ESO Nowhere Vault is a permanent activity introduced in The Elder Scrolls Online Update 51, featuring three wings filled with puzzles, platforming challenges, stealth encounters and combat. Unlike a traditional dungeon, the Vault uses Wondrous Nowhere Keys to unlock rooms, with additional keys required to open certain treasure chests.
There is more to explore than the challenges themselves. Hidden objectives connect the three wings, eventually leading to the Ancient Direnni Quasigriff mount. Whether you’re entering for the first time or collecting rewards, understanding where to find keys and how the different rooms work will help you get more out of each visit.
How to Enter ESO Nowhere Vault
Image credit: ZeniMax Online Studios
The entrance to ESO Nowhere Vault is located inside the Thieves Den in Daggerfall, Glenumbra. Look for Urli, the mysterious creature who introduces players to the challenges created by Sage Voernet.
To reach the Vault:
- Obtain at least one Wondrous Nowhere Key.
- Travel to Daggerfall in Glenumbra.
- Enter the Thieves Den.
- Find Urli and the portal leading into the Nowhere Vault.
- Complete any outstanding introductory quest objectives, then enter and select a wing.
You can also accept Invitation to Treasures from the Quest Starters section of the Crown Store. This quest directs you towards Urli and introduces the Vault.
Although the official entry requirement is at least one Wondrous Nowhere Key, the introductory quest can ask you to present three keys to Urli before allowing access. These keys are not consumed simply by presenting them. The keys you spend are those used to unlock rooms and special chests.
The Vault supports solo play or groups of up to four players. It is included with the free Update 51 content, so no additional DLC purchase is required.
How to Get Wondrous Nowhere Keys in ESO
Wondrous Nowhere Keys are obtained from activities across Tamriel. They are not exclusive to the Vault, meaning you can collect them while completing other content before returning to Daggerfall.
Confirmed sources include:
- Heists: Keys can appear among rewards from Thieves Guild heist activities.
- Thieves Troves: These hidden loot containers have a chance to provide keys.
- Delves and World Bosses: Eligible PvE encounters can reward keys.
- Treasure Chests: Keys can appear while opening treasure containers throughout Tamriel.
- Favors: Completing Favor quests and reaching progression milestones provides opportunities to earn keys.
- Dynamic Encounters: Participating in these world activities can reward additional keys.
- Rumors: Completing investigations can also provide keys.
- Solo Dungeons: An additional source when the Solo Dungeon system launches on October 21, 2026.
Keys from ordinary activities are uncommon, so finding one is not guaranteed after every encounter.
Getting keys from Favors
Favors are particularly useful because the progression system includes guaranteed Wondrous Nowhere Key rewards.
Players can receive guaranteed keys after completing the tenth and twentieth Favor for each of the three Favor patrons on the same character. This provides six guaranteed keys per character across all three progression tracks, alongside opportunities for additional rewards.
Wondrous Nowhere Keys are also tradeable and can be purchased from other players through Guild Stores.
If you collected Unformed Planar Keys before Update 51, those older keys were converted into Wondrous Nowhere Keys. Some converted keys experienced stacking problems at launch, and ZeniMax recommended using the affected versions first.
How ESO Nowhere Vault Keys Work
Every standard challenge room in the Vault requires one Wondrous Nowhere Key to unlock. The same rule applies whether you’re exploring alone or with other players.
In a group, only one player needs to spend a key to open a room for everyone. The remaining players can enter and complete the challenge without each paying separately.
Different rooms and containers have different requirements.
| Room or interaction | Key requirement |
|---|---|
| Standard challenge room | One key to unlock |
| Nowhere Chest | One additional key |
| Story Room | No additional key required simply to exit |
| Jackpot Room | No additional key required simply to exit |
Nowhere Chests are optional, but they contain valuable rewards that differ from ordinary completion chests. Opening every chest can quickly use up your keys, especially when you’re trying to complete a longer wing.
For a first visit, having several keys available gives you more freedom to explore. You can enter with the minimum requirement, but additional locked rooms will eventually stop your progress if you run out.
All Three ESO Nowhere Vault Wings
The Vault contains three separate wings, each drawing from a selection of challenge rooms. Their order can change between runs, so you won’t necessarily encounter the same sequence every time.
Lunar Path
The Lunar Path wing focuses heavily on movement, navigation and environmental puzzles. Its main rooms include:
- Moonlit Isles
- Twilight Maze
- Eclipsed Hall
- The Lakehouse
Moonlit Isles features floating platforms and temporary bridge routes, while Twilight Maze includes a hidden objective involving a senche cub called Little Soft Boots.
The wing’s secrets eventually lead to Astralight Lumen, an effect required for a hidden interaction in the Arcanum wing. Completing the Lunar Path seal also requires Connoisseur’s Vision, obtained through the Cursed Castle secrets.
Arcanum Wing
The Arcanum wing includes:
- Hunt of the Watchers
- Murky Grotto
- Fungal Chasm
- Custodian’s Repository
These rooms combine combat, environmental mechanics and secrets involving unusual creatures and magical effects.
Fungal Vision is used to uncover a hidden route in Fungal Chasm, which leads to Subjugating Mindspore. Another secret in Custodian’s Repository requires Astralight Lumen from the Lunar Path wing.
Cursed Castle
The Cursed Castle wing includes:
- Gallery of Curios
- Sinking Courtyard
- Haunted Undercroft
- Prison of the Unrepentant
Its secrets involve paintings, environmental interactions, water-related puzzles and hidden objectives.
Completing the connected challenges leads to Connoisseur’s Vision, which is needed in Lunar Path. Prison of the Unrepentant also requires Subjugating Mindspore from Arcanum for its seal-related secret.
Each wing can be explored for ordinary rewards without completing every hidden objective. However, players pursuing the mount must eventually connect the secrets across all three.
ESO Nowhere Vault Rewards and Treasure Chests
ESO Nowhere Vault rewards come from several sources, including room-completion chests, stash rooms, special Nowhere Chests, Jackpot Rooms and achievements.
The rewards are not identical across every container. ZeniMax adjusted the loot system during Update 51 testing to give different chest types their own reward pools.
Standard room rewards
Completing ordinary challenge rooms can reward overland item-set pieces, tradeable Antiquity leads and other valuable items.
Because the challenges vary between runs, players can continue earning rewards while exploring rooms they have already encountered.
Nowhere Chests and stash rooms
Nowhere Chests require an additional Wondrous Nowhere Key and can contain higher-value rewards, including trial item-set pieces and valuable crafting materials.
Stash rooms offer another opportunity to collect loot. The Magicka Flow Junction contains treasure chests, while Meditative Garden provides harvesting opportunities for crafting materials. Both also have associated achievements.
Jackpot Rooms
After completing a wing, there is a chance to encounter one of two Jackpot Rooms while exiting the Vault.
These bonus areas contain treasure, crafting resources and other rewards. They are not guaranteed after every wing completion, so reaching the end of a wing does not necessarily mean a Jackpot Room will appear.
Collectible rewards
Beyond equipment and crafting materials, the Vault offers a range of collectibles and achievement rewards.
| Reward | How to obtain |
|---|---|
| Ancient Direnni Quasigriff mount | Complete Heir to the Sage’s Legacy |
| Evasion, Cyan Blue Skill Style | Acquire and use 25 Chameleon Tincture Phials from Vault chests |
| Summon Shade, Cyan Blue Skill Style | Acquire and use 25 Spectral Distillation Ampoules from Vault chests |
| Urli Indigo dye | Complete Legend of the Nowhere Vault |
| Furnishing plans and furnishings | Obtain from eligible Vault treasure chests |
| Tradeable Antiquity leads | Obtain from eligible reward chests |
The furnishing rewards include new structural furnishing plans, with some also available through Glenumbra Thieves Guild Daily Coffers and Vvardenfell Treasure Map Chests.
How to Get the Ancient Direnni Quasigriff Mount
The Ancient Direnni Quasigriff is the main secret reward associated with ESO Nowhere Vault.
It is awarded for completing Heir to the Sage’s Legacy, an achievement that requires uncovering the Vault’s hidden secrets rather than simply opening enough treasure chests.
To reach the final objective, players must acquire three Gryphon Seals:
- Lunar Path Wing Seal
- Arcanum Wing Seal
- Cursed Castle Wing Seal
These seals require secret interactions across multiple rooms. Several of the necessary effects are earned in different wings, meaning the final puzzles cannot be completed by treating each wing as an entirely separate activity.
After collecting the three seals, players must complete the final secret involving the barrier in the Sage’s Trove.
The Quasigriff is an achievement reward, not a random drop from a Nowhere Chest.
ESO Nowhere Vault Secrets and Rumors
Nearly every challenge room contains a secondary secret, separate from its ordinary completion objective.
These can involve finding hidden objects, following environmental clues, interacting with characters or carrying a special effect into another room.
The secrets are connected to ESO’s Rumors system, which allows you to review clues and track discoveries in the Journal.
Some secret routes require effects obtained elsewhere. For example, Astralight Lumen from Lunar Path is used in Arcanum, while Connoisseur’s Vision from Cursed Castle is needed in Lunar Path.
This is why completing a room’s primary challenge does not always mean you have found everything inside it.
Does ESO Nowhere Vault Reset?
Yes. ESO Nowhere Vault is a repeatable activity, and its instance can reset after you leave.
ZeniMax has confirmed that previously opened wing doors closing after an instance reset is intended behaviour. If you spend a key to open a wing, leave for several hours and return, you may find the door locked again.
The Vault also has an Hourglass near its entrance that allows players to reset the instance.
Before leaving, finish any challenges you want to complete in the current instance. Returning later does not guarantee that previously unlocked rooms will remain open.
This reset system allows players to repeat challenges, earn additional loot and revisit rooms containing secrets they missed.
Is ESO Nowhere Vault Worth Completing?
ESO Nowhere Vault offers several reasons to return beyond the initial experience. Its regular reward chests provide equipment and crafting materials, while collectors can pursue furnishings, Antiquity leads, Skill Styles and the Ancient Direnni Quasigriff.
The randomized rooms also mean repeated visits can present different challenges. Players interested mainly in loot can concentrate on completing rooms and opening chests, while those working towards the mount will need to explore the connections between the three wings.
Since the Vault is permanent content, there is no event deadline to finish its achievements. You can gather more keys, return for additional runs and continue uncovering its secrets at your own pace.
Related Guides
- How to Get Wondrous Nowhere Keys in ESO
- ESO Nowhere Vault Unlock Requirements
- ESO Nowhere Vault Rewards
- ESO Nowhere Vault Gryphon Seal Guide
- ESO Lunar Path Puzzle Guide
- ESO Arcanum Wing Puzzle Guide
- ESO Cursed Castle Puzzle Guide
Official source: ZeniMax Online Studios, Update 51 Launch Day Patch Notes.
