Diablo 4: Season of Belial's Return – A Deceitful Incursion Quest Guide

Diablo 4 continues to evolve with each new season, and Season of Belial's Return marks a particularly dark and cunning chapter in Sanctuary's ongoing war between Heaven and Hell. This season introduces Belial, the Lord of Lies, back into the fray—bringing with him corruption, confusion, and a network of deceit that is woven across Sanctuary. At the heart of this season's narrative is a pivotal questline titled "A Deceitful Incursion." This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about this multi-part seasonal quest—how to start it, progress through its challenges, uncover Belial's schemes, and claim the rewards that lie at the end of this treacherous path.

Overview of Season of Belial's Return

Before diving into the quest itself, let's understand the thematic context of Season of Belial's Return. Belial, last seen in Diablo III, is known as the Demon Lord of Lies and Manipulation. In Diablo 4, his return is not a thunderous assault but a quiet infiltration. This season leans heavily into deception, doppelgängers, and illusionary magic. Townsfolk whisper of friends turning against each other. Quest givers may be impostors. Even the sanctity of Horadric wisdom begins to unravel.

The Season of Belial's Return introduces:

New Seasonal Mechanics: The Veil of Deceit system where players must unveil the truth from illusion.

Corrupted Echoes: Seasonal dungeons tainted by Belial's influence.

Shadowmarked Enemies: New enemy variants that mimic player abilities.

Seasonal Rewards: Cosmetics, Diablo 4 Gold, Aspects, and a special seasonal mount inspired by the demon lord himself.

At the center of this chaos is "A Deceitful Incursion", a sprawling seasonal questline that encapsulates the essence of Belial's trickery.

How to Start "A Deceitful Incursion" Questline

To begin the A Deceitful Incursion questline, you'll need to:

Create or Log In to a Seasonal Character: This quest is exclusive to characters participating in the Season of Belial's Return. Ensure you've selected "Seasonal Realm" when creating or loading your character.

Complete the Prologue & Chapter 1 of the Season Journey: You must finish the introductory seasonal tasks to unlock the storyline. These involve basic goals like reaching Level 20, clearing your first Stronghold, and crafting a Veilbreaker Sigil.

Travel to Ked Bardu: After unlocking Chapter 2 of the Season Journey, you'll receive an urgent missive from Lorath Nahr, directing you to the eastern part of Ked Bardu where a Horadric outpost has reportedly fallen under mysterious circumstances.

Accept the Quest "Whispers Behind the Veil": This is the first step of A Deceitful Incursion, and it sets you on a multi-phase investigation across multiple zones in Sanctuary.

Quest Walkthrough: "A Deceitful Incursion"

Part I: Whispers Behind the Veil

Objective: Investigate the corrupted Horadric Outpost near Ked Bardu.

Summary: Upon arrival, you discover the camp in disarray. Survivors speak in riddles or not at all. A mirror in the center of the camp begins to pulse ominously.

Task: Use a Veilbreaker Lens (crafted via the seasonal crafting vendor) to unmask illusions in the outpost.

Enemies: Shadowmarked Raiders – enemies disguised as friendly NPCs.

Tips: Attack cautiously; some "friendly" allies will turn on you mid-dialogue.

Part II: Faces Not Their Own

Objective: Hunt three Impostor Nodes spread across Dry Steppes, Scosglen, and Kehjistan.

Mechanic Introduced: Truth or Deceit Shrines – interact to reveal hidden enemies or secrets for a short duration.

Sub-Tasks:

Purify three Shrines of Deception.

Defeat Lieforged Champions, elite foes disguised as angels or allies.

Lore Note: This section reveals that Belial has not fully manifested in Sanctuary—but his echoes live in lies and illusions.

Part III: The Labyrinth of Lies

Location: A new dungeon instance accessed via Veilbreaker Sigil in the Fractured Peaks.

Design: Maze-like dungeon where the correct path shifts every time you take a wrong turn.

Objective: Solve environmental puzzles while avoiding mirror clones.

Final Boss: Mouth of Belial – a grotesque mimicry of the player character.

Reward: Legendary Aspect – Aspect of Twisting Truth: Enhances Crowd Control duration and adds shadow damage.

Part IV: Beneath the Serpent's Tongue

Objective: Locate and interrogate three False Prophets—cult leaders spreading Belial's ideology.

Mechanics:

Dialogues feature branching options. Choosing correctly can spare lives or unlock side lore.

One prophet is an illusion. Identify them correctly using clues scattered throughout town notes and NPC journals.

Zone-Wide Event Unlocked: Echoes of Doubt – random town invasions where NPCs become hostile under illusionary control.

Part V: Mirror of the End

Final Dungeon: Enter The Infinite Reflection, a cursed pocket realm filled with mind-bending architecture.

Challenges:

Players fight shadow versions of themselves and allies.

Light puzzles: Direct beams of truth into darkened areas to dispel illusions.

Final Boss: Herald of Belial, a lesser demon puppeteering events. Belial himself remains behind the scenes.

Reward:

Unique Seasonal Weapon: "Liar's Tongue" Dagger – Shadow damage weapon with a passive that randomly mimics enemy skills.

Mount Armor Cosmetic: Veiled Barbs – demonic-themed barding infused with green-glowing runes.

Optional: Hidden Quests & Easter Eggs

The A Deceitful Incursion questline is laced with secrets:

The Artist's Journal: Found in Scosglen, this side quest reveals Belial's influence over a painter who creates prophetic artwork. Completing it grants a unique back tattoo cosmetic.

Mirror of Memory: Hidden in Kehjistan, allows players to relive a past event from Diablo III, now reimagined under Belial's manipulation. Completing it grants a transmog of Zoltun Kulle's corrupted robes.

Tips for Completion

Use the Veilbreaker Lens Frequently: This seasonal tool reveals hidden enemies, loot chests, cheap Diablo 4 materials, and lore objects that are otherwise invisible.

Team Up: Some illusions can only be dispelled if multiple players activate shrines simultaneously in a dungeon.

Beware of Mimics: Not just loot mimics—some enemies now mimic players. Watch for subtle differences in gear and movement.

Track Seasonal Journals: Each part of the Season Journey aligns with steps in A Deceitful Incursion, making it easier to complete both simultaneously.

Final Thoughts

"A Deceitful Incursion" is more than just a quest—it's a fully immersive experience that exemplifies the cunning, manipulative nature of Belial. Through illusions, riddles, twisted allies, and corrupted landscapes, Diablo 4's Season of Belial's Return delivers a narrative and gameplay arc unlike anything seen before in the franchise.

This seasonal journey blurs the line between reality and fiction, forcing players to question every encounter and trust no one—exactly as Belial would want. If you're ready to peel back the layers of illusion, uncover the truth, and confront the face of lies itself, then embark on this deceitful incursion.