"I am Rathandel, Vizjerei Council elder and Mage-lord.  I am here to tell you all the story behind the dark omens that have fallen across the land."

For a moment all was quiet, everyone's breath caught and held in as Rathandel began to recount the fall of Khanduras and the destruction of Tristram.

"I traveled the countryside alone, on foot, attempting to recover all the lost lore of the Horadrim.  My travels had taken me through the land of Westmarch, and even through the desert city of Lut Gholein.  I had only been a day in the dark forests of Khanduras when I felt it, a touch of terror like waking from a nightmare.  Normally one would remark this as only strange fancy and think no more of it… but I am not given to fancy or imagination.  I made my way to a city called Tristram, the capital of Khanduras and the domain of the newly appointed King Leoric.  There was strangeness in Tristram, and indeed all of Khanduras.  It was a dark oppressive feeling that I loathed, for it was in the eyes and hearts of all of Tristram's inhabitants.  Even my magical prowess could not find the source of the terror; it was as if it was everywhere, in everything.  Propelled by curiosity, I took the guise of a clergyman in the Order of Zakarim, under the Archbishop Lazarus."

The assembled mages gasped, for they had all heard of the Great Betrayer.  Rathandel raised a pale hand to silence them, and continued with his tale.

"Then he was pure, uncorrupted by evil, a pious man in the pursuit of the Light.  I was honored to see him, for word of his deeds has traveled far.  While I was in the Palace of Leoric I studied in the libraries, learning all of Tristram's past I could.  I discovered that it was once a monastery for the Horadrim, and ensconced on its lower levels was a magical stone, called a Soulstone.  I learned very little about the nature of the Soulstone, save that it was a spirit receptacle, capable of entrapping a spirit permanently.  I was intrigued; such a powerful thing was beyond the greatest of our mages, and for all their skill was beyond even the Horadrim.  Such an artifact could only be of divine or infernal origins.  I even searched out the libraries of the catacombs beneath the palace, which only Leoric, Lazarus, and myself knew anything about.  In order to gain access I kept my true identity hidden behind the guise of a clergyman.  Eventually I happened upon a dusty tome, this one detailing the Soulstones in much greater detail, much more than I would have wished."

Rathandel produced the leather-bound tome from beneath his robes, showing the mages it's title, "Binding of the Three", written by Deckard Cain.

"Deckard Cain," one of the apprentices spoke excitedly, "one of the last descendents of the Horadrim."

"As all things do, the Horadrim faded over time.  There were wars of course, and endless schisms within their order.  They disbanded… some forming obscure orders that lasted only decades, others simply fading into oblivion.  Some of us formed this council, still dedicated to studying demons and learning how to protect humanity from them.  Thus was the Vizjerei brotherhood formed, and thus has it remained strong through the purity of its purpose.  I found that one of the Soulstones was immured in the palace of Leoric itself, the Soulstone containing the raging essence of Diablo.  The very day I discovered this, the king's son Albrecht disappeared from the palace grounds.  King Leoric, in a mad rage, declared war on the kingdom of Westmarch in retaliation for what he thought was a ransom attempt.  It was later that I found out Leoric had been corrupted by madness, and Lazarus consumed by the will of Diablo.  After Westmarch soundly defeated Leoric's men, a hunt was called for Albrecht into the ancient catacombs.  Leading this hunt was Lazarus himself, inciting the men of Tristram into a fury with his preaching.  They ventured into catacombs, and into the arms of waiting horrors.  They were nearly decimated in the catacombs, and Lazarus disappeared into the darkness that day, never to be seen again.  The palace was condemned, and King Leoric killed when he attacked one of his loyal Paladins, Lachdannan."

Rathandel looked upwards into the stars, his cowl hiding most of his face.

"Then the Hero plummeted into Hell's depths and defeated Diablo, this we all know.  And for whatever reasons, pride, hubris, or greed, the Hero took the Soulstone from Diablo's forehead and left the pits of Hell with it.  The spirit of Diablo consumed the Hero, and the Hero became Diablo.  Now the Lord of Terror is free, and he seeks his brothers to once again take up the Sin War on Earth."

Rathandel rose from his position in the Storyteller's ring and walked out of the circle.  The assembled apprentices gossiped amongst themselves, a low din of conversation carrying on in Rathandel's absence.  Rathandel himself walked into the pavilion tent of the Council elders, were they sat arrayed before him in a Circle of Judgement.

"So you've told your tale, have you?  What have you gained by making them afraid, Rathandel?" a stern Judge spoke.

"I have gained nothing, but my story is a warning."

"Of what?" another said sarcastically.

"Of darkness poised to consume everything we have ever known…"

At this, the elders were silent.