Sanctuary returns with the release of Diablo 4, and some new lore explains the creation of the foreboding settlement. Diablo titles have included the town of Sanctuary since the first title was released, and although each installment featured the area, its origins were mostly unknown until this Diablo 4 lore.
The Diablo franchise has been going strong since the first title came out in 1996 and was quickly ported to the PlayStation, with subsequent releases ending up on consoles too except for the original Diablo 2. While each game introduced its own mechanics and enemies, several things have remained the same including a battle against the titular villain, extensive dungeons full of unique monsters, and a location called Sanctuary. With Sanctuary being a vital part of each installment, many Diablo fans have pondered its origins, and some fresh lore explains its creation in detail.
Blizzard recently released an animated video on its Diablo social channels entitled "The Book of Lorath Episode 2: Sanctuary" which delves into how Inarius and Lilith created the town. Seeking to escape the eternal conflict between Diablo 4's demons and angels, Inarius and Lilith forged an alliance to create a location called Sanctuary safe from the ongoing war. With the town remaining safe for Diablo 4 and each title before it, the surrounding area of Sanctuary could be infested with angels and demons, but the settlement itself remained unscathed.
Inarius and Lilith used the Worldstone in a pocket dimension in order to hide it from powerful foes in heaven and hell alike to shape the utopia that was eventually dubbed Sanctuary. Renegade angels and demons would join the two memorable Diablo characters, but they were eventually killed by Lilith who worried about the lives of her children, the Nephalem. This conflict caused Inarius to banish Lilith from Sanctuary before attuning the Worldstone to turn the Nephalem into mortals before he also disappeared, setting the stage for Diablo 4 ahead of its June release.
With the Diablo games often inspired by biblical characters like the devil, angels, demons, and the Nephalem, the origin of Sanctuary maintains the trend while also providing a unique twist. Although Sanctuary will play a role in Diablo 4 as it has in the past, it's currently unclear if more lore about it will be revealed through the story or if Blizzard intends to continue exploring the important details through videos like The Book of Lorath.
Diablo 4 releases for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 6.