Hey, I just got Darksiders (Not II) a few days ago and I am just completely confused by every single bit of the plot until then, could someone please explain it to me as simply as possible up until after you beat the first dungeon, I can't go further until I can understand what's going on. :S
I know this is not answering your question, but I am in the same exact position you're in. I just got Darksiders yesterday and I'm completely lost with the story. The beginning has to be the worst start to a video game that I've ever experienced. You're placed in the middle of the action and you have no idea what's going on; people are fighting but you don't know why. The game tries to explain what's going on, but the momentum the games at butchers the storytelling.
Honestly, this post is meant to add to the OP. If someone could explain these things to me, I will be extremely happy. Again, maintaining the OP's request and not spoiling anything past the first dungeon (because this game is phenomenal so far and I want to be surprised). Thanks!
- The Four Horseman
- The Council
- Destroyer
- What is the relationship/history between Heaven, Hell and the Third Kingdom (which I'm assuming are the humans).
Could someone also explain the very beginning of the game to me. Before War lost his powers.
The plot is revealed more into the game but if you need someone to clarify then i shall do so.
Angels and Demons have been warring for aeons, humanity was born during the conflict. The Charred Council put an end to war with the use of seven seals, this was to give the third kingdom a chance to thrive, a plan was concocted to ensure victory, but it failed miserably 6/7 seals were broken and war the second horseman responded to the call, he arrived on earth admist a great battle, he fought his way through to a large pit of lava where Abbadon and the Hellguard were, when Abbadon saw him he said "The seventh seal was not broken" and was then promptly crushed by Straga strongest of the Destroyer's Chosen, War fought against Straga and won but his powers were taken by the council allowing him to be slain by Straga. War spent 100 years suffering at the hands of the Charred Council, they finally released him and ordered him to find the culprits behind the apocalypse and to slay them to prove his innocence to make sure he didn't trick them they bound the Watcher to him to make sure he stayed on their leash.
Charred Council - These three are the governing body of the universe, their job is to preserve the balance no matter what, one seems to rash, one calm, and the last angry.
The Horsemen - The four horsemen of the apocalyspe they can are summoned by the seven seals breaking this will call them no matter the circumstances dead or alive, Death is the first and also the most rational that we have seen thus far, War is the second and the most honourbound, Fury is the third and Strife if the fourth, they are Nephilim.
Destroyer - When Hell won the war a powerful demon known as the Destroyer arose and he claimed the city you must traverse through, he is guarded by his chosen.
Heaven and Hell were at war for aeons and humans were born during this time.
Classic story of good vs evil shame both sides want to kill you really
Wait so how did War begin the Apocalypse if there was already a battle raging that would have completely demolished the Earth regardless, and what is War's purpose in the Apocalypse if it all would have went right, so many Qs. =\
War is known for his love of bloodshed and where ever theres conflict he tends to wade in, the reason he got the blame is because the plan is for the horsmen NOT to show up, and uriel and the other angels are not aware who is the one behind it, they all think War did it. War was called to earth even though only 6 of 7 were broken. In other words he jumped on in without realising what could happen afterwards.
The problem is that this story is running co-currently with DS1. It's a parallel storyline. So explaining the story itself won't really explain anything, you have to explain those exact terms and some background. In fact, Death is ignorant of what is happening to War, part of the motivation for his quest. Ganon covers the basics, but you do need more for anything to make sense. If you are interested in the story, and the world, I would recommend doing outside research. In no way am I saying I condone, or agree, with this sort of storytelling in the game. In fact, as a filmmaker, its one of the biggest problems with the game. Storytelling is not the strength of either game, people like Ganon and myself are only familiar with all of the background because we spent time researching media outside of the games, like the book, comics etc, which is the only way things are really explained. Even better, there is conflicting information, especially about the Nephilim and what the hell an "Old One"is.
First, watch the opening of DS1 (up until the buildings, around 1:45 or so) here. Then this little bit about the Charred Council here.
Just so you have it, here is a timeline.
Basic timeline with spoilers for DS2 indicated, spoilers for DS1 all over the place (Terms in the timeline explained in the next post)-
Pre-game -
1) The Nephilim are a powerful race, rampaging through the realms. They desire Eden, a realm already designated to Man. But as spawn of Angels and Demons, and no realm of their own, they desire their own territory.
2) Four Nephilim - Death, the eldest, War, the honourable, and Strife and Fury - are tired of the destruction. A new force arises - the Charred Council, a group of three stationary, omniscient beings. They approach the four and say that the Nephilim are threatening the Balance, and something must be done. In trade for their services as the Council's enforcers, they give the four unimaginable power.
3) The Four Horsemen now ride against their own brethren, striking them down to preserve the balance. Their souls are absorbed by a amulet carried by Death, which prevents the souls from passing on. One first-generation Nephilim, afriend of Death's named Absalom, hits him especially hard. Their exchange before ending Absalom's life will never be forgotten by Death.
4) The Four Horsemen remain in the service of the Council doing whatever needs doing to preserve the balance, for eons.
The games -
1) All but 6 of the 7 biblical seals are broken - because breaking the 7th would summon the horsemen, and trigger the Apocalypse. This is done by Abaddon, leader of the Hellguard, protested by Azreal, an extremely influential adviser, and a maker named Ulthane, against his better judgement. Abaddon is convinced that the only way the can defeat Hell is to attack them by surprise, ahead of the appointed time, without the interference of the Council.
2) However, somehow War is summoned to Earth anyway. His ride indicates the beginning of the Apocalypse, much the surprise of Abaddon, who is fighting on Earth. During this moment, he is caught off guard by Straga, a powerful Demon. Abaddon falls.
3) While War is imprisoned, Death hears of his unjust persecution and decides to save his brother. This is when he rides to the Crowfather, who has power of knowledge thanks to the amulet given to him by Death eons ago, an amulet that contains the souls of the reaped Nephilim. This, of course, is also a curse. This causes him to attack Death, of which Death is victorious. The amulet breaks, and binds itself within Death's chest.
4) Death then eventually discovers that he must restore humanity, because that was the result of War's alleged mistake. Humanity was not ready to face the apocalypse, so they were wiped out. If humanity is restored, possibly War can be proven innocent.
5) In order to do this, Death must reach the Well of Souls. By adventuring through the many realms of Old Ones, Angels, and even Demons.
6) At some point during Death's journey (it is unclear), War is released by the Council to try and clean up the mess left in his wake - a super powerful demon called the Destroyer has taken over Earth as his own domain, guarded by his "Chosen," powerful demi-demons charged up by the strength of another, independent Demon Lord imprisoned by the Destroyer. His name is Samael. In order to force him to their bidding, they bind Watcher to him, a sprite that can inflict pain and even kill War if he deems it necessary.
7) War defeats the Chosen and returns Samael's power. Samael opens the way to the Black Throne to help War on his quest, and slinks into a portal.
8) Death has finally reached the Demon Realm, attempting to find the Demon Key, which when combined with the Angel Key already in his possession, will unlock the door to the Well of Souls. Here, hiding in the past, he find Samael, and fights him to earn the key. He is of course successful.
9) War travels to the Black Throne to face Straga, the final guardian before he can reach the Destroyer. Here he discovers an imprisoned angel, a previous acquaintance, Azreal, who seems to know more about what happened. War defeats the guardian and releases Azreal, who transports them to the only piece of Eden that managed to not be destroyed in numerous battles,and then decay over eons - the part containing the Tree of Knowledge.
10) Here at the tree War is given the gift of Knowledge - what happened to the seals, who caused the Apocalypse. As he knows, Abaddon fell in battle, but he was corrupted, and became the Destroyer. He also gained the knowledge of how to defeat him - find the Armageddon Blade.
11) War is searching for the pieces of the Armageddon Blade, and runs into Uriel, an angel of the Hellguard, loyal to Abaddon. Convinced that War forced his downfall, and unaware that he has become the Destroyer, she challenges him to Nex Sacramentum, a death oath. War is victorious, but refuses to kill her.
12) After defeating the Chosen and releasing Samael, War finally faces the Destroyer.
13) Death reaches the Well of Souls, and fights Corruption, personified by Absalom. Death is victorious, and is given a choice - use the amulet containing the Nephilim to either resurrect them back, his own race, or give War the chance for redemption and restore Humanity. He chooses to save War, and humanity, and also sacrifices himself to the Well.
14) War faces the Destroyer, and defeats him. Within his fingers is the Seventh Seal, still unbroken. He is then sapped of his strength by Watcher. However, Uriel arrives, and kills War, completing the Nex Sacramentum. Then reaches over and breaks the seventh seal.
15) There are always four horsemen, summoned when the seventh seal is broken. So War is resurrected free of the Watcher's influence. Uriel asks him what he is going to do now - fight the Council alone? "No, not alone." Three comets break through the atmosphere, each representing one of the three remaining horsemen.
15 cont) Death is also summoned, even though he is dead. Just like War, he is resurected. Because when the seventh seal is broken, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ride. "The number is always... Four."
I feel i gotta say Kuddle you summed it up alot better than i ever did, also i haven't read the comics (didn't they existed) and i only recently began to delve in the universe of Darksiders fully, what i summed up was what i gleaned from the game, the story is there but it is a action orientated game and so the story is subtle, War hunts the Chosen to get to the Black Throne, to slay the Destroyer, to see the plot in it's fullest you need to play the game through at least twice (it took two tries to understand it fully) but you can actually see the story unfurling. Off Topic am i the only one who hated the Wraith's and the Wraith Scouts, in fact all ethreal foes dam things play unfair, though the Death Grip does help with this apart from maelstroms.
