Unveiling Diablo IV's Vessel of Hatred Expansion - The Rise of a New Class and the Terrifying Return of Mephisto
Introduction
The Diablo IV expansion, entitled "Vessel of Hatred," is set to have its release date announced and pre-orders initiated during the LA Games Festival in June 2024, as well as during the Xbox Online Showcase around the same time.
Both the expansion itself and the second narrative novel "The Book of Praevus" are scheduled for release on October 1st (North America). Similar to how the main game's novel "The Book of Lohar" was released concurrently with Diablo IV, officials had previously mentioned in an interview one year prior that the release of the novels plays a significant role in the development and unfolding of the game's storyline. Initially, "The Book of Praevus" was due for release on October 15th; however, Blizzard recently made an unexpected change, moving up the release date on their channels to October 1st, thus bringing forward the sale.
Additionally, Diablo IV Director Rod has already publicly disclosed last year before the BlizzCon that the development team plans to unveil "major news" about Diablo IV approximately six months later, in early summer 2024. Moreover, an official from Xbox confirmed in February that Blizzard would showcase content related to the expansion at the Xbox event in June.
Considering that Diablo series beta tests often occur about six months prior to release, and currently, the D4 beta testing began in early March (with reports stating that DLC1 'Vessel of Hatred' has officially entered the BETA stage after Blizzard submitted and received a rating in South Korea), followed by entering a rapid iteration phase in April, the six-month gap aligns perfectly with the information claiming a release date for the expansion in early October.
Diablo IV Season 4
Currently known elements of Season 4 include a plethora of "Iron Wolves" items and reputation, the entrance to the lost city of Ureh (which, in Diablo lore, serves as a gateway between Heaven and Hell, fittingly complementing the "Heaven" and "Hell" themed skins uncovered for Season 4), a new line from Mephisto, among other data mined leaks. Players familiar with Diablo II and the accompanying novels know that Asheara and her Iron Wolves guard were instrumental in fighting against Mephisto in Kurast, and Ureh holds relevance within this backstory.
It is highly plausible that Season 4 will be extended akin to Season 3, lasting from May 14th until October 1st, for a duration of four and a half months, leading up to the release of the expansion. Potentially, there could even be a short "pre-expansion" version before the actual expansion because the gates to Hatrystul Kurald, which once required passage through a massive dungeon in Kejhistan fraught with danger, have been closed. Currently, test realm updates suggest that Season 4 and the expansion's beta versions are undergoing cross-synchronized updates and may bypass Season 5 altogether, commencing a new season post the expansion's core story content.
Diablo IV Expansion
The expansion, titled "Vessel of Hatred," underwent its first external alpha testing on April 16th while being developed under the codename Fenris Beta. As of now, key data leaks for Season 4 involve Asheara, the Iron Wolves faction, Iron Wolf guards battling in the surge, the opening of the entrance to Ureh, and seasonal skins themed around Heaven and Hell.
Detailed Content
In the novel storylines of Diablo II, Asheara/Esheara leads the Iron Wolves, a mercenary band consisting of roughly 550 experienced mages and warriors (as per the 2013 official Diablo III novel "Diablo: The Book of Tyrael"), operating in the region of Kejhistan with the mission to protect it from demonic forces of Hell, including the Lord of Hatred Mephisto and his minions.
The Iron Wolves first appeared in Act III of Diablo II, specifically in Kurast Docks, serving as a haven for players pursuing Diablo and Baal in Act III. Despite their best efforts, Kurast eventually fell to Mephisto's corruption. Later, Esheara and her mercenaries found and escorted a young boy, Hakan II, as the new ruler of Kejhistan according to the will of the Zakarum faith. She personally brought him to Caldeum, where the Iron Wolves then became his personal guard.
"I am Esheara, leader of a mage mercenary band called the Iron Wolves. For months, we've hunted demons in the jungles of Travincal, but for every one we kill, two more seem to take its place. Word has reached us that you're here to help. If so, I'll let you hire some of my mercenaries. They're better than anything else you'll find out here." - Esheara (in-game text), 1264 AD.
Leader Asheara/Esheara subsequently returns in Diablo III and plays a significant role in the Act II storyline of Caldeum. In Caldeum, Asheara encounters the Nephalem seeking Madora's tribe leader. It's worth noting that Asheara harbors a pessimistic view of the Zakarum faith.
Fast forward to 1336 AD in Diablo IV, the Iron Wolves are in dire straits. Following the events of Diablo III, they inadvertently became bodyguards to the Lord of Lies Belial and roam Kejhistan, once a site of their former glory. Now, their camp is a shadow of what it once was – erstwhile a formidable force of well-fed, well-equipped mercenaries, they have dwindled into a dilapidated settlement with few inhabitants. Notably, "Asheara's Sword" can be found as part of a side quest in Diablo IV. However, Asheara herself remains elusive.
The expansion's main antagonist, Mephisto, one of the three Prime Evils of Hell, is driven to expand the influence of Hell's forces. His strategy involves manipulating humans and other beings, and the curse of Ureh is part of his design. Mephisto's plan revolves around harnessing Ureh's power to strengthen the forces of Hell in their conflict against the forces of Heaven.
Ureh, featured in the 2002 official novel "Diablo: The Kingdom of Shadow" written by Richard A. Knaak, a renowned North American author contracted by Blizzard Entertainment, tells the story of how Diablo deceived Lord Urishan into casting a spell that sought to transcend Ureh into Hell, thereby causing imbalance in Sanctuary, though this failed when Griswold intervened, sending Ureh to an eternal limbo between Heaven and Hell.
Initially, Diablo III was speculated to have two expansions, and Ureh was a central city prominently featured in early promotional material, with extensive content ultimately left unused in the second expansion, including cinematic models and concept art.
When players examined the world map before Diablo IV's launch, they noticed that Ureh was conspicuously absent. In the novels, the cursed city is portrayed as a critical location due to its connection to both Heaven and Hell, having been a battleground fiercely contested by hellish forces. Mephisto aims to exploit Ureh's power to advance his agenda, while the Iron Wolves, along with the player characters, must prevent this to safeguard Kejhistan and the entire world from the encroaching forces of Hell.
Conclusion
Thus, in Season 4, Asheara and her Iron Wolves become aware of the renewed threat posed by the forces of Hell and their mission centers on thwarting potential schemes orchestrated by the Lord of Hatred Mephisto and other demons. Player characters will join forces with the Iron Wolves, as seen in the PTR, working together to track down and dismantle Mephisto's current or lingering evil machinations.
The task of defeating Mephisto is by no means an easy feat, and with the advent of the new season, players will need to forge entirely new Legendary Items equipment. This process is undoubtedly time-consuming; hence, buying Diablo 4 Gold on Gameusd to swiftly acquire the necessary gear for one's build within the game presents itself as an excellent option.
Throughout this journey, players not only confront the infernal threats encapsulated in the Season 4 theme of the "Rising Tides," but also unravel the secrets of Ureh (the leaked new entrance), exploring narrative threads that delve into the eternal conflict between Heaven and Hell—a first in Diablo IV that hints at a future return of heavenly forces in subsequent DLCs.