ESO Zerith-var Companion: How to Complete A Moonlit Shadow

To unlock ESO Zerith-var, claim the companion in the Crown Store and complete A Moonlit Shadow. The quest begins with Cantor Krin’ze just south of Moonmont Shrine in Reaper’s March. You don’t need the Necrom chapter, but you do need to have acquired the companion entitlement.

A Moonlit Shadow is a proper story quest, not a conversation followed by an automatic unlock. You awaken the Khajiit from an ancient tomb, recover his Moonclaw, investigate a forgotten sanctuary and fight corrupted spirits in several locations. Bethesda has also documented a portal issue during the quest, especially for grouped players, with a set of troubleshooting steps.

Where to find ESO Zerith-var and start A Moonlit Shadow

Open the Crown Store and claim Zerith-var, Khajiit Out of Time, or the bundle that also includes Tanlorin. ESO Plus members can claim these companions without paying additional Crowns; purchased or claimed companions remain owned even if the subscription subsequently ends. After acquiring him, travel to Moonmont Wayshrine in Reaper’s March.

Cantor Krin’ze stands south of Moonmont Shrine. Speak to her for A Moonlit Shadow. The quest may already have entered your journal when the Crown Store claim was activated, in which case tracking that entry is enough. The location is the same on an alternate character that still needs to complete recruitment.

A Moonlit Shadow quest walkthrough: every major objective

1. Talk to Cantor Krin’ze and search Moonmont for Ja’kh, a spectral cat. Interact with the cat and follow it to an ancient grave.
2. Meet Zerith-var at the grave. Search around the tomb for the memorial tablet, crescent-shaped blade and the chest containing the Moonclaw bracelet. Give him the marked items.
3. Travel to Rawl’kha. Zerith-var searches for his former order’s sanctuary; find it behind the city’s Mages Guild.
4. Read the sanctuary’s prayer text and collect the marked moon-sugar water. Return to the ceremonial basin and perform the rite with him.
5. Follow the quest to a forgotten reliquary, reached through a trapdoor. Speak to the chanters and help fight the corrupted spirit Ta’khida-morna.
6. Use the portal to the Dark Moon Temple on Khenarthi’s Roost. Search the ruined shrine and cave, confront Inquisitor Tashkier and inspect the relic linked to the Moonclaw.
7. Take the quest portal back to the Vile Manse in Reaper’s March. Investigate the hiding place and enter the crypt prison where the chanters are being held.
8. Fight Zayabi-morna, rescue the prisoners and finish the final conversation. Completing the introduction unlocks Zerith-var for summoning.

Use the active marker to find each doorway between those stages. Simply visiting the Vile Manse or defeating enemies in the public dungeon out of order does not finish the recruitment quest. Check the quest journal for the next named interaction rather than assuming all the enemies in a public dungeon need to be defeated.

Fix A Moonlit Shadow portal not working

Bethesda acknowledges a portal problem that occurs particularly when completing the quest in a group. Update 50 also fixed a separate progression condition when entering the Vile Manse through its back door. If the portal fails, try these steps in order rather than restarting the whole story immediately.

1. Type /reloadui in ESO’s chat, then retry the interaction.
2. Leave the area and return; leave your group before doing so if grouped.
3. Log out completely for at least 15 minutes, then try the stage again.
4. As a last resort, abandon and restart the quest. Cantor Krin’ze beside Moonmont Wayshrine can regrant it to eligible owners.

If those steps fail, report the precise objective and whether you entered through the front or back door. Reinstalling ESO and deleting character data are not official fixes for this portal issue. If leaving the group and returning to the area fixes the portal, continue the quest from that point without abandoning your progress.

How to summon ESO Zerith-var on your character and alts

After the final dialogue, open Collections → Allies → Companions, select Zerith-var and activate him. Assign the collectible to a Quickslot for easier summoning. You can have a companion out in eligible PvE areas, but a full group or a restricted activity may cause it to be dismissed.

Purchasing Zerith-var is account-wide; recruitment is character-specific. Bethesda says that if the introduction isn’t completed on another character, you can start it from Collections or meet Cantor Krin’ze again. You do not need to purchase the same companion twice to use him across multiple characters.

Zerith-var’s three personal quests and rapport requirements

His follow-up quests unlock through rapport: Beyond a Veil of Twilight at approximately 1,000 rapport, Paths Out of Darkness at 2,000 and The Dark Behind the World at 3,000. They expand his story and work towards companion achievements. You do not need to complete all of them simply to use him in combat.

For early combat, a tank setup with a one-hand-and-shield weapon, heavy companion armour and defensive skills is a useful place to start. The Bolstered trait reduces incoming damage, while Quickened helps abilities activate more often. You can also equip offensive weapons and skills if you want him to deal damage alongside your main character.

What if you own Zerith-var but cannot start the quest?

First confirm the Crown Store entitlement was actually claimed, not merely displayed as free for ESO Plus. Next check whether A Moonlit Shadow is already tracked in your journal. On another character, try the Collections companion entry; if the start option is missing, go directly to Cantor Krin’ze by Moonmont Wayshrine.

Our ESO companion locations guide lists all eight allies, including Tanlorin, whose separate recruitment quest starts at an ice trap north of Vulkhel Guard in Auridon. If you only need Zerith-var, completing A Moonlit Shadow is the key requirement.

Official source: Bethesda Support: A Moonlit Shadow and portal troubleshooting.