General:Flames of Ambition Preview—The Cauldron

Originally published February 10, 2022. The original article can be found here.

Venture into a forgotten mine and confront the minions of Mehrunes Dagon in the Cauldron, a new four-player dungeon coming with the Flames of Ambition DLC!

Investigate a Cursed Mine

Hidden within the eastern hills of Deshaan, a long-abandoned mine has become the site of cult activity, and Drathas, a local Dark Elf from a nearby village, needs your help to rescue his enslaved family. However, Drathas is not the only one interested in the mine, as the fan-favorite Dremora Lyranth also has reason to explore its depths, too. For the dev team, adding Lyranth to the dungeon, with her obvious connection to Oblivion, was an easy decision to make.

Lyranth has returned and needs your help

"Lyranth is a great character because she very much has her own agenda, and no one is really quite sure what it is," explains Mike Finnigan, ESO's Encounters Lead. "She is mercurial and aloof, but her motives often align with the players, and her rebellious nature is very endearing to the community."

With both Lyranth and Drathas at your side, you must venture deep into the Cauldron, confront the Order of the Waking Flame, free their captives, and put a stop to the ritual at its heart.

Venture deep inside the Cauldron

As part of the Gates of Oblivion year-long saga, this dungeon sets the stage for the events of The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood and the rest of the year's stories.

Fight to the Shrine

Standing between you and the prisoners is a host of Daedric beasts and mortal minions, determined to complete the shrine for their lord. These forces include merciless cultists, Daedric monsters, and even powerful Dremora soldiers utterly dedicated to their master.

Face Daedric monsters and worse

"The dungeon is separated into three areas," explains Finnigan. "The prisons mainly have monsters and cultist guards for the captives, the lava caves are filled with more natural beasts, and then the temple itself has more of Baron Zaudrus's inner circle."

In addition to this fiery host stands fearful bosses, such as the disgusting Oxblood the Depraved (the biggest ogrim you've ever encountered), the merciless Taskmaster Viccia, and a monstrous Molten Guardian. Of course, after you've fought your way through these challenges, you still need to face the power behind the mine's takeover in Baron Zaudrus, a fearsome Daedric chieftain—good luck!

The imposing Baron Zaudrus

"We have thrown a couple wrinkles into this dungeon that players haven't seen before," says Finnigan. "There are some new ways to accomplish goals that also incorporate levers that allow players to increase the challenge, hard mode aside. The final boss in particular, Baron Zaudrus, is a frantic fight that really emphasizes movement and forces you to have your head on a swivel."

Oblivion-Touched Rewards

As you put the minions of Mehrunes Dagon to the sword and save Drathas's family, you can receive unique rewards including new gear sets, a monster mask, Achievements|Achievements, and Collectibles.

One of the three unique sets includes Dagon's Dominion, which adds a whopping 492 weapon damage to your AoE abilities. This is a huge boost for Stamina-based DPS builds, but it also boosts AoE heals like Echoing Vigor or Soothing Spores!

Even better, the Baron Zaudrus monster mask (which captures his terrifying visage) gives you a boost to your Ultimate gain any time you apply a status effect to an enemy—ideal for those warriors who like to bury their foes in debuffs before bringing down the hammer!

In addition to these items, there's also a host of Achievements and Collectibles you can earn by completing the dungeon, including Dagon's Viscerent skin, unlocked by beating the Cauldron on Veteran difficulty.

The Dagon's Viscerent skin (middle) and Baron Zaudrus monster mask (right)

"The skin reward is a unique take on followers of Mehrunes Dagon," explains Finnigan. "All of the Waking Flame within have it, and when combined with both the armor sets (a kind of Mehrunes Dagon gladiator-type style) and the monster mask, you can really get your DagON."

The Gates of Oblivion Begins Now!

Take your first steps into the Gates of Oblivion year-long saga with the Cauldron, a new four-player dungeon arriving as part of the Flames of Ambition DLC game pack. Are you excited to kick off your next big adventure and delve into this challenging new PvE activity? Let us know via Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

The Gates of Oblivion year-long saga begins with the Flames of Ambition DLC game pack, coming March 8 for PC/Mac and Stadia*, and March 16 for Xbox One and PlayStation®4.

*Available only in limited territories.