ESO Zones in Chronological Story Order in 2024

This guide to the Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) zones will show you the zones in order to play chronologically to explore the story lore.

Elder Scrolls Online

This article is part of a series of articles. Please use the links below to navigate between the articles.

  1. ESO Main Story Quests Complete Walkthrough
  2. All ESO Level Up Rewards from Level 1 to CP160
  3. ESO Zones in Chronological Story Order in 2024
  4. ESO Cadwell's Silver/Gold Quests Walkthrough
  5. ESO Mundas Stone Locations and Effects
  6. ESO Champion Points in 2024 - Elder Scrolls Online
  7. How to Reset CP, Skills and Attributes in Elder Scrolls Online
  8. ESO Companion Guide - Unlocking, Builds, Skills and Perks
  9. ESO Events Calendar and Upcoming Events in 2024
  10. How to Unlock Costumes in Elder Scrolls Online
  11. Essential Elder Scrolls Online Addons for 2024
  12. ESO Kari's Hit List Guide - Elder Scrolls Online
  13. Dark Brotherhood Litany of Blood Locations and Achievement
  14. Top 10 Worst Zones in Elder Scrolls Online

Whilst you can play any zone in any order, if you're interested in the lore and story it's best to play the zones in chronological order.

Each alliance has a different starting zone and 6 faction story zones. When creating a new character you will automatically start in the zone of the latest chapter you have unlocked. If you want to play the story from the start simply head to the starter zone for your alliance via a wayshrine.

Elder Scrolls Online - The Depraved Grotto
How to play Elder Scrolls Online zones in order for the best story and lore experience. 

ESO Starter Zones in Order

For the Aldmeri Dominion the starter zone is Khenarthi's Roost. Completing this zone will take you to Auridon to continue the faction storyline.

For the Daggerfall Covenant the starter zone is Stros M'Kai and Betnikh. Completing these two small zones takes you to Glenumbra for the faction story.

Finally, for the Ebonheart Pact you start in Bleakrock Isle and Bal Foyen. Completing these two small zones will take you to Stonefalls.

After the starter zones, you will be taken to the alliance capital for your faction where you can continue the faction storyline and pick up the main storyline, starting with "Soul Shriven in Coldharbor"

ESO Zones in Order for Each Alliance

This is the recommended order to play zones for each faction. Once you get to the end you can start to pick up the additional chapter zones or you can do the zones for the other two factions.

I would also recommend doing the zones for your faction first, then proceeding to Cadwell's Silver and then Gold quests. This will present the optimum story experience.

Aldmeri Dominion Daggerfall Covenant Ebonheart Pact
Khenarthi's Roost Stros M'Kai - Betnikh Bleakrock Isle - Bal Foyen
Auridon Glenumbra Stonefalls
Grahtwood Stormhaven Deshaan
Greenshade Rivenspire Shadowfen
Malabal Tor Alik'r Desert Eastmarch
Reapers March Bangkorai The Rift
-Faction Stories Merge-
Coldharbor
Craglorn (Prologue Quest - "The Star-Gazers")
Imperial City
Wrothgar (Prologue Quest - "Invitation to Orsinium")
Hew's Bane (Thieves Guild - Prologue Quest - "Partners in Crime")
Gold Coast (Dark Brotherhood - Prologue Quest - "Voices in the Dark")
The Daedric Wars
Morrowind (Prologue Quest - "The Missing Prophecy")
Vvardenfell
Clockwork City (Prologue Quest - "Of Knives and Long Shadows")
Summerset (Prologue Quest - "Through A Veil Darkly")
Artaeum
Murkmire (Prologue Quest - "Ruthless Competition / The Cursed Skull")
Season of the Dragon (2019)
Northern Elsweyr (Prologue Quest - "The Demon Weapon")
Southern Elsweyr (Prologue Quest - "The Dragonguard's Legacy")
The Dark Heart of Skyrim (2020)
Greymoor (Prologue Quest - "The Coven Conspiracy")
Western Skyrim (Prologue Quest - "The Coven Conundrum")
Blackreach (Prologue Quest - "The Ravenwatch Conspiracy")
Gates of Oblivion (2021)
Blackwood (Prologue Quest - "A Mortal's Touch / The Emperor's Secret")
Fargrave (Prologue Quest - "An Apocalyptic Situation")
Deadlands (Prologue Quest - "The Key and the Cataclyst")
The Legacy of the Bretons (2022)
High Isle and Amenos (Prologue Quest - "Ascending Doubt")
Galen and Y'ffelon (Prologue Quest - "Sojourn of the Druid King")
Shadow Over Morrowind (2023)
Telvanni Peninsula and Apocrypha (Prologue Quest - "Eye of Fate")
The Gold Road (2024)
West Weald (Prologue Quest - "Prisoner of Fate")
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  1. CH

    On Sunday 9th of April 2023, Chris said

    What about the Mages & Fighters Guilds quests?

  2. ER

    On Wednesday 22nd of March 2023, Eric said

    Thank you for this series on Elder Scrolls Online. It enabled me to pick up the storyline again after getting “lost” in the many zones and all this game has to offer. Besides that I found lots of other useful information in these pages. I also shared this site with some friends who are playing this game and got overwhelmed with everything you can do, it helped them enormously as well. Thank you again!

  3. CH

    On Sunday 19th of March 2023, Chris said

    Excellent and concise way to follow the storylines. Thank you!