"The Nephalem" is a title awarded to the nephalem hero(es) active during the End of Days. They serve as the main protagonists of Diablo III.
Biography
The End of Days
Witnessing a falling star, the Nephalem travelled to Tristram where they confronted and defeated an awakened evil.[1]
Together with new allies, the Nephalem then moved towards Caldeum, reviving (and defeating) Zoltun Kulle, retrieving his Black Soulstone, and vanquishing Belial.
At Bastion's Keep, the Nephalem fought the Army of Sin, but after trapping Azmodan, the last of the Evils, in the Soulstone, were betrayed by Adria. Thus, Diablo walked the earth again.
Chasing the Lord of Terror, the Nephalem finally defeated him in the High Heavens, preventing the Prime Evil from destroying the angelic civilization and the Crystal Arch. Recognized by Angiris Council for such a feat, the Nephalem left the Heavens and returned to Sanctuary.
Aftermath
After the defeat of Diablo, the Nephalem entered the lands east of Westmarch to search for Adria.[2]
Reaper of Souls
In Westmarch, the Nephalem encountered Lorath Nahr, a Horadrim member sent by Tyrael who told them of the Reapers' attack on the city. The Nephalem then took the fight to the Reapers and managed to save the remaining survivors in time. Afterwards, the Nephalem entered the Blood Marsh to locate Adria.[3] As they passed through, the ruins of the lost city of Corvus reacted to their presence, proving that the Nephalem had embraced their birthright.[4] The Nephalem found Adria and defeated her, avenging Leah.
After a long intense battle, the Nephalem eventually defeated Malthael.[3] However, Tyrael feared that one day the Nephalem would be tempted into corruption, and wondered whether the Nephalem, who had defeated the champions of Heaven and Hell, could resist it: depending on this, the Nephalem could be mankind's hope, or their doom.[5]
Further Adventures
Now feared by angels and demons alike,[6] the Nephalem turned their attention to the remaining servants of chaos on Sanctuary.[7]
Kanai's Cube
Several months after Malthael's defeat, Zoltun Kulle managed to return to the Nephalem in his spirit form. He told the shocked hero(es) that not even they could have killed the undying Horadrim, and that he now required their help. The artifact hidden beneath the Ruins of Sescheron could only be retrieved by someone who its guardians would deem worthy, and Kulle, obviously, would never pass their trial. The Nephalem agreed, and together with the deranged mage's spirit, managed to recover the artifact. As a token of his gratitude, Kulle unlocked its power, remaining at the Nephalem's side in their journey afterwards.[7]
Greyhollow Island
The Darkening of Tristram
The Nephalem hunted down a group of cultists that recreated Tristram as it existed in Adria's memories. The Nephalem entered a portal and found themselves in a simaculum of the town as it had existed prior to its fall.[8]
In-game
The Nephalem" is representative of the player character(s) of Diablo III ("The) Nephalem" is often used to address the player character, as per game mechanics and bypassing gender, name, class and number of players. According to Storm of Light and Book of Tyrael, storywise, a single nephalem hero is active. This matches the in-game cinematics of Diablo III and Reaper of Souls where "the Nephalem" is mentioned/seen as being a single hero. According to The Story of Diablo however, not only are all the classes of Diablo III nephalem, but all of them take part in the same overall story. The article and related pages are written to reflect this ambiguity.
Various individuals have appeared in Heroes of the Storm and expanded universe material that are named versions of the game's classes. These include:
- Johanna (female Crusader)
- Kharazim (male Monk)
- Li-Ming (female Wizard)
- Nazeebo (male Witch Doctor)
- Sonya (female Barbarian)
- Valla (female Demon Hunter)
Even before a named character has been provided for a Monk, the Monk has been portrayed as male as the de facto class gender choice.[9] De facto class genders for the Barbarian, Crusader, Demon Hunter, Witch Doctor, and Wizard, are male,[10] male,[11] female,[12] male[13] and female[14] respectively.
References
- ↑ Diablo III, Act I
- ↑ Storm of Light
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Diablo III, Act V
- ↑ 2014-03-06, REAPER OF SOULS™ FIRST LOOK: EXPLORING THE BLOOD MARSH. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2014-06-11
- ↑ Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Ending Cinematic
- ↑ 2016-12-30,Diablo on Twitter. Twitter, accessed on 2017-01-02
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Diablo III, Adventure Mode
- ↑ Diablo III, Anniversary Dungeon
- ↑ Monk, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2014-04-20
- ↑ Barbarian, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2014-04-20
- ↑ Crusader, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2014-04-20
- ↑ Demon Hunter, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2014-04-20
- ↑ Witch Doctor, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2014-04-20
- ↑ Wizard, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2014-04-20
Diablo I — Aidan (Warrior) • Jazreth (Sorcerer) • Moreina (Rogue)
Diablo II — Carthas (Paladin) • Cassia (Amazon) • Isendra (Sorceress) • Xul (Necromancer)
Diablo Immortal — The Shard-seeker
Diablo III — The Nephalem: Johanna* (Crusader) • Kharazim* (Monk) • Li-Ming* (Wizard) • Nazeebo* (Witch Doctor) • Sonya* (Barbarian) • "The Chosen" * (Necromancer) • Valla (Demon Hunter)
Diablo IV — The Wanderer
* denotes possible but unconfirmed canonical identity.