Atop the windswept ruins of Scalecaller Peak, a mysterious cult led by a resurrected Dragon Priest threatens to cleanse Tamriel with a devastating plague. Delve into the second dungeon in The Elder Scrolls Online’s next DLC game pack, Dragon Bones, and discover the foul plans of Zaan the Scalecaller and her new Daedric master.
Something stirs within the ancient halls of Fang Lair. Something thought long dead. Something monstrous. Explore the first dungeon in Dragon Bones, The Elder Scrolls Online’s next DLC game pack, and uncover the terrifying machinations of the necromancer Orryn the Black!
Tamriel’s lost ruins and temples tempt more than just brave adventurers and treasure hunters. Enterprising scholars and academics also have a keen interest in lost sites and buried secrets. Read about one such scholar in our latest Meet the Character!
FANG LAIR Vile necromancers occupy the ancient ruins of Fang Lair, performing dark rituals that threaten all of Tamriel.
Deep within the ruins, a master of necromancy works his evil magic in an effort to reanimate the bones of a once-living dragon. Rally your companions. You must stop the ritual before it’s too late.
SCALECALLER PEAK Once home to the followers of a Dragon Priest, Scalecaller Peak has been overrun by diseased cultists with an evil agenda.
Atop the windswept ruins of Scalecaller Peak, a mysterious cult led by a resurrected Dragon Priest threatens to cleanse Tamriel with a devastating plague. Delve into the second dungeon in The Elder Scrolls Online’s next DLC game pack, Dragon Bones, and discover the foul plans of Zaan the Scalecaller and her new Daedric master.
A DRAGON PRIEST RESTORED Before her betrayal and death, the Dragon Priest Zaan the Scalecaller served the mighty wyrm Thurvokun. Upon her resurrection she found a new patron to serve in her dragon’s absence: the Daedric Prince Peryite, the Lord of Pestilence. With her master’s blessing, Zaan’s powers have grown, and now she threatens to bring her master’s scourge to all of Tamriel.
Zaan the Scalecaller’s temple is located along the mountainous border between Wrothgar and Stormhaven, at the summit of a perilous climb.
“With this new dungeon, we really wanted to tell the story of Scalecaller visually and at the same time emphasize how her corruption has spread to all of her followers,” says Mike Finnigan, the Dungeon Lead. “And setting it in some Orsinium-styled ruins really worked for what we wanted to do with the Dragon Priest, her cult, and their story.”
The fetid halls of Scalecaller Peak
As you explore the mountain and its dark pathways, you’ll notice a toxic glow – the result of the Peryite cultists’ foul experiments – that illuminates the caverns and creatures within. Making your way up the windswept mountainside, you’ll do battle with ogres and giants that have been infected by the cult’s mysterious affliction and become all the stronger for it. But even more dangerous are the Peyrite cultists themselves, devoted to their Daedric master and led by the Dragon Priest.
Uncover the dark history of the resurrected Dragon Priest and put a stop to the foul plans that she and Peryite have for all of Tamriel.
PLAGUE-RIDDEN FOES You and your group must battle through the frenzied beasts and fanatical Peryite cultists guarding Scalecaller Peak. But all of the dungeon’s inhabitants have been twisted, yet empowered by the cult’s foul pestilence, making them a dangerous challenge for even the most experienced groups. Be warned: while navigating the mountain’s darkest pathways, watch where you step. Even the skeevers have a toxic surprise for unsuspecting delvers!
The bosses guarding the temple are every bit as twisted as their minions, and will utilize a host of tricky mechanics that you must identify to survive. For example, the twin ogres Orzun the Foul-Smelling and Rinaerus the Rancid are challenging foes individually, but take them on at the same time and you’re in for a nasty surprise!
“The two ogres Orzun and Rinaerus have abilities that cancel each other out, so it’s beneficial to kill them both simultaneously,” Finnigan suggests. “However, if you bring them too close together, they’ll buff themselves and do a lot more damage to you and your party.”
Scalecaller Peak will subvert your expectations with tricky, unexpected mechanics, but if you’re clever, you can find opportunity in unlikely places.
“When running Scalecaller Peak, we throw a lot of stuff at players from the periphery,” says Finnigan. “First and foremost, players should keep an eye on their surroundings. It also helps to play with your subtitles or sound on, as some of the dungeon’s major mechanics are telegraphed via speech.”
Many of these tips come from the dungeon’s main NPC, Jorvuld Davaux, an academic investigating the temple. Pay attention to him as you fight. You ignore his words at your peril!
Scalecaller empowered
Once you reach the temple’s summit, you’ll have your mettle tested by Zaan the Scalecaller herself. Be warned: the Daedric Prince has lent her a powerful Daedric Artifact known as Spellbreaker.
“Peryite hasn’t really been featured in The Elder Scrolls Online before so we thought this was a great opportunity to show the effects of his work in all its glory,” says Finnigan. “Adding Spellbreaker made sense, given its association with Peryite. It also shows how much the Daedric Prince favors the Dragon Priest.”
Alone, Zaan the Scalecaller is a terrible threat, but when assisted by Peryite and Spellbreaker, she’ll require a high degree of teamwork and awareness to overcome.
PLUNDER THE PEAK Should you survive the final battle and stand victorious atop Scalecaller Peak, you’ll earn a host of unique rewards.
These riches could include the Blackmarrow Necromancer skin, earned by completing the Scalecaller Peak Challenger achievement; unique Trophies and Busts for completing the dungeon on both Normal and Veteran mode; and the Renegade Dragon Priest Mask, earned simply by entering one of the two Dragon Bones dungeons.
Jorvuld’s Guidance (Legendary CP160)
Finally, should you complete Scalecaller Peak on Veteran difficulty, you’ll earn a Zaan monster helm. When combined with the rest of the monster set, the helm will blast enemies with a beam whenever you deal Critical Damage with a Light or Heavy Attack, resulting in the potential for some massive single-target burst damage.
STOP THE DEADLY SCOURGE Zaan the Scalecaller has a new patron in the Lord of Pestilence, and their unholy alliance can only spell doom for the people of Tamriel. Will you brave the dark paths of Scalecaller Peak and put a stop to the deadly plague before it can spread? Let us know on Twitter @TESOnline and Facebook!
The Dragon Bones DLC game pack arrives this February and will be available free for ESO Plus members and for purchase from the in-game Crown Store.
DRAGON BONES – FANG LAIR PREVIEW
Something stirs within the ancient halls of Fang Lair. Something thought long dead. Something monstrous. Explore the first dungeon in Dragon Bones, The Elder Scrolls Online’s next DLC game pack, and uncover the terrifying machinations of the necromancer Orryn the Black!
AN OLD FOE REBORN The powerful necromancer Orryn the Black has discovered the long-abandoned Dwarven ruins of Fang Lair. The cunning mage seeks neither treasure nor fame, but an ancient legacy lost for centuries. Deep within the halls of the ancient city lay the bones of the great dragon Thurvokun, who claimed the site as his own millennia ago. Should Orryn’s nefarious plan succeed, he will gain control of a powerful and dangerous creature: a reanimated undead dragon!
“Fang Lair is a location people haven’t seen since The Elder Scrolls: Arena,” says Mike Finnigan, the game’s Dungeon Lead. “However, in that game, players saw it in a very different light. In The Elder Scrolls Online, we wanted to expand upon the lore behind it, and we thought this was a chance to really flesh out its story.”
The depths of Fang Lair contain a massive underground complex for you to explore. While seasoned dungeon delvers might expect to find all manner of automatons defending the ruins, Thurvokun’s initial occupation and Orryn’s subsequent discovery have cleared out any remnants of the ancient Dwarven machines. Now, the site is home to the dark necromancers known as the Blackmarrow and their unnatural conjurations.
Fang Lair’s long-forgotten caverns
The moment you step into the underground city, you’ll see the sprawling complex in its entirety.
“With Fang Lair, we wanted to try some new techniques for world building,” explains Finnigan. “We really liked the idea of knowing where you’re going in the dungeon, so very early on you can see everything within the cavern, and you get to go to these locations as you make your way through.”
These new techniques enabled the team to do away with mid-dungeon load screens, and any doors you encounter within Fang Lair simply open, allowing you to enjoy a seamless adventure from start to finish.
THE DEAD STAND AGAINST YOU Reaching Orryn the Black is no easy task, as Fang Lair harbors a host of challenging minions and bosses designed to push you and your fellow explorers to your limits. You might have dealt with the undead before during your adventures in Tamriel, but the Blackmarrow are truly masters of the dark arts and should not be underestimated.
“When exploring Fang Lair, the Revivifier necromancers can be a real pain if you let them live for too long,” warns Finnigan. “They can increase the damage of any surrounding undead, threatening to quickly overwhelm your group.”
But it’s not just endless hordes of undead that stand in your way. The dungeon also boasts some fearsome bosses to challenge your group, including vicious reanimated creatures, powerful Liches, and insidious specters.
Prepare to face the dead!
When designing the dungeon’s many challenges, the goal was to create the kind of difficulty curve that players have come to expect from our dungeon DLC game packs.
“With Dragon Bones, we are aiming for a level of difficulty similar to the dungeons found in Horns of the Reach,” says Finnigan. “It’s challenging, and there’s a lot of stuff to deal with and learn, but you can get through it without feeling frustrated.”
All these challenges and travails eventually lead to a final confrontation with Orryn the Black and his greatest achievement – the reanimated bone dragon Thurvokun! The master necromancer is a threat in his own right, but when coupled with this undead monstrosity, the two become a challenge unlike anything you’ve faced before.
Bone Dragon concept
“In the final boss battle against Orryn and Thurvokun, target priority and awareness is very important,” says Finnigan. “There’s a lot happening in this fight, and some things need to be dealt with quicker than others.”
In Fang Lair, you’ll need to learn from and adapt to everything the ancient ruin throws at you, lest you join the dead!
REAP ALL-NEW REWARDS The halls of Fang Lair might appear daunting to even the most experienced dungeon explorer, but those valiant enough to brave the ancient city will find the rewards are well worth the risks.
Worm Wizard personality
These rewards include the Worm Wizard personality, earned by completing the Fang Lair Challenger achievement; unique Trophies and Busts for completing the dungeon on both Normal and Veteran mode; and the Renegade Dragon Priest Mask, earned by simply entering the dungeon.
And yes, should you complete Fang Lair, you’ll be rewarded with the head of a bone dragon to mount in your home!
Fang Lair also rewards brave adventurers with a selection of powerful new item sets that drop from all bosses, including the Trappings of Invigoration set (pictured below) that can give Stamina characters a much-needed boost to their sustain.
Trappings of Invigoration (Legendary CP160)
Finally, if you complete this new dungeon in Veteran difficulty you’ll earn the Thurvokun monster helm, part of a new monster set that creates pools on the ground that reduce enemy damage and restore Health when you take damage–perfect for adventurers who like to stand toe-to-toe with the enemy!
STOP THE NECROMANCERS The Blackmarrow have taken control of the long-forgotten halls of Fang Lair, and they stand poised to create an army of undead the likes of which Tamriel has never seen. Will you battle your way through the ancient Dwarven ruin, put a stop to their plans, and face off against their leader, the devious necromancer Orryn the Black? Let us know on Twitter @ TESOnline and Facebook!
The Dragon Bones DLC game pack arrives this February and will be available free for ESO Plus members and for purchase from the in-game Crown Store.
