General:Dragon Bones – Scalecaller Peak Preview

Originally published January 17, 2018. The original article can be found here.

Atop the windswept ruins of Scalecaller Peak, a mysterious cult led by a resurrected Dragon Priest threatens to cleanse Tamriel with a devastating plague. Delve into the second dungeon in The Elder Scrolls Online's next DLC game pack, Dragon Bones, and discover the foul plans of Zaan the Scalecaller and her new Daedric master.

A Dragon Priest Restored

Before her betrayal and death, the Dragon Priest Zaan the Scalecaller served the mighty wyrm Thurvokun. Upon her resurrection she found a new patron to serve in her dragon's absence: the Daedric Prince Peryite, the Lord of Pestilence. With her master's blessing, Zaan's powers have grown, and now she threatens to bring her master's scourge to all of Tamriel.

Zaan the Scalecaller's temple is located along the mountainous border between Wrothgar and Stormhaven, at the summit of a perilous climb.

"With this new dungeon, we really wanted to tell the story of Scalecaller visually and at the same time emphasize how her corruption has spread to all of her followers," says Mike Finnigan, the Dungeon Lead. "And setting it in some Orsinium-styled ruins really worked for what we wanted to do with the Dragon Priest, her cult, and their story."

The fetid halls of Scalecaller Peak

As you explore the mountain and its dark pathways, you'll notice a toxic glow – the result of the Peryite cultists' foul experiments – that illuminates the caverns and creatures within. Making your way up the windswept mountainside, you'll do battle with ogres and giants that have been infected by the cult's mysterious affliction and become all the stronger for it. But even more dangerous are the Peyrite [sic] cultists themselves, devoted to their Daedric master and led by the Dragon Priest.

Uncover the dark history of the resurrected Dragon Priest and put a stop to the foul plans that she and Peryite have for all of Tamriel.

Plague-ridden Foes

You and your group must battle through the frenzied beasts and fanatical Peryite cultists guarding Scalecaller Peak. But all of the dungeon's inhabitants have been twisted, yet empowered by the cult's foul pestilence, making them a dangerous challenge for even the most experienced groups. Be warned: while navigating the mountain's darkest pathways, watch where you step. Even the skeevers have a toxic surprise for unsuspecting delvers!

The bosses guarding the temple are every bit as twisted as their minions, and will utilize a host of tricky mechanics that you must identify to survive. For example, the twin ogres Orzun the Foul-Smelling and Rinaerus the Rancid are challenging foes individually, but take them on at the same time and you're in for a nasty surprise!

"The two ogres Orzun and Rinaerus have abilities that cancel each other out, so it's beneficial to kill them both simultaneously," Finnigan suggests. "However, if you bring them too close together, they'll buff themselves and do a lot more damage to you and your party."

Beware of foul monsters

Scalecaller Peak will subvert your expectations with tricky, unexpected mechanics, but if you're clever, you can find opportunity in unlikely places.

"When running Scalecaller Peak, we throw a lot of stuff at players from the periphery," says Finnigan. "First and foremost, players should keep an eye on their surroundings. It also helps to play with your subtitles or sound on, as some of the dungeon's major mechanics are telegraphed via speech."

Many of these tips come from the dungeon's main NPC, Jorvuld Davaux, an academic investigating the temple. Pay attention to him as you fight. You ignore his words at your peril!

Scalecaller empowered

Once you reach the temple's summit, you'll have your mettle tested by Zaan the Scalecaller herself. Be warned: the Daedric Prince has lent her a powerful Daedric Artifact known as Spellbreaker.

"Peryite hasn't really been featured in The Elder Scrolls Online before so we thought this was a great opportunity to show the effects of his work in all its glory," says Finnigan. "Adding Spellbreaker made sense, given its association with Peryite. It also shows how much the Daedric Prince favors the Dragon Priest."

Alone, Zaan the Scalecaller is a terrible threat, but when assisted by Peryite and Spellbreaker, she'll require a high degree of teamwork and awareness to overcome.

Plunder the Peak

Should you survive the final battle and stand victorious atop Scalecaller Peak, you'll earn a host of unique rewards.

These riches could include the Blackmarrow Necromancer skin, earned by completing the Scalecaller Peak Challenger achievement; unique Trophies and Busts for completing the dungeon on both Normal and Veteran mode; and the Renegade Dragon Priest Mask, earned simply by entering one of the two Dragon Bones dungeons.

Blackmarrow Necromancer skin

As with previous dungeons, Scalecaller Peak's bosses (and some chests) will drop three unique item sets in light, medium, and heavy sizes. One of these sets includes Jorvuld's Guidance (pictured below), which will greatly improve you and your group's survivability with a hefty boost to buffs and damage shields – something that might have been handy for the dungeon you just completed!

Jorvuld's Guidance (Legendary CP160)

Finally, should you complete Scalecaller Peak on Veteran difficulty, you'll earn a Zaan monster helm. When combined with the rest of the monster set, the helm will blast enemies with a beam whenever you deal Critical Damage with a Light or Heavy Attack, resulting in the potential for some massive single-target burst damage.

Stop the Deadly Scourge

Zaan the Scalecaller has a new patron in the Lord of Pestilence, and their unholy alliance can only spell doom for the people of Tamriel. Will you brave the dark paths of Scalecaller Peak and put a stop to the deadly plague before it can spread? Let us know on Twitter @TESOnline and Facebook!

The Dragon Bones DLC game pack arrives this February and will be available free for ESO Plus members and for purchase from the in-game Crown Store.