ESO Quick Mechanics
Dungeon · 4 players · Shadowfen · Shadows of the Hist (2016)

Cradle of Shadows

VetModerateHMChallenging

The Silken Ring's spider-cult lair. Five bosses. Darkness is the theme: fight in the light of braziers, and the final boss banishes you into a dark maze.

01

Sithera

Boss
Tank
  • Keep her and her spiders inside the lit circle at all times.
  • When the brazier goes out, drag her to the next one: the middle one around 50%, the last one around 30%.
DPS
  • Interrupt her power-up channel every time.
  • AoE the spiders while they're in the light.
Healer
    👁 Watch for
    • Lit braziers make a circle of light on the floor. Outside it, she takes only about a tenth of your damage.
    • Poison spits at the tank. Block them.
    ↯ Alternatives
    • Have one player watch her health and run ahead to light the next brazier, so the group spends less time in the dark.
    0
    02

    Khephidaen the Spiderkith

    Boss
    ☠ Wipe mechanic
    • Heavy attack can one-shot non-tanks. Only the tank takes it, blocking.
    • Shadow bolts: after each teleport she channels bolts at every player that knock down and can one-shot. Interrupt the channel (ranged interrupts help).
    • Burst: a big growing AoE that explodes. Get out of it.
    Tank
    • Keep taunt and keep her in the light.
    DPS
    • Relight the brazier she puts out right away. Shades in the dark shoot the group until the light returns.
    Healer
      👁 Watch for
      • Teleport: after each Burst she blinks to a brazier and snuffs it. She does more braziers at a time as the fight goes on.
      • The shadow-bolt channel has a swirly animation.
      0
      03

      Votary of Velidreth

      Boss
      ☠ Wipe mechanic
      • Big spreading AoE: a growing circle that explodes and can kill even a blocking tank. Get out. This is why you fight in the middle.
      • Poison circles on the ground hit very hard. Don't stand in them.
      Tank
      • Hold him in the middle of the room, never a corner, so everyone has room to escape the explosion.
      DPS
      • Interrupt his feeding when he channels on dead spiders. It heals him fast.
      • AoE the small spiders dropping from the ceiling.
      Healer
        👁 Watch for
        • A giant spider. Tiny spiders drop from the ceiling and shoot small projectiles.
        0
        04

        Dranos Velador

        Boss
        ☠ Wipe mechanic
        • Pin: two low-health adds pin whoever has aggro while he winds up a huge heavy. Everyone interrupt/bash both adds fast, then the freed player blocks. Everyone else back off; the hit is an AoE spin.
        • Never drop taunt. Otherwise the pin lands on a DPS or healer.
        Tank
        • Hold him still. In the shadow phase, pull the three shadows to the middle so they die together.
        DPS
        • Shadow phase (boss immune): kill the three shadows, then pick up the red orbs they drop. Three orbs end his immunity and stun him briefly. That's your burn window.
        Healer
          👁 Watch for
          • Statue waves: red damage waves roll across the floor from the central statue during the shadow phase. Avoid.
          • Mortar: he raises a hand and a red blob lands as a round AoE, then splits outward.
          • Teleport strike: he blinks from player to player. Block each hit, then step out of the AoE he leaves.
          0
          05

          Velidreth

          Final boss
          ☠ Wipe mechanic
          • Shadow Sense (she climbs to the ceiling, 'Don't move a muscle'): stand completely still. When the room brightens and she wiggles, dodge-roll as she drops. Move or roll early or late and you die.
          • Catacombs (about 66% and 33%): she banishes the group in pairs into a dark maze. Stay with your light carrier, avoid the red pressure pads, kite adds instead of fighting them, and find open doors back to the center.
          • Orbs drain the resource of their color: green = stamina, blue = magicka, red = health. Below 30% the room fills with red ones. Avoid all of them.
          Tank
          • Hold her at one side of the room, facing away from the group. Block her flurry cone and heavy.
          • Grab melee and ranged adds and stack them on her.
          DPS
          • Kill the Flesh Atronachs when they spawn (around 81% and 51%). Each drops a light synergy; one player per pair must pick it up for the maze.
          • Interrupt ranged adds. Kill adds before pushing her.
          • Devour: she eats the ultimate of whoever is saving the most. Use ultimates when they're up.
          Healer
            👁 Watch for
            • Shadow Sense: an on-screen message that Velidreth 'prepares to hunt from the shadows' and she climbs into the dark ceiling.
            • Maze traps are red pads revealed by your light.
            ↯ Alternatives
            • The door you used in the first maze is still open in the second. Remember it.
            • Open your map in the catacombs to see the maze layout.
            Hard mode · veteran only

            Activate: Veteran only. Burn the webs on the Altar of Adoration (Mephala bust) in her lair before pulling. Re-do it after a wipe.

            • More HP and damage.
            • Fewer open doors in the catacombs. Expect dead ends and backtracking through adds.
            • The Mephala statue at the side of the arena fires mortar-like orbs at players. Block or shield when targeted.
            More detail
            Not fully confirmed:
            • Maze thresholds: xynode says 66% and 31%, Fextralife says 66% and 33%. Atronach timing (81% / 51%) is from xynode only.
            • HM changes come from search snippets of UESP and an old forum post. The statue mortar may happen on veteran too.
            Sources · last checked 2026-11-09