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The Elder Scrolls Online can get confusing. The tutorial has doorways to every single expansion, letting you choose where to start, as they're all catered to new players. But maybe you want to dig into the narrative in chronological order, seeing it unfold as it was released. That can be tricky to puzzle together yourself. I'm sure, by clicking on this guide, you've fallen into the boat of wanting to experience ESO's journey in the right sequence of events.
So, we've compiled a comprehensive guide that breaks down where everything fits into chronology in The Elder Scrolls Online, from the base content to the prologues to smaller DLCs to dungeons to the beefier expansions and everything in between.
Updated June 14, 2023 by James Troughton: We've gone over this guide to include the recently-added Necrom expansion.
The Main Quest / The Mages Guild / The Fighters Guild
To start the main quest, you need to visit Vulkhel Guard (Auridon), Daggerfall (Glenumbra), or Davon's Watch (Stonefalls). It doesn't matter which, regardless of your alliance.
Here, the Hooded Figure will approach you and give you a quest. This leads to the base game's tutorial. When you wrap it up, you'll be dropped into your alliance's main questline.
Be sure to visit the mage's guild and fighter's guild when you leave the starter island and arrive at the first actual city. Do all of these quests in conjunction with one another. That's the first part of ESO's chronology.
Cadwell's Silver & Gold / Cyrodiil
There are key characters that pop up in the DLC from each alliance. Only doing one alliance's questline means you won't see those characters, and that's where Cadwell's Silver & Gold comes in.
When you beat the main quest, you'll be brought back to the Harborage. Here, Cadwell has a proposal. He'll reveal that he's a servant of Meridia and that she wants you to see Tamriel through the eyes of your enemies. Activate the Light of Meridia, and you'll be given an objective called Cadwell's Almanac.
This starts Cadwell's Silver. Once you've finished, you'll arrive at the Harborage again with the prompt to activate the Light of Meridia. Doing so starts Cadwell's Gold. Complete his Almanac once more and voila, that's all three alliances done.
Meanwhile, you can jump into the PvP of Cyrodiil and grab the quests on offer there. This all ties into the three alliance's stories that you'll be focusing on with Cadwell's Almanac, so it's worth doing if you can stomach fighting other players rather than AI enemies for a change.
Craglorn
If you go to one of the capital cities — Elden Root, Mournhold, or Wayrest — you'll find a cart and an NPC spouting that the constellations have disappeared from the sky. Take the cart, and you'll arrive at this new locale, originally designed as a 4-player Adventure Zone.
However, it was redone in the One Tamriel update, meaning that there is plenty of solo content available. If it proves too challenging, however, you can simply come back at a later time or rope in a companion. It's not integral to the storyline but serves as a nice breather from the world-ending threat of Molag Bal.
Imperial City
Much like with Craglorn, this expansion is far more social-oriented. You'll be fighting with other players given that the Imperial City is at the heart of Cyrodiil. If it proves too challenging, skipping ahead won't cause you to miss out on too much.
There are quests spread out across the city, two PvE dungeons, and an entire sewer system to explore. It's chock-full of tough-to-kill enemies and other players vying for your blood.
Orsinium
By now, you'll have spent plenty of time in the first city of each alliance — Vulkhel Guard, Daggerfall, and Davon's Watch. Here, an incredibly persistent orc woman will hound you with each visit.
At long last, give in to her. Speak to Stuga, and she'll give you a letter telling you to meet with the Orc ambassador. She'll arrange transport and your delve into Orsinium begins.
Hew's Bane (Thieves Guild)
Visit any Outlaws Refuge in Tamriel. Those are the underground, sketchy black markets where you can peddle stolen goods. Here, you'll find Quen. Accept her quest and you'll begin "Partners in Crime."
This leads you to Hew's Bane and the Thieves Guild. The Thieves Guild is a little distraction from the main narrative of The Elder Scrolls Online, but it nets you a skill tree, admittance into one of the series' most iconic factions, and some unique stealth quests that are vastly different from anything in the base game.
The Gold Coast (Dark Brotherhood)
Continuing on from your jaunt with the Thieves Guild, you can get a bit darker with your stealth by way of joining the Dark Brotherhood and venturing to a familiar locale, that of Oblivion's Gold Coast. It features nostalgic spots like a still-standing Kvatch and the port town of Anvil.
Like with the Thieves Guild, you start this by going to any Outlaws Refuge in Tamriel. Here, you can meet an assassin called Amelie Crowe. She'll give you the "Voices in the Dark" quest.
This will lead you to Anvil and the Dark Brotherhood. Completing their main quest is the next step in The Elder Scrolls Online's chronology.
Dungeon: Shadows Of The Hist
After you wrap up the Dark Brotherhood, head to your Group & Activity Finder and select Dungeon Finder. From here, queue for Ruins of Mazzatun and accept the quest. Then, do the same but for Cradle of Shadows.
The Missing Prophecy / Morrowind
Morrowind is the first in ESO's mainline expansions. It tells the tale of another Daedra meddling in mortal affairs, and it progresses the narrative that was started in the main quest.
Visit any tavern or inn to find Alessio Guillon or Rhea Opacarius. They will give you the prologue quest "The Missing Prophecy." This lays the groundwork for the main expansion.
Afterward, fast travel to Seyda Neen and look for the main quest, the distinct black icon different from the rest.
When you finish Morrowind, head to the Group & Activity Finder and, like before, open the Dungeon Finder. With that, select Bloodroot Forge and queue. When you arrive, take the quest and complete the dungeon. Then, do the same for Falkreath Hold.
Any prologue quest can also be acquired for free through the Crown Store.
Of Knives And Long Shadows / The Clockwork City
The Clockwork City follows on from the end of Morrowind. It is a tucked-away realm created by one of the Tribunal, the trio of living gods. You meet one of them, Vivec, in Morrowind, and Almalexia in the base game. In the Clockwork City, you'll meet Sotha Sil.
To begin, head to Mournhold City and find Divayth Fyr's messenger. This will start "To The Clockwork City."
After you finish The Clockwork City's story, head to the Dungeon Finder again, look for Fang Lair and Scalecaller Peak, and play them in that order.
Through A Veil Darkly / Summerset
Head to the Mage's Guild in Vulkhel Guard, Daggerfall, or Davon's Watch. Speak to Vanus Galerion to get the quest "Through a Veil Darkly." This is Summerset's prologue.
Following this, fast travel to the Summerset Isles where you can start the expansion's main quest.
When you're done, don't go straight to Murkmire. There's another dungeon to play. Open the Dungeon Finder and look for Moon Hunter Keep and March of Sacrifices. Play them in that order.
Ruthless Competition / The Cursed Skull / Murkmire
Head to Vulkhel Guard, Daggerfall, or Davon's Watch. Speak to Concordia Mercius who will give you the quest "Ruthless Competition." This is the prologue to Murkmire. It is not a main expansion like Summerset or Morrowind.
Now, fast travel to Murkmire and begin the main quest at this location.
Dungeon: Wrathstone
Open the Dungeon Finder once more and play Frostvault and then Depths of Malatar. These explore the lore of the Wrathstone, which is prevalent in the next expansion.
The Demon Weapon / The Halls Of Colossus / Elsweyr
Head to Vulkhel Guard Manor & Treasury, the Davon's Watch Mages Guild, or Daggerfall Castle and speak to Abnur Tharn. He will give you the quest "The Demon Weapon." He has gathered the two halves of the Wrathstone, which kicks off Elsweyr's first prologue.
Upon completion, you'll be given a second prologue, "The Halls of Colossus." Follow through with both of these.
Next, head to Northern Grahtwood where there is a gate leading to Elsweyr. Upon passage, you'll be given a letter starting the expansion's main quest. Like Morrowind and Summerset, this is a main entry.
Dungeon: Scalebreaker
Open the Dungeon Finder tab and queue for Moongrave Fane and then Lair of Maarselok.
Dragonhold / Southern Elsweyr
Venture to Vulkhel Guard, Daggerfall, or Davon's Watch. Here, talk to Hinzuur and accept the quest "The Dragonguard's Legacy."
Afterward, return to one of these locations and talk to him again for "The Horn of Ja'Darri."
The penultimate quest can be found by fast traveling to Senchal in Southern Elsweyr. Talk to Danouida to get the quest "The Dragon's Lair."
After this, fast travel to the Dragonguard Sanctum Wayshrine and talk to Sidura, who will give you the quest "The Dark Aeon."
Dungeon: Harrowstorm
Open the Dungeon Finder and queue for Icereach and then Unhallowed Grave.
The Coven Conspiracy / The Coven Conundrum / Greymoor
This is yet another main expansion of the game. To begin, find the prologue quest "The Coven Conspiracy" by venturing to the Fighters Guild of Davon's Watch, Vulkhel Guard, or Daggerfall. Here, you'll meet the Skald King's Agent. This begins the prologue.
Fast travel to Western Skyrim and speak to Brondold who will start you on your newest main quest.
Once done, go to the Dungeon Finder tab and queue for Castle Thorn and then Stone Garden.
The Ravenwatch Inquiry / The Gray Council / Markarth
Travel to Vulkhel Guard, Daggerfall, or Davon's Watch. Speak to Gwendis and start "The Ravenwatch Conspiracy."
Then, fast travel to North Markarth and talk to Count Verdanis Ravenwatch to begin "The Despot of Markarth."
Dungeon: Flames Of Ambition
Open the Dungeon Finder and queue for The Cauldron and then Black Drake Villa.
A Mortal's Touch / The Emperor's Secret / Blackwood
Blackwood is an Oblivion-themed expansion bringing back the familiar gates of the fourth game along with Mehrunes Dagon, continuing The Elder Scrolls Online's main story thread of Daedra invading Tamriel to conquer all who live there.
To begin, find Rogatus Cinna south of Elden Root's Mastercraft Exchange, at Daggerfall's Jester Festival stage, or on the road south of Mournhold's Undaunted Enclave. She will give you the quest "A Mortal's Touch."
Given that Blackwood is a mainline expansion, you can start it like the others by fast traveling to the Leyawiin Outskirts Wayshrine. Here, you'll find the new main quest.
An Apocalyptic Situation / The Key And The Cataclyst / The Deadlands
We're not done with Mehrunes Dagon yet. After Blackwood, we're headed to Oblivion (again), this time with the Deadlands DLC. You can start it by picking up An Apocalyptic Situation in the Crown Store as a free prologue quest, provided you have the DLC.
Once that's finished, you can start The Key and the Cataclyst, leading into The Deadlands. As part of the DLC, you'll visit Fargrave, a border world that connects all the realms of Oblivion.
Dungeon: Coral Eyrie / Shipwright's Grief
To prep for the new High Isle expansion, Bethesda added two dungeons that you can dive into right now by way of the Dungeon Finder. These set the scene for the idyllic Breton island resort.
Ascending Doubt / A King's Retreat / High Isle
The Three Banners War has been raging on since way back when Molag Bal sunk his anchors into the ground, but now things are coming to a head with peace talks. Only there are assassins, saboteurs, and kidnappers, all trying to throw a spanner in the works.
The prologue sets the scene, introducing you to some vital characters who will play a larger role in the main quest, so be sure to play through them by grabbing them in the Crown Store.
You'll thwart an attempted assassination and team up again with Jakarn. Then, when you're ready, take a trip to the resort and prison island of High Isle.
Dungeon: Earthen Root Enclave / Graven Deep
The Lost Depths added two new dungeons - Earthen Root Enclave and Graven Deep. As per usual - provided you have the DLC - you can queue via the Dungeon Finder. These continue the Legacy of the Bretons storyline.
Sojourn Of The Druid King / Firesong / Galen
Firesong is the finale for the Legacy of the Bretons. It adds a new island called Galen and a new Tales of Tribute Patron - the Druid King.
Eye Of Fate / Necrom
ESO's latest expansion at the time of writing takes us to the Telvanni Peninsula and Apocrypha as we work with Hermaeus Mora to thwart the unravelling of fate itself.
Start the story by picking up the Eye of Fate prologue in the in-game Crown Store. This will introduce you to Leramil the Wise, a key player in Necrom. After that, you can start the main expansion by travelling to the Telvanni Peninsula wayshrine.