[avatar11792]

Well, you have the Prime Evils now not capable of "manifesting in this world ever again." I'll interpret this to mean that the 3 Brothers have been utterly, irrevocably dissoluted, never to be reborn or reformed.

Ok, assuming that's fixed and the 3 Brothers, where do we go from there?

Well, what about the Hellstone? It was the main defensive artifact blocking the forces of the Sin War, from either side, to getting through to Sanctuary.

So, with it destroyed, will we see the armies of the Sin War converging on our mortal plane with increasing ease? Or, are the demons and angels truly gone, and the remnants of this dark time have only to be killed and then Sanctuary will truly be at peace?

I'd prefer the war spreading, and humanity tipping the scales somehow.

Storyline

The Worldstone has been destroyed, and the final barrier between Sanctuary and the Burning Hells and the High Heavens has been destroyed. The Game itself would take place some years after Diablo 2: LoD, though nothing more than say a decade, enough time for major changes to have swept the globe. All of the character classes from Diablo and Diablo 2: LoD would be available, aside from the Sorcerer from Diablo 1.

The Story begins in Lut Gholein, which has suffered mightily. The aftermath of the Worldstone's destruction saw the collapse of the mountain and the destruction of Harrogath, though the citizenry of the city made it out in time mostly. Subsequent reports of demons appearing in remote areas, in impossible wildernesses and murky areas of Sanctuary begin to spread.

Within several months of the Worldstone's destruction, demon armies come pouring out of the remote areas of the world and begin assaulting the areas inhabited by man. Kurast, still recovering from the devestation of the previous game, are wiped out irrevocably. The Order of Necromancers, centered in the tropical Kurasti regions, flee southward but remain on the continent, fighting a guerrilla movement, using undead armies under their control to assault critical demonic supplies and small forces.

The Barbarian lands have been decimated. The once proud barbarian tribes have united under the banner of Chieftain U'Thul, the barbarian character from Diablo 2 who has successfully repelled the demon invaders. Time is running out, and for the three years post-Worldstone he has encouraged the Barbarian blacksmith to build and improve his idea of 'cannons.' Ten years later, the first gunpowder weapons have spread far and wide, their simple flintlock mechanisms and long range providing universal firepower against all kinds of demons. Various grades of cannons, from anti-personnel portable cannons to mighty bronze siege howitzers, have spread, providing military usage.

However, for all of their advanced technical skills coming to light, the Barbarian culture and ways are on the verge of extinction. Too many people are dead, and the startling efficiency of gunpowder rifles and primitive shrapnel grenades are showing that the principle Barbarian virtues of Strength and physical prowess are fast proving redundant. In the process of losing their culture and ancient traditions, the Bariarians are exporting them along with their advanced weapons across Sanctuary.

The western kingdoms have proven slightly better than Lut Gholein or Kurast. Westmarch has marshaled massive feudal levees, and has brought the surviving order of the Viszherei Clan of Sorcerers to providing anti-demonic magics and offensive spells. Westmarch, in the hands of King Ostromorn, a young talented aggressive leader, has embraced the opportunity to expand into the Barbarian realms, and if this means fighting the demons, so be it. They have shunned the use of the new "firepowder", preferring instead the marshal use of steel and arrow. Their arrogance has been caused by the not-so-long-ago victory over the forces of Khanduras and the mad king Leoric, but will soon be shattered.

From the west, from a long-inaccessible island shrouded in mystery, comes a society of elite warriors ready to prove their worth. As the Worldstone shattered, an Angel plummeted to earth, and spoke to the island-nation of Sephiram off the western shores of Westmarch. Isolated for ages, with virtually no accessibility to the outside world, Sephiram developed a highly-complex, independent warrior culture. The island chain housed some of the most vicious beasts ever to live in Sanctuary, and in combating the forces of nature Sephiram has become devoted to the Way of the Sword. (OOC: their society is the ultimate amalgamation between the Spartsns of ancient Greece and the Samurai of ancient Japan)

The Sephirami spoke to the Angel of Light in their capital city, which foretold of the coming chaos and urged order. Within two months, the sever perpetual storms that kept the Sephiram isolated dissipated heavily, and for the first time in recorded history the Sephiram could leave. Legions of troops left the shores of Sephiram to land on Westmarch, which allied with them to combat the demonic menace.

Meanwhile the soldiers of shattered Khanduras, bereft of a king and their countryside annihilated and burned, roam the countryside as mercenaries for hire. In contrast to the victors of Westmarch, the former Warriors of Khanduras have embraced firearms, using any tactic or weapon necessary to achieve victory. They, too, see their main enemy as the demons, knowing now of the insanity of their king and the inevitability of their defeat.

Lut Gholein has been under siege virtually since the Worldstone was destroyed. Armies of undead, possessed by demonic influence, lay siege to the city and cut off virtually all supplies. The only thing enabling the survival of Lut Gholein is their massive city fortifications, their large City Guard, a small but fanatical contingent of refugee Paladins from Kurast, and their wide accessible harbor, which has been forced to feed the population since the siege began.

An Angel landed in Lut Gholein too, though, within a few months of the Worldstone shattering. In the grip of a horrible plague spreading from the city sewers, Arkas appeared in a beacon of Light from the Heavens. Speaking to the city populace as one, the Angel offered the support of the Seraphim and Nephalim legions. Angels descended from the sky, glorious in their raiment and shining wings of light, and the Paladins and heathens of the city lay prostrate in awe. Most of th city pledged their undying cause to the faith of Zakarum, and the Paladins suddenly found themselves the commanders of a growing Zakarum-Seraphim army, which began a counterattack which continues to this day.

It has been ten years since the collapse of the barriers and the descent of Heaven and Hell to our world. The armies of the Sanctuary have been marshalled, and are on the march. Do you have what it takes?



Gameplay

Frankly, I'm picturing D3 to be an RPG/RTS hybrid, where yes you control your central uber-character, but is supported by one uber-merc character as in D2: LoD, and five much weaker mercenaries which act as reinforcements. With such extra numbers under your command, more complex gameplay, such as flanking and ambushes, are possible in a way they never were before.

I'll type in more later here.