Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Part #3 - The Elder Updates III

Part 3: The Elder Updates III - Khajiit Like To Torial, Part 2

Khajiit Like To Torial, Part 2

Ah, of course.

rats.

Ooh. Perhaps I can use these for something...

Drat. Broke it.
Whereas plants were lootable containers in Morrowind, they're now just objects that you interact with and you may or may not get an ingredient. This time, we weren't so lucky.

AAAAAGGGGH.
Or this time.

There we go.

Today is a productive day in the field of picking weird plants.

A goblin! Let's see if I can get the drop on him...

I'm a fan of the way this game shows your sneaking visibility and there's not much else to say on the matter.

Oblivion's Not That Bad Score: 5

Note the 4x multiplier here as opposed to the 2x multiplier we got from sniping that rat in the last update. The multipliers for sneak attacks will increase across the board as we reach higher levels of sneakitude, but melee sneak attacks will always be twice as effective as ranged sneak attacks. Yes, the same general mechanic was present in Morrowind, but it's more transparent now, thus encouraging the player to actually try sneak attacks.

Oblivion's Not That Bad Score: 6

Ooooh. Alchemy tools.

Hardly have to be Arch-Mage to guess those two things go together.
I don't show it here, but when selecting alchemy ingredients in Oblivion, there's a filter of sorts. If you've already selected an ingredient with, say Restore Fatigue and Fire Resistance, you'll only see ingredients that have Restore Fatigue or Fire Resistance when choosing your second ingredient. This is a much-needed change from Morrowind, which displayed ALL THE INGREDIENTS ALL THE TIME.

Oblivion's Not So Bad Points: 7

I'll make a few meals-ready-to-drink while I'm at it.

And just kinda...mash this rat meat and zombie flesh into a thick slurry. I'm sure I can use it for something.

A piece of paper has appeared my hands, apparently requesting help recovering artifacts. I will make a note of this...note.

Too easy!

Hm. This pelt may fetch a decent price.

Erf...I've taken a bit of a beating. Let's see if I still remember that basic healing spell.

Ahhh. Better.

...a trap?
Yup, a trap. Break the rope and those things come swinging down. Unfortunately, the goblin broke the rope for us and we didn't really get to see this one in action.

I spy a goblin.

Take that!

I spy a second goblin!

Die!

And for you...

Hah!
Sometimes you get to roll logs onto enemies, for it is the dawn of the age of physics engines! It's not that impressive today, but it merits a point, especially for the time.

Oblivion's Not So Bad Points: 8

More skulls. More goblins?

More goblins.

Let's try this out.
You can apply a poison to your weapon, thus imbuing the next attack with its effect, which tends to either be a debuff or a damage-over-time-effect. Great addition to the alchemy system!

Oblivion's Not So Bad Points: 9

Yup, it's poison.

I like poisoning.

...hm. Maybe I can sell this.
It shoots lightning, but I'm not going to show it off because it shoots horrible lightning.

Ooh. Useful.

Just work out some of the dings...

There we go.
Unlike repair tools in Morrowind, you can't fail to repair your equipment. Instead, repair hammers have a chance to break when used, which scales inversely with your Armorer skill. Naturally, the amount repaired per use improves with your Armorer skill.

Oblivion's Not So Bad Points: 10

I think I may have a knack for this!
I got pretty damn lucky here and managed to repair all my shit without the hammer breaking. That's rather unheard of in the early stages of the game. Not pictured: acquisition of nearby second repair hammer.

The cave is giving way to...am I back in the dungeon proper?

I think I am!

Looks like I just missed a scuffle.

W-what? No!

No. He is not one of them.

Thank you.

He can help us. He must help us.

As you wish, sire.

...um?

How can I explain? Listen. You know the Nine? How They guide our fates with an invisible hand?

I'm not exactly a devout worshiper, but yes.

I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens.

Patrick Stewart voices the Emperor, by the way, and hearing him deliver his lines is lovely.

Normally we'd get to pick our Birthsign here, but we already voted on that.

The Thief, sire.

That's terrible, I'm sure, but what about me?

Your stars are not mine. Today the Thief shall guide your steps on the road to destiny.

Can you see this destiny of mine?

My dreams grant me no opinions of success. Their compass ventures not beyond the doors of death.

...doors of death?

But in your face, I behold the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's bright glory may banish the coming darkness. With such hope, and with the promise of your aid, my heart must be satisfied.

...my liege. The way you're talking...you're going to die, aren't you? Are you not afraid?

No trophies of my triumps precede me. But I have lived well, and my ghost shall rest easy. Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom,but not the hour. In this I am blessed to see the hour of my death... To face my apportioned fate, then fall.

That's, er...very enlightened of you. Where are we going, exactly?

I go to my grave. A tongue shriller than all the music calls me. You shall follow me yet for a while, then we must part.

Okay, I'm done talking to you.

To the Emperor's grave, I guess.

Assassins! I'll-

...whoa, okay. Guess I'll just hang back, then.

Since you seem to have this covered.

I'm almost getting a little bored.

Hold up...I don't like this. Let me take a look.

Looks clear. Come on - we're almost through to the sewers.

Aw, crapnuts.

Worth a try. Let's go!

I don't know. I don't see any good options here.

Oh gods.

Yes, sir!

Come on...you can do this...

Take the Amulet. Give it to Jauffre. He alone knows where to find my last son. Find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion.

]

Get

AWAY from me!

We've failed. I've failed...the Blades are sworn to protect the Emperor, and now he and all his heirs are dead. The Amulet, where's the Amulet of Kings? It wasn't on the Emperor's body.

He...he gave it to me.

Strange. He saw something in you. Trusted you.

Yeah...

They say it's the Dragon Blood, that flows through the veins of every Septim. They see more than lesser men. The Amulet of Kings is a sacred symbol of the Empire. Most people think of the Red Dragon Crown, but that's just jewelry.

...and the Amulet?

The Amulet has power. Only a true heir of the Blood can wear it, they say. He must have given it to you for a reason. Did he say why?

J-Jauffre...I must take it to Jauffre.

Jauffre? He said that? Why?

There may be another heir.

Although you may not think so to meet him. He lives quietly as a monk at Weynon Priory, near the city of Chorrol.

How do I get there?

First, you need to get out of here. Through that door must be the entrance to the sewers, past the locked gate. That's where we were heading.

Sewers, huh?

It's a secret way out of the Imperial City. Or it was supposed to be secret. Here. You'll need this key for the last door into the sewers.

Thanks.

There are rats and goblins down there...but from what I've seen of you, I'm guessing you are an experienced Pilgrim. Am I right?
Here, the game tries to recommend you a class based on how you acted through the tutorial dungeon.

This is the Pilgrim class, and, as you can see, the game's not very good at assigning classes.

A Pilgrim?! Gods, no!

I've always dreamed of being a stealthy thief, wielding a blade as well as the more crafty magics...conjuration, illusion, mysticism...

Ah, so you're like a Nightblade?

Nnnnnnnot as such. I'm not really good at any of that.

...hm. In any case, rats and goblins won't give you much trouble. You must get the Amulet to Jauffre. Take no chances, but proceed to Weynon Priory immediately. Got it?

...um. Sure.

I'll stay here to guard the Emperor's body, and make sure no one follows you. You'd better get moving. May Talos guide you.

Thanks.

By the way, thanks for recovering Captain Renault's sword. I'll see that it is given a place of honor in the halls of the Blades.

But-!

Nnnngah!

Hrrrrg!
Information enters my mind unbidden, and I feel more paper in my armor.

I suppose it must be important.

I won't be needing these any more.

Now THAT seems important.

Upon reading this note, it seems I am entitled to an evil lair. Good to know, I suppose?

YES MAGIC PAPER, THANK YOU

UNDERSTOOD, FUCK OFF PLEASE

No sword. Hm. How did that cold touch spell go again?

Like...

...that?
Since we took Destruction as one of our major skills, the game starts us out with a couple of Destruction spells. I'm not sure if Morrowind did that or not.

How about...

SHOCK!

Brilliant!

I'll need this.

Almost there...

Here, the game gives us the chance to revise our character. That won't be necessary, but what's nice is you can just plonk down a save at this gate, load, then mess around with your build and go instead of having to start a new game. It's nice, but I don't know if Bethesda should get credit for that particular strategy. But now we're going outside, and I need to address a complaint from sector_corrector.