Drive Back the Adversary with Items from the New All-Maker Crown Crates
Pay homage to the deity of the ancient Skaal faith with the items and collectibles found in the new All-Maker Crown Crates.
***
The people of the Skaal bow their head in reverence to the All-Maker. For through the All-Maker all are One. Will you join them in their distant land, to stand against the Adversary? Don their stalhrim armors, take up their rune-carved blades. Uphold the Wind and the Earth and the Sun as you seek harmony without and within. The great river of life flows, traveler. Will you flow with it back to the arms of the All-Maker?
***
The new All-Maker Crown Crates arrive in the Crown Store this Thursday, November 30 at 10AM EST. Opening these crates might grant you a sign of the All-Maker’s favor in the form of new and returning items and collectibles.
These goods include unique mounts, pets, furnishings, and much more. You can see just some of the items available within All-Maker Crown Crates below. Clear Ice Boulder furnishing & Frostfall Recall customized action Windcaller Garb costume and Orphan of the Stars skin
Those who are fortunate enough to truly catch the All-Maker’s eye might find one of the below extremely rare Radiant Apex mounts. Solstheim Shiver Wolf and Star-Orphan Elk mounts Blessed Highmane Lion mount
All-Maker Crown Crates will be available in one-, four-, and 15-crate bundles in addition to a unique 25-crate offering that is available as a one-time purchase only. In addition to the crates, this special bundle also includes the Solstheimstone Incarnate polymorph. Enjoy a bundle of All-Maker Crown Crates alongside the Solstheimstone Incarnate Polymorph
This polymorph will be unlocked automatically and added to your collectibles when the one-off bundle is first purchased. It is not part of the All-Maker crates themselves.
Of course, the above are just some of the gifts the All-Maker can bestow upon his children. If you wish to see the full list of items you have a chance to receive when opening an All-Maker Crown Crate, check out this thread on our official forums.
Be warned, when the new crates go live, the currently available Buoyant Armiger Crown Crates will be removed from the Crown Store in turn, so don’t forget to pick them up while they’re still available!
All-Maker Crown Crates arrive this Thursday, November 30 at 10AM EST, and can be acquired from the Crown Crate section of the in-game Crown Store. Do you hope to prove yourself to the All-Maker and oppose the Adversary? Let us know about your wintry devotions via X (Formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook. AnnouncementsCrown Store
Ride This New Mount Toward Great Savings with the 2023 Black Fredas Bundle
Grab the 2023 Black Fredas bundle and get your hands on both great savings and the reins of a new mount!
A special Black Fredas bundle is now available for purchase from the in-game Crown Store, providing you with an opportunity to save big while acquiring a brand-new mount! This bundle contains a host of items for a fraction of what they would cost individually—a mere 1,900 Crowns for 8,100 Crowns of value.
Check out the full list of the bundle’s contents here:
Black Fredas Senche-Lizard mount
10 Crown Experience Scrolls
10 Crown Lessons: Riding Speed
10 Crown Lessons: Riding Capacity
10 Crown Fortifying Meals
10 Crown Soul Gems
50 Crown Tri-Restoration Potions
You’ll find so much to enjoy in this great Crown Store bundle. Not only does it come with a unique mount, but it also has an array of useful consumables that can speed you along in your adventures in Tamriel.
This special offer is now available in the in-game Crown store and will remain until November 30 at 10AM EST. Be sure to take advantage of this fantastic deal! Are you going to ride out atop the Black Fredas Senche-Lizard? Let us know via X (Formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
Enjoy Savings on ESO: Necrom and Base Game during the 2023 Black Friday Sale!
Save big on The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom Chapter and base game during this year’s Black Friday Sale!
Experience The Elder Scrolls Online’s latest Chapter by picking up Necrom at up to 67% off across all platforms during the 2023 Black Friday Sale. Explore the vast Telvanni Peninsula and uncover the secrets of Apocrypha as you fight to protect the fabric of reality itself.
All editions of the Necrom Chapter, including the Necrom Collection, Upgrade, Deluxe Collection, and Deluxe Upgrade, will benefit from this discount, so you can pick whichever version suits you best!
During the Black Friday Sale, you can also acquire The Elder Scrolls Online Standard Edition at up to 70% off on all platforms.
Check out the dates listed below to know when this year’s Black Friday Sale will be live on your platform of choice:
Xbox
Standard Edition—November 16-December 1
Necrom—November 16-December 1
PlayStation
Standard Edition—November 17-28
Necrom—November 17-28
PlayStation Europe
Standard Edition—November 17-27
Necrom—November 17-27
PlayStation Asia
Standard Edition—November 16-27
Necrom—November 16-27
Elder Scrolls Online Store
Standard Edition—November 17-30
Necrom—November 17-30
Steam Store
Standard Edition—November 21-28
Necrom—November 21-28
Be sure to head over to our Buy Now page to secure these discounts and kick off your Shadow Over Morrowind adventure!
The 2023 Black Friday Sale is a fantastic opportunity to dive into The Elder Scrolls Online and begin your journey throughout Tamriel and the realms beyond. Don’t miss your chance to secure any of these huge deals for both the Necrom Chapter and the base game experience!
The Gates of Oblivion Celebration begins Thursday, November 16 at 10AM EST, and runs until Tuesday, November 28 at 10AM EST. During the festivities, players will enjoy an assortment of goodies including special Reward Boxes, Event Tickets, and increased drops to Daily Quests, Dungeons, Resource Nodes, as well as World Bosses and Delves throughout the Blackwood and the Deadlands zones.
To participate, you'll need access to Blackwood, Flames of Ambition, Waking Flame, or Deadlands, all of which are obtainable through ESO Plus™ or available for purchase from the in-game Crown Store.
[center]Find Plokun in Gideon to begin![/center]
You can then kick things off by picking up the introductory quest "Burdensome Beasts" available for free within the in-game Crown Store or from Plokun, a Dremora found northwest of Gideon in the Blackwood zone.
Amass Incredible Rewards
Throughout the event, you can earn a Glorious Reward Box once per day each time you complete your first Daily Quest in either the Blackwood or Deadlands zones, or from the first Rockgrove Weekly Quest completed. You can also obtain a second Glorious Reward Box once per day by looting the final boss of any Flames of Ambition and Waking Flame dungeons.
Glorious Reward Boxes may contain the following items:
Random crafting materials
A Fine or Superior rarity sellable treasure
One of the following Blackwood/Deadlands motif style items:
If the reward box was obtained in the Overland:
Sul-Xan
Black Fin
Ivory Brigade
House Hexos
Godgrave Guardian
Annihilarch's Chosen
If the reward box was obtained in a Dungeon:
True-Sworn
Waking Flame
Knights of the Silver Rose
Crimson Oath
A Fine, Superior, or Epic rarity Blackwood or Deadlands overland set item
A Dungeon set item will be given instead if you obtained the Reward Box in a Dungeon
Companion Gear
One of the following drops
Blackwood or Deadlands furnishing recipes
Blackwood or Deadlands Treasure Maps or Survey Reports
Motif Chapters
If the reward box was obtained in the Overland:
Sul-Xan
Black Fin
Ivory Brigade
House Hexos
Godgrave Guardian
Annihilarch's Chosen
If the reward box was obtained in a Dungeon:
True-Sworn
Waking Flame
Knights of the Silver Rose
Crimson Oath
A chance for a style page for the NEW Y'ffre's Fallen-Wood armor
[center]The new Y'ffre's Fallen-Wood armor style[/center]
In addition, you can collect the more common Regular Reward Boxes by participating in the following activities:
Slaying Delve and World Bosses in the Blackwood and Deadland zones
Defeating Flames of Ambition and Waking Flame dungeon bosses
Opening treasure chests
Opening safeboxes
Looting objects such as barrels, crates, etc.
Looting Psijic portals
Cracking open Thieves Troves
Harvesting crafting resource nodes
These reward boxes may contain the following items:
Random crafting materials
A chance for a Fine or Superior rarity sellable treasure
A chance for one of the following Blackwood/Deadlands motif style items:
Sul-Xan
Black Fin
Ivory Brigade
House Hexos
Godgrave Guardian
Annihilarch's Chosen
A Fine, Superior, or Epic rarity Blackwood or Deadlands Overland set item
A Dungeon set item will be given instead if you obtained the reward box in a Dungeon
A chance for Companion gear
A chance for one of the following drops
Blackwood or Deadlands furnishing recipes
Blackwood or Deadlands Treasure Maps or Survey Reports
Motif Chapters
Sul-Xan
Black Fin
Ivory Brigade
House Hexos
Godgrave Guardian
Annihilarch's Chosen
A small chance for a style page for the NEW Y'ffre's Fallen-Wood armor
[center]Complete daily quests to earn bonus rewards[/center]
Impresario & Event Tickets
But that's not all! Throughout the duration of the celebration, players will receive two Event Tickets for the first of the following activities completed each day:
First Daily Quest completed in the Blackwood zone
First Daily Quest completed in the Deadlands zone
Weekly trial quest completed in Rockgrove
Slaying and looting the final boss in either Flames of Ambition or Waking Flame dungeons
In total, you can amass a whopping 26 Event Tickets during this event! Don't forget that you can carry only 12 Tickets at one time.
Here's what the Impresario has in stock:
All three Passion Dancer Blossom pet fragments
Chartreuse Lily Petals
Enchanted Silver Flute
Mystical Sheet Music
The first and second Hoardhunter Ursauk mount fragment
Blessed Honeycomb
NEW Gilded and Dyed Saddle
Bound style pages for the following:
NEW Y'ffre's Fallen-Wood
Impresario Group Repair Kits
Companion Guild Commendations
The Gates of Oblivion Celebration is your first chance to purchase the Gilded and Dyed Saddle, the second of three morphing fragments for the Hoardhunter Ursauk mount!
[center]The Hoardhunter Ursauk mount[/center]
Learn more about morphing collectibles and upgrade fragments by checking out this guide. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the reveal of the final morphing fragment later this year!
Additionally, the Impresario's Assistant, Philius Dormier, is offering these valuable treasures in exchange for your hard-earned tickets:
Unstable Morpholith Fragments
Dagonic Quasigriff Fragments
Finally, Nenulaure the Indrik Vendor is stocking her shop with the following goodies:
Nascent Indrik Feathers
Crimson Indrik Berries
Pure-Snow Indrik Berries
Frost-Light Indrik Pet
Rosethorn Indrik Pet
Ward Off Destruction
Dismantle Daedric schemes while enjoying an assortment of tantalizing rewards and useful bonuses as you explore Blackwood and the Deadlands during the Gates of Oblivion Celebration. Are you prepared to free these lands from the corrupting influence of Mehrunes Dagon? Let us know via Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!
The Gates of Oblivion Celebration in-game event begins next Thursday, November 16 at 10AM EST, and continues until Tuesday, November 28 at 10AM EST.
Crown Store Showcase—November 2023
Traverse the Endless Archive in style with November’s new and exciting Crown Store offerings.
You canreview all the new and returning items arriving to the Crown Store in November 2023 below. Remember: you can see absolutely everything available in the Crown Store right now by heading over to the Crown Store page. Additionally, be sure to stop by the Buy Crowns page to pick up whatever number of crowns you may need! Certain items and offers will be time-limited throughout the month, so be sure to read their individual details and don't miss out.
Discover the Update 40 base-game patch, featuring the unending battle of the Endless Archive and more, now live on PC/Mac!
The Elder Scrolls Online: Endless Archive and Update 40 are now live on PC/Mac. If you are a console player, don’t worry. Update 40 arrives on November 14 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5, too!
This base-game patch introduces an all-new PvE activity for Tamriel’s adventurers and a host of new features and quality-of-life improvements—completely free for all ESO players!
Endless Archive
In the Endless Archive, you can discover an unending challenge as you battle your way through the shifting libraries and twisting pathways of one of Hermaeus Mora’s most mysterious strongholds.
A malignant force is causing chaos within the once solemn archive, and its custodian, Master Malkhest, needs brave explorers to investigate and fight back against the corruption. Battle through the Archive
Unending Challenge
In this all-new PvE activity, you can team up with a trusted ally or go it solo as you contend with randomly generated stages filled with waves of monsters and perilous boss encounters.
The further you progress into this eternal arena, the more dangerous and numerous your foes become. Fall to the Archive’s dangers three times, and your run ends, plus you have to start over. But don’t let that phase you, as there’s always another expedition into the Endless Archive waiting, and the greater the dangers, the greater the rewards are in turn! Survive twisted maligraphies
Helping you survive these encounters are two types of boons you can choose along the way: Verses (temporary buffs that last until the end of the next Stage), and Visions (more permanent buffs that last your entire run). The Verses and Visions you choose can have a major impact on your run, so choose wisely!
Infinite Rewards
As you continue your expedition into the Endless Archive, you can discover and unlock a host of specials rewards, including unique collectibles, item sets, and more—all granted by the Prince of Knowledge himself!
These rewards include class set items, the first of their kind, which provide powerful boons to select Class Skill Lines. Empower class skills with new item sets
However, that’s not all. As you complete expeditions, you also earn a new currency called Archival Fortunes. With Archival Fortunes, you can purchase all manner of helpful items from the vendors within the Endless Archive’s central hub. This includes one-time use buffs, individual item set items, fragments of collectibles, and even permanent account unlocks that provide boons for future runs! Endless Archive collectible rewards
Finally, the Endless Archive also features a host of unique in-game collectibles that you can’t earn anywhere else in Tamriel or Oblivion, including the Maligraphic Mount, Maligraphic Skeever pet, a unique Tales of Tribute deck, and much more. Check out our preview for more information on the Endless Archive’s rewards.
Getting Started
The Endless Archive is a free base-game addition to The Elder Scrolls Online and is part of the Update 40 patch. There is no additional purchase necessary, although ESO Plus members will enjoy a bonus to Archival Fortune gains during their expeditions.
You can access the Endless Archive via two methods:
If you own the Necrom Chapter, you can find the entrance to the Endless Archive northeast of Cipher's Midden in Apocrypha.
If you don’t own the Chapter, select the Endless Archive icon on your map of Apocrypha to teleport directly there.
Prepare for adventure
Brave adventurers may wish to dive right in to the archive’s myriad mazelike passages, but you may wish to review these developer tips before you begin your expedition. Preparation is key—good luck!
Update 40
In addition to the new PvE activity, Update 40 also includes a host of new features and quality-of-life improvements that all of Tamriel’s adventurers can enjoy.
Group Finder
The new Group Finder tool makes it easier than ever to find likeminded players to join you for practically any in-game activity, including typical group challenges such as Trials or Dungeon runs, but also more social activities such as zone explorations, roleplay sessions, or fashion contests! Group Finder UI
There are a host of categories you can choose from when finding a group, but the Custom category allows you to create or find fellow players for any unique activity you can dream up!
In addition, the Group Finder allows you to set up requirements for your groups, including roles, CP levels, voice chat, and many more.
Grand Master Crafting Stations
Update 40 also introduces a new type of end-game furnishing for Tamriel’s master crafters: Grand Master Crafting Stations. These special items allow you to consolidate your home’s (likely many) attuned crafting stations into one, severely reducing the amount of housing slots your crafting stations take up AND freeing up space in general. The more attuned crafting stations you “feed” to your Grand Master station, the more visually distinct that specific furnishing will appear as it evolves over time. Grand Master Crafting Stations
You can acquire Grand Master Crafting Stations using Writ Vouchers from the Achievement Mediator, Faustina Curio, with a unique furnishing available for each of Blacksmithing, Jewelry Crafting, Clothing, and Woodworking.
You can dive deeper into both the Group Finder and Grand Master Crafting Stations in this preview blog.
Jewelry Crafting Rebalance
This patch also establishes a broad rebalancing of Jewelry Crafting to help align its costs with the game’s other crafting disciplines. This includes the removal of Jewelry Crafting grains and conversion into platings in addition to increasing the total boosters needed to upgrade your jewelry. As a result, upgrading rings and amulets is now easier and cheaper than ever before.
Quest XP & Gold Standardization
Finally, Update 40 also standardizes the Experience Point and Gold rewards for many of the game’s quests, including those associated with zones, main storylines, prologues, dailies, guild storylines, and more. This will result in more consistent rewards for the game’s various quests based on their complexity or length.
Of course, these are just some of the changes implemented with the base-game patch. Be sure to visit our Patch Notes forum to review everything coming with this massive update.
Endless Challenges
In the Update 40 base-game patch, you can discover an all-new challenge for you and your fiercest allies as you delve ever-deeper into the dynamic galleries of a corrupted library. How far will your expedition into the Endless Archive get? The only limits are your preparation and skills! Tell us if you’ll be venturing into the free Endless Archive PvE activity via X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or Facebook—good luck!
The Update 40 base-game patch and Endless Archive are now live on PC/Mac and arrive November 14 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.
Daily Login Rewards—November 2023
Preview some of the free rewards available just by logging in during the month of November 2023!
For those with plans in Tamriel (or the realms of Oblivion!) this November 2023, a wide range of rewards awaits each day you log in. You can find a sampling of what’s on offer below, from a refreshing emote to a snappy dresser of a Houseguest. Simply claim them from the Daily Rewards section of the Crown Store—you can find any details you might need in this help article.
Sit and Drink Emote—Day 7 That hits the spot!
As 2023 begins to wind down, many people want nothing more than to relax in a comfy seat with a refreshing beverage. Fortunately for you, you can now Sit and Drink in game, perhaps even while you sit and drink at your desk or on your couch!
Seals of Endeavor ×250—Day 14 Treat yourself with some Seals of Endeavor!
If you have an interest in any of the offerings available in our Crown Crates, these Seals of Endeavor make a great alternative means of acquisition. Also earned by completing Daily and Weekly Endeavors as you play, this special in-game currency allows you to acquire offerings from current Crown Crates or items purchasable with Crown Gems. You can learn more about Seals of Endeavor in this blog.
Even the most stylish of investigators sometimes needs a break from casework, and so Mizzik Thunderboots has found himself in need of a place to hang up his signature hat. If you log in enough throughout November, that place could be your own in-game house, as the clever Khajiit will be available as a Houseguest via Daily Login Rewards!
As handsome as these rewards are, they comprise only a few of the login rewards available in ESO next month. You can view the complete list in the Daily Rewards section of the in-game Crown Store on November 1! Which reward are you most looking forward to? Do you plan to Sit and Drink beside Mizzik Thunderboots, or has one of the items available for Seals of Endeavor caught your eye? Share your plans for this month in ESO with us on X (Formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
Loremaster’s Archive–Endless Archive
Master Malkhest shares his knowledge of Apocrypha’s Endless Archive in an all-new Loremaster’s Archive.
My name is Malkhest, and I am Master of the Endless Archive. I was honestly quite surprised to discover the offer to participate from Antiquarian Benele. I'm a humble researcher, you understand. My time at the Endless Archive has been enlightening, but in the grand scheme of things there are far more prominent scholars across the face of Nirn, Apocrypha, and beyond who might have been worthy to answer questions in this forum.
That said, I'm happy for the chance to discuss my work. The Endless Archive is a vast repository of knowledge embedded deep within Hermaeus Mora's realm of Apocrypha. I am, effectively, an attendant in a very fancy library.
It was, as you are no doubt aware, recently invaded by a powerful Daedric Lord named Tho'at Replicanum. A dark time for the Endless Archive. If you have the strength and drive, I hope the answers I give today will compel some of you to visit our corner of Apocrypha. We could, to be blunt, use the help.
In any case, as Master of the Archive, I've contemplated the endless. Today, we contemplate your questions. Let's begin.
Greetings Master Malkhest,
I am curious on how it is possible that mortals, creatures, and even other Daedra that threatened Tamriel are remade in the Endless Archive. Are they simply one-to-one copies that retain their memories or are they simply creatures that mimic other beings?
Both eagerly awaiting and dreading your response,
—Battlemage Palatine Absentis Vesanus
Battlemage, are you asking how it's possible for the Endless Archive to restore books accidentally destroyed in some far-flung wing? Or, say, return an accident-prone researcher to life after plummeting headlong from a cliff because he had his nose stuck in a tome? That is as straightforward as the realm of Apocrypha gets.
Every object and person entering the Endless Archive is catalogued by the Index. Threads of fate are spun between the Index and the contents of the catalogue. When a thread is broken, the catalogued copy from just before the break is restored—hale and whole—to the Index. They are not copies, nor are they recreations. They are the thing themselves from a different moment along their fate line.
A day-to-day occurrence in the archive, but tremendously powerful, I know. Fate lines are Hermaeus Mora’s specialty, I’m not sure this would work anywhere else.
Greetings Ceruval,
Are the ink creatures native to the Endless Archive considered Daedra? Could they be summoned as such? Naturally such facsimiles could never properly be part of my collection, but I can see potential use in testing new enclosures to ensure the desired specimens do not escape, once acquired.
—Eristaanwe
Ah, the maligraphies. I named them myself, you know. It sounds very fancy until you put it in plain terms. These strange Daedric beings mimic living beings and are created by the workings of the Daedric Lord Tho’at Replicanum.
They are Daedra, after a fashion, because the maligraphies are Tho'at. And Tho'at is the maligraphies. She has devised a method to splinter her nymic, combining her potent Daedric magics with the ink of the archive's tomes. Through this mystical imbuement, she can manifest an endless number of beings.
It’s fascinating, really, because they are not directly created by Tho’at but by imbuement of her power through the medium of the page. That is to say, if she draws on a tale of a fearsome High Rock beast to create a maligraphy, the beast will be quite powerful. But if the book described a gentle doe, the resulting maligraphy would be similarly dispositioned.
Apologies, my nature as a researcher is showing itself. To answer your question, I’ve done some limited trials with other followers of Mora. The maligraphies do not seem to survive beyond the bounds of the Archive. Most likely are a function of the magic Tho’at used to create them. It’s nice to know that, however bad the maligraphies get, they’ll be locked in with me.
Yo Mister Malkhest,
To my understanding, Tho'at Replicanum is a Daedra, but what kind? She appears to look almost like glass come to life ….
—Sir Cyandor of Seyda Neen
Yo indeed, Sir Cyandor.
I understand the need for scholars and laypeople alike to classify and categorize beings from the Daedric realms. It’s most of what I do as a researcher and librarian, after all! Tho’at, however, is a reminder that the Aurbis is filled with wonders and horrors beyond our wildest dreams.
Tho’at occupies that rarefied space near the top of Daedric society, just one rung down from the Princes themselves. She is a Daedric Lord, and like many lords no doubt has a realm all her own somewhere in the infinite void that swirls beyond. While there are only a few handfuls of Princes, there are dozens of Daedric Lords known to mortal scholars, and a potentially infinite amount who have yet to interact with a person with enough forethought to write the experience down.
Tho’at is a reminder, to us all, that the Daedra are by their very nature inexplicable. They have goals, thoughts, and entire cultures we may never fully understand.
Greetings Master Malkhest,
For the last few years, I have been trying to study pocket realms. Could this "Endless Archive" be classified as a pocket realm, or could its purpose—a vast library, without all the beasties I have heard about popping up—be recreated within one?
—Dilineth, student of the Leyawiin Mages Guild
A unique and ambitious course of study for a novice mage, but I approve. Sometimes we must look beyond what stands before us to find true purpose. My answer to both of your questions, young one, is yes.
The Endless Archive is an adjunct realm that lies within the greater fabric of Apocrypha. While as scholars we wish things to be neat and tidy, the reality is more complicated. Many Daedra with sufficient power and will can create a realm. Refer if you will to the writings of Denogorath the Dread Archivist, who claims to have catalogued over 37,000 such instantiations (a number I believe in actuality to be much higher).
For many Daedric beings, creating a realm is an enormous undertaking, and while there are thousands and thousands of planes and pocket realms, most are quite small. This isn’t the case with the Daedric Realms of the mighty Princes. The enormous amount of power wielded by these beings in dim mists of the past formed vast and nearly limitless domains around an initial seed.
As has been observed by many a mystic scholar, the realms are the Princes. And the Princes are the realms. At Mora’s slightest whim, the seas of Apocrypha swirl and the mists of Chroma Incognito part. So it is with the Endless Library, which is a subrealm created within the vast walls of Apocrypha centuries ago.
A word of advice, young Dilineth. If you truly want to recreate the Archive without the influence of Tho’at Replicanum, seek me out. I can help you identify which books to avoid.
Most Honorable Master Malkhest,
On behalf of Great House Telvanni, I, Inari, ask of you: how is it that Hermaeus Mora can have such authority over the threads of fate and things that have yet to come through the Endless Archive, and have such an influence on the Mundus, when he is impeded from affecting Nirn by law of the Coldharbour Compact?
—Inari Telvanni
While the Great Eye is indeed quite powerful, I feel you might be ascribing him potency that he does not have or seek. “Hermaeus Mora sees and knows,” so goes the saying. A good description of the role of the Inevitable Knower. He observes, he catalogues, and he learns.
What Mora does not do is twist or change the threads of fate themselves. Even Mora, for all his power, cannot directly intervene in fate’s course. That is, as far as I am aware, an impossibility. The Great Eye must act in the same manner as the other Princes. And as you point out, as a restriction of the Compact on Nirn, he must primarily act through the proxy of a mortal agent. It is somewhat reassuring, I think, to know that though he can see what course the river might take before we do, even Hermaeus Mora himself must ride the rapids of fate the same as you or I.
As the Endless Archive contains documents on significant events that were or could be, I presume its records may also contain information on legendary figures and artifacts. Assuming my theory is correct, and you can and do not mind sharing such details originating from the Endless Archive, can you tell me where the artifact Chrysamere may currently be, and anything (even if just theories or stories) that may shed light on its ambiguous origins?
—Dame Gratias of the Knights of Saint Eleidon
Certainly. Chrysamere. A two-handed blade, or claymore. Forged late in the Merethic era by a Breton swordsmith of some renown by the name of Asterie Bedel. She was an accomplished blacksmith, and she delighted in using the techniques of both men and mer in crafting her wares. Of this I am certain, for within the very heart of the blade itself lies her maker’s mark: a mage’s knot that harkens back to the earliest days of Bretonic culture.
Much of the journey from well-crafted but mortal blade to the “the Sword of Heroes” lies beyond the bounds of the Endless Archive. Certainly, it was influenced by the magic of Breton society’s Elven forebearers, gaining enchantments as it was passed from hand to hand. It fought in the wars to secure Clan Direnni’s role as lords of High Rock and was present at the first sacking of Orsinium. Its defensive enchantments were sharpened and retooled to protect its bearer in a protracted siege of the Fellthunder Clan of giants in Rivenspire. And it played a small but important role in the Battle of Glenumbra Moors.
Where the blade lies today, I’m sorry to say, is not something even close examination of archival records could produce. My best approximation, if you’re keen to go looking, is based on a series of letters penned between a Dark Elf researcher in Ebonheart and a Khajiit fence in the city of Alabaster. Perhaps one or both of those locales might contain a clue as to its current whereabouts.
Best move quickly, though. The blade does not sit idle in any one mortal’s hand for long.
If you were to warn seasoned adventurers, delvers, and heroes of anything in this place, the kind of people who are already well-prepared for most things Oblivion might throw at them, what are the most unexpected dangers they will face in the Endless Archive? As I have told the young recruits many times: "It is not the haj mota you can see that will be the one to kill you."
—Raltin
I would caution against hubris, for a start. Beyond that, the most unexpected things, the most dangerous things in the archive, are the things you might least expect. If it seems out of place, in this realm of Apocryphal knowledge and vaunted tomes, it most likely wants to kill you.
Ah, and mind yourself if you find that the archive has formed an arena about you. A strike itself might not kill you, but as I can attest from personal experience, it’s a very long drop into the sublevels of the lower library.
Greetings, freehand Malkhest,
The Endless Archive stores the past, present, and potential future, not just the written word. Can oral stories, like sagas of the great Vateshrans Eoinola and Allaghach, or Bosmeri Spinner magical tales, find a place within it? If so, how are they stored? What about stories that have occurred but remain untold?
—Tyrrosh of Clan Firewolf, Reachfolk Historian and Scholar
Yes and no. I deeply respect the oral traditions of the cultures you reference, and more beyond. However, the Endless Archive is first, foremost, and only a recollection of the writings from across the Aurbis.
Some scant few stories told in this fashion have made it into the archive as observational writings from researchers, or notes intended to prompt a performer looking to make the most of a performance opportunity. But as you’ll no doubt agree, a great deal is lost in the translation from spoken and ephemeral art to text upon the page.
To, presumably, Master Malkhest,
If this "Endless Archive" of yours, as you say, has records of everything "that were, are, or could yet be," then logically, my question to you should already be present there, correct? Assuming that is the case, then you should be able to tell me: What is the answer to my question?
—Benny Two-Thumbs, Illusionist, Skeptic
Which question? You have asked, and could ask, so many. Some of them are more intelligible than others. I’m not going to write them all down, but you should look up the book Infinite Questions and Potent Possibilities when you can. You’ll see them all listed there.
This is all beside the point, because if I was to be purely pedantic, I would say the clear response is that this screed I write even now, quill across parchment, serves as the answer to your question. Honestly, it’s like you've never studied Theoretical Elucidation before.
Well. Now I’ve gone and worked myself into a lather. So I believe it’s time for me to call this correspondence at an end. Thank you for submitting your questions, all and sundry. I hope you found my answers interesting. I’ll see you in the Endless Archive.
A massive “thank you” to the ESO community for sending in their questions surrounding the myriad mysteries of the Endless Archive. Have any additional questions? Send your query to members of the community in our official forums!
Are you excited to confront infinite foes and gain the boundless riches that await you in the Endless Archives? Share your hype with us via X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or Facebook!
The Endless Archive is a new PvE activity free for all ESO players that arrives with the Update 40 base-game patch on October 30 for PC/Mac and November 14 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
Conquer Tamriel’s Fears and Earn Special Rewards during the Witches Festival Event
Slay Tamriel’s most horrific monstrosities to obtain unique in-game rewards during 2023’s Witches Festival in-game event!
The Festival of Frights Returns!
This year’s Witches Festival in-game event begins next Thursday, October 26 at 10AM EDT, and runs until Tuesday, November 7 at 10AM EST. During this spoopiest of occasions, you can claim terrifyingly awesome event-specific rewards including Plunder Skulls, XP gain boosts, Event Tickets, and more!
During the Witches Festival, all adventurers can enjoy a passive 100% boost to XP gain at all times. To collect the Witchmother’s Whistle and down ladles of hag’s brew, simply follow the steps listed below:
Open the Crown Store and acquire the free quest, “The Witchmother's Bargain.”
You can also pick up this quest by speaking with the Crow Caller, who you’ll find outside of each Olyve's Brewery in Stonefalls, Glenumbra, or Auridon.
Complete the introductory quest to receive the Witchmother's Whistle tool.
You won’t need to acquire the Witchmother’s Whistle if you finished the quest in a previous year’s event.
Blow the whistle to summon the “Witchmother's Cauldron,” which you drink from to polymorph yourself into a spooky scary skeleton.
You cannot summon the Cauldron in Cyrodiil.
Take a sip from the Witchmother’s Cauldron
Acquire Cursed Rewards
During the Witches Festival event period, whenever you defeat a boss monster, you’ll be offered a Plunder Skull container in addition to any regular rewards.
When you open a Plunder Skull, you have the chance to receive the following items:
Alchemy reagents
A festival-themed furnishing recipe
A festival-themed provisioning recipe
A complete festival-themed furnishing
A festival-themed treasure
A small chance for one of the following:
A Hollowjack style item
A Dremora style items
Worms, Crawlers, Guts, Insect Parts
What’s more, whenever you fell a different unique type of boss for the first time each day, you’ll be rewarded with a special Dremora Plunder Skull that contains some of the above items in addition to these:
Dremora motif chapter
A chance for one of the following items:
A Witches Festival Writ
A Glenmoril Teasure Map or Glenmoril armor outfit style page
A Grave Dancer weapon style page
NEW A Tome of Forbidden Appetites Memento Runebox
NEW A Witches Festival Ghost Netch pet fragment
NEW A tradeable style page for the Crowborne Hunter outfit style
The different types of bosses that offer these Dremora Plunder Skulls include arena bosses, invasion bosses (from Dark Anchors, Harrowstorms, Volcanic Vents, etc.), delve bosses, final dungeon bosses, public dungeon bosses, and world bosses. Reap a host of haunted rewards
Monsters of all shapes and sizes lurk throughout Tamriel this time of year, but there is one creepy beastie that is feared above all: The Crowborne Horror. To locate and slay this living nightmare, acquire the daily quest “Plucking the Crow” by speaking with the Witchmother Taerma, located inside of Olyve’s Brewery and at every Impresario tent found throughout Tamriel.
For your courage, you’ll be rewarded with a Dremora Plunder Skull that has a small chance to grant you an incredible offering of tradeableWitches Festival valuables instead of regular Dremora Plunder Skull items, including:
10 Witch-Tamed Bear Dog fragments
The FULL style book for the Dremora motif
A folio of ALL Glenmoril Treasure Maps
Runebox: Tome of Forbidden Appetites
A random Crowborne Hunter outfit style page
Impresario & Event Tickets
During the Witches Festival, you can collect two Event Tickets from the first boss you defeat each day, earning up to 26 tickets by the end of the event. But don’t forget: You can hold up to 12 Event Tickets only.
For this event, the Impresario will stock the following items:
Witches Grab Bag (This is purchasable only if you haven’t yet collected all the items contained within)
Skeletal Marionette memento
Spectre Mask collectible
There are four variations of this collectible
Apple-Bobbing Cauldron fragment
Throw Bones Memento fragment
Marshmallow Toasty Treat emote
Witch's Bonfire Dust
Ghastly Visitation memento
Witch-Tamed Bear-Dog pet fragment
Witchmother's Servant outfit style pages
Of note: The Witches Festival will be your first opportunity to begin gathering the fragments for the final event morphing collectible of 2023, the Hoardhunter Ursauk mount! Hoardhunter Ursauk morphing collectible
Additionally, the Impresario’s colleague, Nenulaure the Indrik Vendor, has the following items available for purchase using Event Tickets:
Nascent Indrik Feathers
Pure Snow Indrik Berries
Crimson Indrik Berries
Frost-Light Indrik Pet
Rosethorn Indrik Pet
Lastly, the Impresario’s Assistant is offering the following, which you can acquire with Event Tickets:
Unstable Morpholith fragments
Deadlands Flint
Rune-Etched Striker
Smoldering Bloodgrass Tinder
Dagonic Quasigriff fragments
Smoke-Wreathed Gryphon Feather
Black Iron Bit
Bridle Black Iron Stirrups
The spooky season has returned, and Nirn need heroes to help bring Tamriel’s terrors under control. Will you come to their aid and enjoy the XP boosts, collectibles, and other rewards during the 2023 Witches Festival in-game event? Let us know via X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
The Witches Festival in-game event begins Thursday, October 26 at 10AM EDT, and runs until Tuesday, November 7 at 10AM EST.
ESO Devs Talk Update 40’s Group Finder and Grand Master Crafting Station
Learn more about two of the big new additions arriving as part of the Update 40 base-game patch.
Dive deep into Update 40’s two major base-game additions with two members of the development team responsible for the upcoming Group Finder tool and Grand Master Crafting Stations. These changes, along with everything else coming in Update 40, will be free for all players!
Group Finder Tool
“Group content can be difficult to break into when you don't have a social circle or are just stepping into it,” says Bobby Weir, ESO’s Lead UI Designer. “We aimed to create a tool that would help bridge that gap and make it easier for folks to meet others with similar goals. This is especially true for content that requires a group but doesn't have an easy way to find one.”
Arriving in Update 40, the new Group Finder tool allows you to quickly jump into ESO’s various activities, from Trial or Dungeon runs, World Boss zone tours, or social events like roleplaying or fashion contests. Group up to take on almost any challenge
To ensure the Group Finder covered as many needs as possible, the team started with major content categories that typically require a group, such as Dungeons and Trials, but they did not stop there. They also included content where players generally group together, even if it’s not required.
“Cyrodiil and the Imperial City are good examples of activities where there's safety in numbers, as are the game’s world bosses and world events,” explains Bobby. “We also looked at activities that may have only small gameplay benefits while grouped, but potentially strong social benefits. You may not strictly need someone to quest or explore with for example, but it can be more enjoyable with a friend. We also added a Custom category to fill in any of the gaps.”
Because the tool needed to cover these many different activities, the development of the Group Finder proved to be a complex process for the team.
“It can be difficult to strike a balance between usability and a wide variety of functionality,” says Bobby. “With most new features, we look back at similar things we've done in the past, either for learnings or to leverage UI paradigms from it. Guild Finder was a common reference point for this feature, since a lot of components are similar. With our UI, we focus on consistency across features so that if you learn it in one place, you have a good idea of how it'll work in this new place.” Group Finder helps you find like-minded adventurers
“The trickiest part was finding ways to fit all of the niche requirements for each content category together in a way that flowed well,” explains Bobby. “The UI design consisted of over 260 mockup screenshots!”
All that hard work has translated into a new tool for players to come together and explore Tamriel in any way they choose.
Grand Master Crafting Stations
Since their introduction in 2017, Attunable Crafting Stations have been highly sought-after by Tamriel’s master crafters. Perhaps even too sought after—as new sets have been added to the game over time, the space required for a full set of these desirable furnishings has ballooned. Now, with Update 40, a new feature resolves the issue for good.
“Grand Master Crafting Stations build on our prior Attunable Crafting Stations and help to solve a fundamental problem with the way they expand over time,” says Senior Systems Designer Cullen Lee. “If you’ve got 75+ sets for four different professions, that’s 300+ crafting stations to organize. They also eat up a huge chunk of your home’s furnishing budget, and that problem gets bigger with every zone. With Grand Master Crafting Stations, you can squish all those sets down into a single station per trade skill, so instead of 300+ stations, it’s just four, forever.” Grand Master Crafting Stations distill the essence of a craft
Players can feed their Attunable Crafting Stations to Grand Master Crafting Stations, giving them access to the function of any consumed station. Of course, getting your hands on these new stations won’t be easy, as they require the Unsurpassed Crafter Achievement* and significant resources.
“Grand Master Crafting Stations represent the top end of crafting mastery. As such, they have a significant cost associated with them while still making up a relatively small fraction of the overall cost of building a collection of set stations,” Cullen notes. “These are something really special, and they’re not something most folks should feel pressured to spend Vouchers on early in their Master Writ career.”
For those who do make the journey as a Grand Master crafter, the new stations appear visually distinct from regular Attunable ones.
“We wanted people with a large collection of set stations to feel proud when they looked at their station,” says Cullen. “After some iteration, we landed on a design where the station grows physically more complex at certain thresholds as you add sets. There's also a visual projection of the tradeskill symbol above the station once you’ve unlocked every set.” Refined designs for refined work
These exciting new features should be a great boon to the ESO community, with one assisting in forging new bonds in battle, and the other with forging new gear with which to undertake those challenges! Which Update 40 feature are you looking forward to the most? Let us know via X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or Facebook!
Update 40 arrives free for all players on October 30 for PC/Mac and November 14 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
*Requiring the completion of 100 Master Writs to unlock—no easy task!
