Sankekur and the Sapphire Soulstone

The release of Diablo 4 last year reintroduced several lore characters that were previously unknown by many Diablo players. Among these characters are Inarius and Lilith, of course, as well as Lorath, Rathma, and Zoltun Kulle. Likewise, the only name mentioned in the recent Vessel of Hatred trailer was Akarat, who is another character from Sanctuary’s distant past.

Similarly, the new questline for Season 5, the Eyes of the Enemy, resurrects yet another name from long ago. Players will meet a new NPC called Locran who will take us on a journey from the Ruins of Rakhat Keep to the Foul Undercrypts and then inside the Black Tomb. Within the Black Tomb we’ll discover what remains of Sankekur, the High Council member who once served as Mephisto’s mortal host. So, before we rally together to face the Infernal Hordes, let’s take a few moments to look back at the history of this infamous Zakarum priest.

The Dark Exile

In the Soulstones Saga, we learned that, following the end of the Sin War, the Prime Evils launched their diabolical plan to subjugate humanity during a period known as the Dark Exile. In time, Tyrael, the Archangel of Justice, became aware of this and responded by creating an order of mages known as the Horadrim. He tasked them with hunting down and capturing the essences of the demon lords within powerful vessels known as Soulstones. All three of the brothers were eventually captured, with Mephisto’s Sapphire Soulstone being entrusted to the Zakarum church for safekeeping.

However, unbeknownst to Tyrael, the turncoat angel Izual had betrayed the Horadrim by revealing the secrets of the Soulstones to the Prime Evils prior to their capture. Consequently, the Primes were able to corrupt their Soulstone prisons from within, along with the hearts and minds of their keepers. Eventually, Mephisto was able to bend the will of the Zakarum priests who were responsible for guarding the Sapphire Soulstone, which had been hidden beneath the Temple of Light in Travincal.

Mephisto’s Corruption

The High Council was formed sometime after the Sapphire Soulstone was delivered to Travincal by the Horadrim. The High Council was charged with overseeing Mephisto’s containment while they also served as the leaders of the Zakarum faith under Khalim, the Que-Hegan of the church. However, Mephisto set about corrupting the Zakarum priesthood soon after his imprisonment and he eventually succeeded in perverting the entire Council from within his soulstone.

This Council of priests, who were formerly faithful and generous leaders of their people, were ultimately twisted in form and spirit. They guided the remaining members of their order down a darker path, compelling them to attack any who still followed the Light. All the members of the Zakarum order eventually succumbed to Mephisto’s evil power. That is, except for Khalim, who steadfastly remained on the side of the Light. Mephisto compelled the corrupted Council members to slaughter Khalim and then scatter his brain, heart, and eye all through the Torajan Jungle. These events formed the basis for the Khalim’s Will quest in Act 3 of Diablo 2.

Khalim’s Successor

Following the death of Khalim, a Council member named Sankekur was chosen as the new Que-Hegan of the corrupted Zakarum faith. Before long, he was compelled by Mephisto to plunge a piece of the Sapphire Soulstone into his own hand. When Diablo and Baal arrived in Travincal, they freed Mephisto who then completely possessed Sankekur as his mortal host.

Sometime later, a group of heroes arrived in Kurast along with the last surviving member of the Horadrim named Deckard Cain. Under Cain’s guidance, the heroes succeeded in defeating Mephisto along with Sankekur and the remaining members of the corrupted Council. It was after this triumph that Sankekur’s corruption, as well as that of the Zakarum order, became widely known across the land. This revelation nearly destroyed the faith altogether. However, Dirae, who was chosen as Sankekur’s legitimate successor, took it upon himself to restore the reputation of the church.

The Black Tomb

The remains of Sankekur, the former evil Que-Hegan, was still infused with Mephisto’s demonic influence even after the demon lord was defeated. A Paladin Marshal named Carthas took the corpse back to Hawezar in order to prevent its corruption from spreading throughout the region. The Paladins delivered the body to a chamber built beneath the ruins of a former Zakarum temple called Rakhat Keep.

Prior to sealing the Tomb, Sankekur’s ear, tongue, and eye were placed in separate jars, which were then sequestered in various locations within the chamber. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. In time, this final resting place of Sankekur’s body became known as the Black Tomb.

Epilogue

Khalim is the only Que-Hegan of the Zakarum faith who is still venerated by the Crusaders. It is said that Khalim was incorruptible, and that his spirit will never rest until Mephisto is vanquished for all time. Unfortunately, it now appears that the former members of the High Council were reformed in Hell by Mephisto’s influence and have reemerged as the Fell Council. Thus, the quest for the Light is a battle that has still yet to be won.

See You Next Time

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Gazerrick is a staff writer for PureDiablo who focuses primarily on casual gaming interests and lore for the Diablo community. When not hacking and slashing his way through a new Season, he can be found participating in, and presenting at, various pop culture conventions in southern Arizona. You can follow him on Twitter @Gazerrick9000 for even more of his gaming indulgences. A collection of his creative media is also available at Cactus Palm Perspectives.