How to Start the Blood on Parchment Quest

1. Travel to Caldeum - Head to Diablo 4 Items the Imperial Library, one of the city's central landmarks and the hub of Horazon's storyline.
2. Speak with Shyan - She's your returning guide through the Infernal Reign narrative. She'll brief you on your next task: locating the mage Alafar, a scholar who might know the secret behind Horazon's fabled sword.
3. Journey to Alafar's Sanctum - Mount up and follow your map south of the Imperial Library. The path is fraught with cultist patrols and traps, so be ready for combat encounters along the way.

Quest Objectives

Speak with Shyan at the Imperial Library
Travel to Alafar's Sanctum
Locate Alafar's Study
Slay the Fell Council demons
Investigate the Blood on Parchment

These objectives guide you through a layered mix of exploration and boss combat, culminating in one of the most pivotal lore discoveries in Season of the Infernal Reign.

Inside Alafar's Sanctum

Once you enter Alafar's Sanctum, you'll navigate winding corridors filled with cultist ambushes, demonic traps, and environmental hazards. Move slowly and clear rooms methodically - the narrow layout can easily lead to being surrounded.

This dungeon features a dark aesthetic reminiscent of Horazon's infamous arcane laboratories, filled with glowing runes, shattered tomes, and bubbling infernal artifacts. Players running higher World Tiers will notice the increased aggression and health pools of enemies, so preparation is key.

Boss Fight: Maffer the Cruel and Geleb the Flame

The climax of Blood on Parchment pits you against two returning bosses from the Infernal Hordes - Maffer the Cruel and Geleb the Flame - now united under the banner of the Fell Council.

Maffer the Cruel uses teleportation strikes and devastating melee combos. He'll often disappear mid-combat and reappear behind you for surprise attacks.
Geleb the Flame specializes in massive fire-based AoEs and triple fireball volleys that linger on the ground, creating deadly flame zones.

When both are active, expect the battlefield to be drenched in fire and chaos. Positioning, timing, and mobility become your best tools for survival.

Pro Tip: Focus your damage on Geleb the Flame first. His AoEs create the biggest threat and restrict movement. Once he's defeated, Maffer's teleportation becomes much easier to manage. Use mobility skills like Dash, Teleport, or Blood Mist to evade his attacks.

If you find yourself undergeared for this fight, buy Diablo IV Items with high Fire Resistance or increased movement bonuses. These can make all the difference in surviving prolonged engagements.

Investigating the Blood on Parchment

After slaying the Fell Council demons, silence falls across the chamber. You'll find Alafar's lifeless body near a massive tome bound in blood - the Blood on Parchment. Interacting with it triggers a cinematic where Shyan translates key fragments from Alafar's notes, uncovering a revelation: the Sword of Horazon rests atop Mount Civo.

This discovery unlocks the next major questline - Sword of Horazon - setting the stage for your confrontation with Bartuc himself.

Before you can proceed, you must reach Tier 8 Seasonal Reputation, so continue participating in Infernal Hordes, Nightmare Dungeons, and seasonal events to buy d4 mats progress.