Diablo 2 - Tristram
By Daniel D'Agostino, 2010-09-24
This is a short playthrough of Tristram in Diablo 2. You need to travel to Tristram to complete the quest called The Search for Cain towards the beginning of the game. In doing so you discover the fate of Tristram and its inhabitants after the events in the original Diablo.
Background
Once you reach the Stony Field you will find a set of monoliths (Cairn stones) which you cannot use yet. You must reach the Dark Wood through the Underground Passage and obtain the Scroll of Inifuss from the Tree of Inifuss. The Scroll of Inifuss is in fact a map describing the order in which to use the Cairn stones, and you need to take it to Akara at the Rogue Encampment in order to decipher it. By touching the stones in the right order, a reaction is triggered, and a red portal to Tristram is opened.
Around Tristram
Once you enter Tristram, you behold a landscape of death and destruction. All houses have been burned down. Cows lay dead and explode as you approach. The centre of town is overrun by monsters, and the fountain in the centre is dry as the dirt on which you walk.
On the northwest side of town you will find Wirt's body, which is full of gold and also contains a unique item - Wirt's leg, which you can use as a club.
In the centre of town you will get to fight lots of Carvers, Carver Shamen, Carver Shaman Champions, and Returned. You will also find two special monsters - Bone Spell, and blacksmith-turned-zombie Griswold. Griswold is especially tough but is also very slow, so you should kill him from a distance. It takes a while to kill him.
Near the centre of town you will find Cain's Gibbet. Use it to free Cain. He will open a blue portal to town and leave immediately.
Aftermath
Above are the items obtained from Wirt's body, Bone Spell, and Griswold.
Go back in town to complete the quest. Talk to Akara, who gives you a magic item, and to Cain, who offers to identify items for free for the rest of the game.
Akara says: "You have risked your life to rescue Cain. For that we thank you.
"We must seek his counsel immediately."
Deckard Cain says: "As a token of my gratitude, I will identify items for you at no charge."
Cain goes on to relate the story of the destruction of Tristram and the dark fate of the hero who slew Diablo.
Deckard Cain says: "Regrettably, I could do nothing to prevent the disaster which devastated Tristram. It would appear that our greatest fears have come to pass. Diablo, the Lord of Terror, has once again been set loose upon the world!
"As you know, some time ago Diablo was slain beneath Tristram. And when our hero emerged triumphant from the labyrinth beneath town, we held a grand celebration that lasted several days.
"Yet, as the weeks passed, our hero became increasingly aloof. He kept his distance from the rest of the townsfolk and seemed to lapse into a dark, brooding depression. I thought that perhaps his ordeal had been so disturbing that he simply could not put it out of his mind.
"The hero seemed more tormented every passing day. I remember he awoke many times -- screaming in the night -- always something about 'the East'.
"One day, he simply left. And shortly thereafter Tristram was attacked by legions of foul demons. Many were slain, and the demons left me to die in that cursed cage.
"I believe now that Tristram's hero was that Dark Wanderer who passed this way before the Monastery fell.
"I fear even worse, my friend... I fear that Diablo has taken possession of the hero who sought to slay him. If true, Diablo will become more powerful than ever before.
"You must stop him or all will be lost."