Temple of the Firstborn

"A place of evil unlike anything you’ve seen before."

- Zone description.

The Temple of the Firstborn is a zone in Diablo III, available in Adventure Mode. It was implemented in Patch 2.6.0.

Lore
The temple is located deep underground, beneath the Shrouded Moors, where it has escaped the notice of most mortals.

History
The Temple of the Firstborn is one of the oldest locations in Sanctuary. It is the place where Inarius and Lilith first stepped foot on the world, and was also where they created the first nephalem. The temple was created as a monument to the first of their kind. In time, humanity itself emerged from this place. At some point, the temple was visited/inhabited by a group of monks.

During/after the End of Days, a new and dangerous cult arose and took residence within the buried structure. Disappearances on the outskirts of the Shrouded Moors began inciting fear, and the dusty tiles of the temple became streaked with disturbingly fresh blood. Under the direction of the demon Vidian, the cultists twisted the flesh of mortals and began bending creatures to their ill will. Abominations filled with hate and driven by bloodlust began stalking the temple's halls. Disappearances on the outskirts of the Moors began inciting fear, and word reached the Horadrim that a new evil had begun stirring in the area.

The Nephalem was lured to the temple by Vidian, who appeared before the champion as a human adventurer. However, the Nephalem successfully slew the demon in the temple's depths.

In-game
The area features lots of new monsters. The temple itself is infested with demonic enemies, while the grounds above are full of corrupted wildlife.

Numerous lore moments feature in the dungeon, described as a "history lesson" of the setting's pre-history.

The Temple consists of two levels: large, vast Level 1, often containing Unique Monsters and s, and much smaller, almost empty Level 2.

Level 1 can be accessed via waypoint or through The Sacred Path from Shrouded Moors.

Level 2 can only be accessed by completing The Hematic Key event.

In the end of Level 2, there is a passage to Sanctum of Blood, where Vidian himself resides.

Bestiary

 * Blood Cultist
 * Reborn
 * Soul Reaper
 * Tomb Roach
 * Wretched Host

Trivia

 * The temple takes inspiration from the works of H.P. Lovecraft.


 * Several statues of the temple (possibly representing Lilith) have a stylized rope-made pentagram on the chest. This is the only use of that symbol in the entire game bar the Darkening of Tristram event.