General:Necrom Preview—Fear Apocrypha's Most-Monstrous Inhabitants
< General: Elderscrollsonline.com ArchiveOriginally published May 16, 2023. The original article can be found here.
In the upcoming Necrom Chapter, you can visit Apocrypha, the twisted realm of Hermaeus Mora. However, endless knowledge is not all that awaits within the Daedric Prince's dominion. Creatures ranging from the bizarre to the terrifying litter the ethereal landscape and threaten those who journey too far in search of Mora's secrets.
Take a quick look at four of these cursed creatures and learn more about what roles they play in the vast sea of forbidden knowledge that is Apocrypha.
SeekersEdit
Perhaps first and foremost among the denizens of Mora's realm are the Seekers. You're likely to come across these levitating, tentacled Daedra anywhere treasured knowledge may be found, as they tend to the endless stacks of tomes and loose pages scattered throughout Apocrypha.
"Seekers are the Daedric creatures most loyal to Hermaeus Mora, resembling spawn from the Inevitable Knower himself," says Michael Zenke, ESO's Loremaster. "While some sources (often tomes of ill repute written by half-mad scholars) indicate that Seekers can speak out loud, reliable witnesses claim that Seekers make only the most basic and uncanny of sounds as they silently prowl their Master's realm."
Seekers are said to be the administrators and guardians of Apocrypha's Endless Library, and they will reportedly go to extreme lengths to protect their lord's trove of unfathomable lore.
"Indeed, the average Seeker will not pause to engage a mortal in Apocrypha in pleasant conversation," says Zenke. "They instinctively feel that intruding mortals are a danger that should be destroyed immediately."
You can find Seekers throughout much of Apocrypha, but it is said one uniquely mighty variant resides in one of the realm's most unholy sites.
"A particularly ancient Seeker, the Prime Cataloguer, makes its home in the Libram Cathedral, waiting for groups of daring adventurers to challenge it," warns Tom Murphy, Necrom's Zone Lead.
Mortals curious about what knowledge they can procure from within Mora's realm should be careful, lest they fall victim to a Seeker ready to punish any intruders for their trespasses.
LurkersEdit
While Seekers may guard Apocrypha's libraries, Lurkers stalk its shores, ready to devour any unfortunates that cross their paths. These unsightly beasts are rumored to be birthed from the abyssal pools that make up the very foundation of Apocrypha. It is said that they represent the evolution of life pushed to its very extreme, resulting in a hideous monster that barely resembles any natural lifeform.
"Looking at these beasts, it's easy to see their physiology was inspired by some of the strangest creatures of Nirn," says Zenke. "Perhaps it's this tenuous link back to the Nirn that makes them so truly disgusting, because deep down we recognize the shapes that inspired the Lurker. And we fear them."
HushedEdit
Unlike Seekers and Lurkers, the Hushed do not appear to be naturally occurring residents of Apocrypha. Instead, they are theorized to be the husks of mortal loreseekers who have been degraded both mentally and physically after peering too long into the Lord of Knowledge's darkest secrets.
"The Hushed are the result of prolonged exposure to the boundless secrets of Mora's realm," says Zenke. "Once dedicated researchers and scholars, these misshapen, mouthless beings are now driven only by a thirst for knowledge. They are hostile in the extreme to mortal interlopers."
These horrific reflections of our own mortal form wander across the wastes of Apocrypha, supposedly in search of the very knowledge that led to their ghastly transformation. Despite their pitiful appearance, the Hushed are not to be underestimated.
"Though their minds are destroyed, they retain the skills and abilities they wielded in life–and in some cases, have unlocked new powers at the cost of mind and body," warns Murphy. "Don't treat them as mindless zombies."
Hermaeus Mora's gifts may appear tantalizing at first, but remember that few dealings with Daedric Princes come without a price.
Mind TerrorsEdit
The last and most disturbing creature you may encounter in your travels throughout Apocrypha are the nightmarish Mind Terrors. Everything about these unnerving monstrosities seems to be designed to instill terror into the minds of mortals. Fear is their weapon, and they wield it expertly.
"They are nightmares out of childhood," says Zenke. "The shadows on the wall of our bedrooms given flesh, intellect, and a mouth full of hundreds of pointed teeth."
Although Mind Terrors prowl across various regions of Apocrypha, they seem oddly distinct from the realm's other inhabitants. They appear almost alien when compared to Mora's spawn and seem to act in opposition to the Prince's goals.
"Mind Terrors have arrayed themselves against Hermaeus Mora," explains Murphy. "They are nightmares given form, feasting on mental anguish and terror."
While each these monsters are extremely dangerous, one is feared above all others and has reportedly escaped from Oblivion.
"A particularly virulent Mind Terror, the Walking Nightmare, has broken free of any control and now runs rampant in the Telvanni Peninsula," says Murphy. "Groups of adventurers can tackle this monstrosity in the Nightmare Den."
Are you prepared to face your greatest fears and banish this abhorrent creature back to Oblivion?
Now that you've glimpsed the sort of adversaries you can encounter during your journeys through Apocrypha, do you feel prepared to plunge into the accursed realm of Hermaeus Mora when Necrom launches next month? Do you have a favorite monster from the horrors above? Let us know via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom is part of the Shadow Over Morrowind adventure and arrives for PC/Mac on June 5, 2023, and for Xbox and PlayStation consoles on June 20, 2023. Pre-purchase Necrom now to receive unique bonus rewards at launch and immediate access to the Sadrith Mora Spore Steed mount.