Taking Notes
Act I Quest Lore Book Guide

This guide will cover where players can find all of the Quest Lore Books that need to be found in Act I of the video game Diablo III for the Taking Notes achievement. There are seven books to find in the group altogether, spread through various locals, which provide lore and background information on the events taking place.

**Spoiler Warning**
Some of these journal entries may give away certain plot points or secrets of the game. Proceed with caution.

Diablo III Achievements Navigation:

Campaign Achievements

  • Act I
    • A Quick Study (People Lore)
    • Historian of Tristram (World Lore)
    • Taking Notes <– You are here.
  • Act II
    • Eavesdropper (Quest Lore)
    • Judge of Character (People Lore)
    • Historian of Caldeum (World Lore)
  • Act III
    • Espionage (Quest Lore)
    • Historian of Arreat (World Lore)
    • Primary Sources (People Lore)
  • Act IV
    • Archival Studies (Quest Lore)
    • Historian of the High Heavens (World Lore)
    • Know It All (People Lore)

Taking Notes Contents:

  1. Report from Wortham
  2. Command from Cultist Grand Inquisitor
  3. Reply from Cultists Grand Inquisitor
  4. A Page From Lazarus’s Grimoire
  5. Orders from Maghda
  6. Villager’s Journal
  7. A Summoner’s Journal

1. Report From Wortham

Meow Gallery: The layout none is not available in this version.

This journal is found in the passage between the Northern Highlands and Leoric’s Hunting Grounds traveled through during the quest Trailing the Coven. Head up the first bit of stairs to the front of the destroyed building and look around on the stone ground for the Wortham Villager Corpse which drops the journal for Taking Notes.

Mistress,
It is my pleasure to report that I have broken the prisoners from Wortham. Words have flowed from their mouths like blood from a wound! Our summoners can retrieve the weapon at your command, and the enemy shall be none the wiser.

– Dark Cultist

2. Command From Cultist Grand Inquisitor

Taking Notes - Command From Cultist Grand Inquisitor
Command From Cultist Grand Inquisitor

During the quest The Imprisoned Angel, while you are traveling through all three levels of the Halls of Agony, there will be Lecterns spread throughout the map. This is the fourth journal that drops from these lecterns, the first three being parts of King Leoric’s journal. If you activated all of them and the journal didn’t drop, you can reload the game and try again as journals don’t drop twice and you will eventually get it.

I need more bodies! You think my summoners can just conjure up a demon whenever it pleases them? We must have blood-fresh blood, mind you-and human flesh to bolster our magic. I will be expecting a reply from you shortly.

– Grand Inquisitor

3. Reply From Cultist Grand Inquisitor

Taking Notes - Reply From Cultist Grand Inquisitor
Taking Notes: Reply From Cultist Grand Inquisitor

Once you reach the Halls of Agony level 3 on your way to go kill the Butcher, search around for a Musty Lectern, which will drop this journal for Taking Notes. There may be other journals that drop before this and you also might need to collect the Command From Cultist Grand Inquisitor first (i suggest only go out of your way to do this if the musty lectern doesn’t drop anything when it should).

Of all the abominable stalling! In case it was not clear, I need the sacrifices now. I have heard enough of your idle complaints that the villagers have fled from the Highlands, leaving no one left to sacrifice. You’d best come up with something, or it’s your hide we’ll be flaying.

– Grand Inquisitor

4. A Page From Lazarus’s Grimoire

Taking Notes - A Page From Lazarus's Grimoire
Taking Notes: A Page From Lazarus’s Grimoire

Upon leaving the Cursed Hold after fighting the Jailer during the quest The Imprisoned Angel, look to the left before you completely exit the area to see a room with the ghosts of King Leoric, Lazarus and Queen Asylla. Witness the grizzly reenactment of the Queen’s demise till its end and wait for the ghosts to disappear. The journal will drop out of thin air for you to collect.

The time of my lord’s true awakening is at hand. That fool Leoric was only able to resist him because he did not yet possess his full power. With the queen dispatched as a traitor, I may now devote myself fully to preparing the boy for the presence of my master…

– Archbishop Lazarus

5. Orders From Maghda

Taking Notes - Orders From Maghda
Taking Notes: Orders From Maghda

When you first enter Leoric’s Manor during the quest Trailing the Coven, you will be attacked by a large group of Cultists and some Demon Berserkers. After clearing out the group, you will find this journal for Taking Notes strewn about amongst the loot and corpses.

There is a new piece to the game, a girl named Leah. My spies tell me she is the child of the witch Adria, who is hiding in the deserts of Caldeum.
Bring this news to the master at once.

– Maghda

6. Villager’s Journal

Meow Gallery: The layout none is not available in this version.

Previously bugged, as of patch 1.0.3 this journal can now be found in the Old Keepsake Box along Old Tristram road or in the Old Ruins. It may be found after several others thus taking a few opens to retrieve.

Thanks to: Steve, Eric, SjantenHG, and Tuana for help in finding and confirming this information.

The king has gone mad, executing anyone his paranoid eye alls on! None of us are safe.

– Villager Gordon

7. A Summoner’s Journal

Meow Gallery: The layout none is not available in this version.

Check the east side of the Southern Highlands along the region’s edge for a pair of steps that come down like a v to a small lowered platform that sticks out a bit from the rest of the edge. Sometimes it will be empty, which means time to reload, but if not, you will find a Dark Cultist you can’t immedietely attack. Approach him and he will begin to mutter some incantations before raising four ghost goatmen. Kill the lot and the cultist will drop this journal. Seems to spawn fairly often.

Maghda is a fool. I will raise an army of souls from these primitives and chain them to my invincible will.
Yes, with these heathens at my command, the kingdoms of the world shall bow to the migh of… the Lord of Goats!
I may have to work on the title a bit more.

– Dark Cultist

Last Updated on October 4, 2020 by Standard of Entertainment