Hey everyone! Here's an excerpt from ESO's website about the upcoming DLC:
(Source: http://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/2015/10/14/orsinium-guide-areas)
The Wrothgarian Mountains have been home to northern Tamriel's Orcs since the beginning of recorded history. Invading armies have marched into these peaks countless times to suppress the fractious Orcs, but the clans always rise again. Our Areas guide will help you find your way through these hostile territories where a lovely overlook might only be few steps away from a deadly encounter.
Here are just a few examples what to expect when you are wandering through Wrothgar:
1. Frozen Fleet
2. Fharun
3. Old Orsinium
4. Graystone Quarry
5. Sorrow
6. Exile's Barrow
7. Rkindaleft
Frozen Fleet
A stretch of rugged seaside on the icy shores of Wrothgar's northwestern coast, this area is known for harsh weather, unpredictable storms, and frequent shipwrecks as ice can form without warning on even the calmest of days. A fleet of Breton ships from the Daggerfall Covenant were thrown off course by a powerful storm and have been captured in the frozen bay. Now, bands of Riekrs and wandering ogres have flocked to the wreckage in search of spoils—even as the survivors struggle to band together and get out of the ice. As you explore the area, keep an eye out for the Breton ambassador: she's been missing since the storm struck and the ships smashed into the ice.
Fharun
The stronghold of Clan Fharun, an Orc settlement in the northernmost reaches of Wrothgar, prides itself on remaining true to the teachings and traditions of Malacath. This, of course, pits its chief against King Kurog, who wants to set aside the restrictions of tradition and lead the Orsimer into a new age rich with opportunities and newfound prestige. Of course, the clan's dedication to Malacath makes it a prime target for the fanatical Vosh Rakh and their harsh methods for spreading the word of Trinimac throughout the land of the Orcs.
Old Orsinium
The ruins of Old Orsinium serve as a tempting target for adventurers and treasure hunters from all across the land. Within the extensive ruins, you can uncover the history of the Orcs, explore Malacath's religion of grudges and curses, and contend with Winterborn savages from the Reach. As you explore this historic site, make note of the architecture—the original Orc city was able to withstand a siege that lasted thirty years before finally falling to the combined might of the Bretons and Redguards!
Graystone Quarry
The Orcs of Tumnosh Stronghold control and operate Graystone Quarry, a site famous for supplying the massive amounts of stone necessary for rebuilding the city of Orsinium. The Tumnosh Clan is proud of the quarry and the stone they provide, even as King Kurog's demands for more and more stone stretch their workers to the breaking point. If you happen to find yourself in the wilderness southwest of Orsinium and come upon the quarry in your travels, check on the Tumnosh Orcs: the current order of stone hasn't reached Orsinium yet, and Borab, the city's master mason, is worried.
Sorrow
The tallest peak in the Wrothgarian Mountains, Sorrow has a reputation as both a sacred site and one of the most dangerous locations in all of Tamriel. In ages past, the Orcs used the mountain as a burial ground. The higher up the mountain an Orc's body was entombed, the more powerful and respected that Orc was. Legend has it that the greatest hero of Wrothgar and founder of Old Orsinium, King Torug himself, is buried at Sorrow's highest peak. Even now, a brave band of explorers hopes to challenge the dangers of the mountain to reach Torug's tomb. It wouldn't surprise anyone if they could use some help in this deadly endeavor.
Exile's Barrow
Chief Gloorot's small and isolated clan, camped near the mysterious Exile's Barrow, has been dealing with one crisis after another of late. And it all seems to tie back to the ancient Nord barrow that's as out of place in central Wrothgar as an Orc berserker at a fancy Breton ball. Something has stirred in the labyrinthine depths of the barrow, and it seems that the dead no longer rest easily within its dark interior.
Rkindaleft
Trapped in the ice of Wrothgar's frozen northern reaches, the Dwarven ruins of Rkindaleft have been lost to time for many generations. Recent rumors say the retreating glacier to the northeast of Orsinium has revealed a portion of the legendary ruins. Even now, scholars and other explorers rush to learn as much as they can of the place before the ice once more buries the ancient site. Not all of the rumors revolving around Rkindaleft are benign, however, and dark tales of ancient horrors wandering the ruins abound. If you dare to explore the area, keep an eye out for the missing group of researchers sent by Orsinium to discover the truth behind the rumors.
(Source: http://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/2015/10/23/orsinium-guide-maelstrom-arena)
In our final Orsinium guide, you'll learn all about the solo-challenge called Maelstrom Arena. We'll give you the ins and outs of how to enter, what to expect, what you can win, and how you can land on the leaderboards.
Journey into the churning void of Oblivion to do battle in the legendary Maelstrom Arena! Designed by the eccentric Demiprince Fa-Nuit-Hen, this bizarre Daedric crucible will push even the most powerful adventurers to their limits. It is a contest without allies and without mercy. In the Maelstrom, only the strong survive.
Maelstrom Arena is a single-player progressive challenge located in the northeastern mountains of Wrothgar. To enter the Maelstrom Arena, simply travel to Orsinium and navigate to the arena's POI icon on the map. You can also directly travel into the Maelstrom Arena via the fast-travel network by selecting its map icon.
Once inside, you'll need to battle your way through nine arenas, all with a different theme. You'll be thrown into Sheogorath's Realm to face-off against Dark Seducers and Golden Saints, fight Lamia and Argonians in a Murkmire-themed arena while avoiding electrified water, balance on rickety icebergs in a Wrothgar-themed arena while avoiding giants and trolls, and more! You'll also want to pay particular attention to your surroundings as there may be ways to use the environment or certain features to your advantage.
While fighting to survive, you can get an edge by taking advantage of four different types of Sigils that appear in each arena. They're easily identified as floating blue icons on the arena floor. To use a Sigil, simply walk near it and the Synergy prompt will appear. Press your Synergy key or button, and the Sigil will be activated, providing you with a powerful, temporary buff. Sigils will re-spawn between each round within an arena, so don't be afraid to use them! The Sigils that will be available to you include:
- Sigil of Defense: Grants damage reduction to all attacks, and reflects physical- and spell-based ranged attacks.
- Sigil of Haste: Grants increased resource regeneration and the Major Expedition buff.
- Sigil of Healing: Grants you a powerful heal over time.
- Sigil of Power: Grants increased weapon power.
Once you reach Veteran Rank 16, you will qualify for the Maelstrom Arena leaderboards. There are leaderboards for every class, and at the end of each week the top 100 players of each class will be granted special rewards via in-game mail.
Points for the Maelstrom Arena leaderboards are rewarded in multiple ways:
- You will be granted points every time you complete an arena.
- The Sigils that appear in each arena can bestow special powers, but each round that you survive without using a Sigil will grant you bonus points.
- If you complete the Maelstrom Arena in full (all nine arenas) within 1 hour and 30 minutes, you will be granted additional points. Faster times net increased point gains.
In addition to competing against other players to be the best on the leaderboards, there are also new item sets available specifically to the Maelstrom Arena that you can receive in both the Normal and Veteran versions. You can also obtain unique weapon and jewelry sets in Veteran Maelstrom Arena, similar to Veteran Dragonstar Arena.
Do you have what it takes to survive and conquer the Maelstrom Arena?
