Balance (Philosophy)

For other uses of Balance, see Balance (Disambiguation).

"The Balance is the even distribution of Light and Dark. Its essence is most significant to Sanctuary, but it goes beyond, to all of creation. A world where Dark rules will burn itself up. A world where Light commands will eventually stagnate. If either gained enough control of Sanctuary so that the other could not match it, then that would be the end of all things..."

- Trag'Oul^(src)

The Balance, a.k.a. "Great Cycle of Being", is a precarious state that the Priests of Rathma seek to preserve. It is closely linked to the Great Conflict and its influence on the mortal plane, also known as the Sin War.

Lore

Interpretations

The Priests of Rathma

"But should we not ever strive for good over evil?"
"Light and Dark are not necessary good and evil, son of Diomedes. Yes, good must outshine evil, but if the knowledge of evil is erased utterly, even good may turn on itself..."

- Mendeln and Trag'Oul^(src)

According to Trag'Oul, good must always outshine evil, but not entirely erase it, lest good turn on itself.

The Priests of Rathma believe that all Creation exists in a delicate balance between Light and Darkness. Should either side gain control, Sanctuary would fall into ruin. Their beliefs state that falling to Light and Darkness are equally as horrific a fate for mankind. Falling to the Darkness would result in the world being ruled by Hell. Falling to the Light would lead humanity to stagnation and a loss of conscience. By maintaining the Balance, the priests believe that they ensure that neither angels or demons will gain too much sway over humanity.

The priests hold sacred the delicate balance of life and death and are able to twist the line that borders the two. They see death merely as a natural part of life and do not seek to deny its arrival. To the priests, the actions one takes in life are as important as those that occur after death. They hold Trag'Oul as the fulcrum of the Balance. They believe that when one dies, their soul passes into the next plane of existence, where they will fulfill another role for the Balance.

The Necromancers believe that numbers influence the Balance, and that certain numbers will shift it in one way or another. They believe that even the slightest imbalance in the Cycle can lead to catastrophe.

Other Beliefs

"Because the Light and the Darkness balance each other. Any time power is passed into this world from the Light or the Darkness, a balance must be made. Demons come into this world, and a means of defeating them is also created. If the Light tries to upset the balance by introducing an object of power that can be used against the Darkness, the powers of Darkness intercede to make the balance whole again. Ultimately, the true threat to the balance, whether the Light or the Darkness has the greater power in our world, is left up to us. The people. Just as when the Prime Evils appeared in this world during the time that came to be known as the Dark Exile, the Angel Tyrael gathered the magi, warriors, and scholars in the East and formed the Brotherhood of the Horadrim. Those people would never have come together with such power if the demons had not been loosed in our world. If Tyrael had tried to do this before the Prime Evils had arrived here, Darkness would have found a means to strike a balance."

- Taramis^(src)

Crusaders believe that humans are the only truly balanced beings in Creation, as per their nephalem heritage and the mingling of angels and demons that produced their forebears.

Kabraxis believed in a balance between Light and Darkness. He claimed that by entering Sanctuary, demons sow the seeds of their own downfall, which allows the Balance to be maintained. Likewise, all those who follow the Light have a weakness which may be exploited. Taramis similarly believed that Light and Darkness balance each other, and that the greatest threat to the Balance is humanity itself.

Some believe that the world should be cleansed of both demons and angels, that Light and Darkness should be erradicated, and humanity be left free to find its own path.

History

The Balance was disturbed by Malthael's resurrection of the dead en masse.