It's no surprise that a game dedicated to slaying hordes of demons like Diablo 4 has its fair share of disturbing content. As players unravel the true extent of Lilith's corruption of Sanctuary in Diablo 4, it becomes clear that the game is even darker than its predecessors in both art style as well as narrative. The best examples of its dark nature can be found in the side quests players will come across throughout Diablo 4's map, with some of the most disturbing optional content coming from the chain of exorcism side quests found in Kyovashad.
Diablo 4 is full of side quests that provide a deeper look at the lore of the world and illustrate the depth of Lilith's sin like the temptation of Sanctuary's inhabitants in the Unyielding Flesh side quest or the greed displayed in the Bound by Blood side quest. However, when it comes to Diablo 4's most unsettling content, demonic possession takes the cake and there is a string of side quests located in Kyovashad that pit the player against demon-possessed residents. These quests have the player take on the role of exorcist as they aid in performing exorcism rituals around the city to rid its inhabitants of the demonic scourge that ails them.
Diablo 4 Includes Some of its Darkest and Most Heartbreaking Stories in Kyovashad's Exorcism Saga
The first of these side quests, Malady of the Soul, can be acquired fairly early on in Diablo 4 by talking to Sister Octavia in the southeastern part of Kyovashad. She tells the player that she is tasked by the Cathedral of Light with exorcising demons from possessed townsfolk in an attempt to save their soul rather than condemn them to the pyre. In this first quest, Sister Octavia will recruit the player to assist her in helping exorcise a demon from a young boy locked in the basement of a Kyovashad residence.
Players assist in the ritual by slaying the demons that come forth as Sister Octavia attempts to exorcise the boy, and while this quest has a hopeful ending with the boy successfully rid of demons, this Diablo 4 quest line gets dark fast. The next quest in this chain, Depths of Despair, has players assist Sister Octavia once again, this time helping a woman who suspects her husband has been possessed by a demon. However, things aren't as smooth this time around as this man flees into Kyovashad's sewers but ultimately succumbs to the demon and wounds Sister Octavia in the struggle.
The final quest in this chain, Faith in Blood, sees things take a dark turn as it appears the previous exorcism has left Sister Octavia afflicted with a demon herself and only the player can exorcise her. After gathering the necessary materials despite some resistance from other characters, players will begin the exorcism and face off against the demon possessing Sister Octavia. Luckily, they are successful in the exorcism and Sister Octavia survives, rewarding players with her gratitude along with the rare Diablo 4 item Sister Octavia's Prayer Book for their efforts.
While this quest line ultimately has a happy ending, it contains some of the most tense and distressful imagery in Diablo 4. Seeing the young boy struggle against his demonic affliction and the man attempt to flee from his wife to avoid hurting her further as he loses control to the demon inside him are powerful yet sad fates for these characters to suffer, and end up grounding some of Diablo 4's more fantastic elements in deeply human stories. These may only be side quests, but they reveal far more about the struggles of the average Sanctuary resident than Diablo 4's main quest, making them all the more impactful and unsettling.
Diablo 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
