* New Tristram
Demon Hunter: What do you need to do with the crown to get to the Skeleton King?
Shaman: I have the crown. Show me the way to the fallen king.
Nun: I have the crown. Where is the Skeleton King?
Wizard: I have the crown. How to get to the Skeleton King?
Barbarian: The blacksmith fixed Leoric's crown.
Deckard Cain: Finally. Now you can remove the seal from the door in the room where you saved me and enter the royal tombs. When you find the Skeleton King, place the crown on his head... and destroy him.
Demon Hunter: When I kill him, I can finally reach the star.
Shaman: The Skeleton King has sent a disease to this land. I will heal her and find the fallen star.
Nun: The Skeleton King is the cause of all misfortune in these lands. I will end his reign and find the fallen star.
Wizard: Today the Skeleton King rests forever, and I will find the fallen star.
Barbarian: I will kill him and find the star.
Eirina: And I will fight with you!
The Wandering Gate of New Tristram will take me back to the cathedral garden.
I finally figured out how to defeat the Skeleton King. With the help of his crown, I will open the gilded door and descend into
the depths of the cathedral. I don't know what's waiting for me there, but whatever it is, it won't stop me.
The patterned door will lead me to the second level of the cathedral.
Where I found Deckard Cain was a patterned door. I have Leoric's crown, and now I can finally open that door.
Go down to the lower levels of the cathedral.
I need to search the cathedral. Leoric's remains are somewhere in the royal tombs at the very bottom. I am sure that when I find them, I
I can defeat him.
* Cathedral level 2
Eirina: These spirits are forever bound to their king. The only way we can help them is to kill them again.
Lindon: I'm glad I didn't become a priest. Even without any demons, life there is not sugar.
Hunter says: Templar, what's bothering you?
Cormac says: I'm sorry. It pains me to see the once holy place destroyed and defiled.
Hunter says: So fate decreed. But we can change the future.
I need to help the warrior.
It seems that sectarians are also inside the cathedral along with the resurrected dead. They keep a warrior captive - without
doubt, with an unholy purpose. I have to save him before he breaks under the influence of their vile spells.
Warrior: The cultists dragged me past this shimmering abyss. Where did she come from?
Demon Hunter: I'll find out soon enough.
Nun: That's what I came to find out.
Wizard: That's what I'm going to find out.
Barbarian: That's what I came to find out.
Shaman:
Warrior: Here! My weapon is here!
Dark cultist: He got out! Don't let him take the weapon!
Templar: My name is Cormac, I am a warrior from the Order of the Templars. If you're looking for the Skeleton King, you won't be able to avoid Yondar either. We would be wise to stick together.
Demon Hunter: I usually fight alone. But I'll make an exception for you...
Shaman: You're right.
Nun: I agree. Let's fight together.
Wizard: There is a reason for your words. I need an ally who knows how to wield a spear.
Barbarian: Templars can be trusted. Let's fight together.
Cormac: Evil flees from one templar. Two will bring him to his knees.
Templar: Our path is blocked by dark magic... But the will of the templar is stronger than her. Yondar, you were a templar! How could you be in this sect?
Yondar: Now the members of the Dark Cult are my brothers, Cormac! Soon the forces we serve. Will rule this world!
...
Yondar: Forgive me. The magic of the Dark Cult has clouded my mind.
Templar: Betrayal cannot be forgiven. Thank you for your help. I will go with you, but on one condition. I take all the sacred texts of the order that I find for myself.
Demon Hunter: Deal. I don't need books.
Nun: I don't need those books. Let them be yours.
Shaman: Okay.
Wizard: Agreed. Though I wouldn't mind knowing what they say...
Barbarian: Okay.
Templar: Let's slay the Skeleton King!
Lindon: What do you think, how much will they give for this beauty?
Nun: Would you sell the damn figurine?
Demon Hunter: Are you kidding?
Lindon: No one really needs her here.
* Cathedral, 4th level
Lloygor the Mad: No no no! It should be here! It ... yes, here it is! Here! Don't come! This is my book! Here, take this gold and get the hell out of here.
(hero picks up a book)
Lloygor the Mad: Ah, do you want to know what I've learned? How did I suffer? As you wish!
Lindon: What do you think we'll find here?
Nun: What I'm looking for. What else?
Lindon: Perfectly? Immeasurable riches. But, most likely, another evil monster.
* Royal tombs
Eirina: Don't you find it curious that we spent so much time killing those who have already died?
Barbarian: What?
Eirina: I'm saying... ah, it doesn't matter.
Ghost of Lachdanan: Stay away from him. I must do this. May death deliver you from your madness, Leoric.
Ghost of King Leoric: Traitors! Even in death, Khandaras' army will obey, even if you don't.
Skeleton King: How dare you desecrate my crypt with the warmth of life?
Eirina: Probably, they haven't heard about you yet.
Cormac: You're finished, spawn of Darkness!
Lindon: If they kill me, will you bury me?
Nun: I'll think about it.
Demon Hunter: Possibly.
Lindon: What?! And after everything we've been through together?!
Nun: Don't be afraid, my friend. Of course I will.
Demon Hunter: Fear not, my friend. I will bury.
* Crypt of the Skeleton King
Skeleton King: No one can defeat me!
Cormac: You were defeated the very moment you succumbed to the madness!
Lindon: Sooner or later, all kings have to part with the crown. Remember this.
Eirina: Your cruelty and madness has already defeated you.
* Secluded quarters
Cormac: When it's all over, we'll have to celebrate it well in the tavern!
Shaman: Ah... Here is the crater.
Demon Hunter: Crater... finally!
Nun: Ah...here is the crater...
Wizard: Crater! Finally.
Barbarian: And here is the crater...
Demon Hunter: So it's you, stranger, who fell from the sky... You started all this chaos... but I don't sense any evil in you.
Shaman: So you are the fire that was sent from heaven. How did you end up here, in the heart of darkness?
Nun: Did you fall from the sky? I do not believe that all the evil in these lands comes from you.
Wizard: So you fell from the sky? But I don't believe you have anything to do with the evil that fills this place.
Barbarian: So you fell from the sky? You are the cause of all this destruction. But I don't feel evil in you.
Stranger: I... I remember... I remember falling...
Demon Hunter: Do you remember who you are?
Shaman: Do you remember who you are and why you are here?
Nun: Who are you?
Wizard: But who are you and what are you doing here?
Barbarian: So who are you? What brought you here?
Stranger: I am not your enemy. It seems... Yes, exactly. I have come to warn you. Darkness... Darkness is coming! I must... I don't remember...
Demon Hunter: Perhaps Deckard Cain can help you. Come with me.
Shaman: I'll take you to Deckard Cain. He will dispel our ignorance.
Nun: I'll take you to Deckard Cain. He will help.
Wizards: I'll take you to the city. Deckard Cain will figure out what to do with you.
Barbarian: I'll take you to Deckard Cain. He is wise.
* New tristram
Demon Hunter: I found it at the bottom of a crater.
Shaman: This man is the fallen star.
Nun: I found this man where the star fell.
Wizard: It's something that fell from the sky...
Barbarian: That's what fell from the sky.
Deckard Cain: No man could have survived such a fall... Who are you? What kind of creature are you?
Stranger: I think I'm a warrior... I brought terrible news, but I can't remember what...
Deckard Cain: Your news may determine whether we survive the impending catastrophe or perish.
The royal houses of Europe have a bloody history. From battles to coups and assassinations, kings and queens have suffered deaths ranging from the serene to the ridiculous. After all, death is central to the idea of monarchy: new kings and queens can only take the throne after the death of their predecessor. The monarchy itself is built on the condition of death.
But this does not mean that all royal deaths are worthy. Some kings and queens have died after respectable illnesses. Others have become victims of political infighting. Still others are unlucky in death and exemplify some of the dumbest ways kings have died.
The most stupid royal deaths prove that, after all, the men and women who sit on thrones and wear crowns are no more or less human than the people they rule over. Let's take a look at some of the dumbest ways some kings die.
The King of Sweden ate himself to death
Photo: Gustav Lundberg/Public Domain/via Wikimedia Commons The severed head of a rival killed the Viking king
Photo: E. Klein/Wikimedia Commons Sigurd Eysteinsson was a prominent Viking leader who ruled over the Orcish islands in Scotland in the late 800s. Eysteinsson was a fierce warrior and soon made his way to the Scottish mainland. Although he agreed to a peace meeting with Melbrigt Earl of Scots, the conference soon turned into a fight. Eysteinsson deftly defeated Melbrigt, cut off his head and tied it to the saddle, leaving the battlefield. The galloping movement of the horse contributed to the fact that one of Melbrigt's teeth stuck into Eysteinsson's leg. The wound became infected and eventually killed the Viking.
Henry I died after eating lampreys
King Henry I ruled England with an iron fist. One of his weaknesses was lampreys, an eel-like fish. Henry's doctor forbade him to eat lampreys, but the king did not pay attention to this - he ate them in November 1135. After this feast, the king's health deteriorated within a few days, and he died on December 1, 1135. His death sparked a medieval civil war.
Charles VIII of France died after hitting his head on a door frame
In 1498, King Charles VIII of France hit his head on the crossbar of a door while going out to watch a tennis match and hit it very hard. So hard that in just a few hours he fell into a coma and subsequently died. Today, doctors believe that he probably suffered a subdural hematoma, which mainly leads to bleeding in the brain.
King Bela of Hungary dies after falling from throne
Photo: Bela Vizkelety/Public domain/via Wikimedia Commons King Bela I of Hungary was a warrior king and heralded the defense of Hungary's sovereignty against the ambitions of the Holy Roman Empire. But Bela's literal seat of power was also the cause of his death. In September 1063, his wooden throne collapsed, injuring the Hungarian king so badly that he died from the wound.
James II of Scotland was accidentally blown away
Photo: Public Domain/via Wikimedia Commons The appointment of James II as King of Scotland began when his father was assassinated. The rest of his reign was defined by his attempts to control the warring clans - and these attempts were downright bloody. Prominent Scots were killed before his eyes, and his own mother orchestrated the bloody downfall of a rival faction.
Both his reign and his accidental death were marked by violence. In 1460, James laid siege to Roxburgh Castle in the Scottish borders and decided to celebrate by firing giant cannon salutes - James had long been fascinated by the new technology of warfare. When the cannon was set on fire, it did not fire as it should, but retreated, killing the king. Celebrated!
Alexander from Greece died from the bite of an infected monkey
Photo: Public Domain/via Wikimedia Commons In 1917, 25-year-old Alexander took the Greek throne after the abdication of his father, King Constantine I.
On October 2, 1920, Alexander was walking on his estate when his dog got into a fight with a monkey that belonged to one of his employees. He tried to break up the fight, but the monkey bit Alexander on the leg. The wound became infected and poisoned his blood. Alexander died on October 25, 1920 after several weeks of suffering.
The Holy Roman Emperor Ate the Wrong Mushrooms
Photo: Jean-Étienne Lyotard/Public domain/via Wikimedia Commons As head of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles VI was one of the most powerful men in the world. But the power did not make him immortal. In October 1740 Charles died suddenly after eating. The reason may have been poisonous mushrooms. His death led to a major war throughout Europe and its colonies: although he named his daughter Maria Theresa as his heir, she would be forced to defend her inheritance because rivals refused to recognize the succession of a woman to the throne of Austria.
The heir to the English throne died in a tragic drunk accident
Photo: free/public domain William Adeline was the only legitimate heir to King Henry I of England, other children were either daughters or illegitimate, so the future of the English monarchy rested on his shoulders. He will die senselessly before he gets a chance to take on that responsibility.
On November 25, 1120, the royal family returned to England from Normandy. The king went ahead in his own ship. William Adeline, his illegitimate sister Matilda, and their half-brother stayed behind and planned to return on a separate ship. William and his entourage gave the crew a barrel of wine as a gift, and the passengers and crew drank very well. By the time the ship sailed, the crew and most of the passengers were heavily intoxicated. Therefore, when the prince drunkenly urged the captain to catch up with his father's ship and bring the old man back to England, disaster struck - the ship crashed into the rocks and began to sink. Although William Adeline managed to get into the boat, he heroically turned back to save his sister. But the survivors climbed into his boat, pulling him down. William Adlen drowned.
The king lost three children that night and was understandably heartbroken. Henry had no choice but to make his legitimate daughter Matilda his heir.
Valerian was executed with molten gold
Photo: Hans Holbein Jr./Public domain/via Wikimedia Commons One of the most unique royal deaths belongs to the Roman Emperor Valerian. Valerian had the honor of being the first Roman emperor. The Persian king Shapur took him prisoner in 260. Valerian certainly died in captivity, but the manner of his death is still disputed. One source claims that Shapur forced Valerian to drink molten gold, which burned the emperor from within.
Tolkien describes situations when it is beyond human strength to endure the test of duty: "Shadows closed, the hearts of people froze, and the valor of Gondor turned to ashes ... There were few faithful to duty left to defend the wall; most fled to the second circle of the City" (night during the siege Minas Tirith); "So deserted were these places, so deep was their horror that some of the warriors lost their courage and could not go further north" (the path to the Black Gate of Mordor); "At the southern borders of the Shire, the Pathfinders barred their [Nazgul] path. But the task was too much for the Dúnedain... and even the Dúnedain's hearts trembled" (Battle of Sarnford, recounted in The Hunt for the Ring in Unfinished Tales). However, in The Lord of the Rings we find other examples: "The Prince of Dol Amroth and his knights held themselves like true lords of the race of Numenor. And seeing them, people began to sing in the darkness" (on the same night, during the siege of the City) ; "And Aragorn went first) and his will was so strong at that hour that all the Dunedain and their horses followed him" (the path along the Paths of the Dead). Aragorn, Imrahil, Faramir are the lords and masters of the people, for they are able to follow their duty, rejecting fear. However, in fact, it is better to say this: they are able to follow the duty, forgetting about themselves, precisely because that they are lords and overlords, because by origin they really above others.
It seems that we are again turning to the ancient Germanic moral principles, recognizing that the higher the origin of a person, the more great deeds are possible for him. In Tolkien's world, in Arda, this is an indisputable truth, to which I will return later in order to try to explain why this is so.
And yet, despite the indicated similarity in views on the nobility of blood, it is here that the difference lies. Unlike the hero of ancient Germanic legends, Tolkien's heroic character, the overlord, is not free in the first place. Of all the characters, he is indeed the most capable of following his duty - and he is obliged to follow it, rejecting all personal desires and ambitions: for Tolkien's King takes on a great burden - responsibility. The answer to the question of what happens if this does not happen is the story of Ar-Pharazon, "the most powerful and proudest of the Kings of Numenor", whose deeds were truly daring - and led to the greatest of catastrophes, which, as Tolkien himself later said, "was an omen of the End of Arda." "For the evil done by the great is great," says Ulmo in one of Tolkien's manuscripts from the book Morgoth's Ring.
Thus, the "duty" of Tolkien's characters includes not only fearlessness, but also responsibility: a theme, as a rule, unknown to listeners of ancient Germanic heroic songs. Beowulf performs his first exploits - killing the terrible Grendel and his mother - as a lone hero, acting for the glory of his name; and the song proclaims the hero's praise. Later, when Beowulf becomes king, he goes out alone against the dragon, refusing to accept the help of the squad. He defeats the monster, but in this battle he himself dies - and the whole kingdom, with the death of its king, collapses under the onslaught of neighboring enemies; however, Beowulf's contemporaries don't really care:
But the leader was faithful to a high duty - he acquired treasures ...
“Through the tragedy here [in the German epic] triumph always shines through,” explains O. A. Smirnitskaya in the article “The Poetic Art of the Anglo-Saxons” (although in Beowulf, in her opinion, this is not so). Tolkien, in the commentary on his play "The Return of Burchtnot, son of Burchtelm", conceived as a kind of continuation of the "Battle of Maldon", draws attention to other lines from Beowulf:
Sometimes one dies, but that death saddens many ...
So exclaims Wiglaf, the faithful warrior of the deceased king, meaning that the death of the ruler will bring grief to his subjects in the near future. Tolkien sees here "a sharp criticism of the recklessness of the one who bears the responsibility", as well as in the words of Burchtvold from the Battle of Maldon, which were quoted above. These words, "the best expression of the northern heroic spirit, Norman or English, the clearest statement of the doctrine of strength and fortitude put at the service of an unbending will," Tolkien believed, strike and touch us because "put in the mouth of a subordinate whose will is directed to the goal appointed for him by others, in the mouth of a man who has no responsibility to those who are below him, but only loyalty to his master.Therefore, his personal pride recedes before devotion and love ... The heroism of submission and love, and not pride and self-will - the most heroic and most touching. In Tolkien's opinion, the Essex chief Burchtnot, who out of pride jeopardized and doomed his soldiers to death and, as a result, gave up the land he was called to protect, "died for his recklessness. But that was a noble mistake - the mistake of a noble man. His warriors are not allowed to condemn her, because many of them are both noble and reckless themselves. However, poets are higher than recklessness and higher than truly heroism itself "...
