The ending of Diablo 4 leaves players with more questions than answers.
With Lilith defeated and Sanctuary momentarily safe, a new threat arises as Mephisto’s essence gets trapped in a Soulstone by Neyrelle, who then vanishes mysteriously. Blizzard’s first expansion for Diablo 4, Vessel of Hatred, launches on October 8, thrusting players into a race against time to aid Neyrelle in her struggle.
Before the release, a new in-game cinematic shows how Neyrelle is mentally and physically affected by Mephisto. We spoke with game director Brent Gibson and narrative designer Eleni Rivera-Colon about what to expect from this expansion. They discussed Neyrelle’s battle with Mephisto and the challenges she faces while he’s trapped in the Soulstone, but without revealing too much.
In her quest, Neyrelle searches for the Vault of Light, hidden deep in Nahantu’s jungle, believed to be Akarat’s final resting place. She aims to destroy Mephisto there, but his essence in the Soulstone is corrupting the environment, drawing the attention of Nahantu’s guardians, the Spiritborn.
After joining forces with the wise Spiritborn elder Eru, players finally catch up to Neyrelle, who is desperately chanting ancient spells to control Mephisto’s power. Gibson explained that this is when players realize the enormity of Neyrelle’s predicament.
“She’s doing everything she can with chants to hold him in the Soulstone,” Rivera-Colon said. “He’s essentially trying to break out. He’s going to do everything he can.”
Neyrelle thought handling the Soulstone alone would protect her friends, but the burden is overwhelming. Rivera-Colon noted that Neyrelle often faces situations beyond her control.
“In the expansion, we get to really explore what she thinks about this choice and this decision now that she’s been with something like Mephisto and [the] Soulstone for so long,” Rivera-Colon shared. “It’s going to take a heavy, heavy toll on her, and this is something she wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to do.”
Fans sometimes wonder if Neyrelle will ever catch a break.
While Neyrelle’s story is central, Mephisto’s tale also unfolds. Absent in Diablo 3, he played a secretive role in Diablo 4, aiding players in his Bloodied Wolf form. Gibson hinted at more to come for Mephisto’s story in future updates.
Mephisto, one of the Prime Evils, thrives on creating chaos and division. Unlike Diablo, he manipulates people’s emotions and turns them against each other for his gain.
“That’s his MO,” Gibson said. “If you think about the way he shows up in the base game, making you second guess your allies, making you second guess Lilith. What kind of influence does he have on Neyrelle right now? What is he making her second guess?”
Though trapped in the Soulstone, Mephisto’s wolf form returns, acting as his voice and spreading his influence. Gibson described the Soulstone as almost radioactive, with its corruption seeping into the surroundings.
“It’s a pretty big deal that Mephisto is back on Sanctuary,” Gibson said. “Any time that happens, they get banished back to the abyss and have to kick and scream all the way back. Even though he’s stuck in the Soulstone, the danger here is if he gets out, he’s physically back on Sanctuary, and so it’s important Neyrelle finds a solution to not let that happen.”
Rivera-Colon mentioned that Mephisto is being careful, though his options are limited. The expansion brings players back to Nahantu’s jungles, where Mephisto once corrupted the Zakarum church in Diablo 2. Gibson described Vessel of Hatred as a return to this history, expanding the lore around Akarat and the Spirit Realm.
“The Zakarum faith didn’t get everything right,” Rivera-Colon said. “They didn’t know Akarat. So it’s an opportunity to explore Akarat and Akarat’s faith not just through the Zakarum faith but through the land and the impact he had on the land throughout Nehantu.”
Although the focus is on Neyrelle and Mephisto, Lorath, the last Horadrim, is noticeably missing. Gibson hinted that Lorath’s absence is intentional and that his story will unfold later.
“Where Lorath is is a mystery,” Gibson said. “That will unpack over time, but if you think about the state of the world after the base game, he had some work to do.”
