Elias, also called The Pale Man, was a mysterious priest and the right hand of Lilith. He was the one responsible for summoning her into Sanctuary.
He was a former member of the Horadrim and the leader of the Temple of the Triune.
Biography[]
The Horadrim[]
- Lorath Nahr(src)
Elias was originally an incredibly talented Mage[1] from Aranoch who was a companion and apprentice to Lorath Nahr and his fellow Horadrim. He was one of three who occupied the Horadric Vault after Malthael was defeated along with Donan, Lorath and Tyrael.[citation needed]
Eventually, Tyrael, sensing some great danger, left the Horadrim in the hands of Lorath and departed on a secret mission. Donan eventually sealed the demon Astaroth, one of Mephisto's lieutenants, in a soulstone and left to build his estate over its prison and act as its guardian. Elias continued to dive into Horadric lore, and become increasingly fearful of the realization that with the Black Soulstone destroyed it was only a matter of time before the Prime Evils invaded Sanctuary once again. And this time with most of the nations still recovering from the Reapers, and angels remaining in Heaven, that Hell would most likely succeed with no force left to oppose them.[citation needed]
This led Elias to delve deep into solutions to this problem, pouring over tomes hundreds of years old until he discovered two important figures from Sanctuary's history. The first nephalem Rathma, the First Necromancer, as well as Lilith, his mother, daughter of Mephisto and partial creator of Sanctuary.[citation needed]
He brought his findings and concerns to Lorath, as well as continuing with research into taboo magic and subjects. He rationalized that there was no price too high to protect humanity, and delved deeper into the dark. Lorath rejected this, asserting that there were certain lines they could not cross. Eventually Elias, frustrated that Lorath wasn't willing to do whatever it took to protect Sanctuary was given an ultimatum, and left the Hordaric order behind. However, he didn't leave without first gathering the final information he needed to locate the temple of Rathma, where he hoped to find power to help fight against Hell.[citation needed]
Summoning Lilith[]
Eventually, he did find the temple of Rathma, and after spending some time reading through perhaps the wisest being on Sanctuary's writings came to two more discoveries. One was that in every single history and record, the only being that ever stood against the Burning Hells was Lilith, opposing the Eternal Conflict. And that even though she had tried to use humans to her own ends, she also seemed to have a true desire to thwart both Heaven and Hell and protect Sanctuary from their grasp. Elias, who had always been a seeker of truth, came to the see Lilith as the only being in Sanctuary who could truly protect it. He also learned that she, unlike the other Evils, could not reform in Hell, as her being had been banished to the Void by Inarius thousands of years before.[citation needed]
Elias made a decision that humanity would no longer be at the mercy of Hell or Heaven ever again and that Lilith was the best chance of making Sanctuary strong enough to be free of both forever. However, he didn't know if he saw any true "good" in Rathma's writings about Lilith's nature, so realized he needed a failsafe. He found this in Rathma's ability to create immortality. By hiding a piece of himself, in this case the tip of his finger, and using Rathma's incantation, one could simply reform if they ever died. This guarantied that if Lilith was hostile, or did something unpredictable he could simple revive as long as this piece still existed. He hid this piece of himself in Rathma's temple beneath the waves and set out for the means to summon Lilith.[citation needed]
Eventually he found his answer. Elias traveled to the "Tree of Whispers", a primordial force in the swamps of Sanctuary that would grant its vast knowledge in exchange for the head of the person who asked the question upon their death. Elias, knowing that he could not die, was the first person to "cheat" the Tree of its payment, asking it how he could summon Lilith back from the Void to Sanctuary. After getting his answer, he left the Tree behind, setting out on the next phase of his plan.[citation needed]
Elias realized that there must be those like-minded individuals in Sanctuary and that it's people needed a figure to rally behind. Inarius had, by this point, escaped Hell and began telling about prophecy that he would drive a spear of light into hatred's heart and bring humanity with him to Heaven, and started to rebuild his Cathedral of Light. Elias, knowing Inarius served only himself, set out to recreate the force that had once worshipped the prime evils, and Lilith, the Triune. This cult grew with shocking speed as he began spreading the word that the "Mother of Sanctuary" would come and save humanity, as well as elevate humans above both angels and demons, as it was her plan from the very beginning. What he - and everyone else for that matter at the time - did not know was that Mephisto, who was reforming in the Realm of Hatred, but still had part of his power residing in Sanctuary in the form of a wolf, was subtlety turning the cult to his side and control.[citation needed]
Elias now had the army and support needed, as well as a failsafe, to summon Lilith to Sanctuary. Determined to stand beside her as Sanctuary's champion, he traveled to an ancient chapel in Hawezar, the Halls of Dark Portent, which housed the gateway to the Void. In disguise, Elias enticed three men: Fionn, a thief from Scosglen, Gelwa, a Barbarian from the Dry Steppes, and Symon, a scholar from Hawezar[2], who were searching for gold in an underground chamber. During the search, Elias was chased and apparently killed by Ghouls. When the scholar discovered an old summoning formula, Elias appeared in the chamber and killed Fionn and Gelwa starting the summoning ritual. Then convincing Symon to "surrender" to his thirst for knowledge, had the scholar say the words and summon Lilith in bloody ritual. The ritual succeeded and Lilith returned to Sanctuary.[3]
Dusk on the Mountain[]
"The first of many. Go to the Dry Steppes and continue your preparations. Now our true work begins."
- Elias and Lilith in Nevesk(src)

Lilith and Elias in Nevesk
Later, Elias was present when Lilith corrupted a church of villagers in Nevesk. She ordered him to go to the Dry Steppes and finish his preparations.[4]
The Making of Monsters[]
In the Dry Steppes, Elias traveled through Abahru Canyons.[1]
The Gathering Storm[]
Secrets Bartered, Fates Sold[]
Trivia[]
- In The Sanctuary Tarot Deck and Guidebook, Elias represents The Hierophant card.
- In the Bible, Elijah (also known as Elias) was a prophet who defended the worship of God from the nature cult of Baal.
- Elias appeared in the cinematic announcement trailer for Diablo IV. Cinematic files originally listed him as Rathma.
- At some point, Elias scoured through writings in a temple. As far as he could tell, the only being willing to stand against the Eternal Conflict and will of the Prime Evils was Lilith.[5]
- Elias is voiced by Anthony Howell.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Diablo IV, Act III, The Spreading Darkness
- ↑ Diablo IV, Turbulent Waters
- ↑ Diablo IV Intro Cinematic
- ↑ Diablo IV, Prologue, Prayers for Salvation
- ↑ Diablo IV, Mother's Embrace