In The Elder Scrolls Online returns to Skyrim with the upcoming chapter addon Greymoor. The underworld of the “Blackreach” also plays a role. Our author Jürgen Horn was already traveling with the developers in Skyrim before the release and took a closer look.
How did we get the information about Blackreach and Skyrim? Our Mein-MMO author Jürgen Horn had the opportunity to take a detailed look at the new areas and content of Greymoor before the release.
Although every ESO player can explore Skyrim on the test server, Jürgen was also accompanied by developers Jeremy Sera, the Lead Content Designer, and Ed Stark, the Zone Lead.
Deluxe tour through Skyrim with the developers
This is what the city of Solitude looks like: The developers were excited to show me the new addon. So we first ran to Solitude, the famous city from Skyrim.
Everywhere there were the wolf banners of High King Svagrim hanging, and the city seemed much more “Nordic” than in the old Skyrim.
Because Skyrim is set in the distant future when the province of Skyrim is occupied by the Imperials. However, during the ESO time, the architecture is still in the style of the indigenous proud Nords. Still, one immediately feels a cozy sense of nostalgia and recognition.
And so the exploration continued: Later we explored the famous Dragon Bridge (which this time really is made of dragon bones) and the area around Morthal. It was supposed to be the fertile granary of Skyrim, but in ESO everything is snow-covered and frozen. Finding out the secret behind this climate disaster is supposed to be one of the major quests of the expansion, according to the developers.
We also encountered gruesome things in the beautiful winter landscape. First, we were attacked by a nasty skeleton wolf, and then suddenly a Chaurus monster appeared.
“Yes, they are rarely found on the surface,” said one of the developers. “I often overlook them, once I thought it was an ore deposit to mine and then that beast ate me!”.
We also witnessed one of the dreaded Storm Atronachs up close. The closer one gets to these new open-world challenges, the more intense the red storm clouds become, indicating the presence of dark forces. But since there were only three of us, we made a detour around the creepy event.
This is how eerie and beautiful Blackreach is in ESO
Finally to Blackreach: After various dark powers were mentioned underground, the developers wanted to finally lead me to the origin of all these dark occurrences. They are all hidden in the depths of Blackreach, the vast cave system beneath Skyrim.
According to the developers, about 40 percent of the game world in Greymoor is underground.
So Blackreach is truly enormous. And as the developers teleport me underground, I quickly realize that as well.
My journey begins in the underground city of Dusktown, which lies in a massive cavern. The developers describe it as “kind of like Deadwood in the underworld”. So a pioneer city of fortune seekers and scoundrels who hide down there and mine the rare plants and soul stones found there.
And indeed, beautiful crystal formations glow everywhere in the darkness.
This is how diverse Blackreach is: But that is by no means all that Blackreach has to offer. Besides the new crystal caves, there are the familiar places from Skyrim with fluorescent giant mushrooms and will-o’-the-wisps.
They grow in different areas of the vast underground that we explore together. “It was important for us to show both the familiar and the new,” my companions noted here.
This is how stylish the chief vampire resides: At the finale of our journey through Blackreach, we come to a truly dark place in the black heart of Skyrim: The namesake fortress Greymoor. This is a massive stronghold that was completely built underground.
The designers truly let their imagination run wild here. The phrase “Creepy Vampire Fortress of Death” comes to mind when I see the gigantic castle:
- Greymoor is built from a strange, reddish-brown stone
- Huge banners of the vampire legion hang everywhere
- Everywhere are small towers and spires erected, all in the style of a spooky gothic cathedral
- The towers seem to be merging with the black stone of Blackreach
- The whole fortress exudes an aura of eeriness and power.
So exactly the kind of house that an immortal and bitterly evil master vampire would build. According to the developers, the vampires would reside here and advance their dark plans.
A look at the linked map above shows that the vampire fortress Greymoor makes up a really hefty chunk of Blackreach. One will probably spend a lot of time in this fortress of death after which the entire addon is named.
This is how you can reside like a vampire lord: But not only the arch-vampire resides stylishly in the creepy castle. ESO players can buy their own vampire house not far from Greymoor for their heroes. Even if they are not vampires.
Jürgen’s conclusion – I want vacation in Blackreach!
After my tour through the new regions of Greymoor, it was clear that Blackreach was my favorite. I am usually not a fan of dark dungeons and caves. But the colorful shimmering mushrooms and crystals of Blackreach, together with the vampires and other subterranean monstrosities, truly invite exploration and conquest.
Just like it was back in Skyrim, but now even bigger, more beautiful, and with more vampires! Furthermore, the dark and bizarre underground remains a particularly strong contrast to the white-gray regions of the overworld.
But what impressed me the most was Greymoor, the colossal fortress complex. I am really excited about what gruesome secrets await me there. Moreover, the complex is truly huge and should ensure a very long and extensive quest session. Therefore, I am now even more looking forward to battling vampires in ESO.
