Descending further into the Rogue's home, I was disturbed by what I witnessed in their former jail system. Devices of torture abounded throughout their jail, and I had originally attributed them to creations of the demons. Yet, Rozene was unusually silent as I spoke aloud about them. I could sense that there was something she wished I knew, but didn't want to be the one to tell me. I had felt like we had spent enough time together in harrowing moments that the bond between us was strong enough that I could point out her unusual silence and ask about it. It was then that Rozene explained that these devices of torture were constructed not by demons, but by humans.





I had hard time accepting the contrast between these barbaric contraptions and the surrounding beautiful architecture. Perhaps I was wrong to assume such purity to humanity, and that it was more than just The Countess who embodied the capacity for violence. After all, who among us was perfect, including the Askari?



This post was edited by Handcuffs on Dec 21 2019 05:19pm

Through the Jail, into the Catacombs, and eventually to the throne upon which Andariel sat, we eventually encountered the fabled Andariel. She proved to be the strongest demon I had yet faced, with a spirit of venom that emanated from her every movement. The watch of Athalua proved to be an even stronger antidote.

Slaying Andariel was a major victory that could not be celebrated, as even though I was able to relay our victory to those in the encampment, the urgency of what was unfolding in the world meant that as quickly as I returned to camp, I would need to leave. Warriv was confident that we could safely travel in his caravan to the great city Lut Gholein now that Andariel had been dispatched. Rumor had it that Lut Gholein was in as precarious a position as the Rogue Encampment was when I first arrived. This rumor was confirmed to be true as a I was greeted by Lord Jerhyn and briefed about the state of Lut Gholein. It was a gorgeous city, and a proverbial oasis in an otherwise desolate desert. If the Rogue Monastery taught me anything though, it was that death and wickedness could exist beneath the surface of such radiance. I would not learn until later how true that would prove to be when I spoke with Atma.

Atma informed me of how similarly in danger Lut Gholein was, just like it was for the Rogue Encampment. Only this time, instead of evil being solely outside these very stone walls, it was also beneath us, in the sewer system. Surprisingly, the people on the street seemed not fully aware of the precarious situation that their city, and therefore their lives, were in. I suspected that Lord Jerhyn was attempting to resolve the conflict in secret as best he could so not to invite chaos within the city's walls.



I would not seek to invite such chaos into a city that was not my own, so I ensured Atma that would bring her vengeance and slay Radament without worrying the townsfolk. Entering the sewers was unlike anything Rozene and I had experienced before. I was overcome with rage and disgust to find that the demons had not been satiated in torturing humans, but also found the remains of tortured dogs and hounds. The abuse of such helpless creatures enraged me to the point of seeing red, and it was only thanks to Rozene that I was able to regain control and focus. It made me realize that I had become so desensitized to human remains, but that this was a new low, even for demons.





This post was edited by Handcuffs on Dec 21 2019 05:45pm

I resolved to find and kill Radament, now not only to achieve vengeance for Atma, but for these defenseless dogs. As I shot the final blow, I felt as though Atma was there with me, pulling my shot farther back than I ever had alone. The force of that final shot caused Radament to erupt in a display of purification.

Atma was relieved at my success, and I could tell that this was the first time in a long time that a weight seemed to lift from her shoulders. She expressed her infinite gratitude and shared that the townsfolk would assist me in my journey thanks to her kind endorsement.



This helped immensely with being able to speak with the townsfolk, as I sensed that they now trusted me more and believed I wasn't just a reckless fool who would surely wound up dead. Through talking with them more, I learned about how I can best move forward, which involved needing to venture out in the desert to find the pieces of the Horadric Staff, which would help me access Tal-Rasha's tomb, where Baal had been imprisoned. These very dunes had an immense history to them, and there were relics of this history throughout the desert. The size of these relics made me curious about how large humanity's presence had been in these deserts before, as the cities must have been quite large.

In the middle of the desert, I came across my first tomb, which I felt would help me learn more about this mysterious, history-filled land. The art on the walls along this tomb, although not certain in my understanding, appeared to suggest that these ancient people once worshiped a steer with wings and a beard. It made sense then why these shrines that granted health were constructed in the same image.

Rozene and I took some time to look at the art within this tomb, but each knew that this was not our mission. Leaving this tomb, we continued on to The Halls of the Dead in order to retrieve the Horadric Cube, a critical piece needed for us to access Tal-Rasha's tomb according to Deckard Cain. Still, as we ventured through the levels, I would not help but notice the intricate art along the way.

Deckard Cain informed us that next we would need to retrieve The Staff of Kings from the Maggot Lair. I did not like the sounds of this Maggot Lair, and I paused for a moment upon finding the entrance to it before descending. It was unlike anywhere Rozene and I had been before, because although we were used to darkness, it was extremely claustrophobic. This was only made worse because it was so dark and cramped that it was virtually impossible to see the corpses of warriors until they were right beneath your feet, and so I often felt them before I even saw them. I prayed to Athalua to forgive my unintentional disrespect for the dead.

I could not let the death of these warriors be in vain, and in reaching the Staff of the Kings, I made sure to slay every vicious maggot I saw.





This post was edited by Handcuffs on Dec 21 2019 06:07pm