought I would die. I was terrified. But now… look at his view. I have never understood how large the world actually was. It is beautiful. |
Brother Ghaine the Healer | Death may be upon us all soon, but I shall do what I can to ease your pain. |
RETURNING TO CALDEUM | ||
Necromancer | I can’t imagine you’re happy to be in the city. | |
Haedrig Eamon | I told myself I’d never come back here, and yet here I am. | |
Necromancer | Because of what happened to your father? | |
Haedrig Eamon | Because of what happened to me. Some scars don’t heal, and there’s no point in scratching at them, is there? Weather doesn’t suit me either. |
A SPECIAL JEWEL | ||
Covetous Shen | I knew you would lead me to exciting and mysterious places! We should encounter the jewel I seek any day now! | |
Necromancer | What sort of jewel is this? | |
Covetous Shen | Oh, it’s nothing special. It merely changes form to evade pursuers, and drives its owners mad. | |
Necromancer | Are you sure you haven’t already succeeded? | |
Covetous Shen | Haha. |
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY | ||
Covetous Shen | The strangest thing just happened. A young man accused me of being the Xiansai god of thieves disguised as an elderly jeweler! Well, I understand his confusion, since I am as handsome as a god. I gave the fellow some advice and sent him on his way. | |
Necromancer | But you did not correct him. | |
Covetous Shen | Who am I to crush the dreams of the young? | |
Necromancer | A man with honor. | |
Covetous Shen | (laughs in his crazy way) | |
THE LEGEND OF ZEI THE TRICKSTER | ||
The people of Xiansai worship fifity-nine gods, but few are more revered than Zei, the exiled trickster god who travels the face of the world, disguised as a humble merchant. Tales of his adventures range from ingenious thefts and practical jokes to more… lurid exploits, none of which I am comfortable recording here. – Abd al-Hazir |
Scoundrel | Tell me about this sisterhood of yours. | |
Enchantress | We are the hand of the Prophet. The souls of the virtuous. | |
Scoundrel | Oh, Never mind. | |
Enchantress | But I was not finished! | |
Scoundrel | Really, it’s not going to work. |
LEAH’S CALDEUM JOURNAL, PART 1 |
Caldeum — everything Uncle Deckard left me leads to this place. It’s strange; I first met him here when I was only a child… and now his loss feels heavier than ever. He was right about everything all along… We have to stop Belial before it’s too late. – Leah |
THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD | ||
Myriam | You seem down today. Tell me what Myriam can do for you. | |
Necromancer | I am not down. I am resolved. | |
Myriam | Well, you should resolve to enjoy life a bit more. So the demon lords want to crush all humanity beneath their heel, does that mean you can’t smile? |
THE COVEN | ||
Myriam | The cultists are making a great mess of things out in the desert. They deserve the painful death you will bring to them. | |
Necromancer | What else? | |
Myriam | They are torturing and killing innocent villagers to lure you into their trap, but you’ll get the better of them, won’t you? | |
TOWNSFOLK DIALOGUES: CALDEUM BAZAAR
REFUGEES | ||
Asheara | All of these people have fled from the cultists in Alcarnus. They are refugees far from their homes. | |
Necromancer | Why can’t they resettle within the city? | |
Asheara | The Imperial Guard lets no one in. These people are sentenced to a slow death. |
THE IRON WOLVES | ||
Asheara | The Iron Wolves were mercenaries until we helped the Zakaraum priests find the successor to the first Emperor Hakan. We became the emperor’s personal guard after that. But everything changed a few months ago when the first refugees began arriving. An Imperial guard was created to “protect” the citizens from the refugees while we were out in the desert, fighting the Coven and their demonspawn. Eventually they took over. | |
Villager: Have you heard? Emperor Hakan threw his entire court out of the city! They’re trapped out here with the rest of us. |
Villager #2: There is some justice in this world after all. |
Villager #3: Justice? They’re a load of pompous fools, but even they don’t deserve what’s coming tonight. |
Villager: What happens tonight? |
Villager #3: They’re wearing jewels worth more than any of us see in a year, and they have to sleep sometime. |
Villager: You there! Child! What is that foul stench? |
Girl: It’s the sewer, sir. That hole goes right into it. |
Villager: I’m sure our emperor had his reasons for closing the gates, but how are we expected to sleep scant inches from tunnels packed with filth. |
Girl: A bit of advice, my lord? If I were you, I would sleep with my back against a wall. |
Villager: Life in the Borderlands was hard, but we had our dignity. We came here for help, and how do they treat us? Like animals! |
Guard: The inner city is closed, by order of his eminence, Emperor Hakan the second. For now, you must all remain here. |
Villager: Let us in! We are dying of hunger and thirst. Can’t you smell the stench of death? |
Villager #2: The emperor has forsaken us! |
Guard: Back! Or we will force you back. |
Villager: You Imperial Guard would let us die here. At least the Iron Wolves try to aid us! |
Guard: Mention them again, and I will leave your corpse for them to find. |
Villager: We’ve been out here for too long! You must let us in! |
Villager #3: Why does the emperor keep us out here in the filth? |
Tilnan the Collector: Why don’t you come see Tilnan’s new goods? You will not be disappointed, I assure you. Many of my pieces come straight from the emperor’s own collection! Very valuable! But Tilnan knows you can afford it. |
Villager: Alcarnus is being destroyed by the Coven! I’ve seen people skinned alive! |
PATIENCE | ||
Noblewoman | Many of my banished peers have fled for Lut Gholein. Not I! I shall wait for our emperor to come to his senses. | |
Iron Wolf Swordsman | Very noble, my lady. So it has nothing to do with the last caravan leaving ten minutes ago? | |
Nobleman | What impudence! How dare you even speak to me! | |
Iron Wolf Swordsman | Apologies, my lady. You’d best take up your concerns with the emperor. |
SEARING SANDS INN
Villager: My family… I lost my whole family out there. |
Alcarnus Refugee: Everything I had was in Alcarnus. I am ruined… |
Refugee: The last emperor wouldn’t have treated us like this. His death was convenient for the boy, wasn’t it? |
AN ABRIDGED HISTORY OF CALDEUM, PART 1 |
Most commoners know Caldeum by reputation if not direct experience. The trade city has existed for thousands of years, predating even the Mage Clan Wars. Its neutral stance throughout the following centuries saved it from the destruction that visited the nearby city of Viz-jun and life — along with trade — carried on. – Abd al-Hazir |
Sadeir the Innkeeper: If only the emperor and his guard had gone mad sooner. All these people being locked out of the city has really helped my trade. |
Noblewoman: All this pain and suffering! This is what happens when you let a child sit on the throne! |
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