Top 10 Miscellaneous Side Quests in Bethesda’s Oblivion

A remastering and re-release of a classic can be bittersweet. But in the case of Bethesda’s 2006 release “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion”, it has been the perfect opportunity to revisit a realm that remains untouched by any competition.


As someone who has enjoyed countless hours of Oblivion, long before a remastered version was being thought of…back when the original had peak graphics and top-tier gameplay mechanics (as much as Bethesda could be), it will forever hold a very deep and special place in my heart. As much as I love an FPS, or a straight-up fighting arena, like MK, I will always love an RPG above all…and Oblivion is the greatest RPG to ever exist, and you can't convince me otherwise.


I would go out of my way, during many playthroughs, to intentionally avoid the main quest. I have beaten the main quest, all of the guild quests, and virtually every other quest Cyrodil has to offer. But it is these…the unrelated, completely miscellaneous, and deep world quests that captivated me for hours on end and ones which I would never fail to replay with a new character. Read on to see what my picks are for the top 10 miscellaneous side-quests and if you agree with my choices.



10. Zero Visibility

Categorized as a ‘wilderness quest’, coming across this one can be a bit tricky. Traveling northwest out of the Imperial City, towards Bruma, you can stumble across a seemingly abandoned little village, Aleswell. Not totally uncommon in Cyrodil. In fact, you may give a quick stroll through the hamlet, being sure not to miss any big points, or you may just walk on past without a second glance. This is what makes this quest stick out to me as one of the best: only the most determined treasure hunters and most resolute adventurers (yo!) will be able to activate this quest.

As you are diligently looting all the nooks and crannies Aleswell has to offer, and have a keen eye, you may start to notice something is moving around you...translucent shapes. If you are familiar with the aesthetic, you will recognize that they are the town’s residents, only they are all invisible!

Speaking to them, they refer you to Diram Serethi, who blames a wizard for their ‘condition’. This wizard, Ancotar, has also vanished. He can be found in the nearby Fort Carctacus...sort of. As I said, he is invisible. If you pay attention, you can follow his voice to his location once in Caractacus.

With some very light digging around and an easy conversation with Ancotar, you learn that he was tired of everybody’s BS...their interruptions and complaints of his work...so he turned himself invisible...and everybody else by accident. Relatable, right? I feel ya’, Ancotar. He’ll provide you with a scroll to undo the enchantment back in Aleswell and not much else. You can sweet-talk your way into his giving you a ring, as well, that will protect you while casting the spell. Do it! Without it, your luck will take a hit like it was in a prizefight with Ivan Drago.

That’s pretty much it. There isn’t a huge payout for this quest or any remarkable loot...it’s just so easy to miss entirely that it deserves its own spot on this list. And hey, who doesn’t like fighting off invisible wildlife that roams the area?



9. Through A Nightmare, Darkly

Okay, so this quest isn’t a huge payday either. However, this quest touched on that deep puzzle aspect that we love so much about classic Bethesda... you know before it turned into just simple matching pictures of snakes and bird feet. I’m looking at you, Skyrim!

In Bravil, an Argonian-mage tells you that her friend Henantier is missing. Well, not missing per se... she knows exactly where he is. Henantier has gotten himself trapped inside of his own dream world. You easily join him there, equipped with nothing but your own prowess (and your own spells), and this is where you are faced with four tests: Courage, Patience, Perception, and Resolve. These four tests lead to orbs that are manifested representations of his fractured personality. You must collect all four before you can exit the dream world.

For Courage, you must swim a very long underwater tunnel without drowning—it sure would come in handy to be an Argonian, right about now—and without getting lost... which would result in your drowning. The orb is at the end of this Olympian breath-holding competition.

Patience is second...it’s a trap! You have to navigate three Ayleid-style rooms rigged with pressure plates covering the floors that trigger arrow traps. You can’t sneak your way past or try to bypass the traps either. For the smart and initiated, you may recognize that a scroll you collected at the entrance is actually the answer to the puzzle, leading you across the grids in the only safe path.

Next is perception. You have to walk a narrow path with only dim red lights to guide your way...can I change what I said about being an Argonian?-Some built-in khajit night-eye would really rock right now. Speaking of rocks, there are three hidden falling rock traps. There are also three great blades, four gas-emitter traps, five more great blades, a frost damage spell trap...and a partridge in a pear tree! Move slowly!

Finally comes Resolve. You find yourself in an ominous version of the Arena. Armor up in the leveled chest and proceed up the ramp to sly two minotaurs. That’s it for this one really...bob and weave.

The big payout for this one is getting to escape the dream world and six leveled scrolls. But as I said before... I love this one because of its puzzle heavy solutions that I frequently get nostalgic for in newer Bethesda titles (cough cough Skyrim).



8. LIfting the Vale

Like the last quest, this Bruma based offering gives me hardcore nostalgia for the days of yore...or more precisely, Morrowind. Like Oblivion’s older brother, on this quest, you have no map marker. The Countess of Bruma has hired you to recover the Draconian Madstone for her to add to her collection.

You are given some vague directions to a landmark and sent on your way. This feels like the most Morrowind-esque (ES III) quest for this reason…having no directions. After finding the first point, Dragonclaw Rock, you have to use a journal and a scribbled-nondescript map to find the remaining landmarks and eventually to Pale Pass, the last known location of the Madstone.

Ogres, ogres everywhere...the small dungeon and hidden valley beyond is crawling with about 16 ogres. Yikes! Those aren’t the only creatures and enemies you’ll face...just the worst (in my opinion).

The rest of this quest is fairly typical...not bad...just ‘normal’: kill the baddies, get turned around in a couple of different passages, find the boss, and either talk to him (you did remember to bring the courier’s orders that you looted off of a skeleton back at the beginning of the dungeon, right?) or kill him. Once dead, his body vanishes sans-loot, but you are then presented with an exit to your reward.

Upon completion, you are awarded a Ring of the Vipereye (Fortify Agility and Resist Magic, thank-you!) and a few extra side quests are now unlocked.



7. A Brush with Death

This quest is, if nothing else, beautiful. It has such a different aesthetic. You are directed to a small house in Cheydinhal through rumors heard around town. A local painter has gone missing...again, not really. The painter possessed a “Brush of Truepaint," which creates art from the canvas itself! He was attacked, and the brush stolen... leaving him trapped inside his latest painting. Once activating the artwork and being transported into an oil-painting version of Cyrodil’s Great Forest, you find the painter, Rythe. He tells you that it was a Bosmer who stole his brush. Psh...typical Bosmer.

The thief added a dozen-or-so trolls to the otherwise tranquil wood. Like every great monster movie, they had turned on their creator, killing Senannala, the Bosmer thief who stole the enchanted brush initially.

You have to defeat the trolls, who are a little tough. However, Rythe gave you some turpentine to apply to your weapon of choice...it is very effective. Bonus, it looks pretty cool. But even cooler, to find the brush (your only exit) you have to find Senannala’s body. It is located in an unfinished part of the painting. Again, the visuals of this quest are what is so appealing. Imagine if Todd Howard and Bob Ross had a love child...that is this quest”s level of visual appeal. In the end, seeing a mix between Cyrodil-through-a-Instagram-filter and a plain white canvasid captivating.

Your reward, if you are more monetarily motivated, is an intelligence and agility boosting ‘Apron of Adroitness’...you greedy bastard.



6. An Unexpected Voyage

So, this quest isn’t super crazy-adventurous or hard...but as the first on our list is easy to miss, and this one has a little gold in store for you at the end, as well. I, like most, stumbled upon this quest completely by accident, and it’s almost a little jarring!

Travel to the Imperial City Waterfront, and wander into the Bloated Float—an Inn on a ship docked there. Everything is fine and dandy, but you notice, maybe that you are a little fatigued…” Perhaps I’ll rest my eyes” you may think to yourself before you rent a room. If you do, you will be woken up from your slumber and be adrift at sea! Your Inn-ship has been hijacked.

Now you can slash-dash your way through this relatively quickly, cutting down any baddie who crosses your path. However, play your cards right, and you can sweet-talk your way into the boss-lady, Selene, surrendering to you which awards you her sword: a Blackwater Blade, with a leveled Absorb Fatigue. See, not too bad you treasure-hungry heathens.

Go back to sleep and you will wake back up at the port, free to go plunder your next cave. Finding this quest so randomly and completely by mistake endeared it to me forever.



5. Unfriendly Competition

This quest is pretty easy to find: talking to any merchant’s in the Imperial City Market District for any length of time will direct you to Thoronir, at the Copius Coinpurse. He is accused of undercutting the rest of the merchants. His accusers are the Society of Concerned Merchant’s (sounds like an over-anxious neighborhood watch).

Regardless of your approach or tact (or lack thereof), you won’t glean any information from the bargain-bin seller. However, now the fun begins. You wait.

…

A lot.

…

And finally, after he closes his shop, you can follow the Wood Elf...to dinner. And then...on his walk around the Imperial City. Wait, I swear this one gets fun! Keep following him. Eventually, he will meet with some nefarious figure and overhearing. their conversation will clue you into something... but you aren’t sure what, just yet. Change tactics, and start following the Nord. Follow him to his house...and then wait. I know, I know! But it’s about to get good.

Once he leaves his house, break in and ransack the place! I'm just kidding... but searching around will reveal that he is a grave robber! See?-told ya’ it was going to get good. you can discover this information in a book in his cellar, “Macabre Manifest” (sounds like Poe story). Take the book and confront Thoronir. He is quick to turn on his accomplices, giving you directions on how to stop them.

Making your way to the graveyard in the Palace District. You will find the thieves in the process of robbing a mausoleum. Kill the baddies inside (living, not dead) and loot to your heart's content (some decent grabs for everyone...even more so for those inclined to rob the grave themselves). Actual reward: the Weatherward Circlet, a ring with frost and fire enchantments, and some cold hard cash from the leader of the Busy-Body... I mean the Society of Concerned Merchants. See?-money, enchanted jewelry, grave robbing...what’s not too like? Well...a lot actually, if you don’t like stealthing behind people for a long time.



4. Origin of the Gray Prince

Romance, vampires, secrecy, pregnancy...what’s not to love? And no, this isn’t about Breaking Dawn. After fighting your way up (literally) through the blue team’s rank in the Arena in the Imperial City, you will be introduced to and Orc Agronak gro-Malog, A.K.A. The Gray Prince. He talks some trash about you being an unworthy opponent...Yada yada yada...just you wait, buddy.

Through some dialogue, he will reveal a family secret. But you have to go find it! Fetch! (But it’s better than a fetch-quest, I promise.) Travel to Crowhaven (he'll mark it on your map).

Once you fight your way through the dungeonous lair, you come to the master suite (complete with a walk-in closet).

Here you will find a diary, but it isn’t from a Lusty Argonian Maid. No, it is from a lusty orc maid. The Gray Prince’s mother worked for Lord Lovidicus. Their secret affair is very star-crossed lovers and is detailed within her found journal. However, it is discovered that after she becomes pregnant with Agronak gro-Malog,our Orcish queat-giver, it is soon discovered that Lord Lovidicus is a...duh duh duh….vampire! Terrified for her life and that of her unborn child, the fair orc maid locks the love-struck and blood-hungry Lord into his chambers and makes good on her escape.

Once you travel back to the arena and break the news to the Gray Prince about his scandalous heritage, he is...to say it mildly...heartbroken. You get called to face him in the arena just after your exchange. A mopey prince stands across from you and doesn’t even put up a fight... like, at all. Slaughter the newly-nihilistic orc with royal blood in front of the entire city, and then go to collect your rewards, and “wash away the blood from battle.”

There is some alright loot within the dungeon, and as a reward for completion the prince gives you a permanent +3 to blade, block, and athletics.



3. Paranoia

This next quest reads like a whos-who and who’s crazy in Skingrad. Wandering around one of my favorite cities, if you listen carefully, you’ll hear a soft “Psst…”. Investigating further, you’ll find poor Glarthir. This little wood elf has an issue... Okay, maybe several issues. But he can’t discuss it here! Meet him at midnight behind the chapel. Finally, he will confide in you, oh trustworthy traveler, that everyone in town is trying to kill him. There is a plot afoot.

Glarthir gives you a list of those in on his hit-plot. You can either follow each of these ‘suspects’ and report their comings-and-goings to Glarthir every night (and earn a little coin for your troubles); you can do nothing, still, report to him every night (and still earn the same gold); or you can (obviously the best option) use his list to track down all of the evil-doers and talk to them. Well, ...turns out that my man Glarthir is just squirrel nut crazy. That’s right...he’s just super paranoid. It's probably from too much skooma. The game will never admit this…but you know it’s true. Drugs can make you paranoid.

Even after talking to everyone from the list, you still report back to him each night for the same gold reward. I’ve found no difference between telling the poor bastard the truth and (having more fun by) totally playing into his fantasy.

After you run through his list, he will run out into the streets to attack the firat “spy” he sees. Meanwhile, you can run and warn a guard…or follow him to watch. Now, easy there trigger-happy...you get to just sit back and watch the fun. He will be swiftly dealt with by the guards... who will then act as if nothing happened. You know, the usual. Looting his body, you will find his house key.

This is part of the reason why I love this quest so much! Once inside his house, it is a veritable trove of...meh. There arprome decent scores, worth selling for a quick buck, but not a ton else (save for 800-1000 gold in a wastebasket). But just the sheer amount of locked chests, drawers, and just general clutter always make me feel like if I just keep looking. hard enough...eventually I will find that ‘X’ item that makes it all worth it. Has it yet? After years of replaying this quest...No..it hasn’t. But maybe I’m not looking hard enough?



2. Vampire Cure

F**K this quest! That is all.

Just kidding...kind of. This quest has earned my number two slot for a reason...respect. To me, contracting (and harboring) vampirism in Oblivion holds actual weight and should not be taken lightly.

First of all, the multi-step, novella-length list of ingredients, the far-reaching quest is rather difficult on its own. However, in one particular (almost completed 100% run-through of the game)...this quest literally killed my character. That and my Icarus-level deletion of previous save files. After completing all factions, main quest, and at least all of the previous quests on this list, I chose to let the vampirism take hold (I recommend it if you haven’t tried it...the dream descriptions are amazing...but have a Plan B, people). Finally tired of being unwelcome pretty much anywhere, I sought this quest to cure myself of the affliction.

After playing “I've a heard a rumor…go talk to someone else” enough to be sent to an old witch, Melisande, out in the wilds. She gives you a veritable grocery list for the cure: Five empty Grand Soul Gems; Six cloves of garlic; Two blades of redgrass; Argonian blood; the ashes of Hindaril, a specific vampire who can be found in Redwater Sloughand; bread, eggs and milk…oh,nevermind.

I fought my way through three nearby dungeons, triggered into existence by this quest, to gather three out of the five soul gems.

I collected the rest of the gems and ingredients, which—lemme tell ya’—ain’t easy. But it is fundamentally why I love this game: exploring, looting, searching, finding, and plotting.

Finally, on the last stretch, I miscalculated my timing. I was trapped outside, with no discernable shelter nearby and the sun was up. I could not fast travel (because apparently, the freakin' sun was an enemy!?!?), had no previous saves (except for the one autosave of right-where-I-was-already-standing), and was just too far away from that witches cottage to make it before dying horribly in the sunlight.

So this quest has earned it’s number two slot for me, because 1) it is the actual difficulty in finding these super rare tokens and 2) it’s the ability to make me feel so much rage...and respect.



1. Seeking Your Roots

Alright, to be fair I debated on including this quest... but is my all-time favorite.

Nirnroots:

Nirn- the planet that Cyrodil resides on/the earth/the ground

Root- root.

The glowing, singing, elusive plants are my top favorite thing in this entire game... and only in this installment of the Elder Scrolls universe.

This quest is technically unbeatable (why I almost didn’t include it). There are (according to the E.S. Wiki) 306 total Nirnroots in Oblivion (263 outdoors in the wild and 43 hidden indoors). This number increases to 309 when considering official plug-ins, which add one plant each in the Wizard's Tower, Battlehorn Castle, and a respawning sample in Deepscorn Hollow.

However, in the official Game of the Year Edition Guide...they could only find 305. That’s right...nobody knows where the last one is. In fact, I once read that the developers actually lost count and were putting them in sort of randomly in the wild before it was an actual collection quest. I can’t say this for sure, as I can not find the source of where I think I remember reading this. But the highest I have ever found is 257... and trust me, Ive ooked. I have read all known locations online, in all of the game guides, and searched high and low.

I would spend hours just walking the shores of Lake Rumare with my headset on, sensitivity maxed out, and only environmental sounds on…listening, closely for that familiar and beautiful humming of the elusive green weed. I should clarify...I don’t actually care about turning these into Sinderion to activate the actual ‘Seeking Your Roots’ quest line...because turning them in removes them out of your inventory, and are made into a weak-ass potion that I never used. I just want to find them all...I can’t help it. Maybe it’s the Pokémon trainer deep inside (gotta catch ‘em all, amirite?).

So here is my ode to my never-ending quest to find all of the Nirnroots in Cyrodil, I may never know thee, and a raised glass to a remastered masterpiece.



This list may not be the most rewarding loot-wise. It may not be the most exciting, action-packed quest line list. But it is truly a deep and immersive way to truly take in the beauty of this expansive and captivating realm, separate from the main quest line…or the side quest line. It is honestly the best way to get just lost in the depth of Cyrodil.