The Skeleton King is a boss character found in Diablo 3, formerly known as King Leoric. Even though he was born in Kehjistan, Leoric decided to take his family and travel into the lands of Khanduras, where he in the name of the Zakarum, declared himself as the king. At first, the people of Khanduras disliked the idea to have him as a ruler. However, as time passed, they grew to like and respect him, thanks to his purity of heart and deed.
Unknown to Leoric however, his seat of power was the resting place of Diablo. He used the people too free himself from imprisonment, and took Leoric as his host for his evil deeds. Leoric tried to fight against it for a long time, but initially failed as Diablo stripped his soul from all honor and virtue. The people of Khanduras started to see a change in their king and how he became deformed and insane. He soon became cruel, and didn't hesitate to kill anyone or anything who dared to oppose him. Leoric even decided to execute Queen Asylla, his own wife. That's when he got the new nickname: "The Black King".
One day, Leoric's lieutenant, the knight Lachdanan, came back from war, only to find his king mad and crazy, accusing people for kidnapping his son. Lachdanan begged for an explanation, but Leoric simply spat at him, calling him and his men traitors. With sadness in his heart, Lachdanen killed his king and Leoric cursed the knights just before his death.
King Leoric got a proper burial, but Diablo didn't want to give him that peace and raised him from the dead as a powerful undead warlord called the Skeleton King.
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