Diablo - Archbishop Lazarus
By Daniel D'Agostino, 2010-09-24
This is a short playthrough of the penultimate confrontation in Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo. After fighting your way through fifteen levels, you finally gain access to the domain of Archbishop Lazarus, the once-trusted advisor of King Leoric who betrayed him by kidnapping his son Albrecht and leading a suicide party into the labyrinth to get rid of Tristram's finest warriors.
Background
Somewhere in level 15, you find a "vile stand" near a large pentagram. From this stand you retrieve the Staff of Lazarus. Since you can't just use it yourself, you take it to Cain the Elder in the town of Tristram. Cain reveals his true identity and sends you on your penultimate quest - to dispatch the traitor, Archbishop Lazarus.
Cain the Elder says: "This does not bode well, for it confirms my darkest fears. While I did not allow myself to believe the ancient legends, I cannot deny them now. Perhaps the time has come to reveal who I am.
"My true name is Deckard Cain the Elder, and I am the last descendant of an ancient brotherhood that was dedicated to safeguarding the secrets of a timeless evil. An evil that quite obviously has now been released.
"The Archbishop Lazarus, once King Leoric's most trusted advisor, led a party of simple townsfolk into the labyrinth to find the king's missing son, Albrecht. Quite some time passed before they returned, and only a few of them escaped with their lives.
"Curse me for a fool! I should have suspected his veiled treachery then. It must have been Lazarus himself who kidnapped Albrecht and has since hidden him within the labyrinth. I do not understand why the Archbishop turned to the darkness, or what his interest is in the child. Unless he means to sacrifice him to his dark masters!
"That must be what he has planned! The survivors of his 'rescue party' say that Lazarus was last seen running into the deepest bowels of the labyrinth. You must hurry and save the prince from the sacrificial blade of this demented fiend!"
Once you return to the pentagram in level 15, a red portal to Archbishop Lazarus' domain will open.
Finding Lazarus
After entering the red portal, you arrive into a central part of Lazarus' domain. You will find Hell Spawn and Advocates as you go around. They are both ranged, and you will have to run after them, so the best thing to do is to corner them and cut them down.
After exiting the first room, there are two identical corridors on either side. There are a number of Hell Spawn that you cannot reach except by ranged weapons; it is safer to ignore them for now and continue down the corridor.
Beyond a couple of doors and some Hell Spawn and advocates you will find a Book of Vileness. Touch it, and you will be teleported in the middle of the Hell Spawn you couldn't reach earlier. Kill them all.
Do the same on the other side of the level - go round the unreachable Hell Spawn, reach the other Book of Vileness, use it, and kill all the enemies. Now, return to the pentagram where you started in this level. You will be teleported to a previously inaccessible area at the centre of the level, to directly confront Archbishop Lazarus.
Fighting Lazarus
Following a brief cinematic of Lazarus, you appear in the new area, and can immediately see Archbishop Lazarus, two Hell Spawn heroines (Red Vex and Blackjade) and the body of a child that has just been sacrificed on an altar.
As you chase the three top enemies of this level, you will find yourself under fire from a whole army of Hell Spawn and Advocates. The best thing to do is to go away and kill them one by one (including Red Vex and Blackjade, since they also follow you), and then go after Lazarus.
Corner him to kill him more easily and limit the chasing. Replenish lost life with healing potions.
You will find a portal back to level 15 waiting for you at the pentagram where you started this level. When you go back, you will find that the large pentagram has become a pulsating red, and a hole in its middle leads down to Diablo.
Aftermath
Once you go back in town and talk to Cain the Elder, he will give you the final quest to destroy Diablo.
Cain the Elder says: "Your story is quite grim, my friend. Lazarus will surely burn in Hell for his horrific deed. The boy you describe is not our prince, but I believe that Albrecht may yet be in danger. The symbol of power that you speak of must be a portal in the very heart of the labyrinth.
"Know this, my friend - the evil that you move against is the Dark Lord of Terror. He is known to mortal men as Diablo. It was he who was imprisoned within the labyrinth many centuries ago and I fear that he seeks to once again sow chaos in the realm of mankind. You must venture through the portal and destroy Diablo before it is too late!"
The next step is obviously to kill Diablo and finish the game. The magical items left by Archbishop Lazarus, Red Vex and Blackjade may prove useful.