Westmarch (City)

"Angry naked women are attacking me? This is my summer in Westmarch all over again!"

— Lyndon^(src)

Westmarch, City of the Light^[1] was the mercantile and martial^[2] capital of the country of the same name.^[3]

LoreEdit

A legendary city,^[4] and the most powerful city in Sanctuary at the time of its fall,^[5] Westmarch was so named as it marked the westernmost point of Rakkis's crusade into the West.^[3] It had sprawling streets^[6] with gutters thick with sludge and refuse,^[1] and Gothic architecture.^[7] It served as the berth of the country's navy.^[8]

The city of Westmarch was surrounded by stone walls, lined with archers and lookouts. Its ramparts and buildings were much taller than Bramwell. Its geography involved a rise as one moved inwards towards the city center, as it was built on hills. As one moved into the city, the buildings grew more ornate.^[1] In its heyday, Westmarch was always bustling with activities as people came from all over the world to marvel at its sights and landmarks.^[9] It was home to a number of churches, museums, and art galleries.^[8]

Much of Westmarch's trade came in through its piers. Here, a rivalry existed between longshoremen and sailors. Sailors resented longshoremen for "not having the guts to go to sea," while longshoremen looked down on sailors, not seeing them as a true part of the community. Ergo, those in one profession tended to keep their distance from those in the other while in taverns.^[10]

HistoryEdit

FoundingEdit

After his conquest of Westmarch, Rakkis ordered the construction of a river-port settlement that would serve as a capital for his new kingdom,^[11] located adjacent to the Western Sea and the Blood Marsh.^[12] He later consecrated the city and named himself king.^[13] What would become the city's palace was the first building constructed, which served as Rakkis's stronghold. The Sons of Rakkis later constructed the outer walls of the city. Later architects would mimic this design and embellish it. In a sense, the city of Westmarch became an extension of the palace.^[14]

Because of Westmarch's proximity to the sea, it quickly grew into a center of martial and mercantile power. Over the next two centuries, no outside force ever laid siege to the city.^[12] As it spread outwards, as Westmarch and its harbor grew, nearly all of its buildings built by the sea were torn up and replaced with new ones. Only a few examples of its old architecture remained, as they had been shored up by expert artisans.^[8]

The Great PestilenceEdit

"This pestilence threatens to destroy our city, General Arenton. See that the plague dead are kept only in the Repository, and use this weapon to set their bodies aflame. Would that the memory of this tragedy could burn with them."

— Justinian II^(src)

In 1200, the city experienced an outbreak of plague,^[15] known as the Great Pestilence. It affected both humans and animals. The panicked survivors threw the corpses of both into the Plague Tunnels.^[16] Justinian II ordered the incineration of plague victims.^[15]

Storm of LightEdit

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The Reaper of SoulsEdit

"Malthael's fallen angels have brought death to Westmarch, raising an army of reapers from the city's slain defenders."

— Lorath Nahr^(src)

In 1285, Malthael led his Reapers against Westmarch, culling many of its citizens and defenders and converting them into an army of undead thralls under his command.^[7] The city fell nearly instantly,^[5] but fighting continued between the Reapers and Westmarch's remaining soldiers, who were aided by the Nephalem and Tyrael.^[7] The city was successfully defended, albeit at the cost of thousands of lives.^[17] Currently, the city is deserted,^[18] with much of it reduced to rubble.^[19]

In-gameEdit

Diablo ImmortalEdit

"Explore the sprawling streets of Westmarch in a time before Malthael’s corruption. The city is always bustling with activity as visitors from all over the world come to marvel at its sights, enjoy its landmarks, and more. Westmarch is where you can meet all your adventuring needs. You’ll have access to your stash and vendors, but more importantly it’s the place to meet fellow travelers, relax and take a breather."

— Zone summary^(src)

Westmarch serves as the hub for Diablo Immortal. Players can interact with vendors and other players here,^[9] along with being able to store their loot.^[20]

Diablo IIIEdit

Westmarch is an area featured in Act V of Diablo III, as introduced in Reaper of Souls. The city is divided into numerous sub-zones.

Known LocationsEdit

AreasEdit

• Briarthorn Cemetery
• Gideon's Row
• Mercantile Quarter
• Nobles' Rest Courtyard
• Plague Tunnels
• The Cesspools (sewers)
• The Survivors' Enclave
• Westmarch Commons
• Westmarch Heights
• Wynton Courtyard

StructuresEdit

• Captain Haile's House
• Clyfton Hall
• Cozy Bookstore
• Cross-Eyed Sal's
• Hall of Dark Arts
• House of Screams
• Inn of the Black Ram
• Inn of the Snapping Dog
• Miser's Hovel
• Moldering Waterway
• Old Storehouse
• Repository of Bones
• Sorcerer's Room
• Tower of Korelan
• The Hangman's Noose
• The Wolf Gate (entrance to the city)
• Westmarch Chapel
• Westmarch Dungeon
• Zakarum Cathedral

OtherEdit

• Dock Street

TriviaEdit

This section contains facts and trivia relevant to this article.

• According to Valerie Watrous, Kingsport and Westmarch are located very close together.^[21] This is contradicted by maps of Sanctuary, which show that Kingsport and the capital are located on opposite sides of the country.^[3]

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Storm of Light
2. ↑ 2013-11-04, Reaper of Souls™ First Look: Westmarch Bestiary. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2013-11-06
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Book of Cain
4. ↑ 2013-11-09, BlizzCon 2013 – Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – FAQ. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2013-12-20
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} 2013-12-01, BlizzCon 2013 – Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Preview Panel Transcript. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2014-01-14
6. ↑ Reaper of Souls Homepage, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2013-09-12
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} 2013-08-21, Diablo III: Reaper of Souls - Crusader Class Gameplay Demo. YouTube, accessed on 2013-09-12
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} The Black Road
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Diablo Immortal, Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2018-11-05
10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named name
11. ↑ Book of Tyrael
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} 2013-10-28, REAPER OF SOULS™ FIRST LOOK: HISTORICAL WESTMARCH. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2014-05-28
13. ↑ 2013-10-11, Reaper of Souls - Rakkis History Sound Files. YouTube, accessed on 2014-03-13
14. ↑ Moon of the Spider
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Diablo III, The Furnace
16. ↑ Diablo III, Skeletal Crawler
17. ↑ Diablo III, Act V
18. ↑ 2016-01-06, ARE YOU PREPARED FOR 2.4.0?. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2015-01-08
19. ↑ 2018-11-05, BlizzCon 2018 Diablo Immortal Panel Transcript. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2018-11-09
20. ↑ 2018-11-03, BlizzCon 2018: Diablo Immortal. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2018-11-06
21. ↑ 2013-12-08, BlizzCon 2013 – Diablo III Lore and Story Q&A Panel Transcript. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2014-04-19