What was the dark wanderer doing at spider forest in the beginning?

When you start act 3 and you leave town for the first time. You see the dark wanderer appear in front of the character. I thought when you started act 3 he was already like doing that ritual with Mephisto but there he is at the entrance of town. How did he appear there too?

It’s not the dark wanderer, I believe it’s intended to be a demonic apparition of him. Notice how it transforms into a few of those vile child demons if you hang around?

Oh okay that makes sense thanks.

Read the published novels and you will find out.