General:Dragon Bones – Fang Lair Preview

Originally published January 10, 2018. The original article can be found here.

Something stirs within the ancient halls of Fang Lair. Something thought long dead. Something monstrous. Explore the first dungeon in Dragon Bones, The Elder Scrolls Online's next DLC game pack, and uncover the terrifying machinations of the necromancer Orryn the Black!

An Old Foe Reborn

The powerful necromancer Orryn the Black has discovered the long-abandoned Dwarven ruins of Fang Lair. The cunning mage seeks neither treasure nor fame, but an ancient legacy lost for centuries. Deep within the halls of the ancient city lay the bones of the great dragon Thurvokun, who claimed the site as his own millennia ago. Should Orryn's nefarious plan succeed, he will gain control of a powerful and dangerous creature: a reanimated undead dragon!

"Fang Lair is a location people haven't seen since The Elder Scrolls: Arena," says Mike Finnigan, the game's Dungeon Lead. "However, in that game, players saw it in a very different light. In The Elder Scrolls Online, we wanted to expand upon the lore behind it, and we thought this was a chance to really flesh out its story."

The depths of Fang Lair contain a massive underground complex for you to explore. While seasoned dungeon delvers might expect to find all manner of automatons defending the ruins, Thurvokun's initial occupation and Orryn's subsequent discovery have cleared out any remnants of the ancient Dwarven machines. Now, the site is home to the dark necromancers known as the Blackmarrow and their unnatural conjurations.

Fang Lair's long-forgotten caverns

The moment you step into the underground city, you'll see the sprawling complex in its entirety.

"With Fang Lair, we wanted to try some new techniques for world building," explains Finnigan. "We really liked the idea of knowing where you're going in the dungeon, so very early on you can see everything within the cavern, and you get to go to these locations as you make your way through."

These new techniques enabled the team to do away with mid-dungeon load screens, and any doors you encounter within Fang Lair simply open, allowing you to enjoy a seamless adventure from start to finish.

The Dead Stand Against You

Reaching Orryn the Black is no easy task, as Fang Lair harbors a host of challenging minions and bosses designed to push you and your fellow explorers to your limits. You might have dealt with the undead before during your adventures in Tamriel, but the Blackmarrow are truly masters of the dark arts and should not be underestimated.

"When exploring Fang Lair, the Revivifier necromancers can be a real pain if you let them live for too long," warns Finnigan. "They can increase the damage of any surrounding undead, threatening to quickly overwhelm your group."

But it's not just endless hordes of undead that stand in your way. The dungeon also boasts some fearsome bosses to challenge your group, including vicious reanimated creatures, powerful Liches, and insidious specters.

Prepare to face the dead!

When designing the dungeon's many challenges, the goal was to create the kind of difficulty curve that players have come to expect from our dungeon DLC game packs.

"With Dragon Bones, we are aiming for a level of difficulty similar to the dungeons found in Horns of the Reach," says Finnigan. "It's challenging, and there's a lot of stuff to deal with and learn, but you can get through it without feeling frustrated."

All these challenges and travails eventually lead to a final confrontation with Orryn the Black and his greatest achievement – the reanimated bone dragon Thurvokun! The master necromancer is a threat in his own right, but when coupled with this undead monstrosity, the two become a challenge unlike anything you've faced before.

Bone Dragon concept

"In the final boss battle against Orryn and Thurvokun, target priority and awareness is very important," says Finnigan. "There's a lot happening in this fight, and some things need to be dealt with quicker than others."

In Fang Lair, you'll need to learn from and adapt to everything the ancient ruin throws at you, lest you join the dead!

Reap All-New Rewards

The halls of Fang Lair might appear daunting to even the most experienced dungeon explorer, but those valiant enough to brave the ancient city will find the rewards are well worth the risks.

Worm Wizard personality

These rewards include the Worm Wizard personality, earned by completing the Fang Lair Challenger achievement; unique Trophies and Busts for completing the dungeon on both Normal and Veteran mode; and the Renegade Dragon Priest Mask, earned by simply entering the dungeon.

And yes, should you complete Fang Lair, you'll be rewarded with the head of a bone dragon to mount in your home!

Fang Lair also rewards brave adventurers with a selection of powerful new item sets that drop from all bosses, including the Trappings of Invigoration set (pictured below) that can give Stamina characters a much-needed boost to their sustain.

Trappings of Invigoration (Legendary CP160)

Finally, if you complete this new dungeon in Veteran difficulty you'll earn the Thurvokun monster helm, part of a new monster set that creates pools on the ground that reduce enemy damage and restore Health when you take damage--perfect for adventurers who like to stand toe-to-toe with the enemy!

Stop the Necromancers

The Blackmarrow have taken control of the long-forgotten halls of Fang Lair, and they stand poised to create an army of undead the likes of which Tamriel has never seen. Will you battle your way through the ancient Dwarven ruin, put a stop to their plans, and face off against their leader, the devious necromancer Orryn the Black? 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.