Baal

Baal is one of the three brothers who make up the Prime Evils, along with Mephisto and Diablo. He is a major figure in the world mythology, and features in several of the Diablo Novels. It's not yet known if Baal will make an appearance in Diablo III.

In Diablo I

Baal was not seen in Diablo I, but he was mentioned in the world lore, both in the game itself and in the lore-filled manual.

In Diablo II

Baal featured prominently in Diablo II, appearing in the cinematics and plot, though he was not found as a playable monster in that game.

Baal was the Act Boss of Act Five, added in the Diablo II expansion, Lord of Destruction. The story of that game is all about Baal's efforts to reach and corrupt the Worldstone. Though Baal is eventually defeated by the player's hero, his efforts to corrupt the Worldstone were successful, forcing Tyrael to destroy the worldstone to prevent its power being used by the forces of hell. (So says Tyrael, at least. Many players are suspicious of his actions and think he might have had his own, unrevealed agenda. The plot of Diablo III should shed more light on this issue.)

Stats and information:

• Baal, the boss of Act Five.
• Uber Baal, a more powerful version of the demon added as part of the Pandemonium Event, a special realm-only quest added in v1.11.

Background

Tal Rasha and his men chased Baal for months from the lands of Kehjistan. Tal Rasha presumed Baal was heading north toward Scosglen, but mysteriously the demon changed its path and took refuge within the desert city of Lut Gholein.

Tal Rasha ordered his team to hold the attack and to patiently await for Baal to continue his escape. Three days later, Baal fled Lut Gholein heading to the north, as Tal Rasha had predicted.

A few miles into the desert, the adventurers caught up with Baal and attacked him. The demon unleashed the fury of his powers upon the men. The earth exploded under them and swallowed many men. Fire errupted from the broken earth burning everything and everyone on its path.

In a desperate attempt, Baal hurled a spell at Tal Rasha unsuccessfully. Unharmed, but at a price, Tal Rasha rose from the earth to find the soulstone Tyrael had given him, shattered into small shards.

The men pressed their attack and defeated Baal. Tal Rasha walked toward Baal's battered body and slashed his throat jamming the largest soulstone shard into his open wound. Baal's spirit was sucked into the shard, trapping the demon.

Archangel Tyrael appeared before the men and led them toward seven ancient tombs deep in the desert. There the men were instructed to build a binding stone etched with runes of containment. They magically crafted unbreakable chains to secure the binding stone to the chamber's walls. Tal Rasha ordered to be chained and bound to the stone. To everyone's astonishment, Tyrael jammed the shattered soulstone into Tal Rasha's chest, allowing Baal's spirit to flood into his body as host. Forever chained in an eternal fight with the demon's spirit.

Lut Gholein: The Binding of Destruction

Milennia later, Diablo arrived to the seven ancient tombs under the guise of the Dark Wanderer, possessing the body of the hero that sought to defeat him, and with Marius following him arrived to the vault holding Baal trapped in.

Marius: "My companion drew in the dank, cold air of the tomb. It seemed to...strengthen him. I stood in the doorway between light and dark, what was left of my sanity implored me not to enter. But that voice was just a whisper now. As we worked our way down deeper and deeper into the crypt, I began to see a change in my companion. He seemed to be gaining strength. I could hardly see in the gloom, but my companion seemed to know the way. We came at last to a great hall."

(The Dark Wanderer screamed like an unholy creature from beyond this world. His face skin shifted oddly, as if transforming.)

Marius: "It was then I realized my companion hadn't been gaining strength. He had been losing what was left of his humanity. He moved at demonic speed, and then ... and then you appeared."

Before the Dark Wanderer could reach the soulstone on Tal Rasha's chest, Tyrael held his hand with his long wings and engaged in combat, plunging into the abyss below.

Tyrael: "Stop! The beast contained herein shall not be set free. Not even by you."

Baal: "Look, what have been done to me! Release me! Help me! Hurry, please, hurry!"

Baal lured Marius with a facade image, asking for help. Marius could only see a poor man bounded by chains, impaled by an object on the chest. Tyrael's gaze turned around toward Marius.

Tyrael: "NO !!! Don't do it!"

Marius grabbed the shattered soulstone shard and pulled it free from Tal Rasha's body.

In the blink of an eye, Tyrael released the Dark Wanderer and held Marius high above the ground.

Tyrael: "Fool, you have just ensured the doom of this world. You cannot even begin to imagine what you set in motion this day. Go to the Temple of Light, in the eastern city of Kurast. There you will find the gate to Hell open before you. You must find the courage to step through that gate, Marius. Take the stone you hold to the Hellforge where it will be destroyed. Now run !!! Take the stone and run!"

From behind, Baal wrapped his tentacles around Tyrael's arm, letting his grasp on the Azureblade set loose.

Marius: "What choice did I have? I ran."

Reference: Diablo II, Mephisto's Jungle Act III Cinematic