Molag Bal

Lore & Background

The events of The Elder Scrolls Online unfold while Molag Bal wages a war against the world itself. His primary objective is to merge Mundus with Coldharbour, a dark reflection of Tamriel where geography contorts to enforce his control. The game begins in the Wailing Prison within this realm, where the player character arrives as a soulless slave known as a 'soul shriven.' Unlike other conflicts fought for political power on Tamriel, such as the struggle for the Imperial Throne, Bal's war is existential. He has orchestrated the theft of souls from civilians and the protagonist alike to fuel his plan. The recovery of these stolen souls becomes the primary game objective, shifting the player's base of operations from a simple cave called the Harborage to the Hollow City in central Coldharbour once the Amulet of Kings is retrieved.

In Their Own Story

The narrative opens directly inside Molag Bal's Wailing Prison, where the player character wakes as a 'soul shriven,' a soulless husk enslaved by the Prince. After escaping this initial captivity, the protagonist learns that their soul has been stolen and must be recovered to restore their identity. The conflict against Bal runs parallel to the three alliances fighting for the vacant Imperial Throne. While mortals fight for power on Tamriel, the player fights to stop Molag Bal from succeeding in his plan to meld the planes. After retrieving the Amulet of Kings, the headquarters shift to the Hollow City, a location in central Coldharbour blessed by Meridia. From this new base, civilians saved from Bal's prisons arrive, and attacks are orchestrated against the Prince's controlled areas.

Reader's Guide

To succeed against Molag Bal, players must navigate the Second Era's major struggle: stopping the Daedric Prince's plan to merge Mundus with Coldharbour. The journey begins in the Wailing Prison, where escaping one's status as a 'soul shriven' is the first step toward regaining agency. Players can join any of the three warring factions—the Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant, or Ebonheart Pact—regardless of their race, to fight against Bal's influence. The game structure mirrors Skyrim with two simultaneous conflicts: one for supreme power on Tamriel and one for the fate of the world itself. Progression involves moving from the Harborage, a cave found at starting cities where the Prophet opens portals, to the Hollow City in Coldharbour. Here, players organize attacks on Bal's controlled zones using civilians rescued from his prisons.

Did You Know?

• The game begins in the Wailing Prison where the player character is enslaved as a 'soul shriven.'
• Molag Bal's primary objective is to meld the plane of Mundus with his realm, Coldharbour.
• After retrieving the Amulet of Kings, the player's headquarters shift to the Hollow City in central Coldharbour.
• The story of The Elder Scrolls Online takes place around 800 years before The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and one millennium before The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.