Part 14: The Elder Updates XIV - More Madgod, More Mazoga

More Madgod, More Mazoga


Hmm. The rain stopped. Hopefully Sheogorath is still in a good mood.
As I said before, rainy weather isn't necessary to start Sheogorath's quest. I think it's a little mean-spirited to have an NPC tell you that it IS, though.


On our way to Sheogorath's shrine, we encounter this message from the Wayshrine of Stendarr instead of a blessing. This is because our Infamy is above 0. Confused? Oblivion has Fame and Infamy. You get Fame for completing quests, and Infamy for completing "evil" quests such as Dark Brotherhood assassinations. We can actually wipe our Infamy by undertaking a quest to visit all nine Wayshrines, and because of reasons, we'll probably be doing just that at some point.


We also find some of these. Bog Beacons litter the southern tip of the map, and they bear the Restore Magicka effect, so that's good to know.


Anyway, quest time. Sheogorath gets a unique voice, and one of the most memorable ones in the game at that. I highly recommend you listen to his spiel here.
Another mortal dares to summon me, and already I am bored. But enough about me. Let's talk about you.
(That voice...it's the same as the one from Niben Bay!)
I could turn you into a goat. Or a puddle. Or a bad idea. I could make you eat your own fingers. Or fall in love with a cloud. Perhaps I could make you into something useful. Let's find out.


They're a superstitious bunch. Everything is an omen or a portent. Let's make one come true. Find their shaman and ask about the K'Sharra prophecy.


Anything for powerful daedric artifacts!


Shortly after running into the edge of the world...


This must be the place.


Welcome to Border Watch, stranger. You are welcome here. I am Ri'bassa, shaman of our people.
I was curious about your K'Sharra prophecy...
You know of the K'Sharra Prophecy? How odd! Are you some sort of scholar?
Yyyyyyyes?
Wonderful! I would be glad to tell you more. It has been told from our fathers, and our fathers' fathers, that our time in this place will come to an end.

How dreadful! What are they?
These are the signs as they were foretold. First, there is the Plague of Vermin. It is said our town will be overrun by disease carrying creatures. Rats, I would imagine. Horrible little things. I always keep a powerful rat poison around in case I see one of the little monsters.
Plague of rats, got it.
Next is the Plague of Famine. It is foretold that our livestock will fall dead in their fields, with no apparent explanation. We have but the six sheep in our pasture, and we make sure they are well-tended.
And the third sign?
The Plague of Fear. I will not speak of this. Not to any outsider. I'll answer anything else I can. Is there something more? Perhaps you'd like to know more about Border Watch itself?
Sure, why not?


I'm glad you asked. I could go on all day about our little community. We are but a handful of Khajiit, as you can see. Many are the evening we spend around the cooking fire, sharing stories of Elsweyr! The smell of our food travels for miles! If you'd like to stay, I'd suggest getting a room at the Border Watch Inn. We don't get many visitors, but S'thasa serves a fine ale.


I shall see this inn.


Hello. I understand you collect cheeses.
It's been a hobby of mine for years. I've collected cheeses from all over Tamriel, including the rare Olroy cheese! A more pungnent cheese you'll never find. It looks smooth, but it stinks to the heavens and beyond!


Well, THAT was rather direct.



S'thasa's line of sight is such that, hilariously, you can steal the Olroy Cheese from right under her nose.


Also, there's a Nirnroot here because Nirnroots are fucking everywhere.


The smell of your food travels for miles, does it?


Let's test that theoBY THE GODS THAT'S AWFUL


That'll be our Plague of Vermin.


How horrible!


Hmmm. Ri'Bassa seems to have left this out for the rats.


Better not let it go to waste.



Right this way, sheepies.


...wow. They got far.


And now, the Plague of Fear. Screenshots really don't do this sequence justice, so I've included a video.


My work is done here. Time to claim my reward!



And said reward is Wabbajack, a staff with a rather entertaining effect. Unfortunately, it weighs ten pounds and there's no way we can reliably keep it charged at this point in the game, so it's going to get stowed away and shown off later. Please don't spoil the effect.

Also I may have entirely forgotten to show it off.


...hm. I prefer my blade.


Might as well report back to the Count about Mazoga now.


Yes. Mazoga came to avenge her friend.
Such vengeance is a noble deed. Leyawiin thanks you for your service. And I have a fitting reward for such noble deeds.


Knights-errant?
I have created a chivalric Order of the White Stallion. Find and kill the leader of the Black Bow Bandits, the Orc named Black Brugo. If you succeed, I will bestow on both you and Mazoga the titles of Knights-Errant of the White Stallion for your service to Leyawiin.
Black Brugo, eh?
The outlaw, Black Brugo, is a menace to County Leyawiin. They call his marauders 'Black Bow Bandits' because they use black bows.
...you don't say.
Find Black Brugo, and execute him for his crimes, and I will make both you and your friend Mazoga Knights-Errant of the White Stallion.
Easily done. Where can we find this Brugo?
In her shadowy past, your friend Mazoga might have had contacts with outlaws. Ask her.
...grasping at straws, are we?
Remember. A knight's title shall be your reward.
ALL RIGHT ALREADY, I GET IT.


Do you know a Black Brugo? If we kill him, we'll be made knights-errant.
I know Brugo. Long ago, back before I became 'Sir Mazoga', I split a share or two with Brugo. He's got a hideout in a ruin called Telepe. Every night, between midnight and six AM, he stops there to pick up his take. We're pals, right? So we'll kill Black Brugo and be knights! I'll wait right here until you ask me to follow you.
Let's go, then.



But first, let's sell some potions and marvel at the delightfully low price of repairing items compared to Morrowind.


Telepe is just a stone's throw away.


Sniper, eh?




Snipe this.


Now, let's kill us some bandits!


Hah! Too easy!


Ooh, a Welkynd Stone. I've heard of these - wizards use them to restore their magicka!

Welkynd Stones are basically E-Tanks for Magicka, which is handy, but the game NEVER, EVER tells you this. It gets a mention in the manual, but let's be honest - manual-reading was already dead in the water by the time Oblivion came out, and they could've easily popped in a tutorial text box to tell you...but they didn't. And that's terrible.

Oblivion's Not That Bad Points: -7 + +


You're next!




_ow
Paralysis causes the victim to go stiff in the middle of whatever pose their model's in and fall down. It's HILARIOUS.


Nnnng...


You dick.


Now, where's that...


...orc?



There's a button to open this gate in one of the side rooms, but you can trivialize Black Brugo by just shooting at him through the massive hole in the gate.


Magic fits too.







The loot's nothing to sneeze at either, though the Longsword of Depletion isn't as useful as you might think since you basically have to hit your opponent, then wait four seconds to hit them again.


Got me a shiny sword!
Sole redeeming feature, really.



Hope no more. Black Brugo is dead.
Justice has been done. And henceforth, Mazoga and you shall be known as Knights of the White Stallion. May I present you with the perquisites of your rank...a key to White Stallion Lodge and a shield bearing the arms of County Leyawiin. Mazoga's key and shield shall be delivered to her directly. And I promise you a bounty of 100 gold for each Black Bow you bring me.
That may well be worth doing if we need some money.


The Leyawiin Shield is nice and fancy. I dig it.


We rush off to tell Mazoga she's a knight, and she's just a goober about it. We're done with this questline, so let's go check out that lodge.




The White Stallion Lodge kinda sucks, but all the containers are secure, so it's a place to put our stuff, so we're going to cram Wabbajack and our advanced alchemy equipment in the handy bedside chest and call it a day. Job well done, Sterv.