Changes: Coven

Revision as of 17:00, 13 October 2014

Maghda, Leader of the Dark Coven's Forces

The Coven (also Dark Coven) is a group of dark mystics dedicated to Belial, the Lord of Lies. It is a remnant of the Triune.^[1]

History

Early History

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Little is known about the early history of the Coven under Belial's control, but it is known that Maghda and one other witch took command away from its prior leader. However, the unknown witch had left the Coven behind, while Maghda stayed true to her followers. The other witch responsible for taking command is unknown at this point, although there are suspicions from the Templar, Kormac, that Adria may have been that other witch, who left the Coven to seek Diablo in Tristram.

It is also known that, while the cultists were serving Belial unquestioningly and zealously, every member of the Coven was to be sacrificed to their demonic master sooner or later (as soon as there is enough taint in their bodies).^[2] In addition, Coven was paying generously for Behistun Magi artifacts, whose knowledge they were hoping to resurrect and use for their own purposes.^[3]

The End of Days

The Search for the Sword

Triune vessel runeGround — Ritual circle of the Coven

The descent of Tyrael, the Archangel of Justice, did not go unnoticed by the denizens of the Burning Hells. Belial was aware of the fallen star and sent Maghda and many members of the Coven to retrieve El'druin, the sword of Tyrael, which had been broken into three pieces. The Nephalem heroes themselves do not encounter the members of the Coven until shortly before destroying the Skeleton King, where they attempted to turn a templar to their side. The heroes freed the templar and aided him in tracking down and killing Jondar, another templar who had turned his back on the order and joined Maghda and the Coven as a necromancer.

The Coven hounded the heroes' steps as they neared the pieces of El'druin. In the Fields of Misery, they had taken control of the khazra and used them to kill those who opposed them, and tried to 'turn' the first piece of the sword for their own purposes before being thwarted. In the Drowned Temple near the Festering Woods, the cultists were teleported in by Maghda in order to claim the second piece, but fell to the Nephalem. Finally, they descended upon the town of Wortham and burned it to the ground, murdering many people in order to get their hands on the final piece of the sword. Unfortunately for the heroes, not only were the Coven successful in claiming the final piece, but were also successful in invading New Tristram and capturing Leah, Deckard Cain, Tyrael and the other two pieces.

The Death of Deckard Cain

The heroes rushed back to New Tristram to rescue their friends from the Coven, learning that Maghda sought the sword on behalf of Belial. Leah killed the cultists that had her captive when her hidden power unleashed itself and annihilated them all. Seeing that her advantage was lost, Maghda spitefully spirited Tyrael away, telling the heroes that the blade would be hers. Dying from the wounds inflicted on him by Maghda's evil magic, Deckard used the last of his power to restore El'druin, revealing its angelic nature, and that of its wielder, to everyone. After the death of Deckard Cain, the heroes made it their next goal to return the now reconstructed El'druin to its original owner and exact vengeance upon Maghda and the Coven.

The Vengeance of the Nephalem

"(S)He's unstoppable! No mortal could slaughter our brethren with such ease!"
- A Dark Cultist at Leoric's Manor.

The Coven took Tyrael through the Highlands and into Leoric's Manor, where they spirited him down into the depths of the Halls of Agony, King Leoric's old torture chambers. Along the way, they also captured many villagers to torture and sacrifice in order to summon demons from the Burning Hells. It soon became apparent to the Coven that they had made a terrible enemy of the Nephalem. Nothing that the cultists could send their way -- not men, not khazra, not even demons -- was enough to even slow the heroes down. Worse still, Maghda cared nothing for their fates except as a means to delay the heroes while she prepared their demise in the depths below.

By the time the Nephalem reached Tyrael, the Coven had tortured him nearly to the point of death. As Tyrael lay dying, the Nephalem gave him El'druin back, restoring both his body and his mind. Maghda escaped to Kehjistan, where her master Belial had seized the city of Caldeum, and where the rest of the Coven dedicated to him had gathered. Tyrael remembered the warning he had set out to deliver about the forces of the last two Lords of Hell planning to invade Sanctuary and take control, and about how Belial had descended upon the Jewel of the East. With this in mind, after paying their final respects to Deckard Cain and giving him a proper burial, the heroes set out for Caldeum in order to free the city from Belial's reign.

The Coven in Kehjistan

Hunted by the Nephalem, Maghda and the Coven descended upon the city of Alcarnus, torturing and slaughtering its people, the survivors fleeing the city and seeking refuge in Caldeum. The Coven attempted to stop the heroes from reaching Maghda by means of deceptive illusions, among them obscuring the Black Canyon Bridge, an effort foiled by the arrival of the enchantress Eirena, who directed them to the sites of the torturous rituals the Coven were using to create the illusions. They also attempted to lure the heroes into a trap at the Khasim Outpost, where they learned that the Imperial Guard responsible for what was happening in Caldeum were the serpent demons of Belial in disguise. After freeing the Iron Wolves that Maghda had marked for sacrifice to Belial, the heroes tracked Maghda and the Coven to Alcarnus, killing every demon in their path, freeing those the Coven still held prisoner, and killing every one of the cultists before confronting Maghda herself and exacting final vengeance for Deckard Cain.

After Maghda's fall, a final remnant of the Coven in Kehjistan are seen in the Dahlgur Oasis and the Desolate Sands, presumably taking orders from Belial himself as they try to claim the head and blood of Zoltun Kulle, and meet with about as much success as their endeavors to stop the heroes under Maghda. They are not seen again for the remainder of the regular game.

The Reaper of Souls

"They say Belial is dead, but I know he cannot be. He is the Lord of Lies! We will build our army and defeat the Angel of Death to prepare for Belial's return. Malthael...hah! Even a rogue archangel is nothing compared to our master."
—A cultist's log^[4]

The Coven endured the loss of their master. They had a presence in Westmarch when Malthael led his Reapers against the realm. The Coven intended to oppose him.^[4] During this time period, a reformed Coven member informed the Nephalem that there was a stash nearby, that it would have been better served in their hands, rather than his own.^[5]

Composition

Human Ranks

Summoned Demons

Known Members

Leadership

Adria (former co-leader)
Belial (supreme leader)
Maghda (de facto leader)

Dark Cultists

Dark Summoners

Dark Vessels/Thralls

References

↑ Book of Tyrael
↑ Diablo III, Cultist Blood
↑ Diablo III, Behistun Rune
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 2013-10-01, Reaper of Souls - West March Cult Retaliation Sound Files. YouTube, accessed on 2013-10-04
↑ Diablo III, Act V

[BoT-1] Book of Tyrael

[2] Diablo III, Cultist Blood

[3] Diablo III, Behistun Rune

[WestCult-4] 4.0 ^4.1 2013-10-01, Reaper of Souls - West March Cult Retaliation Sound Files. YouTube, accessed on 2013-10-04

[5] Diablo III, Act V

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 ====The Coven in Kehjistan====
-Hunted by the Nephalem, Maghda and the Coven descended upon the city of [[Alcarnus]] and torturing and slaughtering its people. They attempted to stop the heroes from reaching Maghda by means of deceptive illusions, among them obscuring the [[Black Canyon Bridge]], an effort foiled by the arrival of the enchantress [[Eirena]], who directed them to the sites of the torturous rituals the Coven were using to create the illusion. They also attempted to lure the heroes into a trap at the [[Khasim Outpost]], where they learned that the [[Imperial Guard]] responsible for what is happening in the city of Caldeum were the [[Deceiver|serpent demons]] of Belial in disguise. After freeing the [[Iron Wolves]] that Maghda had marked for sacrifice to Belial, the heroes tracked Maghda and the Coven to Alcarnus, freeing those the Coven still held prisoner and killing every one of the cultists before confronting Maghda herself and exacting final vengeance for Deckard Cain.
+Hunted by the Nephalem, Maghda and the Coven descended upon the city of [[Alcarnus]], torturing and slaughtering its people, the survivors fleeing the city and seeking refuge in Caldeum. The Coven attempted to stop the heroes from reaching Maghda by means of deceptive illusions, among them obscuring the [[Black Canyon Bridge]], an effort foiled by the arrival of the enchantress [[Eirena]], who directed them to the sites of the torturous rituals the Coven were using to create the illusions. They also attempted to lure the heroes into a trap at the [[Khasim Outpost]], where they learned that the [[Imperial Guard]] responsible for what was happening in Caldeum were the [[Deceiver|serpent demons]] of Belial in disguise. After freeing the [[Iron Wolves]] that Maghda had marked for sacrifice to Belial, the heroes tracked Maghda and the Coven to Alcarnus, killing every demon in their path, freeing those the Coven still held prisoner, and killing every one of the cultists before confronting Maghda herself and exacting final vengeance for Deckard Cain.
 After Maghda's fall, a final remnant of the Coven in Kehjistan are seen in the [[Dahlgur Oasis]] and the [[Desolate Sands]], presumably taking orders from Belial himself as they try to claim the head and blood of [[Zoltun Kulle]], and meet with about as much success as their endeavors to stop the heroes under Maghda. They are not seen again for the remainder of the regular game.