The meteorite and pre-accouncement splash screens

[detestrian]

The two 'eyes' in the splash screens always looked like meteorites to me - the fact that there were two of them might've just been a red herring. Someone must've noticed this already but browsing the forums I did not see much speculation about this - any ideas? We know Arreat Crater has been formed - but how does this relate to the storyline, specifically Tyrael and the destruction of the Worldstone?

[Merick]

There's a fair precedent for meteors bringing something with them from space in fiction. Or perhaps someone (Tyrael?) summoned it specifically to destroy something. I really haven't seen much said about Tyrael yet, despite his central presence on the D3 site.

[Thirty-Thirty]

I have my own speculation here, although this is very reminiscent of WC3. If I remember correctly, the Worldstone held the realms apart. That is, Sanctuary was separated from the Burning Hells (and, presuming Tyrael comes from somewhere, wherever that "Heaven" is, too). The destruction of the Worldstone might remove that barrier, allowing denizens therefrom to visit, feasibly by traveling through something like the Twisting Nether or Dark Beyond to Sanctuary.

I don't like it, but it seems a clear option to me. I reckon most of our speculation is moot, because Blizzard have a whole lot of writer's license from (a) the destruction of the Worldstone and (b) the mapping out of the rest of Sanctuary.

[mouseman]

Would it be cool if High Heavens was being overrun and Tyrael would escape inside the meteor, like a fallen angel, in order to get some help from the mortals?

The meteor is indeed an elemental part of the story, we just don't know what. It's fun to speculate, though :)

[Cyborgasm]

Well the meteor crashed into the cathedral and dug a hole through to the tunnels underneath presumably where we fought in D1, you can see drawings of "tristram tunnels", and a hole where it went. Also on the three frame pic of Leah and the meteor it's titled "hydra" and a description underneath "Sillouetted debris and OmniLight Meteor". Omni meaning "all", All-Light Meteor? It's safe to assume it's Tyrael, maybe going back down there to look for something?

[Thirty-Thirty]

I can't remember where, but I recall mention of exactly two meteorites. One for the Hells, and one for the Heavens?

[AriseAsCarrion]

Wait.. I don't get it.. If this Meteor hit somewhere on Mt. Arreat, then why does one hit somewhere that looks like the inside of a church in the Cinematic?

[Corkee]

I ride with Thirty-Thirty on this one. Two meteors, two events. One heralding the arrival of Hell's armies and the other to rally the champions of heaven. The Mt. Arreat one seems to be a huge and violent impact that shears away most of the mountain, while the smaller one in New Tristram obviously is of smaller magnitude (that is of a passive and benign nature?). Then again it could be that Mt. Arreat is blown up from within, it sure looks that way when you look at the outward pointing jagged edges of the burning chasm in the trailer.

Edit. Enter speculation mode: The 2005 rumors of D3 mentioned two factions, one for hell and one for heaven. Would be interesting to see if you could finish D3 either defending heaven in the final part of it - or invading it as a part of Hell's armies. Thus leading to two item suites, one only usable for legions of light, the loot that drops of the demons; And the last one only available for Hell's champions, which drops of the forces of heaven. It would also go well with the D3 logo, which looks like three spears inverted on eachother - three dark ones and three light ones.

What events that would lead to you as a PC choosing to side with Hells armies is a bit hard to imagine though, but it would make it interesting both in PVP aspects of D3 - but also make available unique spells and abilities for the two factions. Extreme speculation, maybe the witch doctor converts to a necromancer if you should choose to side with hell? And the barbarion to a chaos knight? :)

[Corkee]

Followup of the above post;

Come to think of it I can only see one meteor in the entire trailer, and in the artwork. And that's the one falling on New Tristram. The hellpit(s) seem to be on multiple locations, and seem to have opened up on the world instead of the results of impacts. Allthough the world map has Arreat Crater as a location, but a crater doesn't necessarily have to have been made by a meteor.

If you look carefully at the trailer you can see at 1.43 that something is rising up fast towards the girl (Leah?) who's looking over the edge into the impact hole in the cathedral. Also at the artwork pages (http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/media/artwork.xml) at the official page you can see the hole in several pics and Tyrael rising up and transforming from molten red wings to his usual brilliant white whips.

I've not seen one hint that Tyrael has turned evil in any of the artwork or the trailer(he's not really in it at all - but I think we'll see a fuller opening trailer at a point in the future where we see the entire scene with Cain and the girl in the cathedral). The only interesting thing I saw in the artwork on Tyrael is that he hasn't found a replacement for his sword that he used to blow up the Worldstone.

[Thirty-Thirty]

When Deckard Cain returns to the ruins of Tristram's Cathedral seeking clues to new stirrings of evil, a comet from the heavens strikes the very ground where Diablo once entered the world. The comet carries a dark omen in its fiery being and it calls the heroes of Sanctuary to defend the mortal world against the rising powers of the Burning Hells – and even the failing luminaries of the High Heavens itself.

Okay, granted, the Arreat Crater is probably related to the Worldstone's destruction. However, since I'm now looking for the most subtle of details to further my speculation, I've noticed something about the Diablo III website... It's suspicious enough that we're given Tyrael to gaze at instead of Diablo, especially after mentioning the "failing luminaries", but it appears to me that he is standing inside a cathedral, possibly New Tristram Cathedral? I suggest this especially because of the candles on the right, which we see the girl (Leah?) lighting in the cinematic.

I realise this is probably reading a bit far into things, but that'd make the meteor that arrives there Tyrael's vessel. It doesn't even destroy the whole cathedral, whereas the other (Arreat?) crater seems much larger. In fact, large enough for an army to pass through...

Another thing to remember about the cinematic is that - like the Warcraft 3 intro - it might not be the beginning of the game, but a lot further into the story afterward (although now that I've read that quote above, it seems that it is near the beginning).

That quote is actually laden with speculatable material...

[Cyborgasm]

"When Deckard Cain returns to the ruins of Tristram's Cathedral seeking clues to new stirrings of evil, a comet from the heavens strikes the very ground where Diablo once entered the world. The comet carries a dark omen in its fiery being and it calls the heroes of Sanctuary to defend the mortal world against the rising powers of the Burning Hells – and even the failing luminaries of the High Heavens itself."

Funny how you miss the obvious stuff when you're emersed in speculation. Looks like Heaven is being pretty shady as well and I do expect to fight some angels.

An omen being a sign that something is coming(good or evil), wheather Tyrael is the meteor itself who knows.

I'd like to know where you heard there was 2 meteors, seeing as on the world map Tristram and Caldeum are both highlighted, I did read somewhere that Mt. Arreat was destroyed with the worldstone, 20 years before the meteors so I don't think a meteor hit there. Does Caldeum hold any significance in Diablo Lore or is it just a trade town?

[Swiffer]

Does Caldeum hold any significance in Diablo Lore or is it just a trade town?
Apart from being a strict trade post that is intolerant of the troubles of the outside world, we don't actually know that much about the place.

It could certainly become significant from the sounds of things so far though.

[Thirty-Thirty]

I had thought Arreat Crater was another meteor strike, but it's actually at the site of the Worldstone's destruction. My mistake.

[detestrian]

Probably not the work of a meteor but still worth noting - picture 36/49 at http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/media/artwork.xml#36

I sense something rising...