The Greymoor DLC for Elder Scrolls Online was a return to one of the most well-known areas in all of Tamriel – Skyrim. Eastmarch and The Rift can be explored in the vanilla ESO, but Greymoor adds Western Skyrim as a huge new zone to more fully complete the province, including Solitude and most of The Reach and Hjaalmarch.
While some fans have criticized Greymoor for being too fanservicey and pandering to Skyrim fans, the Chapter adds a ton of features that are mainstays to the game to this day like the Antiquities system. The story revolves around vampires in a potential callback to the Dawnguard DLC for Skyrim, but there's a lot more to the homeland of the Nords than this bloodsucking threat.
The Greymoor Chapter Is The Main DLC Of The "Dark Heart Of Skyrim"
The Greymoor Chapter takes players back to the familiar locale of the fifth Elder Scrolls game and features a story that revolves around an otherworldly threat called the Grey Host. Called the "Dark Heart of Skyrim" arc, the story brings back some familiar faces, like Lyris Titanborn, and takes players well beyond – and beneath – the province of Skyrim.
The other DLCs in the "Dark Heart of Skyrim" arc continue the story and open up even more places to explore. It's the fourth major expansion for the game, counting Morrowind, Summerset, and Elsweyr, and it had a lot to live up to as a callback to the most popular Elder Scrolls game. This story arc wrapped up later in 2020 with the release of the Markarth DLC, considered by many to be the game's best standalone DLC area.
Solitude, Western Skyrim, and Blackreach Are Greymoor's New Zones
Western Skyrim wasn't originally available for players to explore in Elder Scrolls Online – Eastmarch and The Rift on the other side of the province were the only Holds included in the base game. Western Skyrim encapsulates a larger area than just one hold, though, containing the areas of The Reach, Hjaalmarch, and parts of adjacent Holds.
The Greymoor Chapter also adds one location that might elicit a groan from players at first glance: Blackreach. Blackreach in Skyrim was an unnavigable, complex cavern where Falmer come out of nowhere to attack players looking for ever-elusive Crimson Nirnroot. Blackreach in Elder Scrolls Online is a much less anxiety-inducing experience, letting players take in the truly awe-inspiring surroundings without sacrificing the sense of danger such a deep place is meant to evoke.
The Antiquities System Lets Players Scry For Relics And Treasures
A new system was introduced with the Greymoor Chapter that lets players identify and excavate ancient artifacts throughout Tamriel and beyond. The Antiquities system rewards players for following their archeological instincts, but the skill lines and ability to do the activity have to be learned first. At the Antiquarian's Circle in Solitude, players learn how to use the Antiquarian's Eye in locating possible digsites in almost every zone.
When killing foes and looting environmental objects in a zone, players have a chance to uncover something called a Lead. These Leads are tied to the zone they were found in and can be used to Scry for the location of their named treasure. You won't be able to get everything from the get-go, though, as the skill line must be leveled up to take on rarer (and more lucrative) Leads.
Shutting Down Harrowstorms Is Greymoor's Major Group PvE Activity
Elder Scrolls Online has a lot of world events for players to group up and take part in. The base game offers Dark Anchors, Summerset offers Geysers, Elsweyr offers Dragon Hunts, and Greymoor introduces Harrowstorms, a supernatural conflux created by ritualists around the area. Red clouds gather when one is about to appear, summoning players from around the zone to put a stop to the ritual.
In addition to Harrowstorms, Greymoor brings with it the standard fare of PvE activities like Delves, World Bosses, and two Public Dungeons. There is also a new Trial for players to take on, called Kyne's Aegis, which takes players to an island north of Solitude in the Sea of Ghosts to take on a Vampire Lord and his army of Giants.
How To Start The Greymoor Chapter
There are two main ways to start the Greymoor chapter: by talking to a certain NPC or by going through the Collections tab. To start the questline organically head to the docks in Daggerfall or Vulkhel Guard or to the east of the Gladiator's Quarters in Davon's Watch. Talk to Scout Gunthe, who should approach the player with their quest like most Chapter-initiating NPCs in ESO.
To start the Greymoor Chapter through the Collections tab, click "Collections", then select the "Stories" section. Here you will find several options, but click "Chapters" to find Greymoor and other Chapter-based questlines you have credited to your account. Click this, accept the quest, and head on up to Solitude. Alternatively, you can head straight to Solitude on the world map, which should lead you close to the NPC who starts the main quest for the Chapter anyway.
The Elder Scrolls Online is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.
