Asheara

"Asheara...? Oh, she's is a tough-talking mage, but I'd wager she's never faced true Evil. Pampering drunken mercenaries is one thing, but standing face to face with a hell-spawned demon is another."

- Natalya^(src)

Asheara
Gender	Female
Race	Human
Affiliation	Various mercenary groups (formerly) Iron Wolves
Class	Mage
Occupation	Mercenary
Status	Unknown
Appearances	Diablo II Diablo III Diablo IV (mentioned only) To Hell and Back Book of Tyrael (mentioned only)

Asheara is the leader of the mercenary company known as "The Iron Wolves".

Biography

"This is the leader of the mercenary company known as "The Iron Wolves". She is tough but friendly and is always looking for ways to pay her expenses. She's the kind who would be on the front lines with her comrades, and getting into drunken brawls with them at the taverns."

- Character description^(src)

Early Life

Asheara spent many years as a member of various unscrupulous mercenary outfits. Despising the brutal tactics employed by these groups, she eventually forged the Iron Wolves, a group that would hold honor and duty above all else.

Mephisto's Jungle

"My name's Asheara, and I lead the mercenary band of mages known as the Iron Wolves. We've been hunting down demons in the jungle for months, but no matter how many of them we kill, they just keep comin'. Seems this whole place has been overrun by evil. Rumor has it that you've come here to help. If that's true, then I'll let you hire some of my mercenaries. But be careful...If you piss them off, they can be worse than those monsters out in the jungle."

- Asheara^(src)

In 1264, Asheara and her mercenaries were at Kurast, which was being overtaken by the surrounding jungle. The Iron Wolves spent months hunting down demons, but no matter how many they killed, they just kept coming. An Assassin named Natalya was also present, but when Asheara tried to recruit her into the Iron Wolves, Natalya began lecturing her about the "dangers of magic." Another resident of Kurast, Alkor, commented that she purchased a "potion of manliness" from him every week.

Asheara speaks with one of the heroes

She encountered a group of heroes who were pursuing the Dark Wanderer. She let them hire some of her mercenaries to aid them. She was suspicious of the heroes at first, suspecting that they might be Zakarum spies, but came to trust them over time. She was satisfied with the carnage the heroes wrought against the Zakarum thralls, and upon their defeat of Mephisto, named them honorary Iron Wolves.

The Child Emperor

Kurast fell, despite the efforts of the Iron Wolves. Later, Asheara and her mercenaries retrieved a young boy to be the new ruler of Kehjistan, as per the wishes of Zakarum. The boy, named Hakan II, became the new emperor. Asheara personally brought him to Caldeum. Afterwards, the Iron Wolves became his personal guard.

The Scouring of Caldeum

"Are you guarding the refugees over there?"
"I am not a guard. I am Asheara, commander of the Iron Wolves. We saved these refugees from Maghda’s coven — that even now wreaks havoc throughout the Borderlands."

- The Nephalem and Asheara^(src)

Over twenty years after the fall of Kurast, Ashaera was in Caldeum, still leading the Iron Wolves as they served the people of Kehjistan. A few months before the coming of the Fallen Star, refugees began arriving at Caldeum; fleeing from the Borderlands as the Coven and their summoned demons wrecked havoc. The Iron Wolves were sent out in the desert to fight them, while the Imperial Guard was created to “protect” the citizens from the refugees. Eventually, the Imperial Guard supplanted the Iron Wolves' former role.

Asheara meets with the Nephalem

After the coming of the Star, the situation was even more desperate. Within Caldeum, Asheara encountered the Nephalem, who was in search of the Coven's leader, Maghda. She informed them that Maghda was headed for Alcarnus, and while she'd blocked the road behind her, there was another path through the Khasim Outpost.

Later on, she managed to grant the Nephalem an audience with Hakan. When the emperor ordered The Nephalem and Leah executed for the "massacre" of Alcarnus, Asheara covered their escape into the city's sewers. Later, when The Nephalem returned to Caldeum, Belial rained fire down upon the city. Meeting with the heroes, Asheara explained that the Iron Wolves were doing what they could to evacuate the populace. The Nephalem aided them in evacuating the people into the sewers.

After Belial's defeat, Haedrig Eamon stated that he was unconcerned about the city's future, since it had Asheara to keep the peace.

Reign of Enmity

During the Reign of Enmity, as Kehjistan fell to demonic invasion, Hakan II ordered the gates of Caldeum sealed; that it would weather the plague besetting the empire. After the gates were sealed, Asheara led her Iron Wolves out of the city knowing full well they would never return. Instead they roamed Kehjistan, pledging their blades to any who were in need.

In-game

Asheara
Appears in	Diablo II, Diablo III
Significance	Minor (D2), Major (D3)
Service(s)	Gossip, Hirelings services (D2), quest progression (D3)
Residence(s)	Kurast Docks (D2), Caldeum Bazaar (D3)
Starts quest(s)	None
Portrayed by	Jennifer Smithee (Diablo II) Courtenay Taylor (Diablo III)

Diablo II

Asheara as seen in Diablo II

Ashaeara appears as an NPC in Act III of Diablo II. She will offer the heroes the services of the Iron Wolves for a premium, since they are needed at the docks.  She is not just their employer, but the leader of their clan. She does not dress the part, preferring a leather bikini, but with leadership comes some perks.

After completing the Blade of the Old Religion quest, Asheara will inform the heroes that several mercenaries have volunteered to aid them free of charge, since Ormus's use of the Gidbinn has freed up their time and they are eager for action.

Dialogue

Main article: Asheara/Dialogue

Diablo III

Asheara in Diablo III

Ashaeara returns as an NPC in Act II of Diablo III. She wears a more ostentatious and (slightly) less revealing outfit in keeping with the other Iron Wolves and the overall opulence of Caldeum. Asheara does not appear to have aged since the events in Kurast and oddly, speaks with a completely different accent. Her signature snake is also gone. In combat, she wields a sword, but strangely, does not use spells.

She is the namesake for the Diablo III item sets, Asheara's Uniform and Asheara's Vestments.

Diablo IV

Asheara is referenced in Diablo IV in the flavor text of Asheara's Khanjar.

Personality and Traits

"Oh, Asheara's a good customer. She buys a potion of manliness from me every week."

- Alkor^(src)

Asheara in her youth

Asheara shares an unspoken bond with her mercenaries, always fighting on the frontlines with them, and getting into tavern brawls with them as well. She vows that no harm will come to anyone who is safeguarded by the Iron Wolves.

While friendly, Asheara is strict and tough, but even-handed with those under her command, and has a strong moral code, holding the Iron Wolves above the more brutal methods used by other mercenary companies. She is always looking for ways to pay off her expenses. She is both self-conscious and proud of her womanhood. She is considered to have a "fine form", and at least one hero regarded Asheara as "the most beautiful woman [they] had seen on this new continent" as her attire in Kurast consisted of a leather bikini. She speaks in a blunt tone, but is unable to hide the genuine concern she has for those under her protection. During this time, she carried a serpent with her, draped around her shoulders.

She is intrigued by the Amazons, noting that their skills seem to be a mix of both martial and magical prowess. She has a dim view on Zakarum, considering it to be a "false religion." In comparison, she is more favorable towards Skatsim.