Originally published March 3, 2023. The original article can be found here.
Kicking off the Shadow Over Morrowind adventure, Bal Sunnar is one of two exciting new dungeons included in the Scribes of Fate DLC, arriving on PC/Mac on March 13 and on Xbox and PlayStation consoles March 28.
Telvanni Temporal TribulationsEdit
Located in the eastern region of Stonefalls, the remote Telvanni township of Bal Sunnar has endured in isolation for centuries. However, mysterious magical energies have begun to emanate from the village, prompting one of Tamriel’s most-secretive orders to investigate.
“Bal Sunnar is kind of tucked away in the mountains and generally keeps to itself,” explains Mike Finnigan, ESO’s Encounters Lead. “The problem is that there is a temporal anomaly present in the town. Someone is using time magic, so the Psijic Order has come to investigate.”
To this end, Saresea has arrived at the gates of Bal Sunnar, and you and your party must help the Psijic Order agent explore the Telvanni town, find the source of the temporal magics, and shut it down.
(Embedded here is a kuula Virtual Tour of the Bal Sunnar)
As part of the Shadow Over Morrowind adventure, what you find in Bal Sunnar will reverberate throughout the adventures to come.
“Why the temporal anomaly is here in this place is a mystery,” says Finnigan. “But WHAT the anomaly truly is and its ultimate purpose is an even bigger one.”
Battle Through TimeEdit
Despite the danger the anomaly represents, House Telvanni has no love of outsiders meddling in their affairs, and they stand read to defend their secrets by any means necessary.
“When you first arrive in Bal Sunnar, the Telvanni seem to recognize you, even calling you the ‘scourge,’” says Finnigan. “This is a bit weird considering you haven’t been here before, but as you dive deeper into the dungeon, you will begin to realize why that is. Even worse, some of the enemies seem to have embraced the temporal magic and use it to their advantage in battle.”
House Telvanni conjurers, mages, and even more fearsome beasts guard the town, and as you progress, you’ll discover the anomaly’s full power and find yourself and your allies unstuck in time—with each area bringing new experiences and challenges.
“The dungeon’s first section is Dark Elf in the traditional sense, and it features common allies they have co-opted,” explains Finnigan. “The second section adds more animalistic enemies common to Morrowind (such as nix-oxen and nix-hounds), while the third section sees the town in the throes of Peryite worship with heavy influences from poison and disease effects.”
Temporal magics are powerful and unpredictable, and the Telvanni have made good use of them to bolster their defenses. This is especially true in each of the dungeon’s three boss fights, such as Roksa the Warped, a massive, mutated nix-ox that is sure to keep your party on its toes.
Despite these challenges, you are not without help, and you and your allies should look to Saresea’s own power as a member of the Psijic Order to overcome Bal Sunnar’s various threats.
Eternal RewardsEdit
Should you battle your way through time and succeed in stopping the anomaly, you’ll uncover a host of rewards, many unique to this dungeon. This includes four new item sets (including a new monster set) in addition to new titles, Achievements, collectibles, and more.
Collectibles you can earn from Ban Sunnar include the Lost emote (earned by simply entering either one of the two Scribes of Fate dungeons), the Taskmaster’s Banner skin (earned via completion on Veteran difficulty), and the Sextant emote (earned via completing optional content in both dungeons).
Some of the new gear you’ll have an opportunity to acquire in Bal Sunnar includes the Nix-Hound’s Howl medium set, which buffs your Weapon and Spell Damage while also debuffing your foes.
Nix-Hound's Howl makes you the ultimate pest by taking your opponent's strength for yourself,” explains Nadav Pechthold, the Combat Designer behind Bal Sunnar’s new gear. “Not only does this set make you more powerful, but your allies will benefit from your weakened foe!”
Scribe the FutureEdit
Telvanni mages, time-warped beasts, and Daedric cultists stand between you and the mystery at the heart of Bal Sunnar. In this new dungeon, you can commence your Shadow Over Morrowind adventure and begin pulling at the threads of a larger storyline—one that threatens Nirn and Oblivion both.
Are you ready to venture into time itself, confront House Telvanni, and assist the Psijic Order in putting an end to the temporal anomaly? Let us know via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
The Elder Scrolls Online: Scribes of Fate and Update 37 arrives on March 13 for PC/Mac, and on March 28 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles.