Skeleton King (Quest)

The Skeleton King is a Diablo quest featuring King Leoric, who has returned from the dead, and is causing trouble in Tristram. This quest is initiated by speaking to Ogden the Tavern Owner after the hero has entered the second floor of the dungeon. All Diablo games contain either this quest or the Poisoned Water Supply quest.

Ogden recounts the story of Leoric's madness and his fatal confrontation with and the other knights and priests, before asking that Leoric's soul be put at ease. Leoric, now the Skeleton King, can be found in King Leoric's Tomb, whose entrance is located on Dungeon level 3. He is surrounded by undead, mostly skeletons. By defeating him, the hero completes the quest, earning The Undead Crown unique item, and an extra message from Ogden.

Multiplayer Mode
This Diablo Quest is one of the four Diablo Quests that appears in Multiplayer mode. Instead of a separate mini-level, Leoric appears on dungeon level 3, usually surrounded by several undead. He will not drop his Undead Crown, but will instead drop a random magic-item.

Excerpt from The Black King Tome
"Hail and Sacrifice to Diablo - Lord of Terror and Destroyer of Souls. When I awoke my Master from his sleep, he attempted to possess a mortal's form. Diablo attempted to claim the body of King Leoric, but my Master was too weak from his imprisonment. My Lord required a simple and innocent anchor to this world, and so found the boy Albrecht to be perfect for the task. While the good King Leoric was left maddened by Diablo's unsuccessful possession, I kidnapped his son Albrecht and brought him before my Master. I now await Diablo's call and pray that I will be rewarded when he at last emerges as the Lord of this world."

NPC quotes
Initiation:
 * "''The village needs your help, Good Master! Some months ago King Leoric's son, Prince Albrecht, was kidnapped. The King went into a rage and scoured the village for his missing child. With each passing day, Leoric seemed to slip deeper into madness. He sought to blame innocent townsfolk for the boy's disappearance and had them brutally executed. Less than half of us survived his insanity...

The King's knights and priests tried to placate him, but he turned against them and sadly, they were forced to kill him. With his dying breath the King called down a terrible curse upon his former followers. He vowed that they would serve him in darkness forever...

This is where things take an even darker twist than I thought possible! Our former King has risen from his eternal sleep and now commands a legion of Undead Minions within the labyrinth. His body was buried in a tomb three levels beneath the Cathedral. Please, good Master, put his soul at ease by destroying his now cursed form...''"

Deckard Cain:
 * "Ahh, the story of our King, is it? The tragic fall of Leoric was a harsh blow to this land. The people always loved the King, and now they live in mortal fear of him. The question that I keep asking myself is how he could have fallen so far from the Light, as Leoric had always been the holiest of men. Only the vilest powers of Hell could so utterly destroy a man from within..."

Griswold:
 * "I made many of the weapons and most of the armor that King Leoric used to outfit his knights. I even crafted a huge two-handed sword of the finest mithril for him, as well as a field crown to match. I still cannot believe how he died. But it must have been some sinister force that drove him insane!"

Adria:
 * "The dead who walk among the living follow the cursed King. He holds the power to raise yet more warriors for an ever-growing army of the Undead. If you do not stop his reign, he will surely march across this land and slay all who still live here."

Pepin:
 * "The loss of his son was too much for King Leoric. I did what I could to ease his madness, but in the end it overcame him. A black curse has hung over this kingdom from that day forward, but perhaps if you were to free his spirit from his Earthly prison, the curse would be lifted..."

Wirt:
 * "Look, I'm running a business here. I DON'T sell information, and I DON'T care about some King that's been dead longer than I've been alive. If you need something to use against this King of the Undead, then I can help you out..."

Gillian:
 * "I don't like to think about how the King died. I like to remember him for the kind and just ruler that he was. His death was so sad and seemed very wrong, somehow."

Farnham:
 * "I don't care about that. Listen, no skeleton is gonna be MY king. Leoric is King. King, so you hear me? HAIL TO THE KING!"

Ogden:
 * "As I told you, Good Master, the King was entombed three levels below. He's down there, waiting in the putrid darkness for his chance to destroy this land..."

Leoric (upon entering his tomb)
 * "The warmth of life has entered my tomb. Prepare yourself, mortal, to serve my master for eternity! (evil laughter)

Character:
 * "Rest well, Leoric. I'll find your son."

Completion:
 * "The curse of our King has passed, but I fear that it was only part of a greater Evil at work. However, we may yet be saved from the Darkness that consumes our land, for your victory is a good omen. May Light guide you on your way, Good Master."

The Darkening of Tristram
In Diablo III, during the Anniversary Dungeon event, this quest always appears, virtually unchanged (except for it always spawns and is not mutually exclusive with Poisoned Water Supply).

Killing the Skeleton King in his tomb will drop The Undead Crown as a Magic item.