Diablo II takes place after the end of the previous Diablo in the world of Sanctuary. An unnamed warrior defeated Diablo and attempted to contain the Lord of Terror's essence within his own body. Since then, the hero has become corrupted by the demon's spirit, causing demons to enter the world around him and wreak havoc. Again, it is up to a single mortal to stand in Diablo's path and to prevent the Three Prime Evils from reuniting. If that mortal fails, the world of Sanctuary will become a permanent outpost of the Burning Hells.