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The Elder Scrolls Online Simple and Spoiler-free Narrative Guide (2021)
By pings
Since the The Elder Scrolls Online's release in 2014, Zenimax Online Studios (ZOS) release a ton of DLCs for the players to experience. Here is a simple and spoiler-free guide on how you will play the ESO's story in order.

NOTE: This guide is until "Dark Heart of Skyrim" only. But it is common sense that the next chapters released by Zenimax is the next part of this guide.


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Created by
pings
Online
Category: Story or Lore, Walkthroughs
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
4 Aug, 2021 @ 6:14am
20 Aug, 2023 @ 8:10pm
2,605 Unique Visitors
106 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
The "Main Quest" Storyline. 
The "Alliance" Storyline. 
The "Orsinium" Storyline. 
The "Daedric War" Storyline. 
The "Season of the Dragon" Storyline. 
The "Dark Heart of Skyrim" Storyline 
The Minor DLCs 
The Dungeon DLCs 
Let Me Know Your Comments! 
Comments
The "Main Quest" Storyline.
The 1ST STORYLINE you need to do is the quest involving the Prophet and the Companions. The story is set in The Harborage and in the zone of Coldharbour, Molag Bal's plane of Oblivion.

You can start it by talking to "The Benefactor."

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Requirements:
  • Base Game.
The "Alliance" Storyline.
The 2ND STORYLINE you need to do after completing the main quest is doing the questline of your respective alliance.

For Aldmeri Dominion (AD) the storyline is set in zones of Khenarti's Roost, Auridon, Grahtwood, Greenshade, Malabal Tor, and Reaper's March.

For Ebonheart Pact (EP) the storyline is set in zones of Bleakrock Isle, Bal Foyen, Stonefalls, Shadowfen, Deshaan, The Rift, and Eastmarch.

For Daggerfall Covenant (DC) the storyline is set in zones of Stros M'kai, Betnikh, Glenumbra, Stormhaven, Rivenspire, Bangkorai, and Alik'r Desert.

You can start the storyline by going in Bleakrock Isle for EP, Stros M'kai for DC, and Khenarti's Roost for AD.

------------------------------
Requirements:
  • Base Game.
The "Orsinium" Storyline.
After finishing the Alliance storyline you can start the 3RD STORYLINE, the Orsinium storyline. The storyline of Orsinium DLC takes place in zone of Wrothgar. The Vestige will be involve in Orsimer's Political and Religious intrigues and help the people of Orsinium prosper.

To start the storyline, talk to Stuga, found in major cities, or travel to Wrothgar using a wayshrine.

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Requirements:
  • Orsinium DLC or ESO Plus Subscription.
The "Daedric War" Storyline.
After completing Orsinium, you can start the 4TH STORYLINE, the Daedric War storyline. This storyline spans in three DLCs.

The first DLC you need to play to understand this storyline is the Morrowind DLC, this one is set in island of Vvardenfell. To start travel to Vvardenfell via Wayshrine and talk to any zone quest giver.

The second DLC you need to play after Morrowind is the Clockwork City DLC, this one is set in Sotha Sil's/Seth's plane with the same name. To start travel to Clockwork City via Wayshrine and talk to any zone quest giver.

The third DLC you need to play after Clockwork City is Summerset DLC, this one is set in Summerset Isles. To start travel to Summerset Isles via Wayshrine and talk to any zone quest giver

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Requirements:
  • Morrowind DLC or ESO Plus Subscription. (Morrowind comes when you buy the base game on Steam.)
  • Clockwork City DLC or ESO Plus Subscription.
  • Summerset DLC or ESO Plus Subscription. (Summerset comes when you buy the edition with DLCs.)
The "Season of the Dragon" Storyline.
After finishing the Daedric War storyline, you can start the 5TH STORYLINE, the Season of the Dragon. This one is set in Northern Elsweyr (Elsweyr DLC) and Southern Elsweyr (Dragonhold DLC) now plagued with Dragons.

To start the storyline you need to play the Elsweyr DLC. You can start by travelling to Northern Elsweyr via Wayshrine and talk to zone any quest giver.

if you finished the Elsweyr DLC you need to play the Dragonhold DLC. You can start by travelling to Southern Elsweyr via Wayshrine and talk to zone any quest giver. Dragonhold concludes the Season of the Dragon storyline.

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Requirements:
  • Elsweyr DLC or ESO Plus Subscription. (Elsweyr comes when you buy the edition with DLCs.)
  • Dragonhold DLC or ESO Plus Subscription.
The "Dark Heart of Skyrim" Storyline
After you finished the Season of the Dragon storyline you can start the 6TH STORYLINE, the Dark Heart of Skyrim. Set in the zones of Western Skyrim, Blackreach Caverns and The Reach plagued with Vampires, Werewolves, and Witches.

To start the storyline you need play the Western Skyrim DLC. You can start by travelling to Western Skyrim via Wayshrine and talk to any zone quest giver.

To conclude the storyline you need play the Markarth DLC. You can start by travelling to The Reach via Wayshrine and talk to any zone quest giver. Markarth DLC concludes the Dark Heart of Skyrim storyline.

------------------------------
Requirements:
  • Greymoor DLC or ESO Plus Subscription.
  • Markarth DLC or ESO Plus Subscription.
The Minor DLCs
They are Minor DLCs that has their own seperate stories and they have small zone setting and all of them are NOT CONNECTED to the main storylines, so you can play them anytime you want.

I highly recommend that playing this DLCs after finishing one storyline tand treat it has a break from the main narrative.

Here is the list of all Minor DLCs:
  • Murkmire DLC
  • Dark Brotherhood DLC
  • Thieves' Guild DLC
The Dungeon DLCs
Dungeon DLCs are very small DLCs that add two (2) dungeons that the players can play, most of the dungeons are connected to a storyline like Stonethorn for Dark Heart of Skyrim and the others are independent of all storylines like Horns of the Reach.

In my opinion, even the dungeon stories are part of a storyline they are not necessary, but it depends on the every person.
Let Me Know Your Comments!
Hello fellow Traveler! I'm not perfect that means this guide is not perfect but I put all necessary information needed without spoiling the stories of every storyline.

If you see any wrong, or something please let me know in the comments and I will update the guide if I have a time!

you can support me and this guide by rating it!

Thanks for reading!

- pings
2 Comments
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pings  [author] 21 Aug, 2021 @ 7:30pm 
Thank you for the comment @Mai Selph, I'll take note of what you said. I'll edit the guide if I have time. :Ebonheart:
Mai Selph 21 Aug, 2021 @ 4:09pm 
Main and Alliance storylines have to be worked on at the same time (main quest "Chasing Shadows" has you visit a city where you're supposed to be currently doing alliance quests; main quest "The Tharn Speaks" has you go to a delve in the second zone of alliance storyline; main quest "Messages Across Tamriel" can be also picked up after completing the alliance story and binds the two together; main quest "God of Schemes" requires you to complete Coldharbour quests which count as alliance story (seriously, you're supposed to meet people like Telenger or Clarisse or Vanos siblings while you're doing alliance quests first, and in the Coldharbour next)).

You haven't mentioned Craglorn anywhere, it does have a storyline.

Also it is worth noting that it's better to abandon prologue quests from storylines you're not doing yet. At least two (that I encountered) block the main and alliance storylines from progressing.