Act Overviews Act II: Lut Gholein Objective - Track one of the Three Prime Evils to the desert villa of Lut Gholein, located on the coast of the Northern Twin Sea, and dispose of Duriel, the abomination hidden deep within a massive tomb inside a canyon. It is only when this beast has been slain that the people of Aranoch can finally rest. Background - Across the Great Mountains, buried deep within the sands of the desert known as Aranoch lies Lut Gholein. Once the largest seafaring port located on either of the Twin Seas, this large city has been in existence for centuries. Currently run by the wise and powerful king, Jerhyn, one can expect to find a rich history buried within the archives of this seaside paradise. Steeped in culture, Lut Gholein has acted as a trading go-between for the Western Cities and the Eastern Jungles since long before anything like the Time of Troubles. While several brave captains and admirals traveling on trade routes from Kehjistan continue to moor their ships at Lut Gholein's expansive docks while doing business within the town's walls, there is not much business left to be conducted in this half-abandoned establishment. Empty apartments overlooking the streets dot the area, with only a few handfulls of vendors and citizens remaining within the town. Most fled to Duncraig and Kingsport, major cities of Westmarch during the war for control over the desert between the inhabitants of Lut Gholein and the beasts of the desert during the initial uprising of Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred. The proud palace overlooking the city is a reminder of the days when the city was a bustling metropolis, assisting traders in advertising their wares and business along the trade routes branching through the city. Description - Permanent buildings, constructed of stone, brick, and wood make up the outer rim of Lut Gholein, weathered and beaten by the winds of the desert that have for centuries pelted them with sand. Golden bricks form rough pathes and roads, also weathered and colorized by the effects of the mystical sands of Aranoch. A much cheerier appearance to the city can be found, although it's people do not seem to be in the best of health. Expect nowhere near as many hospitalities on the part of the vendors, as they are still very used to traveling merchants and adventurers passing through. The palace, belonging to the king and his family, is the most noticeable building in the area, with a shining dome atop it's roof, drawing to a point in the classic architecture of a desert palace. The inner portion of the city contains the marketplace, the area most of your business is conducted, with several vendors and citizens doing their business in this area of town. Weather - Although the days and nights are much brighter, the scorching sun allows no rain to fall on Lut Gholein. Expect endless spells of dry heat, and very little relief from the high temperatures. Most people of the city are a golden tan from their exposure to the elements, and you can expect to look the same after not long within this place's stone walls. Security - Security is not an issue, but still a concern in Lut Gholein. Large bands of monsters lurk only a short ways outside the city's high, stone walls. You can credit Greiz and his men for the assurance of protection inside the city, however, as many citizens have turned to working under Jerhyn as parts of the milita. While the sewer beneath the city is said to contain a foul beast known as Radament, those could be nothing more than stories to frighten small children, could they? Townsfolk - Much more adapted to a permanent lifestyle than those of the Rogue Encampment, the citizens of Lut Gholein continue to flourish in two areas; Population and Business. As one of the most fortified, and well-located cities anywhere in Sanctuary, the people of the region continue to conduct themselves with travelers crossing the Twin Seas, namely the Northern Sea. Knowing this, you can expect a trade-savvy group of merchants to attempt to gain your business through flashy advertising of their items, and careful placement of the items when on sales tables. Most citizens have a slight look of ill-health about them, possibly malnutrition, but for the most part, things are doing much better in Lut Gholein than other cities of Sanctuary. With one of the strongest military forces in the region, a powerful hierarchy of political leaders, and enough people to form a restored culture and way of life, expect a much different experience than that of the one you had in the Rogue Encampment.