Diablo Wiki
Register
Advertisement
"The renegade angels and demons came together to create new life, and the nature of the Eternal Conflict changed. The joining of the opposing natures within these Firstborn made beings unlike any before - beautiful abominations called nephalem, from which humanity would descend as inheritors of both lineages. The birthrights of the Firstborn graced them with the potential to resist the evil of the Burning Hells and to defy the dominion of the High Heavens. Because of this, many of the angels and demons who rebelled with Lilith and Inarius feared what these children might become."
Firstborn-mural

The Firstborn

The Firstborn, otherwise referred to as the Ancients or Old Gods[1] were the first generation of nephalem.

Lore[]

"Many outsiders believe that the fantastic stories about our ancestors, the Ancients, are but fables. However, I believe that the Ancients were more than human -- that mankind has fallen from what it once was."

- Anya(src)

The Firstborn were created from the union of demons and angels in Sanctuary, and in turn, gave birth to nephalem.[2] Linarian was the first nephalem to come into being.[3]

In their early days, such was their ignorance of death, the Firstborn did not have burial rites, as they had never had to deal with the corpse of their own. Not even angels or demons could give their offspring the immortality they themselves enjoyed.[4]

The cultures the Firstborn fostered developed along very different lines. None of these cultures had writing involved at the time.[5] Akarat believed (or at least claimed) that they embraced the Light completely.[6]

Firstborn erected altars in honor of Lilith.[7] As they roamed Sanctuary, they rode upon the most powerful of steeds. They placed powerful runes upon their coats and dressed them in nature's armors.[1]

Only a few of the Ancients survived the Purge. Of those who remained, Inarius sought to punish any who used their powers.[8] In light of Inarius's tampering with the Worldstone, the nephalem diminished in power with each subsequent generation, eventually devolving into the mortal race known as humanity. However, the Firstborn appeared to have fared better than their descendants, and it is said that the Firstborn retained their immortality.[2] However, the Ancients' powers were still diminished by the Worldstone's dampening effect. One group of Ancients led by Lord Zir reacted violently to this change of condition, and for their actions, were imprisoned in the underground City of the Ancients.[9]

It is said that the Ancients took a guiding hand in the development of humanity before fading into myth.[2] The Oxen Tribe hold that weapons wielded by the fiercest Warriors often catch the eye of Ancient spirits. If the wielder is worthy, the spirits may bless the steel with their strength.[10]

In-game[]

Diablo II[]

Three Ancients, Talic the Defender, Madawc the Guardian, and Korlic the Protector, are encountered on the Arreat Summit after consulting the Altar of the Heavens. They must be fought and defeated in order to complete the storyline of Diablo II: Lord of Destruction. Heroes should be warned that the Ancients will reset if they use a portal to return to Harrogath, and therefore, must be fully prepared for a long and dangerous clash.

Quotes[]

For Rite of Passage:[]

"We are the spirits of the Nephalem, the Ancient Ones. We have been chosen to guard sacred Mt. Arreat, wherein the Worldstone rests. Few are worthy to stand in its presence; fewer still can comprehend its true purpose.

Before you enter, you must defeat us."

For Eve of Destruction:[]

"You are a worthy hero! We augment your skill and grant you entry to the interior of Mt. Arreat, wherein lies the Worldstone. Beware. You will not be alone. Baal, the Lord of Destruction, is already inside.

The Archangel Tyrael has always been our benefactor, but even he cannot help us now. For Baal blocks Tyrael's spiritual presence from entering the Chamber of the Worldstone. Only you, mortal, have the power to defeat Baal now.

Baal threatens the Worldstone--and through it, the mortal realm, itself. You must stop him before he gains full control of the sacred stone. With it under his control, Baal could shatter the boundaries between this world and the Burning Hells, thus allowing the hordes of the Prime Evils to pour forth into the mortal realm like an unstoppable tide!

If you are weak, the world as you know it could be lost forever. You must NOT fail!"

Diablo III[]

If a Barbarian uses the Call of the Ancients skill, the Ancients that were fought in Lord of Destruction will temporarily lend their aid to the cause. This limited duration can be made permanent with the Immortal King's Call set bonuses, although the Ancients can be killed.

Known Firstborn[]

Trivia[]

WikiLogoSmall
This section contains facts and trivia relevant to this article.
  • The terms "Firstborn" and "Ancients" are sometimes used synonymously with the nephalem as a whole (for a full explanation, see here). Book of Lorath, which uses both terms in proximity, indicates that the term "Firstborn" is a term used for the first generation(s) of nephalem, while "nephalem" refers to the species as a whole (and are considered descendants of the Firstborn). The respective articles have been written to cover both topics within this purview.
  • The term "Firstborn" is sometimes used as a synonym for the protoss in the StarCraft universe.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Diablo IV, Ancient Power
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Book of Lorath
  3. Diablo IV, Deathless Visage
  4. The Gospel of Death
  5. 2013-12-08, BlizzCon 2013 – Diablo III Lore and Story Q&A Panel Transcript. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2014-03-29
  6. Diablo III, Fanaticism
  7. 2023-03-13, YOUR GUIDE TO THE DIABLO IV OPEN BETA. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2023-03-15
  8. Scales of the Serpent
  9. 2023-10-05, Diablo IV | Season of Blood | Dev Insights. YouTube, accessed on 2023-10-05
  10. Diablo IV, Ancient's Oath
Advertisement