LIBERARIUS EX HORADRIM

BOOK ONE

OF HEAVEN AND HELL

THE GREAT CONFLICT

Since the Beginning, the forces of Light and Darkness have engaged

in an eternal war: The Great Conflict, whose victor will rise from

the apocalyptic ashes to hold sway over all creation. To this end,

the Angels of the High Heavens adhere to strict militaristic disciplines.

Seraphim warriors strike at the enemies of Light with swords imbued

with righteous wrath and justice. The Angels believe that only absolute

discipline can properly restore order to the myriad realms, while the

demonic denizens of the Burning Hells hold that absolute chaos is the true

nature of all things.

The battles of the Great Conflict rage across both time and space, often

infringing upon the very fabric of reality itself. From the Crystal Arch at the very

heart of the High Heavens to the arcane Hellforge of the Underworld, the

warriors of these eternal realms journey to wherever their timeless conflict

carries them. The legendary deeds of the heroes of the realms beyond elicit

both veneration and insight.

The greatest of these heroes was Izual, lieutenant to the Arch-Angel

Tyrael and bearer of the Angelic Runeblade Azurewrath. He once led a fierce

attack upon the Hellforge as the creation of the dark demonblade Shadowfang

was nearing completion. His quest was to destroy both wielder and weapon - a

charge that he was destined never to complete. Izual was overcome by the

legions of chaos and, tragically, was lost to the Darkness. His fate stands as

testament to the fact that Angels and Demons alike shall fearlessly enter into

any domain - so long as their hated enemies dwell within.

Although the Great Conflict burned hotter and longer than any of the

stars in the sky, neither side could gain dominion over the other for long.

Both factions sought some way to turn the tides of the war to their favor. With the

ascension of Man and his mortal realm, the Great Conflict ground to a

mysterious halt. Both armies paused in a breathless stalemate, waiting to see to

whose side Man would eventually turn.

Mortals had the unique ability to choose between Darkness and Light,

and it was held that this would be the deciding factor in the outcome of the

Great Conflict. Thus, the agents of the nether-realms descended to the mortal

realm to vie for the favor of Man…

THE SIN WAR

The coming of the Great Conflict to the mortal realm is known as the Sin

War. Angels and Demons, disguising themselves while traveling amongst men,

attempted to secretly lure mortals to their respective causes. Over time, the

forces of Darkness discovered that mortals responded much more to brute

force than to subtle coercion, and so began to terrorize Man into submission.

The Angels fought to defend humanity against this demonic oppression, but all

too often their austere methods and severe punishments succeeded only in

alienating those whom they sought to protect.

The violent battles of the Sin War occurred often, but they were seldom

witnessed by the prying eyes of Man. Only a few “enlightened” souls were aware

of the supernatural beings that walked amongst the huddled masses of humanity.

Powerful mortals arose and accepted the challenge of the Sin War, allying

themselves with both sides in the Great Conflict. The legendary deeds of these

great mortal warriors served to earn both the respect and hatred of the netherworlds.

Although lesser demons kneeled before those possessing power and

strength, they also cursed the very existence of mortal man. Many of these

fiends believed that the deadlock brought about by the emergence of Man was

a perverse offense to their “higher” role in the great scheme of things.

This jealousy of Man led to harsh, atrocious acts of violence by the demons

against the mortal realm. Some men learned of this deep hatred and used it

against the denizens of the Underworld. One such mortal, Horazon the

Summoner, delighted in summoning demons and then breaking them to his

will. Horazon, along with his brother Bartuc ,were members of the Eastern mageclan

known as the Vizjerei. This mystic clan studied the ways of demons and

had catalogued their lore for generations. Empowered by this knowledge,

Horazon was able to take the work of the Vizjerei and pervert it for his demented

purposes. The denizens of Hell sought revenge against this bold mortal, but

Horazon managed to keep himself well protected within his arcane sanctuary.

Bartuc, the brother of Horazon, was eventually lured to the side of

Darkness. He was granted exceptional strength and longevity, and fought

alongside the legions of Hell against the cursed Vizjerei, and eventually his own

brother during the Sin War. Although Bartuc was renowned amongst the warriors

of many realms, his dominance in battle came with a terrible price. An insatiable

lust for mortal blood pervaded his every thought and deed. Bartuc soon became

as fond of bathing in the blood of his enemies as he did of shedding it, and in

time he came to be known only as the Warlord of Blood.

THE DARK EXILE

“Seven is the number of the powers of Hell, and Seven is the number of

the Great Evils.”

Duriel, the Lord of Pain

Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish

Belial, the Lord of Lies

Azmodan, the Lord of Sin

These are the true names of the lesser of the Great Evils. For ages

uncounted each have ruled over their own domains within the Burning Hells,

seeking absolute dominion over their infernal brethren. As the Lesser Four

continuously vied for the control of those forces that dwelled within their realms,

the Greater Three held absolute power over the whole of Hell. The Lesser Four

used dark and evil measures in their quest for power, and herein begins the

legend of the Dark Exile.

Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred

Baal, the Lord of Destruction

Diablo, the Lord of Terror

These are the Prime Evils of Hell that wielded their power as a dark,

sovereign triumvirate. The Three Brothers ruled over the Lesser Four by brutal

force and malicious cunning. Being the eldest and strongest of the Evils, the

Three Brothers were responsible for countless victories against the armies of

the Light. Although they never held sway over the High Heavens for long, the Three were justly feared by enemies and subjects alike.

With the ascension of Man and the subsequent standstill of the Great

Conflict, the Three Brothers began to devote their energies to the perversion

of mortal souls. The Three realized that Man was the key to victory in the war

against Heaven, and thus altered their rigid agendum that they had propagated

since the Beginning. This change caused many of the Lesser Evils to question

the authority of the Three, and so brought about a great rift between the Prime

Evils and their servitors.

In their ignorance, the Lesser Evils began to believe that the Three were

afraid to continue the war with Heaven. Frustrated by the cessation of the war,

Azmodan and Belial saw the situation as their chance to overthrow the Prime

Evils and take control of Hell for themselves. The two demon lords made a pact

with their minor brethren, assuring them that the wretched plague of humanity

would not deter the ultimate victory of the sons of Hell. Azmodan and Belial

devised a plan to end the stalemate, achieve victory in the Sin War and ultimately

ride the bloody crest of the Great Conflict straight into the very arms of

Armageddon. Thus, a great revolution was set into motion as all of Hell went to

war against the Three Brothers…

The Brothers fought with all of the savagery of the Underworld, and to their

credit, annihilated a third of Hell’s treacherous legions. In the end, however, they

were overcome by the Horned Death led by the traitors Azmodan and Belial. The

Prime Evils, weakened and bodiless, were banished to the mortal realm where

Azmodan hoped that they would remain trapped forever. Azmodan believed that

with the Three set loose upon humanity, the Angels would be forced to turn their

focus upon on the mortal plane - thus leaving the Gates of Heaven abandoned and

defenseless. Those few demons who still pledged allegiance to the Three Brothers

fled the wrath of Azmodan and Belial, escaping to the realm of Man to seek out

their lost Masters.

As the warfires died out upon the battlefields of Hell, Azmodan and Belial

began to argue over which of them held the higher authority. The pact that they

had made quickly fell to ashes as the two demon lords took up arms against

each other. The legions of Hell that remained were polarized behind either warlord,

launching themselves into a bloody civil war that has lasted to this day…

THE BINDING OF THE THREE

In the ancient days, before the rise of the Western Empires, the dark and

terrible entities known as the Three Evils were exiled to the world of Man. These

eternal entities wandered throughout the waking world and fed upon the lusts of

men, leaving chaos and attrition in their wake. The Evils turned father against

son and prompted many great nations into brutal and petty wars. Their Exile

from Hell left them with an insatiable hunger to bring suffering and pain to

all who would not kneel before them, and so the Three Brothers ravaged the

lands of the Far East for countless centuries.

Eventually, a secretive order of mortal magi was gathered together by the

enigmatic Arch-Angel Tyrael. These sorcerers were to hunt the Three Evils and

put an end to their vicious rampage. The order, known as the Horadrim, consisted

of wizards from the diverse and numerous mage-clans of the East. Employing

disparate magical practices and disciplines, this unlikely Brotherhood succeeded

in capturing two of the Brothers within powerful artifacts called Soulstones.

Mephisto and Baal, trapped within the swirling, spiritual constraints of the

Soulstones, were then buried beneath the dunes of the desolate Eastern Sands.

The powers of Hatred and wanton Destruction seemed to diminish in the

East as a nervous peace began to settle over the land. Yet, for many decades the

Horadrim continued their grim search for the third Brother, Diablo. They knew

that if the Lord of Terror was left untamed there could never be any lasting

peace within the realm of humanity.

The Horadrim followed in the wake of terror and anarchy that spread

throughout the Western lands. After a great battle which claimed the lives of

many brave souls, the Lord of Terror was captured and imprisoned within the

last of the Soulstones by a group of Horadrim monks led by the Initiate Jered

Cain. These monks carried the cursed stone to the land of Khanduras and buried

it within a secluded cave near the river Talsande. Above this cave the Horadrim

constructed a great Monastery from which they could continue to safeguard the

Soulstone. As ages passed, the Horadrim constructed a network of catacombs

beneath the Monastery to house the earthly remains of the martyrs of their Order.

Generations passed in Khanduras, and the numbers of the Horadrim slowly

dwindled. With no quests left to undertake, and too few sons to sustain their

guardianship, the once powerful Order faded into obscurity. Eventually, the great

Monastery that they had built fell to ruins as well. Although villages grew and

thrived around the shell of the old Monastery, no one knew of the dark, secret

passageways that stretched into the cold earth beneath it. None could have

dreamed of the burning red gem that pulsed within the labyrinth’s heart…

BOOK TWO

THE RETURN OF TERROR

THE LANDS OF KHANDURAS

Years after the last of the Horadrim had died, a great and prosperous

society grew in the lands of the West. As time wore on, many

Eastern pilgrims settled in the lands surrounding Khanduras and

soon established small, self contained kingdoms. A few of these

kingdoms bickered with Khanduras over holdings of property or

routes of trade. These squabbles did little to upset the lasting peace

of the West, and the great Northern kingdom of Westmarch proved

to be a strong ally of Khanduras as the two lands steadily engaged in

ventures of barter and commerce.

During this time, a bold, new religion of the Light known as Zakarum

began to spread throughout the kingdom of Westmarch and into many of its

northern principalities. Zakarum, founded in the Far East, implored followers

to enter into the Light and forsake the darkness that lurked within their

souls. The people of Westmarch adopted the statutes of Zakarum as their

sacred mission in the world. Westmarch began to turn towards its neighbors,

expecting them to embrace this “New Beginning” as well. Tensions rose

between the kingdoms of Westmarch and Khanduras as the priests of Zakarum

began to preach their foreign dogma whether they were welcomed or not.

It was then that the great northern lord Leoric came unto the lands of

Khanduras and, in the name of Zakarum, declared himself King. Leoric was

a deeply religious man and had brought many Knights and Priests with him

that comprised his Order of the Light. Leoric and his trusted advisor, the

Arch Bishop Lazarus, made their way to the city of Tristram.

Leoric appropriated the ancient, decrepit Monastery on the outskirts of the town for

his seat of power and renovated it to match its time-lost glory. Although the

free people of Khanduras were not pleased with being placed under the

sudden rule of a foreign King, Leoric served them with justice and might.

Eventually, the people of Khanduras grew to respect the kind Leoric, sensing

that he sought only to guide and protect them against the oppression of Darkness.

THE AWAKENING

Not long after Leoric took possession of Khanduras, a power long

asleep awakened within the dark recesses beneath the Monastery. Sensing

that freedom was within his grasp, Diablo entered the nightmares of the

Arch Bishop and lured him into the dark, subterranean labyrinth. In his

terror, Lazarus raced throughout the abandoned hallways until he at last

came to the chamber of the burning Soulstone. No longer in command of

his body or spirit, he raised the stone above his head and uttered words

long forgotten in the realm of mortals. His will destroyed, Lazarus shattered

the Soulstone upon the ground. Diablo once again came into the world

of Man. Although he was released from his imprisonment within the

Soulstone, the Lord of Terror was still greatly weakened from his long

sleep and required an anchor to the world. Once he had found a mortal

form to wear, he could begin to reclaim his vastly depleted power. The

great demon weighed the souls residing in the town above, and chose to

take the strongest of them - that of King Leoric.

For many months King Leoric secretly fought the evil presence

that twisted his thoughts and emotions. Sensing that he had been

possessed by some unknown evil, Leoric hid his dark secret from his

Priests, hoping that somehow his own devout righteousness would be

enough to exorcise the corruption growing inside him - he was sorely

mistaken. Diablo stripped away the core of Leoric’s being, burning away

all honor and virtue from his soul. Lazarus too, had fallen under the sway

of the Demon, keeping close to Leoric at all times. Lazarus worked to

conceal the plans of his new Master from the Order of Light, hoping that

the demon’s power would grow, well concealed amongst the servants of

Zakarum. The priests of Zakarum and the citizenry of Khanduras recognized

the disturbing change within their liege. His once proud and rugged form

became distorted and deformed. King Leoric became increasingly

deranged and ordered immediate executions of any who dared to question

his methods or authority. Leoric began to send his Knights to other villages

to bully their townspeople into submission. The people of Khanduras

who had once grown to see great honor in their ruler began to call Leoric

the Black King.

Driven to the brink of madness by the Lord of Terror, King Leoric

slowly alienated his closest friends and advisors. Lachdanan, Captain of

the Knights of the Order of Light and honored Champion of Zakarum,

tried to discern the nature of his King’s deteriorating spirit. Yet at every

turn the Arch-Bishop Lazarus would waylay Lachdanan and admonish

him for questioning the actions of the King. As tensions grew between

the two, Lazarus charged Lachdanan with treason against the Kingdom.

To the Priests and Knights of Leoric’s court, the prospect of Lachdanan

committing treason was ridiculous. Lachdanan’s motives were

honorable and just, and soon many began question the reason of their

once beloved King.

Leoric’s madness was growing more obvious with each passing

day. Sensing that the advisors of the court were becoming increasingly

suspicious of foul treachery, Lazarus desperately sought to contain the

eroding situation. The Arch-Bishop masterfully convinced the delusional

Leoric that the kingdom of Westmarch was plotting against him, secretly

planning to dethrone him and annex Khanduras into its own lands. Leoric

flew into a rage and summoned his advisors to his side. Manipulated by

the Arch-Bishop, the paranoid King declared a state of war between the

kingdoms of Khanduras and Westmarch.

Leoric ignored the warnings and admonishments of his advisors and

the royal army of Khanduras was ordered to the North to engage in a war

that they did not believe in. Lachdanan was appointed by Lazarus to lead

the armies of Khanduras into Westmarch. Although Lachdanan argued the

against the necessity of the coming conflict, he was honor-bound to uphold

the will of his King. Many of the high-priests and officials were forced to

travel to the North as emissaries on errands of diplomatic urgency, as well.

The desperate ploy of Lazarus had succeeded in sending many of the King’s

more ‘troublesome’ advisors to their certain deaths…

THE DARKENING OF TRISTRAM

The absence of prying advisors and inquisitive Priests left Diablo free

to assume total control over the King’s battered soul. As the Lord of Terror

attempted to strengthen his hold upon the maddened King, he found that

the lingering spirit of Leoric fought with him still. Although the control over

Leoric that Diablo held was formidable, the Demon knew that in his weakened

state he could never take complete possession of his soul as long as a glimmer

of his will remained. The demonlord sought a fresh and innocent host upon

which to build his Terror.

The demon relinquished his control over Leoric, but the King’s soul

was left corrupted and his mind crazed. Diablo began to search throughout

Khanduras for the perfect vessel to act as his focus, and found such a soul

easily within his reach. Enjoined by his dark master, Lazarus kidnapped

Albrecht - the only son of Leoric - and dragged the terrified youth down into

the blackness of the labyrinth. Flooding the boy’s defenseless mind with the

essence of pure Terror, Diablo easily took possession of the young Albrecht.

Pain and fire raced through the child’s soul. Hideous laughter filled

his head and clouded his thoughts. Paralyzed with fear, Albrecht felt the

presence of Diablo within his mind as it seemed to push him down, deeper

and deeper into darkness and oblivion.

Diablo gazed upon his surroundings through the eyes of the young prince.

A lustful hunger still tortured the demon after his frustrating bout for control over Leoric,

but the nightmares of the boy provided ample substance to sate him. Reaching

deep into Albrecht’s subconscious, Diablo ripped the greatest fears of

the child from their hiding places and gave them breath.

Albrecht watched, as if out of a dream, twisted and disfigured

forms appeared all around him. Unholy, writhing visages of terror danced

about him chanting choruses of obscenities. All of the ‘monsters’ that

he had ever imagined or believed that he had seen in his life became

flesh and were given life before him. Large bodies comprised of living

rock erupted from the walls and bowed to their dark master. The ancient,

skeletal corpses of the Horadrim arose from archaic crypts and lumbered

off into the red washed corridors beyond. As the cacophony of madness

and nightmares hammered its final blow against Albrecht’s shattered

spirit, the bloodlusted ghouls and demons of his mind scattered and

scrambled maniacally into the lengthening passageways of his waking

Nightmare.

The ancient catacombs of the Horadrim had become a twisted

labyrinth of raw, focused Terror. Empowered by Diablo’s possession of

young Albrecht, the creatures of the boy’s own imagination had gained

corporeal form. So strong was the terror that grew inside of Albrecht,

that the borders of the Mortal realm began to warp and tear. The Burning

Hell began to seep into the world of Man and take root within the labyrinth.

Beings and occurrences displaced by time and space, and long lost to

the history of Man were pulled screaming into the ever-expanding domain.

The body of Albrecht, fully possessed by Diablo, began to distort

and change. The small boy grew and his eyes blazed as tendril-like spines

ripped through his flesh. Great, arched horns erupted from Albrecht’s

skull as Diablo altered the form of the child to match that of his demonic

body. Deep within the recesses of the labyrinth, a growing power was

being harnessed. When the moment was right, Diablo would venture

once more into the mortal world and free his captive Brothers Mephisto

and Baal. The Prime Evils would be reunited, and together they would

reclaim their rightful place in Hell.

THE FALL OF THE BLACK KING

The war against the zealous armies of Westmarch ended with a

horrible slaughter. With the army of Khanduras ripped to shreds by the

superior numbers and defensive positions of Westmarch, Lachdanan

quickly gathered together those who were not captured or killed and

ordered a retreat back to the safety of Khanduras. They returned to find

the town of Tristram in shambles.

King Leoric, deep within the throes of madness, went into a

rage when he learned that his son was missing. After scouring the

village with the few guards that remained with him at the monastery,

Leoric had decided that the townsfolk had abducted his son and hidden

him somewhere. Although the townsfolk denied any knowledge of Prince

Albrecht’s whereabouts, Leoric insisted that they had crafted a conspiracy

against him, and that they would pay the price for such treachery.

The mysterious disappearance of the Arch-Bishop Lazarus left no

one in Tristram with whom the King would take council. Overcome by

grief and dementia, Leoric had many of the townsfolk executed for the

crime of high treason.

As Lachdanan and his fellow survivors returned to confront their King,

Leoric sent his few remaining guards against them. Believing that Lachdanan

was somehow part of the townsfolk’s conspiracy, Leoric decreed that he

and his party were to die. Lachdanan, finally realizing that Leoric was

beyond salvation, ordered his men to defend themselves. The ensuing battle

carried them down into the very halls of the darkened Monastery, bringing a

final desecration to the once holy sanctum of the Horadrim. Lachdanan won

a bittersweet victory as his men were forced to kill all of Leoric’s deceived

protectors. They cornered the ravenous King within his own sanctuary and

begged him to explain the atrocities he had committed. Leoric only spat at

them and cursed them for traitors against both his crown and the Light.

Lachdanan walked slowly towards his King and sorrowfully drew his

sword. Full of grief and rage, all honor having been cast to the winds,

Lachdanan ran his blade through Leoric’s shriveled, blackened heart. The

once noble King screamed an unearthly death-cry, and as his madness finally

overtook him, he brought down a curse upon those who had so betrayed

him. Calling upon the forces of Darkness that he had spent his entire life

combating, Leoric condemned Lachdanan and the others to eternal

damnation. In that last, fleeting moment within the heart of the Monastery,

all that was ever virtuous or honorable about the stewards of Khanduras was

shattered forever.

THE REIGN OF DIABLO

The Black King lay dead, slain at the hands of his own Priests and

Knights. The young Prince Albrecht was still missing, and the proud defenders

of Khanduras were no more. The people of Tristram looked about their

lifeless town and were greatly dismayed. Awash in feelings of both relief and

remorse, they soon realized that their troubles had merely begun. Strange,

eerie lights appeared in the darkened windows of the Monastery. Misshapen,

leathery-skinned creatures were seen venturing forth from the shadows of

the church. Horrible, wounded cries seemed to linger on the wind, emanating

from deep underground. It became apparent that something quite

unnatural had infested the once holy sight…

Travelers on the roads surrounding Tristram were accosted by

cloaked riders that seemed to now constantly roam the deserted

countryside. Many villagers fled Tristram, making their way to other towns

or kingdoms, fearing some unnamed evil that seemed to wait in the

shadows all around them. Those few who chose to remain seldom ventured

out at night, and never tread foot upon the grounds of the cursed

Monastery. Whispered rumors of poor, innocent people being abducted

in the night by wicked, nightmarish creatures filled the halls of the local

inn. With no King, no law, and no army left to defend them, many of the

townsfolk began to fear an attack from the things that now dwelt beneath

their town.

The Arch-Bishop Lazarus, frayed and disheveled, returned from

his absence and assured the townsfolk that he too had been ravaged by

the growing evil of the Monastery. With their desperate need for reassurance

clouding their good judgment, Lazarus whipped the townspeople into a

frenzied mob. Reminding them that Prince Albrecht was still unaccounted

for, he persuaded many of the men to follow him into the depths of the

Monastery to search for the boy. They gathered torches and soon the

night air glowed with the flickering light of hope. They armed themselves

with shovels, picks and scythes and so prepared, they boldly followed the

treacherous Arch-Bishop straight into the fiery maw of Hell itself…

The few who survived the horrible fate that awaited them returned

to Tristram and recounted what they could of the ordeal. Their wounds

were terrible, and even the skills of the healer could not save some of

them. As the stories of demons and devils spread, a stifling, primal Terror

began to consume the hearts of all of the town’s inhabitants. It was a

Terror that none of them had ever known…

Deep beneath the foundations of the ruined Monastery, Diablo

gorged himself upon the fears of the mortals above him. He slowly sank

back into the welcoming shadows and began to harness his depleted

power.

He smiled to himself in the sheltering darkness, for he knew that the time of his final victory was fast approaching…

ADDENDUM

THE NATURE OF THE

SOULSTONES

It was long ago that the enigmatic Arch-Angel Tyrael bestowed upon us the secrets of the mysterious Soulstones. Tyrael bequested upon our Order three of these Stones so we could contain the vile essences of the Three Prime Evils who had been let loose upon our world. Although the artifacts were constructed in realms far removed from our own, we found that they were simple to understand.

The Soulstones effect only beings that are non-corporealand thus have no power over living, breathing creatures. When invoked, the Soulstones bring into being a strong “spiritual” vacuum. Any non-physical entities caught within this vacuum are drawn into the burning recesses of the Soulstone and are forever trapped within. These spirits are released only when the Soulstone is deactivated or destroyed.

The power of the Soulstones proved to be much more difficult to employ when used against the great Prime Evils. Voraciously disposed to possessing hapless mortals, the Three Brothers found that they were immune to the effects of the Stones while occupying human souls. Sadly, we were forced to hunt down and kill the innocent victims of the Prime Evils so that their demonic essences could be subject to the effects of the Soulstones.

Mephisto and Diablo, once found, were easily lured into the Soulstones. The capture of their brother Baal, however, became complicated when the Soulstone that was to be his eternal prison was shattered and fragmented. We found that while the shards still held the power to lure the demon to them, they could not properly contain it. Tal Rasha, a fellow Initiate who has been since immortalized in Horadrim lore, theorized that a mortal of strong will might be able to contain Baal within his own mortal soul. This sacrifice meant that the essence of any mortal so chosen would be forever tortured while locked in eternal conflict with the enthralled demon. To this end, Tal Rasha volunteered to contain the raging Lord of Destruction.

Piercing his breast with a shard of the Soulstone, Tal Rasha took within himself the essence of Baal, the Lord of Destruction. The Initiate’s body was shackled, chained and buried deep within a tomb under the desert. The sacrifice of Tal Rasha has kept Baal imprisoned for many years now, and although the demon was imprisoned without the use a whole Soulstone, we believe that our victory may be a hollow one. Should Tal Rasha ever escape, he would have the formidable powers of Baal added to his own. By ridding the world of this present Evil, we may have created a nightmare worse than that which we first sought to contain…