The Character Build Guide includes a complete rundown of all the skills,
races, attributes and birthsigns in Oblivion, as well as many class templates
for your amusement.
**Bethesda has released the v1.1.511 patch for both PC and Xbox 360. You
should download and install this patch as it fixes a number of quest-related
bugs. Xbox 360 users can download the patch via Xbox Live. PC users can
download the patch here:
http://elderscrolls.com/downloads/updates_patches.htm
The PS3 version of the game should already be at patch level 1.1.511.
KNIGHTS OF THE NINE BOXED SET
-------------------------------
The KoN boxed set includes all the official mods released independently by
Bethesda during the course of 2006. Most of the mods were previously covered
in this guide, and that coverage has not changed with the release of KoN. The
official mods included in KoN are:
Horse Armor (DLC1)
Orrery (DLC2)
Wizard's Tower (DLC3)
Thieves' Den (DLC7)
Mehrunes' Razor (DLC9)
The Vile Lair (DLC5)
Spell Tomes (DLC4)
Knights of the Nine (DLC8)
Knights of the Nine has its own major section in this guide. Mehrunes' Razor
and Repairing the Orrery are listed under Side Quests. The other mods are
covered in Expanding Your Game, under Official Mods.
**SPOILER WARNING**
This guide contains plot spoilers. You have been warned.
Please include "Oblivion FAQ" in your subject line so I don't auto-discard the
message. Also, please read the FAQ carefully prior to asking for help on any
part of the game. If you send me additional suggestions or hints for the game
and I find them useful, you will be acknowledged in the Credits.
If you found this guide useful and would like to contribute a small token for
my efforts, you may send money through PayPal by using the Donate link found
on my Web site:
http://www.papagamer.com/
Thank you, and enjoy the guide!
~~The Elder Scrolls IV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TABLE OF CONTENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OBLIVION~~
Front Matter
Contact Information
Table of Contents
How to Use This Guide
Main Story...................................................MS00
Tutorial..................................................MS01
Deliver the Amulet........................................MS02
Find the Heir.............................................MS03
Breaking the Siege of Kvatch..............................MS04
Weynon Priory.............................................MS05
The Path of Dawn..........................................MS06
Dagon Shrine..............................................MS07
Spies.....................................................MS08
Blood of the Daedra.......................................MS09
Blood of the Divines......................................MS10
Miscarcand................................................MS11
Bruma Gate................................................MS12
Allies for Bruma..........................................MS13
The Wayward Knight (Cheydinhal)........................MS13-A
Bravil.................................................MS13-B
Anvil..................................................MS13-C
Chorrol................................................MS13-D
The Battle for Castle Kvatch...........................MS13-E
Leyawiin...............................................MS13-F
Skingrad...............................................MS13-G
Defense of Bruma..........................................MS14
Great Gate................................................MS15
Paradise..................................................MS16
Light the Dragonfires.....................................MS17
Imperial Dragon Armor.....................................MS18
Fighters Guild...............................................FG00
A Rat Problem.............................................FG01
The Unfortunate Shopkeeper................................FG02
The Desolate Mine.........................................FG03
Unfinished Business.......................................FG04
Drunk and Disorderly......................................FG05
Den of Thieves............................................FG06
Amelion's Debt............................................FG07
The Master's Son..........................................FG08
More Unfinished Business..................................FG09
Azani Blackheart..........................................FG10
The Wandering Scholar.....................................FG11
The Fugitives.............................................FG12
Trolls of Forsaken Mine...................................FG13
The Stone of St. Alessia..................................FG14
The Noble's Daughter......................................FG15
Mystery at Harlun's Watch.................................FG16
Information Gathering.....................................FG17
Infiltration..............................................FG18
The Hist..................................................FG19
Expelled From the Fighters Guild..........................FG20
Mages Guild..................................................MG00
Anvil Recommendation......................................MG01
Bravil Recommendation.....................................MG02
Bruma Recommendation......................................MG03
Cheydinhal Recommendation.................................MG04
Chorrol Recommendation....................................MG05
Fingers of the Mountain................................MG05-A
Fingers of the Mountain, Part II.......................MG05-B
Leyawiin Recommendation...................................MG06
Skingrad Recommendation...................................MG07
A Mage's Staff............................................MG08
Ulterior Motives..........................................MG09
Vahtacen's Secret.........................................MG10
Necromancer's Moon........................................MG11
Liberation or Apprehension?...............................MG12
Information at a Price....................................MG13
A Plot Revealed...........................................MG14
The Bloodworm Helm........................................MG15
The Necromancer's Amulet..................................MG16
Ambush....................................................MG17
Confront the King.........................................MG18
Mages Guild Suspension....................................MG19
Thieves Guild................................................TG00
May the Best Thief Win....................................TG01
Independent Thievery......................................TG02
Untaxing the Poor.........................................TG03
The Elven Maiden..........................................TG04
Ahdarji's Heirloom........................................TG05
Misdirection..............................................TG06
Lost Histories............................................TG07
Taking Care of Lex........................................TG08
Turning a Blind Eye.......................................TG09
Arrow of Extrication......................................TG10
Boots of Springheel Jak...................................TG11
The Ultimate Heist........................................TG12
Cast Out of the Thieves Guild.............................TG13
Dark Brotherhood.............................................DB00
A Knife in the Dark.......................................DB01
A Watery Grave............................................DB02
Accidents Happen..........................................DB03
Scheduled for Execution...................................DB04
The Renegade Shadowscale..................................DB05
The Assassinated Man......................................DB06
The Lonely Wanderer.......................................DB07
Bad Medicine..............................................DB08
Whodunit?.................................................DB09
Permanent Retirement......................................DB10
Of Secret and Shadow......................................DB11
The Purification..........................................DB12
Affairs of a Wizard.......................................DB13
Next of Kin...............................................DB14
Broken Vows...............................................DB15
Final Justice.............................................DB16
A Matter of Honor.........................................DB17
The Coldest Sleep.........................................DB18
A Kiss Before Dying.......................................DB19
Following a Lead..........................................DB20
Honor Thy Mother..........................................DB21
Whispers of Death.........................................DB22
Dark Exile................................................DB23
Knights of the Nine..........................................KN00
Pilgrimage................................................KN01
The Shrine of the Crusader................................KN02
Priory of the Nine........................................KN03
Nature's Fury.............................................KN04
The Path of the Righteous.................................KN05
Stendarr's Mercy..........................................KN06
Wisdom of the Ages........................................KN07
The Faithful Squire.......................................KN08
The Sword of the Crusader.................................KN09
The Blessing of Talos.....................................KN10
Umaril the Unfeathered....................................KN11
Epilogue..................................................KN12
Side Quests..................................................SQ00
Miscellaneous Adventures.....................................MA00
Home Ownership............................................MA01
Skill Training............................................MA02
Vampirism.................................................MA03
Alchemy...................................................MA04
Expanding Your Game..........................................XP00
PC Optimization...........................................XP01
PC Console Commands.......................................XP02
Mods......................................................XP03
Version History & Credits....................................VH00
To quickly jump to a section, copy the section code, press CTRL-F and paste
the section code in the search box.
~~The Elder Scrolls IV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OBLIVION~~
Oblivion is a huge game, and very much free-form. You can spend 100 hours
playing the game and never touch the main quest. You can play through the main
quest a half-dozen times and never do the same side quests twice. In addition,
some dungeons and quests are randomly generated. There's no way to write a
typical linear walkthrough for this game.
So here's how the walkthroughs are organized:
* Main Story: First up is a step-by-step walkthrough of the main story quests.
The main story does advance in a fairly linear manner, so each step along the
journey will be laid out. Of course, you do not have to complete the main
story in any sort of time limit and you can take your time and do lots of side
quests during the main story. However, the Main Story walkthrough will concern
itself only with the quests that are directly connected to the main story.
* Guild Quests: There are four guilds in Oblivion--Fighters, Mages, Thieves
and the Dark Brotherhood (assassins). Each guild has numerous quests
associated with it, and each has its own section in this part of the guide.
* Knights of the Nine: This mini-expansion to Oblivion includes previously
released material through Bethesda's official mods store (both for PC and
X360). The main KoN quest is described after the guild quests; other KoN
content is scattered through the Side Quests and Expanding Your Game sections.
* Side Quests: Everything that doesn't fit into the previous categories is
organized here in alphabetical order by quest name.
Before all the walkthroughs is a rundown of basic gameplay in Oblivion,
including the controls, how the Radiant AI works, combat hints and frequently
asked questions.
At the end of the walkthroughs is an index of every quest in the game, with
the section number where you can find the mini-walkthrough for that quest. The
index is organized both alphabetically and by city/region.
A complete breakdown of the character system in Oblivion, including all the
skills, races, birthsigns, etc. is in a separate document, located at:
After the quest walkthroughs is Miscellaneous Adventures, which covers buying
and furnishing houses, vampirism and training your skills (including the
Master Training quests).
The guide wraps up with Expanding Your Game, which covers optimizing your PC
to run Oblivion well, using console commands (on the PC) for that extra edge
and mods (mostly for PC, but some for X360 as well).
The main point of Oblivion is to explore, have fun and immerse yourself in the
world. The game simply cannot be adequately covered in words; you have to
experience it for yourself. But, if you get stuck, feel like you're in over
your head, or just can't figure out how to do that one little thing...then
this guide is here for you.
Oblivion, like any major, western-style RPG, has its share of glitches and
ways things can go wrong. Frequently, the only solution is to go to an earlier
save. You should make a new save at least every 15 or 30 minutes and keep at
least 15 to 20 savegames. The number of savegames is limited only by your hard
drive capacity and many people keep hundreds of saves. (That's probably a
little over-board; but, still...) It's easy to find that a decision you made
three or four hours ago, playing time, was a bad one and you will want to go
back and fix it. On the other hand, you don't want to go back to a several-
hour-old savegame if all you need to do is get around a glitch that just
happened.
*SAVE EARLY*
*SAVE OFTEN*
*KEEP LOTS OF SAVES*
It can't be repeated too often.
[GP01]
<~~~~~~ CONTROLS & ICONS ~~~~~~>
These are the default controls for the game:
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ACTION | PC (keyboard/mouse)+ | XBOX 360* |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Movement | W, A, S, D | Left stick |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Camera | Move mouse | Right stick |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Activate | SPACE | A button |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Jump | E | Y button |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Run | Left SHIFT | Movement speed is |
|------------------------+------------------------| controlled by the |
| Always Run (toggle) | CAPS LOCK | force on the left stick|
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Ready/Sheath Weapon | F | X button |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Attack | Left mouse button | R trigger |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Power Attack | Hold left mouse button | Hold R trigger + |
| | + movement key | move left stick |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Shoot Arrow | Hold left mouse button | Hold R trigger to aim, |
| | to aim, release to fire| release to fire |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Block/Bow Zoom | Right mouse button | L trigger |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Cast Spell | C | R button |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Grab | Z press-and-hold | L button press-and-hold|
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Sneak | Left CTRL | Press left stick |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Journal | TAB; You can also open | B button |
| | a journal tab directly | |
| | F1 - Stats | |
| | F2 - Inventory | |
| | F3 - Spells | |
| | F4 - Map/Quests | |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Hotkeys | 1 - 8 | D-pad |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Assign Hotkeys | Press-and-hold 1 - 8 | Press-and-hold D-pad |
| w/Inventory Open | and click item | and select item (A) |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Game Menu | ESC | Start |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Wait | T | Back |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Switch View (1st/3rd) | R | Press right stick |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Vanity Mode | Press-and-hold R | Press-and-hold rt stick|
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Quicksave | F5 | |
|------------------------+------------------------+------------------------|
| Quickload | F9 | |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
* Xbox 360 Controls list courtesy of Styck and GOSFreak from GameFAQs.
+ The PC version does support gamepads; however, there are some problems with
the default control setup. Find your Oblivion.ini file (typically in
My Documents\My Games\Oblivion) and open this file in a *text* editor such
as Notepad. (Don't use Word or WordPad or other word processing program.
Stick with a simple, plain text editor.)
Find these lines in the section headed [Controls]:
These are the default movement (left analog stick) and camera (right analog
stick) controls. Specifically, the Look (i.e. camera) controls may not be
set properly for your joystick. If moving the right analog stick has no
effect on the camera, change these two lines:
Increase the value of 0.0020 to something significantly larger, such as
0.5000. If the camera still does not respond or is sluggish, increase to
1.0000 and so on until the camera responds to the right joystick in a way
that works for you.
Additionally, you may find the camera movement does not correspond
correctly to the joystick movement: i.e. the camera moves up and down
as you move the stick left and right. In that case, switch these values:
iJoystickLookUpDown=6
iJoystickLookLeftRight=3
so that you have:
iJoystickLookUpDown=3
iJoystickLookLeftRight=6
You may also need to change some of these values completely depending on
your controller and your controller's drivers. You can set the buttons
within the Controls Options of the game.
| Icons
+-------
When in first-person perspective, the center of the screen is occupied by a
crosshair. When you mouse over a target, the crosshair changes depending on
the target.
* Face: NPC, Activate the NPC to talk to him or her
* Crown: plot critical NPC, Activate the NPC to talk to him or her
* Open hand: a loose item, press Activate to take the item
* Closed fist: something that can be manipulated (such as a door or switch),
press Activate to...well...activate the item
* Pottery jar: container, press Activate to open the container
* Door: a door, Activating may open the door or take you to another area
depending on the door
* Lock: this icon appears in the lower right corner of the screen when a door
or container is locked.
* Moon and stars: a bed, Activate to sleep in the bed
* Book: a book or note, Activate it to read the item
* Stool: a chair, bench, etc., Activate it to sit down, press Activate again
while not targeting anything to stand up
* Horseshoe: a horse, press Activate to mount the horse, press Activate again
while not targeting anything to dismount
* Bat: NPC, Activate the NPC to feed on him or her (can only be used when you
are a vampire)
* Eye: indicates you are in Sneak mode
Sometimes icons display in red. When you see a red icon, don't touch the item
or you'll be accused of a crime. Unless, of course, you're trying to commit a
crime, then go ahead and touch away...
[GP02]
<~~~~~~ GAME MECHANICS ~~~~~~>
Most of the basic gameplay elements are dealt with during the tutorial. How to
pick things up, how to drop them, how to equip weapons and spells, how to
Sneak, etc. But, there are a lot of things going on under the hood that the
tutorial never mentions. This section covers all those extra game mechanics.
| Radiant AI [GP02-A]
+---------------------
Radiant AI is Bethesda's name for its NPC scripts. NPCs in Oblivion are
supposed to "act like real people". At first, this really seems to be the
case. After a few hours invested in a city, you'll see it's just another bunch
of scripts strung together with some pseudo-random events to give the feel of
actual intelligence.
Here are some of the things the Radiant AI does:
* NPCs keep a schedule. Their schedule is occasionally randomized, but, for
the most part, these characters move around eating, working, sleeping and
other activities at different times of the day on a regular schedule.
* NPCs react to crimes. Enter one's house uninvited and they'll call for
the gendarmes. Hit someone and they'll scream, "Assault!" Etc.
* NPCs talk to one another as they pass on the street. After spending a
couple hours in a city, you'll have heard every variation on conversation
there is. (Since everything in Oblivion is voice acted, the number of
conversations is quite limited.) Sometimes, hearing these conversations
opens up a new topic for you, often leading to a quest.
Here are some things the Radiant AI does not do:
* Force you to keep a schedule. For the most part, if someone tells you to
meet them at midnight tonight or else, you can show up at midnight three
weeks later and they'll be there waiting patiently for you. There are very,
very few quests in Oblivion that actually require you to act within time
constraints.
* React to assaults on allies. The vision/hearing of every NPC in Oblivion
must be impaired. If you have two enemy mages on opposite sides of a large
room, you can blow one of them to smithereens while the other wonders
aloud about the rats. This does help with combat since you don't want lots
of bad guys swarming you, but it is kind of ridiculous.
Example: right after killing the captain of a ship, two sailors barged into
the cabin. The PC was hidden in the back room. Seeing the captain dead on
the floor, the sailors proceeded to engage in a random conversation. The PC
steps out of the back room and fires a spell at one of the sailors. That
sailor charges and is dispatched. The other sailor, still behind the
partition at the front of the cabin, complains about the loud noises made
by the rats.
That's the Radiant AI for you!
* Care much about the world around them. There are scripted instances where
you can't get help from someone because of an Oblivion gate nearby, but,
for the most part, while the big, bad demonic invasion is happening, most
NPCs still just want you to kill (or protect, depending on the situation)
the rats in their basement.
So, don't get your hopes up too high over the Radiant AI. The NPCs in Oblivion
pretty much act like the NPCs in every other RPG, except they don't just stand
around waiting for you to show up (unless you're in the middle of a quest
requiring they just stand around until you show up--in which case they'll wait
for months).
And, even if a quest-target NPC is moving around, the convenient objective
marker on your map will always show you where he or she is.
| The Leveled System [GP02-B]
+-----------------------------
Oblivion uses a system that matches enemy levels to your PC's level. It does
this in two ways:
* Changes the type or number of creatures you face. For example, at low
level, the daedra you fight inside Oblivion are mostly scamps and the
occasional clannfear runt. At higher levels, you'll start seeing dremora,
adult clannfear, atronachs, etc.
* Increases the level of the enemy. This is mostly used on boss creatures.
For example, the opponents you face in the Arena are always the same, but
their level, skills and equipment increase in power as you increase in
power.
The leveled system means you never get in over your head. Whatever challenge
you face is always scaled to your level, so you can do anything at the
beginning of the game. This is also a drawback, as being able to complete any
quest even at level 1 is somewhat unrealistic.
The leveled system also means you never overpower your opponents. There are
never any "easy" fights against overwhelmed opponents. When you encounter
bandits at level 1, they are clad in fur and wield rusty daggers. If you
encounter them at level 20, they are clad in mithril and wield enchanted glass
short swords.
Treasure and store inventories are likewise leveled. At level one, you can
fight for your life through a three-level ruin, dispatching dozens of undead
and come away with a grand total of 32 gold, a flawed jewel and some day-old
bread. Going through the same ruin at level 10 can yield a couple hundred
gold, some soul gems and an enchanted weapon.
The leveled system also affects quest rewards. Finish Fingers of the Mountain
at level 3 and the spell you get is, to say the least, underwhelming. Finish
it at level 25 and you get one of the most powerful spells in the game
(assuming you have the Magicka to cast it). A sigil stone collected at level 5
is a lot less powerful than a sigil stone collected at level 15.
(*NOTE*: PC users can download a mod that corrects this problem.)
The leveled system does present some problems, especially in the main story.
There are a few quests where you have to defeat hordes of enemies, and you are
given help; or, you have to protect someone from enemies. In these cases,
having a higher level PC works against you since your allies do not similarly
increase in power. The last thing you want is a dozen dremora overwhelming the
guards around you, then turning all their attention on you. No matter how uber
you think your gear, you're not going to survive that.
There are some ways to work around this system:
1) Increase your class levels slowly. If you work mostly with minor skills,
and only increase your major skills (and, thus, your class level) when you've
locked in +5 modifiers for your attributes, then you'll run far ahead of the
NPCs of similar level. For more info on the skill/class system, see the
PapaGamer Character Build Guide at:
2) Play at a lower difficulty level. If a quest is just too hard, turn the
difficulty down until you complete the quest.
3) Use a modded leveling system (see the Mods section near the end of the
guide). This will allow you to level more reasonably without having to pay a
lot of attention to the math. There are also mods that affect enemy leveling,
which makes the game much more interesting.
4) Use the Quest Reward Leveling mod (see the Mods section near the end of the
guide). This mod levels up quest rewards with your class level, so you'll
always have a use for those special gifts.
| Time, Waiting & Resting [GP02-C]
+----------------------------------
Time in Oblivion passes at the rate of 30 minutes for every one real minute
spent playing the game (not in Pause). So a 24-hour day takes 48 minutes of
real time to play through.
NPCs operate on schedules during the game day. Normal operating hours for
merchants are 8am to 8pm every day. In the cities, most of the rulers hold
court from 8am to 6pm every day. You can find a lot of NPCs at dinner in the
local tavern or castle dining hall around 8pm to 11pm most days. Etc. If
you're looking for someone and you don't have a quest marker for that person,
you can assume that person will be at home, sleeping, during the night. Etc.
The calendar is just like the Gregorian calendar, albeit with different names:
Gregorian - Oblivion Gregorian - Oblivion
--------- ------------ --------- ------------
January - Morning Star July - Sun's Height
February - Sun's Dawn August - Last Seed
March - First Seed September - Heartfire
April - Rain's Hand October - Frost Fall
May - Second Seed November - Sun's Dusk
June - Mid-Year December - Evening Star
The months have the same number of days as the Gregorian calendar, thus Last
Seed has 31 days, Heartfire has only 30, etc. The game begins the 27th of Last
Seed, Third Empire, year 433 (7/27/433--The in-game calendar displayed with
the debug console counts the months from 0 to 11, so August/Last Seed is month
7, not 8). You can see the current date by turning on the debug console (tdt)
and choosing page 0 (sdt 0).
What does all this mean?
Well, not much, unless you need to figure out an NPC's schedule. If a
character does activity X on weekdays, you know that means Morndas, Tirdas,
Middas, Turdas and Fredas. If it's currently Loredas, you've got to Wait two
days to catch the NPC. And so on and so forth.
At any time there are no enemies nearby and you are not trespassing you can
use the Wait command (default PC key 'T', Xbox 360 button 'Back'). You can
Wait in one hour increments up to 24 hours (one full day). Waiting any period
of time, even just one hour, fully restores your Health, Magicka and Fatigue.
This is a kind of cheap way to heal yourself up while spelunking--clear out
enough enemies and you can just Wait one hour.
You can also sleep, if you have a bed handy. The only times you have to sleep
are:
1) To increase your class level. Unless you're using a mod, or have turned on
instant leveling in your INI file, you must sleep in a bed to level up.
2) Certain quests require you to sleep in a bed; e.g. "Where Spirits Have
Lease" or during Dark Brotherhood quests.
An easy way to have access to cheap (i.e. free) beds is to join either the
Fighters Guild or Mages Guild. Just asking to join gives you a key to all the
guild halls, all of which have beds to sleep in. You don't even have to
perform any quests. Every city except Kvatch and Imperial City have halls for
both the Fighters Guild and Mages Guild.
| Travel, Horses & Quest Markers [GP02-D]
+-----------------------------------------
There are three ways to travel in Cyrodiil:
1) On foot, either walking or running.
2) By horse. Horse travel is faster than running (unless you have a very high
Speed attribute), but somewhat unreliable. You cannot fight while you're on a
horse, they're difficult to steer and they sometimes wander away while you're
dungeon delving.
There are seven horses or types of horses available (the Speed attributes in
these lists are somewhat misleading, as horses can move a lot faster than
humans, so only compare the Speed of a horse against other horses, not
humanoids):
Paint horses are available in Bruma, Leyawiin and from Prior Maborel as part
of the "Find the Heir" main quest. Paint horses are the slowest, least combat-
worthy horses in the game. However, they are sturdy (300 Health), cheap and
you can get one free two minutes after you leave the tutorial dungeon.
You obtain Shadowmere during the Dark Brotherhood quests. He is as fast as the
black horses of Cheydinhal and a better fighter, plus, he can never be killed!
(He just falls unconscious.)
The unicorn is the target of a hunt instigated by the daedric lord Hircine.
While a fearsome combatant, he's not particularly suited to be your regular
mount. He doesn't like drawn weapons and will attack even you if you show
steel in his presence.
3) Fast Travel: while outdoors, open your World Map, choose a location and
click its icon. As long as there are no enemies nearby, you'll be asked if you
want to Travel there. Choose yes, and hey! There you are. Some caveats about
Fast Travel:
* Except for the city markers and a few quest-related locations (Weynon
Priory, Cloud Ruler Temple and a couple of others) you must have actually
visited the location to Fast Travel there. Even though someone marks the
location on your map, you must still get there by foot or horse first. Once
you have "discovered" a place, you can Fast Travel there as much as you want.
* If you own a horse, the horse Fast Travels with you (and is used to
calculate time passed, see below) even if you aren't mounted on the horse.
When Fast Traveling to a city, your horse is automatically stabled outside the
walls. There's no fee for stabling your horse.
* Time does pass when you Fast Travel, based on whether you're on foot or on
horse. It's not a large amount of time. Traveling from Cheydinhal in the east
to Anvil in the west takes only 11 hours on foot or 5 hours on a black horse.
* If you use the console to turn on all map markers (tmm 1), you can Fast
Travel to every marker.
QUEST MARKERS
---------------
Of course, all these travel options don't mean jack if you don't know where to
go. That's where the quest or objective marker comes in. On local maps, world
maps and your HUD compass, you'll see either a green or red arrow marker--
provided you have an active quest. This marker shows you the location or
direction in which your current objective is located.
This is why, many times in this walkthrough, you are told to go through
certain steps. You could, conceivably, skip some of the interrogations and
move straight to the target; however, without questioning people, you won't
get the quest marker on your maps and you'll be trying to find a marble in
oatmeal.
A red quest marker indicates the target is *not* in the same area as you. A
green quest marker indicates the target *is* in the same area as you. "Area"
in this sense does not mean the small "areas" loaded by the game as you
travel. You are in the same "area" if you are in the same world-space. This
means a target that is in the world-at-large is in the same area as you if you
are both outside cities and outside any building/dungeon--even if you are on
opposite sides of the map. Multiple arrows mean there are multiple targets--
i.e. more than one enemy you must kill or more than one location you must
visit.
Your quest journal has three tabs: active quest, open quests and completed
quests. Quest markers only show for the active quest, and there can be only
one active quest at a time. To change active quests, select an open quest and
click it. The open quest you selected becomes the new active quest and quest
markers change to reflect the new quest.
If you have no active quest, and you get a new quest, it automatically becomes
active. If you have an active quest, and you get a new quest, you are asked if
you want to Continue or Make This My Active Quest. Continuing adds the new
quest to open quests, but does not make it active. The second option,
obviously, marks the quest as active.
| Mini-games [GP02-E]
+---------------------
LOCKPICKING
-------------
Whenever you Activate a locked door or container, the lockpicking mini-game
starts. You'll see a stylized rendition of the internal workings of a lock.
Through the middle runs a hollow bolt into which your pick is inserted. This
bolt is held in place by from one (very easy locks) to five (very hard locks)
tumblers.
You may attempt to automatically open the lock using the Auto Attempt button,
or you may pick the lock manually. Move the pick under a tumbler and push up
(move your mouse up or press up on the control pad) to push the tumbler out of
the bolt. The tumblers are spring-loaded and will pop back down either
immediately or after a one- or two-second delay. While the tumbler is still
seated in the up position, LEFT-CLICK or press the right trigger to set the
tumbler. If you click at the wrong time, the tumbler falls back into place and
breaks your pick. Depending on your Security skill, other tumblers you have
already set will also fall and you'll have to set them all over again.
Security controls the lockpicking mini-game in three ways:
* Higher Security provides a more likely chance of success if you use the Auto
Attempt button to try to pick the lock.
* Higher Security keeps set tumblers in place when you break a pick by failing
to properly set a tumbler.
Novice: all set tumblers fall
Apprentice: up to three set tumblers fall
Journeyman: up to two set tumblers fall
Expert: only one other set tumbler will fall
Master: no other tumblers fall.)
* Higher Security causes tumblers to drop back down more slowly.
You can figure out when to set a tumbler into place in one of two ways:
* Keep pushing it up and letting it fall and watch the pattern. On more
complex locks the tumbler's pattern can be quite long. For example, an easy
lock might have a tumbler with a pattern of short-long-short-short. A more
complex lock might have patterns like short-long-long-short-short-short-long-
short-long. Once you've got the pattern, click to set on a long segment of the
pattern.
* Listen to the sound of the tumbler moving up. There is an extra, very quiet
click when the tumbler is going to stay seated for a second or two. That's
when you can set the tumbler. Once you learn how to recognize that little
extra click, you can pick locks very easily.
There are two ways to get around this mini-game:
1) Work on your Alteration skill and use Open Lock spells.
2) Perform Nocturnal's quest (as soon as you reach level 10) and get the
Skeleton Key. This unbreakable lockpick allows you to pick any lock just by
clicking Auto-Attempt until the lock opens.
PERSUASION
------------
Each NPC has a Disposition score that indicates how likely they are to give
you important information or Haggle with you (if a merchant). You can increase
an NPC's Disposition using a Persuasion mini-game. In some cases, getting or
continuing a quest requires you to get a high Disposition score with the
target.
*NOTE* You can also increase Disposition by using Charm spells, the Imperial
ability, "Voice of the Emperor", or the vampire ability, "Vampire's
Seduction".
To play the Persuasion mini-game, click the Persuade button (face icon on the
left of the conversation menu) during conversation. A segmented wheel opens
next to the NPC. There are four segments: Admire, Boast, Joke and Coerce.
During each round of play, you must perform each action once.
To perform an action, select it and LEFT-CLICK or Right Trigger. Of the four
actions, the NPC will love one, like one, dislike one and hate one. You can
tell the NPC's reaction by examining his or her face when you select the
action. Inside each action's segment of the wheel is a wedge. After each
selection, the wedges "rotate", changing their position.
There are four wedges: 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. They always rotate clockwise
and their order will differ from round to round. The actions the NPC loves,
likes, dislikes and hates will always be the same, so you only need to test
them at the beginning of the mini-game.
Basic gameplay involves choosing liked or loved responses when they are filled
with a medium or large wedge and choosing disliked and hated actions when they
have only a small wedge in them. All the while you're deciding which action to
pick, the NPC's Disposition is falling.
First, get a blank sheet of paper and sketch four large X's on it:
Start the Persuasion mini-game and quickly examine the NPC's reactions to each
action. Pause the game and note these reactions in the appropriate section of
your diagrams. In this example, the NPC (a city guard) loves Admire, likes
Boast, dislikes Joke and hates Coerce:
LV LV LV LV
\ / \ / \ / \ /
\ / \ / \ / \ /
LK \/ D LK \/ D LK \/ D LK \/ D
/\ /\ /\ /\
/ \ / \ / \ / \
/ \ / \ / \ / \
H H H H
Next, quickly examine the current position of the wedges, pause the game and
note these in your first X:
LV
\ 25 /
\ /
LK \/ D
75 /\ 50
/ \
/100 \
H
You can now extrapolate where each wedge will be for each selection:
LV LV LV LV
\ 25 / \ 75 / \100 / \ 50 /
\ / \ / \ / \ /
LK \/ D LK \/ D LK \/ D LK \/ D
75 /\ 50 100 /\ 25 50 /\ 75 25 /\100
/ \ / \ / \ / \
/100 \ / 50 \ / 25 \ / 75 \
H H H H
The strategy is simple: First determine in which turn you get the 25% wedge in
Hate and take that--in this example, it is the third turn. Then you want the
100% wedge in Love, or, if that's unavailable (because it occurs in the same
turn as 25% in Hate), then take 75% in Love (second turn in this example).
Then Dislike when it is lower--of the remaining turns (first and fourth),
Dislike is lower in the first. So, the correct strategy for this round is:
Dislike (50%), Love (75%), Hate (25%), Like (25%). You then start the next
round and your opening looks like this:
LV
\100 /
\ /
LK \/ D
25 /\ 75
/ \
/ 50 \
H
Planning ahead yields: Love (100%), Like (50%), Dislike (25%), Hate (25%).
You'll get a greater increase in Disposition this round than the previous
round. Continue until you've maximized the NPC's Disposition.
Your Speechcraft skill can help with the Persuasion mini-game in several ways:
* At Apprentice rank, you can get a free rotation of the wheel during
the mini-game.
* At Journeyman rank, the NPC's Disposition falls more slowly while
you're making your decisions.
* At Expert rank, there is less reduction in Disposition from the
hated response.
Once you get good at this mini-game, you won't need to sketch out your moves;
you'll be able to do it in your head, which dramatically decreases the time it
takes to sweet-talk NPCs.
| Enchanting, Spellmaking & Soul Gems [GP02-F]
+----------------------------------------------
Sooner, rather than later, you're going to be depending on enchanted weapons
and/or armor for survival. You may also find that you want a specific type of
spell that you can't find anywhere from a spell merchant--perhaps you want a
stronger healing spell, but the only stronger ones sold are too high in level
for you to use.
Regardless, you're going to be interested in three things:
* Enchanting your own items (armor, clothing, weapons and jewelry)
* Recharging enchanted weapons
* Making your own spells
SPELLMAKING
-------------
To make your own spells requires access to an Altar of Spellmaking. In the
base game, Altars of Spellmaking are only available in Arcane University to
Apprentices (and higher) of the Mages Guild. That means you have to complete
the seven Recommendation quests. You can get an Altar of Spellmaking in
Frostcrag Spire if you buy the Wizard's Tower official plug-in -- no guild
membership necessary.
Activate an Altar of Spellmaking and you'll be presented with a simple menu.
At the top is a box where you enter your spell's name. On the left is a list
of effects from spells currently in your spellbook. You can only create new
spells using effects you already know--magnitude isn't relevant.
So, if you want to create a spell that does 50 points of fire damage and you
still have Flare (5 points fire damage) in your spellbook (the spell you're
given in the starter dungeon), you can create your 50-point fire damage spell.
When you choose an effect, you get a new window with four controls:
* Range: one of Self, Touch or Target
* Magnitude: strength of the spell
* Area: how large of an area will be affected by the spell (if you select
Self as the Range, this option disappears)
* Duration: how long the spell lasts
(Some of the sliders may not show depending on the effect. For example, Detect
Life only shows Magnitude and Duration. Other effects may show additional
controls, for example an Attribute control for picking an Attribute to Fortify
or Drain.)
Along the bottom of this window you will see the current number of Magicka
points required to cast the spell based on your skill rank in the appropriate
spell school (next to the lightning bolt icon), the cost to create the spell
(next to the gold coin icon with the arrow) and the total gold you currently
possess (next to the right-most coin icon).
You can manipulate these sliders to get similar effects at different costs.
For example, a spell causing 50 points of fire damage on Target costs 33
Magicka to cast and 99 gold to create. A spell causing 10 points of fire
damage for 5 seconds (total 50 points) costs only 21 Magicka to cast and 63
gold to create. Add a 10-foot explosion to that spell, and it still only costs
32 Magicka to cast and 96 gold to create. (Magicka costs based on Destruction
rank of 100.)
You can combine effects, even effects from different spell schools in a single
spell. The spell school under which the spell falls is determined by the first
listed effect. The skill rank needed to cast the spell is determined by the
spell cost.
ENCHANTING
------------
In addition to finding a lot of enchanted equipment in the world, you can make
your own. To do so, you need to use an Altar of Enchanting or a sigil stone
(the ones you collect when you close an Oblivion gate). The only Altars of
Enchanting in Cyrodiil are in Arcane University--so you'll have to complete
the Mages Guild Recommendation quests to get in there. (Alternately, you can
buy the Wizard's Tower official plug-in and get your own Altar of Enchanting
without joining the Mages Guild.)
To enchant an item with a sigil stone, simple select the sigil stone in your
inventory. Each sigil stone shows two effects: one defensive/buffing effect
and one offensive effect. For example, a stone may show the effects of Fire
Resist and Fire Damage. When you select the stone and click it (or press the A
button), you get a menu showing your available weapons and worn items that
have no enchantments. Select a weapon to get the offensive effect added to
that weapon. Select an item of wear to get the defensive effect added to that
item. You can also name your item. No altars or soul gems are needed to
enchant the item. You will still need soul gems or varla stones to recharge
the item.
In order to enchant an item without using a sigil stone, you must have a soul
gem with a captured soul. Souls and soul gems come in five sizes: petty,
lesser, common, greater and grand. The enchantment ability is determined by
the size of the soul, not the size of the gem.
When you Activate an Altar of Enchanting, you get a menu showing a box across
the top for the name of your item. On the left you can Add Item--you can
enchant any weapon or item you can wear (clothing, armor, rings or amulets).
On the right you can Add Soul Gem, selecting the filled gem you want to use
from your inventory.
After you've selected an item, a list of effects--governed by the effects you
know how to cast (i.e. have similar spells in your spell book)--shows in the
left-hand box. Effects you have added to your item show in the right-hand box
as you add them.
ENCHANTING WEAPONS
--------------------
Weapons can have multiple enchantments, but you must add all enchantments at
one time. Once an enchanted weapon has been made, you cannot add enchantments
to it. The size of the soul you use to enchant the weapon determines how many
total charges the weapon will have:
When you choose an effect to add to the weapon, you get a window with three
controls:
Magnitude: strength of the effect
Area: how large of an area will be affected by the weapon
Duration: how long the effect will last
(Some effects, such as Drain Skill, will show an additional control.)
Below you can see (from right to left): the number of charges used per hit
with the weapon, the number of uses you'll get before the weapon needs to be
recharged (this is the total charges from the soul divided by the number of
charges used per hit), the cost to create the weapon and the total gold you
have in your pockets.
As you manipulate the sliders to create the effect, the number of charges per
hit will go up (or down) with corresponding dips or increases in the number of
uses.
To recharge any enchanted weapon:
* Use a filled soul gem from your inventory, the number of charges restored
from the soul is the same as the number of charges that size soul provides
when enchanting (i.e. 150, 300, 800, 1200 or 1600)
* Use a varla stone in your inventory. Varla stones fully recharge every
enchanted weapon in your inventory.
* Pay a recharger. Various merchants (most in the Mages Guild halls) will
recharge your weapons. They charge one gold per charge restored.
ENCHANTING ARMOR, CLOTHING AND JEWELRY
----------------------------------------
Items you wear can only have one enchantment placed on them. You select the
item, the soul gem and the effect. The magnitude of the effect is determined
by the size of the soul in the gem. The range is always self and the duration
is always constant. Enchanted wear items do not have charges associated with
them.
SOUL GEMS
-----------
For purposes of enchanting and recharging, soul gems are highly useful. Of
course, they must first be filled with a soul. You capture souls using a Soul
Trap spell. Cast Soul Trap on an enemy and kill that enemy before the Trap
spell wears off. The enemy's soul will go into the smallest empty gem in your
inventory that is still big enough to hold the soul.
For example, you have an empty lesser and an empty greater soul gem. If you
capture a petty or lesser soul, it will go into the lesser gem. If you capture
a common or greater soul, it will go into the greater gem. If you capture a
grand soul, it will be wasted because you don't have an empty grand soul gem
available. If you capture a lesser soul, then a petty soul, the lesser will go
to the lesser gem and the petty will end up in the greater gem.
You can only capture the souls of creatures that are not one of the ten player
races (Argonian, Breton, Dark Elf, High Elf, Imperial, Khajiit, Nord, Orc,
Redguard or Wood Elf). Using Soul Trap on a "sentient" race is a waste of the
spell.
The exception is the black soul gem. Black soul gems are grand soul gems that
can be used to capture "human" souls. There are a few black soul gems that are
found as treasure. You can also make your own black soul gems using a
necromancer altar. To make a black soul gem, you need an empty grand soul gem
and a Soul Trap spell (any level spell will do).
Find a necromancer altar (there's one in front of Dark Fissure in eastern
Cyrodiil). Wait until midnight. Look for a bright cone of light shining down
around the altar. (It's easier to see this cone if you look up into the sky,
rather than looking at the altar.) If there's no bright light, Wait 24 hours
and try again. Sometime during the week, a bright cone of light will shine
down on the altar; when you see the light, put your empty grand soul gem in
the altar and cast Soul Trap on the altar. Remove your shiny new black soul
gem.
AZURA'S STAR
--------------
Azura's Star is your reward for completing Azura's quest (one of the Daedric
quests). Azura's Star is a refillable grand soul gem. Normal soul gems
disappear when you use them to make or recharge an item. Azura's Star does not
disappear. You can use it over and over again, as many times as you like. You
cannot convert Azura's Star into a refillable black soul gem.
Azura's Star is a very useful item, especially for fighters relying on
enchanted weapons. If you enchant your own weapons, add a short Soul Trap
effect to each weapon, this way you will always capture the soul of whatever
you kill. You can then instantly recharge your weapon before attacking the
next creature. If you do not enchant your own weapons, be sure to use as long
a duration Soul Trap spell as you can cast on each creature you fight.
Always make sure to recharge your weapon as soon as you've killed a creature,
so you don't waste any souls (i.e. charges).
SOULS
-------
Here is a short list of soul sizes for commonly encountered creatures. These
sizes are for the base creatures. Leveled creatures will have larger souls.
* Petty: Deer, Dog, Goblin, Mud Crab, Rat, Sheep, Skeleton, Slaughterfish,
Stunted Scamp, Wolf
As would be the case in any adventure/RPG style game, there is plenty of
combat in Oblivion. There are four basic types of combat in Oblivion: heavy
melee (tank), light melee (scout), archer and magic. There are two basic rules
that apply to all four types of combat...
| Divide and Conquer
+--------------------
The combat in Oblivion is real-time and based on simple physics: if you swing
at the right time and in the right place, you hit. If you aim your arrow
properly, you hit. If you don't do these things right, you miss. There are no
dice rolls going on "in the background". Nobody stands around "waiting their
turn". If you get surrounded by three or more enemies, you're dead.
Fortunately, the developers, for the most part, spaced enemies out so you
don't typically walk in on a horde that's just sat down for lunch. Most rooms
have only one or two mobs in them. Larger rooms may have three or four, but
widely spaced out. You need to learn to draw enemies to you one (or, at worst,
two) at a time. Use arrows, ranged spells or jump up-and-down to attract the
attention of the closest to you, then turn and run back a ways so your foe
will foolishly charge after you, not waiting for his/her/its compatriots.
Once you learn how to deal with enemies in *very small* numbers, combat
becomes a lot easier.
| Everyone Uses Magic
+---------------------
Regardless of your play style or character type, you need magic. All
characters can use buffs, regardless of class type. Melee fighters will want
to enchant their own weapons, which means having spells with the right effects
in your spellbook. Melee fighters will also benefit from paralyzing-type
spells used against archer and mages so they can close in without taking a lot
of damage. Archers and light melee fighters sometimes need a summoned creature
to help with mobs. And, of course, there are the always useful Restoration
spells to restore health or damage abilities.
So, don't neglect your inner Breton. Learn some useful spells and keep scrolls
handy. Keep welkynd stones and Magicka-restoring potions in your pockets in
case you suffer a sudden loss of Magicka. Learn to use magic as part of your
tactics and you'll be much more successful.
| The Numbers Game
+------------------
Some numbers you need to know before you go about fitting out your character:
* Armor
Your armor rating is the *percentage* of *physical* damage deducted from hits
on you. The max is 85: 85% of physical damage is deducted from any hits on you
(i.e. you only take 15% damage from physical attacks). Armor doesn't affect
elemental damage--fire, frost and shock. Both Light Armor and Heavy Armor can
be maxed out, though it will take longer with Light Armor (you'll need Elven
or glass and Master Light Armor skill).
* Weapon damage
The higher your weapon skill, the more damage you do with that type of weapon.
Blades tend to be more powerful than blunts, and more plentiful as well.
Strength also affects melee weapon damage. Agility affects bow weapon damage.
* Spells
The potency of your spells is not changed by your skill level in that spell
school, your Intelligence or your Willpower. When you increase in a spell
skill, you have the opportunity to buy or make stronger spells. Higher ranks
in a spell skill also decrease the Magicka needed to cast spells in that
school. Your Intelligence directly affects your total Magicka. Your Willpower
determines how fast your Magicka regenerates.
* Damage Over Time
If something is listed as "5 points fire damage for 5 seconds", it means
you'll get a total of 25 points fire damage from the effect (5 damage each
second x 5 seconds = 25 damage). Damage over time spells are cheaper to make
and cheaper to cast.
* Spell Effectiveness
Wearing armor decreases the effectiveness of your spells. As your armor skill
increases, so does the effectiveness of your spells. The highest effectiveness
rate of spells while wearing armor is 95%. E.g. a spell that is listed as "20
fire damage" only does 19 damage at 95% effective, 16 damage at 80% effective,
etc. All fractions are dropped (i.e. rounded down), so 80% of 5 is 4 and 95%
of 5 is 4. If you want 100% effectiveness from your spells, you can't wear any
armor--not even gloves or boots.
| Heavy Melee [GP03-A]
+----------------------
First, give up on two-handed weapons. There is little additional benefit and a
couple of negatives to fighting that way. You give up speed, so you make fewer
attacks; and, you give up a shield, so you can't block as effectively. In
return, you get a minor increase in damage.
For example, a steel long sword has a base attack rating of 12; a steel
claymore or battle axe has a base attack rating of 14. The steel war hammer
gives a base attack of 16. This spread (2 extra points for the claymore or
battle axe, 4 points for the war hammer) carries through the different weapon
types (i.e. a daedric war hammer does 4 points more damage than a daedric long
sword).
Once you layer on enchantments, power attacks, poisons, etc., the small
difference in base attack is not worth losing your shield and not being able
to swing as fast.
As a tank, your focus is on absorbing damage. You want the best heavy armor
you can obtain, and you want to make sure you level up your Block, Heavy Armor
and Armorer skills. Focus on boosting your Strength (for damage and carrying
capacity), Endurance (for health) and Agility (to avoid being staggered).
FIGHTING TACTICS
------------------
Against other melee fighters: Step in and trade blows. Block when the other
guy starts to swing, then smash him with power attacks when he pauses. Nothing
could be simpler.
Against archers: You have to run them down, which can be tricky in large
areas. Having a paralyze spell or poison for an arrow of your own will stop
them long enough for you to close in and smash them. Many archers make things
easier by pulling a sword when you get close, much to their detriment. When
charging an archer, keep your shield up to avoid being staggered by their
arrows, and try weaving a bit to throw off their aim.
Against mages: This is tricky. If you get hit with a burden spell, you'll
likely be easy pickins'. A weapon with Silence is deadly against mages--
especially a bow. Sneak up on them and hit them with a Silence arrow and you
can then bull-rush them and take them out easily. Another good tactic, since
mages tend to be weaklings, is to use Sneak Attacks with a powerful weapon.
You can often drop them in one hit.
EQUIPMENT
-----------
Heavy armor enchanted against elemental damage and with spell reflection or
absorption to help against mages. You don't need Shield effects as your armor
rating is going to get maxed out anyway.
You'll want a silver, daedric or enchanted one-handed weapon, preferably a
blade. There are better and more numerous blades than blunts available in the
game. As you increase in level, you should fill out your arsenal with at least
one weapon enchanted with each elemental damage type (fire, frost and shock).
If you enchant your own weapons, you can add a small (1-2 second duration)
Soul Trap spell to the weapon when you add the elemental damage. Get Azura's
Star as soon as you can and you can instantly recharge your weapon after each
fight.
Rings and amulets with Feather or Fortify Strength bonuses. You're going to be
carrying a lot of weight just in the equipment you use regularly, so you'll
want the ability to increase your max encumbrance or decrease your current
encumbrance so you can properly loot dungeons.
| Light Melee [GP03-B]
+----------------------
While you can, eventually, get as high an armor rating with light armor as you
can with heavy armor, it is going to take a lot longer. Your fighting style is
going to depend more on giving damage without taking much in return. You will
rely more on Stealth for Sneak Attacks; and, when in melee, use your Speed to
dance in and out of range, dishing out short, quick strikes before running
away.
You want to focus on your Speed, Agility and Strength attributes and your
Stealth and weapon skills. You won't block as much (the idea is to avoid being
hit, not blocking some of the damage) and you'll probably use spells a bit
more, so you want to pick a school and level it up. A Magicka-enhancing
birthsign wouldn't hurt as well as increasing your Intelligence and/or
Willpower.
FIGHTING TACTICS
------------------
Against other melee fighters: You want to stay out of range of the other
character's weapon. This will be most difficult against some of the beast and
melee creatures (clannfear, mountain lions, etc.) as they can move very fast.
Leading with a paralyze, burden or Drain Strength spell can help a lot--
especially against the heavy tanks. Start with either a Sneak Attack from
Stealth mode, or by firing arrows or spells until the enemy rushes you; the
more damage you can do before the fighting starts, the better off you will be.
Against archers and mages: The basic tactic here is the same--avoid getting
into a long-range battle with these types of characters. You're not built to
absorb damage the way a heavy tank is, so your best friend is a Stealth
attack, preferably a melee attack to get the extra bonus damage. If you put
some type of poison on your blade (Silence against mages, paralyze or Drain
Marksman skill for archers), so much the better.
EQUIPMENT
-----------
Light armor with Shield enchantments early. Later, as you get better armor and
your Light Armor skill increases, you can trade in Shield enchantments for
Reflection and Absorption enhancements.
Wearable items that Fortify your Speed attribute and your Sneak skill.
Boosting Strength wouldn't hurt either; but, your focus should be effective
Sneak Attacks rather than raw damage. A Feather effect will help with looting.
A good bow and some enchanted arrows. While you won't be dependent on ranged
attacks, you will lead with them--especially from Sneak mode.
Of course, you'll want an array of enchanted melee weapons--preferably light,
fast blades; and, Azura's Star for quick recharging between fights.
| Archer [GP03-C]
+-----------------
Early in the game, Oblivion is much more suited for melee fighters than for
ranged fighters--either archers or mages. Once you work through a few levels
and increase your Marksman skill--not to mention pick up enchanted bows and
arrows--archery is very effective.
Make no mistake about it, being a good archer means careful race, class and
birthsign selection, lots of hard work and smart battle tactics. It is also
extremely satisfying, especially when you're able to start killing enemies
before they even have a chance to reach you.
The biggest downside to archery is you need room to maneuver. There's lots of
dungeon delving in Oblivion, and the tight spaces underground are not suitable
for ranged attacks. You will need to be a good melee fighter as well.
That's pretty much it. You can one-shot kill common mobs with a Sneak attack
even early in the game. Your biggest fear playing as an archer is getting
mobbed. You want to pick your enemies off from a distance, so the more you can
kill quickly, while staying hidden, the better. You'll want to work hard on
your Alchemy so you can brew your own poisons. The more pain you can dish out
per shot, the better.
Chameleon and Summoning spells are your friends. Chameleon gives some of the
benefits of invisibility; but, maintains the effect even when you attack.
(Which is why 100% Chameleon breaks the game--you can attack with impunity and
enemies can never see you to return the favor.) When things get tight, you
whip out a daedra or undead to do the dirty in-fighting for you while you stay
back and snipe.
You'll want to improve your Marksman skill as quickly as possible. The quicker
you can get the "scope" effect (the ability to zoom in on a target) at
Journeyman level, the more effective you will be at picking off your enemies
before they can close with you. Once you reach Expert Marksman, you can
stagger enemies, which makes you more-or-less unstoppable.
EQUIPMENT
-----------
Throughout all stages of your character development, you will be especially
vulnerable to spellcasters and other archers. Since you have to stand still,
aim and shoot, ranged mobs have an advantage against you. Furthermore, any
time you end up in a hand-to-hand scuffle, you'll be at a disadvantage.
So, you want to have decent armor. While most people think of archers as
light-armored fighters, a heavy armor archer is not out of the question. The
more protection you can layer on yourself, the more you can stand in and take
physical punishment--whether from arrows or melee weapons.
You also need to have spell absorption, spell reflection or magic-resistant
equipment. Don't forget to find or enchant some items with permanent Chameleon
effects to improve your chances of making Sneak attacks. (But, don't layer on
so much Chameleon you break the game. It's really no fun.) Since you won't be
carting around as many heavy melee weapons as the hand-to-hand fighters,
Feather spells and Strength-boosting effects are not as beneficial. (Though,
in the long run, all adventurers benefit from higher encumbrance.)
| Magic [GP03-D]
+----------------
There are lots of different mage "classes" in Oblivion. However, you can boil
them down to three distinct types:
* Battlemage: "Battlemage" is really just a term applied to a melee fighter or
archer that uses a bit more magic than is typical. A battlemage isn't really a
mage so much as a magic-using fighter. Use the tactics and equipment lists for
the type of fighter you'll be; but, you may want to use a race and birthsign
that emphasize Magicka.
* Summoner: Summoners concentrate on hanging back, out of range of attacks,
calling forth a daedric or undead minion and using a few ranged offensive
spells against the enemy; or, using buffing spells on the summoned creature.
Within Oblivion, summoners are usually called Necromancers because many of the
best summoned creatures are undead. Tactics for summoning are fairly simple:
train up your Conjuration skill (which is the easiest magic skill to train)
and have Restoration spells ready to heal and buff your summons. Try to stay
out of the fight and let your summons do the work for you. Since your
Conjuration skill will be high, you'll want a high-level Bound weapon spell
available for when the action gets too close (mainly for blocking, since
you're an ineffectual fighter).
* Sorcerer: This is the offensive mage archetype. Sorcerers are all about
raining death and destruction on their enemies using only magic. A sorcerer
disdains mundane weapons, using them only when required (and frequently
falling back on Bound Daedric weapons conjured up when necessary rather than
carting around a sword).
Both the Summoner and Sorcerer style of playing will be covered in this
section.
SPELL-CHAINING
----------------
Spell-chaining is the tactic of chaining weakness spells with damage spells to
increase the overall damage of the spell. For example, if you first hit your
target with Weakness to Shock 100; then, while the Weakness to Shock spell is
still in effect, you hit with a Shock 10 spell, the Shock 10 spell actually
does 20 points of damage (10 + 100% or 10 + 10). The idea behind spell-
chaining is to radically increase damage at a minimal cost in Magicka.
Three notes about spell-chaining:
1) You have to make your own spells. You won't find the right types of spells
for chaining in the wild or in stores. So, you must reach Apprentice level in
the Mages Guild or buy the Wizard's Tower official plug-in.
2) Spell-chaining uses short duration spells (thus minimizing the Magicka cost
of the spells). Each spell only needs a long enough duration in order for you
to hit with the next spell in the chain. Thus, you need to tailor the duration
of the spells to your ability to switch and cast a spell--typically five or
six seconds will be enough; less once you have become experienced. You also
should use touch spells rather than ranged spells, as this allows you to avoid
the duration of the spell traveling over distance and makes hitting with each
spell in the chain more of a sure thing.
3) Use damage-over-time spells as they are cheaper to make and to cast. A 5
Fire Damage for 5 Seconds and a 25 Fire Damage both do the same total amount
of damage (25 points); but, the 5x5 spell will use less Magicka.
Example
---------
Spell 1: Weakness to Magicka 100 for 5 seconds
-> Start by increasing the target's vulnerability to all spells by 100%;
this doubles the effect of the next spell that hits
Spell 2: Weakness to Magicka 100 for 5 seconds,
Weakness to Shock 100 for 5 seconds
-> The next spell that hits increases the target's vulnerability to all
Spells by 200% (100% doubled by the first spell = 200%) and to Shock
Damage by 200%
Spell 3: Shock 5 Damage for 10 seconds
-> By now, the first spell has worn off; but, that's OK. The second spell
is still in effect. First, the Shock damage is increased by 200%, or
tripled. 5x10 becomes 15x10. This is then run through the Weakness to
Magicka 200 effect, which triples it again. 15x10 becomes 45x10. You've
just increased the magnitude of your spell by 800%: from 50 total
damage to 450 total damage. At a total cost of Magicka, you can cast this
chain pretty much constantly (not that you'll need to, dishing out 450
damage every ten seconds.
Spell-chaining is not an original idea; it's been around at least since Elder
Scrolls III: Morrowind. Just Google oblivion spell-chaining and you'll find a
number of treatises on the subject.
FIGHTING TACTICS
------------------
If you don't want to do spell-chaining, as described above, then your tactics
are going to be similar to an archer. You want to stay back, out of range, and
let loose targeted Destruction spells at your enemies. You should also work on
your Conjuration so you can call for help when things get sticky. You should
always carry a weapon and use it to block when attackers get too close. Have
some powerful touch spells ready (touch spells do more damage per Magicka
spent than ranged spells) to use when an opponent closes up.
Some other things you can do:
* Burden your enemies to keep them from moving (works especially well on
heavy-armor tanks).
* Lower your enemy's resistances and then follow up with a spell that exploits
that weakness (similar to spell-chaining, but you'll need longer-lasting
Weakness spells and more powerful Destruction spells).
* Buff yourself into a melee monster (Shield, Fortify Strength) and use Bound
weapons to whale on an unsuspecting foe.
* Use Sneak Attacks (preferably with a bow) before opening with magic. You
don't get any Sneak bonus when using magic, but you do when shooting an arrow.
EQUIPMENT
-----------
As a spellcaster, one of your biggest problems is spell reflection--i.e.
enemies with lots of spell reflection. If you've built yourself into a
powerhouse, you don't really want your spells coming back to bite you in the
rear. Therefore, you want to load up on items, potions and spells that provide
magic resistance. If you can ameliorate the damage being reflected back to you
(not to mention the spells of enemy casters), so much the better.
You'll also want plenty of Feather spells or potions so you can properly loot
all the dungeons you clean out. And, you'll need plenty of Shielding unless
you decide you can get by wearing light armor and taking the hit in spell
effectiveness. If you want full power from your spells, then you'll have to
replace normal armor with Shield spells.
Finally, the best equipment any mage can have is an Altar of Spellmaking. You
can get one of these by purchasing the Wizard's Tower official plug-in and
buying the necessary equipment in-game. You could also join the Mages Guild
and complete the seven Recommendation quests--this gives you access to
spellmaking at Arcane University.
[GP04]
<~~~~~~ MAGICKA EFFECTS ~~~~~~>
This is a brief rundown of the different types of effects in the game and how
to deal with them.
*NOTE 1*
You can get rid of most harmful effects by praying at the altar (Activate the
altar) in a Great Chapel in one of the major cities. In order for you to
receive restoration, your Fame must be higher than your Infamy and you cannot
have any outstanding bounty.
*NOTE 2*
Most effects are temporary unless you enchant them into an item. If you wear
an enchanted item, the effects are permanent until you remove the item.
* Absorb Attribute/Skill
Temporarily transfers some attribute or skill points from the affected
character to the affecting character. For example, if you have Absorb Magicka
on your weapon, any creature you hit with that weapon will lose some Magicka
and you will gain the same amount.
* Burden
Increase the encumbrance value of all items in your Inventory. If the total
encumbrance value of all items is more than your maximum encumbrance you are
over-encumbered and cannot move (though you can still use a weapon or cast a
spell). Using Burden spells/poisons on characters in heavy armor might just
root them in place, allowing you to pick them off from a distance.
* Chameleon
You will blend in with your environment, making it more difficult for enemies
to see you and increasing your Sneak effectiveness. Chameleon, unlike
Invisibility, is not canceled when you attack someone; thus, 100% Chameleon
essentially breaks the game by making it impossible for enemies to attack you
or react when you attack them. (And 100% Chameleon is not hard to get either.)
* Damage Attribute/Skill
Take a few points off the named attribute or skill. Damaged attributes and
skills do not restore themselves. You must use a Restore spell/potion or pray
at the altar in one of the Great Chapels in a city.
* Detect Life
You can see all animate creatures in the radius of the spell. This includes
undead. (So, why is it called Detect "Life" when it can detect non-life? Who
knows?) Animate creatures will be highlighted in a purple glow. The spell
works through walls, allowing you to see enemies in the next room (or even
down through the floor or up through the ceiling in multi-level areas).
* Disease
There are a number of different diseases in the game. You will typically be
affected when hit by certain creatures. Use a Cure Disease spell or potion, or
pray at the altar in one of the Great Chapels in a city.
* Dispel
You can rid yourself or the target of Magicka effects, harmful or beneficial.
Useful if you've been hit with Drain, Burden, Paralyze, etc. and need to get
rid of the effect fast. It can also be used to cancel your enemy's buffs.
* Drain Attribute/Skill
Similar to Damage Attribute/Skill, but the effects are temporary.
* Feather
Decrease the encumbrance value of all items in your Inventory. This will show
as an increase in your maximum encumbrance value, but that's not actually what
is happening. For example, if you are carrying 30 pounds of equipment, and you
use a Feather 50 spell, you only get the effect of Feather 30, since there
aren't 50 pounds of equipment to reduce. To avoid problems, make sure you only
use a Feather effect that is less than your current encumbrance.
* Fire Damage
Cause an additional amount of damage of type "fire". This is elemental damage
and not reduced by armor; however, it is affected by Fire Resistance, Spell
Absorption and Reflection.
* Fortify Attribute/Skill
Increase the number of points in an attribute or skill.
* Frost Damage
Cause an additional amount of damage of type "frost". This is elemental damage
and not reduced by armor; however, it is affected by Fire Resistance, Spell
Absorption and Reflection.
* Invisibility
You become invisible and impossible to detect. Attacking another character
cancels the invisibility.
* Light
Gives light in a radius around the target.
* Night-Eye
Essentially, this is ultraviolet vision. Lets you see in the dark, but
everything is bluish-gray in color.
* Open Lock
Allows you to open locks. Each spell is rated for the maximum difficulty lock
it will open. Using Open Lock on a "red" door is not considered a crime
(unlike lockpicking). Open Lock spells increase your Alteration skill and do
not affect your Security skill.
* Paralyze
Binds the target and knocks it to the ground where you can have your way with
it.
* Poison
Poisons are another way of causing the various different effects listed here.
You can instantly recover from a poison by using a Cure Poison spell or
potion. You can also pray at the altar in one of the Great Chapels in a city.
* Reflect Damage
Reflect a certain amount of damage done to you back on the character doing the
damage.
* Resist Damage
You will shrug off some of a specific type of damage. E.g. Resist Fire 10%
gets rid of the first 10% of fire damage that hits you. Resist Normal Weapons
50% deducts half the damage from normal (non-silver, non-daedric, non-
enchanted) weapons.
* Restore Attribute/Skill
Heal a damaged, drained or absorbed attribute or skill.
* Shield
Increase your armor rating; e.g. Shield 20 increases your armor rating by 20
points. You can also have a Fire/Frost/Shock Shield, which increases your
armor rating and gives you resistance to the named elemental damage type. E.g.
Shock Shield 20 increases your armor rating by 20 points and provides 20
points of Shock resistance.
* Shock Damage
Cause an additional amount of damage of type "shock". This is elemental damage
and not reduced by armor; however, it is affected by Fire Resistance, Spell
Absorption and Reflection.
* Spell Absorption
Nullify a percentage of a spell's effect.
* Spell Reflection
Reflect a percentage of a spell's effect back on the caster.
* Weakness to Damage
Make the target more vulnerable to a specific type of damage. For example,
Weakness to Frost 50 means frost effects cause 50% more damage to the weak
character.
HOW TO GET 100% CHAMELEON
---------------------------
*WARNING* 100% Chameleon breaks the game. If you do this, you won't have any
fun--unless you like playing in god mode.
You need a Chameleon spell (any level) in your spellbook (i.e. not a scroll);
five grand soul gems, each with a grand soul; about 8,000 gold; five pieces of
un-enchanted wearable equipment (e.g. two rings, an amulet, gloves and boots)
and the ability to enchant items (Apprentice in the Mages Guild or owner of
the Wizard's Tower official plug-in). Use the soul gems to enchant each piece
of equipment with 20% Chameleon for a total of 100% Chameleon.
Alternately, you can get 100% Chameleon (well, actually 120%) by waiting until
you are high level (over 16) before getting into the main quest. Then go
around closing Oblivion Gates and collecting the Sigil Stones. Save right
before taking the stone; if it doesn't offer the Chameleon effect, reload and
take it again. When you have four Transcendent Sigil Stones with Chameleon
(30%), enchant four items and get your 120% Chameleon.
Put on your equipment. You are now completely invisible all the time and can
do whatever you want whenever you want.
Have fun.
[GP05]
<~~~~~~ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ~~~~~~>
Q. Where's my horse?
A. Horses are, overall, far more trouble than they are worth. You can't fight
while you're on a horse (unless you download a mod for the PC version of the
game). Horses frequently wander off while you're spelunking. And Fast
Traveling while you're on a horse sometimes causes a glitch where either your
horse disappears from the game entirely or ends up in the city with you. If
you're having a lot of trouble keeping track of your horse, just work on
training your Speed and do without the four-legged beasts.
Q. OK, but where's Shadowmere?
A. Shadowmere, as a plot NPC, can't be killed and doesn't generally wander off
or glitch out of the game. If Shadowmere can't be found where you left him, go
back to Fort Farragut (Lucien Lachance's headquarters). Shadowmere generally
returns there whenever the game loses track of him.
Q. What's the best Daedric artifact to give to Martin? (Blood of the Daedra
quest)
A. Wabbajack, the staff you get from Sheogorath's quest. Sheogorath's quest is
easy (no combat), can be done at level 2 and Wabbajack is a fun item, but not
one you're actually going to want to use in any serious way.
Q. How do I build the best character?
A. There's lots of different answers to that quest. Hopefully I've provided
most of them in my Character Build FAQ:
Q. I can't find the body in the well! (Cheydinhal Mages Guild Recommendation
quest)
A. This is a known glitch. There's no solution other than loading up an
earlier savegame.
Q. Can I give the Honorblade of Chorrol to the Countess and then steal it
back?
A. Yes. The solution comes from Karkianman:
"I have a high stealth rating, and was wearing the Gray Cowl as well as some
Chameleon enchantments, and found it impossible to pickpocket the sword from
the countess. However, lo and behold, you can knock her unconscious, and at
some point during her forced slumber you can take items off of her body,
including the weightless sword. Wearing the Gray Cowl during this leaves you
innocent. Do note that she has to be asleep already before you knock her out
for this to work. During the day she equips the sword, and so even though
she’s knocked out, it can’t be taken. I have no idea if a similar thing can be
accomplished by giving the sword to Fathis Ules instead."
Q. The priests in the Elder Scrolls Library (Thieves Guild Ultimate Heist
quest) won't talk to me or are hostile. How do I complete the quest?
A. Back up to an earlier savegame and try again. Make sure you Sneak around to
open the door (you're a thief, right?) and be extra careful you don't talk to
(Activate) any NPC in the area.
Q. There's a chest in Pale Pass (Lifting the Vale side quest) that has a key?
What does that key fit?
A. There's an undocumented side quest in Pale Pass involving four chests. The
first chest is right next to the fort, and the key in that chest fits the next
chest and that chest has a key and so on. Unfortunately, I have not yet fully
documented that side quest. If you search around on GameFAQs or other FAQ-
related sources, you may find someone who has fully explained that little
quest.
Q. I'm trying to do the Fighters Guild quest Mystery at Harlun's Watch, but
there are no villager bodies in the cave! How do I complete the quest.
A. This bug is caused if you clear out Swampy Cave before you start this
quest. The bug is fixed by the v1.1.511 patch. Install the patch, then back up
to an earlier save from before starting that quest.
Q. Where can I get the best gear?
A. All loot and store merchandise in Oblivion is leveled. As you increase in
level, so does the material you find in chests and the gear you buy from
stores. All merchants have one "special" item that they always offer for sale
(until you buy it, that is). In the long run, the best gear is enchanted stuff
you make for yourself.
Q. What are the best enchantments?
A. Every adventurer needs Feather so you can haul your bounty out of the
dungeons you explore, and Resist effects to ameliorate damage from elemental
and magic attacks. Melee fighters need Strength for increasing damage. Mages
can use boosts to their Magicka total and regeneration rate. Archers will want
boosts to their Stealth and Agility, and a bow that does extra damage.
Q. How do I get black soul gems?
A. You can generally find them in necromancer dungeons. You can also make your
own. Details on making black soul gems is in the Enchanting, Spellmaking &
Soul Gems section above.
Q. My skills or attributes have been damaged. What can I do?
A. If your Infamy is lower than your Fame and you have no Bounty, you can pray
at an altar in any Temple in the large cities. This will fully restore all
your damaged attributes. If your Infamy is larger than your Fame, then you'll
need to use Restore spells or potions; or, purchase the Vile Lair and activate
the Altar of Sithis. It works just like Temple altars, but for "evil"
characters. If your Infamy is low, but you have a Bounty, find the nearest
guard and pay off your bounty, then pray at a Temple.
Q. I'm doing the quest, Where Spirits Have Lease. I've tracked Velwyn Benirus
in Imperial City, but he refuses to talk to me about the house?
A. This is a known glitch and the only solution is to back up to an earlier
save.
Q. Can I save attribute bonuses between levels?
A. No, unless you delay leveling up. As long as you don't level up, your
attribute bonuses accumulate and you'll be able to get them all the next time
you sleep, as you'll level up two or more times. Once you do level up, all
your attribute bonuses are reset.
Q. Do I get to be emperor when I finish the main quest?
A. No. You become the Champion of Cyrodiil and get to wear the emperor's
armor, but you're not large and in charge.
Q. I'm trying to close an Oblivion gate, but Activating the Sigil Stone has no
effect! What can I do?
A. Back up to an earlier save? This glitch has hit many people, but I've seen
no solution.
Q. What are runestones, doomstones, Ayleid wells and wayshrines?
A. These artifacts of an earlier age are scattered around Cyrodiil. Each one
gives you some type of boost when you Activate (use) it. They are never marked
on your map in game. Maps are available on GameFAQs.com. Wayshrines are
essential in the Knights of the Nine quest.
Q. How can I get more money at the merchants? What's the maximum amount of
money that any merchant has?
A. In the base game, the most any normal merchant has is 1200 gold. I.e. you
make any sale over 1200 gold. The Wizard's Tower official plug-in adds a
merchant with 2000 gold. Fences have up to 1500 gold, but are only available
to Thieves Guild members, or owners of the Thieves Den official plug-in. You
can add more barter gold to any merchant by increasing your Mercantile skill.
At Expert Mercantile, you can give (invest) 500 gold to any merchant. At
Master Mercantile, all merchants have 500 more barter gold. Thus, with
Wizard's Tower + investing in the 2000 gold merchant + Master Mercantile, the
most you can get for any item is 3000 gold.
Or, if you're on the PC, you can install a mod that gives all merchants more
money.
Q. I exploited the item cloning/bound weapon/whatever glitch and now my game
keeps crashing. What do I do.
A. Back up to an earlier save and don't use exploits. Most exploits in these
games are very risky and can lead to unintended consequences.
Q. I'm trying to get out of Dagon Shrine, but the exit door is locked and says
it needs a key!
A. Wrong door. When you're escaping from the cave, it's easy to think the
highly visible door just across from you is the exit. It's not. As you come
out of the secret exit from the Living Quarters, the cave exit is to your
right, at the end of a twisting tunnel. It's easily recognizable during the
day because sunlight will be streaming through it.
Q. How do I get rid of spells I don't use any more?
A. The only way to take spells out of your spellbook is to use a console
command:
player.removespell hhhhhhhh
where hhhhhhhh is the hex code for the spell. Details are in the PC Console
Commands section of this guide. If you're playing on X360 or PS3...Sorry,
you're out of luck.
Q. I've finished all the quests. Is there anything else I can do?
A. There are at least a couple dozen dungeons that aren't connected to any
quest. You can explore those. PC users can download fan-made mods that add
additional quests. Otherwise, you have to wait until the expansion set,
Shivering Isles, is released in Spring 2007.
[MS00]
~~The Elder Scrolls IV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAIN STORY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OBLIVION~~
[MS01]
<~~~~~~ TUTORIAL ~~~~~~>
This starter dungeon is your tutorial for the game. It covers most of the
basics. You start by choosing your race. Later you'll choose your birthsign
and class. You'll be given the opportunity to change all of these at the end
of the tutorial.
| Imperial Prison
+-----------------
Wander around your cell, playing with the chains and listening to the Dark Elf
across the way taunt you. Soon, Uriel Septim himself, accompanied by some of
his Blades, will show up and give you a way out. Follow them down into the
escape tunnel. You'll soon reach a place where the Emperor is attacked and
Renault is killed--stay out of this fight, as you don't have a weapon or armor
and you can't change the outcome anyway.
Loot Renault's corpse for her sword and a torch and search the assassin bodies
for miscellaneous stuff (mostly potions). From this point, you can't follow
the Emperor's party, but a convenient hole in the wall to the southeast soon
opens and a couple of rats run through.
Kill the rats, jump through the hole and watch out for more rats. Thoroughly
search this large cavern. A skeleton near the entrance has a bow and some
arrows, so you can start working on your Marksman skill. There are a number of
corpses--one has several lockpicks and another has a key to the exit door. The
exit is to the southeast; the lock can be picked if you haven't found the key.
(The body with the key is near the door.)
| Imperial Substructure
+-----------------------
There's a zombie at the bottom of the slope leading out of the first room.
This will be the strongest foe you've faced thus far. Other than that bit of
excitement, you're mostly just fighting rats and collecting loot. Near the
exit is a goblin early-warning system consisting of skulls hanging from the
ceiling.
| Natural Caverns
+-----------------
Soon after entering the caverns, you'll get your first lesson in sneaking. You
can just sneak past the goblin; but, might as well sneak up to him and give
him the business end of your weapon. Around the next corner is a tripwire. You
can jump the tripwire and then fight the goblin beyond it; or, try to run
through the tripwire and speed past the goblin, who will then take the brunt
of the swinging maces. Don't try this unless you have a Speed rating of 40 or
higher.
Not far past the swinging mace trap, you'll come upon a pile of logs at the
top of a slope. Activate the logs to take out the two goblins at the bottom of
the slope. Advance slowly down the slope to a very large cavern. There will be
three or four goblins in here, one of which is a witch with a lightning staff.
Use a bow or ranged spell to draw the weaker goblins to you, then bull-rush
the witch. The tunnel exit from this room eventually leads into the Imperial
Subteranne.
| Imperial Subteranne
+---------------------
You come out on a high ledge looking over Uriel Septim and his bodyguards.
Jump down into the room and Septim invites you to join the party. During the
conversation you'll select a birthsign. Don't worry too much about your
selection; you'll get to change it later. Follow the emperor and guards,
helping with the assassins as they attack. You'll eventually reach...
| The Sanctum
+-------------
Soon after entering the Sanctum, Baurus and the other guard go to scout ahead,
leaving you to guard the Emperor in a side room. Uriel Septim initiates
another conversation with you, this time charging you to take his Amulet of
Kings to Jauffre, who will know where to find the last remaining son of the
Emperor. As soon as you have the amulet, a Mythic Dawn assassin jumps through
a secret door and kills Septim.
[MS02]
<~~~~~~ DELIVER THE AMULET ~~~~~~>
| Sewers
+--------
Baurus and the other guard return in time to help you deal with the assassin.
You can then talk to Baurus about Jauffre. Jauffre is the Grandmaster of the
Blades--the Emperor's personal guard--and he bides his time at Weynon Priory
outside Chorrol.
Baurus also initiates your first chance to choose a class. Don't spend too
much time on it now; you can change it later (along with your race and
birthsign). He'll then point you through the door the assassin came through,
saying it leads to the sewers and freedom.
Follow the hall to the sewer entrance, then advance through the sewers. Soon
after entering, you'll come to a large room divided by water. There are two
exits. The left--north--exit leads to some loot guarded by goblins. The right-
-southeast--exit eventually leads to the long tunnel out of the sewers.
About halfway down the tunnel you'll come to a gate. When you Activate the
gate, you'll get a menu allowing you to change your race, birthsign, class or
exit the sewers.
*SAVE YOUR GAME*
You may even want to use the console command SaveGame to create a specially-
named save. Never delete this savegame. Whenever you want to start the game
over with a "new" character, just load this savegame and change your race,
birthsign and class, then exit the sewers. You never have to go through the
starter dungeon again. (Well, unless you go through the Dark Brotherhood
quests, but that's different.)
When you're happy with your choice of character, exit the sewers. You find
yourself looking out over a river toward some ruins. Behind you rises the
Imperial Prison and, beyond that, Imperial City itself.
| Imperial City
+---------------
You can, if you like, immediately Fast Travel to Weynon Priory; however, you
will probably want to stop in Imperial City and sell off any useless items you
collected in the starter dungeon. The main story beckons, but so does the
entire land of Cyrodiil. To quest, or not to quest, that is the question.
There are several reasons for starting the main story right away and leaving
everything else until later:
1) Several times during the main story you will be required either to protect
an NPC or fight a pitched battle against hordes of daedra with the help of
other NPCs. If you wait until you are higher level, the daedra you fight will
also be higher level. Alas, the NPCs around you will not. Once you get into
the late teens in level, the daedra you fight will have your allies for lunch
and come looking for you as dessert.
Fighting a mob of mid-level daedra isn't healthy. Not at all. You could wait
until your power rivals the Nine (around 35th or 40th level), at which point
the daedra you face simply can't keep up and you'll mow them down with ease.
That doesn't necessarily help in the "protect the NPC" quests, though.
At low levels, the daedra that spew forth from Oblivion are also low-level and
your allies can pitch in and actually do more than contribute to some demon's
indigestion. In this case, the leveled system works as intended and keeps the
tasks challenging, but not impossible.
2) If you do a little bit of the main story, up to taking Martin back to
Weynon Priory, you'll start the part of the game where random Oblivion gates
pop up around Cyrodiil. If you get up to that point in the main story, then go
side questing for a while, your way will eventually be impeded by all the
daedra roaming the countryside. Better to get to the end of the main story and
clear all that up.
3) When you finish the main story, you are proclaimed the Champion of Cyrodiil
and everyone loves you. Literally. You get a big Disposition increase with all
the NPCs, which makes all the side quests (many of which require a high
Disposition score with an NPC somewhere along the way) much easier. No mucking
about with the Disposition mini-game, or Charm spells or any thing like that.
Just chat with the people and they'll do whatever you want or tell you
anything you want to know. Makes the side quests a breeze.
4) A lot of the rewards for side quests are special enchanted items that are
keyed to your level--the higher your level, the more powerful the item. If you
collect all this junk at low levels, that's exactly what they will be...junk.
(PC users can download a mod that fixes this problem. See the Mods section at
the end of this guide.) Better to do all these side quests later and get the
uber leet gear instead of the fancy baubles.
Of course, you can ignore the voice of reason and go off side questing, in
which case, just skip on down to the section you want to see. For those of you
with a bit more wisdom, Fast Travel to...
| Weynon Priory
+---------------
Weynon Priory is located southeast of Chorrol. You can Fast Travel there from
the beginning of the game. Jauffre is typically found upstairs in the main
priory house, usually sitting at his desk. Talk to him for a history of the
kings, the Dragonfires and Oblivion. He'll also point you to Septim's lone
surviving heir, Martin, who serves as a priest of Akatosh in Kvatch.
Jauffre will take the amulet and charge you with finding Martin and bringing
him to Weynon Priory. After, ask Jauffre about assistance. He'll open his
chest and you can loot it for better armor, weapons and other things.
Downstairs, talk to Prior Maborel, who will offer the loan of his horse.
Accept, with thanks.
You now have some decent equipment and a horse, the world is yours! Or you can
get on with your mission to Kvatch. Now that you have a horse, you might want
to go overland to Kvatch rather than Fast Travel. You'll discover a lot of
locations that will be important for later quests.
[MS03]
<~~~~~~ FIND THE HEIR ~~~~~~>
| Outskirts of Kvatch
+---------------------
When you reach the outskirts of Kvatch, you find the city in flames. To the
south is a refugee camp, where you get the full story of daedra spewing forth
from an Oblivion gate. Questions about Martin lead you to Savlian Matius,
captain of the Kvatch guard, who is holding the line against the demons at the
entrance to Kvatch.
Wind your way up the hill and find Matius and a few troops fighting daedra.
(The specific type of daedra depend on your class level.) Pitch in, if you
wish. When the fighting is over, talk to Matius, who tells you Martin is holed
up inside the chapel in the city. Your only hope is to find out how to close
the Oblivion gate, so the soldiers can retake the city.
[MS04]
<~~~~~~ BREAKING THE SIEGE OF KVATCH ~~~~~~>
| Oblivion: Kvatch Gate
+-----------------------
Welcome to your primary task in the main story of Oblivion. You will soon grow
to hate Oblivion gates. Ah well, no better time than the present. Step up to
the glowing portal and Activate it and go to hell.
Literally.
Fire resistance is a good thing. Fire spells--not so good. Almost everything
you encounter in Oblivion is resistant to fire, but weak against shock damage.
Load up on shocking spells, or shock-enchanted weapons. (Funny--you would
think the weakness would be to frost. Anyway...) If you start encountering
Flame Atronachs, you can use frost against them. (Similarly, use fire against
Frost Atronachs. Against Storm Atronachs, use anything other than shock.)
As you enter Oblivion, you'll find a Kvatch guard under attack by daedra. If
the guard survives--his name is Ilend Vonius--talk to him and either send him
back to Matius, or ask him to come along and watch your back. Ahead of you
(north) is a bridge blocked by a gate. To the east is a dead end. Your path
lies to the west.
First note about Oblivion: these areas are all very linear. If you get lost,
just look at your map. There's usually only one way you can go.
Wind your way around the west side of this island, until you reach the
northwest section. Then you head back south--and a little east--eventually
reaching the large round tower in the center of the north sector of the
island.
This is a Sigil Keep. You'll get to know these well. This particular keep is
called Blood Feast. Lovely, isn't it? All Oblivion towers follow the same
basic layout:
* The tower is hollow in its center, with a Sigillum Sanguis at the top. To
reach the Sanguis, you have to climb through one to three side areas.
* Most Sigil Keeps have two side areas: Rending Halls and Corridors of Dark
Salvation. These areas are relatively small and feature a few daedra and
traps.
* In between the side areas, you'll climb some ramps around the central
hollow core of the tower.
First up in Blood Feast, as in most Sigil Keeps, is the Rending Halls. Enter
and climb the ramp, which takes a 90-degree turn. At the top, kill the daedra
and use the Blood Fountain for some health regeneration. Re-enter the tower
core through one of the two doors to the south.
Climb a ramp around the tower core to reach an entrance to the Corridors of
Dark Salvation. Wind your way up the ramp to a large room and dispose of the
daedra. The only unlocked exit from this room (besides the hall you just came
through) is to the west. This leads to a bridge over to a smaller tower.
In the small tower (Reapers Sprawl), climb the ramp and kill the Sigil Keeper.
Take a key from his body. Inside a cage is another Kvatch guard--still alive!
Talk to him to learn what you must do: enter the Sigillum Sanguis at the top
of the tower and remove the sigil stone. That will close the gate.
Go back to Blood Feast. You can now leave this room through either the north
or southwest door. The southwest door eventually leads back to the tower core,
but on a dead-end balcony. There is some loot here (in bloody hunks of meat
called "The Punished"). The north door leads to a ramp that curves to the
east.
At the top of the ramp, you'll see another ramp going down to the east and a
door to the south. The door goes to your objective. The ramp going down
eventually leads to another small tower, with some minor loot. Leave through
the south door at the top of the ramp, re-entering the core of Blood Feast.
Wind your way up the ramps to what looks like a dead end.
Find the round platform surrounded by spikes. It's a teleporter (only a few of
the Sigil Keeps have these). Step on it, Activate one of the spikes and you'll
reach the level where you can enter the Sigillum Sanguis.
All the Sanguis you enter are round rooms with three levels--you always enter
at the bottom of the room and the sigil stone is always at the top. Of course.
Fight your way up the stairs, and then up a ramp. When you reach the sigil
stone at the top, simply Activate it.
Things blow up. Lots of flashing. You're back in front of Kvatch with only a
burned out relic to remind you of the lovely Oblivion gate. Find and talk to
Matius. He wants you to come with them as they fight through to the survivors
in the chapel.
| Kvatch
+--------
*NOTE*: The only way to get Martin out of the chapel is to let Matius and his
men go in, going with them, and kill all the daedra inside the gates. If you
try to go it alone, the daedra keep respawning and you can't get the survivors
(including Martin) out of the church.
Charge into Kvatch with Matius and his men and kill daedra (about four or
five). Once you get a message that all the daedra are dead, enter the Temple
of Akatosh. Matius will get a report from one of his guards inside the temple,
and the survivors will head out to the refugee camp--Martin among them.
You have a couple of choices:
* Buttonhole Martin now and convince him to go with you to Weynon Priory. You
then leave Matius and company to their own devices (which is to stand
around and do nothing).
* Let Martin go on down to the refugee camp. You can find him there later,
perfectly safe, and have your heart-to-heart with him then. This frees you
up to do the "Battle for Castle Kvatch" sub-quest.
Regardless of what you decide to do, you must talk to Matius to officially end
Breaking the Siege of Kvatch. Matius will ask for your help re-taking the
Castle of Kvatch and finding the count. This is an optional sub-quest that
relates to the optional "Allies for Bruma" quest that comes later on. This
quest is covered under "Allies for Bruma", so if you want to do it now, skip
down a few sections and get the low-down on your tasks.
*NOTE* It is possible to do everything in Kvatch before ever visiting Jauffre
at Weynon Priory. But, if you do that, you won't be able to recognize Brother
Martin (he'll be labeled as a generic priest) and you won't be able to talk to
him about being the heir to the throne. If you do break the siege before
talking to Jauffre, you'll have to go talk to him, return to the refugee camp,
and there you will find Martin wandering about.
[MS05]
<~~~~~~ WEYNON PRIORY ~~~~~~>
When you're ready to get on with the main quest, talk to Martin and then Fast
Travel to Weynon Priory. (You do not want to walk all that way when leading
someone. They never run and it will take a long, long time.)
You arrive in the middle of an attack. The Priory's shepherd runs up, with a
Mythic Dawn assassin on his heels, and fills you in. Maborel is dead. (Yay!
His horse is, ipso facto, yours now!) Jauffre is holed up in the chapel. Kill
the assassins outside (with Martin's help, Brother Piner will join in as
well), then enter the chapel and kill the assassins inside. You must keep
Martin and Jauffre alive, else it's reload time.
Once the assassins are dead, Jauffre thinks of the Amulet of Kings. Follow him
to his loft room so you can be there to witness the look of shock on his face
when he finds the Amulet is gone.
Yeah. Never saw that coming.
Jauffre decides the safest place for Martin is the headquarters of the Blades:
Cloud Ruler Temple. The temple will be marked for you on your map and you can
even Fast Travel there. (Hooray!) When you arrive, Martin is introduced as the
Emperor, gives a little speech and heads off to settle in. Jauffre offers you
membership in the Blades. Go ahead and accept--especially if you are a heavy
armor fighter. There's a full set of kit (helm, gauntlets, cuirass, greaves,
boots, shield and katana) for every Blade. This equipment is the equivalent of
steel armor, so it's pretty good if you're still low level.
<~~~~~~ RANDOM OBLIVION GATES ~~~~~~>
This isn't really a quest. You get no journal entry, and there are no rewards
(beyond any normal loot you may collect). You don't even have to worry about
this at all; however...
Once you go to Weynon Priory, the main story advances to the point where
Oblivion gates begin popping up in random spots around Cyrodiil. The further
you are in the main story, the higher the chance a gate will open in whatever
region you are in.
These gates not only open in random places, they point to random Oblivion
worlds. All Oblivion worlds are roughly the same, but there's no way to
predict the exact layout you'll get when going through a gate. Enter at your
own risk.
You can:
* Ignore them. When you finish the main story, they will close automatically.
You'll still have whatever daedra came out of them to deal with, but that's
just a nuisance. (Especially since the first daedra to come out will be
commensurate with your level at the time the gate opened--not your level
when you come back through to sweep the area clean.)
* Close them. They don't stay closed. But if you want the extra experience
and/or loot and/or alchemical ingredients found only in Oblivion, then you
can go in and close them (temporarily).
[MS06]
<~~~~~~ THE PATH OF DAWN ~~~~~~>
Once you've settled in, talk to Jauffre. He wants you to track down the Mythic
Dawn and find the Amulet. He points you to an old friend, Baurus (the guy who
failed to properly guard Uriel Septim), who is hanging out at Luther Broad's
Boarding House in Imperial City.
Luther Broad's is in the Elven Gardens district. You can Fast Travel there, or
walk/run/ride. Your choice. During normal hours, Baurus is sitting at the bar
in Luther's place, having a pint (or two or three). Check out the guy sitting
over in the corner, name of Astav Wirich. This will be your target.
Have a seat next to Baurus (target the stool and Activate it) and have a
little chat. Baurus has been intelligence-gathering and now he's being
followed. He wants you to help him pin his shadow. Baurus will get up and
leave, heading down to Luther's basement. Wirich will get up and follow him.
You do the same.
Once down in the basement, Wirich transforms himself into a Mythic Dawn
assassin. Help Baurus dispose of him. Frisk the body to find a book: Mankar
Camoran's Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes, Book 1. (This is a skill book,
and will increase your Conjuration skill by 1 when you read it.). Talk to
Baurus about the book. He suggests taking it to Tar-Meena, at the Arcane
University.
Go to college. If you're a member in good standing of the Mages Guild (i.e.
you've completed enough of their tasks to have access to the University),
you'll find Tar-Meena in the library. If not, she'll be hanging around in the
lobby, just in case a visitor with a strange book happens to drop in and need
help.
Show her the book and she'll tell you this is the first of four Commentaries.
She supposes having all four commentaries will reveal the location of the
Mythic Dawn's headquarters. She just happens to have Book 2 (skill,
Destruction +1) and suggests the bookstore First Edition in Imperial City for
the other two.
Go to the Market District of Imperial City. First Edition is located on the
main SW to NE street near the gate to Green Emperor Way. Talk to Phintias, the
merchant about the Books. Yes, he just so happens to have Book 3, but another
customer, Gwinas, has already reserved the book and Phintias is holding it for
Gwinas.
Gwinas is the key to both Book 3 and Book 4. He's coming to buy Book 3 and he
has a note setting up a meeting at which he'll receive Book 4.
You have several options:
1) (Preferred): Wait in First Edition (you won't have to wait long), for
Gwinas to show up. As soon as Gwinas has bought the book, corner him and
reveal to him the Mythic Dawn is the group that killed the Emperor. Gwinas
will re-think his idea of joining the cult, give you Book 3 (skill,
Illusion +1) and the note about the meeting.
2) Get Phintias' Disposition north of 70 and he'll sell you Book 3 without
waiting for Gwinas to come get it. You'll still have to get the note from
Gwinas, which you can do by confronting him as in option #1. Since Gwinas
will give you Book 3 free, but Phintias won't, option #1 is better.
3) Follow Gwinas back to his hotel, and either pick-pocket Book 3 and the
note from him, or kill him and take them from his corpse.
*HINT* Visit Edgar's Discount Spells in the Market District and pick up a
Convalescence spell. (Convalescence allows you to heal a target.) Very useful
for keeping NPCs alive during the tasks ahead.
Once you have Book 3 and the note, return to Baurus. He'll tell you he knows
exactly where this meeting is to take place. Follow him to the Elven Gardens
district and a sewer entrance. Baurus leads you on a winding path through the
sewers, impeded by the occasional rat, mud crab or goblin.
Finally, he'll stop and tell you the meeting is to take place just beyond a
door. He suggests you go up some stairs to the left and spy on the proceedings
from above. You can either acquiesce or demand to be the one who has the
meeting and Baurus can be the cover. Either way works.
The meeting is with Raven Camoran, Mankar's son. Not long into the meeting, a
couple of assassins find whoever is handling backup duty on the upper floor
and your cover is blown. It's a 3-on-2 fight, unless you let Baurus get
killed, then you're in trouble. Once all the assassins are dead, loot Raven's
corpse for Book 4 (skill, Mysticism +1) and a key to another exit from the
sewers.
Talk to Baurus (if he's still alive). He's going to Cloud Ruler Temple to take
up his duties under Martin. You need to get out of the sewers. Use the key you
took from Raven to go out the way he came in and loot their hideout. If you
keep heading north, you'll reach the Talos Plaza sewers, which is a slightly
shorter way out; but, hasn't been cleared of enemies (and you're on your own
now). You can also go back the way you came in--if you can remember which
turns to take.
Once out of the sewers, return to Tar-Meena at Arcane University. She'll say
she has to study the books in order to find the hidden message. It takes her
three days to figure out the hidden message, which is "Green Emperor Way Where
Tower Touches Midday Sun". (Read the first letter of each paragraph of each
book.)
You don't have to wait for Tar-Meena. Go to Green Emperor Way (middle section
of Imperial City, where the palace is located). The palace is surrounded by a
cemetery and you're looking for the tomb of Prince Camarril. His tomb is
located in the southwest portion of the district. It's not marked on your map;
look for a large, domed tomb and target the door to find out if it's his.
Once you've found the tomb, Wait until the 11:00am hour and then sit and wait
for the light show to begin. When you see a glowing map appear on the door of
the tomb, step up close enough to get the message you've found the
headquarters of the Mythic Dawn.
Mission accomplished.
[MS07]
<~~~~~~ DAGON SHRINE ~~~~~~>
Your next step is obvious: invade HQ and get the Amulet of Kings back. You can
return to Cloud Ruler Temple if you wish, but Jauffre and Martin aren't going
to tell you any different.
The Lake Arrius Caverns now marked for you on your map are northwest of
Cheydinhal, so Fast Travel to the city and then hoof it north. The caverns are
on the north shore of Lake Arrius. When you enter, you'll meet a non-hostile
Mythic Dawn member. He'll give you a pass code and you give him the reply. He
then instructs you to proceed through the door and see Harrow.
Now, before you actually go any further, you need to know some things. If you
play this undercover, you'll be stripped of all your non-quest items such as
armor, weapons, potions--*everything*. Or, you can try to bull your way
through, which means fights with a *lot* of Mythic Dawn assassins. Here's the
rundown for each method:
1) You're going to play it "safe", so you decide to continue the deception.
This is a good choice for a very low level character. Before continuing,
Fast Travel back to Cheydinhal and stow your gear. You can join the
Fighter or Mages Guilds just by asking and get a free place to stash your
wares--but on the floor, not in a chest (the chests reset every few days).
You can't drop gold, so use it to buy potions and other good stuff,
because you don't want to just give it to Harrow.
Alternately, you can drop everything on the floor of the entrance room of
the caverns, but it will be hard to pick it back up when you come flying
through later with a dozen assassins on your tail.
Fast Travel back to the caverns and go through the door to your meeting
with Harrow. Harrow will lead you to the main shrine and you'll hear
Mankar Camoran himself give a little speech before disappearing into his
own little "Paradise". He takes the Amulet of Kings with him (you didn't
think it was going to be that easy did you?), but leaves behind the
Mysterium Xarxes, which could prove useful.
Harrow will lead you down and tell Remora Camoran (Mankar's daughter) that
you've come to be initiated. She'll invite you up to the dais and offer to
let you kill the Argonian tied to the altar. Regardless of what you do
with the Argonian, you're going to end up in a fight.
The wisest course of action is to agree to kill the prisoner, take the
silver dagger laying next to the book, then Activate the prisoner to free
him. Grab the book from the altar. Now everyone in the room has gone
hostile. It's time to run, crying like a baby.
You can't get out the way you came in. Your exit is up the stairs you came
down, but turning to the right rather than the left. At the top is a door
that leads to the Living Quarters. Head through the door and skip down
to the Living Quarters section below.
2) If you're a little bit higher level, have decent kit and don't want to
risk losing it, you can probably fight your way through to the shrine.
Kill the guard in the entrance cavern and get a key from his body. This
key will open the door into the next cave--just a tunnel, with possibly
one cultist.
The door at the end of the tunnel leads to the Shrine Antechamber. Read
these directions carefully--you do not want to stop long enough to fight
anyone, as that just brings hordes of cultists down on your head. And you
can't handle hordes, no matter how high level you are.
As you enter the Antechamber, you are in a large room. Your path is to the
south. Book it to a tunnel and take the first left. You're going to have
cultists nipping at your heals. Equip a healing spell and cast it as you
need it. The key you got from the entrance guard should unlock the door
here leading to the shrine. If you reach the end of the tunnel, where it
turns right (east), you went too far. Good luck trying to turn around and
go back.
As you enter the shrine, a gate drops behind you, shutting off pursuit.
You're on a high ledge looking over the altar. No one will notice your
presence as you listen to Mankar Camoran's speech and watch him disappear
with the Amulet of Kings. Once he's gone, you're in excellent position
to snipe at the cultists below with arrows or spells.
They will eventually respond, running up the stairs, but you should be
able to get them one or two at a time, which is Magickageable. Once they
are all dead, you can descend to the lower level, free the prisoner, and
get the Mysterium Xarxes from the altar. You can't go back the way you
came, so go up the stairs, taking a right instead of a left, and take the
door at the top into the Living Quarters.
3) You can exploit a little bit of bad programming by the developers. Strip
all your gear and drop it on the cave floor. Then agree to Harrow's
request to be inducted into the order. Before following him through the
door into the temple, go back and pick up your kit and re-equip yourself.
Nobody will notice, and, since they are still peaceful toward you, you can
depopulate the place with near impunity before going into the shrine.
(Exploit submitted by smjellish.)
| Living Quarters
+-----------------
Whether you're fully suited up or wearing only a red robe and carrying a
dagger, there's only one way through here: running for your life. The Living
Quarters are full of cultists, many of whom will use hit-and-run tactics.
Stopping to fight just means getting beaten by as many as a dozen Mythic Dawn
assassins at once. You can't survive that.
So, running it is. Get a healing spell ready, sheathe your weapon (if you have
one) and start pumping.
From your entry point, run down the tunnel and take a right at the end. Take
the next left and run until you can take a right turn. This leads into a room
with two or more cultists. The exit is to the southwest--as you enter the
room, take a hard left and hug the wall to find your way into the escape
tunnel.
This tunnel will turn south (left) and deposit you in a large room with at
least two assassins. Take the stairs to the west (to your right as you come
into the room) and run around the upper level to the exit in the southeast
corner of the room.
This tunnel turns south, then east and dumps you in another large room. You
may find up to a dozen cultists in here having "worship services". Lucky you.
The exit is in the middle of the south wall, so take a right as you come into
the room and run through the middle of the mob to make your escape.
This is a short tunnel that slopes up. At the top, turn left to find a door
that leads back into the entrance cavern. Run down this tunnel to a small
room. The exit tunnel is to your left (east). At the start of the tunnel is a
turn-lever on the wall. Activate it to open the secret door just ahead and run
through into the main entrance to the caverns. The exit to the outside world
is straight ahead.
As soon as you are outside, attempt to Fast Travel. If you were quick enough,
you got out before any cultists and you'll be able to Fast Travel. If you get
the "You cannot travel while enemies are near" message, then start running
again in the direction of Cheydinhal. Speed is your only concern now.
Once you are safe and have re-equipped yourself (if you decided on the
undercover method), you can think about going back to the Caverns and
methodically cleaning them out. There's a lot of loot in there. Or you can
just count yourself lucky and Fast Travel to Cloud Ruler Temple. Martin wants
that book you stole.
[MS08]
<~~~~~~ SPIES ~~~~~~>
By now, if Baurus survived your earlier dustup with the Mythic Dawn, you'll
find him wandering around Cloud Ruler Temple. Talk to him for boosts in your
Blade, Block and Heavy Armor skills. Find Martin (he's usually in the main
hall) and give him Mysterium Xarxes. He gets pumped over getting into a little
dark magic, then sends you to Jauffre, who's got some "concerns". Jauffre,
indeed, is concerned. It appears strangers have been loitering about the
Temple; but, despite having a huge building full of fighters, Jauffre can't
spare anyone but you to check into it.
Funny. Anyway, Jauffre refers you to Captain Steffan of the Blades or Captain
Burd of the Bruma constabulary. Your quickest route through the task ahead is
to track down Steffan. He's usually patrolling, during the day, follow your
quest marker to find him. He reports some strangers hanging out around a
runestone just south of the Temple.
Walk down the slope to the runestone (it's kind of hard to miss, since it's
big and has glowing runes on it). Take up position near the stone and Wait
until dark (around 7 or 8 p.m.). You'll soon be attacked by two Mythic Dawn
assassins, who shouldn't be too much trouble to take out. Search their bodies
for some keys, including one labeled "Jearl's House Key". Jearl, eh?
Go down to Bruma and find Jearl's house, it's in the southwest corner of town,
behind the Chapel of Talos. Enter and find the trapdoor down into the
basement, one of the keys you looted will open it. In the basement you will
find a note outlining the Mythic Dawn's plan to open a Great Gate at Bruma in
order to get to Martin.
Return to Jauffre with the information, and then talk to Martin about his
progress with the book.
*PROGRESS NOTE*
-----------------
At this point in the game, you get two divergent, parallel paths. One involves
collecting items for Martin to use in opening a portal to Paradise. The other
involves getting Bruma ready for the opening of the Great Gate. The quests for
Martin are Blood of the Daedra, Blood of the Divines and Miscarcand. The
quests from Jauffre are Bruma Gate and Allies for Bruma (which includes a
couple of sub-quests). You can do these in whatever order you wish.
Eventually, the main story will merge in the quest Defense of Bruma.
[MS09]
<~~~~~~ BLOOD OF THE DAEDRA ~~~~~~>
The first item on Martin's shopping list is an artifact of a daedra lord.
These are, actually, fairly easy to come by. There are fifteen, total, and
obtaining each one involves it's own set of tasks. These are detailed in the
Side Quests section under Daedric Quests.
Read through about the Daedric Quests and decide which artifact you are
willing to give up, then go complete that task. The game suggests Azura, but
many players like to keep her re-useable soul gem, Azura's Star. The best bet
is Wabbajack. This staff from Sheogorath is: 1) easy to obtain, since the
quest requires no combat, just pranks; and, 2) useless except as a novelty
item.
Once you have a daedric artifact, return to Martin.* He now wants the blood of
a god.
* A bug prevents Spell Breaker, the Peryite artifact, from being recognized by
Martin. This is fixed with patch 1.1; however, why you would want to give up
Spell Breaker is a mystery.
[MS10]
<~~~~~~ BLOOD OF THE DIVINES ~~~~~~>
Martin refers you to Jauffre, who knows the location of Tiber Septim's armor.
(The first emperor, Tiber eventually became the god Talos.) Speak to Jauffre.
First, Jauffre wants you to go help close an Oblivion gate that's opened
outside Bruma. This is the Bruma Gate quest. You can choose to do it now, or
wait until later. Ask Jauffre about the armor of Tiber Septim.
Jauffre directs you to Sancre Tor, which used to be a holy site for the
Blades. He'll give you a key and directions, then it's up to you. Sancre Tor
is west-southwest of Cloud Ruler Temple, almost due north of Chorrol. You'll
need to prep for ghosts and wraiths in this dungeon. That means a magic or
silver weapon or lots of spells. Suit up and hike on over.
As you enter Sancre Tor, you'll find an enchanted weapon--if you don't already
have one. Follow the hall to the first large room, and watch out for the dart
traps surrounding the loot chests. Continue northwest and then northeast until
you come to a large room. Be careful entering the room, this if the first of
four boss fights you'll have in this dungeon.
You may recall from Jauffre's conversation that the four greatest Blades of
Tiber Septim's era lost their lives in Sancre Tor. Well, their skeletons are
still prowling the corridors, and you have to kill them to release their
spirits. They are each using enchanted Ancient Blades equipment.
Oh. Goody.
Pepper the skeletons from range first to soften them up. They move fast, so
you won't get many shots in. Try to keep the fights in the large rooms where
you find them, rather than retreating up hallways. You don't want to get into
confined places with these guys.
First up is Rielus. After he's defeated, his ghost appears and gives you the
whole story. You'll need to release his "brothers" as well, so they can break
the final evil enchantment on Sancre Tor. Loot his skeletal corpse for the
Amulet of the Ansei.
Head southeast out of this room and follow the corridor to a door that leads
to the Entry Hall. There will be a couple of ghosts here. Down in the pit is a
huge door that leads to the Tomb of the Reman Emperors. That's the ultimate
goal, but it is inaccessible until you kill (re-kill?) the four undead Blades.
Go down into the pit, near the door to the Tomb. Jump into the water to your
right and find the door that's underneath the upper level of this room. This
leads to the Catacombs. You'll make your way through several tunnels and two
larger rooms before reaching the room with Alain, an undead Blade.
Alain drops Northwind, a one-handed katana with frost damage. Behind Alain, to
the northeast, is a door leading to the Hall of Judgment. In the hall, go
through the first room, exiting to the northwest to find your way to Casnar,
your next target. He is using Mishaxhi's Cleaver, a two-handed sword with
Disintegrate Armor enchantment. (Hopefully, you remembered to bring repair
hammers with you.)
From Casnar's room, find the tunnel leading northeast (the exit is along the
east wall of the room) and follow this back to the Entry Hall. In the Entry
Hall, take the east exit to get to the Prison. When you enter the first large
room, you'll fight the skeleton of Warden Kastav. He's not as tough as the
Blades, but he's no patsy. There will probably be a ghost or two joining in
the fight.
Loot his corpse for his key, which opens the door at the top of the ramp. At
the second four-way intersection, take a right and then take your third left.
The next left leads to Valdemar's room. Defeat him and take his enchanted
shield. That should be all four undead Blades. Return to the Entry Hall and
head for the Tomb.
The spirits of the four Blades should be here, and they'll take up positions
to bring down the magical barriers protecting the armor of Tiber Septim. Once
the barriers are down, pick up the armor and head back to Cloud Ruler Temple.
(Yes, that really is it. There's no more fighting unless you left some ghosts
behind you.)
[MS11]
<~~~~~~ MISCARCAND ~~~~~~>
Upon your return, Martin reveals the third item necessary for a portal to
Paradise: a great welkynd stone. If you've been exploring any Ayleid ruins
prior to this point, you may have pockets full of the normal welkynd stones
(they fully restore your Magicka when used). But Martin doesn't want just any
old welkynd stone, so he directs you to the ancient Ayleid capital of
Miscarcand.
This ruin is between Skingrad and Kvatch, not far north of the main road. It
is filled with mostly skeletons, zombies and goblins. The goblins are engaged
in running fights with the undead. You'll frequently be able to stand by and
watch them kill each other before you finish off the survivors.
From the entrance, take a left and head down the long hall to a four-way
intersection. The gate in front of you cannot be opened from this side. To
your right, stairs go down to the large room you just passed, which is mainly
a looting opportunity. To the left is a hall that leads to a raised corridor
over a large room.
Snipe the goblins and undead from your raised position. Eventually, you will
have to jump down. After looting the room, take the exit in the northwest
corner and go up the stairs. Find the button on the first landing and push it.
This opens a gate leading south from the raised corridor. Go up more stairs
and step on the pressure plate at the top to open the gate at the four-way
intersection.
Head south and enter the second level, Sel Vanua. In the first room is a varla
stone under a cover. The button to lift the cover is on the east wall. (Varla
stones fully recharge all enchanted weapons in your inventory.) Take the south
exit from this room to reach another large room with a raised corridor
crossing it. Again, you can snipe from the raised position.
Eventually, you'll have to jump down. The gate leading out of this area is to
the north. The button that opens that gate is in a side passage on the south
side of the room. Once the gate is open, enter the third level, Morimath.
Make your way through a series of halls to a large room with a platform in the
middle. In the center of the platform is the great welkynd stone, ripe for the
picking. Before you pick it, get ready for battle. If you have fire spells or
weapons, now is the time to get them ready. Wait for one hour to fully restore
your health and Magicka.
Ready? Pick up the stone. Some stairs rise from the lower floor up to the
platform. (All the easier for the zombies to get you.) Behind you, a door
opens letting out a lich, the King of Miscarcand. Jump down to the lower floor
and deal with the zombies as quickly as you can. Then you can concentrate on
the lich. It's resistant to frost and magic, and weak to fire. It's primarily
a spellcaster, so try to close with it and smash it good.
After the lich is dead, loot its remains for a key. Go back up the platform
and go north into the alcove from which the lich came. Step on the pressure
plate, kill the zombies and exit to the west. The key you got from the lich
will open the gate and you've got a shortcut straight back to the top level of
the ruin. Another pressure plate opens the secret door leading to the main
exit from Miscarcand.
Return to Martin with your booty. He's still working on the final item needed
for the portal. Now it's time to deal with the Oblivion gate in front of
Bruma.
[MS12]
<~~~~~~ BRUMA GATE ~~~~~~>
Assuming you've already talked to Jauffre about the Bruma gate, head down to
the city and report to Captain Burd. He wants you to show the city guard how
to close a gate. Agree and you'll take Burd and two of his men with you into
Oblivion.
The Bruma Oblivion world is semi-circular and filled with daedra. (You're
supposed to be here with allies, so there are more than the usual number of
demons.) You'll work your way around a semi-circular island to the north side,
then head south to the Sigil Keep, this one called The Fury Spike.
There are no side towers or anything here. This is a straight run up the tower
to the Sigillum Sanguis. The Rending Halls is a two-level affair. When you
reach the top of the first ramp, clear the room, use the Blood Fountain, then
exit to the east. Climb the curving ramp. When the hall makes a sharp left,
look for a lever on the wall to spring the blade trap ahead.
Climb the final ramps and return to the Fury Spike core. The Corridors of Dark
Salvation are next, and it's a simple loop-back climb up a couple of ramps.
Then it's on to the Sanguis and the sigil stone. Activate it and get thrown
(along with Burd and whoever else survived) back to Bruma. Burd now thinks he
and his soldiers can handle any new gates that pop up around Bruma. Return to
Jauffre at Cloud Ruler Temple.
[MS13]
<~~~~~~ ALLIES FOR BRUMA ~~~~~~>
*NOTE* These quests are completely optional. However, if you want a chance of
making it to the end of the main story, and you're not 50th level, then you
probably want to enlist some help.
Jauffre wants you to travel to the other cities in Cyrodiil and ask for aid
for Bruma. (He suggests seeing the Elder Council in Imperial City, but you can
skip them. They're not going to help.) You must travel to each of the other
seven cities--or fewer if you feel you don't need as much help--close an
Oblivion gate (except for Kvatch, which has a different requirement) and then
ask the ruler of the city for Aid for Bruma.
Cheydinhal and Bravil are your best stops. Each sends a high-level Captain;
Cheydinhal also sends a soldier. Anvil and Chorrol each send two soldiers.
Kvatch, Leyawiin and Skingrad send only one soldier each. At a minimum, you
should get aid from Cheydinhal, Bravil, Anvil and Chorrol. If you want to make
the next quest (Defense of Bruma) ridiculously easy, get aid from all seven
cities.
In each city, you can go speak to the count or countess first, which will mark
the Oblivion gate for you. Or you can just go close the gate and speak to the
ruler after. Speaking to the ruler before offers no special advantage other
than the map marker. Most of these rulers hold court from 8am until 6pm. You
can find the castle for each city on your world map and Fast Travel there
though you've never set foot in their doors.
You should also note some of these worlds use one of the seven random Oblivion
worlds you can enter through the random gates that pop up here and there in
the wilderness. For example, Bravil uses the #1 random world, Chorrol uses #2.
You'll always get the same world when you go through those city gates, but you
won't always get the same Sigil Keep since the random worlds link to random
Keep interiors.
| The Wayward Knight (Cheydinhal) [MS13-A]
+------------------------------------------
The gate near Cheydinhal is west of the city. If you speak to the count of
Cheydinhal first, or speak to one of the soldiers guarding the gate, you'll
get a new quest: The Wayward Knight. It seems the count's son fancies himself
a great knight, and has a group of friends who play at being knights with him.
These impetuous youths charged into Oblivion when the gate opened, and the
count wants you to bring his son out of there.
Make sure you have a spell to restore health on a target (along with your
normal Oblivion kit) before entering the gate. You'll come out at the top of a
large mountain. You'll be required to jump your way down here and there, and
it will be impossible to get back up. You're in this one for the long haul.
Once you've reached the bottom of the mountain, you'll find Farwil, the
count's son, and one other knight on the east side of the mountain, near the
bridge that crosses to the Sigil Keep. Talk to Farwil and they'll agree to
follow you and help you close the gate.
Advance across the bridge and into the tower. This is just like any other
Sigil Keep, but you have to concern yourself with keeping Farwil (at least)
alive. If he does die, you can take his signet ring from the body as proof of
his heroism.
After the gate is closed, if Farwil survived, he makes you an honorary Knight
of the Thorn and gives you an amulet with a Speechcraft enhancement. His
father then will offer you the choice of a magic sword or staff. If Farwil
didn't make it, the count will still give you some gold for your effort.
Either way, he'll offer up the services of his captain of the guard and a
soldier for the defense of Bruma.
| Bravil [MS13-B]
+-----------------
The Bravil gate is located northwest of the city. Inside you arrive facing a
bridge leading to the Sigil Keep, but a gate blocks your way. To open the
gate, you must throw a switch at the top of one of the two small towers
southeast (Spindle Shrine) and southwest (Blood Well) of the Sigil Keep. There
are three ways to get to one of those towers.
1) Go around the long way. Begin by going west, then north, then east across
a long bridge with a sunken tower in the middle, then south to the Spindle
Shrine. Fight your way up the tower (it's like a mini-keep) and throw the
switch at the top to open the gate across the main bridge.
2) If you have some decent Acrobatics skill, you can turn southwest from your
entry point and pick your way across a series of small islands that curve
to the east and then north, leading you to the Spindle Shrine. Throw the
switch at the top to open the gate across the main bridge.
3) Start by going west from the gate until you come to the bridge going
north. Look around for a cave entrance, then work your way through the
caves to the basement of the Blood Well (southwest) tower. Work your way
to the top to find the switch that opens the main gate.
Once the Sigil Keep is accessible, you're all set. Note this Keep is randomly
determined when you open the door. Some of the random Keeps have one side
area, some two and some three. There's no telling what you're going to get.
When you've got the sigil stone and have closed the Oblivion gate, see Count
Terentius for your high-level soldier.
| Anvil [MS13-C]
+----------------
You'll find the Anvil gate northwest of the city. This Oblivion world is easy,
from a pathing perspective. The Sigil Keep is on top of a mountain, you come
in at the bottom. Just follow the path as it goes through several switchbacks
up the face of the mountain and you're there. After the Oblivion gate is
closed, visit Countess Umbranox for your promise of aid, which is two standard
soldiers.
| Chorrol [MS13-D]
+------------------
This Oblivion gate is south of the city, in the woods just beyond the stables.
You enter Oblivion on the north side of the area, facing the Sigil Keep
surrounded by six towers. You enter the Sigil Keep through a connecting bridge
from the east (Earthquake) or west (Hurricane) tower. To get to one of those
two keeps, you have to open the gates that block your way.
Pick any one of the four "corner" towers: Tsunami, Eruption, Tornado or
Landslide. Ride the "corpse masher" elevator to the middle of the tower, then
climb the ramp to the top and throw the switch. This opens the gate next to
that tower. (You can, from the top of any of these towers, cross over to the
Sigil Keep; however, you can't go anywhere inside the Keep except to one of
the other four corner towers.)
Go back down, exit the tower and head through the now open gate. Enter one of
the two side towers and ride the elevator to the middle of the tower. There's
a door right at the top of the elevator to a bridge over to the Sigil Keep.
Inside the Keep you'll find the doors to the Rending Halls and you're on your
way.
Countess Valga spends a lot of time in the chapel, in addition to standard
court hours, so you should be able to find her most any time of the day.
She'll send two soldiers to the aid of Bruma.
| The Battle for Castle Kvatch [MS13-E]
+---------------------------------------
You may have already done this after Breaking the Siege of Kvatch. If so,
you'll find Savlian Matius where you left him, in the castle of Kvatch. Speak
to him about Aid for Bruma and he promises to send what he can (which is one
soldier).
If you haven't done this quest yet, Matius and his guards will still be in the
Temple of Akatosh in Kvatch. Speak to Matius and agree to help him retake the
castle. He takes off with some men through the north door of the church.
Follow him outside and help cut through the daedra between the church and the
castle.
When you reach the castle gates, you find them locked. Matius instructs you to
go through the North Guard House, under the wall, to the inside of the gates
and unlock them. Berich Inian, a guard still in the church, has the key.
Return to the church and talk to Inian. He tells you he'll take you through
the passage. You'll also find some Imperial legionnaires. Speak to them and
they agree to help out. Follow Inian down into the chapel's crypt. Take it
easy through here, there are a lot of daedra. With Inian and the legionnaires,
the demons shouldn't be much trouble. You'll exit the crypt and wind your way
through more daedra until you reach the North Guard House. If Inian dies along
the way, make sure you frisk him for the key.
Once you reach the Guard House, all you have to do is drop down into the
tunnel, run to the far end (no enemies) and climb up to find yourself on the
inside of the castle gate. Turn the wheel to open the gate and let Matius and
his men through. There's a pitched battle in the courtyard and then more
fighting in the main hall of the castle.
Matius now instructs you to go find the count. You'll be aided by any
surviving legionnaires, so you probably won't have to fight through the castle
alone. When you reach the count's quarters, you'll find his body. Get his
signet ring off the body and return it to Matius.
Matius, at this point, suddenly decides to retire and gives you his armor. He
then spends the remainder of the game standing in the castle in his civvies.
You can also ask him for Aid for Bruma and get one Kvatch soldier for your
trouble.
| Leyawiin [MS13-F]
+-------------------
The Oblivion gate is east-northeast of Leyawiin. From the entry point, go west
and find a cave door. The caves, like many Oblivion things, are random. Just
keep plugging along and you'll eventually reach the main island.
When you finally make it out, there are Spindle Shrines to the east and west.
Pick either one and climb to the top. Here you can get to a bridge that leads
to one of the Blood Well towers. Throw the switch at the top of the Blood Well
tower to open gates leading to the Sigil Keep. Go down to the bottom of the
Blood Well, exit onto the bridge and fight your way to the Keep.
Once the gate is closed, you can find Count Caro in Castle Leyawiin during
normal court hours.
| Skingrad [MS13-G]
+-------------------
The Skingrad gate is just east of Castle Skingrad, at the top of a small hill.
Inside, you find yourself facing three towers. The two towers to your left and
right are the Anguish Keep and the Sorrow Keep. Each is a full keep, with two
side areas and a shrine at the top.
Fight your way to the top of either keep and throw the switch. This will
extend a bridge across to the top of the other side keep. Cross the bridge and
throw a switch in the second tower. The bridge between the towers retracts,
but bridges extend from each side keep to the main Sigil Keep. You'll have to
fight your way down one level in the second keep in order to take the bridge
over to the Sigil Keep.
Entering the Sigil Keep, you're already about halfway up the tower and only
have to fight your way through one side area in order to reach the Sigillum
Sanguis. You know what to do by now.
The peculiarity in Skingrad occurs after you've closed the gate and want to
get aid from Count Hassildor. You can only talk to the count by going through
an intermediary. If you are in the middle of the Mages Guild quest, "Ulterior
Motives", then Hassildor will refuse to speak to you until you fully complete
that quest (which means reporting in to Raminus Polus). Otherwise, if you have
not done "Ulterior Motives", then you must speak to the steward, Mercator
Hosidus about Aid for Bruma. If you have done "Ulterior Motives", you must
speak to Hal-Liurz.
[MS14]
<~~~~~~ DEFENSE OF BRUMA ~~~~~~>
You can open this quest any time after finishing the three "relic hunts" for
Martin and the Bruma Gate quest. Talk to Martin and he'll reveal the final
item he needs for a portal to Paradise: a great sigil stone. You can only get
these by entering a great gate. So Martin proposes to let the enemy open a
great gate next to Bruma and then send you in to get the great sigil stone
before the enemy gets its siege machine out and destroys Bruma.
It's goofy plans like this that make him the Emperor, see?
You've no choice but to agree. Martin asks that you personally see Countess
Carvain in Bruma and fill her in on the plan. So head off to Bruma and the
Countess, who agrees with the plan. (Must be the royal blood that causes this
idiocy.) She'll head off to the chapel of Talos.
Follow her down to the chapel and witness the meeting between Martin and
Carvain. After they've chatted, talk to Carvain again. At this point you have,
essentially, two choices: "Let's go" or "I'm not ready yet". (If you haven't
completed all the Allies for Bruma quests, you will also have a "Recruit more
soldiers" response, which is the same thing as "I'm not ready".)
Save your game! Martin and Carvain will stand in the chapel until the cows
come home waiting for you to get ready. So...get ready. The mission ahead is a
timed run through an Oblivion world. You'll not be able to Wait at any point,
so you'll need a full set of healing potions, Magicka-restoring potions, etc.
Make sure your enchanted weapons are recharged and all your armor and weapons
are fully repaired. Feel like you need more support? Go finish more Allies for
Bruma quests.
When you're ready, give Carvain the go ahead and follow Martin and company out
the East Gate of Bruma. Your little army heads towards an Oblivion gate that
has just opened, Martin gives a speech, then the battle is on. Your primary
job is to keep Martin alive until the great gate opens. If you recruited all
the available soldiers in Allies for Bruma, this is really easy. There are
more than enough guards to control the daedra popping through the lesser
gates.
After a few minutes, you'll get the message the great gate has opened. The
timer has started! Get moving through the gate...
[MS15]
<~~~~~~ GREAT GATE ~~~~~~>
This Oblivion world is different in two ways: There's a giant siege engine
moving toward the gate and you have about 15 minutes to get to the top of the
Sigil Keep and get the great sigil stone. That's 15 minutes real time, but
don't dawdle. Try not to spend too much time fighting. Use a potion, spell or
equipment to Fortify your Speed and try just racing past most enemies. Keep a
healing spell equipped and boost your health as you run.
There are two towers in front of you, head to the west (left) one. Climb to
the top and exit onto a north-bound bridge that leads to another tower. Go
down that tower and exit onto a large bridge. There's a jump here across
broken pieces of the bridge, but if you miss the jump, you fall down in front
of a cave entrance that might actually be an easier path.
If you decided to take the eastern route north, the jump across the broken
bridge is much more difficult and drops you into lava. Plus, there's no
convenient cave to take you under the fire-spitting guard towers. Your choice.
Regardless, your goal is one of the two towers flanking the Sigil Keep. If you
use the cave at the base of the western bridge, it takes you directing into
the western guard tower. At the tops of these two towers are switches that
open the gates leading to the Sigil Keep.
This Keep has only one side area, the Vaults of End Times. However, you do
need a Sigil Key from one of two Sigil Keepers. There's a Keeper on the ground
floor, and another near the door to the Sigillum Sanguis. Kill either one,
enter the Sanguis and run for the great sigil stone. Provided you got there in
time, everything, including the large siege engine, blows up and Bruma is
saved!
Your reward is a standard sigil stone lying in front of the burned-out hulk of
the siege engine (which somehow Magickages to blow up right outside Bruma) and
the opportunity to go after Mankar Camoran.
Aren't you lucky?
[MS16]
<~~~~~~ PARADISE ~~~~~~>
After the battle for Bruma, return to Cloud Ruler Temple. Tend to your
equipment and talk to Martin. He's ready to open a portal to Camoran's
Paradise. The question is, are you ready? Once you enter Paradise, you can't
get out until Camoran is dead. He's a high-level mage, so kit yourself out
appropriately. Some Dispel scrolls or potions would be useful. Plenty of
damage resistance, magic resistance, spell absorption...you know the drill.
Once you're ready to live off what you can carry, tell Martin to open the
portal. Enter the portal to find yourself in Paradise.
Literally.
Camoran's little slice of reality is a pleasant garden environment with blue
skies and fluffy white clouds. Oh, and the occasional daedra ready to tear
your head off...Nothing's perfect. Head off down the white brick path,
listening to Camoran lecture you. Along the way, in addition to the occasional
daedra, you'll find Ascended Immortals. These dead Mythic Dawn cultists are
waiting in Paradise for Dagon's victory over Tamriel.
You can talk to these cultists and learn some of the history of this place.
You also learn the only way to Camoran is through the Forbidden Grotto. And
you can only get in there if you have the Bands of the Chosen.
As you follow the path, you'll eventually encounter a dremora named Kathutet.
He wants to talk (so watch your trigger finger). He'll give you Bands of the
Chosen if you serve him or beat him in a fight. Choose to serve him and he'll
send you on an errand to free one of his subordinates, Anaxes, who has been
imprisoned by the Ascended Immortals.
Beating Kathutet is the easier and quicker course of action. But, if you
decide to serve him, Anaxes' lair is to the northwest. Enter and find the
boulder wedged in place by logs. Stand to the side and Activate the logs to
push them out of the way. Return to where you met Kathutet.
Cross the bridge going east and enter the Flooded Grotto. At the end of the
grotto, if you freed Anaxes, you'll meet Kathutet again and he gives you the
Bands of the Chosen. If you killed Kathutet, you already have the Bands. Equip
them and open the door to the Forbidden Grotto.
The Forbidden Grotto turns out to be a torture chamber. As you leave the first
large room, you'll be intercepted by an Ascended Immortal named Eldamil. He
wants to help, and, you want his help. Really, you do. Agree to Eldamil's
plan. He directs you into one of the cages. While in the cage, Eldamil's boss,
Orthe, comes to check on things.
Eldamil's ruse works, and he lets you out on the east side of the chasm. You
can now head south, through another torture chamber and through the door into
the next section of the Grotto.
If you chose to turn down Eldamil, then you have to head north from Eldamil's
room and fight Orthe and two of his buddies. This is not good for your health.
But, if you insist on trying, you'll have to kill them all and get Orthe's key
from a loot sack in the corner of their room. This key opens the portcullis
leading east and eventually to the exit.
In the second part of the Grotto you'll meet Eldamil again. (Even if you
turned him down or killed him.) He removes your Bands of the Chosen and offers
again to help you out. You really should accept his offer. Work your way
through the Grotto until you encounter a xivilai named Medrike. He has the key
to the exit. Take it from him.
Outside, follow the path until you run into Mankar's children, Raven and
Remora. They lead you inside Mankar's palace, where Mankar begins making a
speech. Don't bother listening. Walk up to him and smack him. Mankar has a lot
of spell absorption and damage reflection, so attacking him from range,
especially with spells, is not a good option.
Ignore the children; if you kill them, they just respawn. Mankar is your only
concern. You want to keep him off balance, preferably with power attacks that
stagger or stun him. You might also be able to paralyze him with poison put on
your weapon. If you brought Eldamil along, he can help distract the two kids
and let you focus on Mankar. If you're an Orc or Redguard, use your greater
power and just bash Mankar as hard as you can.
As soon as Mankar is dead, Paradise collapses and you find yourself back in
Cloud Ruler Temple, the Amulet of Kings in hand. It's time to close the
Oblivion gates once and for all.
[MS17]
<~~~~~~ LIGHT THE DRAGONFIRES ~~~~~~>
After your return from Paradise, Martin says it's time to go to Imperial City
and the Temple of the One. Fast Travel down to the Palace district of Imperial
City and enter the Elder Council Chambers. Once Martin's joined you, he and
Ocato begin discussing Martin's claim to the throne and re-lighting the
Dragonfires.
Unfortunately, you're interrupted by a couple of dremora. Oblivion gates have
sprung up in Imperial City and daedra are rampaging in the streets. Your final
mission is at hand: protect Martin. Follow the group outside and help deal
with the daedra; make sure Martin stays healthy.
Once this initial wave of daedra are dead, you're joined by a small group of
Imperial Legion soldiers. This is your army. Martin says he must get to the
Temple of the One, so join the soldiers as they run toward the Temple
District.
When you reach the Temple district, you find it overrun by daedra. Don't spend
too much time on them--as you kill them, more jump out of the two gates in
this district. Just run to your right around the temple, making sure Martin is
keeping up with you.
You'll soon run into Mehrunes Dagon himself. You can't kill this monster, but
you can hurt him. Your only task is to get Martin inside the Temple and the
door is just past Dagon. Run up and power attack one of Dagon's legs. He'll
lift the foot as he staggers back, so take that time to run to the door and
Activate it. Martin will follow you inside.
At this point, there's nothing you can do but watch. Enjoy the show!
[MS18]
<~~~~~~ IMPERIAL DRAGON ARMOR ~~~~~~>
This isn't really a quest, more of an epilogue. After all the shouting is
done, Chancellor Ocato has a chat with you. He names you Champion of Cyrodiil
and says he's ordered up a suit of Imperial Dragon Armor--normally only worn
by the emperor--for you. Two weeks later, you'll be able to go to the Imperial
Legion armory in the Imperial City Prison district and pick up a suit of
either Light or Heavy Imperial Dragon Armor. (The type of armor is determined
by which of your two armor skills is higher rank.) The armor not only looks
nice, it's got some decent enchantments on it as well.
That's it! You've finished the main story of Oblivion. But the game is far
from over...
The Fighters Guild specializes in solving problems--any problem. Whether it's
rats in the basement, thieves in the store or goblins overrunning a
settlement, the Guild gets called in to take care of the situation.
The Fighters Guild isn't for everyone. Several times you will be fighting in
close quarters with multiple enemies. Tanking is highly suggested. The
problems presented in this series of quests are to be met with sword or axe
and do not lend themselves to sneaking around or blowing things up from range.
Joining the Guild is easy, talk to Vilena Donton at the Chorrol Guild, Azzan
at the Anvil Guild or Burz gro-Khash at the Cheydinhal Guild. You must not
have any outstanding bounty and your Infamy score must be less than 100. If
your Infamy score is 100 or higher, get your Fame score to 100 or higher and
you'll be able to join.
Vilena Donton is the guild master, but doesn't directly issue any orders. You
get about half of your contracts from Azzan and gro-Khash; the remainder of
your jobs come from Donton's assistant, Modryn Oreyn. Your first three
contracts come from Azzan and gro-Khash.
[FG01]
<~~~~~~ A RAT PROBLEM ~~~~~~>
Azzan, in Anvil, sends you to see Arvena Thelas, who is having a problem with
the rats in her basement.
Not that kind of problem. It seems Ms. Thelas actually *likes* the rats, but
someone or something is killing them. Get down there and identify the culprit.
When you enter the basement, you'll find a mountain lion chewing on the corpse
of a rat.
Yeah, a mountain lion. Kill it (not necessarily an easy task) and report back
to Thelas. She worries more might follow this one, and recommends you seek out
a hunter, Pinarus Inventius. Together, you should be able to track down and
kill any remaining mountain lions in the vicinity of Anvil.
Use your quest marker to track down Inventius; he roams around a lot and may
even be out hunting. When you find him, he agrees to lead you to a suspected
lair just northwest of the city. You'll find four lions have set up camp among
some rocks. Make sure you stick close to Inventius. Lions are fast and strong.
Let one of them stagger you and the rest will close in and then you're cat
chow. One possibility is to get up on the rocks from the "back" side and snipe
the lions where they can't reach you.
When the lions are dead, return to Thelas. She's still upset. There's
*another* mountain lion in the basement! Get down there and kill it and return
to Thelas. She suspects her neighbor, Quill-Weave, of luring the lions into
Thelas' basement. Find a good hiding spot in the back yard of Thelas' house
and go into Sneak mode. Wait until dark (around 8pm) and you'll see Quill-
Weave sneak into the yard and leave a piece of meat near the hole in the
basement wall.
Step out and confront her. She admits to trying to lure the rats out of the
basement (she finds them disgusting, which means she's perfectly normal). She
never intended lions to get in. She promises to leave Thelas alone and offers
you free Acrobatics training, as long as you don't rat her out to Thelas.
* Rat her out to Thelas. Thelas is quite pleased with the outcome and boosts
your Speechcraft skill by one point, plus your pay for fulfilling the
contract.
* Keep Quill-Weave's secret. Thelas thinks you're holding out on her, but
pays you for fulfilling the contract. Track down Quill-Weave and get a
one-point boost in your Acrobatics skill.
Return to Azzan at the guild hall for another assignment.
[FG02]
<~~~~~~ THE UNFORTUNATE SHOPKEEPER ~~~~~~>
Once you've dealt with the lions, Azzan sends you to see Norbert Lelles, of
Lelles's Quality Merchandise. Lelles's store is located on the waterfront,
outside the Dock Gate of Anvil. Thieves have been breaking into his store and
he wants you to play security guard.
Stand behind the counter and Wait until midnight. Three thieves will sneak
into the store. If you're a basic tank, you should be able to handle these
guys. Stay behind the counter and try to take them one-at-a-time as they come
around to get you.
If you're more a ranged/stealth fighter, now's the time to pull out a shield
and block a lot--or use a Shield spell. This is just the first of several
fights you're going to have in cramped quarters with multiple opponents.
This is the Fighters Guild, after all.
When you've disposed of the thieves, find Lelles in the Flowing Bowl for your
payment. Return to Azzan. He's got nothing more for you. If you've already
done "The Desolate Mine", he kicks you on to Vilena Donton in Chorrol,
otherwise he suggests you go visit gro-Khash in Cheydinhal.
[FG03]
<~~~~~~ THE DESOLATE MINE ~~~~~~>
Burz gro-Khash wants you to play delivery boy. He gives you a bow, war hammer
and long sword and tells you to deliver them to Fighters Guild members at
Desolate Mine, just a short jaunt to the northwest.
You'll find a couple of goblins outside the mine entrance. Inside, in the
first room, are the three fighters. Speak to Rienna, who explains the
situation (goblin hunting) and takes the bow. Give the war hammer to Brag gro-
Bharg and the sword to Elidor.
As soon as all three have a weapon, they take off after goblins. Desolate Mine
is fairly small, but has a number of twists. Your main objective is to stay
near the other three and keep them alive. The more that survive this trip, the
higher your payment.
Once your journal informs you all the goblins are dead, return to gro-Khash
and he'll pay you. If you haven't completed Azzan's quests yet, you're told to
see him, otherwise you're sent to Chorrol to speak to Guild Master Donton.
[FG04]
<~~~~~~ UNFINISHED BUSINESS ~~~~~~>
Vilena Donton doesn't have time to waste on peons such as yourself. She tells
you to talk to Modryn Oreyn about any duties to be performed. Oreyn, indeed,
has something he wants you to look in to.
Another new recruit, Maglir, has defaulted on a contract in Skingrad. You're
to find him and figure out what's gone wrong. Travel to Skingrad and ask
around town about Maglir. You'll be directed to the West Weald Inn, where
you'll find the little squirt drowning his sorrows.
Maglir complains about not getting paid enough for the job, which is to
recover the journal of Brenus Astis from Fallen Rock Cave. Maglir's not going
to go back in there, so you're going to have to go in after the journal.
Fallen Rock Cave is just a bit northwest of Skingrad. Undead roam it's depths,
including spirits--make sure you have a silver, daedric or enchanted weapon.
Fallen Rock Cave is fairly small; take the first right and follow it around to
a large room. Exit through the northwest tunnel and continue straight,
entering a flooded area, and, eventually, a flooded room with a body and the
journal. Make sure you collect all the ectoplasm dropped by the spirits and
save it. You'll want it for the next task.
You can return and talk to Maglir if you like, but it's not required. Report
back to Oreyn. You can give Maglir the credit for collecting the journal,
which will help you later on, or claim credit for yourself. Either way, you
get paid and another assignment.
[FG05]
<~~~~~~ DRUNK AND DISORDERLY ~~~~~~>
Three Fighters Guild members are drinking on the job down in Leyawiin. You're
sent to deal with them; you'll find them at the Five Claws Lodge. Turns out
they're not actually drunk on the job, since they have no job. The Blackwood
Company is taking all the work. Your mission, should you choose to accept it,
is to find some work for these guys.
Talk to any townie and they'll point you to Margarte. You should now get a
quest marker pointing to her, which makes it a lot easier to track her down.
When you find her, she'll reveal she's in the market for various alchemical
ingredients, especially ogre's teeth and minotaur horns. She doesn't trust the
Blackwood Company to collect these ingredients, but she's not ready to hire
the Fighters Guild either.
She wants you to prove the Guild's worth by bringing her five samples of
ectoplasm. If you got lucky in Fallen Rock Cave, you've got the five samples
in your pockets right now. If not, you can try scouring the nearby countryside
for caves or ruins, which may contain ghosts or wraiths. Or, try an alchemy
dealer at the local Mages Guild, to see if they have any in stock.
Once you have the five samples of ectoplasm, Margarte will agree to hire your
three gadabouts to hunt ogres and minotaurs for her. (Good work if you can get
it?) She'll also buy ogre's teeth and minotaur horns from you in lots of five
(100 gold for teeth, 50 gold for horns). This really isn't much, considering
the base price of those ingredients; an alchemist will pay you (assuming a
measly 40% buy rate) 150 gold for 5 ogre's teeth and 110 gold for five
minotaur horns.
Report the good news to the three Guild members at Five Claws, then return to
Oreyn. Oreyn is troubled by news of the Blackwood Company's success, and has
nothing further for you. He suggests you go see Azzan or gro-Khash for more
contracts.
[FG06]
<~~~~~~ DEN OF THIEVES ~~~~~~>
*NOTE* There's a side quest, "Newheim's Flagon", that's tied up with this
quest. You complete the side quest as you complete the Fighters Guild quest.
Azzan in Anvil has a job for you, and a partner--Maglir, the whiny little wood
elf you covered for in Skingrad. Reports of a gang of thieves have been
filtering into the Guild, and Azzan wants the two of you to look into it. Ask
around town and you'll be pointed to Newheim the Portly. Seek him out (he
typically wanders the docks) and he'll fill in the details.
In addition to other things, the thieves stole Newheim's family tankard, and
they're hiding out in Hrota Cave, which is close to Anvil, just north of the
city. Take Maglir and head out there. Your job is to clean out the caves;
don't worry about your buddy, for plot reasons he can't die just yet. The
flagon is sitting on a barrel in the only large room inside the cave.
Return the flagon to Newheim and report back to Azzan. You don't have to
travel with Maglir any more. If you haven't finished "Amelion's Debt" for gro-
Khash, you're sent packing for Cheydinhal, otherwise you're told to report to
Oreyn in Chorrol.
[FG07]
<~~~~~~ AMELION'S DEBT ~~~~~~>
If you've got a bit of cash on you and are feeling generous (or lazy), this
will be a very short mission. Otherwise, you're in for some serious undead
carnage. Burz gro-Khash sends you to Water's Edge, a farmstead down near
Leyawiin. You're to recover some family artifacts for Biene Amelion.
When you arrive at Water's Edge, Biene explains she needs to pay off her
father's gambling debts. She hopes to sell her grandfather's enchanted armor
and weapon for the money. Here's where you get to decide how energetic you
are. If you have 1,000 gold to spare, you can simply give her the money to pay
off her debt and then be on your way.
Otherwise, you have to clean out Amelion's Tomb, which is located further
south and on the other side of the Niben River. Fight your way through a lot
of undead and two small levels. You'll find Brusef's cuirass and sword on a
sarcophagus in the second level. You can also find other pieces of his armor
scattered about. (If you pay off Biene's debt, you can still raid the tomb and
keep the armor for yourself.)
Once Biene has the gold or the armor and sword, return to gro-Khash for
payment. He then sends you to Anvil if you haven't finished "Den of Thieves"
or to Chorrol for more duties from Oreyn.
[FG08]
<~~~~~~ THE MASTER'S SON ~~~~~~>
Modryn Oreyn has a couple of problems, and thinks you can solve them both in
one go. First, Guild member Galtus Previa has vanished while spelunking in
Nonwyll Cavern. Second, Vilena Donton's younger son, Viranus, is green around
the gills and needs seasoning. (Seems Ms. Donton is coddling the youngster
after older brother, Vitellus, died in an earlier Guild mission.)
Anyway, you're to take young Donton with you to Nonwyll Cavern and keep him
alive. Run down Viranus using your quest marker and tell him to come along and
not to tell Mommy about it. Nonwyll Cavern is north of Chorrol and full of
trolls; not to mention the occasional ogre and a minotaur boss. Don't worry
about Viranus, he's a plot NPC and can't be killed, so let him charge in and
take the hits for you.
At the "bottom" of the cavern, you'll find Previa's body. When you get the
journal update, head out and report back to Oreyn. He's perturbed, and
comments that it's strange Previa wasn't chewed up.
[FG09]
<~~~~~~ MORE UNFINISHED BUSINESS ~~~~~~>
Maglir is at it again. Or, more accurately, not at it. Oreyn sends you to
Bravil to find out why the little snot hasn't fulfilled a contract with a mage
there. You'll find Maglir at the Lonely Suitor Lodge, and he's wearing a
different uniform. Seems he decided to join the Blackwood Company.
If, during "Unfinished Business", you gave credit to Maglir for recovering the
journal, then Maglir will have pity on you and give you the name of the mage
he is supposed to be working for, Aryarie of the Bravil Mages Guild. If you
took credit yourself earlier, Maglir has nothing more to say. If that's the
case, you either have to hunt Aryarie down yourself (she may or may not be in
the Mages Guild) or return to Oreyn in Chorrol to get the name (which includes
the convenient quest marker).
Aryarie wants 10 portions of imp gall, which, predictably, can be obtained
from imps. She points you to Robber's Glen Cave, a short distance north of the
city. Indeed, there are at least a dozen imps in this complex, along with a
handful of other critters. Return with the imp gall to Aryarie, who gives you
an enchanted ring as a bonus.
[FG10]
<~~~~~~ AZANI BLACKHEART ~~~~~~>
Back in Chorrol, Oreyn has a "side" job for you and asks that you meet him at
his house after dark. Oreyn lives in the south-western most corner of Chorrol,
in a small hut. Follow him to his house (if it's already dark), or Wait until
after 8pm and then meet him there.
Oreyn goes into a long rant over duplicity on the part of the Blackwood
Company. It seems they've been a thorn in his side since before they started
stealing contracts in Leyawiin or wimpy wood elves from the ranks of the
Guild. Specifically, he suspects them of interfering in a job to retrieve a
valuable artifact from Azani Blackheart.
Oreyn wants to expose the Blackwood Company, and he wants you to come along
for the ride. He wants you to meet him at the Leyawiin Guild and then go to an
Ayleid ruin, Arpenia, with him. Fast Travel down to Leyawiin and meet up with
Oreyn. You can then trudge down to Arpenia together.
Arpenia is mostly empty (a few low-level critters and some traps are all that
remain). Not far into the ruin, in a large room, Oreyn decides he's seen
enough and tells you the Blackwood Company must have struck a deal with
Blackheart. He now wants to find Blackheart; he thinks he might be up the road
in another Ayleid ruin, Atatar.
Blackheart is, indeed, in Atatar. Along with a dozen or more of his friends
and a bunch of other creatures. There are four levels in Atatar, and, of
course, Blackheart is in the last level. The route is circuitous, but, there's
always only one way you can go.
Fortunately for you, Oreyn is a plot NPC and can't be killed, just knocked
unconscious (which might happen a lot depending on your level). You'll need
his help against Blackheart. Once Azani is down, loot his body and give his
ring to Oreyn. He thanks you, tells you to go see Azzan or gro-Khash and takes
off, leaving you to get out of Atatar on your own.
[FG11]
<~~~~~~ THE WANDERING SCHOLAR ~~~~~~>
Azzan wants you to accompany a scholar, Elante, to a supposed daedric shrine
in Brittlerock Cave. You can complete this quest even if Elante dies, but you
don't get paid if that happens. Brittlerock Cave is northeast of Anvil and
quite a trek. If you've previously done work around Fort Sutch ("Assault on
Fort Sutch" side quest or "Bad Medicine" Dark Brotherhood quest), that's the
nearest Fast Travel point.
You'll find a couple of creatures outside the mine and the scholar just inside
the door. (Makes you wonder how she got in there, doesn't it?) Elante wants to
take the lead, and this is both a blessing and a curse. The curse is she
wanders through every side passage in the cavern before finding the shrine.
The blessing is you have a trick to keep her alive.
You may have noticed, when NPCs lead you, they will stop if you get too far
behind. Actually, they stop if you get too far away in any direction. So, what
you do is run past Elante and keep running until you run into your first group
of daedra. As you blow past Elante, she will stop and wait patiently for you
to "catch up". This allows you to deal with the demons while Elante is safe
further up the tunnel.
You can clean out the caverns one room at a time, returning to "follow" Elante
as you go, or you can clear the entire complex (it's not large) all at once
and then meekly trail after Elante down to the shrine. Elante decides to stay
and study the shrine a bit longer. You can go back the way you came, or take
the door behind the altar. It leads to another section of the cave, with more
daedra, and another exit back into the world above.
Azzan thanks you for dedication and sends you to see gro-Khash, unless you've
already completed "The Fugitives", in which case you're told to report to
Oreyn.
[FG12]
<~~~~~~ THE FUGITIVES ~~~~~~>
This is a simple quest. gro-Khash reports a group of four prisoners escaped
the Bravil jail and have decided to stick around and prey on the citizens of
that fair city. He sends you to deal with the problem. (Just in case you were
wondering, "deal with" is a euphemism for kill. There's no other way to finish
this quest.)
Go to Bravil and ask around. You need to get an NPCs Disposition over 60 in
order to get the location of the fugitives: Bloodmayne Cave. The cave is
northwest of Bravil and the ex-cons are somewhat spread out. You shouldn't
have to face more than two at once.
When they're dead, return to gro-Khash for your pay and marching orders from
Oreyn. (Or referral to Azzan if you haven't completed "The Wandering
Scholar".)
[FG13]
<~~~~~~ TROLLS OF FORSAKEN MINE ~~~~~~>
Oreyn sent a group of Guild members to Forsaken Mine to clear out the trolls.
It's been days and he hasn't heard from them. You're to investigate. Fast
Travel to Leyawiin and head southwest. Forsaken Mine is just about as far
south as you can go in Cyrodiil. Use the entrance marked for you on your map.
(There's another entrance to the mine, but it leads directly into some trolls
that are better approached from behind.)
The first level of the mine is basically empty except for corpses--mostly
Fighters Guild, but one or two will be Blackwood Company fighters. You won't
encounter your first troll until you hit the door to the second level of the
mine. From here, there are about 10 trolls that you must kill. Make sure you
get every one.
Along the way you'll find Viranus Donton's body--you just know Mommy's going
to be happy about this. His journal suggests the trolls weren't the problem.
Something's fishy in Leyawiin, and it's not the Niben River. When you get the
journal entry that you've killed all the trolls (a high-powered Detect Life
spell is good for finding any that are eluding you), return to Oreyn.
He's not happy, but is ready to face the axe himself. He sends you to Anvil or
Cheydinhal to get away from the wrath of Donton.
[FG14]
<~~~~~~ THE STONE OF ST. ALESSIA ~~~~~~>
In Anvil, Azzan tells you of the theft of a religious relic from the temple in
Bruma. He sends you there to recover the Stone of St. Alessia. In Bruma, you
need to track down Cirroc, who is normally in the Chapel of Talos. He says
four or five men were seen heading east out of town about the time the stone
was discovered missing.
Your quest marker updates to a point along the east road out of Bruma. Follow
it to find the lone remaining bandit, a Khajiit. He confesses to the crime,
but says he and his buddies were ambushed by ogres and he's the only surviving
member. The ogres now have the stone and are holed up in an Ayleid ruin,
Sedor, a little further east and a bit south.
The path through Sedor is simple, but you will have to deal with ogres (by
combat or stealth). Return the stone to Cirroc and then report back to Azzan.
Azzan doesn't have any more work for you. Literally, this is your last quest
for the leader of the Anvil guild. If you have finished gro-Khash's quests,
Azzan tells you Oreyn is looking for you.
[FG15]
<~~~~~~ THE NOBLE'S DAUGHTER ~~~~~~>
This is the first of two quests gro-Khash has for you, and they're the last he
will give you. It's a simple kidnapping. gro-Khash refers you to Lord
Rugdumph; his estate is a fair walk north-northeast of Cheydinhal. Azura's
Shrine or the Lake Arrius Caverns (Dagon Shrine from the main story) are the
closest quest-related Fast Travel points.
Lord Rugdumph doesn't have great command of English (or Imperial or whatever
it is that they speak in Cyrodiil), but you get the gist. His daughter was
kidnapped by ogres, who then headed east. Follow your quest marker almost due
east of the estate to find the young lady and her three ogreish "protectors".
This can be a bit tricky, as the ogres sometimes clump up around the orc and
make it difficult to pick them off (and you definitely don't want to use an
explosive spell on them when they're near the target of your quest). Approach
in Stealth mode and wait until the ogres are spread out. Then use bow or spell
to attract one to you and kill it. Rinse-and-repeat for the other two.
Talk to the orc woman and she'll agree to follow you back to her home. Lead
her there, get more entertainment from Rugdumph's language lessons and his
special sword. Then return to gro-Khash, who has another assignment for you.
[FG16]
<~~~~~~ MYSTERY AT HARLUN'S WATCH ~~~~~~>
People are disappearing from Harlun's Watch and gro-Khash wants you to find
out why. Harlun's Watch is just south of Cheydinhal; your contact is Drarana
Thelis. She tells of strange lights near Swampy Cave. Some villagers sent to
investigate have not returned.
Swampy Cave is a short distance to the southeast. If you haven't encountered
will-o-the-wisps before, you're about to. You need a couple of things to fight
wisps: a silver, daedric or enchanted weapon (or spells); and a Detect Life
spell (or enchanted equipment). Wisps like to go invisible and you don't want
them sneaking up on you and draining your health.
There are three to four wisps clustered outside the entrance to Swampy Cave.
Try to deal with them at a distance; up close they have a Drain Health ability
that basically ignores your armor. Spell Absorption or Reflection wouldn't
hurt. When the wisps are dead, your journal suggests that explains the strange
lights, but not the missing townsfolk.
Enter Swampy Cave and start killing trolls. There are a lot of trolls spread
over two levels. You'll have to kill them all to complete this quest. Your
Detect Life spell will now come in handy for finding all the trolls. In the
southernmost part of the first level of the caves, you'll find the bodies of
the missing villagers*. Your journal should update at this point.
* There's a bug in the game caused by clearing out Swampy Cave before you get
this quest. If you've already been through here, the dead villager won't spawn
and the quest won't advance. You can fix this by downloading the v1.1 patch.
Once the trolls are all dead (your journal should update again), return to
Thelis in Harlun's Watch with the bad news. Then see gro-Khash for your
payment and word that Oreyn wants to see you. (Unless you haven't finished
"The Stone of St. Alessia", then gro-Khash tells you to talk to Azzan.)
[FG17]
<~~~~~~ INFORMATION GATHERING ~~~~~~>
You'll find Modryn Oreyn in his house, as, basically, he has nothing better to
do these days than sit and chew his nails over his dismissal from the Guild.
He thinks the Blackwood Company is a bunch bad guys (no kidding!) and he's
determined to bring them down. But, even though he has lots of time on his
hands, he wants you to do the bringing down.
Nice of him to think of you, isn't it?
For starters, he wants you to capture one of the Blackwood leaders, Ajum
Kagin, from his headquarters in Glademist Cave. The cave is east of the city,
not far, and it's very small. Kagin has six to seven Blackwood Company
fighters holed up in there with him.
Now is actually a good time to work on your Sneak skill. This little cave is
rather overflowing with bad guys (other than Kagin, they don't want to talk)
and you'll want to work as hard as you can to separate them. That means bow
attacks while in Sneak mode, to try to force a single foe out of his cozy
cavern he's sharing with his buddies and into the tunnels where you can
dispatch him.
Kagin is in the far room of the cavern, behind a wood door. Don't go in until
you've killed everyone else. Confront him and he'll meekly surrender and
follow you to Oreyn's house. Oreyn orders you to conduct the interrogation.
You have two choices:
1) Use the Persuasion mini-game and/or Charm spells to raise Kagin's
Disposition. You'll need it over 90 to get all the information he has
to offer.
2) Use your fists to beat on Kagin until he talks.
Either method works, just don't kill Kagin. He'll eventually give you the
number of Blackwood Company recruits (100) and the name of the leader
(Ri'Zakar). Once he's spilled Ri'Zakar's name, he kills himself rather than
reveal the recipe for the Company's secret sauce.
Oreyn is satisfied, but wants more. He wants you to join the Blackwood Company
and find out what they're up to.
[FG18]
<~~~~~~ INFILTRATION ~~~~~~>
Joining the Company is easy. Fast Travel to Leyawiin and find the Company's
main HQ right across the street from the Fighters Guild. Talk to Jeetum-Zee
and he'll take you right in.
Must be a lot of defectors from the Guild.
Zee takes you down to the Training Room and briefs you and three other
recruits on a goblin hunting mission. During the conversations, you discover
the source of the Company's wild successes: sap from the Hist tree. This tree
normally only grows in the swamps of Black Marsh, the Argonian homeland, and
the narcotic produced from its sap is illegal in Cyrodiil. Rather than smuggle
the sap in, the Company has figured out how to keep a Hist tree alive in this
very building, so they've got plenty of sap for everyone.
You have no choice but to drink some Hist along with the other three recruits.
You automatically Fast Travel to Water's Edge (you may remember this hamlet
from a previous task). There are several goblins roaming around, and your
brother Blackwoods lay into them immediately. The goblins are strangely
passive and very weak.
After the goblins outside are dead, you're ordered to check the houses. Sure
enough, you'll find four more passive, weak goblins inside the various houses.
Kill them and you'll pass out.
You wake up in Oreyn's house in Chorrol. You were found in the streets of
Leyawiin by Guild members and brought to him. Explain the Hist tree. He says
he'll look into it and sends you to Water's Edge to check on its inhabitants.
There you find a truly tragic scene. Seven dead sheep, and four dead people,
including the lovely Biene Amelion. Standing over the carnage is Biene's
father, Marcel, recently released after Biene paid his debt. He wonders who
could have done this.
You know, but you can't confess. All you can do is return to Oreyn.
[FG19]
<~~~~~~ THE HIST ~~~~~~>
If, after the scene with the elder Amelion, you're not ready to lay some smack
down on the Blackwood Company, there's something wrong with you. Fortunately,
Oreyn knows just how you're feeling. He tells you to get to Leyawiin and take
out the Hist tree. If some Company fighters go down with it...well, that's
just collateral damage.
Fast Travel to Leyawiin, enter the Blackwood Company HQ and express your
displeasure to the three to four fighters on the ground floor. (Don't try any
sweet-talking, they attack on sight. So should you.) When you're finished
pounding on them, find the body named Ja'Fazir and get the key to Jeetum-Zee's
room.
Go upstairs to Jeetum-Zee's room and explain what the pointy thing on the end
of your sword is for. From his corpse you get the key to Ri'Zakar's room on
the third floor. You haven't met Ri'Zakar yet; he's going to wish you never
did. Take the key to the basement from him.
Find the basement door on the first floor and enter. There's a huge tree
growing in the center of the room with complex machinery on either side of it.
There are also two Argonian mages. Make them regret ever leaving Black Marsh.
Once they're dead, find two loose pipes laying on the floor and pick them up.
With the pipes in your inventory, Activate each large machine to destroy them.
The Hist tree goes up in flames and you can start breathing again. On your way
out, Maglir shows up.
It's OK. You get to kill him now.
Return to Oreyn, who sends you on to Vilena Donton to explain everything.
While initially ticked you and Oreyn have been working behind her back, she
ultimately decides the real problem is herself. She's getting too old and too
shell-shocked to lead a guild of fighters.
So, she hands the reins over to you and recommends you appoint Oreyn your
second-in-command. Oreyn initially complains about missing out on retirement,
but then decides you need someone to look after you.
Once each calendar month, you can give Oreyn new orders from a list of three:
1) Focus on getting new recruits.
2) Focus on drumming up business.
3) Focus on both equally.
On the first of each month, you get a stipend placed in the guild master's
chest in your office in the Chorrol guild hall. It will contain a mixture of
gold and magic items. If you instruct Oreyn to concentrate on recruitment,
you'll get more items. If the focus is on contracts, you get more gold.
Balancing the two will balance your monthly reward.
Take your boots off and relax a bit. You get to collect loot without doing any
of the work.
It's good to be the boss.
[FG20]
<~~~~~~ EXPELLED FROM THE FIGHTERS GUILD ~~~~~~>
Like the other guilds, you are not permitted to steal from, attack or kill
other members of the guild. (Non-members are fair game.) The Fighters Guild
operates on a three-strikes and you're out policy. The first two times you
commit a crime against a guild member, you can earn your way back in. The
third time, you're out for good.
The first time you are expelled, you must bring 20 bear pelts back to Vilena
Donton in Chorrol to be re-instated. The second time you are expelled, you
must bring Donton 20 minotaur horns. Neither are particularly easy tasks,
especially since bears and minotaurs are leveled creatures that only appear
when you're at the right level.
The best policy is to avoid committing crimes against fellow guild members. If
you suspect you might get a little out of control, stockpile bear pelts and
minotaur horns as you find them. If you commit a third offense against a guild
member, you're out for good.
The Mages Guild quests should be considered a necessity for any character, at
least to the point where you get access to Arcane University (after completing
the Recommendations). Once you are an Apprentice, you can enchant items and
make your own spells, both highly useful activities.
Note also that completing the Mages Guild quests does not require you to be a
mage, nor even particularly proficient with magic. Most of the quests are
"solved" by combat, which any character can be adept at.
Joining the Mages Guild is simple: make sure you have no outstanding bounty,
then speak to the leader in one of the seven local guild halls. They are:
Once you've joined, you are considered an Associate and you receive a key that
opens the various locked doors in the guild halls and you can pick up
equipment freely in the guild storerooms. Before you can advance in rank and
access the Arcane University in Imperial City, you must get a recommendation
from each local guild leader.
Ask each guild leader about a recommendation. They'll say they can't possibly
give you a recommendation unless you do something for them first.
Uh huh. You've been down this road before.
Agree to undertake the tasks they ask of you and you'll get their
recommendations.
[MG01]
<~~~~~~ ANVIL RECOMMENDATION ~~~~~~>
This quest, while it initially sounds exciting, is quite yawn-worthy. Talk to
Carahil at the Anvil Guild. She wants you to bait a trap for a rogue mage
that's been murdering merchants traveling the Gold Coast. You are sent to the
Brina Cross Inn, just north of Anvil. Be sure to follow through all Carahil's
conversation options to get some Frost Shell scrolls.
Go to the Inn and speak to Arielle Jurard. She tells you to take a room. Do
so, and Jurard will come up to your room soon after you enter and explain the
plan. You are to rest, then travel east along the road. You'll be followed by
Jurard and another battlemage. When the rogue mage hits you, they'll move in
and take him out.
You only need to rest in the bed 1 hour (you can rest overnight if you wish),
then head out to the road and walk east. You'll soon be waylaid by Caminalda,
who may have spoken to you at the Inn. She's the rogue and she is easily
dispatched. In fact, you don't even really need to do anything except step
back and let the other two battlemages take over.
After, loot Caminalda's body for the key to her room at the Inn, which
contains a bit of loot. Then return to Carahil for her recommendation.
Don't you love it when a plan comes together?
[MG02]
<~~~~~~ BRAVIL RECOMMENDATION ~~~~~~>
No combat required for this task, just lots of running around and a fair bit
of gold from your pocket (or a bit of theft). Kud-Ei, head of the Bravil
Guild, wants you to speak to Varon Vamori about a staff he stole from one of
Kud-Ei's "girls". To help matters, Kud-Ei gives you a Beguile scroll (Charm,
30 points for 30 seconds). Head to Vamori's house, which will be marked for
you on your local map.
Talk to Vamori. You need to get his Disposition to 65 to find out the fate of
the staff. You can do this with the Persuasion mini-game and/or bribes or use
the Beguile scroll. Once you've persuaded him, Vamori reveals he stole the
staff in a fit of anger and sold it to one Soris Arenim, who lives in Imperial
City.
Lovely. Go back to Kud-Ei and get another supply of Beguile scrolls. Travel to
the Talos Plaza District and find Arenim's house (marked on your map). You
must get Arenim's Disposition up to 70 to get any information about the staff.
He offers to sell it to you for 200 gold. You can pay the price and finish
this business; or, if you're opposed to being out-of-pocket on this mission...
Speak to Arenim's wife, Erissare. Get her Dispostion to 65 (again, with
Persuasion or spell), and she'll tell you where Arenim keeps the staff and
where he keeps the key to the chest containing the staff. (If you don't want
to use up a scroll, the key is upstairs in Soris' desk; the chest with the
staff is in the cellar.)
Return the staff to Kud-Ei, who is suitably grateful. She teaches you a mild
Charm spell (Captivate) and promises her recommendation to the Guild.
[MG03]
<~~~~~~ BRUMA RECOMMENDATION ~~~~~~>
This may just be the easiest and shortest quest in the entire game. Talk to
Jeanne Frasoric, guild leader, to learn one of her mages, J'skar, has gone
missing. Now, if you have a Detect Life spell, cast it and walk around
(including down in the basement living quarters) and you should find an
invisible humanoid. Cast a Dispel to reveal J'skar and return to Jeanne for
your recommendation.
If you don't have Detect Life, you may still be able to find J'skar by
wandering around and pointing your crosshair target at random places. If it
suddenly changes to a crown (plot NPC) icon over thin air, you've found your
Dispel target.
Finally, if you don't have a Dispel handy, talk to guild member Volanaro. He
reveals the whole disappearance is a prank. Raise his Disposition to 70 and
he'll make a deal: you steal Jeanne's copy of the Manual of Spellcraft and
he'll "find" J'skar. Getting the book is easy, especially since Volanaro will
teach you an Unlock spell. Jeanne's room is the only room on the upper floor
of the guild. Break in, unlock her desk (with spell or lockpick) and grab her
book.
Return to Volanaro, and he'll agree to meet you at 10pm in the living
quarters. Wait ahead to the appropriate time, meet Volanaro in the basement
and he'll Dispel J'skar's invisibility.
[MG04]
<~~~~~~ CHEYDINHAL RECOMMENDATION ~~~~~~>
Falcar, leader of the Cheydinhal guild, has dropped a ring down the well
behind the guild. He makes some mention of sending someone else after it and
not getting it back. He now wants you to go get the ring. He sends you to
Deetsan for a key to the well.
Deetsan won't give you the key until she's had a talk with you, and she won't
talk while Falcar is around. Wait ahead until Falcar goes back to his
quarters, then talk to Deetsan. She is concerned over Falcar's "prank tasks"
given to new Associates, and warns you to be careful. Then she hands over the
key and teaches you a combination water-breathing and feather (reduced
encumbrance) spell.
Deetsan's warning is well-taken. The ring is a Ring of Burden and increases
your encumbrance by 150 points. Deetsan's spell only reduces encumbrance by 5
points. Bit of a discrepancy there. Once you enter the well, you can easily
find Vidkun's body and take the ring off him. As soon as you do, you get 150
pounds added to your encumbrance--you don't have to equip the ring to suffer
the effects.
You have two options:
1) Divest yourself of at least 150 pounds of gear. Even if this is your first
recommendation quest, you have access to the bedroom and chests upstairs, so
put all your gear into a chest. You can then safely carry out the ring.
2) Once you have the ring, wait until you get the quest update saying you
should return the ring to Falcar. As soon as you have that quest update, drop
the ring. The quest has continued and you don't need to actually hand over the
ring. *NOTE* Some people have experienced a glitch where the quest does not
update and the ring disappears so this quest becomes impossible to complete.
The safest way to do the quest is to get rid of your gear and actually bring
the ring to Deetsan.
Return to the guild. Deetsan rashly confronted Falcar over the disappearance
of the previous Associate and he had a fit and has taken off for parts
unknown. So how do you get your recommendation? Deetsan tells you to search
Falcar's quarters for the letter of recommendation. You won't find a letter,
but you will find two black soul gems. Take them to Deetsan, who is dismayed
with your find, and promises to send your recommendation herself.
[MG05]
<~~~~~~ CHORROL RECOMMENDATION ~~~~~~>
The Chorrol recommendation only comes with your completion of the Fingers of
the Mountain quest. There's a part 2 of that quest, depending on how you
handle the first part.
| Fingers of the Mountain [MG05-A]
+----------------------------------
Teekeeus, head of the Chorrol guild, has bad relations with former colleague
Earana. She is loitering about town, and Teekeeus wants you to find out why so
she can be sent on her way. Follow your objective marker to Earana. She isn't
interested in Teekeeus, she wants a book, Fingers of the Mountain, that can be
found at a ruin called Cloud Top. She promises a vague reward if you bring her
the book.
Relay this to Teekeeus and he lets you know he would like the book as well.
Retrieve it for him and the recommendation is yours. Journey (by foot or
horse) to Cloud Top, which has been marked for you and is north-northwest of
Chorrol. There are no specific enemies to fight, though you will encounter the
normal range of wild animals on your path. The book is conveniently located on
a charred corpse lying at the base of a broken column.
You now have two choices:
1) Take the book to Teekeeus. He accepts, with thanks, and the recommendation
is yours.
2) Take the book to Earana. She says she must study it for a day. Return to
her the following day and she'll give you instructions on how to obtain
a powerful spell. See "Learning the Spell" below for the full
instructions.
| Fingers of the Mountain, Part II [MG05-B]
+-------------------------------------------
You can, actually, do both--get the recommendation from Teekeeus and the spell
from Earana. After finishing part 1 of this quest, go to the other participant
and reveal what you've done. This opens Part II: you are asked to steal the
book back. Teekeeus keeps the book in a locked chest in his quarters. Earana
keeps the book in her room at the Grey Mare Inn.
Once you've stolen the book, return it to the other party. You'll get the
recommendation (from Teekeeus) or the spell instructions (from Earana) and
still have the other "reward" from the previous "owner" of the book.
It's all good.
| Learning the Spell
+--------------------
The true reward for this quest is Finger of the Mountain, a very powerful
spell. Two things to note about this spell:
1) Its power is keyed to your level. If you learn the spell at level 2, you
get a low-level spell. Learn the spell at a higher level, and the power
is much higher. (See list below.) PC users can learn the low-level spell
and have it automatically leveled up using a mod.
2) At higher levels, the spell is only useful to dedicated mages, since it
costs a lot of Magicka. If you don't rely much on spells, don't bother
learning this one.
To learn Finger of the Mountain, you must visit Cloud Top and cast a Shock
spell on the central, broken column and have a welkynd stone in your
inventory. Welkynd stones are all over the place in Ayleid ruins. If you don't
have one, you can get some from a small ruin just northeast of the Chorrol
north gate.
It's called Hrotanda Vale, and it is a two-level, bandit-infested ruin. The
first large room you come to has two floor traps in the center. If you draw
the bandits over them, you may finish off two or three with the traps. Careful
jumping around the corners will get you past the traps into a room full of
welkynd stones. (You can finish off the rest of the ruin, or not. All you
really need is one stone.)
Make sure you have a spell or scroll that does shock damage (any magnitude)
and a welkynd stone. Return to Cloud Top, restore yourself to full health and
cast your Shock spell on the central column. You'll get hit by lightning in
return and learn Finger of the Mountain. The shock damage done to you and the
power of the spell is keyed to your level:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| | | Finger of the Mountain (Destruction magic) |
| Min PC level | Dmg to PC | Shock Dmg | Area | Magicka* | Skill level |
|--------------+-----------+-----------+------+-----------+-------------|
| 1 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 11 | Novice |
|--------------+-----------+-----------+------+-----------+-------------|
| 5 | 40 | 20 | 5 | 54 | Journeyman |
|--------------+-----------+-----------+------+-----------+-------------|
| 10 | 60 | 40 | 5 | 131 | Expert |
|--------------+-----------+-----------+------+-----------+-------------|
| 15 | 120 | 90 | 5 | 371 | Master |
|--------------+-----------+-----------+------+-----------+-------------|
| 20 | 210 | 140 | 5 | 653 | Master |
|--------------+-----------+-----------+------+-----------+-------------|
| 25 | 210 | 200 | 10 | 1547 | Master |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
* Actual Magicka cost will be adjusted based on your skill level in
Destruction.
[MG06]
<~~~~~~ LEYAWIIN RECOMMENDATION ~~~~~~>
The head of the Leyawiin Mages Guild, Dagail, is somewhat incoherent. Speak to
her, and, among her ramblings, she'll point you to Agata. Speak to Agata to
learn about the stone Dagail used to have that allows her to focus her
visions. Find Kalthar and ask him about the Seer's Stone.
He'll give you an earful and then some. Return to Agata and discuss Kalthar
with her. She'll tell to you go back to Dagail. Speak to Dagail again and
listen intently to her riddles. Or not. Your journal will now point you to
Fort Blueblood.
Refer to your map, where you'll find Fort Blueblood now showing southeast of
Leyawiin. Hoof it over there and fight your way through a bunch of marauders
in a two level dungeon. After killing the marauder warlord, make sure you loot
his body for the Fort Blueblood key. This gives you access to the crypt where
Dagail's father lies.
His coffin is protected by leveled creatures. Once they are down and you've
retrieved his amulet, you'll be confronted by Kalthar. He wants the amulet,
which, of course, you're not going to let him have. Kalthar's a conjurer, so
ignore his buddy if he summons one and concentrate on taking him out. Return
to Dagail in Leyawiin for the recommendation.
[MG07]
<~~~~~~ SKINGRAD RECOMMENDATION ~~~~~~>
Adrienne Berene wants some notes from Erthor, a mage Adrienne ran out of the
guild. She has no idea where Erthor is, and wants you to track him down. Talk
to Sulinus Vassinus, who should be wandering around the guild. Vassinus says
Erthor moved into Bleak Flats Cave and hasn't been seen in a long time. (Yay!
Caves!) Vassinus has no idea where Bleak Flats Cave is.
Find Druja, another mage wandering around the guild. Druja can pinpoint Bleak
Flats Cave on your map and mentions it was Berene that recommended the cave to
Erthor. Talk to Berene again; she'll order you point-blank to go to the cave
and bring Erthor back. To aid you, you are taught a new spell, Fireball. (Yay!
Fire!)
Bleak Flats Cave now appears on your map, north-northwest of Skingrad. You
can't Fast Travel there, so walk on over. Inside are quite a number of
deranged zombies. (Yay! Zombies! In a cave! With fire!) Fight your way through
them, making sure you wipe them all out, until you find Erthor. Erthor will be
pleased with the rescue and ask that you lead him out of the cave.
Letting Erthor follow you is not required. You can simply tell him to return
to the Skingrad guild hall on his own. There's a shortcut out of Erthor's
"room" to the northwest. Pull the lever to move the rock. After returning to
the Mages Guild, talk to Berene to get your recommendation.
[MG08]
<~~~~~~ A MAGES STAFF ~~~~~~>
After completing the seven recommendation quests, talk to any guild leader
about your recommendation. You'll be sent to Raminus Polus at Arcane
University just outside Imperial City. Travel there and enter the lobby of the
University during normal hours to meet Polus. You'll be promoted to Apprentice
and given a new task: create a mages staff.
First, you have to collect the proper wood for your staff. Polus sends you to
a grove near Wellspring Cave, which is east of Imperial City. To reach the
grove, you must go through the cave. In the first area of the cave you'll find
the body of one of the grove's guardians. (You knew this wasn't going to be
simple, right?) Make sure you Activate the body twice--once to update your
journal, again to get the key to the grove from her body.
There are also some necromancers in the cave. Necromancers like to summon
things; try to ignore the summoned creatures and take out the summoner (which
also dispels the summons). Near the end of the cave is the body of the second
grove guardian. Outside, in the grove, are three necromancers. There's no way
to take them on one-by-one, you'll have to put up with all three hitting you
at once.
If you're having trouble with them, make sure you use items and potions with
damage resistance (especially against fire and shock). Remember to take out
the summoner and don't waste time on the summons. When the necromancers are
dead, get your wood from the chest in the center of the grove. You can jump
down from the grove into Lake Rumare and swim across to Arcane University.
Polus is appalled at the necromancer attack on the grove. He sends you along
to Delmar in the Chironasium, who will make a staff of your choosing. You can
pick from three schools, and then choose one of three powers from that school:
* Destruction: Fire, Frost or Shock damage
* Illusion: Charm, Paralyze or Silence
* Mysticism: Dispel, Telekinesis or Soul Trap
Wait until the next day and collect your staff from the cupboard in the back
of the room. Return to Polus and ask about Advancement; you are now a
Journeyman in the Guild. Then ask about Tasks for a new mission.
[MG09]
<~~~~~~ ULTERIOR MOTIVES ~~~~~~>
Polus sends you on a simple step-n-fetch mission. Count Hassildor in Skingrad
borrowed a book, and the Guild wants it back. Travel to Castle Skingrad. You
can't see the count, and everyone refers you to Mercator Hosidus, castle
steward. Mercator is brusque and won't bother the count until the following
day.
Return the next day. Hosidus sets up a meeting between you and the count on
the road west of town after 2am that night. Wait until the appropriate time,
then head out the west gate and down the road, just past the first farm on the
left. Make sure you're kitted out for battle first (yeah, you're not getting
off easy).
Hosidus and a couple of necromancers are waiting for you. This can't end well.
Endeavor to make sure Hosidus and friends feel worse about the meeting than
you. During the ruckus, Count Hassildor will show up and take a personal
interest in "retiring" Hosidus--and his pals. Then he chews you out for being
a gullible fool.
Well. Yeah. But it's not like the game gives you any other choice. You find
out you were sent to spy on Hassildor, but he turned the situation around and
used you as bait to draw out Hosidus and his allies. Travel back to Arcane
University and do some chewing out of your own on Polus. He apologizes, fully
explains the count's condition (he's a vampire, if you haven't figured that
out yourself) and promotes you to Evoker. You get a leveled amulet with a
Spell Absorption enchantment and a new task.
[MG10]
<~~~~~~ VAHTACEN'S SECRET ~~~~~~>
Polus sends you to help Irlav Jarol, who hangs out in the Arch-Mages Council
Chamber (use the portal in the Lobby). Jarol is supervising an archaeological
study of an Ayleid ruin and they've hit a snag. He sends you to investigate.
Vahtacen is located south-southeast of Cheydinhal. The upper level of this
ruin is unoccupied except for a couple of Mages Guild workers: Skaleel and
Denel. Skaleel is disgruntled and doesn't want to help. She sends you down to
Denel, who explains the problem.
They've got a wall blocking their way further into the ruin and they can't
figure out how to open it. You can do this the hard way by entering the large
room and looking at the inscriptions on the walls. Then return to Denel and
ask about translating the runes. He sends you to Skaleel for a book, then
helps you translate the writing.
Or, you can just go ahead and open the wall. You need four spells (scrolls or
staffs will work): fire damage, frost damage, damage Magicka and fortify
Magicka. If you don't have these spells, you can find scrolls in the chest
behind Denel. Walk up to the large column in the center of the room and cast
your spells in this order: fire, frost, damage Magicka (must be damage, not
drain or absorb) and fortify Magicka (must be useable on a target, not on
self). The walls will open, revealing a staircase leading down.
It's up to you to go down and explore Vahtacen's depths. Speaking to Denel or
Skaleel will only confirm this for you. You'll fight your way through a lot of
ghosts (or wraiths, depending on your level) until you reach a large room with
a platform in the middle. There's no immediate way up onto the platform. Use
the stairs on the south side of the room to get up to the switch that raises
steps to the central platform.
On top of the platform is a cover that is raised with a nearby switch. Don't
push the switch until you're ready for battle. Open the cover and take the
relic underneath. When you do, three zombies are released into the room.
They're pretty stupid and won't use the stairs to come get you, so you can
stand on the edge of the platform and snipe them. Or you can jump down and try
to take them all on at once.
Once they're dead, you can take a shortcut back to the upper levels of the
ruin by using the northern-most exit from this room. Show the relic to
Skaleel, who will be delighted, then return to Jarol at Arcane University for
your reward.
[MG11]
<~~~~~~ NECROMANCER'S MOON ~~~~~~>
Polus now gives you another promotion and a new task: talk to archivist Tar-
Meena about necromancy. Use the "Black Soul Gems" topic to get Tar-Meena to
talk. She tells you to read a book called "Necromancer's Moon". It's lying on
a table there in the library. Talk to Tar-Meena again, who points out a
reference to "Shade of the Revenant".
Return to Polus, who refers you to Bothiel, the resident astronomer. Bothiel
recalls Falcar (he of the Ring of Burden "prank") once asking about the Shade
of the Revenant. He dropped a note when he left and she kept it. The note
mentions four sites: The Dark Fissure, Fort Istirius, Fort Linchal and
Wendelbek. Polus decides to send you to Dark Fissure, which is a place he
recognizes.
This cave is near Cheydinhal, and you never actually need to go inside. You
can finish this quest in two ways:
1) When you find the cave, you'll see an altar out front. Wait until
nightfall and watch as a necromancer comes out and turns normal soul gems
into black soul gems. You'll get a new journal entry and can return to
Polus with what you've seen.
2) If you arrive during the day and don't want to wait, enter Dark Fissure.
In the very first room, you'll be able to kill a necromancer and get a
recipe for black soul gems from his body. Return to Polus with this
information.
In neither instance is it necessary to clear out the caves, though you can do
so if you wish. Polus promotes you to Magician and sends you to Arch-Mage
Traven.
[MG12]
<~~~~~~ LIBERATION OR APPREHENSION? ~~~~~~>
You'll find Traven either in the Council chambers or in his room (use the
portal in the Council chambers). His first task for you is to bring in an
informant who has been working with the necromancers. Traven fears a team of
battlemages may mistake the informant for a real necromancer and kill him. You
are sent to Nenyond Twyll, southeast of Imperial City.
Travel down there and enter the ruins. You'll meet one of the battlemages, who
reports the necromancers wiped out the rest of the team. Despite that, he
thinks he and you are enough to take out this nest of vipers. Let him rush
down the stairs and be killed by the trap at the bottom. Better him than you,
right?
Jump around the corners of the trap and fight your way south to the entrance
to the second level of the ruins. This is basically just one big room, mostly
filled with water. There are several necromancers in this room, so advance
slowly and try to pick them off one-by-one. There's one, who, if given a
chance, will talk and reveal the fate of the informant; but, you're going to
find that out soon anyway. Along the north wall is a secret door, opened with
a switch that's in an alcove to the left.
Beyond is the informant, now a zombie (Worm Thrall, in technical terms). Kill
him and your journal updates. Also to the left of the secret room entrance is
a shortcut back to the exit from the ruins. Return to Traven to complete the
quest, then talk to Polus, who increases your rank to Warlock.
[MG13]
<~~~~~~ INFORMATION AT A PRICE ~~~~~~>
Having dealt with Count Hassildor in Skingrad once, you're sent back to him.
He has important information for the Guild, and has requested that you
personally come to collect. When you arrive, and have gone through Hal-Liurz
to see the Count, he lets you know there's a little task--or two--he wants you
to perform before he divulges his knowledge.
First on the list are a group of uncultured vampires who have taken over
Bloodcrust cave just outside the castle. Hassildor wants them wiped out as
they are little better than beasts. Second are the vampire hunters who have
come to town to kill these vampires. Hassildor doesn't want them poking too
much into his own nocturnal activities.
There are at least three ways to handle this little task:
1) Find the vampire hunters (they have rooms at the Two Sisters Lodge and
also eat lunch there). Tell the leader, Eridor, where the vampires are,
then follow them to watch the fun. Bring some popcorn. When it's all done,
either mop up the rest of the vampires or congratulate the surviving
hunters, who will pack up and leave town now that all the vamps are dead.
2) Go wipe out the vampires yourself. Make sure you take at least one sample
of "Vampire Dust" from one of these vampires. (Dust from other vamps won't
work.) Go find the hunters at the Two Sisters Lodge and speak to their
leader, Eridor, and tell him the vampires are all dead. Show him the dust
sample as proof. The hunters will take off for other parts.
3) Kill the vampires and the vampire hunters. The latter is risky as it is
murder and the count has told you he can't protect you. Though he,
personally, doesn't care if you kill them, he can't intervene if you're
caught.
Overall, the first option is by far the easiest. You may even get lucky and
the hunters will prevail and you won't have to lift a finger. Regardless,
return to Hassildor and get his information and then take that to Traven.
[MG14]
<~~~~~~ A PLOT REVEALED ~~~~~~>
Traven is upset by the information you bring him, and says he and the council
need some time to sort things out. You can't get another quest from him until
a couple of days have passed. Either go quest somewhere else for a while or
Wait two days and try him again.
The news of the King of Worms' return has blown up the council. While they try
to sort things out, Traven sends you to Bruma. Jeanne hasn't reported in
several days and Traven is worried.
And rightly so. The Bruma Mages Guild is on fire and filled with the dead
bodies of its members and lots of leveled undead. You'll have to kill off the
creatures on the main floor, then go down the right-hand set of stairs to the
living quarters.
This is where things get hairy. There are from four to six creatures in this
confined area and they will all hit you at once--one as soon as you come
through the door. Your only chance is to immediately scuttle into the room to
your right and try to take them out as they come through the door. If you can
keep them bottled up in the doorway, only one or two can hit you at a time.
When you leave the living quarters, you can go up the stairs to Jeanne's room,
where you'll find the necromancer in charge of this expedition. She's not
talkative, so take her out fast. When you do, J'skar appears out of nowhere.
He used his invisibility to hide and escaped destruction. He has a terrifying
eye-witness account of the attack, and then heads for Arcane University for
safety. Follow him and report in to Traven.
Go see Polus for another advancement, to Wizard, and the spell Wizard's Fury,
which is keyed to your level and provides fire, shock and frost damage in one
handy explosion.
[MG15]
<~~~~~~ THE BLOODWORM HELM ~~~~~~>
You'll need to go play with your new spell for a couple of days, because
Traven and his cronies need time to digest the new information. When you
return, he gives dismaying news. The other two council members, Irlav Jarol
and Caranya, have stolen some powerful artifacts and taken off with them.
*NOTE* You can do these two quests in any order.
Jarol has stolen the Bloodworm Helm and gone to Fort Teleman. Teleman is
northeast of Leyawiin, so Fast Travel there and head out to the Fort. You'll
have to fight your way through two levels of necromancers and daedra (even if
you finished the main story, there will still be daedra in here). At the
bottom of the second level is Jarol's body.
Retrieve the Bloodworm Helm from Jarol's corpse and return it to Traven; or,
use it to help retrieve the Necromancer's Amulet.
[MG16]
<~~~~~~ THE NECROMANCER'S AMULET ~~~~~~>
Caranya has made off to Fort Ontus, which is in-between Chorrol and Kvatch in
the Colovian highlands. The mages in here are initially peaceful, so there's
no fighting as you work your way down to the second level and a meeting with
Caranya. Of course, you won't get out without a fight, so note the positions
of all these future enemies.
After Caranya reveals herself to be a traitor to the cause, kill her and take
the amulet. There are two ways back out, both of which cover about the same
distance. Either way, you're going to have to wade through several
necromancers and their summons.
[MG17]
<~~~~~~ AMBUSH ~~~~~~>
After returning both the Bloodworm Helm and Necromancer's Amulet to Traven,
talk to Polus again for promotion to Master Wizard. You're now Polus' equal in
rank. Traven now wants you to help take the battle to the enemy.
A group of battlemages has been sent to the Ayleid ruin of Silorn to intercept
a unique black soul gem. Before leaving, buy a Paralyze or Burden spell or
scroll, if you don't have one. Travel to Silorn, southeast of Skingrad, and
meet up with the leader of the team, Thalfin. A direct assault didn't work
because the entrance to Silorn is blocked with an enchantment. The team lost
one member in the assault, so they've decided to set up an ambush.
Talk to her about abilities and positioning, then do the same with the others.
You want to station Thalfin and Iver closer to the action and Merete further
away. Join Thalfin and Iver behind a column on the road leading out from the
ruin and wait.
When Thalfin suddenly casts a spell and runs out, do the same. Your target is
your old nemesis, Falcar. He's going to make a break for the ruin and you want
to stop him. Use your paralyzing or burdening spell, power or weapon
enchantment to stop him in his tracks, then finish him off. You can then turn
and help your team get rid of Falcar's supporting staff. Take the Colossal
Black Soul Gem from Falcar's body.
If you just can't get to Falcar fast enough, then you'll have to follow him
into Silorn. Silorn is three levels full of necromancers and undead. Have fun.
When you reach Falcar, kill him and take the special gem.
Return to Traven. Your final task in the Mages Guild awaits.
[MG18]
<~~~~~~ CONFRONT THE KING ~~~~~~>
Time to put an end to the King of Worms. Traven kills himself, putting his
soul in the Colossal Black Soul Gem you just took from Falcar. Take the gem
and journey to Echo Cavern, which is west of Cloud Ruler Temple. At the door,
you'll be confronted by Bolor Savel, who gleefully informs you he has the only
key for the door. Introduce him to the folly of guarding a door from you, take
his key and enter the cave.
The top two levels of the cave are standard necromancer-infested lairs. You've
seen a lot of these by now. When you reach the bottom, you've found
Mannimarco, King of Worms. Fortunately for you, Mannimarco is a bit
overconfident. Seems he intends to turn you into a Worm Thrall; but, the
special black soul gem prevents that from working.
Don't give Mannimarco time to finish his conversation, cast his Enthrall spell
and then realize it doesn't work. Walk up to him during his speech and hit
him...hit him hard. Keep him off-balance and staggered and the fight should be
easy. If you let him get off a few spells, you could be in trouble. Once he's
dead, loot the place, then return to Arcane University.
Congratulations! You are the new Arch-Mage of the Mages Guild. Primarily what
this means is free alchemy ingredients. There's an enchanted chest in your
room. Put an ingredient in there and, 24 hours later, you'll find lots of that
particular ingredient. (The chest gets cleared out after a week, so come back
for your stuff before then.)
You can also pick any Apprentice on the grounds and take him or her along with
you on adventures. There are still necromancers lying around (refer to
Falcar's note from the "Necromancer's Moon" quest for their locations);
however, there are no more formal quests for the mages guild.
[MG19]
<~~~~~~ MAGES GUILD SUSPENSION ~~~~~~>
The Mages Guild frowns on members who commit crimes against other members. You
get two opportunities to earn your way back into the guild. After the third
crime, you are banned for good.
Earning your way back into the guild depends on the type of crime. You must
bring two types of alchemical ingredients to Raminus Polus, who will re-
instate you into the guild.
The Thieves Guild provides a welcome respite from the typical step-n-fetch
quests that predominate the main story and the Fighters and Mages Guild quest
lines. There are no dungeon crawls and almost no combat until you get near the
end of the story. Prior to that, you'll be required to "obtain" or "retrieve"
various items, *without* killing anyone!
Can you believe it? These quests require a bit more thought, better
preparation and some serious Sneak and Security skills. If you can't pick
locks or Sneak effectively, you'll need to buff up on those skills prior to
joining the Guild.
* Sneak can be easily leveled by breaking into an occupied house, during the
night, Sneaking up beside the sleeping owner, and Sneak-running into the wall.
(PC users can press 'Q' to turn on auto-movement.) Get your Sneak skill past
50 so you don't have to go barefoot all the time. You can supplement Sneaking
with Invisibility spells, but you still need a decent Sneak so you aren't
heard and to allow you to pickpocket various targets.
* Security is difficult to level up; however, there are various workarounds.
First, you can wait until level 10, perform Nocturnal's quest, and get the
Skeleton Key, which is an unbreakable lockpick with a +40 Security boost
enchantment. No lock can stand against you. Second, you can level up your
Alteration skill (keep casting Feather on yourself, over and over) and buy
some high-powered Open Lock spells.
In short, the bull-rush tactics of your average fighter or blast-them-to-
Oblivion mage strategy aren't going to work for you in the Thieves Guild.
You've got to be a lot more sneaky.
When you're ready to join, go to Imperial City. There's two ways of getting an
invitation:
1) Steal something and go to jail. When you are released, wait around until
you are approached by Myvryna Arano and given a message. The message says to
go at midnight to the Garden of Dareloth in the Waterfront district.
2) Read one of the Gray Fox wanted posters scattered about the city. This
gives you a couple of new topics. Approach a beggar and Persuade or Charm him
or her to a Disposition past 70. Then ask about the Gray Fox. Say you want to
work with him. You'll be told to go at midnight to the Garden of Dareloth in
the Waterfront district.
Once you have those instructions, head to the Waterfront district. You can
Fast Travel there or go out through the door in the Temple district. Head
south, past the docks and through the large wall to the dockworker slums.
There's one house, on the eastern edge of the slums, with a walled garden
behind it. That's the Garden of Dareloth.
[TG01]
<~~~~~~ MAY THE BEST THIEF WIN ~~~~~~>
Wait until midnight and Armond Christophe will appear. The two of you will be
joined by a wood elf, Methredhel and an Argonian, Amusei. When everyone's
there, talk to Christophe and ask about joining the Guild. Christophe says
there's never been this many new recruits at once, so he proposes a test. The
first one to return with the diary of Amantius Allectus wins approval to join
the Guild.
Now, technically, there's no way to lose. If you don't win this first test,
you'll get another; still, better to get it over with quick. Fast Travel to
the Temple district. (Yes, you can run over there, but you're probably not
fast enough.) As soon as the Temple district loads, hang a right and run along
the wall until you reach the southeastern corner. Go left and pick the lock on
the second door to your left.
This is Allectus's house. (If you want to do this the "right" way, you would
first need to find a beggar--Puny Ancus--sleeping near the Garden and ask him
the location of Allectus's house.) Regardless, Methredhel will be there before
you, Sneaking across the room. Don't bother Sneaking. Run to the desk against
the wall to your right and open it to get the diary. Go back to the Garden,
Wait until the next midnight hour and give the diary to Christophe.
If, for some reason, the wood elf gets the diary first, you can still get it
back. You're not allowed to kill your fellow contestants (or Allectus for that
matter), but there's no prohibition against stealing from them. Wait until
after sunrise, say about 7 or 8am. Methredhel lives right next to Dareloth's
house. Pick the lock on her door, then on the chest next to her bed (she
sleeps from sunrise until 10am). Get the diary, Wait until midnight, and give
the diary to Christophe.
Say that, for some reason, you don't get the diary at all and Methredhel wins
the contest. Hope is not lost. Christophe figures the Thieves Guild could
still use another member, so he proposes another test between you and Amusei;
you're to bring back Rohssan's sword.
For plot reasons, Amusei is not capable of winning either of these contests,
so you don't need to worry about him getting the sword first. Fast Travel to
the Market District and find "A Fighting Chance" next to the Merchant's Inn.
They're both along the street leading to the Arena in the southeastern section
of the Market district.
Pick the lock on the door and go upstairs to Rohssan's quarters. You'll have
to kill her dog, then pick the lock on Rohssan's Chest to get Rohssan's
Antique Cutlass. Return the sword to Christophe at the next midnight hour.
[TG02]
<~~~~~~ INDEPENDENT THIEVERY ~~~~~~>
Congratulations! You are now a Pickpocket in the Guild. There are a series of
ten "special jobs" you will have to perform to advance to the rank of guild
master (Gray Fox). However, in order to get each job, you have to fence a
certain amount of stolen goods. As you advance, the required total amount of
fenced property increases, and you get access to more fences.
For starters, your only fence is Ongar the World-Weary in Bruma. He lives
behind the chapel and he isn't called "World-Weary" for nothing. He spends a
lot of time sleeping. He'll only fence items for you while in his house, so if
you find him on the street or in a tavern, you're just going to have to Wait
until he goes home. He has a limited amount of gold, but you probably aren't
going to be selling him any high-priced items anyway.
You can, without too much work, fence over 1,000 gold worth of items to Ongar
on your first try. That way you can zip right through the ten quests without
stopping to clean out houses and fence the loot. There's a house in Imperial
City's Temple district owned by Trenus Duronis. His house is west of the
temple, and opens into the central circle.
Duronis is a skooma (drug) addict. He's rarely home at night and has no
servants. His house is easy pickings. You can grab over 40 bottles of premium
wine, lots of silver, plus jewelry and 15 bottles of skooma (base price 75
gold each). Make sure you loot all the miscellaneous sacks lying around, some
of the jewelry are in those sacks. Ignore the basement, there's nothing down
there. Haggle Ongar up to paying you 45 or 50 percent of base price and you
can get 1,500 fenced value in one shot.
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Rank | Target | Quest | Contact | Fence |
|-------------+--------+-------------------------+----------+---------------|
|Pickpocket | 50 | Untaxing the Poor | Armand | Ongar, Bruma |
|Footpad | 100 | The Elven Maiden | | |
|Bandit | 200 | Ahdarji's Heirloom | S'Krivva | Dar Jee, |
|Prowler | 300 | Misdirection | | Leyawiin |
|Cat Burglar | 400 | Lost Histories | | Luciana Galena|
| | 500 | Taking Care of Lex | | Bravil |
|Shadowfoot | 600 | Turning a Blind Eye | Gray Fox | Orrin, Anvil |
| | 700 | Arrow of Extrication | | |
|Master Thief | 800 | Boots of Springheel Jak | | Fathis Ules, |
| | 1,000 | The Ultimate Heist | | Imperial City |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
[TG03]
<~~~~~~ UNTAXING THE POOR ~~~~~~>
Once you have over 50 gold worth of fenced goods, talk to Christopher (always
at midnight in the Garden) about Special Jobs. He goes on a rant about how
futile it is to tax the poor people, but that's just what Imperial Watch
captain Hieronymus Lex has done. Christophe wants you to get the tax money
back from Lex, as well as the records so the Thieves Guild knows how to
redistribute the funds.
Find a beggar--Puny, who sleeps near the Garden will do--to learn Lex's
quarters are at the top of the South Watchtower. The South Watchtower is
between the Temple district and the Arboretum, near Allectus's house. The best
time to break in is during mid-morning.
Yeah, broad daylight. You see, the Radiant AI is a bit stupid. During the
night, there are too many watchmen entering the barracks for the number of
beds available. Since there aren't enough beds, some of the watchmen just
stand around all night and it's devilishly hard to Sneak past them. An
Invisibility spell might work, but better just to wait until daylight.
Around 9am, there's no one in the tower except the night shift watchmen, and
they're all sleeping. As a bonus, Lex will also be out and about on his
rounds. You can enter the tower's bottom level publicly, then you have to
Sneak your way up (find the ladder on the wall and Activate it) through two
levels of barracks until you reach Lex's quarters.
Pick the lock on his desk and collect the tax records and gold, then return to
Christophe at the next witching hour.
[TG04]
<~~~~~~ THE ELVEN MAIDEN ~~~~~~>
If you've fenced at least 100 gold worth of goods, Christophe offers you
another special job. You're to steal the bust of the late Countess Indarys of
Cheydinhal. Fast Travel over there and use your quest markers to track down a
beggar. You'll probably have to bribe them to tell you the bust is sitting
next to the Countess' coffin in the undercroft of the chapel.
Oh yeah, and there's a guard patrolling day and night and the place is haunted
as well. Joy.
Sneak down into the undercroft of the chapel and watch the guard. He (or she)
patrols between the two wings of the crypt, from east to west. The bust is in
the west wing, so wait until the guard is heading east, then zip in and grab
the bust. Hide behind a column while the guard comes and peeks in, then scurry
back out when his (or her) back is turned.
You won't encounter any ghosts unless you try to Activate the coffin, so don't
do that.
Return to the Waterfront of Imperial City and you'll find the place crawling
with cops, under the direction of Captain Lex, all asking questions about
Christophe and the bust of Countess Indarys. Looks like you've been set up,
but by whom?
Hang around the Waterfront for a while, and Methredhel eventually finds you.
The whole operation was designed to ferret out an informant in the Guild. The
weasel is revealed as Myvryna Arano, and Methredhel suggest you frame her for
the crime. Her hut is near where Lex is standing, and with all the guards
running about, Sneaking in can be difficult.
You can use an Invisibility spell to get you in, or just go into Sneak mode
while standing next to Arano's door and wait until the eye icon dims down and
then quickly pick the lock and get inside. Activate the cupboard next to the
bed; the bust will automatically be placed inside.
Now the hard part, convincing Hieronymus Lex his stooge is the real thief.
You'll have to get his Disposition up to 70 (Persuade, Charm or Bribe) and
then follow him into Arano's shack, where he confronts her with the evidence.
You might say she's been busted.
The police clear out, life returns to normal and Christophe shows up at the
appointed time and place once again. He'll pay you for your work, promote you
and let you know he's got nothing more for a talented crook like yourself. He
suggests S'Krivva in Bravil.
You also get access to a new fence, Dar Jee, in Leyawiin. Dar Jee lives in
Leyawiin's "skid row"--a group of tumble-down shanties amidst the more stately
manors. His shack is diagonally across from the one you can buy, and right
next to Weebam-Na ("Mazoga the Orc", "Nocturnal").
[TG05]
<~~~~~~ AHDARJI'S HEIRLOOM ~~~~~~>
As you enter Bravil's North Gate, the place ahead and to your right is the
home of your next Doyen in the Thieves Guild, S'Krivva. She holds court during
normal hours (roughly 8am to 6pm) and will only deal with you during those
hours. If you catch her on the street or break into her house any other time,
she just tells you off. At least you don't have to wait until midnight every
day to see her.
Provided you've fenced at least 200 gold in stolen property, S'Krivva hands
out one of those Special Jobs you've come to love. The widow of a dearly
departed Thieves Guild fence has lost a prized possession. While you're
talking to S'Krivva, buy some lockpicks if you don't have any (perhaps because
you're using spells or the Skeleton Key to open locks). Ahdarji lives in
Leyawiin, so head down there and question the beggars for directions to her
house.
Ahdarji is incensed because a freelance (i.e. non-Guild) thief took her ring
and names the culprit, Amusei. (Yep. Your erstwhile competition from the entry
test.) She wants you to kill him, but is willing to let it go at suffering. In
any case, she wants the ring back.
Question the beggars again, or talk to any city guard. Amusei was caught
trying to blackmail Countess Alessia. Head for the castle and the entrance to
the dungeons. The guard is not pre-disposed to let you in to see any
prisoners. You can bribe him (20 gold) or try to Sneak past him and pick the
lock leading to the cells. Your choice.
Inside, talk to Amusei, who doesn't want to be left to rot. Give him a
lockpick to open him up. The ring was actually the Countess' ring and Amusei
found he couldn't fence it after he stole it, so he tried to sell it back to
the Countess and got thrown in jail for his trouble. Countess Alessia has her
ring.
Now, you can try just going through the front door. However, the doors into
the private quarters of Castle Leyawiin are guarded 24/7, so you would need
100% invisibility to get through. There is another way, one that provides some
additional "color" to the story.
Find a beggar and discuss the matter. You get the name of the Countess' maid,
Hildari Mothril. You also get the convenient quest marker showing you Ms.
Mothril's current location. Track her down and butter her up (Disposition of
80) and she'll spill all the beans. The Countess is away from the 15th through
the 17th of the month. She goes to sleep around 11pm and always takes the ring
off when she goes to sleep. There's also a secret passage linking the royal to
the castle's cellar.
Enter the main room of the castle and take the door to the southwest to reach
the cellar. Along the far wall, look for an open barrel that just barely shows
the tip of a lever extending above the rim. Activate the lever to open a
secret door and make your way through a torture chamber (the Countess
has...interesting...amusements) and to the royal quarters.
The ring is in a jewelry box next to the royal bed. You can pick the lock or
pickpocket a key off either the sleeping Count or Countess. To let them know
what you think of their little funhouse, steal their gold as well. (Remember,
no killing.) Go back out the way you came in and return the ring to Ahdarji
and then see S'Krivva for payment.
[TG06]
<~~~~~~ MISDIRECTION ~~~~~~>
Hieronymus Lex is up to his old tricks again. Provided you've fenced at least
300 gold worth of loot, S'Krivva sends you back to the Waterfront district of
Imperial City to help get Lex out of the Guild's collective hair. The obsessed
captain of the Watch has pulled guards from their regular patrols and is
turning the Waterfront inside-out. You're to meet Methredhel, who is director
of operations for the current job.
Again, the beggars point you to Methredhel's location, which is Dynari Amnis's
house in Talos Plaza. Methredhel outlines an audacious plan: have four thieves
pull off high-profile robberies all at once. The resultant hue and cry from
the city's elite will force Lex to pull back his troops to their regular
patrols.
Your job is stealing Hrormir's Staff from the Arch-Mage's quarters. (Note: you
still get this quest even if you are the Arch-Mage. It's just, you won't have
to actually "steal" the staff, since it belongs to you.) Wait until just after
1am, enter the Arch-Mage's Lobby of Arcane University and use the portal to
get to the Council Chambers. Use the other portal in this room to get to the
Arch-Mage's chambers.
Assuming Traven is still Arch-Mage (and not you), he should be asleep. The
staff is lying out in the open on a table. Pick up the staff, then Activate
the nightstand next to the bed to automatically insert a note from the Gray
Fox. Return to Methredhel with the staff.
She congratulates you, lets you know everything is going well, and asks you to
go keep an eye on Lex, to see if anything breaks. Head for the Waterfront and
find Lex where you found him earlier in "The Elven Maiden". Stand nearby and
wait. Soon a dremora approaches and hands Lex a note, then departs. Lex reads
the note, drops it, then hurries away, ordering his men to follow him.
Go pick up the note, which is lying on the ground. It's from Raminus Polus of
the Mages Guild. It says, in part, "We demand that you return all guards to
their posts immediately. If you do not do this, we will be forced to bring the
matter to the attention of your superior."
Lex won't be bothering the good people of the Waterfront for a while. Go back
to Methredhel; there's one last task for you. The Gray Fox isn't really
interested in having the Mages Guild permanently mad at him, so you're to
return the staff--but not to the place where you grabbed it, security will be
too high.
Rather, you're to return the staff to the home of a former University
researcher, Ontus Vanin. Vanin lives in the Talos Plaza district, in the
southwest section. His house is built into the outer wall. (If you've done
"Unfriendly Competition", his house is opposite Agarmir's house.)
Ontus spends weekday afternoons out eating and shopping. He sleeps from 2am to
10am. Pick your time to Sneak into his house, head upstairs and Activate the
chest against the wall. The staff is automatically placed in the chest and you
can return to S'Krivva in Bravil for your payment and a promotion. You also
get access to a new fence, Luciana Galena, right here in Bravil. She's open
for business at the Lonely Suitor Lodge in the afternoons and evenings.
[TG07]
<~~~~~~ LOST HISTORIES ~~~~~~>
Once you've fenced at least 400 gold in illicit items, S'Krivva has a new
assignment for you. She sends you to Skingrad to find out what happened to a
thief named Theranis. He was supposed to steal a book called "The Lost
Histories of Tamriel" and he hasn't been heard from in days.
Go to Skingrad and track down one of the beggars. With a high enough
Disposition (or a bribe), you'll find Theranis boasted about his theft in
front of a captain of the guard and is now cooling his heels in prison. You
can't bribe your way into this dungeon, so you have three options:
1) Get a job delivering food to the prisoners. To get this job you need to
find the count's butler, Shum gro-Yarug. He spends his mornings in town and
afternoons in the castle. To make finding him easier, you can ask around town
about "Work in the castle" and someone will refer you to gro-Yarug. You should
then get a quest marker showing his location. Once you have the job, report to
the dungeons and the jailor will let you in.
2) Get arrested. Any small crime will do, but make sure you have either a
powerful Open Lock spell or several lockpicks so you can break out of your
cell.
3) Break into the jail. This is probably the hardest, as Sneaking past the
jailor will be very difficult, not to mention you have to pick the locks
leading into the cell area.
Once you're inside, you'll find only one prisoner behind bars, and he's not
Theranis. Bump Larthjar's Disposition high enough (telling him you're here to
rescue him is a good way to do this) and he'll relate Theranis was taken by
the "Pale Lady". Theranis' Argonian roommate was also taken and put up a
fight, leaving blood marks all over the place.
Using this information, follow the bloodstains on the floor to the wall at the
end of the cell area. Activate the "strange candle" on the wall to open a
secret door. Follow the tunnel to a door and pass through into a another
tunnel. At the end of this tunnel, turn the handle to the left to open another
secret door.
You're now in the wine cellar. Follow the bloodstains down the hall and then
to your right where they end in front of three large wine casks. To to the
right-most cask and Activate the "strange candle" on the column to the left of
the cask. The center cask opens up to reveal a hidden passage.
Down the passage is the Pale Lady, a vampire (in case you hadn't guessed).
After you kill her, you'll find Theranis' body on the floor and your old
friend Amusei in the cell (he was Theranis' Argonian cellmate). Amusei knows
where Theranis stashed the book, but he wants out of Castle Skingrad first.
Get him out of his cell and tell him to follow, he'll automatically go into
Sneak mode, but you can't. You see, if you Sneak, Amusei can't see you so he
won't follow you. Whatever. Head back into the wine cellar and go up the ramp,
but don't turn left toward the secret door.
Instead, turn right and go through the door into the dining hall. Go through
the kitchen and toward the main dining room (keep an eye out of guards or
other castle occupants). Just before the main dining room, turn right and go
through a door into the County Hall.
Go straight until you come out on the balcony overlooking the main hall. Head
left and through an opening, then turn right. The door straight ahead of you
leads out into the castle courtyard. Slip through when there are no guards
patrolling and head down the main road to Skingrad. Once you are far enough
away from the castle, Amusei will stop you and tell you the location of the
"Lost Histories".
The book is "under a bush near a well behind Nerastarel's house". Continue
down the castle path to Skingrad's East Gate. After entering Skingrad, head
down the street and make the first right-hand turn. Follow the stone path
around the houses until you see a well. Beyond the well a bush and rock crowd
close together. The book is lying right out in the open between the bush and
the rock. Return to S'Krivva with your prize.
[TG08]
<~~~~~~ TAKING CARE OF LEX ~~~~~~>
The Gray Fox has had it with Hieronymus Lex; but, since this is the Thieves
Guild, not the Dark Brotherhood, rather than order a hit on Lex, the Fox wants
him re-assigned--to Anvil, the other end of the world. Countess Umbranox is
looking for a new Captain of the Guard. The Imperial Watch commander has sent
her a list of candidates, but no specific recommendation.
However, the Countess hasn't even seen this list of candidates. Her steward,
Dairihill, has hidden the list in hopes of getting her cousin the job. (You
find out this tidbit later.) Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is:
1) Steal the letter from Dairihill.
2) Forge it with a strong recommendation for Captain Lex.
3) Get the Imperial Watch commander's seal on it.
4) Deliver it to Countess Umbranox.
Simple, right? Actually, more so than you might imagine. Report to Anvil and
find one of the beggars. You'll be directed to find the smith. Wait until
morning (when Dairihill is in the main hall) or the middle of the night (when
Dairihill is asleep). Enter Anvil Castle and hang a right (northwest) to find
the smithy.
Orrin is a Thieves Guild fence (soon to be your fence) and knows of a secret
passage. You can wake him if necessary and he'll show you to the door--the
secret door. Go up the stairs, through a wood door and up some more stairs. At
the top, Activate the moveable column on the left to open a secret door into
the private quarters.
Dairihill's office is immediately to your left. Pick the lock on her door and
on her desk to get the list of candidates. Return the way you came and go back
to Anvil and talk with one of the beggars. You need a forger, and the beggars
point you to someone known only as "The Stranger". He lives in an abandoned
house to the west of the Mages Guild hall.
Enter the house and talk to the Stranger. He needs 24 hours and 500 gold to
complete the forgery. Give him both and you'll have the new high
recommendation for Lex in your hands. Now all you need is the Imperial seal to
make it authentic. (If you have previously done the Dark Brotherhood quest
"Early Retirement", you will have received a key to the Imperial Watch office.
Get that key now.)
Enter the Imperial Prison compound (northeast of the city) in the middle of
the night (between 2am and 4am). Go to the second door to the left of the main
entrance, enter Sneak mode and wait until the guards near the gate aren't
watching (your eye icon is dim). Pick the lock on the door (or use your key).
On the desk is the seal; Activate it to seal the forged letter, then Sneak
out. Return to Anvil and present the letter to Countess Umbranox during normal
hours (8am to 6pm). She decides Lex would be a perfect fit for Anvil, and asks
you to personally deliver his new orders.
It's back to Imperial City for you; follow your quest marker to catch up with
Lex and hand him his exile papers. He suspects the Gray Fox is behind all
this, but off to Anvil he goes. And off to Bravil you go for your payment,
promotion and access to Orrin as a new fence.
[TG09]
<~~~~~~ TURNING A BLIND EYE ~~~~~~>
Now begin your tasks for the Gray Fox himself. These are more traditional
dungeon crawls, and you'll actually be allowed to kill people (or things)
somewhat indiscriminately. All these quests are received the same way: you
make sure you have fenced enough loot, then you sit around twiddling your
thumbs until you get a message from Fox.
To get this first task, you will need to have at least 600 gold worth of
fenced items. The best place to wait (for any of these messages) is the
Waterfront district in Imperial City. Your first messenger is Methredhel, who
sounds kind of breathless that the Gray Fox would want to speak to you. You're
to meet Fox at Helvius Cecia's house in Bruma.
*A note about the messengers*
They won't deliver their message except in a major city, and not in the same
city (or same district in the case of Imperial City) where the meeting is to
take place. They start out in Imperial City, so you can either: 1) stay in the
same city where you last met Fox; or, 2) Fast Travel back to the Waterfront
and sit tight. In either case, Waiting for a few hours generally guarantees
you'll be interrupted by the messenger.
Cecia lives in the south of Bruma, behind the chapel. The Gray Fox is waiting
for you downstairs. He wants you to retrieve an item known as Savilla's Stone.
It is kept in a monastery known as The Temple of the Ancestor Moths. You're
allowed to kill the Stone's guardians, but not spill any innocent blood.
The closest quest-related point to the Temple is Azura's Shrine. You can also
Fast Travel to Lake Arrius Caverns or Lord Rugdumph's Estate if you've been
there before. From any of those locations, the Temple is further north. If you
have to Fast Travel to Cheydinhal, go due north from the city to eventually
reach the Temple.
First go to the Monk's Quarters and talk to Holger. Get his Disposition to 80
or higher and he'll tell you all about the blind monks that live in the
catacombs and even take you up and unlock the door for you. (Alternately, you
can find the crypt entrance yourself, next to the chapel, and pick the lock.)
There are three levels of catacombs. The top two levels are just occupied by
blind priests and you can easily Sneak past them. (You can also kill them, but
it's not necessary and they might attack you in large groups if you start
making a lot of noise.) The final level has undead, and you'll have to kill
those.
When you reach the final room, there's a blind monk guarding the Stone and
you'll most likely have to kill him. There's also a dark welkynd stone that
will zap you with frost damage as you approach Savilla's Stone. Kill the monk
from a distance, then run in, grab the Stone and run out. There's an emergency
exit to the east that lets you skip all the tedious catacomb Sneaking. Return
to Cecia's house in Bruma and give the Stone to the Gray Fox.
[TG10]
<~~~~~~ ARROW OF EXTRICATION ~~~~~~>
Your next message comes from old pal Amusei. Yeah, seems the goof-up joined
the Guild and immediately moved to the top of the class, running errands for
the Fox his-own-self. Kind of makes you wonder why you work so hard, doesn't
it? Of course, he won't show up until you've fenced a total of 700 gold in
purloined property.
The meeting place is in Chorrol, at the home of Malintus Ancrus. He lives in
the far southwestern corner of Chorrol, between Valdus Odiil ("The Killing
Field") and Reynauld Jemane ("Separated at Birth") and across the street from
Modryn Oreyn (Fighters Guild). The Gray Fox wants you to steal the Arrow of
Extrication from Bravil court wizard Fathis Aren. The wizard and the guardians
he strews in your path are fair game.
*IMPORTANT*
Aren is a member in good standing of the Mages Guild; if you are also a member
of the Mages Guild, you'll get booted if you kill him.
Go to Bravil and hunt down the beggars. For a bribe, they'll reveal Aren has a
tower outside of town, keeps all his precious stuff in it and is the only one
who can open the door to the tower. However, there's also rumored to be a
secret passage from his room in the castle to the tower, so that should be
your route of attack.
*ALTERNATE ROUTE*
There is a back way into the Wizard's Grotto that does not involve sneaking
your way past the guards in the castle. If you have a pitiful Sneak skill,
what are you doing in the Thieves Guild? No, you might be able to get in the
back way. Swim out into Niben Bay. About where the 'a' in 'Bay' shows on your
world map, swim down to the bottom and hunt for a wood trapdoor. There is a
partially buried wooden chest and some broken pottery nearby. It will be very
difficult to find (a mod that improves the underwater view would help). This
takes you directly into the cave with the giant slaughterfish (see below) and
you can swim up and continue through the Wizard's Grotto.
The direct route goes through a door in Castle Bravil's main hall. The door is
in the center of the balcony and is always protected by two guards. Good luck
Sneaking through there--an Invisibility spell would help tremendously. Inside
the private quarters, hang a left and Aren's room is the first door on your
left.
You can loot his room, but the important thing is the secret door on the back
wall. There's a "moveable column" on the wall--Activate it and the door opens.
Enter the Wizard's Grotto. At the end of the first hall is the first of many
leveled daedra you will meet. Sneak past or, better, kill it and open the gate
straight ahead of you. Hug the left wall as you go down into a flooded
section, eventually leading to a section where the floor drops away and you
can swim down.
Swim down slowly, hugging the left (north) wall and looking for an entrance to
a flooded tunnel. If you encounter a giant slaughterfish in a cave, you've
gone too far down. (This is the cave you enter through the trapdoor in Niben
Bay.) Swim back up, hugging the right wall and try to find that tunnel
entrance.
Check your map, if you find yourself swimming along a northbound tunnel that
quickly turns east, you're in the right place. Come out of the flooded tunnel
going north; turn right (east) at the T-intersection. Through the locked gate,
turn south (right), then take the next left (east) and another left (north)
and wend your way to a locked wooden door. This leads to the Wizard's Lair.
There's only one way to go through here, blocked by daedra and conjurers. At
the end you'll enter Aren's Tower, which is a ruined fort on the surface.
There are more daedra out here. Fathis Aren is in a little open-air lab on the
third level. Climb the stairs and circle around to his lab.
Now, if you're a Mages Guild member in good standing, you can walk right by
him, open his chest, remove his Tower Key and a key-shaped arrowhead, chat
with him, then walk out. If you're not a Mages Guild member in good
standing...
Well, you're either going to have to kill him or use an Invisibility spell (or
have very, very high Sneak skill). Aren stands right in front of his chest,
facing it, and it is almost impossible to steal its contents using just Sneak.
Of course, Aren is expendable--there's no Blood Price attached to killing him,
so go ahead if that seems the simplest solution.
Regardless, you now have the key to walk right out of the tower with the
arrowhead the Gray Fox wants. Return to Chorrol and deliver the arrowhead. As
part of your reward, you are promoted to Master Thief and you can now fence
items with Fathis Ules.
[TG11]
<~~~~~~ BOOTS OF SPRINGHEEL JAK ~~~~~~>
Once again, Amusei brings you news of a meeting requested by the Gray Fox. You
must have pawned off at least 800 gold in pilfered goods to get the message.
The meeting is to take place at Ganredhel's house in Cheydinhal. Fast Travel
to Cheydinhal's East Gate and head straight south. Ganredhel's is the fourth
house on your left (just past the Abandoned Home that is a front for the Dark
Brotherhood Sanctuary).
The Gray Fox wants the boots of a legendary thief known as Springheel Jak. He
was supposedly buried 300 years ago with his boots on, so you need to find his
crypt and acquire said footwear. Your only lead is a descendant: Jakben, Earl
of Imbel. Fast Travel to Imperial City and track down a beggar; bribe him or
her for information about Jakben and you'll get the location of his house--
Talos Plaza district--and the information he only goes out at night.
Gee...wonder where you've heard that before...
Head over to Talos Plaza and enter the house--it opens out into the central
plaza. It's preferable to go during the day. In order to get anywhere with
this quest, you have to talk to the earl himself. You might need to Wait
around bit by bit in order for Jakben to show; when he does, he'll be
terrified of you and give you the key to the family crypt, which is beneath
the cellar of his house.
You may have noticed the earl's red eyes. Jakben is actually Springheel Jak,
he's a vampire, he's wearing the boots you need. The only way to get them is
to take them from his body, so might as well skip the crypt and just attack
the earl as soon as you see him. If you like, you can still go down into the
crypt, where you'll find about a half-dozen vampires and a decent loot haul.
Return the boots to the Gray Fox. Your adventures are almost at an end...
[TG12]
<~~~~~~ THE ULTIMATE HEIST ~~~~~~>
...once you've fenced stolen goods totaling at least 1,000 gold, that is. Sit
around and wait for Amusei once more. He brings a message the Gray Fox wants
to see you at the house of Othrelo in the Elven Gardens district of Imperial
City. If you Fast Travel to the district, go left from your entrance point,
around the corner and Othrelo's is the first door on your right (northeast
corner of the district).
The Gray Fox now reveals his ultimate plan: he wants you to break into the
Imperial Palace's Elder Scrolls library and steal one of the scrolls. Gee,
won't that be simple.
Not.
This is easily the most complex and longest individual quest in the game. (The
side quest "The Collector" might be longer, but it's more like a bunch of
individual tasks grouped under one heading.) The Fox has a plan, and it's so
complicated, he writes it down for you so you won't forget it.
Here's what you need before you start:
* Plenty of potions, poisons, empty soul gems and repair hammers. You'll be
out of circulation for a long time and there are a lot of enemies between
you and the final goal.
* Lots of lockpicks or the Skeleton Key or a Open Very Hard Locks spell.
There will be numerous locks, most Hard or Very Hard, that have to be
picked.
* The Boots of Springheel Jak, the Arrow of Extrication and the Palace Sewers
Key. The Gray Fox will give these to you, don't drop them anywhere.
* Detect Life spell or enchanted item will make it easier to Sneak around the
palace, since you can "see" through the walls.
Here are the steps:
"1) Activate the Old Way using the Glass of Time. It is located
inside the Imperial Palace. I do not know what it looks like or
exactly where to find it."
The Glass of Time is located in the basement of the Imperial Palace. Enter by
the main doors into the publicly accessible Elder Council Chambers.
Immediately go left, around the circular hall and down a ramp to the the
basement. Enter Sneak mode and wait until the eye dims, indicating no one is
watching, then pick the lock and Sneak into the basement.
There's a patrolling guard here. He patrols around the outer circumference of
the room. Sneak through the center to the opposite side of the basement, where
you'll find a giant hourglass. That's the Glass of Time. Activate it, your
journal updates and you can Sneak out.
Now come the hard parts.
"2) Find the entrance to the Old Way. It is rumored to be somewhere
in the sewers under the Imperial City."
The entrance to the sewers is in the Arboretum. Near the door to the Arena
(northeast section of the Arboretum) is a sewer grate to the Southeast Tunnel.
Drop down into the sewers. Go down the stairs and through the one tunnel
available. Pick the lock on the gate to enter the next room.
Turn the wheel on the south wall to open a door to the northeast. Go through
the tunnel and enter a room with a water trench. Go right (east), through a
small tunnel, then jump up to the left (north) to find a door into the Arena
sewers (Beneath the Bloodworks). From here on out you'll be facing a variety
of undead. These sewers are vampire lairs. Watch your step.
Go down the stairs and through the east gate. Go up the stairs in the next
room and through the tunnel. The next room you enter has a wheel on the north
wall. Turn it, then go through the gate to the west. As you go over a bridge,
drop down and head north through the newly opened door.
You'll enter a water trench room. Cross the trench and go into the room to the
north. Turn the wheel on the west wall, then return to the trench and go
through the newly opened tunnel to the west. Your next route is through a
tunnel to the left (south) as you enter the next trench room. There's an
undead concealed in that tunnel, so climb the stairs to your right (north) and
reconnoiter before heading into the tunnel.
That tunnel takes you to a gate opened with the key given you by the Gray Fox.
Inside is a manhole cover to the Palace Sewers. From here, the entrance to the
old way is pretty straightforward, but still blocked by the occasional undead.
Go northwest until you come to a large cistern. Go northeast to another
cistern, then southeast to a trench room. The entrance to the Old Way is
across the trench and to your right.
"3) Inside the Old Way is an entrance to the heart of the Imperial
Palace. Savilla's Stone was only able to scry the two most important
obstacles. For one of them you will need to use the Boots of
Springheel Jak."
Inside the Old Way, take the quickest route, which is straight down the hall
to the first left, then straight to the entrance to the second section of the
Old Way. Watch out for the pressure plate midway down the hall; it releases a
swinging mace trap.
You come out on the second level of a two-level room full of undead. Once they
are all out of the way, find the hole in the wall in the western, lower
section of the room. Follow this "cave" west and then south and find another
hole in the wall. Drop down into the room beyond and destroy the spirits in
the room. Find a hole in the east wall that leads to a downward sloping tunnel
and a wood door to the Lost Catacombs.
The Catacombs go on forever, but there's only one way to go and lots of undead
filling the path. There are some ways to avoid some of the fighting. First,
remain in Sneak mode. Second, when you approach a large room with stone and
wood columns arranged in a square in the center, you'll find a lot of undead.
You'll also find a tunnel in the south wall before you reach the center of the
room. You should be able to Sneak your way into that tunnel.
Follow it around until you reach a T-intersection, then turn right (south).
You'll soon enter another very large room with several undead. There are two
exits from this room on the north wall. The shorter route is the east (right-
hand) exit.
At the end of the tunnel, go to the north wall of the room and take the tunnel
east. You'll enter a large room with a couple of undead. Get rid of them, then
find the broken stairs on the north side of the room. Equip the Boots of
Springheel Jak and jump up the stairs. There are two pushbuttons on this upper
level, one to the north and one to the south. Activate both of them to open
the gate to the east, which leads to the Hall of Epochs.
"4) To enter the Imperial City you must use the Arrow of Extrication
to unlock the final door."
Straight ahead are some undead foes and an extremely large room. Keep going,
up the stairs to some statues and you'll get a journal entry that this must be
the secret entrance to the Palace that is opened with the Arrow of
Extrication. Staying on the upper level, go right (south) and find the gate on
the south wall. Pick the lock and step through onto a balcony. To your left is
a pushbutton, Activate it, then go back west and down the steps into the room
below.
There's a new opening in the southeast corner of the room. This leads to a
door to a second Hall of Epochs. As you go through the door, there will be an
undead immediately in front of you, so be prepared. Turn left into a large
room and exit at the northeast corner. At the end of the hall, turn left, then
left again and go down some stairs.
In this room, behind an altar, is a pushbutton. Activate it, then retrace your
steps to the very large room with the statues. Be careful, your Activation of
that button released some more undead into this room, so all is not clear. As
you re-enter the large room, you'll notice several walls have dropped.
Straight ahead of you now is a bridge with a pressure plate in the center.
Stand on the pressure plate and the statue across the room will rotate,
revealing a key-shaped hole. This is where the Arrow of Extrication must go.
Practice with normal arrows first--the aiming spot is approximately where the
statue's hands grip the sword hilt--you'll hear the impact if you hit the
right spot, and hear nothing if you miss.
*SAVE YOUR GAME*
Without moving your crosshair, open your inventory, equip the Arrow of
Extrication, close your inventory and let the arrow fly. If you miss, reload
and try again. If you succeed, the statue rises, revealing a door into the
Palace. Also revealed are a couple of Ayleid Guardians, but they won't mess
with you unless you attack them.
*SAVE YOUR GAME AGAIN*
"5) Inside the Imperial Palace you must find the Imperial Library.
On the bottom floor is some sort of viewing room."
The secret door deposits you into the fireplace of the Imperial Guard's
quarters. Make sure you're in Sneak mode before you enter. Getting through
here is ticklish. This is where you need the Detect Life spell or enchanted
item. If you're lucky, the guards (if any) in this part of the room will be
sleeping. If you're not lucky, you walked into the middle of a shift change
and you're probably dead meat, in which case it's reload time and you'll have
to wait a while before trying again.
Sneak over to the large doors that lead to the dining area. Wait until Detect
Life detects no life beyond the doors, then Sneak out into the corridor and go
left. This will take you to the Library level. Go halfway around the corridor
to the Library entrance.
In the Library, go right until you reach a gate. There's a priest on this side
of the gate, but--as are all the priests--he's blind. So Sneak up behind him
and pull the lever on the floor to your right. Go back around the hall to the
now open door into the main library.
"6) I have arranged to have a particular scroll made available in
the Chamber. The blind monks that care for the scrolls are expecting
Celia Camoran, but you will take her place. Just find the chair
assigned to visitors to the library. You must not speak, or they
will know it is not her. Just let them bring you the scroll."
Sit in the Reading Chair and a priest will call you Lady Camoran and bring you
a scroll. Remember not to Activate (talk to) any priest. Take the scroll and
Sneak up the circular staircase. Pick the lock on the door on this upper level
to get back out into the Palace corridors.
"7) Once you have the scroll, retrace your steps and deliver it to
me. Of course the chances of something going wrong with this plan
are very high. When that happens, you'll just have to get creative."
Now, to escape. Instead of going down, go up. Go left from the library to the
priests' quarters, then all the way around to the Imperial Battlemage's
quarters. Go halfway around the hall to the door to the battlemage's actual
rooms, find her fireplace, make sure you have the Boots of Springheel Jack
equipped, and drop down through the fireplace flue.
It's a long way down, but the Boots protect you. (They are destroyed in the
process.) You land near where you entered the Old Way. Just retrace your steps
through the sewers and return to the Gray Fox. (Ignore your quest marker, it
will try to lead you out through a different--i.e. full of enemies--way. Just
go back the same way you came.)
But! The Gray Fox is not finished with you yet. He gives you a ring and asks
you to deliver it to Countess Umbranox in Anvil. Do as he says and watch the
cutscenes. After it's all over, you have the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal and you're
the new Gray Fox, guild master of the Thieves Guild.
| The Gray Cowl of Nocturnal
+----------------------------
This amazing hood (and it is a hood, not a light or heavy helmet) Fortifies
your Sneak by 25 points, reduces encumbrance by 200 points and has a constant
Detect Life effect.
Wait! There's more!
It also changes your identity. When wearing the Cowl, you *are* the Gray Fox.
Any bounty accrued while wearing the Cowl disappears when you take the Cowl
off. Moreover, the enchantment is such that even when people see you put on or
take off the Cowl, they don't notice the change. No one will ever know you are
the Gray Fox (or the Gray Fox is you).
Think of the scenarios: you invade a home while wearing the Cowl, steal them
blind, then remove the Cowl as you exit. The guards will come running...and
politely ask you how you're doing. You can even assault or kill people in
broad daylight with the Cowl equipped, then remove it immediately and have
everyone wonder where the criminal is.
There are some downsides. If you run into any guards while wearing the Cowl,
they will confront you and the only option is "Resist arrest". You can always
remove the Cowl and yield--Block + Activate; however, during the brief moment
between removing the Cowl and yielding, townspeople will see the guard
attacking an "innocent" and they will attack the guards. (On the other hand,
this is great for causing incredible mayhem in a town.)
You can't pay off your bounty as the Gray Fox, and, even if you did, it's
renewed at 500 gold the next time you re-equip it after removing it.
The constant Detect Life effect is useful for clearing out dungeons; however,
it makes it difficult to tell friend from foe, so only use it when you know
you're surrounded only by enemies.
Some NPCs will ignore the cowl, including your maid in the Skingrad house (if
you've purchased the house and hired the maid). Many quest givers will treat
you and the Gray Fox equally.
Finally, in Dareloth's Garden in the Waterfront District, you can now enter
Dareloth's house through the basement. This is the new Thieves Guild
headquarters, and you have private quarters on the top floor. Fathis Ules and
Christophe hang out here, so you have constant access to a fence and a doyen.
You'll also see other Thieves Guild familiars (Methredhel, Amusei) now and
again. You'll find mementos of your exploits (Savilla's Stone, the tax
records, The Lost Histories, etc.) lying around the place.
However, beyond that, there's no benefit to being the guild master. Unlike the
Fighters Guild or Dark Brotherhood, where you receive regular payments; or the
Mages Guild where you can recruit a henchman to fight with you, the only
benefit to being the Gray Fox is...well, being the Gray Fox. You'll have to
make your own wealth.
[TG13]
<~~~~~~ CAST OUT OF THE THIEVES GUILD ~~~~~~>
The Thieves Guild has some pretty strict rules regarding behavior.
(Apparently, there *is* honor among thieves.) You are not to steal from,
assault or kill another guild member. Additionally, you cannot kill anyone
while committing a theft for the guild (unless your doyen or the Gray Fox
specifically gives you permission in advance.)
Unlike the other guilds, getting back into the Thieves Guild is a simple
matter of money. There is a fine attached to each action, and paying the fine
to Armand or S'Krivva gets you back into the guild.
Crime Fine
------- --------
Theft 200
Assault 500
Murder* 1,000
* You get charged 1,000 gold Blood Price for each unnecessary murder during a
job. The exceptions are killing one of the two targets of "May the Best Thief
Win", their Blood Price is 500 gold. Your doyen or the Gray Fox will let you
know if any job targets can be killed before you go out on the job.
The Thieves Guild is pretty lenient and always lets you back in, as long as
you pay the fines.
[DB00]
~~The Elder Scrolls IV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DARK BROTHERHOOD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OBLIVION~~
*NOTE* The Dark Brotherhood should not be undertaken by anyone with a weak
stomach or a disinclination to slaughter people for money. How a game with
these types of tasks got through with (initially, anyway) a 'T' rating is a
mystery. The Dark Brotherhood is a major reason the game was re-rated to 'M'.
*QUESTS* The following journal quests run during the Dark Brotherhood story;
they are "placeholder" quests that merely tell you to go get your next
contract. They are not individually broken down in this walkthrough:
* Welcome to the Family
* Blood of the Damned
* No Rest For the Wicked
* To Serve Sithis
* My Brother's Keeper
* Enter the Eliminator
* The Night Mother's Child
* The Assassin's Gambit
* The Dead Drop
Like the Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood quests are geared toward Stealth
characters. Unlike the Thieves Guild, you don't need Stealth to complete the
missions. After all, each task basically involves killing someone and you
don't have to be a sneak-thief to do that.
However, each contract carries with it bonus perks based on meeting specific
parameters. Meeting these parameters and receiving the bonus does require
Stealth. For example, in one quest you must infiltrate the Imperial prison and
kill a prisoner. To get the bonus, you must do so without killing any guards.
In another quest, to get the bonus, you must make the assassination appear to
be an accident *and* not kill the target's servant.
You will also need some lockpicking skill to complete some of these tasks,
whether you do it stealthily or not. If you have trouble with the lockpicking
mini-game, you may wish to hold off on joining the Brotherhood until you've
received Nocturnal's Skeleton Key, which you can do at level 10.
The Dark Brotherhood is more than a gang of hit men (women/cats/lizards). They
are a religious cult that worships Sithis, the Dark Lord of Death. They
delight in killing and bloodshed, but more than just being savage, they
delight in performing complicated murders that require cunning and stealth.
There are some...interesting conversations you can have with your colleagues,
and they are not for the faint-of-heart.
Also, you should be aware you cannot join the Brotherhood with the goal of
wiping them all out. Such is not possible; though the Brotherhood is nearly
destroyed in the course of these quests, it is your destiny to rebuild it. You
can't rise to the top only to kill the few remaining survivors. So if that's
your goal, forget about it and find something else to do.
Joining the Dark Brotherhood is simple: murder someone. But, you can't just
murder *anyone*, you have to murder an innocent. (Well, maybe innocent is not
the right word; you have to perform what the game deems an unnecessary
killing.) There are several possibilities:
1) Fight through the Arena, perform "Origin of the Gray Prince" and then
challenge the Gray Prince to a fight, which ends with him begging you to kill
him. This is more like assisted suicide and you won't get in trouble with the
law, but the game regards it as murder anyway. This is the safest murder you
can commit, since it's not really murder and the character only exists to die
anyway. On the flip side, you have to fight through 21 successively more
difficult battles to reach the Gray Prince.
2) Kill a beggar. Make sure no guards are around when you commit the crime.
Beggars generally sleep outdoors on bedrolls. The beggars play a big role in
the Thieves Guild quests; if you intend to play through the Thieves Guild,
murder one in the Imperial City--there are five total in the city, so they'll
be some left over that can help you with the Thieves Guild quests.
3) Kill a non-essential innkeeper or shopkeeper. There are a dozen or more
shopkeepers in Imperial City and several inns, so you could probably off one
of them in their sleep without messing up your game too much. You always run a
risk of killing someone who sells something that may be important to you
later; but you can minimize this. Just make sure the merchant you kill doesn't
provide any other services, such as training or armor repair.
4) Kill a solitary Imperial Legionnaire or Forester you encounter on the road.
Trying to kill a guard in town is tough as you will be attacked by the other
guards and the citizenry, but one of the wandering troopers in the country can
probably be dispatched without too much trouble. This will get you in trouble
with the law, so you'll have to pay a fine or serve some jail time.
When you commit a "proper" murder, you'll get a message saying, "Your killing
has been observed by forces unknown..." The next time you sleep (and you have
to sleep, not just Wait), your rest will be interrupted by one Lucien
Lachance. He introduces you to the Dark Brotherhood and asks if you would like
to join their family.
You still have an out--maybe you didn't intend to kill an innocent and you
don't really want to join the Brotherhood. You can turn Lachance down and he
won't bother you again. You can also (try to) kill Lachance, in which case he
definitely won't bother you again. If you choose to join, Lachance first sends
you on an initiation run...
[DB01]
<~~~~~~ A KNIFE IN THE DARK ~~~~~~>
In order to complete your "application" and fully join the Brotherhood,
Lachance points you to a target: Rufio. Rufio spends most of his time asleep
at the Inn of Ill Omen, which is located on the Green Road about halfway
between Bravil and Lake Rumare.
Speak to the innkeeper and he'll reveal Rufio's room is in the cellar. The
trap door downstairs is just to the left of the main entrance to the inn.
Rufio's room is the last door on the left, and he sleeps all the time, except
for the middle of the night. You can kill him with a single blow.
You can also choose to wake him. If you use the "Oh, but you have Rufio"
response, you'll get a hint of why there is a price on his head. Regardless,
if you do wake him, you better be between him and the door. He moves very fast
for a tired, old man and will hotfoot it for the exit as soon as he finishes
speaking. However, even when awake, he's still a one-hit kill.
Find a bed (you can even use Rufio's) and Sleep, and Lachance will visit you
again. He welcomes you into the family and, if you follow all his conversation
options, gives you some detail on the operations of the Brotherhood.
The leadership of the Brotherhood is composed of a Listener and four Speakers-
-together known as the Black Hand. The Listener receives assignments from the
Night Mother and gives those assignments to the Speakers who pass them on to a
local Sanctuary, where a family member is tasked to carry out the mission. You
also learn the Five Tenets (See "A Dark Exile" below).
Lachance is sending you to the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. Fast Travel to
Cheydinhal's East Gate and go south. The third house on the left, almost
directly behind the chapel, is an Abandoned House. Even though the door is
boarded over, enter and go down into the basement.
Follow the basement to a black door with strange runes carved into it. When
you Activate the door, you are asked for a pass phrase, which is "Sanguine, my
brother". Enter the Sanctuary and find Ocheeva, a female Argonian. She
welcomes you to the Sanctuary, gives you an outfit (Shrouded Armor and Hood
that, when worn together, Fortify your Sneak, Illusion, Marksman, Blade and
Acrobatics by 10 points each) and sends you to Vincente Valtieri for
assignments.
[DB02]
<~~~~~~ A WATERY GRAVE ~~~~~~>
Yes, Valtieri is a vampire, and proud of it. In fact, later on, he'll offer to
give you "The Dark Gift"--i.e. turn you into a vampire.
But only if you want to.
Right now, Valtieri is just your boss. He explains the contract system--some
contracts have bonus rewards if you meet certain conditions. He also will tell
you to talk to your colleagues in the Sanctuary about each contract; they may
have valuable information.
Your first contract is to kill Captain Gaston Tussaud aboard his ship, the
Marie Elena, which is docked at Imperial City's Waterfront district. There are
no bonuses for this mission, just the standard pay. The Marie Elena berths at
the eastern end of the Waterfront dock. There are three ways of reaching the
captain:
1) The direct approach. Simply walk onto the ship. You'll be warned away by
the first mate, but when you don't listen, she and the other crew attack. This
could get sticky, except for the fact that, since they attacked you, all the
guards around the waterfront will be hostile to them. Lead them on a chase
into a group of Legion Watch and...well, watch the fun. Once all the sailors
are down, you can pick the lock on the Captain's cabin, enter and kill him,
then return to Vincente.
2) Stowaway. This is the method suggested by Valtieri when he gives you the
job. Walk past the ship, to the east end of the dock and twiddle your thumbs
for a moment. You'll get a message the nearby crate looks like it has enough
room for you to fit. Choose to climb in the crate and you'll jump straight to
the Marie Elena's cargo hold. Climb up to the middle deck and hide until a
couple of sailors finish their argument and go to bed. Then Sneak past and
climb up to the captain's cabin.
You can kill the captain quickly, but two sailors will hear the noise and rush
in to investigate, so kill them as well. (You can hide in the aft part of the
cabin when the sailors rush in, and then Sneak attack at least once to give
yourself an edge.) When the two are dead, get the captain's key from the chest
next to his bed, open the door in the aft section of the cabin and jump off
the balcony into the water and swim out of range of the enemies on the ship.
Then Fast Travel back to Cheydinhal to report to Vincente.
3) If your Acrobatics skill is high enough, you can jump from the east end of
the dock to the balcony outside the captain's cabin. Then it's just a matter
of picking the lock, killing the captain and running back outside and jumping
into the water to get away. You don't even have to kill the two sailors who
come to investigate, because you don't need the captain's key to get out.
Report back to Vincente.
[DB03]
<~~~~~~ ACCIDENTS HAPPEN ~~~~~~>
Valtieri assigns you the task of killing Baenlin, of Bruma. To earn a bonus,
you must make the killing appear accidental and make sure you don't kill
anyone else, especially Baenlin's servant, Gromm. Valtieri suggests a way to
make it happen: use a hidden crawlspace on the second floor to drop a prized
minotaur head on top of old Baenlin. Baenlin always sits below the head from
8pm to 11pm.
Baenlin lives just north of Bruma's East Gate (next to the house you can buy).
You have a choice to make. The easiest time to infiltrate the house is during
the middle of the night; however, you can't Wait while trespassing, so you
would be stuck twiddling your thumbs for around 30 real minutes (15 game
hours) until 8pm when you can drop the head. One way to make use of this time
is to Sneak-run into the wall in the hidden crawlspace. You'll gain 25 or more
ranks in your Sneak skill during the time you're waiting.
The other option is to Wait until 8pm to infiltrate the house. You may still
be able to successfully Sneak past Gromm and Baenlin, but you're going to need
a fairly high Sneak skill to accomplish this. Choose your time, go around the
back of the house and pick the lock to the basement. Go into Sneak mode and
pick the lock on the door to the main floor.
The crawlspace is up on the second floor--make a U-turn at the top of the
stairs and go through Gromm's bedroom to the far corner, where you'll find the
secret panel. At the appointed hour, Activate the fastenings on the end wall
of the crawlspace and hear the satisfying thump of death. Resist the urge to
peek out the hole, Gromm will see you and soon be in the crawlspace with you.
Enraged Nord + big axe + cramped quarters = reload time.
Sneak out of the crawlspace and down the stairs. Gromm will be standing,
weapon out, over the old man's body. Sneak along the far wall to the basement
door and go out the way you came in. For "accidentally" killing Baenlin
without killing Gromm, you get Sufferthorn, a dagger with Damage Health and
Damage Strength enchantments.
[DB04]
<~~~~~~ SCHEDULED FOR EXECUTION ~~~~~~>
Valtieri next reveals there is an Imperial prisoner, Valen Dreth, who needs to
be put out of his misery. It seems another prisoner recently escaped using
secret tunnels under the prison (that would be you) and you are now to use
those tunnels to get back into the prison and kill Dreth. If you can do so
without killing any guards, you'll get a bonus.
Your path back through the underground system will not be identical to the
path you took when fleeing in the wake of the emperor. However, much will be
familiar, especially your cell and the sneering dark elf across the hall.
The route through the sewers, the Sanctum, the Subteranne and the prison is
pretty straightforward. The challenge here is not in figuring out which way to
go, but avoiding the guards with torches that patrol regular routes. The trick
is to stay in Sneak mode as far into the shadows as possible and watch the
route of each guard. Choose your moment to Sneak through--usually by scurrying
along in the wake of the guard.
The biggest problem occurs in the Sanctum. Getting out is difficult as there's
a guard right next to the stairs and the stairs are well lit. You can use an
Invisibility spell to get through here, or wait until the guard turns and
stares as the back wall for a few minutes.
When you reach your old cell, hide in it while a guard chats with Dreth, then
step across the hall and say goodbye to your old friend. The easiest thing to
do is a spell or arrow through the bars of Dreth's cell; he's wasted away and
a single shot should be the end of him.
If you Sneak down the hallway to the left of Dreth's cell, you should be able
to procure a prison key from the guardroom at the end of the hall. Then go
back up the other way and enter the main prison room. You can exit Sneak mode
now, this is a public area, and walk right out, then Fast Travel back to the
Cheydinhal Sanctuary. Assuming you killed no one but Dreth, your payment
includes the Scales of Pitiless Justice. This miscellaneous item Fortifies
your Strength, Intelligence and Agility while Draining your Personality. It
works any time it is in your inventory; just drop it to lose the effect.
[DB05]
<~~~~~~ THE RENEGADE SHADOWSCALE ~~~~~~>
This is not an official Dark Brotherhood quest, rather it's a favor for the
male Argonian, Teinaava. He tells you a tale of a Shadowscale (Argonian royal
assassin), Scar-Tail, who decided to forsake his duties and flee to Bogwater
Swamp. Teinaava asks you to go kill him and bring back his heart as proof of
his death.
Anything for a friend, right? Bogwater is southeast of Leyawiin, almost as far
south as you can go in Cyrodiil. Tidewater Cave (Nocturnal's quest),
Darkfathom Cave ("Whom God's Annoy" side quest) and Fort Blueblood ("Leyawiin
Recommendation" Mages Guild quest) are the closest quest-related landmarks for
Fast Traveling. If you've not visited them yet, Fast Travel to Leyawiin and
hoof it.
You'll find Scar-Tail by a small campfire, weakened by a previous fight with a
Shadowscale agent. You can: 1) kill him and take his heart; or, 2) talk to him
and he asks that you allow him to live and take the heart of the dead
Shadowscale as proof and Scar-Tail's treasure for yourself. If you decide on
option #2, you'll find the treasure in a hollow rock near the campfire and the
dead agent a short way from the campfire.
Regardless of which heart you bring back to Teinaava, you get the Boots of
Bloody Bounding, with Fortify Acrobatics and Blade enchantments.
[DB06]
<~~~~~~ THE ASSASSINATED MAN ~~~~~~>
This one's a little different. You are *not* supposed to kill someone this
time, rather you are to make it look like you killed someone without actually
performing the deed. Francois Motierre wants to welsh on his debts, and has
asked for the Dark Brotherhood's assistance. Since *someone* is supposed to
die to satisfy the Dark Lord Sithis, Motierre handed over his own mother.
These are the kinds of people you get to deal with.
Motierre's being pursued by an enforcer for the people to whom he owes money.
You're supposed to hit him with a dagger laced with Langourwine in view of the
enforcer and then run away. The Langourwine will cause Motierre to fall into a
coma that feigns death; the enforcer will report Motierre has been killed by
the Brotherhood; and, then you revive the skinflint using an antidote.
(Vincente provides all this for you.) If either Motierre or the enforcer die,
you don't get your payment for this mission, though you can continue to
advance in the Brotherhood.
Fast Travel to Chorrol and find Motierre's house, which is in Chorrol's
upscale district around the great oak (straight ahead from either the North or
South Gate). Enter and Motierre will fill you in on all the details. Soon
after his conversation ends, you'll hear the enforcer, Hides-His-Heart,
picking the lock on the door.
You don't want to waste any time. Equip the Langourwine dagger and stand next
to Motierre. As soon as the Argonian enforcer is inside, strike Motierre and
beat it. If you hang around and listen to Motierre and Hides chat, you won't
learn anything and you'll probably have to kill the lizard (which fails the
mission). You have to get outside the city in order to shake the pursuit.
As soon as your journal lets you know you were successful, Wait 24 hours, then
go to the Chapel of Stendarr and go down to the undercroft. Motierre's "body"
is lying in the southern wing of the undercroft. Activate him to revive him
with the Langourwine antidote. Motierre chooses, at this time, to let you know
his ancestors won't be pleased with his cheating of death, screams, "Aunt
Margaret" and the zombie attacks.
Auntie isn't the only ticked-off relative in the crypt. There are two more
zombies out in the main part of the undercroft. You still have to keep
Motierre alive, so take out Aunt Margaret as quickly as you can, then rush the
other two.
Once all three are dead, lead Motierre to the Gray Mare inn and then return to
Valtieri for your payment. If all went as planned, your reward includes an
amulet, Cruelty's Heart (Fortify Strength and Willpower), promotion and a key
to the "back door" of the Sanctuary. There's a well behind the abandoned house
that leads directly into the Sanctuary (the ladder going up is in a corner of
the main room, behind a broken section of wall). No more trudging through the
basement to get in an out of the place.
Finally, Vincente offers to give you the "Dark Gift"--i.e. make you a vampire.
And he turns you over to Ocheeva for future assignments as he has nothing left
for one of your rank.
[DB07]
<~~~~~~ THE LONELY WANDERER ~~~~~~>
Ocheeva's first assignment is to kill an elf named Faelian in Imperial City.
There must be no witnesses. There are a number of ways in which you can track
down Faelian, but, by far the quickest and easiest is to Fast Travel to the
Talos Plaza district in Imperial City.
Find the Tiber Septim Hotel, which opens out onto the main plaza on the
southwest side of the district. Charm innkeeper Augusta Calidia to a
Disposition of 50 or higher and she'll give tell you Faelian and his
girlfriend live in the hotel. Find the girlfriend, Atraena, who is almost
always in the hotel.
Get her Disposition over 50 and she'll give you the name of the place where
Faelian goes to do drugs during the day: Lorkmir's house in the Elven Gardens
District. Lorkmir's is in the western section of the Elven Gardens, along the
central street.
*NOTE* You could go straight to Lorkmir's house without going through the
girlfriend, but then you get no quest marker to help you find the house. Your
call.
Break in and find Faelian there or Wait for him (he comes in from around noon
until late afternoon). Kill him in Lorkmir's house and head back to
Cheydinhal. Your bonus for a completely successful mission is Shadowhunt, a
steel bow with several enchantments: on hit you will Turn Undead, Damage
Health, Damage Magicka and imbue the target with Weakness to Poison.
[DB08]
<~~~~~~ BAD MEDICINE ~~~~~~>
You're to kill a mercenary warlord named Roderick, who makes his camp in Fort
Sutch. Once again, you're to make the death appear accidental. Roderick is
very sick and takes a powerful medicine daily. You're to replace his medicine
with poison supplied by Ocheeva. Doing so without detection earns you a bonus.
If you are detected, you can kill Roderick (and all his mercenaries) the old-
fashioned way, but then you don't get the bonus.
It turns out the bonus isn't especially good, so don't worry over this one too
much. It really isn't that hard to Sneak in and replace the medicine, but it
does take a while.
Fort Sutch is midway between Anvil and Kvatch, north of the main road between
those two cities. Brina Cross Inn ("Anvil Recommendation" Mages Guild quest)
and Malacath's shrine are the closest quest-related points. You may have even
done "Assault on Fort Sutch" during the main story and can Fast Travel
directly there. Ocheeva suggests finding a back way into the fort through
tunnels leading to a nearby ruined tower.
But that's the long and arduous way. Go straight in the front door and
immediately turn right, picking the lock on the gate. Sneak through the tunnel
until you come out on the upper level of a two-level room. Creep up close to
the edge and listen in on the conversation below.
When it ends, the two mercs head up to your level. Sneak back into the tunnel,
and then follow them when they pass you. They'll lead you through a northeast
passage to a room divided by columns. The orc starts patrolling through the
columns. Your objective is a cupboard on the northwest wall. Sneak around the
columns, avoiding the orc merc's patrol routes.
Open the medicine cabinet, remove Roderick's medicine and put in the poison
you brought with you. Sneak back out the same way you came in, and Fast Travel
back to Cheydinhal. Ocheeva pays you and, if you didn't alert anyone, gives
you The Deceiver's Finery, clothing that Fortifies your Personality and
Speechcraft.
[DB09]
<~~~~~~ WHODUNIT? ~~~~~~>
Your new threads are largely intended to help you with this contract. You're
going to play "Clue" and you get to be the culprit--in every room with every
conceivable weapon. You and five others will be locked into a house for a
"treasure hunt". You are supposed to kill the other five people. To earn the
bonus, you must kill them without any of them ever figuring out you are the
killer.
Fast Travel to Skingrad's East Gate and go down the street a short way to
Summitmist Manor. You'll be met by Fafnir, presumably the man who prayed for
the hits, and he gives you the key to the manor and a few instructions. As you
enter the manor, you're met by an old woman, Matilde Petit. Tell her you're an
assassin sent to kill her and she'll think you're joking; her Disposition will
also rise to maximum. Matilde will also summarize the other targets: Dovesi
Dran, Nels the Naughty, Neville and Primo Antonius.
There are two ways to play this:
1) Just start killing. The guests are initially spread out, none present a
significant challenge and the bonus reward may not be particularly appealing
to you. The important thing is for everyone to die. (When you think about it,
since they all end up dead, the concept of keeping them ignorant of your
identity seems nonsensical. But maybe the client has a perverse sense of
humor.)
2) Use the Persuasion mini-game or Charm spells to raise their Dispositions.
You can then lure a couple of them away, and set the rest on each other. For
example, tell Dran that Antonius has fallen for her and wants to meet her in
his room. Follow her up the stairs and kill her. Offer to team up with Matilde
and suggest you search the basement, when you go downstairs, kill her. Neville
likes to take naps in his room, wait for him to go upstairs and go to sleep,
then kill him. The remaining two (Nels and Antonius) despise each other; you
can easily persuade either one to attack and kill the other, then finish off
the survivor.
When you're done, return to the Sanctuary and report to Ocheeva. If you
accomplished your mission within the parameters, you'll receive the
Nightmother's Blessing--a "spell ability" (like a birthsign) that permanently
increases your Blade, Acrobatics, Sneak, Security and Marksman skills by 2
points each.
[DB10]
<~~~~~~ PERMANENT RETIREMENT ~~~~~~>
Captain of the Imperial Watch Adamus Phillida has been a thorn in the side of
the Brotherhood for a long time. Phillida has finally retired to Leyawiin and
you are sent there to kill him. (The Brotherhood waiting until after his
retirement is another nonsensical plan. Wouldn't it have been more useful to
kill him when he still posed a threat? Whatever.)
You are given a special arrow, the Rose of Sithis that will kill Phillida in
one shot. (The Rose only works on Phillida, don't bother saving it to use on
someone else.) The Rose won't pierce armor, so you have to use it when
Phillida is not wearing his metal suit. To earn the bonus, you must get
Phillida's ring finger and put it in the desk of the current commander of the
Imperial Watch.
Travel to Leyawiin and find the pond just west of the castle guard tower. The
pond is surrounded by houses, has a dock at the northeast corner and a set of
stairs to the south. Go to the dock and Wait until mid-afternoon (about 2pm).
Phillida will soon come to the south end of the pool, where he strips, leaves
his bodyguard and takes a little swim.
*SAVE YOUR GAME*
Draw a bead on Phillida with the Rose of Sithis and shoot him. If you miss,
reload your game and try again. When he's dead, swim out to his body and
Activate it. Take his keys and his ring finger, then swim to the south shore
(the bodyguard will have gone running around the pond to the dock, so you
don't want to go back there), and high-tail it out of town.
*ALTERNATE METHOD*
If you're a fairly high-level character and don't want to run the risk of
mixing it up with the city guards, then you can kill Phillida elsewhere; but,
you won't be able to use the Rose. Go to the Coast Guard station outside
Leyawiin's Northeast Gate. Wait until morning, around 9am, and Phillida will
come with his bodyguard and enter the station. You can enter behind them and
kill them both. You'll have to do it the conventional way and it will be a
tough fight. Get Phillida's keys and finger.
Fast Travel to the Imperial Prison district northeast of Imperial City. From
the main entrance, go to the second door on the left, which leads to the
commander's office. Wait until the middle of the night, go into Sneak mode,
and enter (you have the key) when the Watch isn't...watching. You also have a
key to the desk, so put the finger in there and Sneak back out.
Assuming you weren't detected, you can Fast Travel from right outside the door
and return to Ocheeva for your pay and bonus, which is 500 gold.
[DB11]
<~~~~~~ OF SECRET AND SHADOW ~~~~~~>
Ocheeva has important news! Lachance wants to see you. Like, right now. His
headquarters are in Fort Farragut, just east of Cheydinhal. He mentions
something about getting past his guardians to prove your worth, yada yada.
Walk out to Fort Farragut and go around to the northwest side of the fallen
tower and look for a hollow tree. Inside is a trapdoor that leads directly to
Lachance's quarters, skipping a short, but tedious, skeleton-and-trap-filled
dungeon crawl.
[DB12]
<~~~~~~ THE PURIFICATION ~~~~~~>
Lachance informs you there is a traitor working out of the Cheydinhal
Sanctuary. You are above suspicion because the problems began before you
joined the family. Since the Black Hand can't figure out exactly who, among
your brethren in the Sanctuary, is guilty, you are ordered to exterminate them
all in a rite known as "Purification".
To help you out, Lachance gives you a poisoned apple and a scroll that will
summon the ghost of Rufio (your first official victim). In a barrel in the
corner of Lachance's quarters (behind a lock) are ten more poisoned apples.
There are, of course, numerous ways to handle eliminating your fellow
assassins. Regardless of how you go about the killings, you'll want to try to
separate them so they don't gang up on you. One way of working it is to remove
all the food in the main hall and the Living Quarters and putting some
poisoned apples on the food tables and in the food cupboards. You may have to
Wait up to a week before all your victims partake.
You can let the ghost of Rufio out among a small (three to four) group.
They'll concentrate on the ghost, leaving you free to backstab them. The
training room or Living Quarters work well for this tactic--for one because
the Dark Guardian won't be around to pitch in, and also because you tend to
get concentrations of targets in these two places.
Valtieri and Ocheeva, with separate rooms, can be killed in their sleep. You
can also attack other Brotherhood members while they are asleep in the Living
Quarters, but their sleeping habits are irregular.
Once the Sanctuary has been cleansed, return to Lachance. He reveals that each
member of the Black Hand has their own personal assassin, called a Silencer.
Congratulations! You're now Lachance's Silencer. From now on, you'll be
receiving assignments and payment at "dead drop" locations around Cyrodiil.
Your first dead drop is at Hero Hill, south-southeast of Fort Farragut.
Oh, and since you're going to be running all over Cyrodiil at Lachance's
request, he gives you Shadowmere, the fastest, strongest horse in the game.
Enjoy!
[DB13]
<~~~~~~ AFFAIRS OF A WIZARD ~~~~~~>
Find the hollowed-out rock at Hero Hill and read the orders. You're to kill a
necromancer named Celedaen before he completes his transformation into a lich.
Celedaen hangs out in Leafrot Cave, which is south-southeast of your current
location, near the Panther River. The closest quest-related point is Redwater
Slough ("Vampire Cure").
Leafrot Cave is a small, two-level affair full of undead. In the first room is
Celedaen's journal. Reading this will update your quest journal with the
objective of removing Celedaen's magical hourglass in order to kill him.
Celedaen is on the second level of the caves, and it is difficult to Sneak up
on him.
If you can Magickage it, pickpocket the hourglass to kill him instantly.
Otherwise, you're in for quite a fight as Celedaen is much more powerful than
you and can conjure a number of different creatures. Hit him as hard as you
can, ignoring his summons, in order to kill him.
You are then instructed to go to Chorrol. Your payment for this task and
orders for your next task are in a sack near the great oak in northern
Chorrol. Fast Travel to Chorrol's North Gate and go straight south to the
tree.
[DB14]
<~~~~~~ NEXT OF KIN ~~~~~~>
You are ordered to kill the entire Draconis clan: mother Perennia, sons
Matthias and Andreas and daughters Sibylla and Caelia. Start with mom; she
resides at Applewatch Farm, just west of Bruma. During the day you'll
typically find her outside tending to her garden.
She will think you're a courier come to buy and deliver gifts to her four
children. She'll give you a list of what to buy them, and their locations, so
you can deliver the gifts. Oh, you'll be delivering something all right. Kill
mother Draconis (and, possibly, also her dog), then look at your list.
1) Andreas: He runs the Drunken Dragon Inn, northwest of Leyawiin. If you tell
him what you did to his mother, he'll attack you. This causes the Imperial
Legion guard who is almost always at the Inn to attack and kill Andreas for
you. Neat.
2) Caelia: She's a guard in Leyawiin, on the night watch. You can track her
down during the night while she's making her rounds; or, you can kill her in
her room at the Three Sisters Inn. (Note: as a Leyawiin guard, Caelia is off-
limits if you currently have "The Elven Maiden" Thieves Guild quest open.
Finish that quest first before killing Caelia.)
3) Matthias: He lives in the Talos Plaza district of Imperial City, in the
southwestern section (across from Ontus Vanin and next to Agarmir). Break in
during the middle of the night and kill him in his sleep.
4) Sibylla: She has gone wild, living with animals in Muck Valley Cavern. This
small series of caves is located halfway between Imperial City and Cheydinhal,
south of the Blue Road. Vaermina's shrine (Daedric quest) is nearby. Kill her
and the animals that protect her.
When the Draconis line has been erased from the annals of history, Fast Travel
to Castle Skingrad and Activate the well in the courtyard. You'll receive your
pay and your next assignment.
[DB15]
<~~~~~~ BROKEN VOWS ~~~~~~>
The father of the bride is upset. His daughter's erstwhile groom decided to
break off the engagement when he saw the size (or lack thereof) of the young
lady's dowry. Papa wants J'Ghasta dead. That should make daddy's little girl
happy.
J'Ghasta lives in Bruma, three doors south of the East Gate. Pick the lock, go
downstairs and look for a trapdoor somewhat hidden behind the staircase.
J'Ghasta is an expert in unarmed combat. Ha ha. Good one! Teach him the
advantage of shiny, pointy things.
Your payment and next assignment are in an old box under Old Bridge. Old
Bridge is directly south of Imperial City's Waterfront.
[DB16]
<~~~~~~ FINAL JUSTICE ~~~~~~>
Shaleez, an Argonian hunter, is your next target. She lives in Flooded Mine
just north of Bravil. As the name implies, there will be some swimming here.
The best time to attack is in the middle of the night, when Shaleez is asleep.
Swim through the tunnels, following your quest marker to the lizard.
After she's dead, you can collect your payment and new mission at Fort Redman,
which is halfway between Bravil and Leyawiin, on the east side of the Niben
River. There's a single bandit roaming the surface area of the Fort. In a
coffin near the door are your blood money and two pieces of paper.
[DB17]
<~~~~~~ A MATTER OF HONOR ~~~~~~>
One piece of paper names your subject: Alval Uvani, a traveling merchant. The
other piece of paper lays out Uvani's schedule. Now here's where lady luck
might just shine on you. Depending on how far into the game you are, Uvani
might already be dead.
Yes, in fact, the further along you are, the higher the probability Uvani
traveled into something he couldn't handle. If you're lucky, as soon as you
get the journal entry opening "A Matter of Honor", you'll get another journal
entry that proclaims you have killed Uvani. Pat yourself on the back for
excellent work and go on to your next job.
(There's no way to tell why or how this happens. Uvani actually does travel
from city to city--unlike some games where he would just spawn in the
appropriate place at the appropriate time. So if you've done the main story,
or a substantial part of the main story, Uvani might have run into some daedra
near one of the random Oblivion gates between cities. Or it could have been
wild animals. Or, maybe a glitch in the AI caused him to have it out with some
Imperial Legion guards. Regardless, count your blessings and move on.)
Otherwise, take a look at Uvani's schedule.
As he travels around Cyrodiil, Alval Uvani can be found at the
following locations, on the following days:
Morndas/Tirdas -- Bravil -- The Lonely Suitor Lodge
Middas/Turdas -- Skingrad -- The West Weald Inn
Fredas/Loredas -- Bruma -- Olav's Tap and Tack
Sundas -- Leyawiin -- Alval Uvani's House (rented property)
Keep in mind that there may be some variation based on the time
it takes for him to get to the different cities.
Your best bet for a clean kill is Uvani's rented house in Leyawiin--it's the
southeastern most house in Leyawiin. Every other location is fairly public and
things can get messy. The downside is, if Uvani starts running behind, he may
not even stop in Leyawiin, or his stop is so brief he never goes into his
house. Regardless, Fast Travel to Leyawiin, Wait until Sundas (you have to
Wait before entering the house), break in and wait until Uvani shows his face.
If you have trouble killing him--he's a master of Destruction magic--your
orders provide a workaround: Uvani is allergic to the honey in mead. You can
get several bottles of mead from the Cheydinhal Sanctuary, distribute it in
his house, remove all the other consumables, then wait for him to come home,
drink the stuff, and be paralyzed.
Your payment and orders are in a hollow stump in the Market District of
Imperial City. Find the garden behind Edgar's Discount Spells and the hollow
stump is there.
[DB18]
<~~~~~~ THE COLDEST SLEEP ~~~~~~>
Your next hit: Havilstein Hoar-Blood. He has a camp east of Bruma. There's
nothing special about this mission. Hoar-Blood is a tough Nord axe-wielder and
he has a pet wolf. Go in gun's blazing or try a Sneak-attack at night when the
Nord is sleeping.
The next dead drop is in the Ayleid ruin of Nornal. Fast Travel to Muck Valley
Cavern (from the Draconis assassinations) and go south. You don't have to go
all the way into the ruins, just go down the first set of stairs and take the
first right. There's a locked gate and chest underwater, so have a Water
Breathing spell handy.
[DB19]
<~~~~~~ A KISS BEFORE DYING ~~~~~~>
You are to kill a Bosmer named Ungolim. He spends his evenings--from midnight
to 2am--praying to a statue known as "The Lucky Lady", in Bravil. You're told
not to worry about guards, they've been bribed to look the other way.
Head to Bravil and find the statue in the northern part of town. Find a hiding
place and Wait until midnight. When Ungolim shows up, Sneak attack him
(preferably from range) and then finish him off.
Next thing you know, Lachance shows up and begins chewing you out. Seems you
just eradicated the Listener and all your other hits since the Draconis family
have likewise been members of the Black Hand--Speakers and their Silencers.
Lachance is here to kill you, but then realizes you have no idea what he's
babbling about.
He deduces someone is switching your orders. The rest of the Black Hand
suspects him, and there's a price on his head. The two of you need to find out
who's doing this, and fast. Lachance tells you to go to the next dead drop and
wait to see who comes and drops off the money and orders.
[DB20]
<~~~~~~ FOLLOWING A LEAD ~~~~~~>
Fast Travel to Anvil's North Gate, hang a left and find the barrel behind the
pond. Select a hiding place nearby and wait for a Wood Elf to show up. Make
sure you are not in Sneak mode, then confront the little punk. He claims a man
in a robe put him up to this, and the man lives under the lighthouse here in
Anvil. (Ignore the new orders the Wood Elf has placed for you, they don't lead
to anything. The punk Bosmer keeps your 500 gold--unless you kill him for it.)
Go to the lighthouse, outside Anvil's Dock Gate. Find the caretaker and
question him about his tenant. When he asks, "Who wants to know", tell him the
truth. He'll wet himself trying to give you the key faster.
Use the key to enter the basement of the lighthouse, the door is outside, on
the north face of the tower. In the back room of the cellar is a grisly sight:
a shrine featuring the rotted head of a long-deceased woman. Nearby, on a
little table, is a diary detailing the traitor's mental instability. (It also
provides the back story on "The Ghost Ship of Anvil".) Too bad there's no name
attached.
Take the diary (and the head, for a little extra amusement) and Fast Travel to
the recently departed Draconis family farm, Applewatch. Lachance is waiting
for you there. Unfortunately, the remainder of the Black Hand is waiting for
Lachance. He's dead when you arrive, and you can speak to the other members.
Arquen takes the lead.
You are not suspected of anything; they believe Lachance was the traitor and
everything is now green. Here's where you use the head. Drop it on the ground
and talk to Bellamont. He sure is jumpy isn't he? Oh well, you can't do
anything about him now.
Arquen says they are going to see the Night Mother, who will choose a new
Listener so they can begin rebuilding the Black Hand and the Brotherhood. Wait
until midnight (but not past 3am) and talk to Arquen again. Say you're ready
and you'll all Fast Travel to Bravil and the statue of the Lucky Lady.
[DB21]
<~~~~~~ HONOR THY MOTHER ~~~~~~>
There's a cutscene and the statue opens to reveal a trapdoor. Follow the Black
Hand inside. The Night Mother (a ghost) tells Arquen they're all idiots and
then Bellamont attacks. The other two Black Hand members (i.e. not you and not
Arquen) get it quick and then Bellamont is on you. Take him out. (Note that
neither the Night Mother nor Arquen are predisposed to give you a lot of
help.)
Afterwards the Night Mother once again rants about the idiocy infecting the
Brotherhood, tells Arquen off (again) and promotes you to Listener and puts
Arquen in charge of the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. She also tells you to take what
you want from the crypt. Loot the place thoroughly (you'll never come back
here again).
Talk to the Night Mother again to be transported to the Cheydinhal Sanctuary.
Congratulations! You're the leader of a guild of assassins.
[DB22]
<~~~~~~ WHISPERS OF DEATH ~~~~~~>
Once each week you can go to the Lucky Lady statue in Bravil and Activate it.
The Night Mother will speak to you, giving you the name of someone who needs
the services of the Brotherhood. These people are all outside of Cyrodiil, so
don't even try to do anything about them.
Go see Arquen in Cheydinhal and give her the name. She'll give you a portion
of the weekly take. Gradually, new assassins will start wandering around the
Sanctuary. You can ask any of them to travel with you as a henchman.
Otherwise, there's not much to being Listener. You listen a lot. That's about
it...
[DB23]
<~~~~~~ DARK EXILE ~~~~~~>
When you first join the Dark Brotherhood, Lucien Lachance will fill you in on
the Five Tenets:
Tenet 1: Never dishonor the Night Mother. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of
Sithis.
Tenet 2: Never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets. To do so is to
invoke the Wrath of Sithis.
Tenet 3: Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood
superior. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.
Tenet 4: Never steal the possessions of a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do
so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.
Tenet 5: Never kill a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the
Wrath of Sithis.
You may wander what this "Wrath of Sithis" is. It is a spirit that will attack
you if you break one of the Tenets. The first two times this happens,
defeating the spirit means you're back in the guild. The third time, defeating
the spirit just means you get to avoid reloading your game. You're out of the
Brotherhood forever.
The first three tenets are impossible to break. The game never gives you a
chance to do any of those things. Well, you can fail to carry out an
assignment, but you're never visited by the Wrath, it just remains an open
quest in your journal. So, basically, you'll only run into a problem if you
steal from or kill another member of the Brotherhood.
[KN00]
~~The Elder Scrolls IV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KNIGHTS OF THE NINE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OBLIVION~~
*NOTE* Before installing Knights of the Nine, you must install the v1.1.511
patch. If you install KoN first, the patch will fail.
Install the Knights mod and make sure it's active. Unlike the other official
mods, Knights of the Nine does not automatically start when you next load up
your game. This mod is intended for good characters--especially paladin types
(i.e. melee fighters with healing magic and a hatred for undead). When you
finish the quest, you'll be the leader of a new guild: Knights of the Nine.
The Crusader's Relics you collect are a suit of armor and both a blunt and
blade weapon. The armor matches your level when you receive it; however,
unlike other quest rewards, there's a method in the game to keep it up-to-date
with your increasing power. The armor will either be light or heavy depending
on which skill is higher. There's no difference in appearance between the
light and heavy armor.
RELICS OF THE CRUSADER
------------------------
Helm of the Crusader:
- Fortify Restoration
- Fortify Personality
- Serene Beauty (Calm on touch)
Cuirass of the Crusader:
- Fortify Restoration
- Resist Normal Weapons
- Fortify Health
Boots of the Crusader:
- Fortify Restoration
- Woodland Grace (normal woodland animals will not be hostile;
e.g. lions and wolves and bears, oh my!)
Gauntlets of the Crusader:
- Fortify Restoration
- Resist Disease
- Merciful Touch (Restore Health on touch)
Greaves of the Crusader:
- Fortify Restoration
- Fortify Destruction
- Blessing of the Eight (Shield on touch)
Shield of the Crusader:
- Reflect Spell
Mace of the Crusader:
- Fire Damage
- Turn Undead
- Fortify Blunt
Sword of the Crusader:
- Fire Damage
- Damage Magicka
- Fortify Blade
You'll be fighting lots of spirits during this quest, so you'll want silver,
daedric or enchanted weapons or plenty of Destruction spells--at least, until
you acquire the Mace of the Crusader about a third of the way into the story.
In order to wear and use the Crusader's Relics, you must have an Infamy score
of zero (0). If you gain one point of Infamy, you'll receive a warning. If
your Infamy increases to two (2) or higher, you can't equip the Relics until
you have once again walked the Pilgrim's Way (first quest for KoN).
To kick off this quest, you must talk to a Prophet, who is declaiming across
the street from the Temple of Dibella in Anvil. You may hear Rumors of an
attack on the Temple from just about anyone in all Cyrodiil; however, you do
not need to hear these Rumors before talking to the Prophet.
[KN01]
<~~~~~~ PILGRIMAGE ~~~~~~>
Talk to the Prophet and follow the natural lines of conversation until he asks
if you are a worthy champion to defeat Umaril the Unfeathered. Use any "No"
answer and the Prophet will tell you that you must follow the Pilgrim's Way
and visit a wayshrine of each of the Nine Divines. He gives you a map showing
the locations of one wayshrine for each of the Nine.
WAYSHRINES
------------
In Cyrodiil, there are at least three wayshrines for each of the Nine. These
wayshrines are part of the base game and you may have already encountered some
during your travels. Normally, when you pray at (Activate) a wayshrine, you
receive a small buff for five minutes or so (assuming your Infamy is zero).
You can perform this quest even if your Infamy is greater than zero; however,
you won't receive the blessings as you pray. When you complete the Pilgrim's
Way, your Infamy is reset to zero.
Now, you do not specifically have to go to the wayshrines marked on the map
the Prophet gives you. There are at least three wayshrines in Cyrodiil for
each of the Nine. Unfortunately, wayshrines are never marked on your primary
map--even with this mod installed; so, you have to find them on your own. Here
is the quickest route (from Anvil) to a wayshrine for each of the Nine:
* Go around to the east side of Anvil and head straight east, passing Fort
Strand to the north, to find a Wayshrine of Akatosh.
* Walk straight north until you cross the Kvatch-Anvil road, then turn north-
northwest until you find a Wayshrine of Arkay in a small hollow among the
hills.
* Go back to the Kvatch-Anvil road and travel east until you reach Gottshaw
Inn. A Wayshrine of Zenithar is on the hill behind the Inn (to the east).
* Go around the south side of Kvatch and catch the road to Skingrad. Follow
the road east toward Skingrad. You'll cross over a stone bridge; on the far
side turn left (north) and you'll see a Wayshrine of Talos up the slope.
* Go east-northeast a short distance to a Wayshrine of Mara.
* From the Wayshrine of Mara, go due north into the Imperial Reserve to find a
Wayshrine of Kynareth. The Wayshrine is located directly on top of the "E" in
"IMPERIAL" on your map.
* Go due east and you'll soon run in to a Wayshrine of Julianos. On your map,
it sits directly on top of the "A" in "IMPERIAL".
* Head due northeast, going through Weatherleah ("Legacy Lost") and Hackdirt
("Shadow Over Hackdirt") to find a Wayshrine of Dibella.
* Fast Travel to the sewer entrance where you started the game (just outside
Imperial City Prison). Go south along the shore until you see a wayshrine
across the lake. Swim over and pray at the Wayshrine of Stendarr.
*NOTE* You can encounter a couple of other knights walking the Way if the last
shrine you visit is one marked on the map given you by the Prophet. While not
important to the quest, if you want to meet these knights, go to a different
Wayshrine of Stendarr as your last stop. Fast Travel to Bravil and head down
the road toward Leyawiin. About halfway along that road is the Wayshrine to
Stendarr marked on your map.
As soon as you pray at the last wayshrine, you'll have a vision and speak to
Pelinal Whitestrake. He marks the location of his lost shrine on your map. It
just so happens to be in the middle of Lake Rumare, not far south of the
Wayshrine of Stendarr.
How convenient!
You also receive the Greater Power, Pilgrim's Grace. This power fortifies your
Agility, Endurance, Intelligence, Luck, Personality, Speed, Strength and
Willpower by 10 for 300 seconds.
Sweet!
[KN02]
<~~~~~~ THE SHRINE OF THE CRUSADER ~~~~~~>
The Shrine of the Crusader is located inside the Ayleid ruin of Vanua. The
entrance to Vanua is under water, just north of the Ring Road bridge over the
Upper Niben River. Water Breathing is a plus; but, not required. Suit up for
undead hunting in an Ayleid ruin and swim out to the spot marked on your map.
Dive down and find the entrance to Vanua (it's easier to do this on a bright,
sunny day). Once inside, you'll have to swim about 10 meters to a stairway
that takes you out of the water--if you don't have Water Breathing, be sure
you have enough breath before entering the ruin.
At the top of the stairs is your first encounter with a (leveled, obviously)
undead. Many more will follow. Continue straight until you reach a T-
intersection. The right (east) branch is eventually blocked, so go left
(west). When you reach a large room and dispose of the guardians, go through
the tunnel to the north into the Shrine of the Crusader.
Yeah...it's not that simple. This area is a lot like the secret passages under
the Imperial prison--lots of ruins mixed with crawling through tunnels; and,
undead all over the place. Go straight and drop down into a ruin; turn left
(west) and then right (north) until your way is blocked. A hole in the wall to
your left (west) leads through a small cavern and then into the shrine. You
can now see the target; but, you can't reach it yet.
Loot the skeleton on the raised bit of floor to get Sir Amiel's key, ring and
diary. This opens the next quest, "Priory of the Nine", and lets you continue
on your way. First, unlock the gate to the south and deal with the undead
guardian of that path. That's your shortcut back out once you've retrieved the
Helm of the Crusader.
Go through the gate to the west and kill the undead. In the next room, find
the hole in the west wall and jump into another tunnel. Fight your way north
and then drop down into the ruin again. Take the south hall for a little
treasure, then take the door to the north. This leads to the Lost Catacombs.
Follow the catacombs--make sure you take opportunities to loot--until you
reach a door leading back into the Shrine. There are actually two doors;
either will serve. Back in the Shrine, fight your way to the altar where the
Helm is located. Watch out for the undead near the altar--it might be down in
a little doorway on the north side of the area.
Collect the Helm, jump over the fence and go through the south gate you opened
earlier. This takes you to a tunnel leading back into Vanua. In Vanua, you'll
pass through a room with at least three undead--including one boss-level mob.
In the same room is an Ayleid Reliquary with your reward for this dungeon.
Leave Vanua and embark on the next stage of your quest.
[KN03]
<~~~~~~ PRIORY OF THE NINE ~~~~~~>
Your next stop is the old Priory of the Knights of the Nine. This is located
in the middle of nowhere, halfway between Skingrad and Bravil. Lucky you, it's
marked on your map; but there's precious little close by that you can Fast
Travel to. The closest may be Silorn (Mages Guild quest, "Ambush"); or, you
can Fast Travel to Skingrad and hoof it.
Regardless of how you go, stock up on healing potions or a good healing spell
and Magicka potions before you go. When you reach the Priory, all appears
peaceful. Enter the Priory and find the Knights of the Nine seal on the floor.
Activate it and Sir Amiel's ring opens the door to the basement. (You did
remember to loot Amiel's ring in the Shrine, right?) Go down into the
basement, which is a training room, then take the door into the Undercroft.
There's the Cuirass of the Crusader! That was easy.
Yeah, right. Eight of the original Knights of the Nine surround you and you
have to beat them all in personal combat (i.e. one-on-one). You can use any
style of combat you wish, just so long as you beat each one. They are all
swordsmen, and good ones; but, they are leveled to match you so you should be
able to handle them. Use the brief respite in between each fight to heal up
and restore your Magicka. Summon help if you need it.
When you have bested all eight knights, claim the Cuirass as your own. When
you get the quest update telling you to talk to the knights about the other
Relics, go around the circle and speak to the knights. The four important
conversations are with Sir Casimir (Gauntlets of the Crusader), Sir Ralvas
(Mace of the Crusader), Sir Henrik (Shield of the Crusader) and Sir Juncan
(Boots of the Crusader).
You can quest after these items in any order with one restriction: you must
retrieve the Boots before you can get the Mace. All clear? On with the show
then...
[KN04]
<~~~~~~ NATURE'S FURY ~~~~~~>
To get the Boots of the Crusader you must travel to a Shrine of Kynareth west
of Imperial City. Make this your active quest and the shrine's location will
be marked on your map; it's southwest of Wawnet Inn and north of Clavicus
Vile's shrine. When you find it, talk to Avita Vesnia to get the details of
your test. She instructs you to go to the Grove of Trials and face whatever
test Kynareth has for you.
Go ahead and sheath whatever weapon you may be carrying. Not only do you not
need it, you best not use it. Travel west a short distance to a ring of white-
barked trees. Enter them and wait a bit until a wild animal enters and attacks
you. You can block the attacks; but, don't return the favor. Take your lumps
and, pretty soon, Kynareth deems you worthy, shows you a secret door; and, you
enter Kynareth's Grotto and get the Boots.
Simple.
[KN05]
<~~~~~~ THE PATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS ~~~~~~>
The Mace of the Crusader is protected by Zenithar in his chapel in Leyawiin.
Make sure you have the Boots of the Crusader before you attempt to get the
Mace. Travel to Leyawiin; go to the chapel and downstairs into the Undercroft.
There will be at least four spirits down here. Dispatch them; then, Activate
the Tomb of Saint Kaladas at the far end of the Croft.
You'll find yourself in space, on a floating piece of a fort. In the distance
is the Mace. If you have the Boots of the Crusader equipped, you just walk
across the misty path that appears. If you don't have the Boots equipped--
well, go get them and put them on!
As soon as you grab the Mace, you re-appear in the Undercroft. Go ahead and
equip the Mace (or your favorite weapon) and gird your loins. As you leave the
Undercroft and enter the chapel, you'll be attacked by Aurorans--Umaril's
daedra servants. You'll have help killing them, try to be careful you don't
harm the eager knight that greeted you when you first entered the Temple. He
soon declares himself a new Knight of the Nine and runs off to join your
service.
[KN06]
<~~~~~~ STENDARR'S MERCY ~~~~~~>
This is a pretty simple quest. Go to the Chapel of Stendarr in Chorrol and
talk to the priest, Areldur. He'll tell you the sad tale of Sir Casimir and
his descendents. He'll also inform you Kellen, the current scion of the
Casimir family, is in the temple trying to be rid of the family curse.
Go downstairs to the Chapel Hall and find Kellen. He's typically sitting in a
small bedroom off to the side. Kellen tells you more about his curse and says
he thinks Areldur knows the cure but is holding out on him. Return to Areldur
and confront him about Kellen. He reveals the only way to cure Kellen is to
take the curse yourself. Once you show mercy to Kellen, you can lift the
Gauntlets.
Pray at the altar of Stendarr and you'll be asked if you want to take Kellen's
curse on yourself. Answer yes and you'll receive a one-use Lay Hands lesser
power. Go downstairs and Lay Hands on Kellen. He'll be cured and you'll suffer
the Curse of the Consumed, which is a permanent Damage Fatigue effect. (It is
by no means crippling and you'll hardly notice it.)
In the main chapel, find the gauntlets laying on the floor behind the altar;
Activate them to pick them up. On with the show!
[KN07]
<~~~~~~ WISDOM OF THE AGES ~~~~~~>
Make "Wisdom of the Ages" your active quest and find Fort Bulwark in eastern
Cyrodiil. It is northeast of Leyawiin and not particularly near anything. The
closest quest point is Fort Teleman (Mages Guild, "Bloodworm Helm"). Fast
Travel to Teleman and go south, or go to Leyawiin and head northeast.
Approach Fort Bulwark warily. There are conjurers also seeking the Shield and
two are outside the main doors--one at ground level and one at the top of the
tower. If you can draw the ground-level conjurer outside the fort and dispatch
him, you can sneak into the fort without the upper-level mage knowing about
it. Or, run upstairs and take care of him too.
Inside, watch your step as there are plenty of conjurers and daedra to impede
your progress. The quickest route to your target is to follow the corridor
around a left turn, then take the first left-hand branch and then the next
right through a double wood door.
You'll be in a large room on a raised catwalk. Note the gate to your right and
raised drawbridge to your left. Go past these two obstacles and through
another set of double wood doors. Follow the tunnel to a makeshift bedroom
with two conjurers. When they are down, turn the handle on the north side of
the room and pick up the Conjurer's Note from the desk to the right of the
handle.
Backtrack a short way down the tunnel and take the left-branch. You'll come to
a balcony overlooking a room with two raised drawbridges. Turn the handle and
watch the drawbridges lower and a gate rise. That's the gate you passed a
short while ago. Backtrack to it and go through, across the drawbridges and to
a corridor with four rows of three pressure plates.
If you follow the clue on the Conjurer's Note, you need to step on the plates
in this order: left - middle - right - left. There's no penalty if you mess
up, other than you have to go back and start the sequence over. Go through the
door into the second area of Fort Bulwark.
You're in a corridor with prison cells to either side. Go past the first pair
and then enter an open cell to your left. There's a door on the north side of
the cell that leads to a torture room and a conjurer or two. Dispose of them,
then go to the cell on the other side of the corridor and open it to free Sir
Thedret. He'll give you a clue to reach the shield and then leave for the
Priory of the Nine.
At the end of the prison corridor is another room full of mages. Get rid of
them and loot their stuff. There's another note that details what they have in
mind for Sir Thedret. Continue west, keeping an eye out for conjurers. You
will soon reach a long room running north-south with raised drawbridges. The
handle for the first drawbridge is right next to the bridge. Turn it, watch
the drawbridge lower and marvel at the number of darts being flung out by the
traps in the ceiling.
If you've got plenty of health, you can just make a run for it. Otherwise,
watch the pattern of the darts and try to slip through in between cycles. At
the end of the first bridge, you'll make a left and find another handle that
lowers the second bridge. This handle is in a safe spot out of range of the
darts, so take a breather here and heal up if necessary. Then, dodge your way
across the second bridge and continue.
Advance carefully into the next room. There are at least two conjurers in this
room and one of them is the boss of this dungeon. Get rid of the mages, then
study the room. You'll see four Stone Guardians on pedestals around a seal of
Julianos. At the base of each Guardian is a handle. Turn each handle until
each Guardian is turned to face the seal of Julianos. You may have to turn
each handle multiple times until the Guardian rotates all the way around.
Once all four Guardians are facing the seal, a door in the south wall opens
and you can advance to the third area of the fort. Fortunately, there are no
more enemies or traps, so you can move ahead swiftly.
Area three is small--just a short tunnel and a big room. The room has a raised
platform with a chest and eight Stone Guardians around the edges of the room.
Each Guardian is turned away, facing the wall, and has a chest at its base.
The large chest in the center of the room is randomly filled with one of eight
items:
You have to take the item that appears in the large chest and place it in the
correct small chest at the base of one of the Guardians. When you place the
correct item in a Guardian's chest, the chest glows and the Guardian turns to
face the room. If you place the incorrect item in a Guardian's chest, nothing
happens. The item will randomly show up again in the large chest.
If you want to solve this yourself...why are you using a walkthrough? Anyway,
each time you take an item out of the chest, scan the room. One of the
Guardians will randomly display a floating image of the item it wants.
Start facing the door, the Guardians to the left, beginning with the one
closest to the door, take: sword, goblet, helm, stone. Facing the door, the
Guardians to the right, beginning with the one closest to the door, take:
book, hammer, skull, gem.
Lights flash, a door opens at the top of the stairs and you can go into the
next room and retrieve the Shield of the Crusader as well as other goodies.
Once you pick up the Shield, doors to either side of the altar open and you
can take a shortcut back to the top level of the fort. You'll come out on the
drawbridge you couldn't lower earlier. Leave Fort Bulwark and Fast Travel back
to the Priory of the Nine.
[KN08]
<~~~~~~ THE FAITHFUL SQUIRE ~~~~~~>
Upon your entry to the main Priory building, you'll be accosted by Lathon,
squire to Sir Roderic. (You may have met Roderic and Lathon on your Pilgrimage
if you used the wayshrines on the Prophet's map.) Lathon tells you of the
death of Sir Roderic at the hands (or ephemeral representations thereof) of
Sir Berich's ghost. Lathon presents you with the Greaves of the Crusader and
tells you the Sword of the Crusader is still in the misty appendages of Sir
Berich in Underpall Cave.
Further, Lathon asks if you'll allow him to join the newly formed Knights of
the Nine. If you say yes, Lathon not only becomes one of your Knights, he also
accompanies you on the upcoming quest for the Sword. If you're a stealthy
fighter, this won't be a good thing and Lathon will just keep getting in your
way. The upcoming mission is no more difficult than the invasion of the Shrine
of the Crusader, so tell Lathon to be patient a bit longer.
Explore the Priory a bit more. You'll see many of the people you have
previously met on this adventure. They have come to join your Order. (Yes,
it's your Order. Several of the warriors address you as Commander.) The place
is nice and livable now and has become a place of residence for you. And
there's a very nifty contraption in the Undercroft.
Go down to where the eight ghostly Knights still await the completion of Sir
Pelinal's crusade. Speak to Sir Amiel about Berich for a little more history
of the original Knights of the Nine. Behind Amiel is the armor stand where you
first found the Cuirass. Activate the stand and place all your current Relics
on it; then, target the bit of stand showing between the greaves and take all
the Relics back. You'll find them completely repaired and recharged and, if
you've increased enough in level, leveled up.
Seriously Sweet.
Leave the Priory and Fast Travel to Bruma. Refit yourself (healing potions,
arrows, etc.) and look for the quest marker pointing to Underpall Cave. It's
north of the Orange Road between Bruma and Chorrol. Leave Bruma by the East
Gate and travel the Orange Road toward Chorrol. When you get to a point east
or southeast of the cave, cut cross-country.
[KN09]
<~~~~~~ THE SWORD OF THE CRUSADER ~~~~~~>
When you reach the cave, go ahead and charge in. There's nothing in the cave
portion of this dungeon. Deep in the cave is a sunken fort; it is inside the
fort where you will encounter all the enemies (primarily undead, though a few
creatures show up as well).
Once inside the fort, advance to the first main room, kill the undead creeping
around, and make a U-turn down another south-running hallway. The other two
exits from this large room--to the east and west--lead back out into Underpall
Cave. There's a little loot on those paths if you're intent on scavenging as
much as possible.
Advance carefully down the south-running hall. There's one door that blocks
your way; on the other side is a rock-fall trap. Only take a step through the
door, then jump back to avoid the rocks. At the end of the hall is the door to
the Underpall Reflecting Room and your big boss fight with the remains of Sir
Berich.
Go through the entrance tunnel slowly. There are two ways to proceed; both are
about equivalent. You may or may not encounter any enemies, depending on your
level. The left (east) path has Sir Roderic's body. When you enter the main
chamber, you're in for a fight with a wraith. You'll need a silver, daedric or
enchanted weapon (such as the Mace of the Crusader), or spells. This can be a
difficult fight; however, there's plenty of room for maneuvering and you can
even run away into the tunnels for a bit to heal up. Just try not to fall into
the water, as there's only one place where you can climb back out.
When the wraith has spewed forth its final essence, pick up the Sword of the
Crusader.
*DO NOT EQUIP THE SWORD!*
It's cursed and, if you equip it, you will be cursed as well. Leave Underpall
the same way you came in and Fast Travel to Cheydinhal. Rest and refit before
entering the Temple of Arkay. Upon entering the Temple, you'll be attacked by
Aurorans. You have two choices:
1) Kill all the Aurorans (with the help of the other people inside the Temple)
and then pray at the altar to consecrate the Sword.
2) Run straight to the altar and pray to consecrate the Sword. You can then
use the Sword to kill the Aurorans.
Either way, the Aurorans end up dead, the Sword is now useable and you'll find
you've also lost the Curse of the Consumed you took from Kellen, descendant of
Sir Casimir. All-in-all, a good day's work. Return to the Priory of the Nine.
It's time to put an end to this business.
[KN10]
<~~~~~~ THE BLESSING OF TALOS ~~~~~~>
As soon as you arrive at the Prior, you're met by Sir Thedret. The Prophet has
come sticking his nose into your business again and is preaching to your
knights in the chapel. Well, you'll just have to see about this. Enter the
chapel and listen to the Prophet's sermon. He then approaches you and tells
you to get on with killing Umaril and all. As an aid, you get one thing
Pelinal did not: the Blessing of Talos. This Power will enable you to follow
Umaril into the spirit realm and destroy him once and for all.
After the Prophet's speech, go around the chapel and induct all the people who
want to become Knights of the Nine. They'll run off, suit up and head out for
Umaril's headquarters, Garlas Malatar. Before following them, head down into
the Undercroft and chat with the spirit of Sir Berich, now restored to his
brothers. Repair, recharge and (possibly) upgrade your Relics while you're
down there.
Ready to kick some butt?
[KN11]
<~~~~~~ UMARIL THE UNFEATHERED ~~~~~~>
Garlas Malatar is located on the coast, northwest of Anvil. Fast Travel to
Anvil and head out to the coast and then go north. You'll find some, if not
all, of your knights on the beach facing the bridge that leads over to the
main entrance. If all eight knights are not there, wait for a few minutes and
the rest will show up.
Once they are all gathered, give one of them the command to charge and they
will. They'll bowl over the two Aurorans stationed outside the main door, then
charge inside. Try to keep up. There are two more Aurorans in the first large
room, then your way is blocked by some gates. The button to open the gates is
on top of one of the altars in the room.
Before opening the gates, take the opportunity to walk around and use Merciful
Touch (healing Lesser Power granted by the Gauntlets) on your knights. Push
the button, charge up the stairs and continue your rampage through the ruins.
Your path leads to the northeast section of the ruins and through a door into
Garlas Malatar, Ceysel.
When you enter Ceysel, you'll be stopped by a couple of gates. The button to
push is right there--on the wall between the gates. Again, take the
opportunity to go around the use Merciful Touch on your companions. Open the
gates and charge into the next room.
Ignore the Aurorans and run around the right (east) side of the large raised
platform in the center. Go around the back and head west up a flight of stairs
and around to the top of the platform. Ignore any Aurorans that get in your
way. When you reach the glowing orb, Activate it to destroy it. The orb
explodes and time stops...
Now, you can take some time and loot the area. Your knights and the Aurorans
are gone; but, you can still collect welkynd stones and anything else you can
find lying around. You should also use this time to heal up and make sure
you're ready for battle.
When you're ready to move on, go back up to the orb platform and go north into
Garlas Malatar, Carac Abaran. Run through the halls, disposing of a couple
Aurorans on the way until you reach the main chamber, where Umaril is waiting
for you. The door is blocked behind you, so this is a fight to the finish.
Umaril is big and packs a big punch; but, he's predictable. He will
occasionally shoot lightning at you, which is easy to dodge. Then he'll run up
close and make a big thrusting attack. This attack is easy to avoid since he
spends a lot of time winding up. He is also easily distracted by other
enemies, so summon help if he's giving you fits.
Generally, if you just stay out of the way of his lightning blasts and sword
thrusts, you can take him down pretty easily with potshots from range or by
getting in a few, quick strikes right after he's made a sword attack. The
higher your level, the tougher Umaril will be; but, he should be manageable by
anyone.
When he's dead, you'll get a quest entry reminding you to cast The Blessing of
Talos to follow Umaril into the spirit realm. Don't rush off! Heal yourself
first and restore your Magicka as well. Loot the place. There are some Ayleid
casks around, not to mention Umaril's body and his sword. Once you've picked
the place clean, cast The Blessing of Talos.
You'll find yourself fighting in the clouds over Imperial City. Umaril is
quite a ways off, so take the opportunity to stick a couple of arrows into
him. (If they're poisoned first, so much the better.) Repeat your earlier
tactics. Umaril is no tougher now than he was earlier. When he dies, you fall
into mist...
And come to in the Undercroft of the Priory of the Nine. Sir Amiel chats with
you right before the old knights pass into glory. When you leave the
Undercroft, Sir Thedret greets you and tells you what happened in Garlas
Malatar after you destroyed the orb. He then goes out and speaks to your
assembled knights. They all cheer. And then...
[KN12]
<~~~~~~ EPILOGUE ~~~~~~>
Life goes on. You are now the Commander of the Knights of the Nine. There will
always be eight other knights available to you in the Priory. Any that were
killed in the attack on Garlas Malatar are replaced by generic, no-name NPCs.
You can, at any time, ask one of the knights to accompany you as a henchman-
type person.
There's also the armor stand in the Undercroft, waiting to repair, recharge
and upgrade your threads. You have your own bedroom in the Priory (to the left
at the top of the right-hand set of stairs). Right outside your room is a
bookshelf with a number of books about Pelinal and the original Knights. You
can read these sometime when you want more history of the original Crusader
and the Order. The altar in the Chapel functions just as the altars in the
Temples in the big cities, curing diseases, poisons, damaged attributes and
the like.
And, oh yes, there's the little matter of praying at the crypts of the eight
original knights. (Sir Berich, you may remember, is not buried in the
Undercroft.) Praying at a knight's crypt grants you a permanent boost to one
ability score. This remains in effect until such time as you pray at another
knight's crypt--i.e. only one of these blessings can be in effect at one time.
The amount of boost you get to your ability score depends on your level when
you pray. The knights and the blessings they bestow are:
Sir Gregory (Dibella): Fortify Personality
Sir Juncan (Kynareth): Fortify Speed
Sir Casimir (Mara): Fortify Endurance
Sir Torolf (Arkay): Fortify Willpower
Sir Henrik (Julianos): Fortify Intelligence
Sir Caius (Stendarr): Fortify Personality
Sir Ralvas (Zenithar): Fortify Luck
Sir Amiel (Akatosh): Fortify Strength
Remember, the cost of having all this goodness is you must keep your Infamy at
zero (0) or one (1). Anything higher and you have to walk the Pilgrim's Way
again to reduce your Infamy and be able to be the Crusader.
[SQ00]
~~The Elder Scrolls IV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SIDE QUESTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OBLIVION~~
These quests are arranged alphabetically by their title as given in the quest
log. See the Quest Index following for a regional breakdown of the quests. The
quests in this section are all those not tied specifically to the main quest
or any of the four main guilds.
[SQ38]
<~~~~~~ ATTACK ON FORT SUTCH ~~~~~~>
This is a simple Oblivion-gate closing operation. It's unique among the side
quests because there's a limited time-frame for completing the quest. The gate
opens after you've completed the "Dagon Shrine" quest in the main story; and,
of course, it closes automatically if you finish the main story.
During that time period, travel to Fort Sutch north-northeast of Anvil. Near
the ruined fort, Imperial Legion soldiers are fighting daedra spewing forth
from an Oblivion gate. Help them wipe out the daedra, then the Legion captain
will ask you to close the gate.
The gate leads to a random Oblivion world, which you've seen before if you've
been on a gate-closing spree.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ01]
<~~~~~~ THE ARENA ~~~~~~>
Imperial City, like any good Roman knock-off, has gladiatorial blood sports.
You can earn some quick cash by joining in the "fun", or, make some less-easy
cash betting on the action. The Arena district is located on the east side of
the city, between the Market district and the Arboretum. The only thing in the
district is the Arena itself, which, amazingly, looks a lot like the Roman
coliseum. The Arena is open for business, whether betting or fighting, from
9am to 9pm every day.
*BONUS*
To the south of the Arena are a pair sparring (Redguard and Argonian). They
spar most of the day, every day. Stand and watch them for a few minutes and
you will receive a +5 bonus to your Hand-to-Hand skill.
| Betting
+---------
Hundolin, the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Arena, is also the local
bookie. Make a bet on either the Yellow or Blue team for 25, 50 or 100 gold.
*THERE IS NO WAY TO GUARANTEE A WIN*
The two fighters are randomly equipped, and the fight may be fair--or not. You
can slightly influence the outcome with your Luck attribute. Once past 50, the
higher your Luck, the higher "your" fighters health. That's it. You take your
chances and hope you win. You can, of course, artificially boost your Luck
before placing a bet in order to move things in your favor, but that still
won't help if your guy gets stuck with light armor, no shield and a dagger and
the other guy gets heavy armor and a claymore.
| Fighting
+----------
Here's where things get interesting. You can make quite a lot of cash working
your way up the ladder--assuming you don't blow it all on healing potions.
Enter the main gate of the Arena, where Hundolin hangs out, and hang a left,
down the stairs into the Bloodworks. Find Owyn and ask him about joining.
There's a uniform required of each combatant, but you can pick Light or Heavy
raiment.
*NOTE* You have to wear the raiment to participate in a match.
This raiment is a full suit of armor, so you can't wear your own cuirass,
greaves, boots or gauntlets. You can wear your own helmet and use any shield
and weapon you like. You can also use spells, etc. Anything goes on the floor
of the Arena.
*BONUS* While you can't wear your own armor in the Arena, you can wear the
Arena raiment anywhere. It's enchanted armor (+2 Personality, +5 Athletics),
with base armor ratings of 10 for the light and 15 for the heavy. This is
pretty decent armor for the beginning of the game, so you might want to stop
by the Arena and join as soon as you exit the sewers. You don't have to start
fighting right away. (Remember, because it's enchanted, you can't repair it
unless you've reached Journeyman rank in Armorer.)
Fighting is a case of just working your way up the ladder. While your
opponents are leveled in keeping with your level, the Arena is a lot easier
once you have some enchanted weapons and a decent selection of spells.
To begin a match, suit up in your Arena raiment and talk to Owyn. He'll give
you a brief hint of what you're facing, and send you on your way up the ramp.
Note that you're fighting for the Blue team and you can't place a bet on
yourself.
Tactics for each fight will vary depending on the type of weapon being used
against you:
* One-handed weapon fighters: they are usually too fast for you to stay out
of range and fight with arrows or spells; step in with your own weapon,
block their attacks, then hit them with a power attack
* Two-handed weapon fighters: these guys are good at staggering you, but they
swing their weapons slowly; and they usually move slowly as well; you can
either stay away from them and hit them from range, or keep just out of
range of their weapon, then, just after they swing and miss, swiftly step
in and pop them a few times with a one-handed weapon.
* Mages: there are only two you face one-on-one and the best tactic is to
rush them and stagger them with power attacks
* Archers: like mages, it's best to charge them and stagger them with power
attacks. Use the columns in the center of the arena to "dodge" their
arrows.
* Twins: the wood elves are nasty and how you choose your poison is up to
you. Generally, the claymore fighter does a lot more damage to you and is
harder to take down. Try rushing the archer first. She'll keep backing
away, which keeps the fight moving, which should keep the fighter from
pounding your back with her big sword. Once the archer is dead, you can
devote your time to properly dealing with her sister.
* Three prisoners: while they are unarmed and unarmored, they have decent
Hand-to-Hand attacks and there are three of them. You want to separate them
and pick them off one-by-one. Explosive spells (such as Fireball) are a
good way of slowing one or two down. You can also weave in between the
columns, which should break them up. By no means let them surround you or
you're dead meat. They move fast, so trying to stay out of range and
hitting them with arrows or spells is a bad idea.
* Yellow team champion and allies: it's another 3-on-1 fight, but actually
it's 3-on-2. Owyn has pity on you and gives you the aid of a wild boar,
Porkchop. One way of dealing with this fight is concentrating on the
champion and hoping Porkchop occupies her allies enough so they don't
pester you. Or, you can try to quickly take out her allies--they're both
ranged fighters and subject to staggering. In this scenario, you hope the
allies run around enough the champion can't catch up with you and beat on
your backside.
* The Gray Prince: a very tough fighter. The bonus is you get to wear your
own armor. (The Orc has a special Raiment of Valor, so you'll want some
enchanted armor--and weapons--of your own.) He's a one-handed fighter so
the same basic tactics apply: block his attacks, then power attack in
return.
Optionally, you can complete "The Origin of the Gray Prince", in
which case gro-Malog will rush out into the Arena, and then beg you to kill
him. If you do this, the killing counts as the murder of an innocent, and
you'll be visited by the Dark Brotherhood the next time you sleep.
Once you've defeated The Gray Prince, you are Grand Champion of the Arena.
Battle Matron Ysabel Andronicus will continue to arrange fights for you; this
time against wild beasts and monsters, depending on your level. The reward is,
likewise, dependent on your level. You can ask for one fight each week.
Finally, when you exit the Arena after killing The Gray Prince, you are met by
an Adoring Fan. This youngster will follow you around, pestering you
endlessly. You can turn around and kill him, thus earning some skill
experience, and he'll respawn in front of the Arena, where you can go pick him
up in order to kill him again. (Make sure you do this killing out in the
wilderness, so you don't get arrested for it.) Other than that, Adoring Fan is
mostly just useless.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ39]
<~~~~~~ BEAR SEASON ~~~~~~>
Shardrock farm is a small homestead north of the road between Skingrad and
Kvatch, north-northeast of Miscarcand (from the main story). Shepherd Thorley
Aethelred is having troubles with bears. They've been killing his sheep, and
he asks you to do something about it. Specifically, he wants you to kill six
of the bears, and hopes that will scare off the remainder.
There are at least eight bears (possibly more) spread out around Shardrock. A
Detect Life spell is useful here for finding the bears. These are very tough
animals, and occasionally get close enough to each other that it's impossible
to separate them. For ranged characters, there are a lot of rocks about that
you can jump up to, but the bears can't--useful for sniping these beasts.
Take the fangs from the corpses. Once you have six, head back to the farm;
Aethelred will award you a skill book that boosts one of your combat skills.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ02]
<~~~~~~ A BROTHERHOOD BETRAYED ~~~~~~>
Rumors are flying about Bruma that a vampire hunter named Raynil Dralas has
killed a vampire in their very midst. Visit the vampire's home, his name is
Bradon Lirrian and he lives on the west side of the chapel. Inside you'll find
city guard Carius Runellius. Raise his Disposition score to 70 and he'll give
you the full story. Bradon's body is on the bed nearby.
Also present is Bradon's distraught wife, Erline. She says her husband was no
vampire and wants you to ferret out the truth. Your journal suggest talking to
a merchant about the location of Dralas, and, in fact, this is just what you
should do. Several of the merchants can point you to Olav's Tap and Tack, next
to the East Gate.
Go see Olav. With a Disposition of at least 70, Olav will give you a key to
search Dralas' room. You can also just break-and-enter. Inside, you find a
diary partially hidden behind the dresser. Reading it will give you the full
scoop on what's happening.
Return to the Lirrian house and show the journal to Runellius. He'll order a
city-wide search for Dralas and ask you to meet him in one hour at Olav's.
When you meet him, he reports Dralas has made for Boreal Stone Cave. Runellius
wants you to go catch him, as he thinks Dralas might scare off if he sees city
guards shadowing him.
Runellius gives you a time limit of one day, and you must reach Boreal within
that time, else Dralas gets away clean. The cave isn't far west of the city,
and Dralas waits for you almost right inside the door. This can only come to
violence. Retire Dralas from his vampire hunting job and get three keys from
his body.
Use the keys to open the chest nearby and get an ordinary amulet. Return to
Erline Lirrian with the amulet and she "unlocks" it and gives it back, now a
shiny Phylactery of Litheness, which has a Fortify Speed enchantment keyed to
your level.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ29]
<~~~~~~ A BRUSH WITH DEATH ~~~~~~>
The rumor mill in Cheydinhal points you to a missing husband. (Wives in
Cyrodiil keep losing their husbands. Is something wrong with them or the men?)
Tivela Lythandas's husband, the famous painter Rythe Lythandas, vanished from
his locked studio. You're asked to play Holmes and solve this little mystery.
The Lythandas live in the southwest corner of Cheydinhal, near the house you
can buy for yourself. Tivela more fully explains the situation and gives you a
key to the studio. Inside, take a look at Rythe's current painting, then
Activate it. You skidoo right into the painting!
In front of you is the great painter himself, who 'fesses up about his secret:
a magic paintbrush. Some thief came in, stole the brush, then got trapped in
the painting. The thief then painted some trolls to protect him, but the
trolls killed him. You have to fight your way through the trolls and get the
paintbrush off the thief's corpse so you and Rythe can get out.
Set off north. You have to work your way north, then west, then south to find
the thief, killing six painted trolls along the way. Rythe gives you six
bottles of turpentine that act as poison for your weapon. The Turpentine is
leveled and does anywhere from +20 to +250 damage to painted trolls (depending
on your level). Loot each troll for Painted Troll Fat, useful for alchemical
products and available nowhere else.
Once you reach the thief, take the Brush of Truepaint from his body and go
straight north. From this direction, you can jump up the rocks and drop down
right back where you started. Give the Brush to Rythe. He paints a door and
you can both leave.
Back in the real world of computer-generated graphics, Rythe asks you to keep
the Brush a secret and gives you the Apron of Adroitness, which Fortifies
Intelligence and Agility.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ03]
<~~~~~~ CANVAS THE CASTLE ~~~~~~>
Visit the castle in Chorrol between the hours of 8am and 6pm and talk to
Countess Valga. She is busy hunting a stolen painting. Offer to help and
she'll give you the names of five people:
* Chanel, the court mage, suspect
* Orgnolf, porter, suspect
* Bittneld, guard captain, witness
* Orok gro-Ghoth, steward, witness
* Laythe Wavrick, herald, witness
Speak to all five. Chanel, Orgnolf and gro-Ghoth can usually be found in the
private area of the castle (for which you are given a key). Wavrick typically
hangs out in the audience chamber with the Countess. Bittneld can be a
problem. He makes regular patrols around town. Perhaps you'll get lucky and
find him in the castle, otherwise you're going to have to run him down.
Once you've heard all five stories, it becomes apparent Chanel is hiding
something. You know she spends time in the West Tower, so go there and find
the trap door in the floor. Use the trap door and carefully search to find a
partially completed painting. Activate it to add it to your quest entries.
Now head for the dining room, which is just off the attendance hall, and look
around on the rug. You should spot some paint stains in the shape of
footprints. Activate them to update your journal. Return to the private area
and Chanel's bedroom. Open her lectern to find paint supplies.
Talk to Chanel and Accuse her. You must max out her Disposition score in order
for her to confess to the crime and give you the painting. You now have two
choices:
1) Report in full to the Countess, who rewards you and banishes Chanel.
2) Refuse to accuse either suspect to the Countess, who gives you a little
money anyway. Return the painting to Chanel, who will paint you a picture of
your own that you can display in your house (if you buy a house).
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ27]
<~~~~~~ CAUGHT IN THE HUNT ~~~~~~>
Chase the rumor mill in Bravil to learn about Ursanne Loche's missing husband.
Find Ms. Loche and question her. Her husband, Aleron, is a gambler heavily in
debt to a loan shark named Kurdan gro-Dragol. Aleron was supposed to meet gro-
Dragol at the Lonely Suitor Lodge yesterday, and he hasn't come back.
Go to the Lonely Suitor and seek out Messr. gro-Dragol. Once you get his
Disposition to 60, he does, indeed, know where Aleron is; but, before he'll
tell you, you must do him a favor. Go to Fort Grief out on an island in the
bay, and retrieve gro-Dragol's father's axe. That's the only way you or
Ursanne will see Aleron alive again.
When you're ready, gro-Dragol even provides transportation. Go down to the
little public dock on the river flowing through the middle of Bravil and
there's a boat waiting. Activate it to be transported to Fort Grief. The gate
leading into the fort must be opened with a wheel located on the ground to the
right.
Inside, the gate slams shut, you find Aleron and you get all the details on
gro-Dragol's little trap. You and Aleron are the prey in a little game of
hunt-the-human(oid). There are three hunters inside the fort, and you will
have to kill them all to get the key to the inner gatehouse, allowing you both
to escape.
Inside you go. There's nothing inside but the three hunters and a few low-
level critters, such as rats. Just to your left as you enter is the gatehouse.
You need a key to get in there. Down the hall is a little room with a rock
column in the center. The Imperial hunter waits here. If you're the Stealthy
type, you can use the center column for cover while you snipe at the hunter
from range, but you'll probably still have to fall back on sword & shield
because of the close quarters. Loot his body for the First Key.
Follow the path to a stone bridge. If you have good Speed, run across the
bridge. Two spiked barrels will swing down to knock you off, but you can avoid
them if you're fast enough. If you're not fast enough, swim through the
channel to the northeast and make the first left-hand turn that you can and
then another left.
Assuming you made it across the bridge, turn left at the next intersection,
jump over the hole in the floor and take the first right.
The two paths are now together again. There's an arrow trap on the far wall,
so don't dally. Around the corner, watch for the tripwire on the floor, it
sets off some poison gas vents. The Nord hunter waits just ahead. The room
forms a sort-of squared figure-eight. Again, Stealthy types can use the center
columns for cover. You can also try to lead him back through the traps that
you just came through. Loot the Nord for the Second Key.
Beyond the Nord, to the southwest, is the door to The Hunter's Abyss. You need
both Hunter's Keys to open this door. Down the hall, take the first left,
skipping over the tripwire. Follow the tunnels, watching out for another
tripwire along the way. You'll eventually reach a set of stairs leading down
into a large room with a pool. The Orc hunter waits here.
Stealthy fighters should try to peg an arrow into the Orc from the top of the
stairs, then leap onto the little platforms along the side of the steps. With
a high enough Sneak skill, you can crouch there and pepper the Orc with arrows
without being detected. Otherwise, keep the fight down in the pool room--you
don't want to get into confined quarters with this guy.
After he's dead, loot the Fort Grief Key from his body and exit the pool room
to the southwest. Take the first right and follow the tunnel to a door that
brings you out over the stone bridge you crossed not long ago. Drop down and
run back up to the gatehouse.
Uh oh. The key doesn't work. Raise your hand if you didn't see that coming.
Exit the Hunter's Run and watch gro-Dragol kill Aleron. Poor guy. You now have
to kill gro-Dragol to get the real gatehouse key. Stealthy fighters will want
to Sneak up the stairs next to the main door and snipe gro-Dragol from up
there. Regular fighters will appreciate the wide-open area in which to engage
the Orc.
Take his real key, open the gatehouse just inside Hunter's Run, and turn the
handle to open the main gate. Take the boat back to Bravil, find Ursanne and
explain what happened. She's devastated, but gives you a Speechcraft skill-
training book as a reward for trying to help.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ30]
<~~~~~~ THE COLLECTOR ~~~~~~>
This is a wide-ranging quest dealing with the recovery of ten Ayleid statues
from ten ruined Ayleid sites. To get this quest started, you must retrieve one
of the ten statues listed below. Now, if you want to do this quest the "right"
way, you would sell the statue to any merchant for about 125 gold; then, you
wait until you are contacted by Jollring, a servant in the household of
Umbacano.
But, if you want to make a few hundred extra gold and not go through the
waiting period, go straight to Umbacano. Umbacano lives in the Talos Plaza
district of Imperial City. His house opens onto the northeast quarter of the
central plaza. When entering his house, speak to Jollring and you'll be
escorted upstairs to Umbacano.
Umbacano wants to collect the complete set of ten Ayleid statues; but, he
doesn't know which sites have statues. You're on your own there (fortunately,
you have this guide, while Umbacano does not). Umbacano promises 500 gold for
each statue, plus a bonus of 5,000 gold when you have returned all the statues
to him.
After you've brought back a second statue, Umbacano gives you five sites that
his research reveals have statues. That's all you get in the game to help you
out. After bringing back one more statue (total of three), Umbacano will offer
you another job. This kicks off "Nothing You Can Possess".
The ten Ayleid ruins containing statues are:
1) Culotte
-----------
Culotte is located on the east bank of the Upper Niben River about halfway
between Niben Bay and Lake Rumare. If you find the 'T' in "The Yellow Road",
it sits just on the northeast corner of that 'T'. This is a simple, single-
level undead lair. In fact, it looks very simple going in, because there's
nothing in there.
Run down the stairs and all the way to the end of the first hall. There's a
pressure plate in this room, stand on it, then go back up one flight of steps
and take a right. This will lead you down and around to a raised bridge over
two large rooms full of coffins. At the end of the bridge, you'll go down some
steps and into the southeast coffin area. At the far end is the room with the
statue.
Of course, nothing could be that simple. Stepping into the statue room spawns
six undead in the dungeon. Two are in each coffin area and two more wait in
the main hall on the way to the exit. A trap may have taken out the bridge
between the two coffin rooms, if so, jump through the gap to the northwest
room and find the exit on the north wall.
2) Fanacas
-----------
This one-level vampire lair is north-northeast of Cheydinhal. (It's one of the
map markers you can get by standing on Dive Rock.) Find Lake Arrius north of
Cheydinhal and go due east from the eastern-most tip of the lake. There are
about a half-dozen different ways to go through this dungeon, but if you're
just looking for the quickest way to the statue...
Go straight from the entrance to the big, flooded room. Immediately dive into
the water to your right (south) and find the submerged tunnel. At the top of
the tunnel, turn right (west) and circle back around toward your starting
point. You'll find a pressure plate that opens the door in front of you and
another door beyond, leading north.
Go through this door and follow the bridge around, going east, then north into
another room. Take the southeast exit onto another bridge and follow it to
another, smaller flooded room. Jump in the water and find the tunnel leading
northeast. At the end of the tunnel is the statue.
You can return the way you came, or you can circle to the south and west,
where you'll eventually run into the boss vampire, with appropriate loot.
3) Mackamentain
----------------
North of Silverfish River is a little unnamed lake. Mackamentain sits on the
north shore of that lake. It's a three-level necromancer hangout, so be
prepared for the usual mixture of conjurers and undead.
The first large room has four varla stones. The buttons to raise the covers
are in alcoves on the northwest and southeast sides of the room. Down the hall
to the next room, be wary of the trap in the center else you will find
yourself becoming a fixture on the ceiling.
The second level is called Tombs of the Undead and you want to avoid those
tombs. From your entry point, go straight and hang a left at the top of the
stairs. This takes you over the undead wandering among their coffins and
eventually to the door to the Necromancer's Asylum. This is just one big room
with the boss necromancer and two or three undead. The statue is in the middle
of the room.
Leave the Asylum to the northwest for a shortcut back to the varla stone room
and the dungeon exit.
4) Moranda
-----------
If you draw a straight line between Castle Chorrol and Castle Bruma, Moranda
is about halfway along that line. There's a section of the Orange Road between
the two cities that curves south; Moranda sits at the top-center of that
"cup". Bring spells, potions or equipment with poison resistance.
This three-level dungeon is a mythical creature lair. If you have good lock
picking ability, you only need to go through a small portion of the dungeon.
At the bottom of the stairs is a four-way intersection. Take the southeast
path by picking the lock on the gate. Go straight through the next room and
along the hall to a door to Moranda Abaspania.
This level has no creatures, but it is full of poison gas. In the first room,
take the left-hand exit and the statue is in the center of the next room. (You
can pick up a varla stone in the room southeast of the statue room, the button
to open the cage is in the alcove on the southwest wall.) Return the way you
came and you're done.
Now, if you want to thoroughly loot this dungeon (there's a nice boss-level
chest to be had and two varla stones), or, if you can't pick the lock to take
the shortcut...
From the entrance, continue straight until you reach the second four-way
intersection. Go southeast, straight through the next room to a door that
leads to Moranda Arastel. This level is basically one huge, multi-level room.
From your entrance point, go into the large room and up the stairs in front of
you. Turn right along this "bridge" in the center of the room, then right
again at the end of the bridge. The room to the southeast has a varla stone; a
pressure plate in front of the column opens the cage.
At the northeast end of the main room, take either hall and go around to a
small room with a big treasure in the Ayleid Reliquary. The treasure includes
the key that will get you back out. Back in the main room, go along the bridge
and down the stairs opposite the ones you came up. The hall leading northwest
goes back to the first level of Moranda.
Back in Moranda, follow the hall to the first room, then exit to the
southwest. This hall leads to a door going into Moranda Abaspania. Again, no
creatures, just lots of poison gas. From the first room, take the right-hand
exit to find the statue.
From the statue room, take the northeast exit and turn right to reach another
varla stone. The button that opens the cage is in the alcove on the southwest
wall. Take the southwest exit from this room and straight through the next
room to return to the first level. Follow the hall, straight through the room,
and the key you got from the boss chest will open the gate leading to the
dungeon exit.
5) Ninendava
-------------
Northwest of Moranda is the single-level vampire and undead lair, Ninendava.
Reaching it can be difficult, as there's no direct route up the mountains from
Moranda. Your best bet is to start in Bruma and work your way west along the
Jerall Mountains. There's an unmarked road that runs along the southern face
of this mountain range, and Ninendava lies at the end of that road.
From Bruma's North Gate, go around the west side of the town and find the road
heading west. When it forks, take the right/northwest fork. You should run
right past Applewatch (Dark Brotherhood quests) and Boreal Stone Cave ("A
Brotherhood Betrayed"). When you pass over a wood bridge, the path splits
again, this time take the left/west fork to run right into Ninendava.
If you have decent lock picking ability, this couldn't be easier. From the
entrance, go straight until you come to a T-intersection. From the T, go left
(west) and up the stairs. Pick the lock on the gate, and collect the statue.
You might have to kill two creatures along the way.
If your lock picking is on the level of a slug, there is a key, but you have
to fight your way through every denizen of this dungeon. At the T, go right
(east) and down the stairs. You eventually reach a large room. The key is on a
table in a small alcove at the extreme west end of that room.
6) Vilverin
------------
This may well be the first ruin you visit and the way you kick off this quest.
After all, it's the first thing you see when you exit the tutorial sewers at
the beginning of the game. It sits on a little island in Lake Rumare, just
across from that infamous sewer grate.
There are two bandits outside and several more on the first level of this four
level dungeon. At the very bottom of the first flight of stairs inside
Vilverin is a large room containing up to four bandits. Caution is advised and
careful use of arrows or spells to separate the bandits is the best policy.
To the south of the large room is the bandits' sleeping quarters, which
contains a decent amount of loot. To the north, drop down (or take the stairs
to the northwest) to the lower level of the large room and head east. In the
next room you'll find the door to Vilverin Canosel.
From here on out, you'll be facing undead rather than bandits. The first room
in Canosel is divided by four columns and there's a cask in the center. Go
west from this room into a large square room with an exit to the north. Avoid
that exit; instead, enter the niche on the west wall and find the pressure
plate behind the coffin. It opens a path to the south.
Advance cautiously to a very large room with a pool in the center and at least
three undead. The door to Vilverin Wendesel is to the west. The first large
room in Wendesel has a pit trap in the center. Use arrows or spells to lure
the undead in the room over the pit trap, then skirt the edge of it and
continue.
At the intersection, turn south. This next room has six doors (three on a
side). Behind five doors are undead, behind the sixth door is the key to the
gate to the west. Two columns with six push buttons are at the east end of the
room; Activating the buttons opens the doors. You can: 1) open all the doors,
killing the undead, collecting a little loot and the key; 2) open the door
just to get the key, it's the top right button; 3) pick the lock on the gate
and ignore the buttons.
The next room has a varla stone in a cage. The push button to open the cage is
up on the balcony on the south side of the room. From that balcony, you go
through to Vilverin Sel Sancremathi, the final level of the dungeon.
Down the first hall, straight ahead through a swinging blades trap, is the
statue. Dodge the blades, grab the statue, then continue straight (west)
through more swinging blades. At the top of the stairs is Jalbert, a leveled
necromancer. Kill him, then loot his room. On the table is a key to a gate
that is a shortcut out of the dungeon. (The key is actually lying on the
table, not in a container, so you may need a torch or Night Eye to see it. You
can also just pick the lock on the gate.)
When you're done, take the north exit, through the aforementioned locked gate,
and back to the first level of Vilverin. When you drop down, you're near the
exit and you're done.
7) Welke
---------
Find the Panther River east-southeast of Bravil. It curves north, then south,
then east, then branches north and south. From the branch point, follow the
south branch, traveling on the east bank of the river, and you'll stumble
across this three-level undead crypt.
The fastest way through requires picking an easy lock--take a right at the end
of the entrance hall, pick the lock on the gate, and follow the only path to
Welke Ceyede. Follow the main path until you reach a T-intersection, then turn
right (northwest). You'll have to swim through a submerged tunnel, and you'll
come out into a room with at least three leveled undead, so be prepared. In
the southwest corner of this room is the door to Welke Edesel.
Edesel is a small room with several coffins and one boss-level undead. You can
fight it or Sneak away with the statue, which is on a coffin in the center of
the room. Get out the same way you came in.
8) Wendelbek
-------------
Southeast of Bravil, the Panther River winds its way through the Nibenay
Valley. Two northbound tributaries form a bowl along the eastern half of the
Panther, Wendelbek lies in this bowl. If you mark the 'V' in "Nibenay Valley"
and draw a line due east, you'll find this ruin just past the first tributary.
(If you've already been to Welke, just go northeast from there, across the
Panther and you'll find Wendelbek.)
Wendelbek is a four-level necromancer headquarters, as announced by the black
altar out front. The statue is on level three, so you don't have to go through
the whole dungeon to get it. The quickest route to the statue is to go
straight from the main entrance, along a balcony.
When the balcony curves east, continue straight rather than take the left
(south) branch. Keep following it until you reach a left-hand turn, then on to
the door to Wendelbek Aldmerisel. Aldmerisel is basically one large room with
a platform in the center. For a varla stone, snipe the necromancers on the
central platform, jump down into the pit, find the push button and climb the
stairs to reach the stone on the table on the platform.
To reach the next level of the dungeon, climb the stairs in the northeast
corner of the room to a push button. This opens a gate in the east wall of the
main room and you can get to Wendelbek Sel Aran Mathmedi. To reach the statue,
turn left from the entrance, follow the hall all the way around, avoiding any
turns, until you are on a raised walkway overlooking the lowest level of the
main room. Take a left at the T-intersection and the statue will be right
around the corner.
Now, you can take the statue and run, or continue to the final level and
collect a boss chest and two more varla stones. From the statue, jump down to
the lower floor and go down the steps to the south. In the next room is a door
to Wendelbek Silaseli. Take out the two necromancers in front of you, then on
to the first large room.
There are two varla stones at the top of the stairs, and they aren't covered.
Follow the east hall to the headquarters of the necromancer adept and collect
the loot. From the adept's room, exit to the west for a shortcut back to level
one of the dungeon.
9) Wendir
----------
This two-level undead dungeon lies south of Chorrol. If you've done "Shadow
Over Hackdirt", travel to Hackdirt and go northwest. Otherwise, travel due
south from Chorrol's South Gate until you reach Fort Carmala, and then turn
due west. Bring lots of lockpicks, the Skeleton Key or Open Very Hard Lock
spells.
At the end of the first hall, turn right and pick the lock on the gate. Follow
this upper hallway all the way around until you reach the door to Wendir
Nagasel. In the first room of Nagasel, be wary of the pit trap. As you go down
the next hall, at the bottom of a stairway is a pressure plate. Stepping on
this opens a door to a couple of undead back down the hall.
You soon reach a balcony overlooking a large, three-tier room. You're on the
top tier. If you're very good with a bow or spells, you may be able to snipe
the undead boss in the center, second tier of the room. Continue along the
balcony until it takes you down to the second tier.
Turn left at the bottom of the stairs and then right and push the button to go
through the gate and face off against the boss. (If you killed him from the
balcony, so much the better.) The statue is around to your left. Return to the
balcony and, halfway down, is a shortcut door to the beginning of the dungeon.
Assuming you can't pick locks, then, from the dungeon entrance, you'll have to
drop down into the large room. Fight your way south into the next area, then
east to find the door to Nagasel. In Nagasel, you'll enter a room with a pit
trap in the center. Exit to the northeast, which places you on the lowest tier
of the boss room. The stairs up to the boss are in the northeast corner of the
room. Down here, the room is full of poison gas. After killing the boss and
getting the statue, you can use the same shortcut up on the balcony.
10) Wenyandawik
----------------
Wenyandawik is northwest of Bravil, kind of all by itself--there's nothing
else nearby. The best way to find it is to find the 'R' in "The Green Road"
and go straight south.
The first level of this undead home is one large, two-tier room. Kill the
undead in the room, then use the exit to the north to reach Wenyandawik
Edesel. In Edesel, turn left, kill a couple of rats and collect two varla
stones. Then go west along the hall. Twice as you advance, secret passages
will open either to your side or in front of you, revealing undead. Tread
carefully.
When the hall turns left (south), a secret door will have opened in front of
you. Go through the secret passage and up the stairs to the boss lair. The
statue is in the southern part of the room, once the boss is dead. You can't
go back the way you came. Leave this room to the south, drop down into the
hallway and there's a door back into the first level of the dungeon.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ28]
<~~~~~~ CORRUPTION AND CONSCIENCE ~~~~~~>
*NOTE* This quest removes Captain Ulrich Leland from service in Cheydinhal.
Captain Leland is one of your better fighters in the Defense of Bruma quest in
the main story. You don't want to complete this quest before finishing Defense
of Bruma.
The rumor mill in Cheydinhal is full of complaints about heavy fines imposed
by the new captain of the guard, Ulrich Leland. Following up on the rumor
points you to Uevana Nedaren who lives near the chapel. Find her and talk to
her. She's not hesitant to open up about the problems. Nedaren gives you two
names: Aldos Othran, who lost his house for being drunk & disorderly; and,
Garrus Darelliun, second-in-command of the guard.
Darelliun is usually in the castle audience chamber during the day. Seek him
out, raise his Disposition to 60 and he'll agree to help you by bringing
Leland up on charges. But first, he needs a witness. Othran seems to be the
perfect fit.
Find Othran and talk to him. Unfortunately, your pep talk puts the wrong kind
of pep in him. He races to his house and confronts the guard outside the door.
The guard ends up killing him. Report this development to Nedaren. She gets
really ticked off and suggests you ask Leland over to her place for a little
"chat".
Go see Darelliun. He doesn't like the sound of Nedaren's scheme and suggests
another avenue of attack: pilfer evidence from Leland's quarters. (Rules of
evidence seem not to have developed in Cyrodiil at this point in history.) You
can follow either plan, the only difference being the amount of gold given you
as a reward at the end of the quest.
1) Nedaren's plan: Follow your quest marker to Leland, raise his Disposition
to 60 and invite him over for tea. Leland and Nedaren scream at each other for
a moment, then Nedaren paralyzes him and calls her pet rats down for dinner.
Yech. Report this back to Darelliun. He's not happy about it, Nedaren will
have to do some time, but you're off the hook and get some glittery coins for
your trouble.
2) Darelliun's plan: During the day, when Leland is on patrol, Sneak into the
castle barracks and open the left hand door on the back wall (Darelliun gives
you the key). The evidence you want is a letter lying on a book on top of the
desk. Take this back to Darelliun and he takes off to arrest his superior.
Everybody lives, the only person in gaol is Leland and you get extra glittery
coins for helping out.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ04]
<~~~~~~ DAEDRIC QUESTS ~~~~~~>
Each daedric quest involves finding a shrine, bringing an offering, talking to
the spirit of the daedra lord and then running errands for him or her.
Complete the errand and you get a daedric artifact. Each quest has certain
prerequisites, usually a minimum level, and various offerings.
Most shrines have to be found by exploring. A few are pointed out to you by
various persons. One, Azura's, is blatantly marked for you at a certain point
in the main story. You can "discover" information about the shrines in the
main game in one of several ways:
* Martin will give you a book listing some of the shrines when he gives you
the "Blood of the Daedra" quest in the main story. This is when Azura's
shrine is marked for you.
* You can also find a copy of the same book, "Modern Heretics", in the library
of Arcane University, if you've advanced the Mages Guild quests enough to
have access to the library.
* You may overhear people talking about daedra worship, which will give you
a new topic (Daedra) with some townsfolk. Using that topic will generally
get you a pointer to a specific shrine.
The quests are listed here by their level requirement.
| Azura [DQ01]
+--------------
Requirements: At least level 2
Offering: Glow dust
Reward: Azura's Star, a re-useable grand soul gem
Azura's shrine is located north-northeast of the Lake Arrius Caverns you visit
in the Dagon Shrine quest part of the main story. It is usually the first
shrine mentioned in the game. The offering, glow dust, is a by-product of the
will-o-wisp, which can be difficult to find. The easiest way to get glow dust
is to go to the Bruma Mages Guild and ask to join (if not already a member).
Go to the basement and pick some glow dust up from a table in the alchemy
room. You may also be able to find some in one of the alchemy shops in
Imperial City.
During the hours of dawn (roughly 5 - 7am) or dusk (roughly 5 - 7pm), Activate
the statue of Azura with some glow dust in your pocket. In times past, Azura
sent five followers to kill a vampire lord. They succeeded, but at the price
of becoming vampires themselves. They sealed themselves in the cave of the
vampire lord. Azura wants you to grant them "eternal peace".
Joy. Azura marks a "Gutted Mine" on your map to the southeast. Stock up and
head out. The cavern is small, and contains only the five vampiric followers
of Azura. Advance very slowly and try to take them on one at a time. The first
three tend to be close together (they are marked on your map), so separating
them can be difficult.
One option, submitted by reader jbucking, is to enter during daylight, get the
attention of the vampires, then run outside. They'll follow you and you'll
have more room to maneuver as well as receive additional help from the sun,
which does extra damage to the vampires.
Fire works well on vamps, so use that if you have it. You will almost
certainly get infected with porphyric hemophilia (the vampire disease). Don't
worry about it until you've finished the task. The last two vampires are
located in a secret chamber opened with a pull cord in the first large room
you come to.
After all five are dead, return to Azura and she'll reward you with a re-
useable grand soul gem, Azura's Star. If you're heavily dependant on enchanted
weapons, this may be a very useful item. On the other hand, you can get
enchanted weapons recharged at any Mages Guild hall, and regular soul gems are
found quite frequently.
Once you're done, use a Cure Disease potion or visit a temple in a city to
cure your porphyric hemophilia. Or, get ready to run from sunlight for the
rest of the game. For more about Vampirism, see the section under
Miscellaneous Adventures.
| Sheogorath [DQ02]
+-------------------
Requirements: At least level 2
Offering: Lesser soul gem, lettuce, yarn
Reward: Wabbajack, a staff with...well, Wabbajack power
This is a weird one, but, then, Sheogorath is apparently the daedric lord of
practical jokes. You'll find his shrine halfway between Bravil and Leyawiin,
west of the main road between the two cities. It's off the beaten track, but
you can find it by lining yourself up with the 'B' in "Bravil" on your world
map and going straight south.
You should be able to scavenge the offering from houses and guild halls in
Bravil. Activate the statue with the offering in inventory and Sheogorath
complains about the boring population of Border Watch, a small Khajiit
settlement to the south. He wants you to go there and stir things up a bit.
Go to Border Watch and ask about the K'Sharra Prophecy. You'll be referred to
Ri'Bassa, town shaman. Find him and get his Disposition to 60 and he'll tell
you the first two portents of the apocalypse: plague of rats and the death of
all the livestock. He won't tell you the third portent, but you don't need to
worry about that one anyway.
Go to the only inn in town, at the top of the hill, to the left of the stairs.
Talk to the innkeeper about cheese and she'll tell you all about her prized
collection. You're interested in the rare Olroy cheese. Wait until the middle
of the night, break into the blue-lined display case and steal the Olroy
cheese. (If your lockpicking skills are weak, you can pickpocket the key from
the sleeping innkeeper.) Go outside and dump it in the cooking pot nearby.
Wait until morning and the town will be infested by rats. Watch as Ri'Bassa
runs up the steps and puts down rat poison. Once he's placed the poison, go
pick it up. Enter the sheep pen down the street from the inn and put the rat
poison in the food trough. Wait an hour and the sheep will all be dead.
Sheogorath then speaks and tells you to go to the center of town and watch the
third portent. Go halfway down the stairs and watch the anti-climactic show.
Return to the shrine and you are rewarded with Wabbajack--a staff that, when
used on a creature (i.e. not a human, orc or elf) will transform that creature
into another, random creature. You might turn a goblin into a spider daedra,
or a spriggan into a sheep.
You just never know...
| Namira [DQ03]
+---------------
Requirements: At least level 5
Personality of 20 or lower
Offering: None
Reward: Ring of Namira, Reflect Damage and Reflect Spell enchantments
Namira's shrine is east-southeast of Bruma. Go due east from Bruma's East Gate
until you reach The Plundered Mine, guarded by a couple of goblins. From the
mine, turn south and bear east and you should find the shrine easily. Namira
requires no offering, but you must be a person others find to be...less than
pleasing to the eye.
You have to get your Personality to 20 or lower. The easiest way to do this is
to tank up on Cheap Wine--each bottle drains your Personality by 10 points, so
if your Personality is 53, you would need to drink 4 bottles of Cheap Wine.
Cheap Wine can be found in many houses, including those you have purchased if
you've purchased the furnishings that add a wine rack. You can also buy Cheap
Wine in many inns and taverns. Get enough bottles to do the trick, go to the
shrine, then drink up. Talk to Namira to get the quest.
Namira has some followers called "Forgotten". They live in the darkness of the
Ayleid ruin, Anga. Some priests of Arkay are trying to give them some light.
Namira teaches you a spell to shroud the priests in darkness. She asks only
that you cast the spell on each priest and let the Forgotten do the rest.
Nothing could be simpler. Anga is almost due south of the shrine and is a
single, fairly small level. The priests are not hostile. Cast your new spell,
Namira's Shroud, at each one (they are marked on your map) and watch some
Forgotten run in and bash the priests to death.
When all the priests are dead, find the secret room in the southern-most point
of the ruin. There's a pushbutton to open it in the long hall that runs along
the southeastern side of the dungeon. There are two undead in the room and two
chests. The chest along the west wall contains boss-level treasure.
Be careful you don't kill a priest or a Forgotten. That cancels your reward,
which is a nice ring with leveled Reflect Damage and Reflect Spell
enchantments.
| Vaermina [DQ04]
+-----------------
Requirements: At least level 5
Offering: Black soul gem
Reward: Skull of Corruption
Vaermina's shrine is southwest of Cheydinhal. Find Lake Poppad on your map;
the shrine sits on the eastern shore. To get this task, you must present
Vaermina with a black soul gem. That, in itself, could drive you nuts. Black
soul gems aren't just sold in stores like normal soul gems. So your only
options are to find one or make one.
For both operations, Dark Fissure is the place to start. It's east (and just a
little north) from the shrine, on the eastern bank of the Reed River. This is
a necromancer lair and necromancers are the source of soul gems. You can loot
the caves, and hope you find a black soul gem in its depths. If not, you can
make one at the altar outside the entrance to Dark Fissure.
To make a black soul gem, you need an empty grand soul gem and a Soul Trap
spell (any level spell will do). You can purchase grand soul gems from the
Mystic Emporium in Imperial City, if your level is high enough. Edgar's
Discount Spells, across the street, will sell you a Soul Trap spell.
Return to Dark Fissure and Wait until midnight. Look for a bright cone of
light shining down around the altar. (It's easier to see this cone if you look
up into the sky, rather than looking at the altar.) If there's no bright
light, Wait 24 hours and try again. Sometime during the week, a bright cone of
light will shine down on the altar. When it does, put your empty grand soul
gem in the altar and cast Soul Trap on the altar. Remove your shiny new black
soul gem.
Once you have the required offering, present it to Vaermina for her quest. The
Wizard Arkved has stolen the Orb of Vaermina and she wants it back. Arkved's
Tower is south-southwest of the shrine and leads to a seven-level mini-
dungeon. Each level is very short and filled with leveled daedra.
The first two levels are a straight shot through some rather unusual rooms.
(In one, the table and chairs are on the ceiling.) Next is Arkved's Void,
which are Oblivion bridges connecting hunks of rock in a black void. There's
one side path to a little bit of treasure, but otherwise, only one way to go.
In Arkved's Lost Halls, take the left (southwest) exit from the main room to
reach Arkved's Hall of Changes. This is a little bit of a maze; just take the
southeast exit from each room and you'll reach the end quickly. Next is
Arkved's Rending Halls, which is a linear path to Arkved's bedroom.
Arkved is unconscious on the bed. You can kill him, or not, he's stuck in his
dream state for the entire game. Take the Orb from the nearby table; there's
also an Illusion skill book ("Palla, volume 1") and a back door that dumps you
outside in the ruined fort (you can't come in this way, so don't try).
Return to Vaermina for your reward: the Skull of Corruption. Using this on any
NPC or creature creates a hostile copy of the NPC. It's a bit more useful than
Wabbajack, but no less fun.
| Sanguine [DQ05]
+-----------------
Requirements: At least level 8
Offering: Cyrodiilic Brandy
Reward: Sanguine Rose, staff that summons a random daedra
This shrine is in the middle of nowhere north of Skingrad. If you helped the
Jemane boys return to Weatherleah in "Legacy Lost", Fast Travel there and go
southwest (a little more south than west). Else, leave Skingrad by the West
Gate and follow the road to the Cursed Mine, then go straight north. You may
also get this marked on your map by talking to the owner of All Things
Alchemical in Skingrad and using the "Daedra" topic.
Sanguine is a party animal, and before he'll talk to you, he wants some
Cyrodiilic Brandy. The easiest way to obtain this fine spirit is to buy some
from The Main Ingredient in Imperial City. Offer it to Sanguine and receive
your task: you're to liven up the life of Countess Alessia Caro in Leyawiin.
This is an...interesting quest, and not one without a little trouble (even
though there's no combat involved). Sanguine gives you a spell and tells you
to cast it in the midst of a dinner party to be hosted by the Countess. Travel
to Castle Leyawiin, enter and wait until 6pm.
You'll see the Countess and some friends head into the dining room, which is
to the right as you enter the audience chamber. Talk to the guard outside the
door. If your clothing is of high enough value, he'll let you in no questions
asked. How to know if your clothing is of high enough value? Hard to say,
really fine clothing or higher-level armor will fill the bill.
If your clothing doesn't pass muster, you can still get in by raising the
guard's Disposition to 70 or above. Inside, cast the spell, Stark Reality, on
Countess Caro (casting it at someone else or into thin air won't work).
Everyone loses their clothes.
Including you.
In fact, you've lost everything--clothes, weapons, items...even gold. You're
in your undies and the guards aren't happy. You have two choices:
1) Serve time. You have no gold to pay the fine, so you'll have to do a week
or so jail time. When you get out, you can Fast Travel to Sanguine.
2) Resist Arrest. Of course, you're in no condition to fight guards, so this
basically entails running for it. Hightail it out of the castle and head for
the West Gate of Leyawiin. Outside are the stables, where you can steal a
horse and ride like the wind up the Green Road toward Bravil. Once you find a
spot free of guards (and monsters!) you can Fast Travel to Sanguine. You'll
still have the bounty (increased for stealing a horse), but you'll get your
gold back so you can pay the fine rather than serve jail time.
Sanguine rewards you with Sanguine Rose, a staff that summons a random,
leveled daedra whenever you use it.
| Malacath [DQ06]
+-----------------
Requirements: At least level 10
Offering: Troll fat
Reward: Volendrung, battle axe with Paralyze and Drain Health
To find this shrine, head due north from Anvil's North Gate until you run into
Lord Drad's estate. Then turn northwest to the shrine. For an offering, you'll
need troll fat. Trolls show up in mythic creature dungeons at relatively low
levels (about level 5). You can find them at any time in Tidewater Cave
(south-southeast of Leyawiin, part of Nocturnal's quest) and in Forsaken Mine
(just south of Leyawiin, part of the Fighters Guild quest "Trolls of Forsaken
Mine").
When given the appropriate offering, Malacath demands you release some ogres
that are enslaved by Lord Drad. Easy enough. You passed Drad's estate on the
way in, head back there now. You can talk to Drad (and his wife) or not. The
ogres are in Bleak Mine, just a little way to the east. To get it marked on
your map, either tell Lord Drad you agree with his methods, or talk to his
wife and get her Disposition north of 70.
Bleak mine is a single level with a bunch of guards and ogres in pens to the
north and south. You can...
1) Go in swinging: kill the guards and get keys to the pens from their bodies.
2) Sneak in with appropriate lockpicking devices and release the ogres, who
will then kill the guards.
Option 2 may be preferable--you can even lend the ogres a hand after releasing
them (just make sure you don't kill an ogre, though if the guards kill an
ogre, Malacath doesn't care). The guards in this mine are a bit smarter than
your average NPC and will gang up on you if you're not careful. Since they're
close to your level, with appropriate equipment, you could get in serious
trouble trying option 1.
Return to Lord Drad's estate to find both he and his wife engaging in hard
labor under the supervision of the newly freed ogres. Then back to the shrine
for your reward: Volendrung, a two-handed axe with Paralyze and Drain Health
enchantments.
| Meridia [DQ07]
+----------------
Requirements: At least level 10
Offering: Mort flesh, bonemeal or ectoplasm
Reward: Ring of Khajiiti, Chameleon 35% and Fortify Speed +10
To get a task from Meridia, you must provide the remains of an undead
creature. That means mort flesh (zombies), bonemeal (skeletons & liches) or
ectoplasm (ghosts & wraiths). Meridia is west of Skingrad (if you go west from
the city to the Cursed Mine, you can then go almost due west to the Shrine)
and not far from Miscarcand, which has a number of undead in the first couple
of rooms. (Assuming you aren't already carrying the stuff from all your
encounters with the walking dead.)
Meridia sends you to Howling Cave, east of Castle Skingrad, and orders you to
kill all the Necromancers you'll find there. This is tougher than it sounds.
In the cave, go straight to the T-intersection, turn right and immediately
left to wend your way to a secret door. That door leads to the Lower
Galleries, which is where all the trouble starts. (Hint: Go into Sneak mode
before going through the door.)
There are five necromancers in here, two almost right in front of you. They're
aided and abetted by a half-dozen or so undead. And they *will* gang up on
you. The three necromancers who are currently out of sight will come running.
All the necromancers will start summoning. Depending on your level, some of
the undead (skeleton champions, liches) may start summoning. Things can get
real nasty, real quick.
So, here's what you do. As you enter the Lower Galleries, go straight across
the first room and bear left through a wide tunnel. Turn left at the end of
the wide tunnel and twist around to a small room. If you have high Sneak
levels or an Invisibility spell, you may be able to do this without anyone
noticing. Otherwise, just run for it. You should be able to clear the small
room (one necromancer and maybe one undead), then turn and defend the narrow
opening into the room.
You may even avoid drawing attention from the far (southern) rooms, where the
other two necromancers and more undead are lurking. You should be able to
handle the initial wave, then take your time clearing out the remainder of the
dungeon in the more traditional way.
Once the five necromancers are dead (you don't have to finish off the undead,
just the necromancers, but you'll probably want to kill everything just to be
safe), return to Meridia for the Ring of Khajiiti, with 35% Chameleon and +10
Speed enchantments.
| Nocturnal [DQ08]
+------------------
Requirements: At least level 10
Offering: None
Reward: Skeleton Key, an unbreakable lockpick with Fortify Security 40
Nocturnal's shrine is located just off the road that leads north from Leyawiin
along the east bank of the Lower Niben river. Just leave Leyawiin's Northeast
Gate and follow the road. Keep an eye out on your right (east) side as you
head north. The shrine is about halfway to the mouth of Niben Bay. You can get
this marked on your map by talking to one of the mages in the Leyawiin Mages
Guild (assuming you have Daedra as an available topic).
Nocturnal will only respond to you at night. Her Eye has been stolen and she
wants you to return it. No offering is required. As for leads on the thieves,
you're given only a vague pointer to nearby Leyawiin. Head into town and talk
to any guard. Use the Eye of Nocturnal topic to learn two Argonians, Weebam-Na
and Bejeen, have been boasting about scoring a valuable jewel.
Find Weebam-Na's house using your new objective marker, enter, and talk to
both lizards. They're reticent, and your journal suggests you eavesdrop. Go
into the entry hall and enter Sneak mode. Stand still near the door and you
will eventually hear the two Argonians discuss whether or not the jewel is
safe from the trolls in Tidewater Cave.
Trolls. Goody.
Fire damage works well on trolls, so load up before heading out. Tidewater
Cave sits on the edge of Topal Bay and is just about the most southern point
in all of Cyrodiil. Walk down there and prep for the two trolls you meet
outside the cave.
Once they're down, enter the cave. Your main encounters here will be with
bears, but there are two or three trolls in here as well. If you just want the
Eye, take the first left, left again at the end of the tunnel and then left
again through an underwater passage to find the Eye. Return to Nocturnal's
Shrine and the grateful daedra gives you the Skeleton Key.
This handy device Fortifies your Security skill by 40 points and is an
unbreakable lockpick. Upon obtaining this device, no lock (that does not
specifically require a key) can stand against you. Simply hit Auto Attempt
until the lock opens.
| Peryite [DQ09]
+----------------
Requirements: At least level 10
Offering: None
Reward: Spell Breaker, shield with 30% Spell Reflection
If you look east of Bravil on your world map, you'll see the Silverfish River.
About halfway along its length, on the south bank, is Peryite's shrine.
Peryite isn't picky about hired help. He just wants someone to rescue his
followers, who foolishly tried to summon him. Now their souls are trapped in
Oblivion and he wants you to retrieve them. When you're ready for an extended
trip into Oblivion, with lots of fights against daedra, Activate the statue
again and ask to be sent to hell. (Hand basket not included.)
You're on a circular area, looking over a sea of lava. There are paths off
this "island" to the northeast, east and west. Take the northeast path first.
There are a *lot* of daedra (keyed to your level) roaming this area. They
usually work in pairs, too. (You'll also find some cave entrances. Ignore them
as they don't significantly help you, and just lead to even more fights in
cramped quarters.)
Your first captive soul will not be far along this track--you can tell where
the souls are located by the giant bonfires that give off a lot of light and
smoke. To free the soul, simply Activate it. Return to your starting point--do
not take the west path from this first soul.
From your starting island, now head east and find some rocks that lead across
the lava. Jump across, defeat the daedra and free the second soul. Jump back
across the rocks and head south. The path will eventually curve west and
you'll find the third soul. Go back to your starting point.
From here you should now take the west path. The track will quickly turn
southwest and eventually lead to a tower. The fourth soul is in front of this
tower. Head due north from the tower to reach the fifth soul. Now head back to
your starting point where you'll find a portal back to normality.
Peryite rewards you with a shield with 30% spell reflection. Not bad,
considering all the work you had to put into getting it.
| Mephala [DQ10]
+----------------
Requirements: At least level 15
Offering: Nightshade, between midnight and dawn (about 6am)
Reward: Ebony Blade, Silence and Absorb Health enchantments
Mephala's shrine is northeast of Imperial City, but cannot be approached
directly from the south. Take The Silver Road leading to Bruma from Imperial
City until you reach the intersection with The Orange Road to Chorrol. Turn
and head due southeast and you should find the shrine. (You'll pass Anga on
the way, if you've previously found that ruin, Fast Travel there and head
southeast.)
You'll need one sample of nightshade, which can be found several places. The
easiest way to obtain it is to check with alchemists. There are two in
Imperial City: The Main Ingredient and The Gilded Carafe. If you purchased the
Frostcrag Spire official mod, you can pick some from the garden in your tower.
Activate the statue between the hours of midnight and 6am with nightshade in
your inventory.
Mephala wants you to start a war in a peaceful village known as Bleaker's Way.
This settlement is west-northwest of the shrine. It is home to two families:
the Dalvilu family of Dunmer and the Ulfgar family of Nords. You are to kill
the leader of each family and leave evidence implicating the other leader.
Travel to Bleaker's Way by going north into the mountains and then turning
west. If it's still the middle of the night, you can do this right away. Break
into Nivan Dalvilu's house (northern side of the village) and kill him while
he sleeps. On a table near the door is a Dalvilu Ceremonial Dagger. Take it
with you when you leave.
Next, visit Hrol Ulfgar in his house on the west side of Bleaker's Way. As you
ascend to the loft where he sleeps, pick up the Ulfgar Family Ring from the
table next to the stairs leading to the third floor. Kill Ulfgar, then "open"
his corpse and place the Dalvilu dagger in it. Return to Nivan's house and put
the Ulfgar ring in his corpse.
If you arrive in Bleaker's Way during the day, you can walk into the houses of
the leaders and take the dagger and ring. Then chat with the two families
(they don't have a lot to say, and what they do say sounds too good to be
true) or Wait until the middle of the night. Then perform the assassinations.
Wait until morning and watch the chaos in the streets. (You may need to speak
to one of the villagers to instigate the fighting.) You can lend a hand if you
like, just don't kill everyone. Return to Mephala for the Ebony Blade, a long
sword with Silence and Absorb Health enchantments.
| Hircine [DQ11]
+----------------
Requirements: At least level 17
Offering: Wolf or bear pelt
Reward: Savior's Hide, light armor cuirass with Resist Magicka
This is a simple quest, but not an easy one. Hircine's shrine is located
midway between Imperial City and Bravil, on the west side of the Upper Niben.
It's almost directly south of Arcane University, so if you take your bearings
on that (using your map) and strike out due south, you should stumble across
it.
Bring a bear or wolf pelt as an offering and Hircine reveals he wants you to
perform the ultimate hunt: kill a unicorn and bring its horn to him. There's
only one unicorn in the game, and it's conveniently located south and a little
east of the shrine in Harcane Grove.
The unicorn is guarded by three minotaurs. Approach slowly, preferably
stealthily, and use a bow or spells to prod one of the beasts to charge you.
Repeat for the other two. This prevents not only the minotaurs from ganging up
on you, but it also keeps the unicorn from joining in the fray. It doesn't
like drawn weapons.
In fact, while it may be tempting to ride the unicorn around, it is a most
unreliable mount. It goes into a frenzy whenever weapons are drawn in its
vicinity and will attack anything--including you, even if you are ostensibly
its owner. The unicorn is good for just one thing: dying to provide its horn
for this quest.
Kill it, take the horn back to Hircine and receive a Light cuirass with a
resist magic enchantment, Savior's Hide.
| Molag Bal [DQ12]
+------------------
Requirements: At least level 17
Offering: Lion pelt
Reward: Mace of Molag, Drain Strength 5 points, Drain Magicka 5 points
Bal's shrine is in the middle of the Great Forest, west of Imperial City. Make
a triangle between Chorrol, Skingrad and the Wawnet Inn on the west shore of
Lake Rumare; the shrine is dead center in that triangle. If you don't have a
lion's pelt to give as an offering, go straight west from Wawnet Inn and
you'll find Breakneck Cave. This three-level dungeon is full of wild animals
and a few mythic creatures, mountain lions should be among them. You can then
head due southwest to get to the shrine.
Molag Bal wants you to corrupt a good man. He refers you to Brindle Home--a
small settlement to the southwest of the shrine. There you are to goad a man
named Melus Petilius into killing you with a Cursed Mace that Bal supplies. Go
to Brindle Home and charm a townsperson to a Disposition of 60 and they'll
tell you all about Petilius. You'll also get his house, set a little outside
the main "town", marked on your map.
You can't do anything with Petilius when he's at home. Wait outside his door
until he leaves to visit his wife's grave. Drop the Cursed Mace on the ground
near his feat, remove all your armor and punch him in the face. He'll pick up
the mace and start beating on you. When you die, you'll automatically be
transported back to Molag Bal's shrine and you'll receive the Mace of Molag
Bal, which drains Strength and Magicka 5 points per hit.
For a little extra fun, return to Brindle Home and talk to Petilius.
| Boethia [DQ13]
+----------------
Requirements: At least level 20
Offering: Daedra heart
Reward: Goldbrand, long sword with +22 fire damage
You'll need a daedra heart for this quest; you get these hearts from dremora
and xivilai. If the main story is still open, pop into an Oblivion gate and
emerge a moment or two later with the necessary item. If you've closed all the
Oblivion gates and used all the hearts you collected...well, you've got a bit
more work ahead of you.
You won't find daedra in many places around Cyrodiil once the gates are gone.
The Wizard's Grotto that leads from Castle Bravil to Fathis Aren's tower has
plenty. Arkved's Tower (from Vaermina's quest) is also full of daedra. You
could also try Summoning a dremora (if your Conjuration skill is up to snuff
and you can find a merchant that sells the spell) and pickpocketing it
(killing it just causes it to vanish).
With the heart in hand, talk to Borba of Borba's Goods & Stores in Cheydinhal
and try the "Daedra" topic (if you have it). She'll mark Boethia's shrine on
your map; that's the easiest way to find it. The shrine is in the middle of
the Valus mountains, with no easy landmarks to guide you to it. If you have
visited Drakelowe for "Vampire Cure", you can Fast Travel there; else, find
Drakelowe by traveling along the east bank of the Reed River south of
Cheydinhal.
Once in Drakelowe, strike due east and try to stick to that direction as you
go up into the mountains. You should be able to find the shrine that way.
Offer a daedra heart to Boethia and he offers you a way to prove yourself in a
Tournament of Ten Bloods. He opens a portal to an Oblivion Plane that consists
of a circle divided by gates into ten sections--one section for each sentient
(i.e. player) race.
You are...well, whatever you are...and you have to face off against one each
of the other nine races. The battles are all one-on-one, there are no
interlopers and there are plenty of hiding places for Sneak attacks or perches
for sniping. Just make sure you bring plenty of sustenance (repair hammers,
potions, soul gems or varla stones, etc.). Nine fights against nine NPCs
kitted out similarly to you is no picnic.
Your reward for defeating the nine is Goldbrand, a long sword with 22 points
of fire damage.
| Clavicus Vile [DQ14]
+----------------------
Requirements: At least level 20
Offering: 500 gold
Reward: Masque of Clavicus Vile, helmet, Fortify Personaltiy 20;
or Umbra, ebony long sword, Soul Trap 120 seconds
Vile's shrine is southwest of Imperial City. If you exit the city to the west
and take the road south, keep your eye to your right (west) as the road begins
to turn east. You should see a wayshrine (if you reach the Ayleid ruin
Vindasel, you've gone too far). From that wayshrine, go almost due west to
find the shrine of Clavicus Vile.
Clavicus wants an offering of 500 gold, which should be peanuts to a 20th or
higher level character. He instructs you to find the sword of a hero named
Umbra and return it to him. In exchange he'll give you a fabulous masque. Your
journal instructs you to begin your search at Pell's Gate. Along the way,
Vile's pet puppy, who now resides in your backpack, will offer some sage words
of wisdom.
Actually, you only need to go to Pell's Gate if you want all the background
story for the quest. (Find Irroke the Wide and ask about Umbra.) The person
now calling herself Umbra resides in Vindasel, an Ayleid ruin located right on
the Red Ring Road not far from the shrine. There's a conjurer and his pet
outside, inside is a straight shot to Umbra, with only low-level wild animals
and a couple of traps in your way. (The first room has a pit trap near the
door; the second main room is a poison gas trap--hug the wall as you go around
the room.)
Umbra can be tough, depending on how you're equipped. You enter her room up on
a balcony, this is an excellent opportunity to Sneak attack with a bow or
ranged spell. She'll come charging up the stairs; have another arrow or spell
ready to meet her. This will shave off a good bit of her health. Don't try
leading her back through the ruins to the traps, she regenerates health, so
that will do you little good.
*NOTE* You can go down and talk to Umbra, but this doesn't help unless you
decide to leave her alone. If you want her sword (for yourself or Clavicus),
don't start the fight face-to-face. That's just stupid.
Now that you have the sword, Vile's hound suggests you keep it. It is, indeed,
a wonderful tool--especially in combination with Azura's Star. However, it has
no damage enhancement, just the soul trap ability. You would need to strike an
enemy with it, then switch to another weapon (or spell) to finish the enemy
off.
So, you have a choice: keep the sword, or return it to Clavicus Vile, where
you get an ugly full-head helmet that increases your Personality by 20 points.
Oh joy. If you decide to keep the sword and don't want the quest sitting in
your open quest list, return to Vile's shrine and refuse to give him the
sword. He'll mutter some threats, but they're hollow. Nothing bad will happen
to you.
| Hermaeus Mora [DQ15]
+----------------------
Requirements: At least level 20
Finished all other daedric quests
Started "Blood of the Daedra" quest in the main story
Offering: None
Reward: Oghma Infinium, special skill book
Mora's shrine is high in the Jerall mountains. If you've been to Sancre Tor
(main story), you can Fast Travel there and find a gully leading north-
northeast straight to the shrine. If not, start from Bruma's North Gate, go
around the west side of the town and find the road heading west. When it
forks, take the right/northwest fork. You should run right past Applewatch
(Dark Brotherhood quests) and Boreal Stone Cave ("A Brotherhood Betrayed").
When you pass over a wood bridge, the path splits again; take the left/north
fork to reach the shrine.
Once you've completed all the other Daedric Lord quests and gotten at least as
far as the "Blood of the Daedra" quest in the main story, you may receive an
invitation to visit Mora. You do not have to wait for that invitation, you can
head straight to the shrine. Activate the shrine to get Mora's quest.
He wants you to collect one soul from each of the ten sentient races (i.e. the
player races). He gives you a special Soul Trap spell and soul gem. You can
only collect one of each soul and you can only collect one soul at a time
(i.e. you can only cast the spell on one NPC at a time). Cast the spell on an
NPC (it's a ranged spell) and then kill that NPC before time (120 seconds)
runs out. The soul will be stored in Mora's special soul gem.
*NOTE* If you do cast the spell on two NPCs at the same time, the quest will
get "stuck" and you won't be able to trap any more souls. Avoid casting on
another NPC until the first one is dead! (Even if it's a race you already
captured.) PC users can download a fix for this bug from:
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2863
You have several options:
1) Go on a killing spree through a city. Imperial City is a good choice, as
you'll find plenty of representatives of every race within its walls. The
downside is the difficulty (breaking into all those houses) and the risk
(getting caught).
2) Kill the daedric shrine worshippers. They're all alone in the wilderness
(and Mora doesn't care, even if you kill his own worshippers) and you can
definitely find all ten races. Some caveats: don't kill the worshippers at the
shrine of Molag Bal, one of them is the Master level Conjuration trainer. Even
though the killings take place in the wilderness, you still end up with a
bounty and the psychopathic--that is, psychic--guards will chase you the next
time you enter a city.
3) Run down some bandits and marauders. There are numerous bandit camps spread
around Cyrodiil. In addition, you can find bandits in the first level of
Vilverin (Ayleid ruin outside the starting sewer exit); the Cursed Mine just
west of Skingrad and Dzonot Cave, on the southwestern shore of Lake Rumare.
Marauders can be run down in Fort Cedrian (on the Yellow Road where it crosses
the Carbolo River) and Fort Strand (just east of Anvil). You might not
encounter all ten races (Argonians are especially hard to find), but there's
no bounty and you might find some other things as well (Fort Strand plays in
"When the Vow Breaks" and Vilverin is a location for "The Collector").
When you have all ten souls trapped, return to Mora's shrine and Activate the
statue. He gives you the Oghma Infinium, a special skill book. When you read
it, you are asked if you want to read the...
* "Path of Steel": Strength +10, Speed +10, Blade +10, Blunt +10, Heavy Armor
+10
*NOTE* The "Path of Spirit" is also supposed to set your Willpower +10, but
it's bugged, so you just get the INT and skill boosts. PC users can download a
mod to fix this from:
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=4878
[SQ05]
<~~~~~~ THE FORLORN WATCHMAN ~~~~~~>
The rumor mill in Bravil is rife with the story of a ghost who wanders the
coast of Niben Bay. You're referred to Gilgondorin, proprietor of Silverhome-
on-the-Water. He tells you the ghost appears every evening at 8 at Bawnwatch
camp and marks the camp on your map. It is on a point of land southeast of
Bravil.
Travel there and wait until nightfall and watch the ghost appear. You can't
elicit any information from him, so follow him as he begins his solitary
journey down the shores of Niben Bay. On the cliffs above Fort Irony, the
ghost stops, turns and speaks to you.
He identifies himself as one Grantham Blakeley and requests that you free him
from the "mouth of the Panther". Your journal refers you back to Gilgondorin
for more info on the "mouth of the Panther"; however, it's nothing more than
the point where the Panther River empties into the Niben, which just happens
to be directly east of where you are now, across the river.
Swim across and look for the ruined hulk of a ship among the rocks. You can
enter the upper deck the ship through a hole in the side. Inside you'll meet
your fair share of restless spirits. These aren't quite as amiable as
Grantham.
On this upper deck you'll find a couple of spirits and a hatch up to the
captain's cabin (good loot) and a hatch to the middle deck. You can also find
a logbook that reveals the fate of the ship. Fight your way through the middle
deck to the cargo hold, where you'll dispatch the ghost of the lead mutineer.
From his remains, pick up a small key. This opens a door further back in the
hold and inside is the skeleton of Blakeley.
The key will also unshackle the skeleton, which releases Blakeley's spirit to
pursue more pleasant fields of travel. As parting advice, he says the room
contains a map to his "gratitude". Look on the floor behind the post that was
holding the skeleton. Pick up the map you find there, which will pinpoint a
burial place further up the Panther River. Go upriver, following your
objective marker to the loot, which is lodged between rocks underwater.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ06]
<~~~~~~ THE GHOST SHIP OF ANVIL ~~~~~~>
This is a "simple" step-n-fetch quest. Find the "Serpent's Wake", a ship
docked at Anvil. It's the western-most of the two ships in port. On deck a
distraught Varulae has a sad tale...The ship is hers and she sent it to pick
up a crystal ball that belonged to her mother. When the ship returned, she
found the sailors all murdered and roaming the decks as vengeful spirits.
Work your way through three levels of wraiths, with nasty spells and even
nastier swords and retrieve the crystal ball. Return it to Varulae for your
reward, including an enchanted cutlass.
The murders of the sailors will remain unsolved unless you play through the
Dark Brotherhood quests. In "Following a Lead", you find a diary that
implicates a Brotherhood traitor who lived beneath the Anvil lighthouse. In
his diary he writes:
"I did it, mother! I killed them all! I killed them and I cursed them to
wander their ship in undeath for all eternity! They came to talk to the old
man in the lighthouse. When they saw me, they could have kept walking. But no.
They laughed! They laughed at me, mother! They called me names! They said I
was strange, that I was a human rat, living here in the cellar of the
lighthouse. They did not know who they were dealing with! So I snuck on board,
later that night, and I slit their throats. Every last one of them. So there
the Serpent's Wake sits. The ghost ship of Anvil they'll call it now! Ha ha ha
ha ha!"
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ07]
<~~~~~~ GO FISH ~~~~~~>
This relatively simple quest is picked up outside Imperial City. Heading west,
out of town, past the stables, you'll run into a little hamlet called Weye.
Here you will meet an old man named Aelwin Merowald. He asks for some help.
Seems he has a deal with an alchemist to sell scales from Lake Rumare
slaughterfish. The scales from these particular fish apparently have some rare
alchemical properties.
Unfortunately for Aelwin, a slaughterfish recently got the better of his leg
and he can't go after them any more. He wants you to procure 12 sets of scales
so he can make one last sale and finally retire. Your quest marker now points
to a location in Lake Rumare just north of Weye. You'll need water breathing
potions/spells/equipment (or be an Argonian). Fishing in Oblivion does not
involve a rod and reel.
Walk down into the lake toward your quest marker. Find the first fish, kill it
and take its scales. Killing these fish may not be easy, depending on your
level. They can be quite tough and you can't use targeted spells under water.
After a moment, your quest marker will update and point you to the next fish.
Each fish only spawns once you've killed the previous fish, so you can't just
walk around and run into them, you have to follow the quest marker.
Once you have 12 scales, return to Aelwin and hand them over. He'll give you a
ring with Fortify Athletics and Water Breathing enchantments.
If you're of an evil disposition, you can raise Aelwin's Disposition to 70 and
he'll tell you where he keeps all the money he's earned thus far from selling
scales. You'll need the key he keeps on him to open the chest, so either pick
his pocket or kill him; then, steal his retirement money. You stinker.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ40]
<~~~~~~ GOBLIN TROUBLE ~~~~~~>
Find the spot where the Yellow Road, running southeast from Imperial City,
crosses the Carbolo River. Fort Cedrian is on the east side of the bridge; on
the west side is Crestbridge Camp. In the camp, speak to Barthel Gernand to
get the story. A small family (Gernand, his daughter and his son-in-law) were
trying to start a farm at Cropsford.
Unfortunately, goblins interrupted them. Goblin war parties have overrun
Cropsford. Now, before you run off to Cropsford (northwest of the camp), talk
to Mirisa, a guide helping the Gernand family. She gives you the full scoop. A
tribe of goblins living from Timberscar Hollow (Rock Biter goblins) stole the
tribal totem from the goblins in Cracked Wood Cave (Bloody Hand goblins).
Cropsford is right in the middle of these two caves, and the war parties
traveling back-and-forth wreak havoc on their way.
Mirisa gives you two options for ending the trouble...
1) Kill the shaman in the Cracked Wood Cave. Without their leader, those
goblins won't venture forth to retrieve their totem. You'll probably have to
kill every other goblin in the cave as well, but them's the breaks.
2) Get the totem (a staff with a shrunken head on the end) from Timberscar
Hollow; once the Rock Biters no longer have the totem, the Bloody Hand will
leave them alone. You can pull this off without combat if your Sneak skill is
high enough. There's also a bonus if you retrieve the staff...
Once either mission is complete, return to Crestbridge and speak to Mirisa (if
you stole back the totem) and speak to Gernand. The family thanks you and
heads off to Cropsford to begin re-settling the farm.
What? No reward? Well...no. Here's where retrieving the staff comes in handy.
Take it back and drop it back in Timberscar Hollow, or another goblin tribe's
headquarters. The Bloody Hand will once more take off in pursuit of their
tribal totem. And the Cropsford settlers...well, that's what they get for
leaving you high and dry, right?
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ35]
<~~~~~~ THE GRAVEFINDER'S REPOSE ~~~~~~>
You get this quest by talking to Malene, proprietor of the Roxey Inn on the
north shore of Lake Rumare. She wants you to kill a necromancer named Raelynn,
who operates out of Moss Rock Cavern. The cave is just up the hill, north of
the Inn. It's a single level necromancer + undead hangout. When Raelynn is
dead, return to Malene for a reward.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ08]
<~~~~~~ IMPERIAL CORRUPTION ~~~~~~>
There are two residents of Imperial City, Ruslan and Luronk gro-Glurzog, who
will complain of being shaken down by a corrupt Imperial guard captain. They
were rousted at Jensine's "Good as New" Merchandise in the Market district.
Visit Jensine and boost her Disposition over 70. She'll then tell you the name
of the corrupt soldier: Audens Avidius. Your journal suggests you report
Avidius to the authorities.
If you talk to a soldier, he'll refer you to Captain Hieronymus Lex. (If Lex
has been taken out of the picture because you've been playing through the
Thieves Guild quests, you'll get sent to Servatius Quintilius.) Use your quest
marker to track the captain down. Either one will be dis-interested in your
report and push you along to Itius Hayn.
Hayn wants to believe you, but he needs two witnesses. Your best bets are
Ruslan and gro-Glurzog. You need a Disposition score of 70 with them to
convince them to talk. (Jensine is a tougher nut to crack.) You can use your
quest markers to find the two and send them along to Hayn. Wait for a day.
Your journal should update that Avidius has been arrested and the quest moves
to completed status.
But wait...
Ten days later (or when you hit 5th level, whichever comes later), Avidius
escapes and comes looking for you. He'll find you, wherever you are, and
attack. Unfortunately, he attacks with a dagger and wearing nothing but his
prison clothes.
Idiot.
Once he's dead, the quest is truly complete.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ09]
<~~~~~~ THE KILLING FIELD ~~~~~~>
Visit the Grey Mare in Chorrol to meet Valus Odiil. His sons are on their way
to clean out some "vermin" from the family farm and Valus wants you to go help
them. Leave town by the south gate and go toward Weynon Priory to find the
Odiil boys standing on the road. Talk to Rallus, the older son, his brother
wants nothing to do with you.
Follow them down the road to their farm and stand with them in the vegetable
garden. Kill off three waves of goblins, trying your best to keep the boys
alive. Afterward, speak to Rallus and they will return to Chorrol. Help
yourself to vegetables from the garden to use in potions. (It's not a crime to
take the veggies.)
Return to the Grey Mare and talk to Valus and get Chillrend, an enchanted
sword--but only if both boys survived the goblin raid.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ10]
<~~~~~~ KNIGHTS OF THE WHITE STALLION ~~~~~~>
After completing "Mazoga the Orc", Count Caro offers you and Mazoga positions
as Knights of the White Stallion--if you first kill Black Brugo, leader of the
Black Bow Bandits. (If Mazoga did not survive her earlier encounter at
Fisherman's Rock, you can't perform this quest.)
Talk to Mazoga. She jumps at the chance and she also happens to know where
Brugo has his headquarters and what kind of schedule he keeps. Make your way
to Telepe, an Ayleid ruin northwest of Leyawiin. Make sure you arrive during
the day.
There are two guards, one an annoying archer that fires from the top of the
ruin. You can stand back and trade shots/spells with him, or, go around to the
back of the ruin where a combination of a small ledge and some boulders on the
ground allow you to jump up there with him. Step inside and go down the
stairs. The room to the right has two more Black Bow bandits. Kill them and
collect their bows (Count Caro will pay a bounty for them). Now skulk in the
corner and Wait until after midnight.
Brugo shows up and wonders what happened to his guards. Educate him. He'll
have two cronies with him, but concentrate on him before turning to deal with
the regulars. Take his key, open the gate at the back of the ruin by pushing
the button in the room to the left. Unlock Brugo's treasure chest and take his
portion of the bandit's loot.
Return to Count Caro and sell off the bows you collected (you should have four
or five). Caro makes both you and Mazoga Knights of the White Stallion and
gives you keys to the White Stallion Lodge, which is north of the city on the
west bank of the river. Tell Mazoga, who happily hurries off to settle in.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ11]
<~~~~~~ LEGACY LOST ~~~~~~>
This is a continuation of Separated at Birth. You must complete that quest
before you can begin this quest. Talk to Guilbert Jemane in Chorrol after he
has been reunited with his brother Reynald. He mentions he wants to find his
family's old farm and see if it's still occupied by ogres.
It is.
Prepare yourself before venturing forth. Guilbert doesn't exactly know where
the farm is; so, ask NPCs until one of them mentions Sabine Laul. Sabine hangs
out at the Fighters Guild. Find her and she'll mark the location of the Jemane
family farm, Weatherleah, on your map.
Go to the farm and clear out three ogres wandering the yard outside the house,
then return to Guilbert and escort the brothers to their farm. Talk to
Guilbert again to close out the quest. You can help the Jemane boys one more
time, in the quest Sins of the Father.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ12]
<~~~~~~ LIFTING THE VALE ~~~~~~>
If your Fame score is at least 10, speak to Countess Narina Carvain in Castle
Bruma. She collects Akaviri artifacts and has partially tracked down one
called the Draconian Madstone. The artifact is supposedly at Pale Pass, an
Akaviri headquarters during the wars against Reman during the First Era. The
Countess will, in fact, relate nearly all the ancient history to you if you're
willing to listen.
The upshot is, Carvain has an Akaviri courier's journal along with directions
to Dragonclaw Rock. From the Rock, you can follow the directions west to a
giant statue and then north to the entrance to Serpent's Trail. This is,
basically, a tunnel inhabited by several ogres. Along the way you'll find the
courier's skeleton. Take the orders from the body and proceed.
You exit Serpent's Trail into Pale Pass. The path is constantly blocked by
ogres, so you're either in for a dozen or more rough fights or you need to
sneak a lot. You'll finally reach the Fortress of Pale Pass, which is guarded
by two more ogres. These you'll have to dispatch so they don't follow you into
the ruins.
Inside you'll be in the "Mouth of the Serpent". Your goal is the "Venom of the
Serpent" and here's the quickest route to your objective. Go down the stairs
and watch out for the swinging log trap at the bottom. Just past the trap,
turn left and follow the hallway around until it crosses over where you just
were. You have to make a running jump across the gap to reach a door to the
"Scales of the Serpent".
In Scales, follow the hall straight until you are forced to turn left; then,
continue straight to a raised bridge. Use the nearby lever to lower the bridge
and go across to the "Fangs of the Serpent". You are facing a group of
columns, some of which have arrow traps. To safely go around the columns, hug
the right-side wall until you reach another raised bridge.
TRAPPED COLUMNS
Fangs of the Serpent
___ A ___ A,B = Doors to "Eyes of the Serpent"
| | C = Door to "Scales of the Serpent"
| O OX| O = Column
B | X = Area covered by arrow trap
| OXXXXXOX| D = Drawbridge
| X D
|XO O |
C X X |
| O O |
|_________|
Turn the wheel to lower the bridge, go across and turn left to reach Venom.
Inside is the spirit of the Akaviri commander, Mishaxhi. Talk to him. If you
have the orders you picked up earlier, you can give them to him and he'll
depart, taking his undead warriors with him. The way is now open to the
Draconian Madstone.
You can also attempt to kill Mishaxhi, but that's going to be a difficult
task. Either way, once you have the Madstone, take the door just to the right
of the Madstone and you'll come back out in Scales, right above the bridge you
lowered earlier. Go back out the way you came in. Once you're outdoors, you
can Fast Travel back to Bruma and give the Madstone to Countess Carvain. She
rewards you with the Ring of the Vipereye, which has Fortify Agility and
Resist Magicka enchantments.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ13]
<~~~~~~ MAZOGA THE ORC ~~~~~~>
You can find Mazoga hanging around Castle Leyawiin, making a nuisance of
herself. If you try to talk to her, she'll refuse since you aren't the count.
Talk to the count instead about "Service to Leyawiin". He asks you to find out
what Mazoga wants and deal with it.
When you talk to Mazoga again, you can now represent the count and Mazoga
launches into her tale; or, at least, part of it. She wants to see a hunter
named Weebam-Na. Mssr. Na has a house that is not far from the castle's
entrance. You'll need to get his Disposition over 50 in order for him to agree
to go see Mazoga with you.
Mazoga wants Weebam-Na to guide her to a camp at Fisherman's Rock, a ways up
the Niben River. Weebam-Na refuses since Mazoga won't say why she needs to get
to Fisherman's Rock. She then appeals to you, telling you a bit more of the
story. Leave by the Northeast Gate and trek upriver along the east bank until
you reach the camp at Fisherman's Rock, which is occupied by bandits.
Mazoga will jump ahead and carry on a conversation with the bandit leader. As
soon as the two of them start in with the fighting, join in, keeping the
minions off Mazoga's back. Return to Castle Leyawiin and report in to the
Count. He is pleased by the adventure and offers both you and Mazoka positions
as Knights of the White Stallion...If you first complete the quest by the same
name.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ41]
<~~~~~~ NO STONE UNTURNED ~~~~~~>
Lithnilian has lost his notes and doesn't know where to find them. Well,
actually, he does know where they are, he just can't get them. Lithnilian was
researching welkynd stones found in a cave--not an Ayleid ruin--when he was
attacked and ran, leaving his journal behind. He wants you to go get it for
him. You'll find this absent-minded professor at the Imperial Bridge Inn, on
the north bank of the Silverfish River (east of Bravil), just east of the
Yellow Road.
The journal is in a creature lair known as Bramblepoint Cave. This cave is
west-northwest of the Imperial Bridge Inn. It's a three-level dungeon full of
both wild animals and mythic creatures. From your starting point, go north
from the first room to reach Inner Bramblepoint Cave.
In this second level, go south from the second room and find a door in the
"pit" of the room beyond. This leads to Deep Bramblepoint Cave. Go south from
the entrance and continue south to reach the "boss" room. On the far (south)
wall, you'll see the welkynd stone cluster the elf was studying. His notes are
to the left (southwest corner) of the stones, inside a chest.
When you return the notes to Lithnilian, he gives you a few potions as a
reward.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ36]
<~~~~~~ NOTHING YOU CAN POSSESS ~~~~~~>
This sequel to "The Collector" begins after Umbacano has three statues. He
offers you "another task", to collect a carving from an ancient Ayleid site he
knows only as the High Fane. He shows you a sketch, which may or may not mean
anything to you.
The High Fane is now known as Malada. If you previously visited Malada or have
read the book, "The Cleansing of the Fane", your character will immediately
recognize Umbacano's sketch and you'll know where to go. If not, you'll find
out quite quickly.
As you leave Umbacano's estate, you'll meet Claude Maric. If you already know
about Malada, you can ignore him. Otherwise, charm his Disposition to 60 and
Maric will tell you all about High Fane and Malada. Malada is just about as
far east as you can go in Cyrodiil. Find the Silverfish River on your world
map, and then Lake Canulus to the southeast. Due north of the 'k' in "Lake" is
Malada.
Approaching from the west, you'll find a couple of "hunters" and a small
campsite. These two don't have anything to say, but, on a hill south of
Malada's entrance is a Khajiit, S'razirr. Question him and he'll offer you a
deal: he'll help you out in whatever goes down later if you'll give him half
your pay. (If your Speechcraft skill is 51 or higher, you can bargain him down
to 25 percent.)
These three are Maric's hired guns and you'll have to fight them when you
leave Malada with the carving. (Under no circumstances does Maric try to fight
you.) You have a few options:
1) Do nothing about the mercs. When you leave Malada, hand the carving to
Maric. You lose out on the reward.
2) Do nothing about the mercs. When you leave Malada, refuse (twice) to hand
over the carving, and you'll have to kill the three mercs. (Maric doesn't
fight.)
3) Kill all three mercs before entering Malada. (You'll find a note outlining
the plan on the female warrior, Rigmor.) Maric will not show his face when you
leave Malada.
4) Make the deal with S'razirr. When you leave Malada, refuse (twice) to hand
over the carving. S'razirr will join you in fighting Rigmor and Brucetus
Festinius. If the cat survives, you'll find him later at the Tiber Septim
hotel and can pay him off. (Note that, if you make the deal with S'razirr and
then attack the other two before entering Malada, S'razirr will join them and
you'll have to kill him as well.)
Getting the carving from Malada is relatively simple. On the first level are
mainly wild animals and a couple undead. When you reach the carving on the
second level, removing it causes the wall in front of you to crumble and
reveals three fairly high-level undead. If you Sneak run real fast back the
way you came, you don't even have to fight them.
Return the carving to Umbacano, who rewards you based on your level (to a
maximum of 2,500 gold). He also mentions yet "another task", which starts
"Secrets of the Ayleids".
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ14]
<~~~~~~ ORDER OF THE VIRTUOUS BLOOD ~~~~~~>
While wandering around the Temple district of Imperial City, you'll be met by
one Ralsa Norvalo. She asks that you meet her husband, Gilen, at the house of
an elf named Seridur. Seridur lives in the Temple district.
Enter his house and Seridur takes you down to the basement and introduces you
to the Order of the Virtuous blood. They're vampire hunters.
Oh, goody.
They've identified a vampire, one Roland Jenseric. Jenseric's house is across
the garden from Seridur; break-and-enter to search the place. On the table
near the door is a book, and there is a note on top of the book. Pick up the
note to learn the location of a cabin hideaway used by Jenseric.
This cabin is east-northeast of Imperial City, along the road to Cheydinhal.
When you enter, Jenseric wants to talk. He, of course, claims Seridur is the
vampire and gives a little different story. Who's telling the truth? Well,
Roland is, but you can kill him anyway and return to Seridur for a reward.
Or, you can believe Roland. He suggests asking about Seridur at First Edition
Books in the Market district. Do so. Phintias, proprietor of First Edition,
reports that Seridur likes to visit Memorial Cave to the southeast.
When you enter the cave, your journal updates that you've found a vampire
lair. Uh huh. Remember, fire is your friend when fighting vampires and make
sure you visit a chapel after you finish to rid yourself of porphyric
hemophilia. You've got a bunch of animals, some undead and several vampires--
including Seridur--to dispatch.
Return to Roland at his cabin and inform him of the good news. Meet him back
in Imperial City at Seridur's house. The Order of the Virtuous Blood is going
to carry on the good work of hunting vampires. From now on, they'll pay you
250 gold for any vampire dust you bring them, starting with what you picked up
at Memorial Cave.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ15]
<~~~~~~ ORIGIN OF THE GRAY PRINCE ~~~~~~>
The Gray Prince is Agronak gro-Malog, Grand Champion of the Arena, and he
spends his time down in the Bloodworks, working out. Talk to him and he
professes he's the half-son of a Lord Lovidicus. He gives you a key, given him
by his mother, and asks that you find out what it unlocks in Crowhaven, the
place of his birth.
Crowhaven is at the extreme west end of Cyrodiil, northwest of Anvil. It's
essentially a one-level dungeon (a second level has a trifling amount of loot
and some undead encounters). You'll find it filled with wild animals, mostly
wolves, until you come to a locked door. gro-Malog's key opens the door and
you've found the quarters of Lovidicus himself.
Lovidicus will attack you on sight, and you'll have to kill him. Find his
journal to learn the truth; then, return it to gro-Malog. He gives you an
initial reward, which is training that boosts your Blade, Block and Athletics
skills by 3 pints. Then, he reads the journal and he's distraught at what he
learns. If you play through the Arena, gro-Malog will beg you to challenge
him; then, surrender to your sword during the match.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ16]
<~~~~~~ PARANOIA ~~~~~~>
Not long after you've entered Skingrad the first time, you'll be approached by
a nervous elf named Glarthir. He wants you to meet him behind the Chapel of
Julianos at midnight. You can go any day--Glarthir dutifully shows up at
midnight every night until you meet him. When you do meet him, he tells you
there are people out to get him and he wants you to spy on them.
If you turn Glarthir down, he goes crazy, runs back to his house, gets a
battleaxe and goes on a killing spree. His targets are the three people he
wants you to spy on: Bernadette Peneles, Toutius Sextius and Davide Surilie
(whose wine you've seen all over Cyrodiil). You can do a few things here: wait
until he attacks his first victim, then step in and kill him (if you kill him
before he attacks it is considered murder); run along behind him and watch
until the city guard finally catches up to him and kills him; or, help him out
(you'll have to pretty much depopulate Skingrad if you go this route).
The other option is to humor Glarthir. He'll ask you to spy on Bernadette
Peneles, then report back at midnight the next night. You don't have to
actually do anything, just Wait until midnight and report in. The same is true
of Toutius Sextius and Davide Surilie.
If you tell Glarthir none of the targets is interested in him, which they
aren't, he believes you're in on the plot and tries to kill you...with his
fists, and not wearing any armor. Well, that won't end pleasantly--for him,
anyway. You can loot his corpse and get the key to his house, which you can
then loot for whatever you can find.
If you lie and report even one target as a spy, Glarthir offers a reward of
1,000 gold if you kill any conspirators. You can make the hit and collect the
reward; you can turn the note over to the constabulary, who will chase after
Glarthir and give him the pointed end of justice; or, you can show the note to
Davide Surilie, who, along with his brothers, will deal with the matter
personally.
So, basically, anything you do ends with Glarthir dead. Simply Waiting one day
at a time and reporting the truth is, thus, the quickest way to end this
quest.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ42]
<~~~~~~ THE POTATO SNATCHER ~~~~~~>
Faregyl is an Inn along the Green Road between Imperial City and Bravil. It's
just northwest of the Inn of Ill Omen, part of the Dark Brotherhood's
initiation quest (and east of Nenyond Twyll, from the Mages Guild quests).
Inside is S'jirra, a baker of famous potato bread. She's lost six jumbo
potatoes and thinks the thief took off to the west.
Indeed. Follow your quest marker to an ogre with an addiction to spuds and
take the potatoes (undigested) off his body. Return them to S'jirra, who
rewards you with her potato bread (an alchemy ingredient with Damage Agility,
Damage Strength, Detect Life and Restore Health effects).
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ34]
<~~~~~~ RAID ON GREYLAND ~~~~~~>
Outside the West Gate of Leyawiin stands a guard, Lerexus Callidus. Talk to
him to open this quest. Basically, he's trying to shut down a skooma (drug)
gang that operates out of the little homestead of Greyland. He can't get close
to the house without the gang going into hiding, but figures you might be able
to walk right in and "deal with" (i.e. kill) them.
You can. Greyland is just south along the main road. Enter the house and kill
gang leader Kylius Lonavo and his buddy. Take Lonavo's ring to Callidus for
your reward.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ17]
<~~~~~~ REPAIRING THE ORRERY ~~~~~~>
This quest is added as soon as you load a game after having installed the
official mod Orrery DLC2; or, installing the Knights of the Nine mini-
expansion pack. (See the Mods section for information on obtaining the mod.)
After installing the mod, the next time you load a game (or leave the tutorial
sewers), you get a note from Bothiel, resident astronomer at Arcane
University.
It seems she is attempting to repair the Imperial Orrery, an astronomical
device, but parts she was having delivered were stolen. Evidence points to
Camp Ales as a possible base for the bandits who stole the parts. Camp Ales is
due north of Kvatch. Travel there and kill the lone bandit inhabiting the
place. From his body, get an undelivered message and the first Dwarven part.
The message points you to four other camps: Dagny's Camp, Brotch Camp, Bodean
Camp and Varus Camp. These camps are arranged in a rectangular pattern around
Ales. Travel to each one and kill the bandit or bandits you find there. From
one of the bodies in each camp, retrieve a Dwarven part for the Orrery. At the
last camp you visit, you'll face the bandit leader and two minions, so prep
for a major battle before entering the camp.
After all five Dwarven parts are in your pockets, Fast Travel to Arcane
University. If you have not completed the Mages Guild Recommendations quests,
Bothiel will be waiting for you, during normal hours, in the Arch Mages Lobby.
(The only place open to the general public.) If you are a member of the Mages
Guild with access to Arcane University, you may find Bothiel elsewhere. Just
use your objective marker to track her down.
After delivering the parts, Wait until the next day and visit Bothiel again.
She'll give you a key to the Orrery, which is accessible from a door in the
Arch Mages Lobby. Go up to the Orrery and Activate it.
Once activated, the Orrery will permanently grant you a greater power
depending on the phase of the moon. Just Activate the Orrery any time you want
to gain a power. These powers are just like racial powers: use them once per
24 hours; each has a duration of 60 seconds.
To figure out which power you will get, look up the number of days that have
passed since you started the game (available on the Accomplishments tab of
your Stats menu). If the number of days passed is greater than 23, divide by
24 and look at the remainder (modulus).
Example 1: 83 days have passed since you started the game. 83/24 = 3 remainder
11. The power granted on day 11 is Secunda's Opportunity. Example 2: 120 days
have passed since you started the game. 120/24 = 5 remainder 0. The power
granted on day 0 is Masser's Might.
You can only have one power at a time. Each time you use the Orrery, whatever
Orrery-granted power you currently have will be replaced by the new Orrery
power.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ43]
<~~~~~~ REVENGE SERVED COLD ~~~~~~>
This is a goblin-genocide quest given by a bereaved husband. Corrick Northwode
lives on a small farm called Harm's Folly. This single-dwelling farmstead is
north of the Blue Road, halfway between Imperial City and Cheydinhal. It's
right on top of the 'n' in "Heartlands" on your world map.
During the day, you'll find Northwode kneeling in front of his wife's grave to
the side of the house. Speak to him and he'll ask you to wipe out the goblins
that killed his wife; and, he wants you to bring back her jade amulet so he
has something to remember her by.
The goblins are holed up in the Exhausted Mine, just a little to the
southwest. This is the three-level, very linear dungeon filled with goblins.
The jade amulet is on the body of the "Netherboss" (after you kill him, of
course) in the last room of the third level. There's no shortcut back out, so
you'll have to retrace your steps.
Return to Northwode, who gives you a handful of gems as a reward.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ37]
<~~~~~~ SECRETS OF THE AYLEIDS ~~~~~~>
Once you've obtained the carving in "Nothing You Can Possess", Umbacano asks
you to do something else for him. He wants the crown of the last Ayleid king;
but, you can't just go dungeon-crawling for this one. The crown is owned by
another collector, Herminia Cinnia. Umbacano gives you 1,000 gold to get the
crown and tells you to keep whatever you don't spend on the crown.
First, don't take this quest until you've finished "The Collector". Umbacano
ends up dead, so he won't be able to pay you for any more statues, or the
5,000 gold bonus for all ten if you finish this quest before finishing the
first quest. Second, Cinnia is not going to sell you the crown. Whether or not
you even bother to talk to her depends on how much work you want to do.
| Option #1
+-----------
Steal the crown from Cinnia. She lives in the Elven Gardens district, near the
southeast corner. Her door faces the east wall of the district. Cinnia wanders
the town most days, but you're still better off breaking in during the middle
of the night, when she's asleep. You'll have to pick the lock on her front
door, the lock on her bedroom door and the lock on the Ayleid cask in the
corner. Take the crown to Umbacano, who now asks that you accompany him
through Nenalata, the city of the last Ayleid king. He'll meet you there in
three days.
| Option #2
+-----------
Use your quest marker to track down Herminia Cinnia, who wanders around town
most of the time. Talk to her about the crown and she'll tell you Umbacano
isn't just a collector, but a man obsessed with returning the Ayleid
civilization to power. She suspects the Crown of Nenalata that she has will
make Umbacano too dangerous.
She suggests an alternative--take Umbacano a fake crown. She gives you the key
to another ruin, Lindai, and tells you to get that crown. Lindai is due east
of Castle Chorrol, in the Great Forest. There is a rather large number of
undead spread over two levels. You are confronted immediately with two sets of
swinging blade traps, and it's only going to get worse. Watch your step.
The second large room has a pit trap in the center, and the third has three--
yes, three--ceiling crusher traps laid out in a row. If you walk to the far
(northwest) edge of the middle crusher trap and step onto it, you'll be pushed
into the cavity in the ceiling, but there are no spikes, so you won't be hurt.
What you will see is a pushbutton. Activate it to open the side rooms below
and collect a boss chest for your trouble.
Beyond the crusher traps is the door to the Inner Tombs. Nothing remarkable
here except a boss undead guarding the cask containing the crown of Lindai.
Exit the boss' room to the southeast for a shortcut back to the beginning of
the dungeon. Careful going through the door, there will be an undead right on
top of you as you come out of the Tombs. Return the crown to Umbacano, who
seems doubtful, but accepts it as the real deal. He asks you to meet him at
Nenalata in three days.
| Nenalata
+----------
You don't have to wait a full three days. Umbacano shows up at Nenalata on the
morning of the third day, counting the day you turned over the crown. E.g. if
you gave him the crown in the evening of Saturday (Loredas), he'll be at
Nenalata by Monday morning (Morndas). Claude Maric shows up the day before,
saying Umbacano wants the both of you to escort him through the ruins.
Nenalata is full of undead, often in pairs. If you are high level, you'll get
summoning undead (skeleton champions and liches), which means the possibility
of four-on-one battles. You may appreciate having Maric and Umbacano help you.
On the other hand, if Umbacano dies, the mission is over. While he does have
healing magic, you might want to tell him to Wait Here and clean out the
dungeon on your own--especially if you rely on Stealth and ranged kills.
Nenalata is very linear and there are no traps. Just lots and lots of leveled
undead. When you reach the third level, Sel Aran Arpena, you'll find a slot
that fits the carving you obtained in "Nothing You Can Possess". Umbacano
places the carving, incants and a door to the throne room opens.
(If you're using a Detect Life spell, you may be alarmed at the life forms
showing around the throne room. Get ready...)
Umbacano sits on the throne, puts on the crown and incants. If you gave him
the Lindai crown, the dark welkynd stones around the room kill him. If you
gave him the Nenalata crown, he transforms into the King of Nenalata, a lich.
If you gave him the correct crown, step up close while he's transforming and
whack him hard and fast. He should go down easily.
Now, regardless of which crown he used, wait for the doors to the side rooms
(one each north, east and south) to open, then run to the north side room as
fast as you can. Run up the stairs in the north wall.
You have two choices: run like crazy--at the top of the stairs is a shortcut
back to the beginning of Nenalata and sweet safety. Or, turn and use the
stairwell to channel the undead to you one at a time. If you stay down in the
throne room, you and Maric (if he survived) will be mobbed by six undead. (If
you're high level, they'll all be summoners and it will be twelve undead.
Think about that before you decide to stand and fight in the throne room.)
The quest ended when Umbacano died. Your reward was whatever you Magickaged to
pull out of the dungeon. If you kill all the undead in the throne room, you
can loot Umbacano's corpse for a lot of very nice items. You'll also get the
keys to his manor, which means you can Sneak in and steal back all the statues
you previously collected for him, as well as whatever other filthy lucre you
can find.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ44]
<~~~~~~ SEEKING YOUR ROOTS ~~~~~~>
You kick this quest off the first time you find a nirnroot plant. Nirnroot is
a rare alchemical ingredient, and, unlike other flora in Cyrodiil, it does not
grow back after you pick it. (Also, there's a 100% chance of success
harvesting it, which is also different from other plants.) Your journal
suggests you see an alchemist about the plant. Any alchemist you talk to is
going to kick you over to Sinderion in Skingrad, so just go to him first.
Sinderion lives and works in the basement of the West Weald Inn. You'll find
the Inn near the West Gate of Skingrad. Sinderion is excited about the plant
and tells you all about a rare Elixir of Exploration he can make using the
plants. He needs 10 for the first level of the Elixir. There are four Elixirs
in all:
* Weak (requires 10 nirnroots): Fortify Health 20, Night Eye, 300 sec duration
* Moderate (requires 20 nirnroots): Fortify Health & Fatigue 20, Night Eye,
300 sec duration
* Grand (requires 40 nirnroots): Fortify Health & Fatigue 20, Night Eye,
Fortify Blade, Blunt, Destruction, Restoration, Sneak & Security 10, 300 sec
duration
Each level of the potion requires the full number of nirnroot plants, so, to
get the Grand potion, you'll have to collect a total of 100 nirnroots (10 + 20
+ 30 + 40). And, they aren't that easy to find. Sinderion points you to
Shadeleaf Copse, just north of Skingrad. You can, indeed, find three nirnroot
plants around the pond in the copse. As for the rest...
Nirnroot is most commonly found near water, and is usually growing among
rocks. However, there's a lot of water in Cyrodiil--and most of the shore is
lined with rocks. You can also find nirnroot in some flooded dungeons and even
in some houses. Here's a partial list (if you find others, feel free to
contribute their locations):
* Just beyond your sewer exit at the start of the game
* In the Mages Guild well that's part of the Cheydinhal Recommendation quest
* Near the entrance to Wellspring Cave, east of Imperial City, on the opposite
shore of Lake Rumare
* In the Border Watch Inn (you visit Border Watch for Sheogorath's quest)
* On the southwestern shore of Lake Rumare, just south of Fort Virtue
* In Anvil, near the statue next to the main gate
* Dairihill's bedroom; Dairihill is the steward in Castle Anvil, you'll invade
her office during the Thieves Guild quest "Taking Care of Lex", her bedroom is
behind her office
* Next to the entrance to Redwater Slough, on the Panther River's easternmost
north branch
* Near the entrance to Tidewater Cave, at the southern end of Cyrodiil (beyond
Leyawiin)
* In the moat in the Arboretum of Imperial City
* Arch-Mage's quarters in Arcane University
* At the eastern end of the Old Bridge along the southern shore of Lake Rumare
* Near Culotte, an Ayleid ruin on the east shore of the Upper Niben
* On the top floor of Silverhome-on-the-Water in Bravil
* On the second floor of the Bravil Fighters Guild
* In the Wizard's Grotto that is part of the Thieves Guild quest "Arrow of
Extrication"
* In Baenlin's bedroom in his house in Bruma (part of the Dark Brotherhood
"Accidents Happen" quest)
* At the mouth of the Panther River, near the wrecked ship
* Inside Fort Cedrian along the Carbolo River
* In Cheydinhal, on the island in the river that cuts through town
* In the Gilded Carafe, Imperial City, Market District
* In the captain's cabin of the Marie Elena, the northernmost ship docked at
Imperial City's Waterfront, part of the Dark Brotherhood quest "A Watery
Grave"
* Near the entrance to Welke, an Ayleid Ruin on the Panther River's
southernmost branch, two more are across the Panther from Welke
* Near the entrance to Fort Irony, on the west shore of Niben Bay south of
Bravil
* On the shore of Imperial City's Waterfront, just beyond the north section of
the docks, near the ship Marie Elena
* In the Smuggler's Cave under Castle Anvil
* In the Hunter's Run, the dungeon under Fort Grief, part of "Caught in the
Hunt"
* In Lord Rugdumph's Estate, part of the Fighters Guild quest "The Noble's
Daughter"
* Along the coast near the Anvil lighthouse.
* Along the western side of the small island just off the coast west of Anvil.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ18]
<~~~~~~ SEPARATED AT BIRTH ~~~~~~>
Talk to NPCs around Chorrol and find out they've seen the local drunk, Reynald
Jemane, in Cheydinhal--sober no less. When confronted in Cheydinhal, he claims
he doesn't know his buddies from Chorrol. Track down Reynald, who will give
you 50 gold to go to Cheydinhal and find out who's impersonating him.
Travel to Cheydinhal and ask around about Reynald Jemane. The people in this
town don't know a Reynald, but they do know a Guilbert Jemane. Find him and
you'll learn some history of these two brothers. Guilbert will go to Chorrol;
return there after a couple of days, once the brothers have had a chance at a
reunion. Track down Guilbert in Chorrol and talk to him to finish this quest,
and start the next in the series...Legacy Lost.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ19]
<~~~~~~ SHADOW OVER HACKDIRT ~~~~~~>
Whilst wandering about Chorrol, you may meet an Argonian named Dar-Ma. Be
polite to her and you get instant 20-point Disposition increases with both
Dar-Ma and her mother, who runs Northern Goods and Trade. At least three days
later, provided you've left Chorrol for another city and then returned, you'll
be able to talk to Seed-Neeus, the mother, and find out Dar-Ma is missing.
(If you failed to talk to Dar-Ma earlier, or were impolite to her, then you'll
have to pick up the rumors of Dar-Ma going missing and then confront her
mother with this information.)
Seed-Neeus explains Dar-Ma went to make a delivery to Hackdirt, a little
village to the south. She's overdue for her return. Head out the south gate of
Chorrol and make your way to Hackdirt. This nasty little town is filled with
even nastier people.
You can poke around town, talking to people identified by Seed-Neeus. You can
find Dar-Ma's horse, Blossom. You can even find Dar-Ma's diary in a room in
the Moslin Inn. But, in the end, none of this leads anywhere, except the
conclusion something is badly wrong in Hackdirt.
The lone help you get is from Jiv Hiriel. Find him and speak to him. He says
to come meet him at his house between 6pm and midnight. Show up on schedule
and he'll fill you in on the whole story. There are still things left unsaid.
Who are the Deep Ones? What are the Brethren changing into?
--
As many people have pointed out, this quest is a take-off of a novella by H.
P. Lovecraft, "Shadow Over Innsmouth". In Innsmouth, the people worship a fish
god, Dagon, and are turning into fish people. You can read more about "Shadow
Over Innsmouth" here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow_Over_Innsmouth
--
In any case, Hiriel gives you a key to the Hackdirt caverns and tells you to
wait until the middle of the night and use the trapdoor in Moslin's Inn.
Excellent advice. Wait until 2 or 3 in the morning, then enter the Inn and
find the trapdoor.
Drop down into the caverns and, right around the corner, is the cell with Dar-
Ma. Release her using your trapdoor key and head back to the surface. Find
Blossom behind the Dry Goods store and Dar-Ma will mount up. You can then lead
her back to Chorrol. Once you've reunited mother and daughter, Seed-Neeus
gives you a +5 increase to your Mercantile skill.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ20]
<~~~~~~ SINS OF THE FATHER ~~~~~~>
This is, essentially, the third and final part of the Jemane brothers' quests
(begun in Separated at Birth and continued in Legacy Lost). The quest begins a
few days after you've dropped the Jemane boys at Weatherleah. The next time
you're in Chorrol and out and about at night, you'll be approached by one
Fathis Ules, a Thieves Guild fence.
Seems the Jemane's father wasn't a noble and honorable man, but a thief who
decided to keep his last score rather than fence it to Fathis. Fathis knows
the item was stored at Weatherleah and suspects the ogres took it back to
their home cave after sacking the place.
They did.
Fathis points out Redguard Valley Cave on your map; it is due south of
Chorrol. Travel to the cave and take care of the goblins guarding the door.
Inside, the cave is infested with ogres. You have to find the ogre chieftain
and kill him to retrieve the Honorblade of Chorrol. You get a journal entry
that suggests you might want to see someone in the castle about this.
You can sell it to Fathis Ules, for a rather large amount of gold. You can
keep it for yourself (though this leaves the quest as incomplete). Preferably,
you will head for Castle Chorrol and see the steward, Laythe Wavrick. He
identifies the sword, takes it from you, and gives you the Escutheon of
Chorrol shield (Fortify Endurance and Reflect Damage) in return.
If you handed the sword over to Wavrick, head out to Weatherleah and visit the
Jemane boys. Talking to Guilbert nets you an additional reward as well as his
thanks.
GLITCH WARNING: If you complete this quest in any way other than selling the
sword to Fathis Ules; then, Fathis won't talk to you--even if you join the
Thieves Guild and want to fence items with him. You can get around this by
wearing the Gray Cowl to talk to him; or, PC users can download a fan-made fix
for this problem:
Rumors in Anvil mention a gang of women preying on married men. When you
pursue the topic, you are pointed to Maelona. You may also run into Maelona
before hearing the rumors. Either way, talk to Maelona about her husband,
Gogan's, involvement with these women. Seems they took a family heirloom and
Maelona wants you to get it back. She points you to The Flowing Bowl as the
base of operations for the gang.
The Flowing Bowl is a tavern in the docks area outside the southwest gate in
Anvil. Enter and wait a bit. You'll be approached by either Faustina Cartia or
Signy Home-Wrecker. If you're male, you'll be tempted with delights beyond
your wildest dreams. If you're female, you'll be offered a position with the
gang.
Either way, you're invited to the Gweden farmhouse at 11:00 that evening.
Travel to the farmhouse, southeast of Anvil and now marked on your map, and
enter during the 11pm hour. You'll talk to Faustina. Regardless of your gender
and the original reason for the invitation, the talk ends in violence.
You'll have to fight Faustina, Signy and a third member of the gang, Tsarinna.
This part is difficult because you're confined to the small farmhouse and have
three foes to deal with. Anything you can do to immobilize one or two while
you work on the others is a good thing.
When all three are dead, Maelona and her "husband" Gogan enter the farmhouse,
in their normal work clothes: uniforms of the Anvil city guard. They've been
working undercover trying to stop the gang and decided to use you as bait.
Nice, ain't it? Loot the bodies for a key to the basement and go check it out.
It's filled with the swag collected by the gang in earlier conquests, so help
yourself.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ45]
<~~~~~~ THE SUNKEN ONE ~~~~~~>
Just northeast of Kvatch you'll find an abandoned homestead named Shetcombe
Farm. When you enter the house, you get a journal entry saying you should
search for clues to the whereabouts of the occupant. On the table, inside a
bowl, is a page torn from a journal. This identifies the owner as Slythe
Seringi, and he has gone to Sandstone Cavern to make a sacrifice to "The
Sunken One".
You'll find Sandstone Cavern northeast of the farm; it's a two-level creature
dungeon. From the first room, take the south exit and continue until you reach
a room divided by a chasm. After killing the beasties upstairs, drop down into
the chasm and look for a treasure chest along the west wall. On top of the
chest is a second page from Seringi's journal. Pick up the page in order to
advance the quest.
Go south through the chasm to enter Sandstone Big Caverns. Go straight through
the first room (down into and then back out of the pit) to enter another chasm
where you find Seringi's body. Activating his corpse not only lets you find
the last page of his journal, it also triggers the Sunken One--a storm
atronach--who spawns in right behind you.
When you retrace your steps, going through the first chasm with the treasure
chest takes you to an alternate route out of the dungeon. Your reward is
whatever you collected in Sandstone Cavern.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ32]
<~~~~~~ TEARS OF THE SAVIOR ~~~~~~>
Talk to S'drassa, the hooded Khajiit at the Leyawiin Mages Guild. He collects
crystals. He's looking for a specific crystal known as Garridan's Tear. He
wants you to track some down for him. He suggests you visit Julienne Fanis at
Arcane University for a lead.
Fanis will be found in the Arch-Mage's Lobby, the publicly accessible part of
the university. Fanis can give you the full legend; or, you can shortcut
directly to the useful information which is to read a book called
"Knightfall". First Edition in the Market district should have a copy. Buy the
book from Phintias and Frostfire Glade will be marked on your map.
You need two things before you start out: refined frost salts and some type of
protection from frost damage. You can buy the refined frost salts from Fanis
over at Arcane University. S'drassa will give you five potions of frost
immunity. You are now ready to go to Frostfire Glade.
The glade is southeast of Bruma, almost halfway to Cheydinhal. You first go
through a cave with a few daedra; then, enter the glade. In the center of this
area is the hero, Garridan, frozen in battle with a frost atronach. There's
also a non-frozen frost atronach waiting for you. In a circle around the ice
sculpture is the area where you need frost resistance; else you'll take
serious damage.
There are five tears, which are elongated blue crystals that can be difficult
to find lying on the ground. Here's a map showing the crystals' locations:
Note that one crystal is actually up on top of the rocks supporting the ice
sculpture and, just below that, another is hidden on the ground among some
rocks. One tip: try to draw the frost atronach out of the center area and kill
it outside the frost circle. If you kill it inside, it may fall on one of the
crystals, and then good luck finding it. Return all five crystals to S'drassa
for your reward.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ22]
<~~~~~~ THROUGH A NIGHTMARE, DARKLY ~~~~~~>
While not part of the Mages Guild quests, you can get this task once you've
finished the Bravil Recommendation for the Mages Guild. After completing that
quest for Kud-Ei, speak to her again. She'll ask that you help her friend,
Henantier. You can also get this quest by speaking to various NPCs around
Bravil until one of the rumors concerns the missing Henantier.
Speak to Kud-Ei about Henantier and she'll explain he is trapped, but she
knows where he is. Agree to follow her to Henantier's house, where you find
the unfortunate fellow trapped in his own dreams. Kud-Ei gives you Henantier's
Dream Amulet. Equip it; then, rest in the bed next to Henantier.
You find yourself next to Henantier in a dream-version of his house. There are
four portals: Tests of Patience and Perception upstairs, Tests of Courage and
Resolve downstairs. You have no equipment and cannot cast spells. You must use
what you find in each portal to retrieve an element of Henantier's personality
and restore him to himself.
*NOTE* At any time during these tests, if you are low on health, you can use
the Wait function to wait an hour and fully restore your health and Magicka.
| Patience
+----------
At the beginning you can retrieve a mysterious scroll from the chest. This is
a map across three arrow traps ahead. Make your way safely across the traps,
either following the map the game gives you, or these more easily decipherable
maps:
*HINT* Use third person view and walk (don't run) to make sure you walk across
the correct squares. This is the test of Patience, after all. In these maps,
'S' marks the safe squares.
TRAP 1 TRAP 2 TRAP 3
S X X X X X X X S X S X X X X X X X
| | |
S X X X X X S--S--S X S X X X S--S--S--S
| | | | |
S--S X X X S--S X X X S--S--S--S--S X X S
| | |
X S X X X S X X X X X X X X S--S
| |
X S--S--S X X X X X X S X
| |
X X X S X X X X S--S--S--S--S X
|
X X S X X X X X
|
X X S X X X X X
Once past the third trap you can pick up the Element of Patience, which
returns you to Henantier's dream room.
| Perception
+------------
Pick up a torch from the chest at the beginning of this stage and carefully
pick your way around pressure plates. The first pressure plate sets off a
falling rock trap. Beyond are swinging blades. You can't stop them, but you
can dodge them easily enough.
Past those are poisonous gas traps--stay away from them--then avoid the
pressure plate that sets off another falling rock trap. Next is a broad avenue
with blades overhead. You can try running through, or carefully walk in
between each set and wait for them to rise again.
Beyond is a hill of blocks with several pressure plates. Avoid them or suffer
frost damage (Nords may choose to just run through...) Now you can get the
Element of Perception and return to the main room.
| Courage
+---------
The first door you come to downstairs leads to the Test of Courage. Inside the
chest is a Weak Potion of the Sea (water breathing for 30 seconds). Drink the
potion and dive in. Navigate carefully--you'll have to occasionally turn the
camera to twist your way through the tunnels. Halfway through is another chest
with another potion--just in time to ingest to make it the rest of the way
through. When you surface, the Element of Courage is there for the taking.
| Resolve
+---------
You get to fight two minotaurs. Yay! Suit up with items from the chest at the
beginning of the test and take on the minotaurs in whatever fashion suits you.
You may be able to just dispose of them using the Staff of Lightning,
regardless of your class. Once the minotaurs are dead, stairs rise from the
ground leading up to the Element of Resolve.
After collecting all four elements, speak to dream-Henantier about Dreamworld
and you will both wake up in the real world. Henantier gives you several
scrolls as a reward. You don't keep anything you picked up in the dream world.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ23]
<~~~~~~ TWO SIDES OF THE COIN ~~~~~~>
Follow rumors in Bruma pointing to a spat over money between Arnora and
Jorundr. Find Arnora, she's usually at her house behind the chapel, and get
her Disposition above 60. She then tells you she started the "spat" rumor to
lure an adventurer in for a little scheme.
If you're up for a bit of skullduggery, agree to help her out and she'll lay
out the whole tale. She and Jorundr were petty thieves who finally decided to
strike the big time by stealing money from an Imperial tax convoy. During the
fracas, Jorundr killed a soldier. They escaped and hid; but, while Arnora was
out collecting supplies, the Bruma guard showed up and arrested Jorundr.
Unfortunately for Arnora, Jorundr had moved the stash while she was gone and
she can't get him to tell her where it is. She promises half the loot if you
will go speak to Jorundr and find out where the cache is hidden. Go to Castle
Bruma, and hang a right through the guard's room and down the stairs to the
prison. Ask the guard to speak to a prisoner and he takes you in to the main
cell room.
Find Jorundr (he's the only prisoner in the place) and talk to him. He refuses
to speak to you. He doesn't trust anyone who's "on the outside", so to speak.
Simple enough, all you have to do is get yourself arrested. You can do
anything; the guard who let you in is helpfully standing at your shoulder
shouting orders. Punch him, or pick the lock on a cell door or rifle through a
chest. Whatever suits your fancy.
Choose to go to jail and you'll be thrown in the cell with Jorundr. Talk to
him again. Now he gives you his side of the story. (The other side of the
coin, get it?) Arnora was the one who killed the soldier and Jorundr believes
she set him up by turning him into the Bruma constabulary. But, he was bright
enough to move the loot and that is frustrating her. He knows he's done for,
so he promises to tell you the location of the loot if you'll do one eeny,
teeny, tiny thing for him...kill Arnora and bring back the family amulet she
always wears.
Return to Arnora's house. You have two choices:
* Whack her. This counts as a murder and you may be arrested for the crime.
Don't bother with the amulet she's wearing, get the key from her corpse and
find the chest next to her bed. That contains the "true" amulet. Return to
Jorundr.
* Tell her of Jorundr's request. She suggests a trick: she'll give you the
amulet and you tell Jorundr she's dead. She'll give you a key and direct
you to the chest next to her bed where you can get the amulet. Return to
Jorundr.
Jorundr accepts the evidence of the amulet, whether Arnora is actually dead or
not, and gives you the directions to the cache. It will now be marked for you
on your map, just outside the North Gate. Head for the marker. If you killed
Arnora, the loot is yours.
If you fooled Jorundr, you'll run into corrupt guard Tyrellius Logellus (you
encountered him while in prison, but couldn't talk to him). He overheard your
conversation with Jorundr, went and killed Arnora and then waited by the cache
for you to show up so he can tie up all the loose ends. Demonstrate to him the
error of his ways; then, collect the loot. To officially close the quest, go
to Arnora's house to confirm her death.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ49]
<~~~~~~ UNEARTHING MEHRUNES' RAZOR ~~~~~~>
*NOTE* Before installing the Mehrunes' Razor mod, you must install the
v1.1.511 patch. If you install the mod first, the patch will fail and the mod
won't run without the patch.
To get this quest, you have to download the official plug-in, DLC9 ($2.99 for
PC, also available on Xbox360 in the Marketplace for 250 points); or, install
the Knights of the Nine mini-expansion pack. After installing the plug-in, the
next time you load a game or exit the tutorial sewers, you will get a message
informing you of rumors of a fabled weapon, Mehrunes' Razor, that may be
located beneath the ruined fort of Sundercliff Watch.
Before setting off in search of Mehrunes' Razor, divest yourself of all non-
essential equipment. You'll be underground for quite a while, and you don't
want to leave loot behind because you're over-encumbered. (Investment in a
Feather spell or potions or equipment is recommended.) You should also be high
enough level to handle four or five enemies at once. There are some pitched
battles ahead of you.
Sundercliff Watch is in the far east of Cyrodiil. The nearest quest-related
point is Peryite's Shrine (due west of the fort). Inside the front door is a
large room with two guards, one standing still and one patrolling. Take them
out, then approach the wooden door to the south. To the right of the door is
an abandoned knapsack. Loot this for a diary that gives you the password to
get through the door, "Chimer". Beyond the door are two more guards.
To the south you'll come out on a raised platform with another guard
patrolling below. Your path then turns east through a tunnel, which leads to
the upper level of a circular room. There are three to four guards below you,
one of which is a veteran (much tougher than the soldiers you've faced thus
far). Once you've cleared the lower level, exit to the north to reach
Sundercliff Village.
This underground town has quite a few NPCs wandering about. Immediately to
your left as you exit the tunnel you'll find four to five soldiers sitting
around a campfire. Wait until a couple have gone off on patrol before
attacking the ones that remain. If you get lucky, the patrol won't come
running back to help. If you're unlucky...
Well, hope you have some decent weaponry or spells or it's reload time. These
soldiers are the main problem on the upper level of this large cavern. Stay on
the upper levels, exploring the buildings. Most buildings have one or two
occupants and a fair bit of treasure. In the northwest corner is the jail;
inside, locked in a cell, is a Morag Tong (Morrowind assassin). Kill him for
his full suit of Morag Tong armor (especially good for Stealth-based
characters).
From the top level of the cavern, exit to the east into Sundercliff Forge. At
the T-intersection, go left (north) and follow the tunnel around until you see
a large tunnel to your left (east). Follow this tunnel to the door to
Sundercliff Mines.
The Mines is basically one large room with two levels--you enter at the
bottom. There are a lot of soldiers and laborers in the Mines, and it is
almost impossible to avoid a 4-on-1 or 5-on-1 battle near the entrance.
Fortunately, the laborers aren't that tough and do little damage (unless
you're attempting this as a low-level character).
Once you've cleared your way into the Mines, it gets easier. Find the tunnel
entrance to the southeast and follow the path to the upper level of the main
cavern--you can pick off the laborers and soldiers here one-by-one. Once you
reach the upper level of the main cavern, you'll have to pick your way through
two or three patrolling soldiers. Again, if you're careful and watch the
patrol patterns, you can take them one at a time.
To the northeast is the tunnel that leads back to Sundercliff Forge; this
time, you're below where you came in from the Village. Follow the only path,
fighting your way through four apprentices, to reach the Forgemaster. Watch
out for his enchanted axe! Once he's dead, loot his tent, making sure you pick
up the enchanted bezoar. Return to Sundercliff Village through the shortcut on
the north side of the Forgemaster's cave.
Clean out the lower portion of the Village. Find one of two exits to the west
(the upper-level exit is better) to enter Sundercliff Commune. If you come in
on the lower level of the Commune, you'll face a couple of veterans. On the
top level are mostly laborers and a couple of soldiers. Along the bottom chasm
of the Commune is the Veteran's Lodge, which contains two or three veterans
and a boss-level chest.
On the north top tier of the Commune is Drothan's cabin, mentioned in the
diary you picked up earlier. Enter his cabin and find his journal on a small
table. It mentions the Ayleid city where Mehrunes' Razor is hidden, and tells
how Drothan has shielded the entrance. You need two enchanted bezoars to get
through the shield. You got one from the Forgemaster. The other is right next
door in the Commander's quarters.
Now that you have the two enchanted bezoars in hand, go west through the lower
chasm of the Commune. At the Ayleid door, Activate the pedestal to either side
to place a bezoar and dispel the shield. Follow Drothan through the door to
the Ayleid ruin. This first section is a long series of halls with no enemies
and no traps. Just run through to the door into Varsa Baalim.
Varsa Baalim is a large cavern with an Ayleid ruin inside. Advance carefully
(and, preferably, in Sneak mode) to witness a battle below you. The combatants
are some Drothmeri soldiers and vampires. Wait until the dust has settled to
go down and take out the survivors. Along the south wall are two entrances to
Cava Arpenia. This side area has two vampires and a little loot.
Further exploration will reveal, to the west, some more vampires as well as a
door to Cava Beldameld. Enter this small room, dispose of the vampire, and
exit at the far side to return to Varsa Baalim, this time in the southwest
corner in a previously inaccessible area. Leave Cava Beldameld in Sneak mode.
As you re-enter Varsa Baalim, there's a battle in front of you. Let the
soldiers and vampires settle their differences before mopping up.
Go to your left (northwest) to reach the large, northern section of Varsa
Baalim. There are more vampires down here, and, in the northern corner of the
area, a door to Cava Marspanga. Enter here and go slowly down the stairs. At
the bottom, three Drothmeri soldiers and three vampires are mixing it up.
Once you've helped them all to the great beyond, re-enter Varsa Baalim. You're
now on the extreme northern edge of the large cavern. Go right (west) to find
a small encampment with a single vampire and some loot chests. Once you've
satisfied your avarice, go back east past the door to Cava Marspanga. To your
left you should see a collapsed walkway forming a ramp leading up.
Climb up to find some more vampires, including the vampire patriarch. They
should be weakened by a fight with soldiers that occurred while you were
looting. Take them out and keep climbing and following the causeway until you
see a giant welkynd stone marking the entrance to The Nefarivigum.
Down the stairs you go, through the door, and down a lot more stairs. All the
enemies on the stairwell are dead. At the bottom is Drothan himself, studying
a statue. He's a powerful mage, so adjust your battle tactics accordingly.
Leading with a Sneak attack is always helpful.
After Drothan is dead, Activate the statue of Msirae Faythung. (If you're
using Detect Life, you may notice the statue is glowing. But it's not really
alive...yet.) The statue contains a beating heart. Remove the heart and then
open your inventory and consume (use) the beating heart. The statue comes
alive and you've got an angry dremora to defeat.
There's not a lot of room to maneuver for ranged fighters, so you might want
to revert to quick jabs with a one-handed weapon and then dance out of the way
while he swings. Or you can just tank him if you have the appropriate armor
and weapons. When Faythung is dead, a gate to the south opens and Mehrunes'
Razor is yours.
After you take the Razor, a secret passage leading to some Forgotten Tunnels
opens. There's nothing in the Tunnels except a rock fall and some rats. At the
end is a small pool; dive in to find a door that leads into Lake Canalus, west
of Fort Sundercliff.
Congratulations! You now have a lot of loot, including a dagger that is
capable of one-hit killing any enemy in the game. (Only a small chance,
though.)
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ31]
<~~~~~~ AN UNEXPECTED VOYAGE ~~~~~~>
At the west end of the dock of Imperial City's Waterfront district is a
floating tavern known as The Bloated Float. Spend a night there, and, when you
wake up, you find the boat has put to sea and everything seems strangely
quiet. When you step outside your room, you meet Lynch. If you claim just to
be a passenger and then claim to be a member of his gang, he'll fill you in on
a little of what's happening. Regardless, you have to send him to Davy Jones'
locker.
Take his key and instructions and go down the hall to the storage room.
Release the inn's bouncer, Graman gro-Marad; he says he can get the ship back
to port, but he's not going up on deck until you give the all clear. Head up
to the main deck, where you'll find Minx. Again, you can lie your way through
the conversation and pick up some tidbits of information, or just run her
through.
Get the top deck key from Minx and proceed up. Outside, surrounded by nothing
but water, you can chat with Wrath. Again, you eventually have to kill him,
lying to him just gives you a more complete picture of what's going on. From
his body you can get the captain's cabin key. Return to the main deck and tell
gro-Marad he can go topside and start sailing the ship back to port.
Enter the captain's cabin behind the bar to find the leader of the pack,
Selene. You have two options:
1) Kill her. That might be tough depending on how you're kitted out. She's
five levels above you and has a sword that drains your Fatigue, and these are
tight quarters, not allowing for a lot of movement or ranged fighting.
2) Get her to surrender. You can do so by answering her, in order:
* I took the key from Wrath.
* I'm here to join the gang.
* ...three months ago?
* To find the Golden Galleon.
* You mean in Bravil?
* I've killed all of them.
She stands down and hands over her sword.
Talk to Ormil, the owner and captain of The Bloated Float and he'll ask that
you escort Selene to a cabin downstairs. Go downstairs, Selene will follow,
and Activate the door next to your own cabin on the lower deck. Selene will be
locked up. Return to Ormil for the whole story, then back down to your cabin
to Sleep a bit so the ship can return to port. After you awake, see Ormil
again for your reward.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ24]
<~~~~~~ UNFRIENDLY COMPETITION ~~~~~~>
Wal-Mart has moved into the Imperial City Market District and the Mom & Pop
stores aren't happy about it. You can get this quest started from several
different shopkeepers if you ask about Thoronir; however, your first step is
always to talk to Jensine of "Just Like New" Goods and she can also give you
the quest. Make her shop your first stop when entering the Market District.
Jensine wants you to find out how Thoronir is undercutting everyone else.
Visit Thoronir's shop, The Copious Coinpurse, and ask about his Inventory.
He'll get all sly on you and you'll get an entry in your journal that says you
should follow him. Wait outside his shop until the 8:00pm hour. Thoronir will
exit and you should follow him. He goes various places (The Merchant's Inn,
the Arboretum), but wherever he ends up, he hangs around until the 11:00pm
hour. So when he stops moving, use Wait to jump ahead to that time.
Follow him back to the Market District and a little garden behind his shop. He
has a meeting with a man named Agarmir. Walk toward them until they start
talking. (You don't have to Sneak.) Listen to their conversation, and then
follow Agarmir per your journal's instruction. He goes to his house in the
Talos Plaza district. Your journal instructs you to wait until Agarmir leaves
his house. Agarmir only leaves in the afternoon (around 4pm) on weekdays and
in the mornings (around 8am) on weekends. Wait until the appropriate time and
you should see Agarmir leave his house.
After he leaves, wait until no guards are present; then, pick the lock on his
house door (Average lock) and his basement door (Average lock). In the
basement, take the Macabre Manifest and leave Agarmir's house. Return to the
Copious Coinpurse and show the Manifest to Thoronir.
After, go to the Imperial Green Way and find the marked tomb on your map (it's
on the south side of the area). Enter and trip Agarmir's little trap. He and a
buddy will try to put you to rest. Agarmir is using an enchanted sword, which
might be a nice weapon for you once you've slipped it from his cold, dead
fingers. Grab the shovel from the rear of the tomb and any loot you can find.
Return to Thoronir and then to Jensine to complete the quest.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ46]
<~~~~~~ VAMPIRE CURE ~~~~~~>
*NOTE* An easier way to cure vampirism is to purchase the Vile Lair official
plug-in. Inside the Lair is a pool with a Font of Renewal. Collect Purgeblood
Salts from the nearby rock outcropping and Activate the Font with Salts in
your pockets. Your vampirism will be cured.
You can do this quest whether you want to cure yourself of vampirism or not,
but there is no real reward except the cure. You must be a vampire (any stage,
but more than just infected with porphyric hemophilia) to start this quest.
Find Raminus Polus in the Arch-Mage's Lobby of Arcane University during normal
daytime hours. Ask about a cure for vampirism and he'll refer you to Count
Hassildor in Skingrad.
Fast Travel to Castle Skingrad and speak to either Mercatus Hosidus (if you
haven't completed "Ulterior Motives" in the Mages Guild quests) or Hal-Liurz
(if you have) about a vampire cure and they'll fetch the count. The count
tells you all he knows; he has himself been searching for a cure for his wife.
(He likes being a vampire, she doesn't, yada, yada.)
He refers you to a witch of Glenmoril who lives in Drakelowe, along the
Carbolo/Reed Rivers in eastern Cyrodiil. Fast Travel to Cheydinhal and head
south; you'll find Melisande inside the one house. She agrees to help you with
a cure, but first, she needs a favor: five empty grand soul gems.
The easiest way to get the soul gems is to buy them. Most Mages Guild halls
have a merchant who has various sizes of soul gems. In addition, the Mystic
Emporium in Imperial City will usually have one or two of that size. Bring
five to Melisande to discover that little scavenger hunt was just the
beginning. The ingredients she wants for the vampire cure will have you
hopping all over the country...
| Vampire Ashes
+---------------
For this one, at least, Melisande has a specific target in mind. She wants the
ashes of Hindaril, who resides in Redwater Slough near the east end of Panther
River. (It's actually on the eastern of two tributaries that feed into the
Panther from the north.) At the first T-intersection, turn left (north) to
reach Hindaril directly; however, you'll have to pick a lock to get to him.
If you have little in the way of lock-picking skill, go right (south) at the
T-intersection to find a key. This won't be easy as you'll have to swim
through a flooded tunnel and come up into a room with several undead
surrounding you. The chest with the key is in a corner of the room.
If you happened to clear this dungeon earlier, never fear. Hindaril's ashes
are marked as a quest item, so you couldn't have dropped or sold them anywhere
and you can just hand them over to Melisande.
| Blood of an Argonian
+----------------------
Again, this is fairly simple. All you need is an Argonian, any Argonian. You
have a number of choices available to you:
1) Pick an Argonian in any city--Bravil and Leyawiin have several each--this
is by far the simplest option if you have the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal (Thieves
Guild)
2) Raid a bandit or marauder hangout, searching for Argonians
3) If you've finished the Daedric Shrine quests (or most of them), find an
Argonian worshipper at the shrines of Azura, Boethia, Hircine, Peryite and
Sheogorath
4) You'll find an Argonian (Skaleel) on the first level of Vahtecen, but she's
off-limits if you're a member of the Mages Guild.
You don't need to kill the Argonian, just hit him once with the special dagger
given you by Melisande. Of course, that will make the Argonian and nearby
friends hostile, so choose your mark wisely.
| Nightshade & Garlic
+---------------------
You can pick these up at alchemist shops; there's one in every Mages Guild
hall. You can also try The Main Ingredient and the Gilded Carafe in Imperial
City's Market district. That should be all you need to get the five nightshade
plants and six garlic cloves.
| Bloodgrass
+------------
This plant typically grows only in Oblivion. If there are Oblivion gates still
open, you can pop through and pick up two samples pretty quickly. If not, you
can try the Daedric quests of Boethia and Peryite, both of which send you to a
special Oblivion plane, where you might be able to find some bloodgrass.
If the gates are all closed and you've previously finished the Boethia and
Peryite quests, you may still find some bloodgrass growing around the wreckage
of closed gates. Or, you may get real lucky and some alchemist has some in
stock. If you've purchased the Wizard's Tower official plug-in, then head
straight to Frostcrag Spire--you can get two samples of bloodgrass in the
conservatory next to your quarters.
| The Cure
+----------
Once you have all the ingredients, hand them over to Melisande. You then have
to Wait 24 hours to get the cure. Return to Castle Skingrad and talk to
Hosidus or Hal-Liurz again and you'll be escorted to a secret room where the
Countess lies in a coma.
Lo and behold, Melisande is there before you. She revives Rona Hassildor long
enough for her to drink the cure and then she dies. If you try to talk to the
count, he'll brush you off with a request you wait a day to allow him to set
his wife's affairs in order.
Wait 24 hours and ask the steward for the count. He'll come down and
officially conclude the quest with a small reward. And, oh yeah, you still
have one dose of the cure to use on yourself. If you later get vampirism
again, you have to repeat the ingredient gathering for Melisande in order to
get another dose.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ47]
<~~~~~~ A VENERABLE VINTAGE ~~~~~~>
Nerussa is a lover of fine wines; in fact, she collects them. She is the
proprietress of the Wawnet Inn, at the west end of the bridge coming off the
west side of Imperial City Isle. There's one particular type of wine,
Shadowbanish Wine, that is eluding her. She would give anything (well, not
anything, but a nice reward) for six bottles of this special win.
Shadowbanish Wine was made especially for Imperial Legion soldiers, and it can
only be found in their old forts. There are eight forts with Shadowbanish
Wine; in each fort, you'll find two bottles in a chest. The wine provides 240
seconds of Night Eye (as well as draining your Agility and Intelligence for
120 seconds). You'll need to stop in at least three forts to complete the
quest.
* Fort Aurus: southern point of the mouth of the Carbolo River. This single-
level dungeon is inhabited by conjurers and their Summons. At the first T-
intersection, take a right and then a left to find the "boss" conjurer and the
chest with the wine (on the west wall of the room).
* Fort Carmala:
* Fort Dirich:
* Fort Grief: island in the middle of Niben Bay. This is the location of
"Caught in the Hunt". The wine chest is on the top level of the outer ruin--
you only go into the dungeon during the associated quest.
* Fort Irony: along the west coast of the Upper Niben, south of Bravil. This
is a goblin hangout. From the first T-intersection, go left and the wine chest
is in the next room, on the southwest side of the central pillar.
* Fort Magia:
* Fort Scinia:
* Fort Vlastarus:
* Frostcrag Spire: If you buy the Wizard's Tower official mod and the Vault
furnishings, there's a wine rack in your cellar; it includes one bottle of
Shadowbanish Wine.
Nerussa will pay you 1,000 gold for the first six bottles, and 100 gold for
any additional bottles you bring her.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ48]
<~~~~~~ WHEN THE VOW BREAKS ~~~~~~>
Just outside Anvil's North Gate is the farm of Maeva the Buxom, Whitmond farm.
Speak to Maeva to get an earful about her good-for-nothing husband, Bjalfi
(the Contemptible). Soon after their marriage, Bjalfi took Rockshatter--a
family heirloom given them by Maeva's father--and joined a group of marauders
operating out of Fort Strand.
The fort is close--just east of the city. At the first T-intersection, turn
left and follow the path until you find a door to the Fort Strand Great Dome.
In the first room, jump off the bridge and take the path southeast. You'll
quickly come to a "room" (more of a widening of the corridor) where Bjalfi is
hanging out with his new squeeze--the marauder warlord. If you run past them,
keeping in a southeast direction, you can lead them right through a swinging
mace trap.
Take Rockshatter from Bjalfi's body (or from the floor where it was flung when
you blasted him). Return to Maeva who rewards you with her dowry and decides
to jump right back into the dating game.
Taking the death of her husband kind of hard, isn't she?
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ25]
<~~~~~~ WHERE SPIRITS HAVE LEASE ~~~~~~>
The rumor mill in Anvil will eventually give you a name, Velwyn Benirus.
Inquire after him and learn he hangs out at the Count's Arms. (You can also
just go to the Count's Arms and find Benirus.) He offers to sell you his
family's mansion for a mere 5,000 gold.
How could you possibly pass up such a deal? As soon as you complete the
transaction, Benirus high-tails it out of town. The mansion is located in the
northeastern section of town. Paying a visit reveals you just bought a
wonderful restoration project.
Try to sleep in the upstairs bed and get even more bad news: an attack by
three ghosts. Once they are gone, head downstairs and find a vase that fell
and broke during the ruckus. Underneath is a skeletal hand and a piece of
paper. The paper reveals Benirus' grandfather, Lorgren, had a nasty habit of
conducting necromancy experiments on the citizens of Anvil. The current guild
leader, Carahil, entombed Lorgren in a sealed room in the basement (you may
have marked the door and seal in an earlier inspection of the premises).
Return to the Count's Arms and inquire after Velwyn. You are told he departed
for Imperial City. Head there yourself and ask after Velwyn Benirus and you
should eventually find someone who knows a Benirus is staying at the King and
Queen Tavern in the Elven Gardens district. Go there and confront Belirus.
He feels sorry for giving you a cursed mansion and agrees to return to Anvil
and help you sort it out. Go back to Anvil and the Count's Arms. Talk to
Velwyn and then follow him to the mansion. Once you enter the mansion, you
take the lead. You'll have to fight your way through a number of ghosts, both
on the upper floors and in the basement.
Alternatively, you can race past the ghosts to the portal and then defend
Velwyn while he opens it. Once the portal is open, the ghosts disappear. Enter
the crypt and find the altar with Lorgren Benirus' skeleton. Activate the
altar and listen to Lorgren's contrite speech. Then Activate the skeleton with
the skeletal hand you picked up earlier in your inventory.
Oh. Look at that. It was a ruse. How surprising. Once Lorgren reforms, race to
him and smack him with your best weapon as quickly as possible. Once the lich
is dead, loot the tomb, then leave, re-sealing the portal behind you. You'll
find the mansion is now fully restored and is probably the nicest house you
can buy in Cyrodiil.
Definitely worth 5,000 gold and a little ghosthunting.
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ26]
<~~~~~~ WHOM GODS ANNOY ~~~~~~>
The rumor mill in Leyawiin buzzes with the strange noises and awful smells
coming from Rosentia Gallenus' house. Enter her house and find the fair lady
surrounded by scamps she cannot rid herself of. Seems she picked up a cursed
staff. Gallenus sends you to consult her friend, Alves Uvenim at the Mages
Guild.
Uvenim reveals the staff can only be handed off to a willing recipient and can
only be disposed of at a shrine to Sheogorath in Darkfathom Cave, southeast of
Leyawiin. Return to Gallenus, who is only too happy to give up the staff and
the scamps to you.
Trudge (the staff Drains your Speed by 20 points) down to the cave and fight
your way through a dozen or so daedra. Once you reach the shrine, you can drop
the staff anywhere near the altar and the scamps will stay put. Return to
Gallenus for your reward.
Alternately, you can keep the staff for a while. You can kill the summoned
scamps with impunity and they always come back. This is a very useful way of
leveling attack-related skills (Blade, Blunt, Destruction, etc.).
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[SQ33]
<~~~~~~ ZERO VISIBILITY ~~~~~~>
You want a Detect Life spell or enchanted item for this quest.
You can get this quest from Malene, the innkeeper of the Roxey Inn on the
north shore of Lake Rumare; or, by stumbling across the little town of
Aleswell, which is along the Red Ring Road west of the Roxey Inn. The town
appears empty; use a Detect Life spell to see there are several inhabitants.
You can talk to these invisible people; they all just tell you to see Diram
Serethi. Walk around, pointing your crosshair at the glowing purple forms
(from your Detect Life spell) until one is identified as Serethi. He runs the
little inn, and may be in there, though he wanders sometimes.
Serethi says the problem is a wizard named Ancotar who is holed up in a ruined
tower called Caractus. Ancotar likes to conduct strange experiments and
accidentally rendered the whole town invisible. The villagers have not been
able to get through to Ancotar, and ask for your help.
Caractus is down the slope south of the village. There are several invisible
wild animals wandering outside the tower, so you will want Detect Life active
as you approach. Wander around the tower with Detect Life until you find the
humanoid form that is Ancotar. Talk to him and he will provide a scroll with
the counterspell for invisibility. He also gives you a ring and warns that you
should wear the ring before casting the spell.
Listen to him. Return to Aleswell, put on the ring and cast the scroll. The
invisibility curse is removed and Diram will give you a reward. (If you try
casting the spell without wearing the ring, your Luck is damaged by 50
points.)
<~~~~~~ finis ~~~~~~>
[QL00]
~~The Elder Scrolls IV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QUEST INDEX
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OBLIVION~~
To find the mini-walkthrough for a quest, find the quest title in one of the
two lists below, copy the section code and use your browser's Search function
to search for that section code.
[QL01]
<~~~~~~ ALPHABETICAL LIST OF ALL QUESTS ------>
Accidents Happen (Dark Brotherhood)....................................DB03
Affairs of a Wizard (Dark Brotherhood).................................DB13
Ahdarji's Heirloom (Thieves Guild).....................................TG05
Allies for Bruma (Main Story)..........................................MS13
Ambush (Mages Guild)...................................................MG17
Amelion's Debt (Fighters Guild)........................................FG07
Anvil Recommendation (Mages Guild).....................................MG01
Arena, The.............................................................SQ01
Arrow of Extrication (Thieves Guild)...................................TG10
Assassinated Man, The (Dark Brotherhood)...............................DB06
Attack on Fort Sutch...................................................SQ38
Azani Blackheart (Fighters Guild)......................................FG10
Azura (Daedric Quest)..................................................DQ01
Bad Medicine (Dark Brotherhood)........................................DB08
Battle for Castle Kvatch, The........................................MS13-E
Bear Season............................................................SQ39
Blood of the Daedra (Main Story).......................................MS09
Blood of the Divines (Main Story)......................................MS10
Bloodworm Helm, The (Mages Guild)......................................MG15
Boethia (Daedric Quest)................................................DQ13
Boots of Springheel Jak (Thieves Guild)................................TG11
Bravil Recommendation (Mages Guild)....................................MG02
Breaking the Siege of Kvatch (Main Story)..............................MS04
Broken Vows (Dark Brotherhood).........................................DB15
Brotherhood Betrayed, A................................................SQ02
Bruma Gate (Main Story)................................................MS12
Bruma Recommendation (Mages Guild).....................................MG03
Brush with Death, A....................................................SQ29
Canvas the Castle......................................................SQ03
Cast Out of the Thieves Guild..........................................TG13
Caught in the Hunt.....................................................SQ27
Cheydinhal Recommendation (Mages Guild)................................MG04
Clavicus Vile (Daedric Quest)..........................................DQ14
Coldest Sleep, The (Dark Brotherhood)..................................DB18
Collector, The.........................................................SQ30
Confront the King (Mages Guild)........................................MG18
Corruption and Conscience..............................................SQ28
Dagon Shrine (Main Story)..............................................MS07
Daedric Quests.........................................................SQ04
Dark Brotherhood, The..................................................DB00
Dark Exile, A (Dark Brotherhood).......................................DB23
Defense of Bruma (Main Story)..........................................MS14
Deliver the Amulet (Main Story)........................................MQ02
Den of Thieves (Fighters Guild)........................................FG06
Desolate Mine, The (Fighters Guild)....................................FG03
Drunk and Disorderly (Fighters Guild)..................................FG05
Elven Maiden, The (Thieves Guild)......................................TG04
Expelled from the Fighters Guild.......................................FG20
Final Justice (Dark Brotherhood).......................................DB16
Find the Heir (Main Story).............................................MS03
Finding the Thieves Guild (Thieves Guild)..............................TG00
Fingers of the Mountain (Mages Guild)................................MG05-A
Fingers of the Mountain, Part II (Mages Guild).......................MG05-B
Following a Lead (Dark Brotherhood)....................................DB20
Forlorn Watchman, The..................................................SQ05
Fugitives, The (Fighters Guild)........................................FG12
Ghost Ship of Anvil, The...............................................SQ06
Go Fish................................................................SQ07
Goblin Trouble.........................................................SQ40
Gravefinder's Repose, The..............................................SQ35
Great Gate (Main Story)................................................MS15
Hermaeus Mora (Daedric Quest)..........................................DQ15
Hircine (Daedric Quest)................................................DQ11
Hist, The (Fighters Guild).............................................FG19
Honor Thy Mother (Dark Brotherhood)....................................DB21
Imperial Corruption....................................................SQ08
Imperial Dragon Armor (Main Story).....................................MS18
Independent Thievery (Thieves Guild)...................................TG02
Infiltration (Fighters Guild)..........................................FG18
Information at a Price (Mages Guild)...................................MG13
Information Gathering (Fighters Guild).................................FG17
Killing Field, The.....................................................SQ09
Kiss Before Dying, A (Dark Brotherhood)................................DB19
Knife in the Dark, A (Dark Brotherhood)................................DB01
Knights of the White Stallion..........................................SQ10
Legacy Lost............................................................SQ11
Leyawiin Recommendation (Mages Guild)..................................MG06
Liberation or Apprehension? (Mages Guild)..............................MG12
Lifting the Vale.......................................................SQ12
Light the Dragonfires (Main Story).....................................MS17
Lonely Wanderer, The (Dark Brotherhood)................................DB07
Lost Histories (Thieves Guild).........................................TG07
Mage's Staff, A (Mages Guild)..........................................MG08
Malacath (Daedric Quest)...............................................DQ06
Master's Son, The (Fighters Guild).....................................FG08
Matter of Honor, A (Dark Brotherhood)..................................DB17
May the Best Thief Win (Thieves Guild).................................TG01
Mazoga the Orc.........................................................SQ13
Mephala (Daedric Quest)................................................DQ10
Meridia (Daedric Quest)................................................DQ07
Miscarcand (Main Story)................................................MS11
Misdirection (Thieves Guild)...........................................TG06
Molag Bal (Daedric Quest)..............................................DQ12
More Unfinished Business (Fighters Guild)..............................FG09
Mystery at Harlun's Watch (Fighters Guild).............................FG16
Namira (Daedric Quest).................................................DQ03
Necromancer's Amulet, The (Mages Guild)................................MG16
Necromancer's Moon (Mages Guild).......................................MG11
Newheim's Flagon.......................................................FG06
Next of Kin (Dark Brotherhood).........................................DB14
No Stone Unturned......................................................SQ41
Noble's Daughter, The (Fighters Guild).................................FG15
Nocturnal (Daedric Quest)..............................................DQ08
Nothing You Can Possess................................................SQ36
Of Secret and Shadow (Dark Brotherhood)................................DB11
Order of the Virtuous Blood............................................SQ14
Origin of the Gray Prince..............................................SQ15
Paradise (Main Story)..................................................MS16
Paranoia...............................................................SQ16
Path of Dawn, The (Main Story).........................................MS06
Permanent Retirement (Dark Brotherhood)................................DB10
Peryite (Daedric Quest)................................................DQ09
Plot Revealed, A (Mages Guild).........................................MG14
Potato Snatcher, The...................................................SQ42
Purification, The (Dark Brotherhood)...................................DB12
Raid on Greyland.......................................................SQ34
Rat Problem, A (Fighters Guild)........................................FG01
Renegade Shadowscale, The (Dark Brotherhood)...........................DB05
Repairing the Orrery (Official Mod)....................................SQ17
Revenge Served Cold....................................................SQ43
Sanguine (Daedric Quest)...............................................DQ05
Scheduled for Execution (Dark Brotherhood).............................DB04
Secrets of the Ayleids.................................................SQ37
Seeking Your Roots.....................................................SQ44
Separated at Birth.....................................................SQ18
Shadow Over Hackdirt, A................................................SQ19
Sheogorath (Daedric Quest).............................................DQ02
Sins of the Father.....................................................SQ20
Siren's Deception, The.................................................SQ21
Skingrad Recommendation (Mages Guild)..................................MG07
Spies (Main Story).....................................................MS08
Stone of St. Alessia, The (Fighters Guild).............................FG14
Sunken One, The........................................................SQ45
Taking Care of Lex (Thieves Guild).....................................TG08
Tears of the Savior....................................................SQ32
Through a Nightmare, Darkly............................................SQ22
Trolls of Forsaken Mine (Fighters Guild)...............................FG13
Turning a Blind Eye (Thieves Guild)....................................TG09
Tutorial (Main Story)..................................................MS01
Two Sides of the Coin..................................................SQ23
Ulterior Motives (Mages Guild).........................................MG09
Ultimate Heist, The (Thieves Guild)....................................TG12
Unearthing Mehrunes' Razor..............................................SQ49
Unexpected Voyage, An..................................................SQ31
Unfinished Business (Fighters Guild)...................................FG04
Unfortunate Shopkeeper, The (Fighters Guild)...........................FG02
Unfriendly Competition.................................................SQ24
Untaxing the Poor (Thieves Guild)......................................TG03
Vaermina (Daedric Quest)...............................................DQ04
Vahtacen's Secret (Mages Guild)........................................MG10
Vampire Cure...........................................................SQ46
Venerable Vintage, A...................................................SQ47
Wandering Scholar, The (Fighters Guild)................................FG11
Watery Grave, A (Dark Brotherhood).....................................DB02
Wayward Knight, The (Main Story).....................................MS13-A
Weynon Priory (Main Story).............................................MS05
When the Vow Breaks....................................................SQ48
Where Spirits Have Lease...............................................SQ25
Whispers of Death (Dark Brotherhood)...................................DB22
Whodunit? (Dark Brotherhood)...........................................DB09
Whom Gods Annoy........................................................SQ26
Zero Visibility........................................................SQ33
[QL02]
<~~~~~~ QUESTS LISTED BY CITY/REGION ~~~~~~>
Quests in this section are listed by the closest major city. If you want to
know everything you can do in a city and the surrounding area, just look
through this list and then find the mini-walkthroughs for each quest. Only
side quests (i.e. not any main story, guild or daedric quests) are listed
here.
| Anvil
+-------
Ghost Ship of Anvil, The...............................................SQ06
Siren's Deception, The.................................................SQ21
When the Vow Breaks....................................................SQ48
Where Spirits Have Lease...............................................SQ25
| Bravil
+--------
Caught in the Hunt.....................................................SQ27
Forlorn Watchman, The..................................................SQ05
Through a Nightmare, Darkly............................................SQ22
| Bruma
+-------
Brotherhood Betrayed, A................................................SQ02
Lifting the Vale.......................................................SQ12
Two Sides of the Coin..................................................SQ23
| Cheydinhal
+------------
Brush with Death, A....................................................SQ29
Corruption and Conscience..............................................SQ28
| Chorrol
+---------
Canvas the Castle......................................................SQ03
Killing Field, The.....................................................SQ09
Legacy Lost............................................................SQ11
Separated at Birth.....................................................SQ18
Shadow Over Hackdirt, A................................................SQ19
Sins of the Father.....................................................SQ20
| Imperial City
+---------------
Arena, The.............................................................SQ01
Collector, The.........................................................SQ30
Imperial Corruption....................................................SQ08
Nothing You Can Possess................................................SQ36
Order of the Virtuous Blood............................................SQ14
Origin of the Gray Prince..............................................SQ15
Repairing the Orrery (Official Mod)....................................SQ17
Secrets of the Ayleids.................................................SQ37
Unexpected Voyage, An..................................................SQ31
Unfriendly Competition.................................................SQ24
| Leyawiin
+----------
Knights of the White Stallion..........................................SQ10
Mazoga the Orc.........................................................SQ13
Raid on Greyland.......................................................SQ34
Tears of the Savior....................................................SQ32
Whom Gods Annoy........................................................SQ26
| Skingrad
+----------
Paranoia...............................................................SQ16
Seeking Your Roots.....................................................SQ44
Vampire Cure...........................................................SQ46
| Wilderness
+------------
These quests take place out in the wilds of Cyrodiil, away from the cities.
Attack on Fort Sutch...................................................SQ38
Bear Season............................................................SQ39
Go Fish................................................................SQ07
Goblin Trouble.........................................................SQ40
Gravefinder's Repose, The..............................................SQ35
No Stone Unturned......................................................SQ41
Potato Snatcher, The...................................................SQ42
Revenge Served Cold....................................................SQ43
Unearthing Mehrunes' Razor..............................................SQ49
Venerable Vintage, A...................................................SQ47
Zero Visibility........................................................SQ33
One of the big downsides to looting dungeons is becoming overburdened with
stuff you simply don't want to part with. Whether it's books, extra clothing,
the hundred-or-so keys you collect or that cool-looking sword you want to show
off...you can't keep it with you. But you can't store it in any public or
semi-public (like a guild hall) place because the containers in those places
are periodically reset.
You can always just drop items on the ground. The ground is never reset
(except in a few instances), so your items stay there. But there are numerous
problems with that: wandering NPCs might pick up some of your stuff, it can be
hard to locate small items lying on the ground, and it just looks trashy.
The solution: a home of your own. There are a variety of options for ownership
of a home in Cyrodiil. You can buy a house in each main city, except Kvatch.
The basic method of purchasing a home is: talk to the city's ruler (or
designate), get said person's Disposition high enough (typically 60 or 70),
ask about buying a home, buy the home, purchase furnishings at a shop, move
in.
You can store whatever you want in your home. Containers in your house (or
houses) are never reset. Thieves do not break in and steal. There are
bookshelves for your books. And the largest house available also has display
cases where you can show off all your trophies.
The houses are here ranked according to their desirability factor--a highly
subjective number that encompasses three things: value, attractiveness and
location. The prices of the homes are fixed. The price of furnishings will
vary, depending on your ability to haggle with the furniture merchant. The
figures listed are the base price charged by the merchant prior to any
haggling.
Furnishings are purchased in sets; for example a dining area, a bedroom area,
etc. What you actually purchase is a "receipt" telling you what you're
getting. (These receipts are filed under the Books category in the merchant's
inventory.) As soon as you purchase the receipt, the items appear in your
home.
Three houses--Anvil, Skingrad and Chorrol--have names, listed in parentheses
after the city. The remaining are simply referred to as "My [city name]
House".
| ANVIL (Benirus Manor)
+-----------------------
Price: 5,000
Furnishings: n/a (already furnished)
Total cost: 5,000
Desirability factor: 10/10
Extras: Lich tomb in the basement, 2nd floor balcony
The only way to really occupy this house is to complete the side quest "Where
Spirits Have Lease". Once you've destroyed the lich entombed in the basement,
the house is all yours--and a nice place it is, too. While not quite up to the
luxury of Cheydinhal, Chorrol or Skingrad, it's still a step up from the other
cities. And it's cheap.
Real cheap.
The total cost of Benirus Manor is less than the hovel in Imperial City, and
it's a lot nicer. Not to mention it's conveniently located near Anvil's North
Gate and right across the street from the Fighters Guild hall (you'll frequent
this hall if you play through the Fighters Guild quests).
If you want a house as quickly as possible, pinch your pennies, get a magic
weapon, and take out the spirits living in this house rather than buy one of
the shanties elsewhere.
| SKINGRAD (Rosethorn Hall)
+---------------------------
Price: 25,000
Furnishings: (Colovian Traders)
* Balcony Area (2 stools, 2 rugs, chair, chest, table, candles), 2797
* Balcony Upgrade (2 large shelves, candles, pottery), 2447
* Bedroom Area (2 cupboards, bed upgrade, shelves, chest, dresser, rug,
stool), 2797
* Den Area (2 dressers, desk, chair, rug, candle sconces, pottery), 2797
* Dining Area (3 chairs, shelves, chandelier, rug, silver place settings,
candle holder, pottery), 2797
* Display Case Upgrade (3 large & 4 small display cases, candles), 1748
* Kitchen Area (2 cupboards, table, barrel, set of scales, pottery), 2797
* Lower Wall Hangings (10 paintings, 5 tapestries), 2797
* Servants Quarters (2 stools, privacy screen, bed, cupboard, table,
chest, candles, pottery), 2797
* Sitting Area (2 stools, 2 rugs, bench, shelves, table, pottery), 2797
* Storage Area (4 crates, 4 barrels, 3 chests, 2 wine racks, shelves,
candle holders), 2797
* Study Area (2 bookshelves, executive desk, chair, chest, mini-tapestries),
2797
* Upper Hall Area (2 chests, 2 chairs, shelves, table, rug, candles,
pottery), 2797
* Upper Sitting Area (2 stools, 2 chairs, table, chandelier, pottery), 2797
* Upper Wall Hangings (6 tapestries, 5 paintings), 2797
Total cost: 65,556
Desirability factor: 10/10
Extras: Maid, hidden treasure, 2nd floor balcony
A house worth every penny you have to spend on it, and then some. This is the
peak of ostentatious wealth, and your ultimate "prize" for plundering all
those dungeons. To obtain the house, you must have a Fame of 15 (or higher),
and speak to Count Hassildor's butler, Shum gro-Yarug. gro-Yarug spends his
mornings in town, and hangs around the castle the rest of the day.
Get his Disposition to 70 and he'll tell you the count is getting ready to
evict Rosethorn Hall's current tenant and his "junk" and the place is yours
for a mere 25,000 gold. You can buy furnishings from Gunder at Colovian
Traders.
After you've purchased the Servants Quarters, talk to Gunder's assistant,
Eyja. She asks if you need a maid. She'll charge you 150 gold a month, and
sleeps in the basement. At any time, you can ask her for "Drink" and get a
bottle of Rosethorn Mead (Fortify Strength & Endurance, Drain Intelligence &
Willpower); or, ask her for "Food" and get her own Shepherd's Pie, which acts
as an alchemical ingredient.
Finally, in your bedroom (third floor), you can find an old scroll on top of
the section of the room covering the stairs. You'll need to get up on the
bookcase next to the ledge to get the scroll--it's easiest to reach by jumping
from the nearest display case. The scroll contains a riddle leading to a
hidden treasure. The treasure is in an hourglass in the basement--find the
column with garlic cloves hanging from it and look in the eastern support
where the crossbeam forms a triangle. (The hourglass will not appear until
you've seen the old scroll.)
Inside are a number of gems and the Ring of the Gray, which contains Fortify
Sneak, Marksman, Security and Acrobatics, Resist Poison and Detect Life
enchantments.
The Bruma house is the first step up from the basic shacks in Imperial City,
Bravil and Leyawiin. The total cost is only 36% higher than the Leyawiin
house, yet it is a huge improvement. It's still not spacious--the rooms are
somewhat cramped--but there are several different rooms, it's attractive and
clean and it is extremely convenient.
It's located right next to Bruma's East Gate, and you'll spend a lot of time
in Bruma and its environs as part of the main story. Plus, your house is near
the merchants, rather than grouped with all the other houses. What more can
you ask?
Well, room, for one. The Bruma house is "cozy"; there's more room in the
Chorrol, Cheydinhal, Anvil and Skingrad houses; but, only the Anvil house is
any cheaper, the rest are quite a bit more expensive. If you're looking for
the perfect "tweener" house to tide you over from your starter shack to your
future mansion, the Bruma house is it.
| FROSTCRAG SPIRE
+-----------------
Price: Free*
Furnishings: (Aurelinwae, Mystic Emporium, Market District, Imperial City)
* Alchemy Lab, 2455
* Magetallow candles, 2 boxes, each 3275
* Bedroom Area, 1637
* Library Area, 1637
* Vault Area (includes guardian imps), 1637
Total cost: 13,916
Desirability factor: 8/10
Extras: Altar of Enchanting, Altar of Spellmaking, alchemical table & garden,
portals to all Mages Guilds
* Your character receives the deed to Frostcrag Spire for nothing. You, the
player, must pay Bethesda Softworks $1.89 (US) in real money for the official
mod.
You receive this tower, free-of-charge, when you purchase and install the
Wizard's Tower (DLC3) official mod. Even though the tower is free, furnishing
it is not. In addition to the furnishings, you must buy certain equipment to
get everything functional. (Namely, magetallow candles at a total of about
6,500 gold to get the enchanting and spellmaking altars working.)
The tower is remote and difficult to reach without using Fast Travel. When you
do use FT, you are deposited quite a distance away and have to climb up to the
tower, and then up three flights of stairs before you can enter. Also, the
official description promises breathtaking views, but the weather is always
lousy, so good luck getting a glimpse of Imperial City from the top of your
tower. (Note: turning off precipitation in the .ini file as detailed in PC
Optimization may help you get a good view of Imperial City.)
What pushes this up into the top four homes is the conservatory, containing a
large variety of alchemical ingredients (including some normally only found in
Oblivion), and the enchanting and spellmaking altars. With this tower, you
don't need to join the Mages Guild to make your own spells, enchant equipment
and experiment with Alchemy.
| DUNBARROW COVE
+----------------
Price: Free*
Furnishings/Crew: (Dahlia Rackham, Clarabella)
* Upgraded quarters (500 gold): slightly improves the appearance of the
captain's--that is your--quarters.
* A fence (1,000 gold): Khafiz and his pet warthog, Bacon, settle in to
Dunbarrow. Khafiz is an Expert trainer in Mercantile and a fence with
1,500 gold (the same as Fathis Ules of the Thieves Guild).
* A fletcher (1,000 gold): Melliwin moves in and hangs out along the back
wall of the cavern. She is an Expert trainer in Marksman and sells some
basic supplies and Stealth-related spells.
* A security expert (1,000 gold): Tahm Blackwell sells a few supplies, some
Stealth-related spells and provides Expert training in Security. He has a
little campsite to your right as you enter the main cavern.
* A spymaster (1,000 gold): Kovan Kren is a dark elf who likes to spend his
time practicing with his sword over to your left as you enter the main
cavern. He sells Stealth-related supplies and spells and provides Sneak
training up to Expert level.
* A supplier (1,000 gold): Jak Silver takes up residence in the Black Flag
mid-deck. He has a number of interesting items for sale and also provides
Expert-level Speechcraft training.
* Miscellaneous pirates (no cost): Talk to one of these guys and send them
out to plunder. They'll return in a week and give you a share of the
booty.
Total cost: 5,500
Desirability factor: 8/10
Extras: Fence, trainers, plunder!
* Your character receives the quest to Dunbarrow Cove for nothing. You, the
player, must pay Bethesda Softworks $1.89 (US) in real money for the official
mod.
Once you buy the Thieves Den official mod, you'll get a message telling you to
investigate Dunbarrow Cove. You'll find Dunbarrow by entering a smuggler's
cave at water level on the south side of the island occupied by Castle Anvil.
Go straight through the cave to enter the Cove.
Inside is the wreckage of a pirate ship and the undead crew. There are six
skeletons in the main cavern, plus the undead Cap'n Dugal in his cabin. Defeat
them all; then, go see Dahlia Rackham on the Clarabella. The Clarabella is the
eastern ship docked at Anvil. (If you ventured into the ship previously, it
was occupied by un-named pirates and minimal loot.)
Rackham sells the services of a crew, as well as improvements to the
underground wreck.
Once you've fully "furnished" the Cove, you have your own pirate gang to do
your bidding. There are Expert-level trainers for Mercantile, Speechcraft,
Marksman, Security and Sneak skills. There's a fence (1,500 gold limit) and
several different types of merchants. You can also order your crew to go out
an plunder. Return a week later and get your share of the loot, which is very
large. A definite must-have for Stealthy characters, and not a bad hangout for
other types of characters as well.
| CHORROL (Arborwatch)
+----------------------
Price: 20,000
Furnishings: (Northern Goods and Trade)
* Bedroom Area (3 chairs, bed upgrade, shelves, dresser, cupboard, chest,
chandelier, desk, rug), 3146
* Dining Area (4 chairs, rug, chandelier, wine rack, silver place settings
and utensils), 3146
* Dining Upgrade (3 tables, 2 sets of shelves, pottery), 3146
* Kitchen Area (cupboard, barrel, table, stool, candle holder, pottery),
3146
* Lower Wall Hangings (7 paintings, 5 tapestries, 2 wall lanterns), 3146
* Middle Wall Hangings (3 paintings, 3 tapestries, wall lantern), 2622
* Servants Quarters (bed, cupboard, table, rug, chandelier, pottery), 3146
* Sitting Area (3 tables, 2 benches, 2 chairs, small table, cupboard,
large rug, pottery), 3146
* Study Area (2 bookcases, 2 small bookcases, chair, desk, rug, desk
accessories, candles), 3146
* Suite Area (4 chairs, 2 tables, large bed, large rug, rug, dresser,
cupboard, chandelier, pottery), 3496
* Upper Wall Hangings (4 tapestries, 3 paintings), 2622
Total cost: 53,908
Desirability factor: 6/10
Extras: none
This "other mansion" is a little cheaper and a little easier to obtain than
Rosethorn Hall--you need a Fame of 12 (or higher) and a Disposition of 70 with
the Countess of Chorrol, who has regular hours (8am to 6pm) in the castle.
Considering what an extra 12,000 gold can get you in Skingrad, it's hard to
justify this purchase. You get no servant (though there are Servants Quarters)
and the house isn't quite as opulent as Rosethorn Hall. (Plus, no hidden
loot.)
If you play through the Fighters Guild, you could buy this as your "guild
master residence", since it's only a couple doors down from the Fighters Guild
hall and your office.
* Your character receives the deed to Deepscorn Hollow for nothing. You, the
player, must pay Bethesda Softworks $1.89 (US) in real money for the official
mod.
Like Frostcrag Spire, you don't have to do anything to obtain this little
country cottage other than purchase and install the official mod. When you
reload your game after installation, a journal entry informs you of Deepscorn
Hollow and marks it on your map. It is south-southeast of Leyawiin, not far
from Tidewater Cave (Nocturnal's Quest) and Bogwater Swamp ("The Renegade
Shadowscale").
Deepscorn Hollow is a little island just off the coast. There's a bridge over
to it if you don't want to get your feet wet. Find the partially submerged
towers on the south side of the island and swim down to a large, hollow log
that protrudes from the base of one of the towers. Swim into the log to find
the door to the lair; you have the key to open it (the key is added by the
mod).
Inside, just as you come up from the water, you'll find a diary. Click it to
update your journal and read about the former owner of this place. Yes, you
are now the proud owner of a vampire lair. If you are not a vampire, you may
still find a use for this wretched hive of villainy--there's an easy cure for
vampirism. Explore the ruins a bit--there are no monsters...well, other than,
perhaps, you--until you find the trap door that leads outside. You can now use
that trap door as well as the submerged door to get back into the lair.
Now, if you don't really need a vampire lair, you can avoid purchasing any of
the equipment from Rowley Eardwulf. If you ever need a cure for vampirism,
return to Deepscorn Hollow, go to the Cloister area and find the pool on the
south side of the Cloister. In one corner of the room is a Purgeblood Salts
rock formation. Activate a formation to collect some Purgeblood Salts, enter
the pool and Activate the Font of Renewal in the center.
Tada! You're cured of vampirism. (That's a lot easier than the Vampire Cure
quest, isn't it?)
If you are a vampire, or just ornery enough to use the lair anyway, follow the
suggestion of your new journal entry and travel to Wawnet Inn outside Imperial
City. Find Rowley Eardwulf sitting on the stairs and purchase the necessary
furnishings from him. They're expensive, so be sure to raid your bank account
prior to visiting. In addition to the furnishings, you'll need a bottle of
Ichor of Sithis in order to activate the Altar of Sithis in your new home.
(Eardwulf is also a Journeyman Sneak skill trainer.)
Return to Deepscorn Hollow to find that your furnishings have been put in
place. Wandering around the lair is your new minion (if you purchased the
minion). Unlike Dark Brotherhood murderers, this one won't go along with you
as a companion; but, he will go out and kill in your name and return the loot
to you in a Victim's Loot Chest in his room next to the garden. You'll also
find a prison cell with a sleeping prisoner. The prisoner sleeps 24/7 and
can't be wakened--a feeding trough for vampires.
Finally, you'll find the Altar of Sithis. Activate it with the Ichor in your
inventory and the altar is now working. Only those whose Infamy is higher than
Fame can use the Altar. When you Activate it, you receive the following buffs:
Fortify Sneak 10, Fortify Health 20, Fortify Agility 5. The buffs last for
1,000 seconds (or a little over 16-1/2 minutes).
| IMPERIAL CITY
+---------------
Price: 2,000
Furnishings: (Three Brothers Trade Goods, Sergius Verus)
* Dining Area (shelves, rug, pottery, candles), 732
* Kitchen Area (cupboard, rug, basket, pottery), 732
* Sitting Area (2 chairs, table), 732
* Storage Area (2 dressers, chest, candles), 732
* Wall Hangings (3 tapestries, 1 painting), 732
Total cost: 5,660
Desirability factor: 5/10
Extras: none
There's no getting around it--this is a shanty in the slums of the Waterfront
district. Despite that, it is not a bad purchase. The furniture looks more
rustic than decrepit; and, while it's a single, small room, it's pretty clean
and quite cozy. For a cheap place to store your goods, you can't go wrong with
this one. Plus, it gives you a place near Imperial City for conducting
operations--especially those involving the Thieves Guild.
On the downside, you're not in Imperial City itself, and the Fast Travel point
is a good walk away. If you play through the Thieves Guild, you'll get a room
in the nearby guild hall that's larger and nicer than this clapboard shack. If
you've got 5,000 gold to invest, the Anvil manor is a better purchase, but you
may not want to fight the undead to get it (plus, it's Anvil, the other end of
the world). This small home might just be what you need to hold you over until
you can buy one of the really nice homes.
The Cheydinhal house is an attractive, Tudor-style house in the southwest
quarter of the city. It's a step up from the Bruma house, and quite a step it
is: 58% hike in the total cost. Is it worth it? Probably not. If you have the
Bruma house, you can easily use it until you can afford Rosethorn Hall in
Skingrad.
The Cheydinhal house is larger, but it is terribly inconvenient. It's a fair
walk from any of the city's three Fast Travel points; plus, it's Cheydinhal.
Unless you're doing the Fighters Guild or Dark Brotherhood quests, you'll
spend little time here.
| LEYAWIIN
+----------
Price: 7,000
Furnishings: (Best Goods and Guarantees)
* Bedroom Area (dresser, privacy screen, rug, shelves, candles), 1844
* Dining Area (3 chairs, rug, candle, pottery), 1844
* Kitchen Area (cupboard, large table, baskets), 1844
* Reading Area (3 bookshelves, 2 candles, chair, table, rug, large privacy
screen), 1844
* Storage Area (3 barrels, chest, basket, rug, broom), 1844
* Study Area (desk, chair, bookshelf, candelabra), 1844
* Wall Hangings (5 paintings, 2 tapestries), 1844
Total cost: 19,908
Desirability factor: 1/10
Extras: none
Both the Bravil and Leyawiin "houses" are little more than hovels, only
slightly larger than the shanty in Imperial City, but a lot dirtier and more
dilapidated. The Bravil house gets a slightly higher rating due to the fact it
is about half the cost of the one in Leyawiin. Neither is conveniently located
to a Fast Travel point, nor is either in any way attractive or even "homey".
Unless you're collecting houses, give these two a miss.
[MA02]
<~~~~~~ SKILL TRAINING ~~~~~~>
Oblivion is all about the skills, so training up your skills is of primary
importance throughout the game. There are five ways to increase your skill
ranks:
1) Use the skill. This is the most common way of skill training.
2) Read a skill book. There are five skill books for each skill (except
Speechcraft, which has only four). Opening one of these books increases the
associated skill by one rank. A particular title will only increase your skill
one time, so finding multiple copies does you no good. In addition to finding
these books at various places in the game world, you may also be able to buy
them at one of the book merchants.
3) Pay a trainer. For each skill there are Apprentice, Journeyman and Master
trainers. Apprentice trainers can train your skill to rank 40. Journeyman
trainers can train your skill to rank 70. Master trainers can train your skill
to rank 100. You can only train five skill ranks per class level (five ranks
in one skill, or one rank in five skills or any combination thereof).
Apprentice and Journeyman trainers are available to everyone*; and, you do not
have to be a certain rank to use Journeyman trainers (i.e. they'll train you
even if your skill rank is 5). Master trainers are only available once you've
reached rank 70, gotten a recommendation from a Journeyman trainer (requires
high Disposition with the trainer) and fulfilled certain requirements.
*Trainers may be members of a guild and may not let non-guild members train
with them; these will be noted in the skill guides below.
4) Rewards. Certain quests or actions give you increases in a skill as part of
the reward. In the original release of Oblivion, certain skill rank quest
awards are bugged so that you receive the additional ranks, but not the
additional skill experience, so your skill becomes stuck until your experience
catches up to your rank. This bug is supposed to be fixed in patch 1.1.
5) Magic. Spells and enchantments can temporarily or permanently increase your
skill ranks. Depending on the type of effect, you may or may not receive any
additional Mastery Level perks when increasing a skill with magic.
Here's the full list of skills along with how to train them through use, the
related skill books (and their locations if known), the trainers and the
Master Trainer "quest", and how you can get that skill increased as a reward.
For a more complete description of each skill (as well as races and
birthsigns) along with how to control your leveling, see the PapaGamer
Character Build Guide at:
| Acrobatics
+------------
* Skill use: this skill is primarily trained through jumping; however, you get
a bonus to your skill experience if you are hurt at the end of the jump.
(Seems counter-intuitive, but there you go.) So...go fall off a mountain.
Actually, you need to find a steep hillside or mountainside, ready some
healing potions or spells and jump down in stages. You'll sustain damage and
your Acrobatics ranks will fly.
* Books:
-> "Thief"
-> "A Dance in Fire, v1"
-> "A Dance in Fire, v2"
-> "The Black Arrow, v1"
-> "Mystery of Talara, v1"
* Trainers:
-> Quill-Weave (Apprentice), lives in Anvil along the north wall
-> Ida Vlinorman (Apprentice), Imperial City, Elven Gardens district
-> Tsrava (Journeyman), Leyawiin, J'Bari's house
-> Ganredhel (Journeyman), Cheydinhal, house is behind the chapel
-> Torbern (Master), Aerin's Camp, north-northeast of Cheydinhal
Master "quest": none really. The Journeymen will tell you to see Aerin at
his camp in the northeastern section of Cyrodiil. When you get there, you
find no Aerin, but a Torbern will train your Acrobatics. No questions
asked.
* Rewards:
-> +1 from Quill-Weave if you protect her secret in the Fighters Guild
quest, "A Rat Problem"
| Alchemy
+---------
* Skill use: making potions trains this skill the fastest. You can also earn
experience just eating ingredients, but only 10% of what you earn by making a
potion. Potions are also a good source of income (and selling them helps your
Mercantile skill). The time-consuming factor is obtaining ingredients. You can
buy out alchemy merchants, but that costs a lot of gold. So whether you're
scavenging for ingredients or scavenging for the gold to buy ingredients, it
still takes a while to train up this skill.
* Books:
-> "A Game at Dinner"
-> "Mannimarco, King of Worms"
-> "Song of the Alchemists"
-> "De Rerum Dirennis"
-> "Calcinator Treatise"
* Trainers:
-> Felen Relas (Apprentice), Anvil Mages Guild
-> S'drassa (Apprentice), Leyawiin Mages Guild
-> Ardaline (Journeyman), Bravil Mages Guild
-> Brotch Calus (Journeyman), Bruma, next to the chapel
-> Sinderion (Master), Skingrad, West Weald inn basement
Master "quest": Sinderion wants two bottles of wine--Tamika 399 and Surilie
Brothers 399. You can find these wines at various places throughout the
game, including the wine cellar in Castle Skingrad, the vault of Frostcrag
Spire (if you buy the Wizard's Tower official mod and the vault
furnishings); and, the captain's cabin of the Marie Elena (northern-most
ship docked at Imperial City's Waterfront and target of Dark Brotherhood
quest, "A Watery Grave").
* Rewards:
| Alteration
+------------
* Skill use: Alteration, like Illusion, has a lot of self-targeted spells:
Feather, Water Breathing, etc. Pick one and cast it on yourself over and over.
Since each cast has an effect, you earn experience for every cast. You can
increase your skill by many ranks just walking from one town to another.
* Books:
-> "Daughter of the Niben"
-> "The Dragon Break"
-> "Sithis"
-> "Reality & Other Falsehoods"
-> "The Lunar Lorkhan"
* Trainers:
-> Dovyn Aren (Apprentice), Imperial City Elven Gardens district
-> Deetsan (Apprentice), Cheydinhal Mages Guild
-> Athragar (Journeyman), Chorrol Mages Guild
-> Abhuki (Journeyman), owner of the Faregyl Inn, on the Green Road south
of Imperial City (site of "The Potato Snatcher" side quest)
-> Tooth-in-the-Sea (Master), near Flooded Mine on Niben Bay coast
Master "quest": Tooth-in-the-Sea wants a demonstration of your Alteration
prowess. You must stay underwater with him for three hours game time (six
minutes real time). Argonians--natural water breathers--are exempted from
this test. Afterwards, he'll train you.
* Rewards:
| Armorer
+---------
* Skill use: Armorer is actually rather difficult to train. In order to train
this skill you need two things: damaged armor or weapons and plenty of money
to buy repair hammers. You can get damaged armor and weapons in the same way
you train other combat skills: Summon a low level creature, turn it hostile
with three strikes and then let it beat on you. Getting money for repair
hammers...well, that comes with dungeon delving. Though not as difficult to
train as Mercantile or Speechcraft, this is not one you want to depend on when
you need to level up or boost an attribute.
* Books:
-> "The Armorer's Challenge"
-> "Last Scabbard of Akrash"
-> "Light Armor Repair"
-> "Cherim's Heart of Anequina"
-> "Heavy Armor Repair"
* Trainers:
-> Eitar (Apprentice), Margarte's house in Leyawiin
-> Tadrose Helas (Apprentice), Bravil Fighters Guild
-> Rohssan (Journeyman), owner of "A Fighting Chance" in Imperial City's
Market district
-> Rasheda (Journeyman), owner of "Fire and Steel" in Chorrol
-> Gin-Wulm (Master), wanders Elven Garden district in Imperial City
Master "quest": Gin-Wulm wants you to prove your knowledge of armor lore
by answering a question about a famous smith named Hazzadir. To answer, you
need to have read "The Armorer's Challenge", which can be purchased at
First Edition Books in the Market district (and may be found elsewhere).
* Rewards:
| Athletics
+-----------
* Skill use: training this skill seems easy enough--just run everywhere and
swim every time you see water. But, breaking down the numbers shows it takes
70 hours of swimming to go from rank 5 to rank 100, assuming it's not a
specialty or major skill. (Or 97 hours running.) That's a lot of running and
swimming. The upshot, Athletics trains pretty slowly. It will train faster if
you have it as a major skill, and faster still if your class specializes in
Combat.
* Books:
-> "The Ransom of Zarek"
-> "A Dance in Fire, v3"
-> "The Red Kitchen Reader"
-> "Beggar"
-> "The Argonian Account, Book 1"
* Trainers:
-> Uuras (Apprentice), shepherd who lives in Skingrad and spends his days
near the grape fields west of the city
-> Mahei (Apprentice), lives in Leyawiin
-> Hauls-Ropes-Faster (Journeyman), wanders the docks of Anvil at night
-> Honditar (Journeyman), lives just outside Chorrol
-> Rusia Bradus (Master), lives in Anvil, Silgor's House, next to the
Abandoned House
Master "quest": You must have discovered 30 locations (see the stats tab
of your journal). If you've been playing the game for a while, this should
not be a problem.
* Rewards:
| Blade
+-------
* Skill use: obviously you train this skill by using your weapon. Every hit,
regardless of the amount of damage, adds to your skill experience. The easiest
way to train this skill is to use Summons as training dummies. Just summon a
low-level creature and beat on it. Rinse and repeat as needed. Make sure you
do this out in the middle of nowhere so civilians or guards don't join in the
fun. And summon something that's not too far below you in level, you don't
want to kill it in one stroke.
* Books:
-> "Words and Philosophy"
-> "2920, Morning Star (v1)"
-> "Fire and Darkness"
-> "Song Of Hrormir"
-> "Battle of Sancre Tor"
* Trainers:
-> Naspia Cosma (Apprentice), steward at Castle Cheydinhal
-> Right-Wind (Apprentice), Bruma Fighters Guild
-> Sherina (Journeyman), Leyawiin Fighters Guild
-> Rhano (Journeyman), Anvil Fighters Guild
-> Alix Lencolia (Master), is staying at the Faregyl Inn on the Green Road
south of Imperial City (site of "The Potato Snatcher" side quest)
Master "quest": You need either a Fame or Infamy score of at least 20.
Unless you've been working hard on skill training without actually doing
any quests, this should be a no-brainer.
* Rewards:
-> For a few minutes, watch two Blades practicing outside Cloud Ruler
Temple and get +2 Blade
| Block
+-------
* Skill use: each block of an enemy's attack gives you some skill experience,
regardless of how much damage was done. Summon a very low-level, non-magic-
using creature (skeletons are good), punch it three times or use a very low-
damage spell three times and it will turn and attack you. Raise your shield,
and let it hit you until its time runs out. Then summon another and do it
again. Do this in the wilderness or there will be unwanted consequences. You
can also train this skill in the wild; if the enemies you face are not too
strong, just sit and Block their attacks. Since they have no expiration date,
you can keep this up a lot longer.
* Books:
-> "Death Blow of Abernanit"
-> "The Mirror"
-> "A Dance in Fire, v2"
-> "Warrior"
-> "The Warp in the West"
Master "quest": You have to endure a 45-second beating from Andragil.
* Rewards:
-> For a few minutes, watch two Blades practicing outside Cloud Ruler
Temple and get +2 Block
| Blunt
+-------
* Skill use: see Blade
* Books:
-> "The Legendary Sancre Tor"
-> "The Importance of Where"
-> "Night Falls on Sentinel"
-> "King"
-> "Mace Etiquette"
* Trainers:
-> Vigdis (Apprentice), Anvil Fighters Guild
-> Bugak gro-Bol (Apprentice), owner of "Southern Books" in Leyawiin
-> Azzan (Journeyman), Anvil Fighters Guild
-> Christophe Marane (Journeyman), owner of the "Brina Cross Inn" north of
Anvil
-> Irene Metrick (Master), Imperial City, Elven Gardens District
Master "quest": You must have killed more than 50 "people"--i.e. the player
races. This stat is shown on the stats tab of your journal. You will have a
hard time reaching a rank of 70 in Blunt in any kind of normal manner
without killing at least that many NPCs.
* Rewards:
| Conjuration
+-------------
* Skill use: this is the fastest skill to train with use (6 skill experience
points per cast). Skill experience is gained simply by casting a spell, so all
you need is a low-level Summons spell and you cast it over and over. You don't
need to wait for each summons to expire, as soon as you cast the spell again,
the previous summons is replaced. You will also use Summon spells frequently
to train other skills.
* Books:
-> "The Doors of Oblivion"
-> "Liminal Bridges"
-> "2920: Hearth Fire [sic] (v9)"
-> "2920: Frostfall [sic] (v10)"
-> "The Warrior's Charge"
-> "Commentaris on the Mysterium Xarxes, Book 1"
Master "quest": You have to summon a faded wraith in front of Seran before
he'll train you. The Summon Faded Wraith spell requires a Conjuration skill
of 75; so, even though you can be referred to Seran at rank 70, you can't
get training from him until you're rank 75 (unless you're lucky enough to
find a scroll of the spell).
* Rewards:
| Destruction
+-------------
* Skill use: essentially, you can only train this skill in the wild against
enemies, since you only gain experience if it hits a target. You can use
Summons for target practice, in much the same way you use them for combat
skills. For an alternate training method, you must join the Mages Guild (or
buy the Wizard's Tower official mod) and use the Spellmaking Altar to make a
very low-damage self-targeted spell. Cast it on yourself until your health
gets low; then, heal yourself to raise Restoration.
* Books:
-> "The Horrors of Castle Xyr"
-> "Response to Bero's Speech"
-> "A Hypothetical Treachery"
-> "The Art of War Magic"
-> "Mystery of Talara, v3"
-> "Commentaris on the Mysterium Xarxes, Book 2"
* Trainers:
-> Chanel (Apprentice), Castle Chorrol's resident mage
If you get Chanel expelled from Chorrol in "Canvas the Castle", she's
out of the game for good.
-> J'skar (Apprentice), Bruma Mages Guild
You must complete the "Bruma Recommendation" Mages Guild quest before
you can talk to J'skar
-> Delphine Jend (Journeyman), Bravil Mages Guild
-> Marc Gulitte (Journeyman), Anvil Mages Guild
-> Bralsa Andaren (Master), hangs around a shrine to Kynareth (west of
Weatherleah, north-northwest of the Shrine of Sanguine)
Master "quest": Bring Andaren 20 bear pelts. You may be able to buy some
from "trader" merchants (such as Colovian Traders in Skingrad, Jensine's in
Imperial City, or Northern Goods in Chorrol). You should also be able to
find bears in Tidewater Cave south of Leyawiin (Nocturnal's quest) and
wandering in the wilderness beginning at level 7.
* Rewards:
| Hand To Hand
+--------------
* Skill use: see Blade
* Books:
-> "Immortal Blood"
-> "The Wolf Queen, v2"
-> "Ahzirr Traajijazeri"
-> "Way of the Exposed Palm"
-> "Master Zoaraym's Tale"
* Trainers:
-> Nahsi (Apprentice), Bravil Fighters Guild
-> Rufrius Vinicus (Apprentice), Anvil Fighters Guild
-> Ra'qanar (Journeyman), Castle Cheydinhal servant
-> Davela Hlaren (Journeyman), owner of the "Imperial Bridge Inn" on the
Silverfish River (site of "No Stone Unturned" side quest)
-> Helvius Cecia (Master), lives in the south section of Bruma
Master "quest": You have to reduce his health by about half in 30 seconds
of hitting him with your fists.
* Rewards:
-> Watch two sparrers outside the Arena (Imperial City) for a few minutes
for a +5 to HTH skill
| Heavy Armor
+-------------
* Skill use: each hit taken on a part of the body equipped with heavy armor
counts toward your skill level ups. Equip yourself totally in heavy armor,
summon a very low-level, non-magic using creature (skeletons are good), punch
it three times or use a very low-damage spell three times and it will turn and
attack you. Prep a healing spell and let it hit you until its time runs out.
Then summon another and do it again. Do this in the wilderness or there will
be unwanted consequences.
* Books:
-> "Hallgerd's Tale"
-> "2920, MidYear (v6)"
-> "Chimarvamidium"
-> "How Orsinium Passed to Orcs"
-> "History of the Fighters Guild"
* Trainers:
-> Bumph gra-Gash (Apprentice), Bruma Fighters Guild
-> Brodras (Apprentice), Leyawiin Fighters Guild
-> Valus Odiil (Journeyman), lives in the southwest corner of Chorrol, but
spends a lot of time at The Gray Mare
-> Varnado (Journeyman), co-owner of The Best Defense in Imperial City
-> Pranal (Master), lives in the Roxey Inn north-northeast of Imperial City
on the Red Ring Road
Master "quest": Pranal wants you to present a gift to Roxey Inn
proprietress Malene--four silver glasses and a silver pitcher. Note--
that's "glasses" not "cups" or "mugs". You may be able to buy these from
the typical "trader" merchants in each city. You can also steal these
things from just about any castle as well as some of the more affluent
houses in the Talos Plaza and Temple disricts of Imperial City. One good
mark: Trenus Duronis of the Temple district. His house is west of the
temple, and opens into the central circle. Duronis is a skooma (drug)
addict. He's rarely home at night and has no servants. His house is easy
pickins'.
* Rewards:
| Illusion
+----------
* Skill use: every spell cast gives you experience. Illusion, like Alteration,
has lots of self-targeted spells, such as Light or Chameleon. You just walk
along, casting one over and over.
* Books:
-> "The Wolf Queen, v3"
-> "The Argonian Account, Book 3"
-> "Incident at Necrom"
-> "Palla, volume 1" (Can only be found in Arkved's Death Quarters in
Arkved's Tower, part of Vaermina's quest)
-> "Mystery of Talara, v4"
-> "Commentaris on the Mysterium Xarxes, Book 3"
* Trainers:
-> Hill the Tall (Apprentice), priest at Chapel of Arkay in Cheydinhal
-> Jantus Brolus (Apprentice), Bruma, Istrius Brolas' house
-> Carahil (Journeyman), Anvil Mages Guild
-> Martina Floria (Master), Chironasium, Arcane University
You have to finish the Recommendation Quests to get access to Arcane
University's Chironasium and Master trainer Floria
Master "quest": Bring Floria ten welkynd stones. You can find welkynd
stones in Ayleid ruins. The closest ruin--Vilverin--will provide far more
than the ten stones needed.
* Rewards:
*NOTE* Kud-Ei of the Bravil Mages Guild is supposed to be a Journeyman
Illusion trainer--she has the conversation and the scripts. Unfortunately, the
developers forgot to set her trainer ability, so you'll have to rely on
Carahil for Journeyman Illusion training.
| Light Armor
+-------------
* Skill use: see Heavy Armor, but fully equip light rather than heavy armor
* Books:
-> "The Rear Guard"
-> "Ice and Chitin"
-> "Lord Jornibret's Last Dance"
-> "The Refugees"
-> "Rislav the Righteous"
* Trainers:
-> Dul gro-Shug (Apprentice), Imperial City, Elven Gardens district
-> Olfand (Apprentice), Nord Winds, Bruma
-> Luciana Galena (Journeyman), south quarter of Bravil over the house you
can buy (she's also a Thieves Guild fence)
-> Ahdarji (Journeyman), lives in Leyawiin, subject of "Ahdarji's Heirloom"
Thieves Guild quest
-> J'Bari (Master), house in Leyawiin
Master "quest": Bring J'Bari an Elven cuirass. Your best bets for finding
such a thing are to raid a bandit camp and get one off them (if you're
high enough level for bandits to be wearing Elven armor). Besides the
numerous small camps scattered around Cyrodiil, you can also find bandits
in numbers in Cursed Mine just west of Skingrad, Dzonot Cave on the south-
western shore of Lake Rumare and the first level of Vilverin (Ayleid ruin
across from you as you leave the sewers at the beginning of the game).
* Rewards:
| Marksman
+----------
* Skill use: see Blade
* Books:
-> "The Gold Ribbon of Merit"
-> "A Dance in Fire, v5"
-> "Vernaccus and Bourlor"
-> "Father of the Niben"
-> "The Black Arrow, v2"
* Trainers:
-> Shameer (Apprentice), house in Skingrad
-> Edla Dark-Heart (Apprentice), Regner's house, south Bruma
-> Reman Broder (Journeyman), house in Skingrad
-> Pinarus Inventius (Journeyman), hunter based in Anvil, frequently
wanders the wilderness (part of Fighters Guild quest "A Rat Problem")
-> Melliwin (Expert), part of the Thieves Den official mod
-> Alawen (Master), Troll Candle Camp, east-southeast of Anvil (Gweden Farm
from "The Siren's Deception" is closest quest-related point, west-
southwest of the camp) Alawen hunts frequently, so you may need to Wait
until nighttime for her to return to her camp.
Master "quest": Alawen wants an Elven bow. Your best bets for finding
such a thing are to raid a bandit camp and get one off them (if you're
high enough level for bandits to be using Elven weapons). Besides the
numerous small camps scattered around Cyrodiil, you can also find bandits
in numbers in Cursed Mine just west of Skingrad, Dzonot Cave on the south-
western shore of Lake Rumare and the first level of Vilverin (Ayleid ruin
across from you as you leave the sewers at the beginning of the game).
* Rewards:
| Mercantile
+------------
* Skill use: you get a bump in Mercantile experience points for each item
sold. So, how do you train this skill? Buy a stack of 100 arrows and sell them
back--one at a time. Yeah, you would rather clean the bathrooms in Grand
Central Station with your tongue. But, there it is.
* Books:
-> "The Buying Game"
-> "The Wolf Queen, v4"
-> "2920, Sun's Height (v7)"
-> "A Dance in Fire, v6"
-> "A Dance in Fire, v7"
* Trainers:
-> Foroch (Apprentice), Gottshaw Inn, southwest of Kvatch
-> Mach-Na (Apprentice), owner of Mach-Na's Books, Cheydinhal
-> Margarte (Journeyman), Eitar's house, Leyawiin (part of Fighters Guild
quest "Drunk & Disorderly"), Margarte wanders a lot
-> Seed-Neeus (Journeyman), owner of Northern Goods & Trade, Chorrol
-> Khafiz (Expert), part of the Thieves Den official mod
-> Palonirya (Master), owner of Divine Elegance, Imperial City, Market
district
Master "quest": If you have at least 10,000 gold in your pockets, Palonirya
will train you (that's not how much the training costs, just how much you
must be carrying when you meet her).
* Rewards:
-> +5 from Seed-Neeus for completing "Shadow Over Hackdirt"
| Mysticism
+-----------
* Skill use: the Detect Life spell is a good, cheap self-targeted spell that
will allow you to train this skill while you're walking around. Just keep
casting it over and over; you don't have to wait for each cast to expire
before casting again.
* Books:
-> "The Firsthold Revolt"
-> "2920, Sun's Dawn (v2)"
-> "The Black Arts on Trial"
-> "Before the Ages of Man"
-> "Souls, Black and White"
-> "Commentaris on the Mysterium Xarxes, Book 4"
* Trainers:
-> Druja (Apprentice), Skingrad Mages Guild
-> Angalmo (Apprentice), Chorrol Mages Guild
-> Boderi Farano (Journeyman), Mystic Archives, Arcane University
You must complete the Recommendation Quests to have access to the Mystic
Archives and this trainer
-> Ita Rienus (Journeyman), Bravil Mages Guild
-> Dagail (Master), Leyawiin Mages Guild
Master "quest": If you've closed at least three Oblivion gates, Dagail will
train you.
* Rewards:
| Restoration
+-------------
* Skill use: You can train this skill using a cheap Fortify self-target spell,
e.g. Fortify Magicka, and casting it on yourself over-and-over. But...this
skill trains *very* slowly. You get 1/10 of the skill experience per cast as
you do with Conjuration, 1/8 of Alteration, 1/5 of Mysticism and Illusion, and
1/2 of Destruction. Since it takes so long to train this skill normally,
you'll need to rely on trainers, and probably don't want to rely on this skill
for class leveling.
* Books:
-> "Withershins"
-> "Notes on Racial Phylogeny"
-> "The Exodus"
-> "2920, Rain's Hand (v4)"
-> "Mystery of Talara, v2"
* Trainers:
-> Cirroc (Apprentice), Great Chapel of Talos, Bruma
-> Marie Palielle (Apprentice), Great Chapel of Julianos, Skingrad
-> Marz (Journeyman), Great Chapel of Mara, Bravil
-> Ohtesse (Journeyman), Great Chapel of Arkay, Cheydinhal
-> Oleta (Master), Chapel of Akatosh, Kvatch (but she moves to the refugee
camp south of the city after you secure the chapel as part of the main
story)
Master "quest": You must complete "Breaking the Siege of Kvatch" and "The
Battle for Castle Kvatch" before Oleta will consent to train you.
* Rewards:
| Security
+----------
* Skill use: there's no getting around it, the only way to train Security is
picking locks. This is easier said than done. First, most locks that need
picking will also get you into trouble with the law. Second, not everyone
finds lockpicking to be easy. Fortunately for you, the developers foresaw the
difficulties with lockpicking and provided both Open Lock spells (Alteration)
and the Skeleton Key. So training Security isn't really worth a lot, unless
you're trying to boost Agility. (PS: Once you have the Skeleton Key, you can
go crazy picking locks using Auto Attempt and get ranks in Security that way.)
* Books:
-> "The Locked Room"
-> "The Wolf Queen, v1"
-> "Proper Lock Design"
-> "Advances in Lock Picking"
-> "Surfeit of Thieves"
* Trainers:
-> Malintus Ancrus (Apprentice), house in southwestern Chorrol
-> Samuel Bantien (Apprentice), Imperial City, Talos Plaza district
-> Dro'Shanji (Journeyman), house in the north quarter of Bravil
-> Mandil (Journeyman), Othrelos's house, Imperial City, Elven Gardens
-> Tahm Blackwell (Expert), part of the Thieves Den official mod
-> J'baana (Master), Imperial Prison, he wanders the fenced prison yard in
the back section of the district, you can speak to him through the gates
or steal a key from a jailor
Master "quest": You must pick up a message from S'Krivva (north quarter of
Bravil) and bring it to J'baana.
* Rewards:
| Sneak
+-------
* Skill use: you can train Sneak by successfully Sneaking around *any* NPC;
they don't have to be hostile. Break into someone's house, Sneak up to their
bedroom and Sneak-run into the wall while they sleep. Sneak behind an
innkeeper and Sneak-run into the wall. You can even train up Sneak while in a
dungeon or on a mission where you have a convenient cubbyhole near some NPCs.
For example, in the Dark Brotherhood contract, "Accidents Happen", you can
Sneak-run in the crawlspace for days (game time) and rank up to 100 without
even breaking a sweat.
* Books:
-> "The Wolf Queen, v6"
-> "2920, Last Seed (v8)"
-> "Sacred Witness"
-> "Legend of Krately House"
-> "Purloined Shadows"
* Trainers:
-> City-Swimmer (Apprentice), north quarter of Bravil
-> Glistel (Apprentice), Malintus Ancrus's house, southwestern Chorrol
-> Othrelos (Journeyman), Imperial City, Elven Gardens district
-> Mirabelle Monet (Journeyman), owner of the Fo'c's'le, Anvil docks
-> Rowley Eardwulf (Journeyman), new merchant added by "Vile Lair"
official plug-in, located in Wawnet Inn west of Imperial City
-> Kovan Kren (Expert), part of the Thieves Den official mod
-> Marana Rian (Master), house in the Temple district of Imperial City, but
wanders the city a lot
Master "quest": Pickpocket the coin in Rian's pocket and you're in.
* Rewards:
| Speechcraft
+-------------
* Skill use: if there's one skill that can be said to be the most difficult
and tedious skill to train, it is Speechcraft. The *only* way to train
Speechcraft is by playing the Persuasion mini-game, which some players may
liken to having a root canal without anesthetic. You gain 2.4 skill experience
points each time you complete the mini-game (regardless of how much you raised
or lowered Disposition). Considering the hundreds of points needed to rank up
a skill...that's a lot of Persuasion. You'll definitely want to seek out
trainers and skill books if Speechcraft is important to you.
* Books:
-> "Biography of the Wolf Queen"
-> "The Wolf Queen, v5"
-> "2920, Second Seed (v5)"
-> "The Wolf Queen, v7"
* Trainers:
-> Alga (Apprentice), Honmund's house, Bruma
-> Uravasa Othelas (Apprentice), Great Chapel of Mara, Bravil
-> Gruland Garrana (Journeyman), Great Chapel of Arkay, Cheydinhal
-> Varon Vamori (Journeyman), Bravil (has a part in the Bravil
Recommendation Mages Guild quest)
-> Jak Silver (Expert), part of the Thieves Den official mod
-> Tandilwe (Master), Temple of the One, Imperial City
Master "quest": You must speak to every beggar in Cyrodiil (there are 19).
Beggars killed prior to starting the quest will not be counted. Any beggars
you have spoken to prior to starting the quest will be counted--you do not
have to talk to them again. There are five beggars in Imperial City; two in
each of the other seven major cities.
* Rewards:
-> Get "Biography of the Wolf Queen" from Ursanne Loche when you finish
"Caught in the Hunt"
-> +1 from Arvena Thelas if you turn Quill-Weave in at the end of the
Fighters Guild quest, "A Rat Problem"
[MA03]
<~~~~~~ VAMPIRISM ~~~~~~>
Yes, indeed, you can become a vampire in Oblivion. There are advantages and
disadvantages to becoming a vampire. To become a vampire, you must first get
the disease "porphyric hemophilia". Three days after getting the disease, when
you sleep, you turn into a vampire. You normally get the disease during fights
with vampires. You can also willingly receive the disease during the Dark
Brotherhood quests, just talk to Vincente Valtieri (before you get special
orders from Lucien Lachance).
You can stop the change to vampire by curing your porphyric hemophilia. Any
normal method of curing disease works: potion, spell or Activating an altar in
one of the Great Chapels in a city. You can greatly reduce the chance of
getting porphyric hemophilia by engaging vampires at range. They can't infect
you unless they use melee attacks against you.
Once you are a vampire, there are four stages of vampirism: 25% vampire, 50%
vampire, 75% vampire and 100% vampire. You begin at 25% (stage 1) vampire.
Every few days, if you don't drink any "human" (human in this case includes
Elves, Argonians and Khajiit) blood, you move to the next stage of vampirism
if you rest (Wait) or sleep.
Drinking human blood moves you back to stage 1 (25%) vampirism. You drink
blood by finding a sleeping NPC and Activating the NPC. You'll be asked if you
want to feed. Feeding on an NPC doesn't wake and doesn't harm the character.
You can feed on beggars, your maid in Skingrad (if you're rich), fellow Guild
members or even the Countess of Anvil (if you can break into the castle).
Don't feed where any awake characters can see you, or they will raise an
alarm.
The benefits and penalties of the four stages of vampirism:
| Stage 1 (25%)
+---------------
Hunter's Sight (Lesser Power):
Night Eye on self for 30 seconds
Detect Life 100ft on self for 30 seconds
Weakness to Fire 20
Fortify Acrobatics 5
Fortify Athletics 5
Fortify Destruction 5
Fortify Hand To Hand 5
Fortify Illusion 5
Fortify Mysticism 5
Fortify Sneak 5
Fortify Speed 5
Fortify Strength 5
Fortify Willpower 5
Resist Disease 100
Resist Normal Weapons 5
Resist Paralysis 100
| Stage 2 (50%)
+---------------
Vampire's Seduction (Greater Power):
Charm 50 points for 20 seconds on touch
Hunter's Sight (Lesser Power):
Night Eye on self for 30 seconds
Detect Life 100ft on self for 30 seconds
Sun Damage 1 (1 point of damage every second spent outside during the day)
Weakness to Fire 30
Fortify Acrobatics 10
Fortify Athletics 10
Fortify Destruction 10
Fortify Hand To Hand 10
Fortify Illusion 10
Fortify Mysticism 10
Fortify Sneak 10
Fortify Speed 10
Fortify Strength 10
Fortify Willpower 10
Resist Disease 100
Resist Normal Weapons 10
Resist Paralysis 100
| Stage 3 (75%)
+---------------
Reign of Terror (Greater Power):
Silence in 20ft for 60 seconds on touch
Demoralize up to level 6 for 60 seconds on touch
Vampire's Seduction (Greater Power):
Charm 50 points for 20 seconds on touch
Hunter's Sight (Lesser Power):
Night Eye on self for 30 seconds
Detect Life 100ft on self for 30 seconds
Sun Damage 4 (4 points of damage every second spent outside during the day)
Weakness to Fire 40
Fortify Acrobatics 15
Fortify Athletics 15
Fortify Destruction 15
Fortify Hand To Hand 15
Fortify Illusion 15
Fortify Mysticism 15
Fortify Sneak 15
Fortify Speed 15
Fortify Strength 15
Fortify Willpower 15
Resist Disease 100
Resist Normal Weapons 15
Resist Paralysis 100
| Stage 4 (100%)
+----------------
Embrace of Shadows (Greater Power):
Night Eye on self for 90 seconds
Invisibility on self for 90 seconds
Reign of Terror (Greater Power):
Silence in 20ft for 60 seconds on touch
Demoralize up to level 6 for 60 seconds on touch
Vampire's Seduction (Greater Power):
Charm 50 points for 20 seconds on touch
Hunter's Sight (Lesser Power):
Night Eye on self for 30 seconds
Detect Life 100ft on self for 30 seconds
Sun Damage 8 (8 points of damage every second spent outside during the day)
Weakness to Fire 50
Fortify Acrobatics 20
Fortify Athletics 20
Fortify Destruction 20
Fortify Hand To Hand 20
Fortify Illusion 20
Fortify Mysticism 20
Fortify Sneak 20
Fortify Speed 20
Fortify Strength 20
Fortify Willpower 20
Resist Disease 100
Resist Normal Weapons 20
Resist Paralysis 100
During each stage of vampirism your appearance changes. At stage 4 vampirism,
your condition has become so noticeable most NPCs won't talk to you. You can't
shop, get quests or anything else. You can use the Vampire's Seduction power
to increase the target's Disposition so you can talk to the person. You can
also use standard Charm spells, scrolls or the Imperial race's Voice of the
Emperor power.
Beginning with Stage 2 vampirism, you can't Fast Travel during the day. You
can Fast Travel at night, but you'll need to make short hops. On foot, Fast
Traveling from Cheydinhal to Anvil takes 11 hours; if you have a fast horse,
you can cut that to 5 hours. So, on horseback, you can Fast Travel clear
across Cyrodiil in one night; on foot you'll only be able to travel about
halfway across the country.
By Stage 4 vampirism, being outside during the day will require that you run
along with a healing spell ready, casting almost constantly. You will not want
to stop and fight in this condition, so traveling through the wilderness
during the day can be quite dangerous. Keep an eye on the clock (shown on the
map/quest screens of your journal and on the Wait menu) and don't go outside
during the day. If you've been spelunking, stay in the dungeon until nightfall
(which the game defines as 8pm), and then you can Fast Travel to the nearest
city. Wait in an Inn until daylight, then sprint for the stores to sell off
your loot.
If you decide you don't want to be a vampire any longer, you must complete the
Vampire Cure side quest. See the full description in the Side Quests section
of this guide. *OR* You can purchase the Vile Lair official plug-in and use
the Purgeblood Salts and Font of Renewal in the Lair to cure your vampirism.
[MA04]
<~~~~~~ ALCHEMY ~~~~~~>
Alchemy can play a big part in Oblivion. There are certainly more than enough
basic potions and poisons laying around that you do not need to make your own.
Still, you can create far more interesting effects by brewing your own
concoctions, and Alchemy is a very controllable skill, which is useful for
leveling up and increasing Intelligence.
There are over 100 alchemical ingredients in the game. Each has four effects
that are used in mixtures. If your mixture has beneficial effects, it becomes
a potion and is used on yourself. If your mixture has harmful effects, it
becomes a poison and is used on weapons. (To use a poison, select and activate
it in your Inventory and you will be asked if you want to apply it to your
equipped weapon--or arrow if you have a bow equipped. The poison only has
effect on the next hit with that weapon or arrow.) If your mixture has both
beneficial and harmful effects, you get a potion to use on yourself.
To mix ingredients, you need a mortar and pestle. You can obtain one in the
starter dungeon, so that's no problem. At the beginning of the game, you need
at least two ingredients with the same effect. (When you reach Master
Alchemist, you can make potions and poisons from just one ingredient.)
Each ingredient has four effects. The number of effects you can see, and use,
is based on your Alchemy skill:
* Novice - one effect
* Apprentice - two effects
* Journeyman - three effects
* Expert - four effects
| Making a Potion/Poison
+------------------------
Select and activate your mortar and pestle in your Inventory. The Alchemy menu
opens. At the top is a place to name your potion (an automatic name will be
created based on the first effect of the mixture, or you can create your own
name). Below are two panes: a list of ingredients and a list of effects. Click
the Add Ingredient button to get a list of ingredients in your inventory. As
you mouse-over/select each ingredient, a pop-up will show the effects created
by that ingredient.
Select an ingredient; then, add another with the same effect. The effect does
not need to be in the same "position" for each ingredient. For example, you
can create a Chameleon potion using Blood Grass (first effect) and Daedra Silk
(third effect). Mixing an Alkanet Flower and Bonemeal will give you a Damage
Fatigue poison even though it is the fourth effect for Alkanet Flowers and the
first effect for Bonemeal.
You can mix up to four ingredients. They can all have the same matching effect
or not. For example, mix Beef and Blackberries for Restore Fatigue. Then add
Ectoplasm for a Dispel effect (matches Dispel effect in Beef); add Void Salts
for stronger Dispel and Restore Magicka (matches Restore Magicka effect in
Blackberries). Call it Mage's Energizer or something like that.
The strength and duration of the effects in your mixture are determined by a
number of things:
* Your alchemy equipment. In addition to the basic mortar and pestle, you can
also have an alembic (reduces negative effects in potions, but not poisons); a
retort (increases beneficial effects in potions); and a calcinator (increases
all effects in both potions and poisons). Each piece of equipment in your
Inventory can also be leveled--there are Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman,
Expert and Master versions of all equipment. Note that for the alembic, retort
and calcinator, you only need to have one in your Inventory to gain its bonus
to your alchemy mixtures.
* The position of the effect in each ingredient. The Damage Fatigue from
Alkanet Flowers (fourth position) will be stronger than from Bonemeal (first
position).
*NOTE* You can consume (eat) ingredients directly and receive a small amount
of experience toward your Alchemy skill. Eating ingredients always gives the
first listed effect for that ingredient.
| Reading the Alchemy Tables
+----------------------------
Below are listed all the common (and a few uncommon) alchemical ingredients in
the game in two tables. Ingredients that are used specifically to fulfill
quests (such as Jumbo Potatoes, Unicorn Horn and the Ashes of Hindaril) are
not listed. You can't both use the ingredients and fulfill the related quest
unless you cheat in extra copies of the ingredient.
In the INGREDIENTS TABLE, all the ingredients are listed with their effects.
After the name of the ingredient (in parenthesis) is the method in which it is
most commonly obtained:
* Clutter - typically found in chests, crates, barrels and lying around
* Harvest - typically must be harvested from its plant, either in the wild or
in someone's garden
* Creature - found as loot in a creature after killing it
* Special - the ingredient can only be obtained in a certain way or in a
specific place
Almost all ingredients in the game can be found as clutter, though only the
listed Clutter and Harvest items are likely to be found. Finding Creature
ingredients as clutter is rarer and happens mostly in Mages Guild halls and
necromancer/conjurer dungeons. Alchemy merchants will, at various times, carry
pretty much every ingredient in the game with the exception of the Special
items.
The listed Effects for each ingredient are in order. So if you are a Novice
alchemist, you can only utilize the first listed effect. You must be an
Apprentice alchemist to utilize the second effect; a Journeyman to use the
third effect and an Expert to make use of the fourth listed effect.
After the list of effects are comments on the ingredient. Comments will tell
you the chance of successfully harvesting the plant; the creatures that
produce the ingredient when killed; whether or not the plant is native to
Oblivion (and, thus, hard to find in Cyrodiil); how to collect Special
ingredients and other pertinent information.
Following the ingredients table, you'll find the EFFECTS TABLE. This lists all
potion-produced effects in the game followed by the ingredients that cause
that effect. The ingredients are grouped according to which position the
effect is in their list. So, you can use the EFFECTS TABLE to see that, if
you're a Journeyman alchemist who wants to make a Chameleon potion, you have
to use Blood Grass, Daedra Silk and Radishes. If you are an Apprentice
alchemist and want a Fire Shield potion...well, you're out of luck.
Grapes (Harvest)
------------------
Effects: Restore Fatigue, Water Walking, Dispel, Damage Health
Comments: 80% chance to harvest.
Green Stain Cup Cap (Harvest)
-------------------------------
Effects: Restore Fatigue, Damage Speed, Reflect Damage, Damage Health
Comments: 50% chance to harvest.
Green Stain Shelf Cap (Harvest)
---------------------------------
Effects: Restore Luck, Fortify Luck, Damage Fatigue, Restore Health
Comments: 50% chance to harvest.
Harrada (Harvest)
-------------------
Effects: Damage Health, Damage Magicka, Silence, Paralyze
Comments: 50% chance to harvest. Harvested in Oblivion.
Imp Gall (Creature)
---------------------
Effects: Fortify Personality, Cure Paralysis, Damage Health, Fire Damage
Comments: imp
Ironwood Nut (Special)
------------------------
Effects: Restore Intelligence, Resist Fire, Damage Fatigue, Fortify Health
Comments: You can get these in two places: the Elder Scrolls Library during
the Thieves Guild quest "The Ultimate Heist" or the skooma house, Greyland,
just outside Leyawiin's West Gate.
Painted Troll Fat (Special)
-----------------------------
Effects: Fortify Magicka, Restore Health, Fortify Health, Restore Magicka
Comments: You can only get this ingredient from the six painted trolls in the
"Brush With Death" side quest.
S'jirra's Famous Potato Bread (Special)
-----------------------------------------
Effects: Detect Life, Restore Health, Damage Agility, Damage Strength
Comments: You can only get this ingredient by completing the "Potato Snatcher"
side quest. You receive some potato bread as a reward and can buy more at
regular intervals.
Shepherd's Pie (Special)
--------------------------
Effects: Cure Disease, Shield, Fortify Agility, Dispel
Comments: Shepherd's Pie is made for you by Eyja, your maid in Skingrad. You
have to buy Rosethorn Hall, the Servant's Quarters and hire Eyja first. Then
talk to her about "Food".
White Seed Pod (Harvest)
--------------------------
Effects: Restore Strength, Water Breathing, Silence, Light
Comments: 80% chance to harvest. Harvested from Goldenrod.
[XP00]
~~The Elder Scrolls IV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXPANDING YOUR GAME
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OBLIVION~~
[XP01]
<~~~~~~ PC OPTIMIZATION ~~~~~~>
Tom’s Hardware refers to Oblivion as their "ultimate torture tester". It is,
perhaps, the most graphically demanding game on the market today. Even state-
of-the-art PCs with high-end graphics cards will struggle to get 60 frames-
per-second (fps) with maximum quality and resolution. Older systems will
hobble along on 30fps or less at low resolutions with low quality settings.
This section of the guide is intended to help you get the most out of Oblivion
on your PC. You want a balance of good framerates and decent quality graphics.
To that end, you may want to consider investing in a new video card if your
card is severely out-of-date.
Some cards that will run Oblivion, but very poorly:
nVidia Geforce 5xxx series
ATI Radeon 9xxx series, 9500 or higher
Don't worry if you're still using an AGP graphics interface. There are still a
number of good, inexpensive AGP cards available. Check out this article from
Tom's Hardware:
Another option would be to cave in and purchase an Xbox 360; though, doing so
costs you the ability to mod your game--and mods can make Oblivion an even
better game than it already is.
In any case, if you are not running a high-end gaming rig; but, want the best
performance possible from Oblivion, read on...
*DISCLAIMER*
Anything you do to your PC you do at your own risk! If anything in this
section makes you scratch your head and want to call the nearest eight-year-
old for an explanation, STOP and don't go any further. Resign yourself to
living with a less than optimal PC or go slap down a few hundred for an X360
or a couple thou' for a pre-built gaming system from Dell or Sony.
If you follow any of the suggestions in this section, you implicitly agree to
indemnify the author from all claims arising from damage caused by following
these suggestions.
*THIS IS SERIOUS!*
Personal note: While trying to tweak my system, I accidentally disabled my
video card altogether and couldn't see anything, not even the system BIOS. I
had to dig up an old PCI video card just to get into the BIOS and reset
everything. Don't mess around with anything in this section unless you know
what you are doing! Or, more importantly, how to recover when you muck it up.
*ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR DATA*
Before attempting any of the tweaks listed, make sure you've backed up your
important files, just in case something goes horribly wrong.
To measure the framerate in Oblivion, open the console in-game by pressing the
backtick (`) key--on US English keyboards, backtick is directly left of the
numeral 1 key. Type:
tdt
press ENTER and exit the console by pressing backtick. You'll get a debug
console in the upper right corner of the screen, including framerate (FPS).
You can also download and use Fraps:
http://www.fraps.com/
When tweaking, make one change at a time and test it in the game using the
Debug console or Fraps.
Information in this section is compiled from a variety of sources, some for
games other than Oblivion.
| System Setup
+-------------
Update your PC! This includes (but is not limited to):
* Your operating system (i.e. Windows)
* Your motherboard (or mainboard) drivers
* Your video card drivers
* Your sound card drivers
UPDATE WINDOWS
----------------
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
To update anything else in your system, you will need to know what you have
inside the box. If you are using a manufactured system--Dell, Sony, HP,
Alienware, etc.--visit the manufacturer's Web site and enter the serial number
of your PC (usually found on a sticker on the back of the case). You'll get a
list of the pre-installed components, and you can download a lot of the
necessary drivers (see below).
If you are using a custom-built PC, you should either know what parts you
used, or you need to ask the person who built the PC. Specifically, you need
the *chipset* used on the motherboard (also called a mainboard), the video
card manufacturer and model number and the sound card (if there is one)
manufacturer and model number.
*IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING THIS INFORMATION*
Try this program:
http://www.gtopala.com/index.html
SIW is a self-contained program--i.e. it requires no installation, you just
download and run it--that will give you every detail you could ever want about
your PC.
UPDATE YOUR MOTHERBOARD DRIVERS
---------------------------------
You need to know what chipset is used on your motherboard. The chipset are the
components that support your CPU by handling input/output, internal
communications, hard drive connections, etc. There are four main chipsets in
use:
Download and install the most recent drivers for your chipset. If you are
using an integrated sound card, also download and install the most recent
drivers for your sound from the chipset site.
UPDATE YOUR VIDEO CARD DRIVERS
--------------------------------
* ATI: http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html
Use the most recent Catalyst drivers (v7.1 as of 2007-02-15).
There are alternate (unsupported) drivers for ATI cards:
-> Omega Drivers: http://www.omegadrivers.net/
-> DHZer0point Drivers: http://www.driverheavendownloads.net/zeropoint.htm
These alternate drivers are "pre-tweaked" for optimum performance and quality.
They may offer some performance improvement in Oblivion; they may also produce
graphics corruption or crashes. Your best bet is to stick with the official
drivers and tweak the settings yourself.
* nVidia: http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_downloads_rel70betadriver.html
Use the most recent beta drivers (v93.81 for WinXP as of 2007-02-15; or,
V100.64 for Win Vista as of 2007-02-15).
There are alternate (unsupported) drivers for nVidia cards:
-> DHZer0point Drivers: http://www.driverheavendownloads.net/zeropoint.htm
These alternate drivers are "pre-tweaked" for optimum performance and quality.
They may offer some performance improvement in Oblivion; they may also produce
graphics corruption or crashes. Your best bet is to stick with the official
drivers and tweak the settings yourself.
*NOTE* Development of DHZeroPoint alternate drivers was halted on 18 January
2007.
Before installing new video card drivers, first download Driver Cleaner Pro:
and install it. Uninstall your existing drivers. Reboot Windows in Safe Mode
(press F8 during system boot for the boot menu and choose plain Safe Mode). In
Safe Mode, run Driver Cleaner Pro according to the program's instructions to
completely remove all traces of your old drivers. Reboot normally and install
the new drivers.
*NOTE* DC Pro is no longer supported or developed. It has been replaced with
Driver Cleaner.NET
http://www.drivercleaner.net/index.php
which costs $9.99 (US) with no free download options.
UPDATE SOUND CARD DRIVERS
---------------------------
If you have a separate (non-integrated) sound card, download and install the
latest drivers from the sound card manufacturer's Web site.
FINAL STEPS
-------------
* Make sure, in your System BIOS (refer to your system or motherboard manual
to find out how to enter your BIOS), your AGP or PCI-Express port is enabled.
If you are using an AGP port, check to see at what speed (i.e. 1x, 2x, 4x or
8x) the port is set.
* Run the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (Start>Run>dxdiag). On the Display tab, make
sure DirectDraw Acceleration and Direct3D Acceleration (and AGP Texture
Acceleration if applicable) are all Enabled. If not, start over and try
installing drivers again.
* Defragment your Windows drive. Just do it. (Also defragment the Oblivion
drive if you installed it to a different drive.)
* If you have the space (and the ability), create a separate logical hard
drive (partition) of about 4-5GB in size. Make sure the new drive is empty;
then, set Windows to use that drive for your global page file. (Even better if
you create the new partition on a different physical drive.) If none of this
step made sense to you, ignore it.
* If you have two or more large hard drives and are running Windows 2000 Pro,
XP Pro or 2000/2003 Server(+), consider creating a striped volume and loading
your page file and Oblivion onto the striped volume. To create a striped
volume, refer to these instructions:
Again, don't perform this step if you don't even understand what's being
suggested.
+ Windows Vista seems to support disk striping; but, it is not clear which
versions support it.
| Clean Boot Windows
+--------------------
Before running Oblivion, always clean boot Windows per the instructions in
this Microsoft Knowledgebase article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310353
Be sure to disable firewall/anti-virus/anti-spam services as part of the clean
boot. Also disable any multimedia services (such as iPod or Nero)--anything
other than required system services.
| Before Tweaking
+-----------------
Start with a clean slate. Delete the Oblivion.ini file found in My
Documents\My Games\Oblivion and launch Oblivion. The game will reset all your
settings and create a new Oblivion.ini file. If you want to make any non-
graphics related changes (see Miscellaneous Tweaks below) in the INI file,
make them now. Create a backup copy of this file as a "start over" version. If
something goes badly wrong, delete the Oblivion.ini file and replace it with
your backed up copy.
| Safe Tweaks
+-------------
Ready to get started? Good. Here are video settings you can change in-game, or
by using the Options choice from the launch menu.
* Resolution
The higher the resolution, the more pixels are needed to draw each frame.
There is an obvious correlation between this setting and your framerate. But,
not so fast! In some cases, you can actually get a better framerate by
*increasing* the resolution. Compare:
The framerate has actually gone up by 33% (from 20fps to 27fps) and the
increased resolution solves the severe case of aliasing shown in the smaller
picture, thus reducing the need for anti-aliasing. What appears to be
happening is, at the lower resolution, Windows does more of the graphics
processing on the CPU rather than offloading it to the GPU.
The moral of the story: play around with different resolutions until you find
the one that offers you the highest framerate.
* Vertical Sync (V.Sync)
This controls the rendering of individual frames, forcing them to match up to
the refresh rate of your monitor. Turning this off will cause occasional
"tearing" of the scene--a horizontal line will run down across the screen as
the frames get out of sync with the monitor. Turning it off may give you a
performance boost. You can only turn V.Sync on/off from the Options choice of
the launch menu.
* Fullscreen/Windowed mode
From the Options choice of the launch menu, you can choose to play Oblivion
either fullscreen (default) or in a window. Playing in a window may give you
better performance.
* Anti-Aliasing (AA)
AA smoothes "the jaggies": jagged diagonal lines caused by too-few pixels
to adequately display the line--especially lines that are . AA is very hard on
your video card and leaving it off will generally give you a big performance
boost. At resolutions of 1024x768 and higher, the pixels on screen are usually
small enough that AA provides little real visual advantage unless you have a
really big monitor and/or really good eyesight. Try different sampling rates
(starting with 2 samples or 2x) and seeing what the difference is in both
framerate and visual quality. At very low resolutions such as 640x480, you may
want to live with the framerate hit just to keep the picture as smooth as
possible.
* Bloom/HDR
These are both dynamic lighting techniques designed to make scenes on screen
appear more realistic. Specifically, they create hot spots or glare from
certain areas whenever there is a bright light source, such as the sun. Bloom
is the older, less realistic technology, but works on any card that runs
Oblivion. HDR (High Dynamic Range) works only with newer video cards with
"Pixel Shader 3" support. nVidia cards cannot use both HDR and AA at the same
time. Both Bloom and HDR will decrease your framerate, so turn these off if
you need a boost.
* Texture Size: controls the size (and, thus, resolution) of textures loaded
into your video RAM. Textures are the 2-dimensional images that are wrapped
around 3-dimensional objects to make them look like a real object. (A 3D
object without a texture is just a wireframe. You can see the wireframe using
a Console Command, see below.) Large textures should only be used if you have
256MB or more of video RAM; everyone else can use Medium textures. If, after
trying everything else, you're still trying to get a few more frames, you can
set the texture size to small.
*NOTE* There are new textures available for PC users with lower-end graphic
cards. These textures look considerably better than the default small or
medium textures from Oblivion. You can download the texture packs here:
http://devnull.devakm.googlepages.com/128mbcards
* Shadows: shadows are self-explanatory; however there are a bunch of set-
tings that control shadows in the game. Shadows have a significant impact on
framerate. If you are having a lot of trouble, turning shadows off completely
will help without taking too much realism from the scenes.
-> Int. Shadows: this slider controls the number of objects that will
cast shadows in indoor areas. Move the slider all the way to the left
to turn off interior shadows. Move it all the way to the right to have
up to 10 objects cast a shadow.
-> Ext. Shadows: works the same as Int. Shadows, but for exterior areas.
-> Self Shadows: causes actors to cast shadows on themselves. Besides
being a performance hog, these shadows rarely look good and it is
recommended that all players turn these off.
-> Shadows on Grass: if grass is visible, actors will cast shadows
on it. Casting shadows on a moving surface (grass blows in the wind)
is significantly harder on your hardware than other shadows. This
should be set to off by all but those with top-notch hardware.
-> Tree Canopy Shadows: causes trees to cast dappled shadows on the
ground. Creates a very realistic effect, but has a big impact on
framerate, especially in heavily forested areas.
-> Shadow Filtering: if set to High or Low, creates diffuse, soft-edged
shadows. If set to Off, the shadows will have hard, well-defined edges.
If you are using shadows, the High setting will be much more realistic
at the cost of frames-per-second.
* Specular Distance: specular effects create the shininess of reflective
surfaces, such as metal (armor, weapons), glass, etc. This slider controls the
distance at which specular effects are visible. Turning it down (effectively
turning specular effects off) can provide a performance boost on older cards.
* Water: There are three settings that control the look of water surfaces in
the game. Individually, they have little impact on framerate, but, combined,
may give you a small boost if you're really trying to squeeze a few more
frames from the game.
-> Water detail: on High causes reflected objects on the water's surface
to show in greater detail. It will hardly be noticeable unless the
water is near detailed objects (such as buildings). Normal detail will
provide a performance boost while not looking that much different in
most out-door areas.
-> Water Reflections: when set to off, the water does not reflect at all,
providing a performance boost at the cost of realism. Non-reflective
water appears as a solid block of color that doesn't look much like
water at all.
-> Water Ripples: not the general wind-caused rippling of the water, but
ripples caused by objects impacting the surface of the water. If you
play in third-person view, turning this on lets you see your own wake
as you move through the water, at the cost of a small performance hit.
* Grass Distance: controls the distance at which grass begins to be visible.
Setting this all the way to the left effectively turns grass off. Some players
may actually prefer not to have the grass showing. Regardless, displaying
grass has a noticeable negative effect on your framerate. There are other ways
of tweaking the grass display; see Experimental Tweaks and Console Commands
below.
* View Distance: this slider controls the distance at which the world becomes
visible. By default, the slider is set all the way right and you can see to
the horizon. This obviously has an impact on framerate as the game has to
render all those distant objects. If you move this slider left, the following
three options (Distant Land, Distant Buildings and Distant Trees)
automatically turn off. Moving this slider left causes the stereotypical "fog"
to roll in, cutting off your view of all distant objects.
* Distant Land: turning this off has the same effect as moving the View
Distance slider to about 50% and turns Distant Buildings and Distant Trees off
as well.
* Distant Buildings & Distant Trees: you can turn these options off to cut
display of distant objects (buildings and tree respectively), thus gaining
some framerate without turning on the fog--i.e. you can still see to the
horizon, there just won't be much to see.
* Tree Fade, Actor Fade, Item Fade, Object Fade: controls the distance at
which trees, actors (NPCs and creatures), items (weapons, armor, bottles,
food, etc.) and objects (buildings, barrels, crates, etc.) become visible.
Moving these sliders left can pick up some frames at the cost of seeing
objects "pop" into existence. The Actor Fade slider should be left at default
(about 25% from the left side) or a little higher else you won't see enemies
until they are almost on top of you.
* Window Reflections: simply makes glass in windows appear more real. Turning
it off might give you a small performance boost, especially in towns, without
hurting the overall graphic experience.
* Blood decals: controls the amount of blood in the game. Off does not get rid
of blood entirely; you will still see blood spurt after a good hit on an
opponent; however, the blood that sprays out will not stick anywhere. Low
blood decals means blood splatters show on the ground. High blood will show on
actors and items as well. Turning blood decals off can give you a framerate
boost during combat. You can further tweak the gore settings in the INI file
as shown in Experimental Tweaks below.
| Graphics Card Tweaks
+----------------------
These are general tweaks you can make to your graphics card drivers that will
benefit any game, not just Oblivion. The best way to make these tweaks is to
download a free utility program designed for this purpose:
* ATI: ATI Tray Tools (ATT)
http://www.guru3d.com/article/atitraytools/189/
* Render-ahead: this setting controls how many frames are rendered by the card
in advance of the current frame. Reducing this to 0 (zero) can give you a
large performance boost (at the potential cost of some stability). In NVTweak,
the option is under "Additional Direct3D Setting" and is called
"Max Frames to Render Ahead". In ATT, the option is under "3D" and is
called "Flip Queue Size". If setting this option to zero causes instability,
increase it in steps of 1 (i.e. 1, 2, 3), but don't go beyond 3, which is the
default rate.
* Geometry instancing (ATI cards only?): using ATT, go to Tweaks>Standard
Tweaks and check the "Geometry instancing" box. This allows the video drivers
to upload a single instance of a repeated object and then clone it rather than
upload every single instance. May help some, especially in heavily forested
areas where many of the trees are copies rather than unique models.
* Temporal Anti-aliasing (ATI cards only?): you have to use the Catalyst
Control Center for this change. Open CCC, select Anti-Aliasing under 3D, and
set it to 2x or 4x. Check the Temporal Anti-aliasing box. This option allows
the Catalyst drivers to "cheat" a little bit and makes lower AA settings look
better. So you could, for example, run at 2x and the graphics will look as
good as normal 4x.
* Catalyst AI (ATI cards only): turn this to High to enable the Catalyst
drivers to better optimize the frames on the fly.
* Fast Writes (AGP cards only): you have to enable this in your BIOS and in
your graphics driver. For ATI cards, the setting is in the SmartGART tab of
the Catalyst Control Center. THIS IS A HIGHLY UNSTABLE SETTING It can
negatively affect your PC, so be very careful. If it does work for you, it may
produce a few glitches; however, it is also likely to produce 10-15fps higher
framerate.
| Experimental Tweaks
+---------------------
These enhancements involve editing your Oblivion.ini file. See "Before
Tweaking", above, before making any changes. Make sure you edit the INI file
in a *text* editor, such as Notepad, EditPad, UltraEdit, etc. Do not use a
word processor such as WordPad, Word, OpenOffice.org, etc. Such programs may
put unsupported characters into the file, even if you save it as Plain Text.
These are "experimental" tweaks because performance or quality increases are
not guaranteed. And even if you do get a performance or quality increase, the
tweak may introduce instability. Use at your own risk. When you're ready, open
My Documents\My Games\Oblivion\Oblivion.ini in a text editor and search for
the following items...
* Grass: these settings help further tweak the display of grass.
-> iMinGrassSize=80
Increase this number to "thin out" the clumps of grass. There's very little
visual difference, but it might give you a few extra FPS. The normal values
for tweaking range from 120 to 150.
EndDistance is the distance at which grass ceases being visible. FadeDistance
is the distance at which the grass starts fading out. If you increase
iMinGrassSize, you can extend these to the point where you never see grass
"pop" in at all. Values on the order of 8000.0000/ 7000.0000 will work well.
This will decrease your framerate.
-> bDrawShaderGrass=1
Setting this to 0 (zero) turns off rendering of grass. A bit more "final" than
moving the in-game Grass Distance slider down to zero.
-> iMaxGrassTypesPerTexure=2
Setting this to 1 (one) might give you a few extra frames per second with no
visible change in graphic quality.
* uGridsToLoad=5
The Oblivion game world is composed of square cells. This setting controls the
number of cells that are loaded in full for each "area". The setting is a grid
arrangement centered around the PC. The default, therefore, loads a total of
25 cells:
X X X X X
X X X X X
X X P X X
X X X X X
X X X X X
(P is the player character)
These are the cells for which all cell data is loaded. Cells beyond this grid
are not loaded in full, so you get low-resolution textures on the landscape;
and, objects, items and creatures present in that cell are not loaded at all.
Every time you advance to the edge of the current area, a "new" area loads and
you get the Loading Area message (and, perhaps, pause) as new info is loaded.
With the default setting, this happens every time you move two cells (see
arrangement above). This also affects the size of local maps. The larger the
uGridsToLoad setting, the larger the local maps.
Interior areas are largely unaffected by this setting, as interior areas are
never 25 cells large. Exterior areas are where you'll see the biggest changes.
The number must always be an odd number so the PC can be properly "centered"
in each area. Increasing this number will:
-> Reduce the number of "Loading Area" messages and pauses, unless you set it
too high for your RAM, in which case you'll actually see more "Loading Area"
messages.
-> Increase the size of local maps, thus increasing the area you can view at
one time on your map--assuming you've explored the area or used the console so
the "fog of war" isn't covering the map.
-> Increase the distance at which you can see fully detailed terrain.
-> Decrease your framerate as your video card is forced to render all that
extra detail in distant terrain and your CPU is forced to deal with any AI
scripts on creatures in those cells.
If you have the RAM to support it (1GB or more), a setting of 7 or 9 can
reduce the number of "Loading Area" pauses without significantly cutting into
your framerate. If all you're interested in is the extra detail in distant
landscapes, better to use the LOD Landscape mod as detailed in the Mods
section below.
Note that, if you increase this setting, you should also increase the
iPreloadSizeLimit as detailed next...
* iPreloadSizeLimit=26214400
Sets the RAM used by Oblivion to cache future objects. Size is in bytes,
default is 25MB (divide the number by 1048576). You may get a performance
increase if you raise this number. Determine how many MB of RAM you want to
commit to Oblivion, multiply that by 1048576 and enter the result. Giving too
much RAM to Oblivion may cause crashes. Try 50MB (52428800) if you have 1GB of
RAM or 100MB (104857600) if you have more than 1GB.
If you increase the uGridsToLoad setting, increase this as well so Oblivion
has plenty of RAM to load all the cells at once.
* bDoCanopyShadowPass=1
Set this to 0 (zero) to remove all tree shadows. Can give a decent FPS boost
outdoors at the cost of realism.
* bUseRefractionShader=1
Setting this to 0 (zero) may help users of older cards when around Oblivion
gates.
* iSize W=640
iSize H=480
Set the width and height of the Oblivion screen (either fullscreen or
windowed). Use these settings for custom resolutions not in Oblivion's default
list.
* iShadowMapResolution=1024
Lower this number to 128, 256 or 512 to decrease shadow resolution. At low
numbers, shadows will appear extremely blocky. You're better off running
without shadows than with low-res shadows.
* iActorShadowIntMax=10
iActorShadowExtMax=10
This is the maximum number of shadows that can be cast indoors (Int) and
outdoors (Ext). Increase these numbers to let more objects cast shadows, with
the corresponding framerate hit.
* bAllow30Shaders=0
Change this to 1 (one) if you have a newer video card that supports Pixel
Shader 3.0 (check your card documentation). You'll get nicer quality graphics,
and probably a slightly lower framerate.
* bUseWaterDepth=1
Set to 0 (zero) to turn off the ability to see into water (water surface
becomes opaque). May provide a slight performance boost in outdoor areas.
If you are using reflective water with high detail, setting these to 1 (one)
will increase the number of objects that reflect in detail. Can be a
performance hit, but lends greater quality, especially around water sources in
towns.
* bUseHardDriveCache=0
Setting to 1 (one) forces Oblivion to cache textures in your hard drive's
cache (onboard RAM) for faster access. Probably won't work unless your system
is very old/badly optimized. Use of the hard drive cache should be controlled
by Windows and your motherboard drivers. If this gives you a performance
increase, you may want to investigate why your hard drive cache is not being
used normally.
* bEnableBoundingVolumeOcclusion=0
Setting this to 1 (one) may increase framerates in crowded interior areas, as,
supposedly, Oblivion stops processing NPCs hidden behind walls.
* bDSoundHWAcceleration=1
Setting to 0 (zero) may provide a performance increase when using some
integrated audio chipsets.
* bMusicEnabled=1
Set to 0 (zero) to turn off in-game music. Removes sense of immersion (and the
music is very high quality!); however, may provide a performance increase as
the game will no longer need to load, change and play music.
* bForceFullLOD=0
Setting to 1 (one) increases level of detail within the uGridsToLoad range.May
cause a performance decrease, but increases graphic quality. If you increase
uGridsToLoad, you probably want to leave this at 0 (zero) to minimize the
framerate hit of the extra cells being loaded.
* iThreads=3
iOpenMPLevel=10
Increasing these values may give a performance increase, but only on multi-
core or multi-CPU systems.
Set these to 0 (zero) if you want to play the game, but you have a very old
video card. Removes all specular effects, dynamic lighting and ambient
lighting, producing a very cartoonish look. Compare this:
Changing these settings can also produce graphic anomalies and crashes. Use
these only if you can't get out of single-digit framerates even with all the
other optimizations. If you do change these, you need to use this mod:
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2019
to fix crashes caused by not performing the specular pass.
| Miscellaneous Tweaks
+----------------------
These tweaks to the INI file won't improve your framerates, but may improve
your overall enjoyment of the game.
Blank these three entries to get rid of, respectively, the animated back-
ground in the main game menu; the logo animation that occurs right after the
main menu has loaded and the opening series of company logos that show when
you launch the game. Getting rid of MainMenuMovie may help if you are
experiencing mouse lag in the main menu.
* bHealthBarShowing=1
If set to 1 (one), shows a standard health bar over a creature rather than the
curved bar over the crosshair.
* fGlobalTimeMultiplier=1.0000
Changes the rate at which time passes in the game. Decrease the number to slow
down time; increase it to speed up time.
* bAllowConsole=1
If set to 1 (one), allows use of the Command Console in game.
* bAllowScreenShot=1
If set to 1 (one), allows you to take screenshots using the Print Screen key.
Screenshots are saved to your Oblivion installation folder in bitmap (.bmp)
format. Due to a glitch in the game, you cannot take screenshots when using
Anti-aliasing. If you wish to take screenshots with AA, use FRAPS:
Determines the base name of screenshot files and the starting index
number.Using these defaults, screenshots would be named ScreenShot0.bmp,
ScreenShot1.bmp, ScreenShot2.bmp, etc.
* fDefaultFOV=75.0000
Sets the default Field of View for the game, in degrees. The default is 75.A
normal range of values is 60 - 90. You can also change this with the Command
Console, to experiment, then set this to your favorite view so Oblivion will
always run at that camera angle.
* bInstantLevelUp=0
Change this to 1 (one) to level up as soon as you gain 10 ranks in your major
skills. Removes the need to rest in a bed.
* bPrecipitation=1
Setting to 0 (zero), turns off all precipitation (rain, snow).
* iDebugText=12
Changes the information displayed when using the debug console command.
Option 12 shows just FPS. Option 0 shows a lot of information, including the
day of the week, the date (both in normal units, such as Monday, 10/12/433)
and two clocks: one game time and one playing time. While the debug
information is showing, you can press Scroll Lock to change the information
until you find the display that most suits your taste. You can also set the
debug page displayed using the SDT console command.
* Gore settings:
-> fDecalLifetime=10.0000
Determines the length blood splatters last on objects. Default is 10 seconds.
Increase to have blood stick around longer.
-> iMaxDecalsPerFrame=10
Determines the number of blood splatters you can get. Increase for more blood.
* fDifficulty=0.0000
Gives greater control over your difficulty level than the slider in the
game. Range is -1.0000 to 1.0000. Thus, 0.0000 is 50% difficulty (default).
Set to -0.5000 for 25% difficulty, for example, or 0.5000 for 75%.
[XP02]
<~~~~~~ PC CONSOLE COMMANDS ~~~~~~>
To use the in-game console, enable the console by setting bAllowConsole equal
to 1 (one) in the Oblivion.ini file. In the game, press the backtick (`) key
(just left of the number one key on US English keyboards) to open the console.
Type a command and press ENTER. Press backtick again to close the console.
This is an abbreviated list of the most useful console commands. A fuller list
is available at:
In the following list, brackets [] surround arguments you have to replace when
using the command. Do not type the brackets when using the command. For
example:
modpcs [skill] [#]
should be typed as:
modpcs Athletics 100
when used in the console.
Some of these commands require that you enter a hex code for an item or spell.
You can find a full list of these codes at:
Alpha characters in hex codes are case-insensitive; i.e. you can use A or a.
Command | Description
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
FOV [#] | Changes the default field of view to angle [#]
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
modpcs [skill] [#] | Adds [#] to PC's [skill]
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
modpca [attribute] [#] | Adds [#] to PC's [attribute]
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
movetoqt | Instantly transports you to your current quest
| target
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
player.additem [hex] [#] | Adds [#] of item [hex] to your inventory. E.g.,
| gold is hex 0000000F, so to give yourself
| 5,000 gold, type player.additem 0000000F 5000
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
player.addspell [hex] | Adds spell [hex] to your list of known spells.
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
player.payfine | Pays your bounty so guards leave you alone
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
SetPCFame [#] | Sets your Fame to [#]
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
SetPCInfamy [#] | Sets your Infamy to [#]
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
player.removespell [hex] | Removes spell [hex] from your list of spells.
| This is the only way to get rid of older, less-
| powerful spells. For instructions on getting the
| hex codes of custom-made spells, see below.
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
RefreshINI | Refreshes INI settings without quitting
| or restarting. Useful during tweaking.
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
SaveGame [filename] | Saves game with given [filename], use if you
| don't like the default filenames
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
SDT [#] | Set's the debug console display to the specified
| page number. Some useful pages: 0, 2 and 12
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
SetINI [setting] [value] | Sets an INI [setting] to [value], example:
| SetINI fGlobalTimeMultiplier 1.5000
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
showbirthsignmenu | Brings up the birthsign menu, allowing you to
| change your sign*
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
showclassmenu | Brings up the class menu, allowing you to change
| your class*
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
showracemenu | Brings up the race menu, allowing you to change
| your name, gender and race*
* Using the class, race and birthsign menus after you've been playing for a
while may reset all your attributes and skill levels and/or cause your
skills to stop increasing. If you're really unhappy with your character,
best to start over.
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
TAI | Toggles AI, use this to cause all NPCs and
| monsters to stand still (for screenshots or easy
| kills)
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
TDT | Toggles debug console
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
TFOW | Toggles the fog of war that obscures the map
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
TG | Toggles grass, use this if you normally have
| grass visible, but are lagging badly in some
| outdoor combat
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
TGM | Toggles "god mode"
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
TM | Toggles menus (turn them off for clean screen-
| shots)
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
TMM [0/1] | Toggles the map markers, 0=all off, 1=all on
| Turning all map markers on puts all the markers
| on the world map and lets you Fast Travel to
| them, just as if you had discovered them; turning
| them off turns off even those markers you
| discovered yourself prior to using the console
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
TWF | Toggles wireframe mode, letting you see the
| underlying 3D models of the game world
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
unlock | After opening the console, click a locked chest
| or door and enter this command to unlock it
--------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
*NOTE* Some spells you wish to rid yourself of may be spells you've made
yourself. To get the hex codes of these spells, open your main Oblivion
program folder. There you will find a text (.txt) file named "LevelUpData_1".
Open that file in Notepad or some other text editor and find your character
information from your last level up. There will be listed all your spells,
including custom spells, with their hex codes.
[XP03]
<~~~~~~ MODS ~~~~~~>
| Official Mods
+---------------
Bethesda Softworks is hard-at-work releasing new, official content for
Oblivion. To date, 2007-02-15, they have released eight mods. These mods are
not free, but are available to Xbox360 owners as well as PC users. You can buy
these mods individually, or you can purchase all eight in a single, retail
package called "Knights of the Nine" (after the largest of the mods). The KoN
package is available for PC only ($19.99); Xbox 360 players can still purchase
all the mods separately through Xbox Live Marketplace.
* Horse Armor DLC1: $1.99 (PC), 200 Marketplace points (Xbox 360)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This mod adds two types of barding (horse armor) to the game: Elven (gold
color) and steel. Both types are available at Chestnut Handy Stables (outside
the west gate to Imperial City) from Snak gra-Bura.
Comments:
Even though it's only two bucks, it's not worth the download. Horses are an
affectation, not a necessity, and the armor doesn't do a whole lot of good
since you still can't fight from your horse. Does look pretty, but that's
about it. For vanity players only.
* Orrery DLC2: $1.89 (PC), 150 Marketplace points (Xbox 360)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adds a simple step-n-fetch quest, Repairing the Orrery, to the game (details
in the Side Quests section of this guide). After finishing the quest, you have
access to the Imperial Orrery, which will grant you a Greater Power depending
on the phase of the moon.
Comments:
It's OK. The quest is very simplistic and the Powers granted by the Orrery are
not hugely useful. (They all Fortify one attribute by 20 and Drain another by
20 for a total of 60 seconds.) Overall, not a huge addition, and probably not
worth the money.
* Wizard's Tower DLC3: $1.89 (PC), 150 Marketplace points (Xbox 360)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adds Frostcrag Spire to the game, and gives you a deed to the place. Frostcrag
is a wizard's tower with a garden full of alchemical ingredients, including
many from Oblivion, an enchanting altar, a spellmaking altar, the ability to
summon an atronach (storm, fire or frost) servant and an alchemical table that
boosts your Alchemy skill by 15 when you stand near it. In order to get the
tower functioning, you have to buy the materials from a newly added merchant
in Imperial City. This merchant also buys/sells alchemical ingredients and
potions and recharges enchanted items.
Comments:
Definitely worth the money for the plant conservatory alone. Characters who
want to enchant and craft spells without joining the Mages Guild will also
find a lot to like. It's quite expensive (around 14,000 gold) to get the place
up-and-running, but it is a nice house, so, in that respect, it's cheaper than
buying and furnishing a house elsewhere. Also includes a ton of books and a
vault guarded by imps. Plus, there's no fighting to get it.
* Thieves Den DLC7: $1.89 (PC), 150 Marketplace points (Xbox 360)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adds Dunbarrow Cove; and, a little quest along with it. Dunbarrow Cove is a
hidden cavern underneath Castle Anvil, and it contains the wreck of the
infamous pirate ship, Black Flag. It also contains the animate skeletons of
the Black Flag's crew. Full details of this mod are under the Home Ownership
section of Miscellaneous Adventures.
Comments:
Basically, this is another house mod. After a simple quest and the expenditure
of some money, you have another place to hang out. The hook this time is for
players who like to go around randomly robbing people; but, don't want to join
the Thieves Guild (why not?). You can set yourself up in this little cave and
you actually have it better than if you were the Gray Fox--high quality fence,
lots of Expert training in Stealth skills and access to Stealth-type spells
(Fortify Stealth skills, Open Locks, Chameleon, etc.). Overall, Frostcrag
Spire might be a better investment of your money, but, hey, it's only two
bucks.
*NOTE* All of the following mods require the v1.1.511 patch. You must install
the patch before installing any of these mods. If you install one of these
mods first, the patch will fail.
* Mehrunes' Razor DLC9: $2.99 (PC), 250 Marketplace points (Xbox 360)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adds the "Unearthing Mehrunes' Razor" side quest to the game (see the Side
Quests section for full details). This quest is activated as soon as you load
a game or leave the starter sewers after installing the plug-in.
Comments:
This is the first official plug-in that is a real quest, as deep as any other
side quest in the game. You get a large and interesting dungeon to explore, a
plot to overthrow the empire and a cool new weapon that can one-hit kill any
enemy in the game. You also get a mod that will tax your system to its limits.
There are lots of pitched battles between numerous NPCs. You'll find yourself
fighting four or five NPCs at a time. If your PC starts to lag noticeably when
fighting two or three enemies, or has difficulty with lots of dynamic light
sources (i.e. torches and campfires), you may want to think twice about buying
this plug-in. You will have serious problems in some areas--all of them
involving fights. Low framerates during a fight is a good way to end up dead.
* The Vile Lair DLC5: $1.89 (PC), 150 Marketplace points (Xbox 360)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adds a house for evil characters. Actually, to be more explicit, the vile lair
is a vampire hangout. When you load up a game after installing the mod, you
get a journal entry about a key and a note letting you know you have inherited
a place known as Deepscorn Hollow. The place is marked on your map; it is
south-southeast of Leyawiin, not far from Tidewater Cave (Nocturnal's Quest)
and Bogwater Swamp ("The Renegade Shadowscale"). Travel there, find the
submerged entrance and read the diary just inside the door. Then go buy your
"furnishings" from Rowley Eardwulf at the Wawnet Inn. Return and revel in your
wretched hive of villainy. Full details are under Home Ownership.
Comments:
Truly evil players may get a kick out of ordering someone to go kill in their
name; and, the Altar of Sithis might be useful. Non-evil characters can use
the Purgeblood Salts and Font of Renewal as an easy way to cure vampirism, and
you don't have to buy any furnishings to do that. Still, this is a vampire's
home and only vampires will get full use of it.
* Spell Tomes DLC4: $0.99 (PC), 80 Marketplace points (Xbox 360)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adds spell tomes to the game. Spell tomes are books that teach you a spell.
Formerly, to learn spells you had to pay a spell merchant; though, a few were
given as quest rewards. Now, if you find a spell tome, you can read it and add
the spell it teaches to your spellbook. Tomes are only available as random,
leveled treasure. Some of the spell tomes teach spells and spell effects not
previously available in Oblivion.
Comments:
Meh. The best spells are still the ones you make yourself. However, if you're
a pure (or close to pure) mage and want the new spell effects, then this might
be a useful mod. Of course, you can't guarantee you'll find any of the new
spells without cheating.
* Knights of the Nine DLC8: $9.99 (PC), 800 Marketplace points (Xbox 360)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adds a large quest and new faction (guild) to the game. A full walkthrough of
this quest is available in its own section prior to the Side Quests section of
this guide.
Comments:
Pricey, but well worth the money, especially if you play paladin-type
characters.
The Web site for PC downloads of the official mods is:
http://obliviondownloads.com/
PC users: After purchasing, downloading and installing the mods, look in your
Oblivion\Data folder (by default, this is in C:\Program Files\Bethesda
Softworks\). You'll see DLC[Name].bsa and DLC[Name].esp files (where [Name] is
the name of the mod, e.g. DLCOrrery.bsa) and a DLCList.txt file. Backup these
files somewhere else (and/or burn them to CD). If you need to re-install
Oblivion, or install it on another PC, you can re-install these mods just by
copying these .bsa, .esp and .txt files to your Oblivion\Data folder--without
having to activate the installer.
You can also get all the currently released official mods by purchasing the
Knights of the Nine boxed set for PC ($19.99).
| Fan Mods (PC Only)
+-------------------
The modding community for the PC version of Oblivion is very active. The
following sites contain most of the mods made for this game:
* BTMod
http://btmod.beider.org/
Many improvements to the game's user interface, especially menus.
* Oblivion Mod Manager
http://timeslip.chorrol.com/obmm_download.html
Helps Manage all the many mods you will be adding to Oblivion.
* Fathis Fix
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2106
Fixes some bugs with the Thieves Guild fence, Fathis Ules.
* Shum gro-Yarug Fix
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2189
Some players are unable to purchase the house in Skingrad because gro-Yarug
ends up dead, or otherwise missing. This mod fixes that problem and re-inserts
him into the game.
* Face/Eyes combo
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2083
Merges "More Natural Faces" (higher resolution face textures), with various
eye mods (more eye color selections) with a couple of other appearance-related
mods. Very nice for those who want just the right look for their PC.
* Landscape LOD Replacement
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2182
Replaces the compressed textures normally used for distant landscape with
uncompressed textures. Provides a big increase in graphic quality with almost
no performance hit. Compare this:
http://cavesites.com/sewer_exit_old.jpg
with this:
http://cavesites.com/sewer_exit.jpg
If you use this mod, do not change the uGridsToLoad value in the INI (leave it
at 5).
* World Texture Packs
http://devnull.devakm.googlepages.com/totoworld
A rather large number of replacement texture packs for players with all ranges
of video cards. These texture packs can really improve the look and feel; but,
they will compromise your framerate.
* Harvest [Flora]
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2037
Removes or changes the 3D art for plants after you harvest them. Now you will
know which plants you have picked and which still wait to be plucked.
* Deadlier Traps
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=1991
Changes most traps in the game to instant-kills. No longer can you be crushed
against a ceiling full of spikes only to emerge with a few scratches. Also
makes those traps better when used against enemies.
* Quest Award Leveling
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2119
Normally, the rewards--especially equipment, spells and the like--you receive
from quests are scaled to your level. This means if you complete a certain
quest early, you get stuck with a low-power version of the reward that becomes
useless later in the game. This mod causes all these special leveled rewards
to increase in level as you increase in level, allowing you to enjoy the full
benefit of the reward without having to know in advance when you should
complete the quest in order to get the best reward.
* Kobu's Character Advancement System
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=1888
Changes the way your skills, attributes and class levels increase. Removes the
need to do lots of number crunching to be sure you get your +5 modifiers each
class level. Also contains other gameplay-improvement mods, including a health
modifier, skill advancement modifiers and a change to your character's total
encumbrance.
* More Merchant Money (Balanced)
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2387
Got a 12,000 gold item you don't want, but no merchant has the money to pay
you what it's worth? This mod takes care of that without just giving each
merchant a fortune.
* Fasthorse
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2171
Gradually increases the speed of your horse as you ride (up to +8 Speed).
* Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul
http://jorgeoscuro.googlepages.com/
Completely changes the nature of the game by changing how the leveled system
works. Provides a greater sense of power when you finally reach the point
where common bandits are no longer a problem rather than still a match for
you. Also presents uncertainty, since you may now wander into a situation in
which you are the weaker participant. For experienced players only.
* Colored Enemy Health
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=3774
Causes the little health semi-circle over your targeting reticle to change to
yellow and then red as the enemy's health decreases. You can also put a normal
health bar over the enemy through an INI tweak, but this looks a little nicer.
* Buy Lockpicks
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2074
Gives Thoronir, owner of the Copious Coinpurse, lockpicks so you can buy some
without joining the Thieves Guild. Doesn't actually make lockpicks any more
useful.
* Khajiit Night Eye Toggle
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=1797
Changes the Khajiit Night Eye unlimited-use special power to an on/off toggle.
* Ring of the Vipereye Fix
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=2400
Changes the quest reward, Ring of the Vipereye (from "Lifting the Vale") to a
non-quest item so you can sell it, stow it away, or whatever.
* Oblivion INI Tweaker
http://www.tessource.net/files/file.php?id=1937
Not really a mod, just a small program that lets you make many of the INI
changes listed in this guide via a series of checkboxes. Highly recommended if
you don't want to mess around with the INI file directly.
Also see this thread on GameFAQs for even more recommended mods:
[VH00]
~~The Elder Scrolls IV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VERSION HISTORY AND CREDITS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OBLIVION~~
V4.00 2007-02-17
- Added all content from Knights of the Nine mini-expansion
- Re-wrote the section on Combat
- Updated the Mods section with KoN content, fixed Web addresses
- Added Magicka Effects and a FAQ to Gameplay
- Added Alchemy to Miscellaneous Adventures
- Lots of spell-checking and small changes throughout
v3.00 2006-06-12
- All in-game journal quests complete
- Added "Skill Training" in Miscellaneous Adventures
- Added "Vampirism" in Miscellaneous Adventures
- Added "Enchanting, Spellmaking & Soul Gems" to Gameplay
- Fixed some typos throughout
v2.00 2006-05-26
- Added Fighters Guild, Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood quests
- Added "Home Ownership" in Miscellaneous Adventures section
- Added Thieves Den DLC7 official mod
- Added six side quests
- Added "Travel, Horses and Quest Markers" and "Mini-games" to Gameplay
- 131 of 161 quests completed
v1.00 2006-05-01
- First published version
Many thanks to the following persons who have helped fine-tune this guide (in
no particular order):
Smjellish, Jeff (Liens_Consort), Karkianman, mleach26, jbucking, zclifford,
phild23, Don Mattingly
Written & Copyright 2006, 2007 by Barry Scott Will
Trademarks and other marks are reserved to their original owners. This guide
is not endorsed or authorized by 2KGames or Bethesda Softworks.
This guide is for informational purposes only and no explicit or implicit
warranty is made with regards to the suitability of this information. The
reader agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the author, Barry Scott Will,
from any consequences of using this information.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
License. To view a copy of this license, visit
