Drowned Temple

"You seek entrance to this temple, but only a nephalem can enter. If you retrieve the keys from the outlying tombs and use them on the gates, we will see who...and what...you truly are."

- Alaric

The Drowned Temple (formerly known as the Sarceum Emporis) is a location in Act I of Diablo III.

Lore
"Look at this architecture. This predates the Sin War!"

- Leah

The temple is located near the Festering Woods, and north of the Fields of Misery. Originally called the Sarceum Emporis, it was the most sacred nephalem temple constructed; a site where, according to legend, angels would come to impart their wisdom to the nephalem.

Only nephalem may enter the temple, though humans may enter alongside nephalem.

History
"The nephalem were ancient humans with fantastic powers. Legend holds that they waged a terrible battle near the temple and that their ghosts still war with one another."

- Leah

The temple was constructed before the Sin War.

After Inarius altered the Worldstone, nephalem children began to be born weak and suffer short lives (a prelude to the nephalem becoming human). The demon Nereza promised to restore their power, but instead turned them into misshapen creatures, and sent them to war against the nephalem of the temple. The nephalem were killed, but even as ghosts, they continued to play out their war. Legends of the event found their way into mortal tomes.

In 1285, a shard of El'druin crashed into the temple. It was sought after by both the Coven and The Nephalem. Unable to enter the temple, Maghda waited for The Nephalem to unseal the temple, so that her forces could move in to retrieve the shard. Arriving at the temple's entrance alongside Leah, The Nephalem was confrontd by Alaric, who was aware of The Nephalem's birthright, even if they were not. He bid them collect keys from outlying tombs to gain entrance. Completing this task, Alaric opened the temple's entrance. He told The Nephalem to enter and defeat the guardians within.

The Nephalem succeeded, and gained access to the shard. Maghda's forces launched their ambush, but were defeated. With that, the heroes returned to New Tristram.

In-game
The temple features in the quest "The Broken Blade." To enter the temple, players must find two keys; one at Warrior's Rest, and one at Crypt of the Ancients. Inside players can find a superunique skeleton called Ezek the Prophet and the second shard of El'druin.