Diablo 4\u2019s Lord of Hatred<\/em> <\/em>expansion launches on April 28, bringing the game\u2019s Age of Hatred saga to a close as players work with Lilith to stop Mephisto. The campaign takes place in the new game region of Skovos, an island chain plagued by both volcanic eruptions and vicious storms. Along with previewing its new Warlock class and giving players who pre-purchase the expansion the chance to build a Paladin, Blizzard Entertainment is also providing an early taste of what\u2019s in store through the tie-in prequel novel, The Lost Horadrim<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Written by Matthew J. Kirby, who previously penned a series of tie-in novels for Assassin\u2019s Creed, The Lost Horadrim <\/em>follows Lorath, a member of the ancient order of mages. He journeys to the Skovos Isles to find out what happened to a Horadrim expedition sent to unlock a hidden vault. There he has to form an alliance with Captain Adreona of the Amazons to help her deal with an undead attack.<\/p>\n Ahead of the book\u2019s release on April 21, Random House Worlds offered Polygon an exclusive excerpt from The Lost Horadrim: <\/em><\/p>\n Lorath said nothing to Adreona as the cutter rowed them from the harbor out into open water, and she said nothing to him. After they passed under the colossal statues of angel and demon, they worked together to raise the Arabel\u2019s sails, but neither of them spoke more than the few words necessary to set the rigging. Lorath genuinely felt no anger toward her, despite their brief imprisonment at her insistence, and despite her desire to banish them from Skovos. He did not resent her personally for the relative prosperity of Skovos compared to other cities and regions in Sanctuary. Yet he sensed her anger toward him, radiating off her like heat ripples off an Aranoch horizon, and in truth he found that more than a little unjust.<\/p>\n They had the wind at their back, out of the southeast, and the Arabel galloped with glee across the waves. Once they were underway, Lorath took up a position near the stern, next to Keldon at the tiller. Adreona stood on the other side of the captain. Keldon seemed quite content with the silence, but Lorath was not. Eventually, he had to speak his mind.<\/p>\n \u201cCaptain,\u201d he said, \u201cthis arrangement may not be what either of us would\u2019ve wanted, but you can trust me. I swear I will do my best to fight for you and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want you to fight,\u201d she said, as if the words had been waiting on her tongue. \u201cNot for me, and not for Skovos. I want you to stay out of my way. I don\u2019t have time to be your minder.\u201d<\/p>\n Lorath worked to keep his pride in check. \u201cLook, I did not want to come to Skovos in the first place. But now that I\u2019m here, your queen has commanded me to fight. That\u2019s what I was doing before we sailed to your islands, and that\u2019s what I plan to do while I\u2019m here. I could be of help to you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt that,\u201d she said. \u201cI plan to keep you where you can do no harm.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you often disregard the orders of your queen?\u201d<\/p>\n That finally turned her head toward him. \u201cQueen Etara did not give any command as to how you would fulfill your duty. There are many tasks within our ranks, and all of them are important. All of them are performed in service to the islands we safeguard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy am I sensing latrine duty in my future?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps you should be with the seers instead of troubling me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re luffing,\u201d Keldon said between them.<\/p>\n Lorath looked up, then moved to trim the mainsail, while Adreona saw to the jib. After that, they resumed their silence for a time, until Adreona spoke with a somewhat gentler manner than before.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t personal,\u201d she said. \u201cHow can it be, when I don\u2019t know you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you did know me, you would\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, I am trying to explain something.\u201d<\/p>\n Lorath closed his mouth and nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are strangers,\u201d she said. \u201cYou are unfamiliar with our customs, but you do know something of the threat we face, since that threat would\u2019ve killed you if we had not arrived when we did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019m grateful you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not finished. I said you know something of the threat, but you don\u2019t know all of it. The Amazons lost many, many warriors during the Reaping. We were slaughtered, and our legions have not recovered. Meanwhile, the Drowned have only grown their ranks. My forces are barely holding the line. If we should break . . .\u201d She paused, as if momentarily seized by that thought. \u201cSo, you see, our position is fragile. We cannot risk any weakness or disruption, no matter how well intentioned. As I said, I don\u2019t know you, and it is because I don\u2019t know you that I cannot afford to trust you with the lives of my troops.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI understand,\u201d Lorath said.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do. I was a soldier. I understand the importance of troop cohesion and the danger of a weak link.\u201d<\/p>\n She tilted her head. \u201cI\u2019m glad to hear it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPut me to work in whatever capacity you deem best.\u201d Lorath had accepted he would get nowhere convincing her with words. \u201cI can dig a hole as well as anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI never doubted that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n They had come to a workable understanding, at least for now, and the tension between them eased. Even Keldon appeared somewhat more relaxed at the tiller. Lorath did not look forward to the menial tasks he would soon be assigned, but he knew that he could earn Adreona\u2019s trust in time, if not her respect. He wondered only if they would be in Skovos long enough for him to achieve it.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Lorath,](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/diablo-4-the-lost-horadim.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=2\")
\n <\/picture>Image:\u00a0Random House Worlds<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"diablo](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/diablo-4-warlock-artwork.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
\n <\/picture>Image: Blizzard Entertainment<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Diablo](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/diablo-2-warlock-2.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
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\n <\/picture>Image: Blizzard Entertainment<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Diablo](\"https:\/\/static0.polygonimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/diablo-iv-developer-update-warlock-deep-dive-season-12-overview-_-march-2026-32-56-screenshot.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\")
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