Where are the Act 1 lore books?

What are the locations of the Act I lore books needed for the achievements A Quick Study, Taking Notes and Historian of Tristram?


I'm drawing a lot of this from diablowiki and a fantastic compilation thread; the rest from personal experience.


A Quick Study

Adria's Journal: Leah will drop this after you fight Captain Dalton in Adria's Cellar.

Lachdanan's Scroll (all parts): These drop from scribe's lecterns found throughout the cathedral.

Leah's Journal (all parts): All pages can be found in Leah's room on her desk. New pages are activated as you progress through the quests.

Leoric's Journal (all parts): These can be found on pedestals in the Royal Crypts, Leoric's Manor, or the Hall's of Agony.

Farmer's Journal: In a satchel that spawns on the north end of the Fields of Misery (up a short flight of stairs - shares a spawn with Tinker's Hovel & Pillaged Home).

Scabbard of Talic the Defender: Spawns when doing the event on level 2 of the Watch Tower (Northern Highlands) - look for Vendel the Armorsmith.

Deckard Cain's Journal (all parts): Found in Deckard's home on his desk; the second part shows up after you start Sword of the Stranger.

Adenah's Jottings: Found in the House of Curios (Fields of Misery) near the bed.

Hermit's Ravings: Drops in a satchel that spawns somewhere in the Caverns of Araneae.

A Prisoner's Journal: Drops after you free Merhan in a random event found at the very end of the Halls of Agony (the large area just below the door to the Highlands).

Queen Asylla's Journal: In her cell, as you enter The Cursed Hold.

Scoundrel's Journal: In a satchel in the Fields of Misery near the trail to the Old Mill.

Kingsport Bill: Drops when you talk to the scoundrel about his origins.

Skeleton King: Drops when you kill him.

Wandering Tinker's Diary: Inside the Tinker's Hovel in the Fields of Misery.

Notes of Urik the Seer (all parts): Satchels found inside the Cave of the Moon Clan.

Priest's Contemplations: A satchel along the lower fork at the start of Wortham. Both parts drop from the same spot, so you need to do the quest twice (or leave your game and resume).

Mira's Letter to Haedrig: Drops in a box near Haedrig's smithy.

The remaining books are all found in an Old Keepsake Box that spawns along Old Tristram Road or in The Old Ruins. You will need to come back several times to get all the books:

  • Cain's Old Journal (all parts)
  • Gillian's Diary (all parts)
  • Lost Journal
  • Old Diary
  • Despina's Journal

Taking Notes

Report from Wortham: On a corpse in the courtyard that connects the Northern Highlands to Leoric's Hunting Grounds.

Command from Cultist Grand Inquisitor: On a Musty Lectern in the Halls of Agony.

Reply from Cultist Grand Inquisitor: Same as the command; you will probably need to come back to find the reply.

A Page From Lazarus's Grimoire: At the bottom of the Halls of Agony level 3, watch the cutscene about Queen Asylla.

Orders from Maghda: Drops from the horde of mobs just inside Leoric's Manor.

Villager's Journal: In the keepsake box in the ruins of Old Tristram (Patch 1.0.3).

A Summoner's Journal: In the Southern Highlands, to the right of the map, there will be a small set of stairs to a cultist chanting. (Random spawn)


Historian of Tristram

The Hanging Tree: Drops after you trigger an event at a tree w/ people being hung (random spawn in the Weeping Hollow, and random chance to get the event, even if you find the tree). A horde of skeletons will spawn after breaking the coffin if you have the correct spawn.

Gravedigger's Log: On a skeleton in the Cemetery of the Forsaken.

Tristram Fields: In the Fields of Misery, near the entrance.

Khazra Heads Wanted: In the Northern or Southern Highlands, on a corpse.

Researching the Khazra: In the Northern or Southern Highlands, on a corpse.

The Khazra Massacre: In the Northern or Southern Highlands, on a corpse.

The Highlands: In the Southern Highlands (in a lost chest)

Torn Letter: In the Caverns of Araneae in a satchel.

Torn Letter's Response: In the Caverns of Araneae in a satchel.

New Tristram: On the table just inside the The Slaughtered Calf Inn.

Traveler's Journal: Off of an adventurer's corpse along Old Tristram Road

Warriv's Journal: Off of Warriv's corpse along Old Tristram Road

Tomb Robber's Journal: On a corpse just inside the Crypt of the Ancients (in the Festering Woods)

The Last Stand of the Ancients: In the Festering Woods after completing this event.

The Drowned Temple: On a dead body just inside the temple.

Warrior's Rest: Just inside Warrior's Rest in the Festering Woods.

Old Tristram Journal: In an Old Keepsake Box (same one mentioned for A Quick Study above)