General:Orsinium Guide: The Basics

Originally published October 7, 2015. The original article can be found here.

500px|thumb|center|In the frost-covered peaks of the Wrothgarian Mountains, the mighty Orc leader King Kurog seeks adventurers to aid him in his ambitious effort to rebuild the Orcish capital, the great city of Orsinium. Prepare yourself to answer his call with our new guide!

Geography & History

Situated in the northwestern corner of Tamriel, the zone of Wrothgar shares its borders with Rivenspire, Stormhaven, and Bangkorai. This breathtaking and diversified zone is divided into three distinct biomes--boreal, tundra, and arctic.

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Originally founded in the First Era, the Orcish capital was destroyed in the 30-year Siege of Orsinium by the combined armies of Daggerall, Sentinel, and the Order of Diagna.

Now, the Orcs have once again been given control of Wrothgar in return for their support of the Daggerfall Covenant in the Alliance War, though they remain suspicious of their Breton and Redguard allies.

King Kurog's accord with High King Emeric grants Wrothgar the status of an independent kingdom, and in return, Kurog supplies the alliance with troops and protects the northern borders from enemy incursions. While Kurog has decreed that alliance soldiers are not welcome in Wrothgar, he has sent out an invitation to heroes and adventurers from all across Tamriel to help him rebuild the Orcish homeland. In effect, Wrothgar is a "truce zone." All are welcome, but agents of the Alliance War will not be tolerated here. 

Reaching Wrothgar

Heed the Forge-Mother's Call

Travel to your starting city—Daggerfall, Davon's Watch, or Vulkhel Guard—and when you arrive, you'll be approached by an Orc messenger who will present you with a letter from Forge-Mother Alga. Finish speaking to the messenger to begin the "Invitation to Orsinium" quest. Next, seek out Ambassador Lazgara in Daggerfall, Davon's Watch, or Vulkhel Guard and speak with her to advance the quest and arrange for transportation to the Merchant's Gate in Wrothgar. 
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Other Paths to Wrothgar

There are a few other ways you can travel to Wrothgar: you can enter via the gates in the neighboring zones of Stormhaven and Bangkorai, or you can use the Wayshrine network to fast-travel there. 

Activities in Wrothgar

Rebuild Orsinium

King Kurog needs your help to rebuild the city of Orsinium, and to unite the Orc tribes. Unravel plots and counter-plots, clash with all-new enemies and allies, and complete thrilling new quests to help return the city to its former glory. 
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Adventure in Two Huge Public Dungeons

Old Orsinium: Plunge into the crumbling, abandoned depths of Old Orsinium, the ancient first location of the Orc capital, destroyed in the First Era. Pass through the three legendary gates, Smelter, Hammer, and Temper, descend into the Caves of Dark Abundance, locate the sacred fire of Malacath that burns deep inside the Temple of Grudgement, and discover the lost history of the first Orsinium. 
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Rkindaleft: Unearth the secrets of Rkindaleft, a Dwarven ruin trapped within a glacier, that has long been the subject of whispered rumors and tales told to frighten Orc children. 
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Explore this Massive New Zone

Discover fascinating and awe-inspiring points of interest throughout the zone. Explore new delves, seek out undiscovered skyshards, and much more! You'll learn even more about this exciting new zone in our upcoming Areas Guide. 

Vanquish All-New World Bosses

Six world bosses lurk in the dark corners of Wrothgar, waiting to challenge you with new tactics and strategies. 
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Venture into the Maelstrom Arena

Test your might against the fiercest enemies imaginable as you, and you alone, fight for your life. Earn prestige with leaderboard rankings and be rewarded with some of the most powerful weapons in all of Tamriel! The Maelstrom Arena features nine combat rings and two different difficulty levels. Do you have what it takes to journey into the Maelstrom?

The Maelstrom Arena is a new single-player progressive challenge, available in Normal and Veteran modes. It grants special rewards only obtainable by completing arenas, and includes class-specific leaderboards, so you can see how you match up against your fellow combatants! We'll share more about the arena in an upcoming guide. 

Rewards in the Orsinium DLC Game Pack

Collect 18 powerful new item sets, including 6 ability-altering weapons, and 3 new craftable sets
Dine in style with four new Provisioner recipes, available only in Wrothgar
Craft the original Orcish way with the Ancient Orc racial motif, found only in Wrothgar
Fight in fashion with 6 new collectible costumes, available only in Wrothgar

Other Tips
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Participate in all of the Orsinium content no matter what level you are, even if you've just left the Wailing Prison—your character will be battle-leveled, and will be able to group up and compete with the most experienced of players
Get the resources you are looking for—all resource nodes in Wrothgar scale to the most advanced material type your character is able to use to craft
Ride in style and good company—get the bear mount and bear cub pet from the Crown Store, or unlock other unique rewards in-game