General:Scribes of Fate Preview—Scrivener's Hall

Originally published March 8, 2023. The original article can be found here.

Reclaim a powerful Daedric artifact and save the Scribes of Mora from a dangerous usurper in Scrivener's Hall.

Part of the Shadow Over Morrowind adventure, Scrivener's Hall is one of the two all-new dungeons included in the Scribes of Fate DLC, arriving on PC/Mac on March 13 and on Xbox and PlayStation consoles March 28.

A Change in Leadership

Since their founding, the Scribes of Mora have dedicated their lives in secret to the Lord of Knowledge, Hermaeus Mora. However, the Scribes' long-time leader Keshargo was recently ousted by the upstart Valinna, who has other, more sinister plans for the cult.

"The Scribes of Mora were a passive organization dedicated to mapping the Daedric planes," explains Mike Finnigan, ESO's Encounters Lead. "Their primary goal was seeking information and gathering knowledge as befits followers of Hermaeus Mora. However, Valinna's goal is to transform the Scribes into a militant force of devout zealots."

Explore the library of the Scribes of Mora

"In order to achieve her goals, she knows she needs to locate the Itinerant Staff, the traditional symbol of power for the Scribes, which has the ability to instantly return the wielder to Scrivener's Hall," explains Finnigan. "Keshargo knows where the staff is hidden, but he is not talking."

To reclaim the title of "Magnastylus," Keshargo must retrieve the Itinerant Staff himself before Valinna can find it. He'll need your help sneaking into the Scrivener's Hall, battling back Valinna's devout followers, and returning the Scribes of Mora to their original purpose.

Empowered by Mora

The Scribes of Mora might have been a peaceful order in the past, but under Valinna's twisted leadership, they have become fearsome battlemages, capable of wielding dangerous spells and controlling massive magical constructs.

"The Scribes of Mora being dedicated followers of Hermaeus Mora is an obvious connection to the larger Shadow Over Morrowind story," explains Finnigan. "And as a result of their devotion, you will see monsters within the dungeon using powerful Arcanist abilities."

Face cultists empowered by Hermaeus Mora

"As a group dedicated to traveling through Daedric planes, players can also expect to encounter some different realms of Oblivion," says Finnigan. "Some will seem familiar, such as the Deadlands, but players will also get to explore the Spiral Skein, the Daedric Plane of Mephala, too."

As you make your way to the Itinerant Staff and venture between realms, in addition to the Scribes, you'll need to contend with bloodthirsty Dremora and hulking Daedric monsters, such as one of the dungeon's bosses, Ozezan.

The monstrous Ozezan the Inferno

"All of the dungeon's bosses have unique mechanics that players haven't seen before," says Finnigan. "But I think Ozezan the Inferno is worth highlighting as we have not used an Infernium in a dungeon before. Monster placement is key in this battle, and it will test players' positioning to ensure the boss doesn't fill the entire space with lava."

Ultimately, you and your allies must help Keshargo finally confront Valinna herself, empowered by an unknown force, and stop her before the Scribes of Mora are forever damned. As part of the Shadow Over Morrowind adventure, what you uncover in Scrivener's Hall will lead directly into the story to come, and this might not be the last time you encounter the Itinerant Staff.

Gifts of Knowledge (and Power)

Should you help Keshargo reclaim the mantle of leadership, you'll unlock a mysterious collection of collectibles and items, some unique to Scrivener's Hall. This includes the Iterative Onyx Glyphic memento (for completing the dungeon on Veteran difficulty), the Sextant emote (for completing optional content in both dungeons), and the Lost emote (earned simply by entering one of the two new dungeons).

In addition to the above, Scrivener's Hall also drops three unique gear sets and a new monster set. This includes the Runecarver's Blaze light set, which can help boost the damage you do with your damage over time abilities.

"Runecarver's Blaze adds even more fuel to your fire," explains Nadav Pechthold, the Combat Designer behind the dungeon's item sets. "Lay on multiple damage over time abilities and watch your enemies light up every time one of them hits that three-second tick."

With these arcane new item sets and collectibles, Scrivener's Hall allows you to claim Hermaeus Mora's boons for yourself.

Save the Scribes

The Scribes of Mora's new leader has set them upon a destructive path, and Keshargo needs your help returning the Daedric cult to their original purpose. Are you ready to travel between realms and claim the Itinerant Staff? Tell us if you're excited to delve into Scrivener's Hall when the Scribes of Fate DLC launches this month via Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Scribes of Fate and Update 37 arrives on March 13 for PC/Mac, and on March 28 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles.