Dusk on the Mountain
Look for a nearby settlement
Your journey begins in Fractured Peaks, a cold and wintry area within Sanctuary. After spending the night alone in a cave, your next objective is to seek shelter from the storm. To locate your destination, use your map and look for the golden symbol and pin it for a guided path.
Following the path, you'll come across enemies mainly Wargs among other creatures. Your path will lead you to a nearly abandoned Nevesk. Then shortly, a voice will be heard coming from one of the huts. Locate the voice that was just heard and when you get close to the door, the condition 'Locate the Voices' for Dusk on the Mountain will be cleared.
Inside the hut, you will find Oswen, Vani, and a man who's rambling about demons emerging from the ruins. It appears that they have subdued this man and Vani assures you that she'll clarify everything. Next, Vani will take you to a nearby Tavern to explain further about the situation at hand.
She will tell you about their town, or what's left of it. Inside the tavern, a couple of other townsmen (NPCs) are resting. This is where you'll meet a Healer named Stanis and an Armor Vendor named Isbel. Vani will ask if you have the ability to protect them against dangers lurking beyond and will ask you to take care of something for them in the Icehowl Ruins. Upon finishing this quest, you'll earn a Skill Point that you can spend freely.
Darkness Within
Explore Icehowl Ruins
Make your way towards Icehowl Ruins [ Diablo 4 Map Link], a Dungeon situated just north of the town as indicated on your map. Along the way, you'll come across different types of enemies such as bears and skeletons. Enter the ruins by interacting with the gate.
Icehowl Ruins is the very first Dungeon that you will explore in Diablo 4. To continue on your quest, make your way to the door at the rear and then through the subsequent door to your right. Continue to advance through these doors until you arrive at an area with two entrances. The one on your right is vacant, while the one straight ahead is teeming with Skeletons lying in wait to launch an attack.
Eliminate the Skeletons in the area before advancing to the next section. In this area, you will come across more Skeletons and Skeleton Archers, but the primary objective is a Treasure Chest located to your right. You can get another chest by going through the left doors and exploring a series of interconnected rooms. In the end, you will find a Healing Well and a Treasure Chest.
Continue through the hall to reach the Hell-Touched Corridors. Begin to explore the right side where you will encounter Hellstormers. After vanquishing them, move to the adjacent room that curves to the left. Here, you will face Fallen and a Fallen Shaman. Defeat them, then proceed to a larger room with additional Fallen and a Fiery Fallen. There is also an Armor Rack at the rear that is worth investigating. Overcome the enemies in the northern room and unlock the Treasure Chest.
Now, enter the door on the right to progress to another room with more Fallen and a Fallen Shaman. Follow the passage at the end of this room to reach another Healing Well, and then continue on the path beyond it. This will lead you to a room where a Decapitated Priest is lying on the ground. Interact with him to trigger the boss fight with X’Fal, The Scarred Baron. Defeating the Boss will yield a Simple Crossbow, Short Sword, Hide Pants, three Potion Charges, 300 Gold, and 1,505 XP. You can then use the rope at the back to return to Icehowl Taiga.
A Hero's Return
Return to Nevesk
After defeating X'Fal, the Scarred Baron, make your way back to the town of Nevesk to share the news of your victory over the dark forces. Head back to the Tavern and speak with Vani, who will express her gratitude for your help in protecting the town.
They will offer to share a stew and drinks with you, which will surely be a welcome treat after your long journey. Take a moment to rest and replenish your energy before venturing out into the world again.
A Hero's Reward
Survive the crazed villagers
Upon waking up, the people of Nevesk show their true colors and will start to attack you. You will be required to eliminate all the enemies in your way and clear the path in town. Once all the enemies are defeated, speak with Iosef. You will also search Vani’s corpse to obtain the Chapel Key, an important item to continue your journey.
Prayers for Salvation
Unlock the Chapel Door
After talking to Iosef, you'll discover that he was the same man from earlier who was murmuring about demons in the ruins. He will explain that the villagers drugged him just like they did to you, and to find more answers, you must go to the Chapel. With the key in hand, make your way to the Chapel, which is located just south of your current location on the map.
Upon arriving, enter through the doors and look for Blood Petals on the floor of the Chapel, which you can interact with. Doing so will trigger a cutscene of a priest ringing the Chapel's bell in the past when the town was livelier. However, the priest's conversation with the villagers is interrupted when petals start raining down from the ceiling. Lilith will then make quite the entrance, revealing the truth about what happened to the villagers.
Once the cutscene ends, speak with Iosef again. You can ask him about his purpose in Nevesk, and he will explain that he was searching for the Town Priest - whose fate is now known. You can also ask him about how you ended up outside the Chapel, and he'll clarify that you passed out, and he brought you out and set the Chapel on fire.
Share the vision that you saw with Iosef, and he'll inform you that he must report to the Cathedral your discovery. He'll then instruct you to travel north to meet with a hermit who might have some connection to these events.
In Search of Answers
Find the Hermit's Cabin
Following your experience in Nevesk, you will continue your journey to search for the Hermit. Follow the path on the map in the top right-hand corner of the screen. As you exit the town's gate, you will find an Altar of Lilith that can be interacted with. This will increase your Obols carrying capacity by 5.
Along the way, you will encounter various enemies such as Skeletons, Wargs, Hatchlings, Spiders, and Spider Hosts. After passing a cave, you'll reach the searchable area for the Hermit's cabin. Continue to head north into the Eastern Pass. To the left, you will find the Windswept Cabin.
Interact with the cabin door to step inside. You will immediately notice the bookshelf that you can interact with, as well as Kettle by the fire, the Mortar and Pestle near the door, and the Jars on the wall. This all leads to a clue that someone was recently in the cabin. Interact with the bookshelf to reveal a secret room. Here, you can find Scattered Books on the floor with Specimen Notes (be sure to pick these up). You'll also notice a Rusted Trap on the floor, but most importantly, there is a Strange Skull at the back.
Interacting with the Strange Skull will trigger a cutscene with the Hermit, Lorath Nahr, returning home. He'll have a lot to tell you about what the villagers did to you and how Lilith's plans for everyone are much greater than we imagine. Together with the hermit, you will journey to Kyovashad.
Rite of Passage
Accompany Lorath to Kyovashad
Head north along the path to Kyovashad by using the map located in the top right corner. While on your journey, you will come across many Fallen, including a Fallen Shaman and a Fallen Overseer. When you arrive in the city, a Guard on the street will ask you to stop before entering. At this point, speak with Lorath first.
Lorath will explain that you must perform a cleansing ritual to gain entry to Kyovashad. Fortunately for him, he gets to skip it, so you will have to do it alone. First, you need to pick up the Holy Cedar Tablets from the shrine and inscribe it with the sin that troubles you the most. You can choose between Fear, Anger, Pride, Greed, or nothing at all. Then, throw it into the Brazier located right next to it. Once you are done with the ritual, return to the Guard and inform him that you have finished the ritual. You can now go meet up with Lorath again.
Missing Pieces
Find Lorath in Kyovashad
After locating Lorath, he will explain that he needs to venture to the Dry Steppes to locate the Pale Man from your vision. However, he tells you that he needs an item first before leaving. Go to the Merchant in the town and buy his item. Before proceeding, you can talk to him to know more about Nevesk, Inarius, and Lilith.
Proceed to the Merchant in the town and inform him that Lorath has sent you. He will request payment for the weapon, but it's only 20 Gold to acquire his Polearm, so obtain it. Additionally, he will provide you with a Strange Amulet to give to Lorath.
Present both items to Lorath, and he will clarify that the Amulet represents the Horadrim's mark, an ancient group of Scholars and Mages who vowed to safeguard Sanctuary from demons. While they are scarce nowadays, he will provide you with a lead on someone who may be useful on your expedition.
