The Elder Scrolls Online - Lair of Maarselok Dungeon Overview
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Lair of Maarselok is one of the two new dungeons coming to The Elder Scrolls Online in the game's Scalebreaker DLC that should be going live on August 12, 2019 for PC and Mac and August 27 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The dungeon will pit you against a recently awoken dragon and its otherworldly corrupting influence.
Here's an overview of the challenges and rewards you'll find inside:
A great Dragon has awoken, and the defenders of Grahtwood struggle to stop the spread of his corruption. Discover the Lair of Maarselok, one of the two new dungeons coming with the Scalebreaker DLC game pack!
MAARSELOK RISES
Deep beneath the border mountains of eastern Grahtwood, the Dragon known as Maarselok wakes with the release of his brethren from the Halls of Colossus. Hungry and vengeful, the terrible beast has ravaged the wilds, and his corrupting power threatens the Elden Root tree if left unchecked.
“Maarselok exudes corruption. It seeps into everything he touches, from the ground to the trees and plants and then to the animals,” explains Mike Finnigan, ESO’s Dungeon Lead. “Needless to say, a society built on respecting nature is at odds with this type of corruption. It threatens their entire reason for existing.”
Failing to deal with the monster on their own, the Wood Elves have reached out to an unlikely pair for help: the forest spirit Selene and her captor, the Warlock Carindon. With their help, you and your team must venture into Maarselok’s domain and put a stop to his rampages before the blight can spread any further.
INTO THE LAIR
When you set foot into this new dungeon, you’ll discover a natural world decaying under the awoken Dragon’s influence.
“Visually we wanted to represent the corruption within the Dungeon as otherworldly and unnatural,” says Finnigan. “As players progress through the dungeon, they will see more and more of the corrupting influences throughout, and it lends an alien feel to the environments.”
Guarding Maarselok is a horde of corrupted animal and plant life, including giant spiders, hoarvors, and stranglers. However, Maarselok’s influence has spread to more than the local beasts.
“In addition to the corrupted wildlife, the previous expedition of Bosmer which was sent to deal with Maarselok are also now a threat,” explains Finnigan. “They have been corrupted, and players need to break that corruption the best way possible—by beating it out of them!”
Of course, eventually you’ll have to face Maarselok himself, but because a Dragon is never easy prey, he must be defeated in three different “boss fights” throughout the course of the Dungeon.
“As players fought Dragons in Sunspire and Elsweyr, they realized the challenge is intended for more than a group. We wanted to keep that feeling that Dragons aren’t just normal monsters to be defeated,” says Finnigan. “In order to do that, we kept Maarselok’s health level very high but split up the encounters so that you slowly chip away at its health over the course of three fights. It also allowed us to show different aspects of Dragon encounters from flying, to perching to eventually fighting on the ground.”
A DRAGON’S BOUNTY
Should you succeed in ending Maarselok’s corruption, you’ll loot a host of unique rewards and collectibles, including three new gear sets and a monster helm. This includes Dragon’s Defilement, a new heavy set that debuffs nearby enemies.
In addition to new gear sets, Lair of Maarselok will also reward players with new Achievements, Mementos, and Furnishings. Finally, should you complete both Lair of Maarselok and Moongrave Fane, you’ll receive a new tablet collectible, allowing you to unlock a new wing within the Hall of the Lunar Champion home!
