From the Knights of Penitent to Lilith to Lorath, the name Inarius gets tossed around a lot in Diablo IV. But who is this mysterious angel lurking on a high mountain and what does he mean to the world of Sanctuary and the Diablo franchise?
What is Inarius’ backstory in the Diablo franchise?
Before the creation of Sanctuary, Inarius existed as a high-level Archangel. He was not one of the main five leaders of the Angiris Council, but he remained a major advisor and leader among the angels. During the original Eternal Conflict between demons and angels, Inarius served under Tyrael, the angel of justice. However, over time Inarius grew tired of the endless wars. He found the ceaseless bloodshed pointless and unjust.
While protecting the Pandemonium Fortress, Inarius became wounded and his fellow angels left him for dead. That was when he met Lilith, daughter of Mephisto. She captured him and chained him up, but when he began ranting about his hatred of the great conflict, she freed him. Later, long after that first meeting, Lilith and Inarius began to work together against the Eternal Conflict. During this time, they also fell in love. Seeing their determination and conviction, angels and demons alike began to join their cause.
How did Inarius create Sanctuary?
The biggest hurdle for Lilith and Inarius’ campaign was that no neutral world existed where people abandoning the fight could live peacefully. So, Inarius and some of his fellow rebels schemed to create such a world. To do this, they broke into the angelic Pandemonium Fortress and gained access to the Worldstone. This stone could alter reality. Both demons and angels had used the stone to create worlds in their image before, but those worlds all withered and died.
In the hands of Inarius and Lilith, they created Sanctuary — the world of the Diablo Franchise. Here, they gave birth to their son, Rathma. Following their example, other angels and demons came together and so began the nephalem race, people who were neither angel nor demon. They were both. This race is what humanity hails from.
However, peace did not last. Nephalem quickly began clashing with their angelic and demonic parents because while they were mortal, they were more powerful than their progenitors.
Why did Inarius and Lilith break up?
When conflicts rose in Sanctuary, some angels and demons sought to eliminate their children. They hoped it could protect them from the power of their offspring as well as avoid the wrath of the Prime Evils and the Angiris Council. Lilith did not agree. She wouldn’t let anyone touch her beloved creations. Therefore, she began slaughtering her fellow rebel demons and angels. Inarius stepped in to stop her, but could not bring himself to kill her. That’s how she ended up banished to the Void.
Inarius spent the next few centuries in Sanctuary doing everything he could to diminish the power of nephalem, weakening the people of Sanctuary so they could threaten no one. But certain heroes slipped through the cracks, and those heroes lead the Diablo games.
What is Inarius’ role in Diablo IV?
As Lilith is the main threat of Diablo IV, Inarius plays a large role in influencing the current world of Sanctuary. While he won’t directly harm his former lover, he does lead the Knights Penitent, a religious sect of warriors dedicated to bringing light to the world. They fight off the powers of evil and admonish all sin, trying to ward off Lilith’s – or any other Prime Evil’s– return.
However, part of the reason Lilith is so hateful is Inarius self-righteous belief that he will be the savior of Sanctuary. So self-righteous that he’s willing to harm their son, Rathma.
While his initial role in Diablo IV is very morally warped and complex, you have to play the rest of the campaign to reveal what this fallen angel will become.
