Nihlathak NPC

Nihlathak is an NPC found in Harrogath, the town of Act five. (He is also a monster, when he turns traitor halfway through the act.) Nihlathak is the lone surviving elder of the Barbarian high council, and has been driven nearly to madness by his worries about his people and his grief at the many deaths he has witnessed. He is embittered and dour, and his dialogues are far from welcoming.

Nihlathak serves as a merchant when characters first arrive, offering a gambling service. He vanishes from town once your character reaches the Frozen River level, wherein Anya is imprisoned. He is not seen again as an NPC, but only as a monster at the conclusion of the fourth quest. Anya takes over his role as the gambling NPC when she returns to town upon completion of the fourth quest.

Greetings

Be quick about it!

Hmm?

Surprised to see you.

What!

What is it?

Yes?

Dialogues

Introduction

Well, well. The siege has everything in short supply...except fools.

Why would you seek this place, stranger? Are you a vulture come to loot the bodies of our fallen warriors?

Regardless, this is no place to make a name for yourself. The mountain is ours to protect. It is only a matter of time before Hell's legions are routed.

Assassin only

Well, well...An Assassin!

Heh, heh...While I am sure we are all grateful for your presence in our troubled town, you need not have made the journey.

I can personally say that your skills are not required here. You would serve your clan better elsewhere.

Necromancer only

Ahhh, a Necromancer.

While I admire your courage in seeking out the darker side of magic, we really have little need of your skills. The battle will turn soon enough without your meddling.

Yet, I should have expected to see your kind here. You are like a moth to the flame -- drawn to all this death. It feeds you in more ways than one, does it not?

Siege on Harrogath

After Activation

After so many have died, who are you to think you can accomplish what our proud warriors could not?

Return

What are you still doing here? I thought you were going off to die.

Go...Be quick about it.

Completion

Ending the siege does not earn immediate respect, outsider.

Respect only comes with sacrifice -- something I'm sure you know nothing of.

Rescue on Mount Arreat

After Activation

You have proven you can take life, warrior, but can you save it as well?

Return

Did you ever stop to think why these demons are capturing Qual-Kehk's men? Why they are attacking us? Have you considered what Baal wants with the mountain?

No. You've not. You have no idea what you are dealing with.

Completion

So. You brought the lost sheep home to the shepherd. Well done.

Prison of Ice

After Activation

Anya! Who have you been talking to? Likely it was that meddling Malah.

Well, I'll tell you what really happened. Anya came to me for guidance, after receiving a vision that her mother and younger brother were trapped in the lands beyond the Ice Caves. She had decided to go rescue them.

I told her that her quest was a foolish one and that she would be safer staying within the city walls. However, she is a willful girl and would not listen to me.

The next morning, she was gone. No one is more distraught than I over losing her.

However, if you feel the need to be Malah's errand child, I won't try to stop you.

Return

Look, I've told you! She's dead! If you knew what was good for you, you'd concentrate your efforts on saving Harrogath -- not on lost causes like Anya.

Gossip

General

The demon hordes have grown powerful beyond measure, aided by our foolish mistakes. But I may have found a way to correct those mistakes...

Oh yes...I remember our warriors as children. Malah would set their broken bones and give them powders for their fevers. Now, they return to her with wounds that will never heal.

I am tired...Please...leave me.

If you have nothing useful for me, be on your way!

Anya's father was my good friend. There are so many to mourn...I have no time for you!

I have long been criticized, but especially of late -- since the deaths of my fellow Elders. Through it all, I have learned one thing. Each man must do what's right, no matter what others may think.

The Council of Elders always believed itself prepared for the coming of the Three. Obviously, we were not prepared enough.

About Qual-Kehk

Qual-Kehk is useless. He has blindly sent our warriors to their deaths, assuming Baal's legions would fight as men do. Of course, everyone knows they do not.

Assassin only

If you're looking for cases of treacherous magic, Assassin, take a hard look at Larzuk. He was the only one in town who escaped the Red Fever last spring. He claimed his good fortune was due to 'hand washing' before meals.

Hmmm...Very suspicious...

Necromancer only

Why would you seek this place, stranger? Are you a vulture come to loot the bodies of our fallen warriors?

Regardless, this is no place to make a name for yourself. The mountain is ours to protect. It is only a matter of time before Hell's legions are routed.

Gossip (about Nihlathak)

From Anya

Nihlathak was the last of our Elders, whose charge it was to safeguard the mountain. He alone tried to guide us through the most desperate time in our history -- but he was just as helpless as the rest of us.

I cannot forgive his betrayal, but I can learn from it.

From Larzuk

Nihlathak's despair is infectious -- and his behavior does not befit an Elder of his stature. I think we'd be better off without him.