ESO Witches Festival Event

What is the Witches Festival?
The Witches Festival is special spooky Event for the Elder Scrolls Online. This is one of the rare Events where you can activate a double XP buff and find unique loot and collectibles.
When is the Witches Festival active?
The Witches Festival is usually active at the end of October.
What do I need to participate?
To participate in the Witches Festival you don't need to own any Chapter, DLC or ESO Plus.
How can I start the Witches Festival?
In case you participated in the past years already in the Witches Festival you don't have to do the Witchmother's Bargain Quest again. If you never participated in the past years in the Witches Festival you should complete the quest Witchmother's Bargain first. Open the crown store go to Quest Starters Take the Event Quest: The Witchmother's Bargain This will start the quest and summon the Witchmother Olyve next to you.
Witchmother Olyve will ask you to obtain:
  • Pumpkin. Pumpkins may be found throughout Tamriel on the ground or in containers. Additionally you can purchase Pumpkins from NPC Grocers for 150 Gold or you search the Guild Traders.
  • Guts. You can find Guts by looting small animals and fleshy undeads. Also you can search the Guild Traders and buy Guts with Gold.
  • Essence of Death. Kill a boss in any Delve in the Elder Scrolls Online to obtain an Essence of Death. Delves in Cyrodiil are not working to earn an Essence of Death.
    You can identify a Delve by the Torch Icon on the map
Once you have all three ingredients you will be directed to the Witchmother's Brewery in Auridon, Glenumbra or Stonefalls. You may use any of these three locations, regardless of your Alliance, even so the quest will still direct you to your alliances zone. After you delivered the requested items to the Witchmother Olyve, she will start to prepare the brew. Complete the quest the Witchmother's Bargain to receive the Witchmothers Whistle Memento.
How can I activate the 100% Experience Buff?
Since October 2023 the double xp buff is automatically applied. In the past you had to use the Witchmother's Whistle memento to summon the Witchmothers Cauldron, which granted you and your party a two hour 100 % Experience buff.
If you drink from the Witchmothers Brew you will transform into a Skeleton for a limited time.
Where can I find the Witchmother's Whistle Memento in my inventory?
To use the Witchmother's Whistle memento open your collection go to Tools use the Witchmother's Whistle Memento.
If you participated in the past in the Witches Festival you can directly use the Memento from your Collection when the event starts.
What is special about the Witches Festival?
During the witches Festival you will be able to earn Plunder Skulls and Dremora Plunder Skulls. These Skulls are special reward containers with various unique Witches Festival items. ESO adds each year new collectibles for the Witches Festival.
How can I earn Plunder Skulls?
Defeat any Boss somewhere in the Elder Scrolls Online to get Plunder Skulls.
What items can I find in Plunder Skulls?
  • Witches Festival Furnishing Recipes
  • Witches Festival Furnishings
  • Witches Festival Provisioning Recipes
  • Various Creepy Crawlies
  • Various Crafting Materials
  • Cursed Feathers
What Witches Festival Provisioning Recipes can I find Plunder Skulls and Dremora Plunder Skulls?
  • Sweet Sanguine Apples
  • Crisp and Crunchy Pumpkin Snack Skewer
  • Crunchy Spider Skewer
  • Ghastly Eye Bowl
  • Bowl of Peeled Eyeballs
  • Frosted Brains
  • Witchmother's Potent Brew
  • Witchmother's Party Punch
  • Double Bloody Mara
  • Bewitched Sugar Skulls
  • Disastrously Bloody Mara
  • Pack Leader's Bone Broth
Witches Festival Provisioning Recipes image gallery
Sweet Sanguine Apples
Crisp and Crunchy Pumpkin Snack Skewer
Crunchy Spider Skewer
Ghastly Eye Bowl
Bowl of Peeled Eyeballs
Frosted Brains
Witchmother's Potent Brew
Witchmother's Party Punch
Double Bloody Mara
Bewitched Sugar Skulls
Disastrously Bloody Mara
Pack Leader's Bone Broth
How can I earn Dremora Plunder Skulls?
Dremora Plunder skulls can be obtained from seven different boss types.
Each Dremora Plunder Skull type can be earned once per day per account.
Boss
Dremora Plunder Skull
Final Boss of the Maelstrom Arena (Orsinium), Dragonstar Arena (Craglorn), Blackrose Prison Arena (Murkmire), Vateshran Arena (The Reach)
Dremora Plunder Skull, Arena
Dark Anchor Boss (base game), Craglorn Focus Points (base game), Abyssal Geysers Boss (Summerset), Dragons (Northern & Southern Elsweyr) and Harrowstorms (Western Skyrim & the Reach)
Dremora Plunder Skull, Insurgent
Any Delve Bosses
Dremora Plunder Skull, Delve
The final boss of a Group Dungeon
Dremora Plunder Skull, Dungeon
Bosses from Public Dungeons, Quest Bosses, Dark Fissures, or Imperial City district and sewer bosses
Dremora Plunder Skull, Public & Sweeper
Final Trial Bosses
Dremora Plunder Skull, Trial
World Bosses
Dremora Plunder Skull, World
Infinite Archive
Dremora Plunder Skull, Infinite Archive
Event Boss: Lord Hollowjack
Dremora Plunder Skull, Event Boss
Only the Final Boss from Arenas, Dungeons and Trials will provide a Dremora Plunder Skull. All other bosses leading up to the final boss will only provide a normal, non-Dremora Plunder Skull.
What items can I find in Dremora Plunder Skulls?
From which specific Dremora Plunder Skull can I get Dremora Style Pages?
Dremora Style
Dremora Plunder Skull
Bows & Legs
Dremora Plunder Skull, Arena
Axe & Shoulder
Dremora Plunder Skull, World
Staff & Belt
Dremora Plunder Skull, Delve
Sword & Chest
Dremora Plunder Skull, Trial
Mace & Helmet
Dremora Plunder Skull, Dungeon
Shield & Boots
Dremora Plunder Skull, Public & Sweeper
Dagger & Gloves
Dremora Plunder Skull, Insurgent
What are Witches Festival Writs?
Witches Festival Writs are unique crafting writs that requires players to craft Witches Festival themed drinks or food. Witches Festival Writs work similar like Master Writs and they can be traded, mailed, and sold. Once you accept the contract the Witches Festival Writ will be bound to your account.
Example Witches Festival Writs
For completing Witches Festival Writs you will earn one or two Writ Vouchers. You can use Writ Vouchers to buy items from Rolis Hlaalu or Faustina Curio . Also by completing Witches Festival Writs you have a chance to find Hollowjack Style pages . If you complete 13 Witches Festival Writs you will earn a new collectible, the Witch's Infernal Hat. For completing 28 Witches Festival Writs will earn the title Witch.
Does the Witches Festival offer daily repeatable quests?
ESO added a new daily reaptable Witches Festival Quest in 2021.
You can start the Plucking the Crow Quest by speaking with Witchmother Taerma at the Impresario's tents or inside of Olyve's Brewery.
To complete the Plucking the Crow Quest you have to gather 30 cursed feathers which can be found in any Plunders Skulls. After you collected 30 cursed feathers return to Olyve's Brewery and follow the instructions. Then use the Portal to fight & defeat the Crowborne Horror Boss. Completing this daily repeatable Quest will reward you with three Plunder Skulls.
Lord of Fear Event Quest
In 2024 ESO added another daily reaptable Witches Festival event Quest. Speak to Priest Maxien Roudille inside any of the Witchmother Breweries located in Stonefalls, Auridon or Glenumbra to start the Lord of Fear daily repeatable quest.
Priest Maxien Roudille will send you across Tamriel to help and rescue several haunted people. Compete his request and return to Priest Maxien Roudille. Then Priest Maxien Roudille will open a portal where you have to fight and defeat Lord Hollowjack. Completing this daily repeatable Quest will reward you with a unique Dremora Plunder Skull. You can also unlock an achievement that grants you a Hollowjack trophy furnishing. Continue to help other players to defeat the Lord of Fear for a chance to receive a Hollowjack bust furnishing.
Enter the Portal only while grouped with other players, otherwise you have to face Lord Hollowjack alone.
This Event boss is created to be fought with up 6 to 12 players.
Can I get a spooky House?
Yes,during the Witches Festival you can purchase the Exorcised Coven Cottage via the crown store or for 250 000 gold. You need to have unlocked the Witches Festival Achievement "an unsparing harvest" to be able to purchase the Exorcised Coven Cottage with Gold. This house is located in Glenumbra and is only available during the Witches Festival.
How can I earn the Unsparing Harvest Achievement?
To unlock the an Unsparing Harvest Achievement you have to complete following tasks:
  • Pumpkin Pairs Well With Guts Achievement : Drink the Witchmother's Brew during the Witches Festival
  • Plunder Skull Fantatic Achievement : Earn 100 Plunder Skulls
  • Reaper's Harvest Achievement : Complete the Witchmother's Bargain quest
  • Happy Work For Hollowjack Achievement : Learn all 14 Hollowjack Style chapters
Can you earn Event Tickets?
During the Witches Festival you can acquire 2 Event Tickets per day per account by defeating any boss in the Elder Scrolls Online. That can be for example a boss from a quest, in a delve, dolmen, world boss, trials, public dungeons, arenas etc.
What can you buy with Event Tickets from the Impresario Event Merchant during the Witches Festival event?
This year, with Event Tickets, during the Witches Festival event you can buy, from the Impresario, the following:
Need help to find Impresario event merchant? Take a look here: Impresario Merchant
What items are included in the Witches Grab Bags?
Inside the Witches Grab Bags you can find several rewards from previous Witches Fesitvals which can no longer be found in Plunder Skulls or Dremora Plunder Skulls. These rewards are now inlcuded in the Witches Grab Bags which you can purchase for 2 event tickets from the Impresario Event Merchant.
Inside the Witches Grab Bags you can find:
Once you have all the items from the Witches Grab Bag you will not be able to purchase it again.
Witches Grab Bag image gallery
Ghost Netch pet
Tome of Forbidden Appetites memento
Witch-Tamed Bear-dog
Witchmother's Servant Style
Ghastly Visitation Memento
Throwing Bones Memento
Apple Bobbing Cauldron Memento
Skeletal Marionette Fragments
Hollowjack Spectre Mask
Pumpkin Spectre Mask
Scarecrow Spectre Mask
Thicketman Spectre Mask
Marshmallow Toasty Treat Emote
Witch's Bonfire Dust Memento
Which unique crafting and outfit styles can I collect during the Witches Festival?
If you missed the Event, check the Guild Traders and buy the items you need with Gold.
Is the Indrik Vendor available?
This year you can buy from the Indrik Vendor with Event Tickets the following:
Which collectibles does the Impressarios Assistant, Philius Dormier, offer during the Witches Festival Event?
This year you can buy from Philius Dormier with Event Tickets the following:

Do you have a video which covers this topic?

Yes! I have created a youtube video which covers the Witches Festival Event:
ESO Witches Festival Event

Created on

Friday, the 15th of October, 2021

Updated on

Monday, the 30th of October, 2023

Updated on

Monday, the 14th of October, 2024

Created by

Tianlein

Next event guide:

ESO Undaunted Celebration Event

Previous event guide:

ESO Explorer's Celebration Event

Impressum: Tianlein