Ecumenical Temple
| A Temple of the Gods, a place of peace and refuge from the insanity of the dungeon. It usually contains altars to most of the known gods. It is located between the levels 4 and 7 of the main dungeon. |
The Ecumenical Temple, also known as the Temple of Gods, is the first branch of the Dungeon most players will encounter. Located somewhere on Dungeon:4-7, it contains altars to multiple gods, but nothing else.
Entering the Ecumenical Temple is entirely optional, but if you started the game with a non-religious background, it's a good place for choosing a god. You can learn more about each god's religion by standing on their altar and praying (command p).
Monsters never randomly spawn in the Temple, but they can follow you or be created there (via a god's wrath, a miscast effect, or your own spell). Certain layouts may also have monsters in them, but they are always sealed off behind transparent walls.
Layout
The Temple has a single floor randomly picked from a predetermined pool of layouts. Whichever layout is picked, you'll find altars to at least six gods, but usually more. Any gods who are not represented in the Temple will have an altar somewhere between D:2-9, with three exceptions.
The Temple will never contain altars to Beogh. It can very rarely contain altars to Jiyva. It does not normally contain altars to Lugonu either, but one special layout of the temple is "corrupted" and most of its altars will be to Lugonu. You can find these three gods in certain branches (Beogh in the Orcish Mines, Jiyva in or near the Slime Pits, and Lugonu in the Abyss), or in rare dungeon vaults.
If the Temple's entrance appears to be unreachable, try to get in via an unused set of stairs on another floor.
Overflow Altars
Most gods are guaranteed to have an early altar present here. If an altar to a deity other than Lugonu, Jiyva, or Beogh is not found in the Temple, it will be found somewhere between D:2-9. Such altars are called overflow altars. Note that not every altar you see in that range is necessarily an overflow altar, although most are.
Also be aware that while altars to Lugonu, Jiyva, and Beogh are not normally found in the early game, hill orcs can convert to Beogh upon encountering an orc priest, while any race can start with Lugonu by playing an abyssal knight. Thus, the only god who is difficult to pick up early on is Jiyva.
History
In 0.18, the tempel can be overtaken in rare cases by Jiyva like by Lugony, leaving only 6 other gods any altar inside.
Prior to 0.14, the Ecumenical Temple could be a good place to wait out a god's wrath without interference from other threats.
